December snows... Bring?

It's been awhile. The first semester in seminary and I slack at the oddest moments. It is has been a satisfying and slightly harrowing experience. If you can read this, you have access to a computer and knowledge of the internet. I pray you know just how blessed you are. There are those who suffer hunger daily and others who long for sunlight. Today there are slaves who long for the sun rise on them as free people. There are those who are alone and weep because of it. If any of these pains are not yours. I thank God with you. I have an awesome family. Access to a computer and health-care. I have friends who care, a school to go to and a job to work. I know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I have means to fully live, and reason to peacefully die. None of this I have earned through effort. Therefore, they are all gifts. I am thankful.

December snows

Bring roots that grow.

We become grateful

For where we haven't been

and Thankful for

Life that we haven't seen

We grow deeper

This year by this year

We see the heavens clearer

Stars watch our story, with us

They wonder at our glory.

Happy to Believe.

I spent another amazing summer as a camp counselor at Camp Sonshine. The campers were amazing. I enjoyed being on staff because I knew that the year-round staff had been praying for this summer year-round. I enjoyed living under the covering. It say myself and my future a bit clearer. I got to know God a little better. During the school year and after graduation (Freedom!) it was hard to believe that God would provide. At camp, my faith in the fact He is working things out grew. I've always believed that God COULD provide, sometimes I am just not sure if he WOULD. Camp ended 2 weeks ago, seminary began this week and I am still believing God for a lot of things. I am happy to even believe.

Leadership is...

When a man walks in front of his horse. He tugs at the bridle. The horse has the ability to move and it responds. "If your willing then to go, then I am willing to go." The horse plods on.

The same man rides his horse. He no longer leads from the front but from the top. The horse is in full gallop; this man grasps the reigns and tugs at bridle. The horse responds, "If you are willing to slow, then I am willing to slow." The horse plods on.

Both have their risks and rewards.

Adieu.

(John 11: 7-16)

Come and Go

As Christians, God calls out of our comfort zones to a world that needs Him. He has called us, His vessels, vine branches, and body to those without. Make no mistake, His call for us to leave where we are and share ourselves is a call unto Himself. Every time we hear God say, “Go!” We must understand that His heart cries, “Come!” He calls continually from the self-made and man-provided into the divine Presence, where we are satisfied. We must receive His trust, in the faith He gave, with joy. For in His sending, He calls and trusts us to be intimate with a new side of Himself. How sweet and vulnerable He is.

So, don’t turn away from His call when your first answer reveals the desire of your character to miss the mark. Continue to look, for it is there He offers Himself anew. There He calls you to know more of Him (Philippians 3:10-14). There, in your weakness and his strength, worship anew.

A friend taught me.

A Friend taught me...

That while seek to teach others, I will recieve priceless lessons.

While to endeavoring teach a peer, he taught me, "the kindness we do is not always forgotten." I found this to be deeply true. The people the we are kind to, without audience or record, sometimes God allows them back into our lives. They remind us of what we did so long ago, and confirm who we are today. 

Cast your bread upon the water and you will find it after many days.

Ecclesiastes 11:1

For Our Heads, For Our Hearts

We step into pulpits before 20 and into the spotlights before thousands. We look down at our notes as the clock ticks down in our heads. Our deep breath cuts off that prayer that it all comes out right as we begin to pray, speak, and preach. We are battling for heads and hearts. We speak so persuasively, so powerfully, so carefully that others might think differently. We hope that our words continue down beyond the intellect to where the heart is. That our hearers might live differently (and for the better). We struggle to convince them of spiritual realities and that we understand their physical realities. Our spirits soar at "mm-hmmms," "amen"s, and sheepish chuckles of agreement. We love 'em.

So.

We look down at our notes. Like the notes that came before them, they are tied to memories. Notes that are tied to memories of the one time you saw good, but could NOT find the courage to do it. Notes that are tied to memories of fights you could not walk away from. Notes that are fruits of long lessons in living above that one temptation that continues to dog us. Notes of that one time you time you saw evil itself (and how the shudders made you a better person). Notes that (hopefully) have not been washed of your emotion, scrubbed of your story, scoured of your "I just don't know"s until all that is left is the clean plate of good principles.

Notes that remind us, in situation after situation, God has been fighting for our minds and our hearts. Speaking to change our minds, showing himself to chainge our hearts. So that we can live a little better, a little closer to Him.

We look down at our notes, we pray one more time (because, in God, we believe)

So we...

Speak.

The Reverse Mission

BACKSTORY:

There is a young lady (she's been around since the 1940's) that I mowed for in the summer of 2004. She was one my best customer that summer and I loved talking to her. I was mowing her lawn when I found out that I was accepted into the Howard University Prefreshman program (Thanks and Rest in Peace Dr. Aboko-Cole).

STORY:

I went to see her later that Saturday. I wanted her to know that I graduated. I walked up to the door but her car was gone. I went and knocked anyway. No one answered. For what seemed like a minute, I knocked on both her front doors (she has two). Finally, I saw a dog, it belonged to one of her friends that was just visiting. As her friend Ann and her dog left, I got to see my friend. I was overjoyed to see her. Last I saw her, she was in a wheelchair. Now she was up, walking around with a supportive boot. We talked about my plans for the future and went over some of her memories of DC. She was amazing, so happy, so caring, so proud. I was happy to see and am still happy just thinking of her light spirit.

Later that day I went to go see L'Arche. It is a community of non-handicap and mentally handicap people living together. I couldn't find the street address or see a sign. I asked a young man sitting outside (with his laptop) if he knew of such a place. He said but he could check on his laptop. Which took forever (5 minutes) to boot up. We talked a little, his name is David and he goes to Maryland. He was good help and came up with two addresses. Both of which turned out to be right.

I went to the first one and walked in right-on-time for dinner.

Right-on-time to pray with students and staff.

Students visiting DC from Notre Dame.

Former and current volunteers who showed for the day of the dinner and fund-raiser/gala (somewhere in Adams Morgan).

Right on time to meet the great people of L'Arche DC. It was wonderful.

I visited my friend to see how she was doing, to make a full circle in letting her know how things were going. I came away happy and loved.

David tried to help a stranger and found a new acquaitance, a new (slightly random) friend.

I visited L'Arche to share a little time and experience and walked away blown away at the awesome, open love I was shown.

The reverse mission. Henry Nouwen (Here and Now) says that it is the mark of the Holy Spirit's work. Folks who seek to give are often given more in the process of doing so. It's great to live out a principle.