About a month ago I taped up this verse on my bedroom mirror: "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Tim. 6:6) In many ways it's very easy for me to be content right now - I love my housemates, I like my job, I feel connected to the community around me, I am learning about myself and the world and generally becoming more of the person I want to be and see as who God is creating/has created me to be. October has been extremely busy and I've been stressed at several different times, but never once did I think that I'm not content to be where I am.
There have been two very different loses that have affected the house this month. First off, chronologically, 4 of our bikes were stolen out of our garage, mine included. (Yes, we filed a police report, but there's not much to be done about it since we didn't have our bikes registered with the city.) And secondly, this past week two of the residents at Joseph's House died. One of the members, Josh, was particularly dear to Katy, my housemate who works there. On top of that she missed his memorial service because she was taking another resident to a doctor's appointment where they were treated rudely and made to wait hours on end. I had met Josh a few weeks earlier and even though he was sick and tired, he was able to walk around and put on a mixed CD of R&B for our enjoyment during dinner. He had a ready smile and was a very gentle, kind-hearted guy.
So that brings me to this question: What are we supposed to hold on to? At first I was going to write about not holding onto things because if I held tightly onto my bike as my personal possession I wouldn't be able to handle the current situation with grace and perspective. But the opposite is true of Katy's loss. If she had not held on tightly to Josh's life, then she would not have been able to love him as well as she did.
The obvious point would be that we can only hold onto the things of God. But this takes a lot more discernment than that small statement. I hope this doesn't seem trite, but my bike took me on some awesome rides in God's creation and I loved every minute of it. And I'm sure that Katy loved every minute that she got to spend with Josh. So I'll just keep clinging on to love, which is what is making my life so great right now.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
A Newsy Note
Not so many profound thoughts this time, just life.
Last weekend we went to a workshop on non-violent safety techniques. The methods covered everything from physical attack to objectifying of women to preventing parents hitting children (in public, at least). Marty Langelan teaches about harassment and non-violence. Her goal is to not only stop the harasser in his/her tracks, but to also create an avenue of thought that will stop the chain of harassment and violence. The most memorable response that we practiced is how to react to men cat-calling women. The studies show that the most effective way to do this is to say, in a clear yet unauthoritative voice, "Stop harassing women. I don't like it. No one likes it. Show some respect." I have yet to get up the gumption to use this one even though I get cat-called all the time in my neighborhood.
Now that I've sunk into my work schedule and study routine, I've worked my life so I can participate in some other interesting CoS activities. On Tuesday I got to Potter's House to meet with a handful of people at the Race Reconciliation table. Every day at PH there are lunch tables that discuss different topics, and it just so happens that I can go on Tuesdays and this is the one I'm most interested in. We just talk about our experiences or whatever is on our minds about racial issues. I also get off early on Fridays so I can help with the homeless feeding at PH. Every day at 2pm they give away the extra soup and bread from the lunch crowd. I was surprised that it's all homeless men that come to the feeding. In regards to the harassment paragraph above, I've experienced the initial machismo objectification, but I'm trying to assert myself as friendly and expecting respect from the men there. It's a good way for me to get to know other aspects of the community.
Dixcy and I went for a bike ride Wednesday morning before work. She showed me a quick cut-through to get downtown and bike along the Potomac. It was perfect weather. We talked about her mentoring me this year and she agreed enthusiastically which was encouraging for me to hear that she enjoys getting to know me as much as I enjoy spending time with her. Thank God for that answer to prayer.
Tonight (Thursday) we got to hear a sermon by Ched Meyers, a respected Christian thinker and author, about restorative justice. Then he invited us out for a drink at a little bar nearby. That was also encouraging to hear him say that he really respects CoS and the Discipleship Year program and he thinks it's one of the best set-ups for this kind of volunteer program. We talked about the importance of the Civil Rights movement and MLKJr. in American history and how it's underrepresented. And lots of other things. He's very genuine and easy to talk to. I'm reading one of his books (Say to this Mountain) right now for my Servant Leadership School class on the gospel of Mark.
Tomorrow (Friday) the 7 of us and Dawn are headed to WV for a community retreat. Our main focus is the development of our community and a community covenant that we will seek to live by during this year. What is our real purpose for living in community? What are our objectives? Of course we'll also be roasting marshmallows on a campfire and playing frisbee and all that good stuff. It should be a restorative and restful time.
Good thing I didn't really have anything profound to say tonight because that was a lot of info! Thanks for keeping up with me on the journey!
Last weekend we went to a workshop on non-violent safety techniques. The methods covered everything from physical attack to objectifying of women to preventing parents hitting children (in public, at least). Marty Langelan teaches about harassment and non-violence. Her goal is to not only stop the harasser in his/her tracks, but to also create an avenue of thought that will stop the chain of harassment and violence. The most memorable response that we practiced is how to react to men cat-calling women. The studies show that the most effective way to do this is to say, in a clear yet unauthoritative voice, "Stop harassing women. I don't like it. No one likes it. Show some respect." I have yet to get up the gumption to use this one even though I get cat-called all the time in my neighborhood.
Now that I've sunk into my work schedule and study routine, I've worked my life so I can participate in some other interesting CoS activities. On Tuesday I got to Potter's House to meet with a handful of people at the Race Reconciliation table. Every day at PH there are lunch tables that discuss different topics, and it just so happens that I can go on Tuesdays and this is the one I'm most interested in. We just talk about our experiences or whatever is on our minds about racial issues. I also get off early on Fridays so I can help with the homeless feeding at PH. Every day at 2pm they give away the extra soup and bread from the lunch crowd. I was surprised that it's all homeless men that come to the feeding. In regards to the harassment paragraph above, I've experienced the initial machismo objectification, but I'm trying to assert myself as friendly and expecting respect from the men there. It's a good way for me to get to know other aspects of the community.
Dixcy and I went for a bike ride Wednesday morning before work. She showed me a quick cut-through to get downtown and bike along the Potomac. It was perfect weather. We talked about her mentoring me this year and she agreed enthusiastically which was encouraging for me to hear that she enjoys getting to know me as much as I enjoy spending time with her. Thank God for that answer to prayer.
Tonight (Thursday) we got to hear a sermon by Ched Meyers, a respected Christian thinker and author, about restorative justice. Then he invited us out for a drink at a little bar nearby. That was also encouraging to hear him say that he really respects CoS and the Discipleship Year program and he thinks it's one of the best set-ups for this kind of volunteer program. We talked about the importance of the Civil Rights movement and MLKJr. in American history and how it's underrepresented. And lots of other things. He's very genuine and easy to talk to. I'm reading one of his books (Say to this Mountain) right now for my Servant Leadership School class on the gospel of Mark.
Tomorrow (Friday) the 7 of us and Dawn are headed to WV for a community retreat. Our main focus is the development of our community and a community covenant that we will seek to live by during this year. What is our real purpose for living in community? What are our objectives? Of course we'll also be roasting marshmallows on a campfire and playing frisbee and all that good stuff. It should be a restorative and restful time.
Good thing I didn't really have anything profound to say tonight because that was a lot of info! Thanks for keeping up with me on the journey!
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