Last week was a rough one for the DY household. When it rains it pours, right? Why does it all seem to come at once?
First off, everyone was getting sick. Chris even had to make a day-of appointment on Saturday because he was coughing up blood. The doctor said he either had pneumonia or tuberculosis. Thankfully on Monday the test result showed negative for TB, but he does have pneumonia. I had a stomach virus that coincided with a head cold, which landed me in bed for Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, Katy had one of those really bad barking-type coughs, and Isa stayed home sick from work for a day also.
On top of the general physical malaise, there were some difficult life situations too. Several people at Joseph's House died within a few days of one another and others were doing badly or admitted to ICU. Katy was struggling with the sadness of all of this and feeling weighted down by it.
Chris found out that the insurance wouldn't cover any more time for his mom at the head trauma rehab unit, so she had to go home. He had to take he home on Wednesday and stay with her a couple days until they could get a daytime caretaker to stay at the house with her. She's glad to be home, but she still needs the stimulation of therapy to have the best recovery possible. The insurance/health care system is very frustrating at times.
Isa was focused on a big English fluency test on Saturday that included an interview. She was very nervous about it because it's very important for grad school and she also had her application due this week.
I was coming off the wonderful experience of having my friends come to visit. But after they leave there's always a let down of going back to normal life without them. I also had two grad school applications due this week and I wasn't able to even start working on them until Saturday afternoon because I was so sick. It's also a really busy time at work for me, so it was tough to miss two days.
Understandably, when everyone is sick or stressed it's hard to support other people who are feeling the same way because you're spending so much energy just to keep your own head above water. Whew.
But things seem to be collectively looking up again! We're getting healthier and calming down a little bit.
I do want to brag about my birthday for a little bit. Actually, I would be bragging about my housemates because they're the ones who made it so special. It's marvelous how the lack of money propels to have more genuine expressions of love for one another.
On Sunday January 13th I woke up to a picture of us girls from New Years with a birthday note telling me to open my blinds. Outside my window, the balcony was decorated with streamers and balloon. The hallway said "Happy Birthday Sarah!" on little pieces of paper on the floor. Paige left fun birthday quotes around the house for me to find...on the bathroom mirror, on the milk jug in the fridge, in the fruit bowl. Chris, Isa, and Katy all collaged silly and/or thoughtful cards for me. Clay sent me an email including a picture of a Naples sunset (just what I love!) and an appreciative note. A few of us went down to the museums to see some art exhibits in the afternoon. They made my request for dinner and Katy and I baked the traditional Munz family carrot cake which is my favorite. After dinner all the homies presented me with a song they wrote about me to the tune of "Blindman" (it's a joke at our house). I could barely breathe I was laughing so hard! And just when I thought it was all over, Emily hid a gift under my covers for me to find when I was going to bed. She read a poem/prayer that reminded her of me so she mounted it in a frame. How special can a girl get?!
Honestly, I was pretty overwhelmed, but in a good way. I can't think of a time when I felt this loved and appreciated just for being me! But that's not all. On Tuesday, they surprised me by inviting some of my other friends over as a late surprise birthday party!!! I've never had a surprise party before, although I've secretly always wanted one. Even though about half the people they invited couldn't make it on a Tuesday night, it was nice to know that I do have friends and a place here in DC and enough friends to invite to a party. It was great to have some people over that didn't know my housemates before and see all different parts of my life coincide.
I couldn't have planned a better birthday if I had thought about it myself. Wow.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The Story of Trinny (or Conning the Con-Man)
This exciting little episode happened on my way to work this morning and, even though I just blogged yesterday, I really wanted to share it while it's fresh in my mind.
As I was exited the Metro station this morning a middle-aged, black man approached me very calmly and said something to the effect of "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm approaching you respectfully because I know a lot of people do this, but I'm just out of 18 months in prison and I've been homeless for the past month, I'm trying to find a job, but I just get so hungry sometimes. I know a lot of people ask for money and then by booze or drugs, but I just want to have something to eat tonight."
I'm optimistic but (hopefully) not naive, so I offered the buy him something to eat at the 7-Eleven across the street. He declined saying that he had just eaten, but he knew he would need money for food later. So I switched tactics. If he really wanted to get a job and get off the street, then I could help him with that. I offered to walk him to the office of Jubilee Jobs, a ministry of Church of the Saviour, that helps the homeless and fresh-out-of-prison find jobs. It's quite a daunting task to find a job and some stability after being surrounded by concrete and razor-wire fences for months or years at a time. I fully understand how difficult that must be. At the same time, I know there are other personal, psychological, or emotional factors that can get in the way.
