Haiti...Is it OK to turn the channel?

I think I can finally write about Haiti. It was too hard at first. The pictures were devastating and I ached for those children with my ties to Compassion International.

A good friend commented that she still feels helpless. She has contributed to the Haiti relief and it still doesn't feel like enough. There are no easy answers. My only thoughts are pray, give, and then turn off the news. I want to guard against being desensitized, emotionally overloaded, or worse, entertained.

I hurt so much for the people of Haiti, but some of this "news" feels like exploitation of sacred, private moments.

What do you think? How do you cope with disaster in this magnitude?

The Blind Side

We tried to get into a different movie, but the Christmas crowd was something I didn't count on. I wasn't expecting much from the previews. Mushy films aren't my thing coupled with the stereotypical "white conservative family saves urban black boy".

It was a pleasant surprise to find good writing, clean edits, and quirky dialogue. And despite myself I resonated with a scene where the leading lady went to bed smiling. Her husband whispers, "This doesn't have anything to do with the new boy, does it?". She says, "No, it has everything to do with him."

2009 has been hard, but good. At the end of the day what keeps me smiling when it seems too much to give is what I have received from the letters from my sponsored child in Tanzania and the warm little hands in mine at the inner city church ministry.

What has kept you smiling in '09?

Wk5 - Inspire Challenge - Spend More

This advent season I have been torn between two views on gift giving. On one side are people super excited about their purchases and on the other side I feel the pull to do away with presents all together and give that sum to charity.

I wondered if somewhere we have missed the point. It is not about who does or doesn't go to the mall or rules about saving money. This is in stark contrast to the beautiful scenes in olden stories such as Dicken's "Christmas Carol". There is a tiny scene in this work featuring a boss who gives a yearly lavish party to his employees - because he loves to give.

Those of us who work for the needs of the poor should be the most pro-giving people ever. Generosity leads to more generosity. Why should we even give at all? Christ's coming to earth as a baby is the ultimate gift, the lavish extravagant grace of God. He "spent himself" for us. We more than any others have the freedom to truly celebrate and feast that in a small way foreshadows the great feast that is to come.

Our generosity should not just stop at our neighbors, family, and friends, but to those who have deep needs. Paul says that we have freedom, but should not use that freedom to indulge ourselves but to serve one another in love. John later says that if we see our brother who has material needs and don't do something for him that real love is not in us.

So this Christmas I am going to try to spend more, spend myself on the behalf of others. I am still pondering it. I don't exactly know what that looks like. It's different for everyone.

Some ideas rattling around in my brain:

Being more loving and understanding to people that annoy me.

Taking back some unneeded (but awesome) shoes to give to someone's real need.

Find a sponsor for Helen, in India, a child waiting for sponsorship for over 6 months.

Volunteering some time even though I know with my health issues it is going to cost me.

And it needs to - cost me.

Entertained by Someone's Pain

I happened upon a documentary about stained glass windows at King's Chapel College in London. The art was fantastic, I settled into a quiet research project, not prepared for a huge shock.

In the glass windows there is a scene where Jesus is being beaten and the crowd and soldiers are mocking him, while the aristocratic class watches. A quaint little nun (documentary guide) draws your attention to one of the women, leaning outside the window, observing the scene while resting on a cushion/pillow. The aristocrat is making herself comfortable while watching Jesus being beaten.

The nun's commentary went on to say that this is what it is like sometimes watching the news from the comfort of our homes. Are we far past ignoring someone else's pain, to the point of being entertained by it? She mentioned that if we aren't praying or giving or helping in someway, but are watching, we are being entertained.

The shock of that statement still hasn't worn off although I watched that documentary last month. My eyes are open about how "reality tv" and the "news" has permeated what I think I have the right to view in someone else's life.

Am I being entertained by someone else's pain? Probably yes. Has my mind fully wrapped around what that means? Not yet.

Ashley's Clothes Closet

I met Ashley at Cornerstone Music Festival in July. She was working the booth for mission year. What was really interesting is that she is working on an experiment. She is shopping from her closet and seeing how many days she can put together different outfits. Currently she is on day #77 - shopping only from her own closet. She is asking the question... How much is enough?

We will all answer that question differently, but it does make me think...

Mercy Rain

Indiana has seen more than its normal fare of rain this June. In our community garden we think about the water needed for our plot share. Every bit is precious and necessary to life. The abundance of regular rain means that I don't have to lug gallons from the tank and refill what I have used. The rain is like mercy -something I don't deserve - abundant and free.

Sometimes there are other reminders to be merciful that hit me upside the head - when others withhold that life-giving mercy from me. The last two weeks have been an exhausting struggle - difficult and life-draining - that could have been avoided with a little mercy.

The pain recalls an age-old lesson.

Am I really remembering to show mercy to others?

Do I choose to think that others are doing their best even if they mess up and that mess affects me?

Do I love them because they agree with me and make choices that look just like mine?

Is it easier to work for mercy overseas to someone I don't know, while I overlook chances to be merciful to those around me?


I struggle to find that courage - that says you can be yourself around me - no matter what.


Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy (Matt 5).









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? of the Week...

What do you do in the summer to relieve injustice?

