Give Thanks

This year for Thanksgiving I did things a little different. For starters I didn't go anywhere. I decided to stay here in Elgin to celebrate the holiday with those I have met who have become my family. When I first moved out here in the fall of 2007 I was adopted by a family at the Highland Avenue CoB, and over the past several years we have enjoyed spending time together and getting to know each other, and they truly have become a second family to me. I enjoy every opportunity I have to spend time with the Chapman's. So this year in deciding to stay around for the holiday, I knew I had a family to spend it with. As it turns out, I was also invited to the Shively home as well to celebrate the day with them. So I had not one, but two full meals in one day. AND, a friend from back east was passing through town on Thanksgiving, so he was also more than welcome to join me at both places.

So then this morning I was talking with one of our project directors for Brethren Volunteer Service and Thanksgiving came up as it tends to do this time of year. We were exchanging greetings and asking how the holiday went. And he was telling me how he realized this year just how important the relationships we have with one another are, especially during a holiday such as Thanksgiving. And I got to thinking about it and I agree. I mean everyone talks about the food, but there is so much more to the holidays than what you're eating. This may seem obvious, but it's important to actually connect the dots, even on a picture that seems obvious without the lines.

So this is me being thankful for the many relationships that I've been blessed with over the years. And for the relationships that I'm blessed with now.

Sunny Side of Life

Let's face it. I'm an emotional person. And when I haven't seen the sun for a few days, watch out! But then when the sun comes back out again, things become more even keel. Especially when I can actually enjoy the sun's warmth while being out doors.

This fall I feel as though we've been so incredibly lucky. I mean here it is, the middle of November, and I am still able to be outside (well when I'm not working at the office) in short sleeves and enjoy the beautiful blue skies and the warm sun. And I just absolutely love it. Yesterday I drove from Virginia to Pennsylvania and it was a gorgeous drive. Blue skies with whisps of white clouds strewn across it. Brilliant reds and yellows and oranges scattered along the road sides in the trees. While the peak of fall may be gone, there are definitely still remains left to appreciate and enjoy.

This weather is also helping me to have a more positive outlook on life. It's like the song says: "keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side. keep on the sunny side of life!" It's definitely not an easy thing to do. Sometimes it's easier to focus on the negative things in life, but I'm trying to keep on the sunny side as an intentional effort.

It definitely helps.

Taking a Mini-Vacation of Sorts

I was asked the other day what are things that help me to relax and allow me to take a mini-vacation without actually going anywhere. Things that initially came to mind were active things, such as playing Ultimate Frisbee, running, and walking.

Then it struck me that being in nature is how I escape and take a load off for a few hours is what, in many ways, revitalizes me. Whether it's walking along a river, hiking through a wooded area, watching the sunset, going to a forest preserve, picking apples, or whatever. I haven't been able to spend much time out and about in nature these days. And I think it's taking it's toll on me and my sanity level.

One of my closest friends asked me if there are things that I do that I get lost in. I think this has come up before. But playing Ultimate Frisbee is definitely one of those things. If I just let myself go and have a good time and focus on the game and simply being in the moment, it's just awesome. And it's a good feeling to let everything else go for a few hours. Another thing is photography. I absolutely love taking photos. Often times even when I don't even have my camera, I look at something and wonder how I could possibly capture it. I want, and in many ways need, to get back into photography.

I'm beginning to realize that it's good, and healthy, to find those things in life that allow us to take care of ourselves, of our mind, body and spirit. If we're not taking the time to replenish ourselves then how is it that we can be expected to give give give. It can turn into a vicious cycle if we're not careful. This was inspired by my friend Aaron who asked us to be intentionally aware of how we are taking care of ourselves. And I really appreciate that and am incredibly thankful for the reminder!

Seeking the Ever Present Joy

So I've got a personal goal. To seek joy in this life that I have surrounding me. I've had a bit of a negative outlook on life for, well awhile now, but it's been much more serious and obvious the last week or so. I have found myself laughing jubilantly one second and breaking down in tears the next. It's not that anything has really been wrong, it is more that nothing has seemed right. My outlook on life had been turned upside down and I'm attempting to make an intentional effort to right it. To change my perspective; my attitude.

