I wrote this a week or so ago after some reflection:
I spent some time reflecting tonight and began to wonder how we break the cycles we have created. How does a child, raised by a parent who was in turn raised by their parent who had no time, tolerance or parenting skill break out of that to become a great parent? How do they become role models for the next generation and create an environment that encourages their children to grow? How do we spread the love that we have for those that are close to us to everyone and make those societal changes that allow and encourage us to love our neighbors as ourselves? I don’t know the answer but do know how we live in community here has really changed my approach to interacting and caring for everyone I come in contact with. We live by Matthew 18 and know that our intentions for each other are good and important and I encourage all of us to really start to think the same way.
Molly has a great saying, “we judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.” What would our neighborhood, city, country and world look like if we all walked around with this in our heads?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Things to make you pause and think
Is it ever acceptable to suggest sending dog food to the starving children in Africa?
I mean, it’s nutritious and cheap…
Ex-offenders don’t really need new, clean underwear, do they?
I mean, they were in prison anything has to be better than that…
When offered anything they might like for Christmas, low-income high school students shouldn’t even think to ask for ipods, TV’s and Nintendo’s right?
I mean, they are low income and should be happy with whatever they get…
These are just a few of the stories I have heard since I moved here, one of which was actually part of a conversation I had with someone. I think sometimes its easy to view everything through the lens of more for you money the better.
I encourage everyone who reads this to think about “those” people as your kids, your mom, your brother or your grandpa. Think about how you would treat them and remember “those” people fill someoneelse's family role…
I mean, it’s nutritious and cheap…
Ex-offenders don’t really need new, clean underwear, do they?
I mean, they were in prison anything has to be better than that…
When offered anything they might like for Christmas, low-income high school students shouldn’t even think to ask for ipods, TV’s and Nintendo’s right?
I mean, they are low income and should be happy with whatever they get…
These are just a few of the stories I have heard since I moved here, one of which was actually part of a conversation I had with someone. I think sometimes its easy to view everything through the lens of more for you money the better.
I encourage everyone who reads this to think about “those” people as your kids, your mom, your brother or your grandpa. Think about how you would treat them and remember “those” people fill someoneelse's family role…
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Great Post by my Roomie Meghan!
This is a great post that I encourage all of you to read even though I didn't write it. Please copy and paste the link below!
http://megindenver.blogspot.com/2010/02/bus.html?showComment=1271305909853_AIe9_BHvdRhBy_rkBNJYomXJDfQJolpyybqFPr4Llz9E5kkaXXnO-Vc7k7Z6ei_PpD97Midk78jvPd2xv1JzFG0LjtDxr-2mzEOTSSmjWCSBVh5eMNks0-idUZu9NR2vbtGImW4YIzvBH90u_tTNNrG-RuOoKIkCuYcrkB2dtc4Rrh-Qi1LJXpl9eu3UXto6k4G2-6ZF3IVEHDZ2CNHNDXvhM9k7fI1Zw#c5884028354927188394
http://megindenver.blogspot.com/2010/02/bus.html?showComment=1271305909853_AIe9_BHvdRhBy_rkBNJYomXJDfQJolpyybqFPr4Llz9E5kkaXXnO-Vc7k7Z6ei_PpD97Midk78jvPd2xv1JzFG0LjtDxr-2mzEOTSSmjWCSBVh5eMNks0-idUZu9NR2vbtGImW4YIzvBH90u_tTNNrG-RuOoKIkCuYcrkB2dtc4Rrh-Qi1LJXpl9eu3UXto6k4G2-6ZF3IVEHDZ2CNHNDXvhM9k7fI1Zw#c5884028354927188394
Heavy Heart
I write tonight with a bit of a heavy heart, noticing that I have let the things out of my control once again sneak up on me. After a particularly interesting day, with many twists and turns, I come home wanting and needing answers but know that only time will provide them. The discomfort brought on tonight is one that stems from the differences of my life and the ones that I have been asked to serve. These differences are ones that I hardly notice anymore except on rare occasions when someone, somehow points them out.
Tonight was worship, worship without our Head Pastor. I was asked to step in to help, which included canceling Children’s Church (as we call it these days). This meant that the children would have to sit through the whole service. As they arrived I invited them to join me, to help make up for the part of church that has become routine for them, the hour that we spend God and learning about him.
