Lauren, Dan and I meeting our new cousin, Cooper, for the first time...he had just flown in from Cali (last Saturday). The look on my face is the look of, "I'm not ready for one of these yet!"
2.27.2006
IMG_0021
So today is my grandparents 60th Wedding Anniversary. WOW! How often do you see that happen in this day and age??? We had a rather big gathering this past weekend for this rather big event. All four of their kids were there, all seven of their grandkids were there, and all four of their great-grandkids were there! I've never seen a couple more happy than these two...and after 60 years! I am very proud to be one of their grandchildren =)
1.27.2006
What Would You Do?
Here's a purely hypothetical situation, but one that is nonetheless important. I'm finding these interactive topics to be more stimulating; I would encourage anyone who reads this to give some input.
So picture this: You volunteer at your church's youth group (or local United Way, if church isn't your thing). You show up regularly for an after-school program, intended to provide them somplace where they can avoid negative pressures and interact with positive role models. Not exacltly being the life of the party, you do still end up developing good rapport with a few of the kids, especially one in particular.
He tends to hang back from his peers. When they go out and play basketball or do other "macho" things, he just sits and watches, half wishing they would include him, half despising them for their activity of choice (Author's note: If it helps you, visualize a female watching high school girls doing whatever the heck high school girls like to do when they meet in large groups. I simply chose this example because of my own gender, and because I do not have the time to do all the research that would allow me to take the journey into the psyche of an adolescent female). He walks around mainly with his head hung, never making eye contact with you when you talk. All this makes you the more intrigued by his presence, perhaps because he reminds you of the way you used to be.
One day, he comes up to you, though tentatively, as if scared of the consequences of taking up anyone's time with his own needs. He starts speaking...no, stuttering, "I...I was wondering...if I could talk to you about something." Though you anticipate that he could be a mess, you feel a sense of flattery that this guarded soul trusts YOU. "Sure, no problem," you respond, trying to ease his tension.
"Well...I...I'm not sure what you'll think of me when I say this..."
"Look, I'm here for you. It's just you and me, nobody else."
He sighs, and now his eyes are starting to water up. Immediately he realizes he is caught, vulnerable, with nowhere to hide from your inquisitive stare; so he blurts it out.
"I think I'm gay."
You knew something was coming, but not this. It hits you between the eyes, leaving you disoriented for just a second, but long enough for him to notice your reaction.
"I can't help that I'm gay! I tried to be like everyone else, but it's just too hard! Is something wrong with me? What does God think about gay people?"
How would you answer this troubled individual?
And before you do, keep in mind:
-Beware of thumping the Bible. For although some find confidence in their resolve on this issue, hitting him with "truth" while he (or she) is vulnerable simply will not go over well. In fact, he will probably perceive that God is rejecting him, and will turn away from the church, finding his only source of hope in a different community.
-Don't say, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." That is cliche.
-Keep in mind the type of crowd that Jesus identified with.
-Do not forget that "being gay" might not be the core issue in this scenario.
So picture this: You volunteer at your church's youth group (or local United Way, if church isn't your thing). You show up regularly for an after-school program, intended to provide them somplace where they can avoid negative pressures and interact with positive role models. Not exacltly being the life of the party, you do still end up developing good rapport with a few of the kids, especially one in particular.
He tends to hang back from his peers. When they go out and play basketball or do other "macho" things, he just sits and watches, half wishing they would include him, half despising them for their activity of choice (Author's note: If it helps you, visualize a female watching high school girls doing whatever the heck high school girls like to do when they meet in large groups. I simply chose this example because of my own gender, and because I do not have the time to do all the research that would allow me to take the journey into the psyche of an adolescent female). He walks around mainly with his head hung, never making eye contact with you when you talk. All this makes you the more intrigued by his presence, perhaps because he reminds you of the way you used to be.
One day, he comes up to you, though tentatively, as if scared of the consequences of taking up anyone's time with his own needs. He starts speaking...no, stuttering, "I...I was wondering...if I could talk to you about something." Though you anticipate that he could be a mess, you feel a sense of flattery that this guarded soul trusts YOU. "Sure, no problem," you respond, trying to ease his tension.
"Well...I...I'm not sure what you'll think of me when I say this..."
"Look, I'm here for you. It's just you and me, nobody else."