(i.e. vacations with a purpose, buying local, gardening, etc.)

What were some good things that happened? Did you find any roadblocks?

The real sisterhood of your traveling pants

Loved the first traveling pants movie. I loved the story of friendship and the adventures the girls had sharing the jeans.

Did you know your jeans have a story too? People who make the jeans, package the jeans, and suppliers who get them to the store? Unfortunately that story often wouldn't be a light romantic comedy but something in the horror genre.

As our jeans recently saw us through the Memorial Day weekend with fun, laughs,and barbecues, depending on where we bought ours it may have contributed to:

Amelita, a married factory worker who sees her four children one week a year. She and her husband work 12 hour days and send 70% of their pay to support their children.

Beatings, verbal insult, and sexual harassment to women factory workers in Bangladesh, the norm, not the exception.

Mock childcare centers in factories only used when auditors or inspectors are visiting.

Unpaid wages, forced overtime, and unsafe conditions.

(read the full stories at clean clothes campaign website)

As our jeans will travel with us through summer fun times with family or friends, let's purchase jeans and other products from stores that won't cause a nightmare to another family.


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Experiment continues (Wake up Walmart pt2)

I hate change. I really hate it. It seems like such a small thing to change where you buy what you buy. But not knowing if the store has what you need, or the price is added stress in my day that I don't need.

I had a piano recital for my students fast approaching. So I needed a large quantity of plates, cups, utensils, and reception food. I was once again pleasantly surprised at the upfront costs being pretty much the same as usual and it was actually fun to get somethings that were different.

Coming home I went to the mailbox and found a huge surprise. We had been through a long appeals process with my health insurance company about them reimbursing me for something that they had approved and then refused to pay. It was a pretty substantial amount that we had given up on ever seeing that money. The check had come and was in my mailbox.

I knew what teeny little effort it cost to live justice for real - in everyday life was worth it. Immediately my mind was drawn to this passage:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. (Michah 5.8)

Some might say that it was coincidence. To me it was an affirmation. Keep going. Keep working out mercy and justice even if you don't always get it right. God will take care of the details.

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Resurrection Sunday

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter,and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep." (2 Cor 15.3-6)

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Good Friday

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 15.13

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Job Loss - "Let me know if you need anything..."

Our family is facing (like so many others) uncertain times during a job loss. We have heard so many times,

"Let me know if you need anything..."

While extremely thankful for the words of concern, we really don't know what to say. Not that we haven't said that exact phrase more times than we can count. But it got me thinking...

How do you really answer something like this? Does the other person really want to know how to help or is that what they are supposed to say?

We decided to make a list. Not just for us but for everyone who has lost a job and doesn't know what to say. If you really want to know how you can help read on...

Quick Quote...

Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.

Frederick Buechner

Question of the week...gardening tips

Do you have any gardening tips for newbies?

Do you have a gardening question of your own?

Question of the week... hobbies

Have you used a hobby, sport, or fun activity as a way to make a difference?



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Great Read for 2009

Robert Lupton's, Christian Life, Rethinking Ministry to the Poor (Regal 2007), is a great read. Controversy blazes between aid with work components or free aid.

His practical compassion paired with common sense is a refreshing approach.

It is a surprising easy read yet probes the marrow of our thinking bones.

Favorite line, "We must come to deeply believe that every person, no matter how destitute or broken, has something of worth to bring to the table."

Question of the week... A hand out or a hand up?

Do you give $ away to the needy or do you give to charities helping the poor work to change their lives?

Why?


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How much is enough?

Questions of the week...


How do you know it's time to start cleaning out your stuff?

How do you decide where it goes?

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Thankful

Crazy this week? Me too.

Just for a few minutes as I type this, I am going to enter that sacred place of remembering how much I am blessed.

I am thankful for:

long-time family and friends as we press on past each others faults and quirks to community, for my husband who knows more of my flaws than anyone else and still chooses love everyday

new people in my life this year: a new small group, new writer friends, new neighbors, a new pastor, new church initiatives for justice

moments of peace - the beautiful ever-changing Indiana landscape in it's glory and fierceness, stolen moments of reflection, beautiful art and music

moments of stress - that come from a fulfilling life as musician, teacher, writer, and wife

moments of victory - seeing a student "get it", turning a phrase to make it fit, connecting with another person's heart, seeing another person live justice as a way of life

moments of defeat - learning a painful lesson, producing character in me, reminds me that I am not home yet


What are you thankful for? Comment below...

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The Day after....Embracing the Courgage to Create

The day after... the political predictions are swept away like the morning sidewalk trash. Half of the country is rejoicing...the rest are grieving, angry, or indifferent. Both sides can give into the natural bent of human nature to criticize, to tear down, to our dark gravity.

Or we can have the courage to create.

A political leader cannot change your neighborhood, you can.
Government cannot heal hurting hearts, Jesus can.
The White House cannot give safe refuge to someone in need, your homes can.
The party of choice cannot give someone a place to belong, our churches can.

Can we care as much on November 5th as we do on November 4th?

Whatever your issue of choice - do something. Create the community you want.

Need some ideas? Check out the people and organizations on the right of this screen living justice and mercy everyday.


"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." - Col 3.15

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