I learned a lot in the past week...
Here are just a few things I've learned in the last week:
1. I hate taxes.
2. I'm still a sucker for romantic comedies.
3. If I practice enough I can play someone else's flute almost as well as my own.
4. I might actually learn to speak Creole someday
5. If given a night off, I still don't do the dishes, so I can no longer blame the dirty dishes on my busy schedule.
6. Eyesight really does get worse as we get older
7. When you don't run for 4 months, the first time back on the treadmill is not enjoyable.
8. A Starbucks gift card puts a HUGE smile on my face
9. Going weeks without talking to friends is not acceptable
10.The tax "break" I'm supposed to get is actually a tax "break my bank" (see #1)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Tolerance and Compassion...
I read an article this morning.
I read a similar one the other day. It's a story of how poor hungry people in Haiti are eating dirt because they cannot afford to eat real food. You can read the article here
On my various trips to Haiti I have never seen this first hand, but I have heard of the rising food costs and I have seen how those costs have affected the many people in that little part of the world. What my heart is responding to this morning though is not the pictures of little kids eating little piles of dirt mixed with shortening and salt for breakast. (although it does break my heart.) What compelled me to write this morning were the comments listed under this. I love that we live in a land where we can say what we want...freedom of speech is a beautiful thing...but I was ashamed of my fellow countrymen. What echoed through many of the comments was an utter lack of compassion for a people who could use a little good old fashion love.
I feel like the world sees us like the spoiled child who is given whatever they want whenever they want it. A child that goes through life with a total disregard for the people around them. Perhaps that is what we are...I believe though that we have something to offer, more to offer than the image we sometimes portray to the rest of the world...if only we would open our eyes.
In this country tolerance is preached. In America we fight for the right to pray in school. We fight for the right to end abortion. We fight for the right to choose abortion. We fight for the right to get a better tax break. We fight for same sex unions, fuel efficiency, green living, and so much more. (Bob barker just gave 1 million dollars to a college in Springfield so they can start an Aminal Rights program...can you imagine how many PEOPLE could be helped with those resources...not that I'm a huge advocate of just handing out money. I know bunnies and penguins are important to the circle of life and all, but what about PEOPLE) In America we fight for our rights, and yet we often neglect the fight when it comes to the poor and underprivileged. The number of people who will die today because they cannot afford to eat is staggering. Do we really care? What about compassion, why aren't we teaching kids compassion in the 2nd grade. How do we help them to love their neighbor. Is it something that can be taught? Of course, I'm a Christian, so loving your neighbor becomes a pretty big thing. And it's true that the goal of my life is to share the Gospel so that others will be become Christian...but I think a little compassion could be spread across the board to believers and non-believers alike. I don't know if we can teach compassion...but I'm pretty sure we can show people what it looks like.
Maybe if we all just tried a little bit of "compassion" on...we might just see that it fits.
I read an article this morning.
I read a similar one the other day. It's a story of how poor hungry people in Haiti are eating dirt because they cannot afford to eat real food. You can read the article here
On my various trips to Haiti I have never seen this first hand, but I have heard of the rising food costs and I have seen how those costs have affected the many people in that little part of the world. What my heart is responding to this morning though is not the pictures of little kids eating little piles of dirt mixed with shortening and salt for breakast. (although it does break my heart.) What compelled me to write this morning were the comments listed under this. I love that we live in a land where we can say what we want...freedom of speech is a beautiful thing...but I was ashamed of my fellow countrymen. What echoed through many of the comments was an utter lack of compassion for a people who could use a little good old fashion love.
I feel like the world sees us like the spoiled child who is given whatever they want whenever they want it. A child that goes through life with a total disregard for the people around them. Perhaps that is what we are...I believe though that we have something to offer, more to offer than the image we sometimes portray to the rest of the world...if only we would open our eyes.
In this country tolerance is preached. In America we fight for the right to pray in school. We fight for the right to end abortion. We fight for the right to choose abortion. We fight for the right to get a better tax break. We fight for same sex unions, fuel efficiency, green living, and so much more. (Bob barker just gave 1 million dollars to a college in Springfield so they can start an Aminal Rights program...can you imagine how many PEOPLE could be helped with those resources...not that I'm a huge advocate of just handing out money. I know bunnies and penguins are important to the circle of life and all, but what about PEOPLE) In America we fight for our rights, and yet we often neglect the fight when it comes to the poor and underprivileged. The number of people who will die today because they cannot afford to eat is staggering. Do we really care? What about compassion, why aren't we teaching kids compassion in the 2nd grade. How do we help them to love their neighbor. Is it something that can be taught? Of course, I'm a Christian, so loving your neighbor becomes a pretty big thing. And it's true that the goal of my life is to share the Gospel so that others will be become Christian...but I think a little compassion could be spread across the board to believers and non-believers alike. I don't know if we can teach compassion...but I'm pretty sure we can show people what it looks like.