Anyway, I felt comfortable enough because he wasn't threatening, it was daylight, and there were plenty of people around. Plus, Jubilee Jobs is practically on my way to work. So I told him that I'd give him a little money if he'd go with me there. We walked and talked about where he used to live in the area, what kind of job he would like to have, how hard it is to be homeless and how dirty the shelters are, and how we all need to learn from our mistakes and receive a little grace in our lives. He said his name is Trinny and I gave him a pack of tissues from my purse.
When we arrived at Jubliee Jobs I introduced myself to the receptionist as a Discipleship Year volunteer with CoS and she responded enthusiastically. Then I introduced Trinny and explained that he's looking to find a job. I also explained that I was on my way to work and sorry I couldn't stay, but hopefully they'd be able to take care of things. I gave Trinny a few dollars and left as the receptionist was handing him a form to fill out and asking him about ID and his social security number. He wasn't quite taking to it like a fish to water, but I at least dropped him in the stream.
I don't know if Trinny is actually ready to hold down a job. I'm not in the business of working with people in his situation enough to know how to engage the problem correctly, but that's what Jubilee Jobs is all about so I hope I took him to the right place. I don't know if Trinny was just feeding me lines of respect and remorse just to get a few bucks. If so, he got more hassle and less money than he bargained for. He could have peaced-out any time with some lame excuse, but I like to think that if he made it that far, then hopefully he'll make it to the next step and the next step.
If he was trying to con some cash out of me, I feel like I flipped that game on him and conned him into something else entirely. Jesus said something about being as peaceful as dove yet a cunning as snakes, right?
As I was exited the Metro station this morning a middle-aged, black man approached me very calmly and said something to the effect of "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm approaching you respectfully because I know a lot of people do this, but I'm just out of 18 months in prison and I've been homeless for the past month, I'm trying to find a job, but I just get so hungry sometimes. I know a lot of people ask for money and then by booze or drugs, but I just want to have something to eat tonight."
I'm optimistic but (hopefully) not naive, so I offered the buy him something to eat at the 7-Eleven across the street. He declined saying that he had just eaten, but he knew he would need money for food later. So I switched tactics. If he really wanted to get a job and get off the street, then I could help him with that. I offered to walk him to the office of Jubilee Jobs, a ministry of Church of the Saviour, that helps the homeless and fresh-out-of-prison find jobs. It's quite a daunting task to find a job and some stability after being surrounded by concrete and razor-wire fences for months or years at a time. I fully understand how difficult that must be. At the same time, I know there are other personal, psychological, or emotional factors that can get in the way.
Anyway, I felt comfortable enough because he wasn't threatening, it was daylight, and there were plenty of people around. Plus, Jubilee Jobs is practically on my way to work. So I told him that I'd give him a little money if he'd go with me there. We walked and talked about where he used to live in the area, what kind of job he would like to have, how hard it is to be homeless and how dirty the shelters are, and how we all need to learn from our mistakes and receive a little grace in our lives. He said his name is Trinny and I gave him a pack of tissues from my purse.
When we arrived at Jubliee Jobs I introduced myself to the receptionist as a Discipleship Year volunteer with CoS and she responded enthusiastically. Then I introduced Trinny and explained that he's looking to find a job. I also explained that I was on my way to work and sorry I couldn't stay, but hopefully they'd be able to take care of things. I gave Trinny a few dollars and left as the receptionist was handing him a form to fill out and asking him about ID and his social security number. He wasn't quite taking to it like a fish to water, but I at least dropped him in the stream.
I don't know if Trinny is actually ready to hold down a job. I'm not in the business of working with people in his situation enough to know how to engage the problem correctly, but that's what Jubilee Jobs is all about so I hope I took him to the right place. I don't know if Trinny was just feeding me lines of respect and remorse just to get a few bucks. If so, he got more hassle and less money than he bargained for. He could have peaced-out any time with some lame excuse, but I like to think that if he made it that far, then hopefully he'll make it to the next step and the next step.
If he was trying to con some cash out of me, I feel like I flipped that game on him and conned him into something else entirely. Jesus said something about being as peaceful as dove yet a cunning as snakes, right?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Hello 2008 and Something Like Being in Love
The past calendar year feels like 3 years of my life. Each of the 3 seasons of my life in 2007 were so vastly different from one another that they seem like completely separate slices of time. First was finishing up college, then working at Grace Place while living at home over the summer, and the most recent and continuing chapter of participating in Discipleship Year program in DC. But now it's 2008, which definitely has one big transition in store (when the program ends in August) and probably some others also. Meanwhile, I'm trying to reconcile all this change with the need for roots. Hmm...