There are so many positive things in life, specifically in my life. But lately I've found myself focusing on the many unanswered questions and missing what is not in front of me, rather than rejoicing in what is. It's been exhausting and I'm ready to move forward in a more positive light. So here it goes. Wish me luck!

What Do You Do When...

What do you do when you're mind is running at a million thoughts a second? When you know you have a lot on your mind, yet none of your thoughts can completely form themselves? When you find yourself paralyzed by the amount of work, by things looming ahead. You have extreme ups and downs as you go about your day; your everyday activities. There's really nothing wrong, yet there's really nothing right. There are too many obstacles in the way. It's hard to focus on one thing, one task. You want someone to ask 'how are you doing?' And you want to reply honestly. Yet when the question is asked nothing comes to mind, other than 'good' or 'pretty good' or 'I'm fine thanks'. How do you get out the anxiety that is inside of you? The unrest. The unanswered. The unknown. The doubts. The fears. The joys. The excitements. The happiness. It could, and would, take hours of conversation for it all to come out naturally and truthfully, but, who has time for that?

So the question is...what do you do?

If Not Now, Then When

What happens when you combine text from Mark 12:41-44, BVS and service and a focus on embracing your gifts? Well this is whatcha get!

If Not Now, Then When?

In September of 2007, Jon Zunkel entered into BSV Unit 277 with the hope of making the world a better place. He quickly realized that no matter how much you give, you receive more back than you could ever imagine. Jon shares this experience with us:

Our orientation unit spent our last week in Kansas City. One afternoon we set out on what was called Operation Knock-Knock. We divided into groups of three and set out into an inner-city neighborhood. We were to knock on doors and offer to help the owner in any way we could: clean up the yard, vacuum, do dishes, or any form of service. All 31 of us volunteers donned our purple BVS shirts and out we went.

Our group had a hard time finding someone for whom we could serve. We were walking down the street and a lady standing at her car yelled across to us, “What’s those purple shirts about?” We stopped and told her about BVS and Operation Knock-Knock. She told us about her life. She had just gone through a series of heartbreaking events: she was a single mother raising three kids, one of whom was just diagnosed with sickle cell anemia; her house had been broken into three times in the last year; she had just lost her job; AND she was just about to move. After telling us about her hardships she asks us where we are staying. We tell her and she says, “I’ll be by with some drinks for all of you.” We protested, but she insists. We ask if we can do anything for her. She says she is doing fine, but thank you. We thank her for talking with us and we head on our way.

Two nights later there is a knock on the door and our orientation leader returns carrying four bags of groceries. The lady from our conversation followed through with her promise. In the bags we found drinks, chips, cookies, bread and lunch meat. Our friend, who we tried to serve, wanted to send us off. She wanted no recognition, she did not come in to meet the three of us again or the group at large. She just wanted to show her support.

I learned a powerful lesson that day—one that I hope stays with me for a long time. Life is not about serving people or trying to make peoples lives better. Life is about working with people. So we all can grow and make the world a better place together.

That’s really what it’s all about. Doing what you can. Giving all you can. Not focusing on what you don’t have, but on what you do. And being willing to give of what you have. This woman that Jon met that day is much like the woman from the passage in Mark. A woman who is, in many ways, an average everyday person, much like Jon and the many other volunteers who have come through Brethren Volunteer Service. Much like each and every one of us gathered here today. We are not super heroes, we don’t have supernatural powers, but we do have something to offer, in fact, we have a lot to offer if we let ourselves.

In The Message, Eugene Peterson tells the story from Mark in this way:

Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all."

When I think about this passage I imagine a woman walking through a busy and crowded temple, towards the offering plate quietly and slowly. I don’t believe that she was in any hurry and I can’t imagine that she thought anyone could possibly be watching her. Paying any attention to her whatsoever. It could be that she didn’t want to be noticed; didn’t feel she was worth anything since she was a widow. Despite this possible feeling of unworthiness, she gave of herself willingly and completely. She knew that the Lord would provide, and so she acted upon that knowledge. Jesus was watching, observing what was going on in the temple. He saw this woman and immediately made her an example for the Disciples.

