The four of us went to a Laundromat today so we could start Monday off with a duffle bag full of fresh clothes. As we were walking from the ATM at the grocery store over to the Laundromat, we met Joseph and James…
Joseph and James are two beautiful people who have fallen on hard times and are living without a home. Long story short is this: they were hanging out all day today and trying to collect as many resources as they possibly could before attempting to catch rides to Wyoming and Montana tomorrow morning. Anna and I stopped and chatted with them for a while then invited them to come hang out at the Laundromat if they were interested. We made our way there and began stuffing our clothes into machines. I sat down to read Isiaha 26 and moments later James strolled in and did a round through the place. At first, I expected that he needed something but it wasn’t that at all-he just wanted to come in and check on us to see that we were doing ok-that’s community. A while later, I was waiting for my clothes to dry so I did a few laps around the block and prayed for the days to come. I prayed for wisdom, for strength, but mostly for humility. You tend to need a lot of that in life and recently I am aware that I need to ask for a lot more.
After I got done with my walk, I walked back over to James and Joseph to return the favor of checking in. They were doing alright and we sat and chatted for a while. Not long into our conversation, Anne walked up with Lilo (her Boston Terrier)-she needed to run into Big Lots for a few necessities. She asked me to watch Lilo as she did not trust James and Joe not to run off with her. I kindly obliged. James mentioned that he was getting ready to leave, he looked me in the eye and told me I was a beautiful person then Anne agreed. Typically, I would have been flattered by this comment but I looked James and Anne in their eyes, thanked them for their kindness, but explained that they were truly beautiful. They understand community, they understand love, they were looking out for others before themselves.
Anne asked me if I needed her to pick up anything for me and I declined the offer, James and I hugged and he headed out. Lilo and I stayed in the sunshine together and greeted people until Anne made her way back out of Big Lots with her things. I was humbled; I prayed the whole time I was out there. I was thankful for the joy that was washing over me in that moment. I recognized with our God that there was a time that I would have done this for my own glory or gain but now, in this moment, I was experiencing the community that he created. A community where the ground was level because of the cross.
In chapter 26 of his book, Isaiah says that, “the path of the righteous is level.” A few years ago, I think I would have read those words and interpreted them to mean that those who are righteous are level headed, make good choices, and walk a path that is highly esteemed. Now, after today’s interaction, I would go so far as to say that Isaiah was hoping to have people understand that those who are righteous provide level paths for people to walk along. I think he hoped that these level paths would provide a space for everyone to walk hand in hand, work shoulder to shoulder, and love imperfect heart to imperfect heart. Redeemed by the life of a Savior who came to walk with each of us and with all of us.
This is how I will begin the summer-humbled by our Father, walking forward on level ground.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Caught Up and Called Out
RAMP 2010 is officially over and all staff teams have headed west for the summer. A friend and I were chatting tonight about life along the way. I started a discussion with her and I am still processing it days later. I want to write it down because I want to remember it and LIVE it long after this “revelation” is gone…
It was a rainy night and we were following a crazy driving co-worker to eat dinner together before heading out the next day. Somehow, we began discussing the many staff members and friends we know who were going to be arriving that evening and the next into communities where they felt “at home.” We talked about how, although we only spend 9 or 10 weeks in a certain community during this summer program, we often leave feeling more connected to this community and its members than we do to our own hometown or current city of residence. This thought might baffle most but to me, it makes perfect sense.
It might only be ten short weeks of life but those weeks are full of real life. We enter into a community and we are immediately interested in its heartbeat. We want to BE with people and LEARN their names, what they love, and how they are hurting. We do not only desire to learn, we are passionate about coming alongside the community wherever it will be most beneficial for them. Simply put, if this entry and existence is done well each summer-it goes way beyond mere presence in or “help” to a community. It is no small wonder to me that people leave these places feeling more at home than they ever have before-they have been forced to be in real, honest community. When there is a problem, it has to be solved immediately. When there is tension, honest conversations have to happen so that it can be sorted out. When something incredible happens, we get to rejoice in that together.
Before spending countless hours asking honest questions and getting honest answers I thought about community very differently. These days, it is clear to me that I desire to live in community that fosters growth, encouragement, and honesty. Why do we have to have a program in place to show us how to love people? When a community is missing the point, I wonder how much community truly exists. I’m no expert on this issue but I sure do think about it a lot. In any case, after this short conversation my mind has been filled with these thoughts:
I desire to LIVE honestly and intentionally for the rest of my life. I understand that this will look different as I am in different spaces but I think authenticity applies anywhere. I want to enter and exist effectively in every place that I live from this point on. Our God has shown me a different way and it is my hope to commit to His way-whatever that looks like in any place I land.
It was a rainy night and we were following a crazy driving co-worker to eat dinner together before heading out the next day. Somehow, we began discussing the many staff members and friends we know who were going to be arriving that evening and the next into communities where they felt “at home.” We talked about how, although we only spend 9 or 10 weeks in a certain community during this summer program, we often leave feeling more connected to this community and its members than we do to our own hometown or current city of residence. This thought might baffle most but to me, it makes perfect sense.
It might only be ten short weeks of life but those weeks are full of real life. We enter into a community and we are immediately interested in its heartbeat. We want to BE with people and LEARN their names, what they love, and how they are hurting. We do not only desire to learn, we are passionate about coming alongside the community wherever it will be most beneficial for them. Simply put, if this entry and existence is done well each summer-it goes way beyond mere presence in or “help” to a community. It is no small wonder to me that people leave these places feeling more at home than they ever have before-they have been forced to be in real, honest community. When there is a problem, it has to be solved immediately. When there is tension, honest conversations have to happen so that it can be sorted out. When something incredible happens, we get to rejoice in that together.
Before spending countless hours asking honest questions and getting honest answers I thought about community very differently. These days, it is clear to me that I desire to live in community that fosters growth, encouragement, and honesty. Why do we have to have a program in place to show us how to love people? When a community is missing the point, I wonder how much community truly exists. I’m no expert on this issue but I sure do think about it a lot. In any case, after this short conversation my mind has been filled with these thoughts:
I desire to LIVE honestly and intentionally for the rest of my life. I understand that this will look different as I am in different spaces but I think authenticity applies anywhere. I want to enter and exist effectively in every place that I live from this point on. Our God has shown me a different way and it is my hope to commit to His way-whatever that looks like in any place I land.
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