While I was home for Christmas with my family, I was talking to my housemate Emily on the phone and confided that "living is community is like being in love." What I mean by that is, when you're in love no matter how good things are where you are, you want to be with your significant other. Going home was wonderful and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but there was still the piece of me that is with my community. Community, like being in love, feels like the greatest necessity and the most comfortable place you can imagine. I'm seriously considering how intentional community living can be integrated into the rest of my life.
Needless to say after that sappy segue, it is great to be in DC for New Years. We threw a classy wine and cheese party at our house last night. A good time with good friends and good laughter and some crazy dancing antics as well.
And, of course, this is New Year's resolution time too. In the past I've had very concrete NY resolutions, like flossing or exercising 5 days a week, but this year I'm feeling different. Several things have been pointing me toward the need for a paradigm shift rather than just small changes. True, it's harder to make big, sweeping changes than to make incremental changes into habits which add up to big changes over time. I'm not trying to make a 180 change or a huge overhaul. Instead, I'm trying to live into the "why" of the changes I see as necessary in my life. If I can be in tune with the larger reasons for the small steps, then I'm more likely to change something that affects the big picture. Resources like Brian McLaren's newest book "Everything Must Change" and storyofstuff.com and the documentary film "What Would Jesus Buy" about Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping are all challenging me with the concept of sustainability. (I highly recommend that you check out all of those things.) Brian McLaren especially hit home because his entire book is about how if we live our lives framed by the story of being children of a great Creator who are active participants in a lasting and glorious creation, then we would live our lives very differently and in a way that would be better for ourselves and our brothers and sisters around the world.
Most obviously sustainability is linked to how I consume which effects my contribution to the global economy and the environment and the quality of life of people who are part of this earth and economy. By that I mean that I condone or condemn the system by where I spend my money. I'm not super-rich, so the main effect of this kind of sustainability is the challenge to my personal philosophy to not participate in systems that devalue people and earth in return for profit. But sustainability also effects the overall quality of my life. I want my health to be sustainable so that I can achieve goals like hiking the Appalachian Trail or strengthening my yoga practice or just being able to enjoy life and the outdoors more by being fit. I also want to be sustainable in my happiness which is greatly influenced by my spirituality and relationships with people. Making choices for sustainable relationships with God and people and my inner self may cost some convenience or take some effort, but are more than worth the results.
So that's how I'm coming into 2008. I'm excited and hopeful for the new things that are taking root in my life. I wish the same for you. Happy New Year!
While I was home for Christmas with my family, I was talking to my housemate Emily on the phone and confided that "living is community is like being in love." What I mean by that is, when you're in love no matter how good things are where you are, you want to be with your significant other. Going home was wonderful and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but there was still the piece of me that is with my community. Community, like being in love, feels like the greatest necessity and the most comfortable place you can imagine. I'm seriously considering how intentional community living can be integrated into the rest of my life.
Needless to say after that sappy segue, it is great to be in DC for New Years. We threw a classy wine and cheese party at our house last night. A good time with good friends and good laughter and some crazy dancing antics as well.
And, of course, this is New Year's resolution time too. In the past I've had very concrete NY resolutions, like flossing or exercising 5 days a week, but this year I'm feeling different. Several things have been pointing me toward the need for a paradigm shift rather than just small changes. True, it's harder to make big, sweeping changes than to make incremental changes into habits which add up to big changes over time. I'm not trying to make a 180 change or a huge overhaul. Instead, I'm trying to live into the "why" of the changes I see as necessary in my life. If I can be in tune with the larger reasons for the small steps, then I'm more likely to change something that affects the big picture. Resources like Brian McLaren's newest book "Everything Must Change" and storyofstuff.com and the documentary film "What Would Jesus Buy" about Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping are all challenging me with the concept of sustainability. (I highly recommend that you check out all of those things.) Brian McLaren especially hit home because his entire book is about how if we live our lives framed by the story of being children of a great Creator who are active participants in a lasting and glorious creation, then we would live our lives very differently and in a way that would be better for ourselves and our brothers and sisters around the world.
Most obviously sustainability is linked to how I consume which effects my contribution to the global economy and the environment and the quality of life of people who are part of this earth and economy. By that I mean that I condone or condemn the system by where I spend my money. I'm not super-rich, so the main effect of this kind of sustainability is the challenge to my personal philosophy to not participate in systems that devalue people and earth in return for profit. But sustainability also effects the overall quality of my life. I want my health to be sustainable so that I can achieve goals like hiking the Appalachian Trail or strengthening my yoga practice or just being able to enjoy life and the outdoors more by being fit. I also want to be sustainable in my happiness which is greatly influenced by my spirituality and relationships with people. Making choices for sustainable relationships with God and people and my inner self may cost some convenience or take some effort, but are more than worth the results.
So that's how I'm coming into 2008. I'm excited and hopeful for the new things that are taking root in my life. I wish the same for you. Happy New Year!
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