Now I don’t always look forward to preparing for Children’s Church but I have come to realize how much many of the children enjoy it. So tonight while we prepared for regular worship to start I knew the children would want to talk and interrupt the service so I pulled out some of the coloring sheets that I store for when we run out of things to do, as well as some markers. For the most part the children stayed quiet and joined in during the prayers as we went. After worship I was approached by a regular member of our worshiping community who proceeded to tell me that they don’t allow children to color and draw during the service, that they should be paying attention. I apologized and let him know that I hadn’t heard that before and was trying to keep them quiet to let the adults enjoy the message. Although this didn’t seem to satisfy him he moved on with a grumble. I apologized again after dinner, making sure to let him know that I had in no way meant to upset or disturb the normal proceedings of worship at the parish, but was left wondering how that rule every got put in place. I understand the importance of children paying attention in God’s house but as a 7 year-old there is only so much sitting quietly that they can handle.
It was during the ride home that I was challenged once more about raising kids and how different that can look. I think in many ways I was raised on a rewards system, which turned me into a pleaser, always wanting to know that I had done a good job and that whoever I was trying to please was proud of me. That system can look different in every home but it is the opposite that I have a hard time understanding. I believe in discipline, and respect and know how important those lessons are for all of us to learn. I also understand that its not my place ever to tell someone how to raise or treat their kids but I feel that so many children really want to please someone and many times aren’t given the opportunity to do that.
I’m not a parent, just the oldest child out of an extended family made up of four kids and someone who thinks she has learned some about working with children over the last few months. I want and wish that I could provide the place of comfort that my family provided for me as I learned the many lessons life has to teach us. The hardest part is knowing that I won’t be here for forever and that I’m not their parent but somehow finding a way to share our lives with each other during this short time we have together.
Tonight was worship, worship without our Head Pastor. I was asked to step in to help, which included canceling Children’s Church (as we call it these days). This meant that the children would have to sit through the whole service. As they arrived I invited them to join me, to help make up for the part of church that has become routine for them, the hour that we spend God and learning about him.
Now I don’t always look forward to preparing for Children’s Church but I have come to realize how much many of the children enjoy it. So tonight while we prepared for regular worship to start I knew the children would want to talk and interrupt the service so I pulled out some of the coloring sheets that I store for when we run out of things to do, as well as some markers. For the most part the children stayed quiet and joined in during the prayers as we went. After worship I was approached by a regular member of our worshiping community who proceeded to tell me that they don’t allow children to color and draw during the service, that they should be paying attention. I apologized and let him know that I hadn’t heard that before and was trying to keep them quiet to let the adults enjoy the message. Although this didn’t seem to satisfy him he moved on with a grumble. I apologized again after dinner, making sure to let him know that I had in no way meant to upset or disturb the normal proceedings of worship at the parish, but was left wondering how that rule every got put in place. I understand the importance of children paying attention in God’s house but as a 7 year-old there is only so much sitting quietly that they can handle.
It was during the ride home that I was challenged once more about raising kids and how different that can look. I think in many ways I was raised on a rewards system, which turned me into a pleaser, always wanting to know that I had done a good job and that whoever I was trying to please was proud of me. That system can look different in every home but it is the opposite that I have a hard time understanding. I believe in discipline, and respect and know how important those lessons are for all of us to learn. I also understand that its not my place ever to tell someone how to raise or treat their kids but I feel that so many children really want to please someone and many times aren’t given the opportunity to do that.
I’m not a parent, just the oldest child out of an extended family made up of four kids and someone who thinks she has learned some about working with children over the last few months. I want and wish that I could provide the place of comfort that my family provided for me as I learned the many lessons life has to teach us. The hardest part is knowing that I won’t be here for forever and that I’m not their parent but somehow finding a way to share our lives with each other during this short time we have together.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Rediscovering my faith...
April Article for the Broadstreeter Newsletter...
A few weeks ago I attended a Young Adult retreat located on the
Western slope of Pike’s Peak. The weather was beautiful, the views
magnificent and even though our van managed to get stuck on the side
of the mountain the retreat was a great experience. (We had to call
the camp director to come help us get our van unstuck, which he did
very successfully.)
The theme of the retreat was talking about what makes up our faith as
a community and how four specific components establish our individual
faith. Those components are Rituals, Spiritual, Community and
Lifestyle. The weekend started off with discussions about Rituals of
our faith and which ones we connected to or experienced God the most.
As we moved into deeper discussion I began to realize that it doesn’t
matter which of those four pieces an individual relates to the best.It
is more a matter of understanding and accepting yourself, and knowing
there is no right or wrong. Once you accept yourself then you can
challenge yourself in your faith to grow the other areas. By beginning
the conversation with the discussion about rituals, which is one of
the parts that I connect with and experience God in the best, I was
able to see the interrelatedness of all four. Being able to recognize
what kinds of rituals I connect with the most has led me to discover
ways to grow my Spiritual side (which we defined as our personal
relationship with God). I have recognized the importance of personal
time to spend in relationship with God.