Maybe if we all just tried a little bit of "compassion" on...we might just see that it fits.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Jr. High Girls: Keeping it real...
Yesterday I was meeting with a group of girls at the Junior High. Most of these girls have been meeting with me for two years...we're comfortable with each other.
One girl is in the middle of pouring out her heart to the whole table and another girl raises her hand. Thinking that she had something great to add to the conversation, I call on her.
and she says,
"Apparently the medicine I'm on gives me gas. I'm sorry if you hear something. It shouldn't smell though."
great.
Yesterday I was meeting with a group of girls at the Junior High. Most of these girls have been meeting with me for two years...we're comfortable with each other.
One girl is in the middle of pouring out her heart to the whole table and another girl raises her hand. Thinking that she had something great to add to the conversation, I call on her.
and she says,
"Apparently the medicine I'm on gives me gas. I'm sorry if you hear something. It shouldn't smell though."
great.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Confession: I am a hypocrite...
Lately I have been so frustrated with church culture. I've been following the presidential primaries and cringe almost every time I hear the media refer to the "evangelical christian conservatives." I think I'm an Evangelical Christian, in the sense that I follow Jesus and seek to spread His message of salvation, and morally conservative, but the idea of being put into that category sometimes rubs me the wrong way.
Then as I drive down the street I see huge church buildings where people pile into the parking lot and pews each Sunday to drink designer coffee and listen to a sermon that entertains them a bit and sing songs to music lead by people playing expensive instruments, only to leave the building and not notice the people in the world around them...the people that God has called them to love.
Babies are dying all around the world, entire cultures are being wiped out by fighting and disease. This is happening while we sit in committee meetings and decide how much money we should spend on the new carpet, and complain about how people don't give enough money to church.
I get frustrated...
Then I step back and realize that on most days I am just the same...the person I'm really frustrated with is myself. I am the person who walks into my middle class/white american congregation, sit through worship and walk my way through the rest of my week trying to meet deadlines, stick to schedule, and not go crazy. Most times the weeks slip by without me having any regard for my neighbor. Not only am I a sinner who forgets what God has called her to, but I'm a hypocrite...
I guess that's why I'm thankful for the season of Lent. I am reminded of my sin daily and during this time I reflect on that sinfulness and I look forward to Christ's death and resurrection. I remember that Jesus came because of my sin and hypocrisy and his blood washes over me and makes me whole...I remember that God has claimed me as his child...He takes my sin and hypocrisy and changes them into something beautiful and lovely. I am new.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, as I journey through Lent, I'm going to try to judge less, and follow Christ more.
Lately I have been so frustrated with church culture. I've been following the presidential primaries and cringe almost every time I hear the media refer to the "evangelical christian conservatives." I think I'm an Evangelical Christian, in the sense that I follow Jesus and seek to spread His message of salvation, and morally conservative, but the idea of being put into that category sometimes rubs me the wrong way.
Then as I drive down the street I see huge church buildings where people pile into the parking lot and pews each Sunday to drink designer coffee and listen to a sermon that entertains them a bit and sing songs to music lead by people playing expensive instruments, only to leave the building and not notice the people in the world around them...the people that God has called them to love.
Babies are dying all around the world, entire cultures are being wiped out by fighting and disease. This is happening while we sit in committee meetings and decide how much money we should spend on the new carpet, and complain about how people don't give enough money to church.
I get frustrated...
Then I step back and realize that on most days I am just the same...the person I'm really frustrated with is myself. I am the person who walks into my middle class/white american congregation, sit through worship and walk my way through the rest of my week trying to meet deadlines, stick to schedule, and not go crazy. Most times the weeks slip by without me having any regard for my neighbor. Not only am I a sinner who forgets what God has called her to, but I'm a hypocrite...
I guess that's why I'm thankful for the season of Lent. I am reminded of my sin daily and during this time I reflect on that sinfulness and I look forward to Christ's death and resurrection. I remember that Jesus came because of my sin and hypocrisy and his blood washes over me and makes me whole...I remember that God has claimed me as his child...He takes my sin and hypocrisy and changes them into something beautiful and lovely. I am new.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, as I journey through Lent, I'm going to try to judge less, and follow Christ more.
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