He sighs, and now his eyes are starting to water up. Immediately he realizes he is caught, vulnerable, with nowhere to hide from your inquisitive stare; so he blurts it out.
"I think I'm gay."
You knew something was coming, but not this. It hits you between the eyes, leaving you disoriented for just a second, but long enough for him to notice your reaction.
"I can't help that I'm gay! I tried to be like everyone else, but it's just too hard! Is something wrong with me? What does God think about gay people?"
How would you answer this troubled individual?
And before you do, keep in mind:
-Beware of thumping the Bible. For although some find confidence in their resolve on this issue, hitting him with "truth" while he (or she) is vulnerable simply will not go over well. In fact, he will probably perceive that God is rejecting him, and will turn away from the church, finding his only source of hope in a different community.
-Don't say, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." That is cliche.
-Keep in mind the type of crowd that Jesus identified with.
-Do not forget that "being gay" might not be the core issue in this scenario.
1.14.2006
Divine Fun
I found this cartoon to be extremely therapeutic. Wait until it loads, read the whole thing, and then roll the mouse over it. Here's the link:
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/analysis/toons/2006/01/12/mitchell/index.html
Enjoy!!
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/analysis/toons/2006/01/12/mitchell/index.html
Enjoy!!
1.07.2006
Missing it...
Most years, I make every effort to fully dwell on Christmas, to celebrate it to its fullest. Being one who values aesthetics, I especially enjoy the music (or at least those tunes not sung by Bing Crosby), as something about the beauty of it accurately conveys the beauty of Christmas.
This year, however, was different. Christmas came and went, leaving me without any opportunity to fully enjoy its meaning. And as I sit here typing this, I am befuddled, wondering what could possibly have robbed me of something from which I have gained so much enjoyment. I came up with a number of possibilities. If any of you had this same experience, please help me out, so I can avoid making the same mistake again. Here are my personal options of why I could have missed out on Christmas:
A. I am not a child anymore, and as an adult I have to face the reality that this world is not the happy place I always imagined it. I was also incredibly disappointed to find out that Santa Claus was not who I thought he was.
B. I was angry about the whole "Happy Holidays" argument, how those liberal activists succeeded in removing "Christmas" from the realm of the politically correct.
C. I was angry that people made the whole Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays debate more than it needed to be. I personally did not think it was worth the battle, especially since Christmas has long been raped by consumerism, turning everything Christmas (even "Christian" items) into a sale item. I was pissed off that the powers-that-be have devalued all my relationships, leading me to believe that "If you don't give her that perfect gift, she's going to live the remainder of her days disappointed in you!" (It was never said, but it was implied by those who used the buzzword "perfect gift" to get people to buy what they were selling). In short, words are a moot point; we could call it Christmas, Holiday, or what it has become: Consumer Day.
D. I am having an adult onset of ADD, and I can no longer focus on anyth...MMM, COOKIES!!!
Can you help me? What do YOU think happened to me? Can any of you relate?
This year, however, was different. Christmas came and went, leaving me without any opportunity to fully enjoy its meaning. And as I sit here typing this, I am befuddled, wondering what could possibly have robbed me of something from which I have gained so much enjoyment. I came up with a number of possibilities. If any of you had this same experience, please help me out, so I can avoid making the same mistake again. Here are my personal options of why I could have missed out on Christmas:
A. I am not a child anymore, and as an adult I have to face the reality that this world is not the happy place I always imagined it. I was also incredibly disappointed to find out that Santa Claus was not who I thought he was.
B. I was angry about the whole "Happy Holidays" argument, how those liberal activists succeeded in removing "Christmas" from the realm of the politically correct.
C. I was angry that people made the whole Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays debate more than it needed to be. I personally did not think it was worth the battle, especially since Christmas has long been raped by consumerism, turning everything Christmas (even "Christian" items) into a sale item. I was pissed off that the powers-that-be have devalued all my relationships, leading me to believe that "If you don't give her that perfect gift, she's going to live the remainder of her days disappointed in you!" (It was never said, but it was implied by those who used the buzzword "perfect gift" to get people to buy what they were selling). In short, words are a moot point; we could call it Christmas, Holiday, or what it has become: Consumer Day.
D. I am having an adult onset of ADD, and I can no longer focus on anyth...MMM, COOKIES!!!
Can you help me? What do YOU think happened to me? Can any of you relate?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)