The one message that all 30 Young Adults left the retreat with is the
recognition that we may all have a different ways of experiencing God
and expressing that but being able to understand that allows us to
accept that we are all “wonderfully and fearfully made,” just the way
God intended.
A few weeks ago I attended a Young Adult retreat located on the
Western slope of Pike’s Peak. The weather was beautiful, the views
magnificent and even though our van managed to get stuck on the side
of the mountain the retreat was a great experience. (We had to call
the camp director to come help us get our van unstuck, which he did
very successfully.)
The theme of the retreat was talking about what makes up our faith as
a community and how four specific components establish our individual
faith. Those components are Rituals, Spiritual, Community and
Lifestyle. The weekend started off with discussions about Rituals of
our faith and which ones we connected to or experienced God the most.
As we moved into deeper discussion I began to realize that it doesn’t
matter which of those four pieces an individual relates to the best.It
is more a matter of understanding and accepting yourself, and knowing
there is no right or wrong. Once you accept yourself then you can
challenge yourself in your faith to grow the other areas. By beginning
the conversation with the discussion about rituals, which is one of
the parts that I connect with and experience God in the best, I was
able to see the interrelatedness of all four. Being able to recognize
what kinds of rituals I connect with the most has led me to discover
ways to grow my Spiritual side (which we defined as our personal
relationship with God). I have recognized the importance of personal
time to spend in relationship with God.
The one message that all 30 Young Adults left the retreat with is the
recognition that we may all have a different ways of experiencing God
and expressing that but being able to understand that allows us to
accept that we are all “wonderfully and fearfully made,” just the way
God intended.
Preparing for Easter
This is the big week, the week leading up to Easter. Its a time of year that is busy and always has me asking where the time has gone.
This year is no different but the ways that I have spent my time in preparing have changed. Since starting with DICP I have planned creative ways to engage the children of the worship community. This week is no exception, we planed to "Prepare for Easter" by coloring eggs, talking about the Son of God and many crafts to help welcome in the good news.
At Central, the church I'm attending, I prepared to teach a class for the Sr. Highs again "Preparing for Easter." I spent about an hour and a half looking at the stories leading up to Easter and reflecting on the different services that go along with them. I focused on the amazing gift God gave and it struck me how amazing it really is but it also made me sad. I started thinking about why the story had to unfold the way it did, why the the only way for it to end with the good news meant the suffering of our savior.
As I was preparing and thinking I started to think about the world we live in today. Has it really changed? What is it that we respond to in this world, hurt destruction, devastation? Why don't we get the same response from the acts of kindness? All of these things seem to sneak up on us because they are easier to keep on the back burner.
I forget sometimes how different my life here is and how what I see and who I serve on a daily basis is not the norm for many within our country let alone our communities. As the end of my YAV year drawers closer I know that part of my challenge is to continue to remember and pass along the stories I have been a part of.
Maundy Thursday has always been one of my favorite services, maybe because its easier for me to relate to the pain and suffering, maybe its because so many of us walk around with pieces of that in our heart. It allows me to connect to the great gift we have been given by knowing that it wasn't given easily. By being able to recognize that and holding that knowledge in my heart and mind I carry it with me where ever I go.
The story of Easter is one of celebration and joy, but that celebration and joy all came for a price and that
This year is no different but the ways that I have spent my time in preparing have changed. Since starting with DICP I have planned creative ways to engage the children of the worship community. This week is no exception, we planed to "Prepare for Easter" by coloring eggs, talking about the Son of God and many crafts to help welcome in the good news.
At Central, the church I'm attending, I prepared to teach a class for the Sr. Highs again "Preparing for Easter." I spent about an hour and a half looking at the stories leading up to Easter and reflecting on the different services that go along with them. I focused on the amazing gift God gave and it struck me how amazing it really is but it also made me sad. I started thinking about why the story had to unfold the way it did, why the the only way for it to end with the good news meant the suffering of our savior.
As I was preparing and thinking I started to think about the world we live in today. Has it really changed? What is it that we respond to in this world, hurt destruction, devastation? Why don't we get the same response from the acts of kindness? All of these things seem to sneak up on us because they are easier to keep on the back burner.
I forget sometimes how different my life here is and how what I see and who I serve on a daily basis is not the norm for many within our country let alone our communities. As the end of my YAV year drawers closer I know that part of my challenge is to continue to remember and pass along the stories I have been a part of.
Maundy Thursday has always been one of my favorite services, maybe because its easier for me to relate to the pain and suffering, maybe its because so many of us walk around with pieces of that in our heart. It allows me to connect to the great gift we have been given by knowing that it wasn't given easily. By being able to recognize that and holding that knowledge in my heart and mind I carry it with me where ever I go.
The story of Easter is one of celebration and joy, but that celebration and joy all came for a price and that
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