In the same way that Jesus was observing the widow, and was able to recognize the gift, she had to offer, through her example; we also have the ability to recognize gifts in one another. I was also in that fall unit in Kansas City and one Sunday morning I went with a group of volunteers to a nearby church for worship. We were welcomed warmly into the church that morning. Although the sanctuary itself was fairly large, it was a small group gathered there that morning, but that didn’t matter. Those who were gathered there that morning were being spiritually fed, and it was an amazing thing to be part of. There was excitement and joy and laughter and it was clear that Christ was present with us that morning. I remember clearly the point when the worship leader asked if there was anyone in the congregation who could play the piano and one of the guys in our group said immediately, ‘Ashley can!’ And so that morning, Ashley, one of our fellow volunteers, played all the hymns and special music. We knew that Ashley had the gift of music and in this case there was a need and so she was called forth to use her gift. Take a moment to look around you. To the person on your left; the person on your right. What gifts do you see in them? Maybe what you see is a gift that they are aware of, but maybe it’s something they had never thought of before. Each one of us can act as a sounding board for each other. A way to come together as a community of believers and share our gifts as one body.

It’s also important to take some time to acknowledge the gifts we have in ourselves. These past two years of service have taught me a lot about who I am as an individual as well as the gifts I have to offer. There are many things I have learned over these past few years. How to be more open and understanding and speak my mind. How to ask difficult questions and think a bit deeper about what they mean. How to be more eco-friendly and socially aware of what’s going on in the world. How to use the many resources that are around me. How to live in community with anywhere from four to eight housemates, each with very different personalities and dietary needs, using only one vehicle between us and making it work. I have learned more about myself and my gifts from the act of living as a volunteer rather than from the work I have done as a volunteer. The gift of working together when it comes to keeping things in our volunteer house running smoothly. Patience when a house meeting is called, or if someone is not keeping up with their chores. Compromise so that everyone gets to do what they need, or want, to do. What may seem like a simple run to the store may turn into an all afternoon event depending on what others in the house have going on at the same time. Being able to recognize the difference between a want and a need.

What we learn, and what our gifts are, often go hand in hand. Experience, in this case through service opportunities, and is considered by some to be out of the norm, is a time for growth. A time of personal discovery and discernment. This is extremely common for all those who spend a year or more of their lives serving. I’ve chosen two stories to share with you of exactly this, volunteers learning and growing and discovering their own gifts, and who they are, within their own projects.

Ben Bear is a second year volunteer at an intentional community house in Cincinnati, Ohio. He writes this:

This work becomes personal for me. True, there is a line that needs to be drawn so as not to get too involved. However, to make these people and situations completely a business-like affair isn't possible. For example, I realized today that one of our guests is one day younger than I am. It makes her plight seem so much more real to look at where she is and think, "That could have been me." She has five children between the ages of three and eight. Nobody wants to rent to a single mom with five kids who can't find a job in a depressed economy, but what is she supposed to do? Yesterday I went with another guest to help her move her belongings; she had been asked to leave due to non-compliance with the program. We pulled up in front of the building and she whisked away her three kids - all under the age of three - into a building that no person of any age should be asked to live in. As I helped her carry in her earthly possessions, walking through hallways littered with garbage and up stairwells reeking of urine, I wanted to imagine that this wasn't happening. You can't see things like that and remain indifferent - it's personal.

Lauren Ferrell is serving a two year term in San Pedro, Honduras and shares these words with us:

I am not looking at what I do as “work” anymore, especially the time I spend with the kids. This is my home for the time being. Something we talk a lot about in BVS is accompaniment, or simply living along side the people. This is a brilliant idea in theory, but in practice has surprisingly been one of my biggest challenges. I obviously still have a lot to learn. I constantly have the mindset of go, go, go, do, do, do and find myself getting agitated when people want to stop and talk. Imagine that. It has also been humbling to live along side the children in the home- to eat the same food, to ride with them on the school bus to my yoga class, to help in the laborious process of making tortillas for 80 kids, (or anything for 80 kids for that matter!), sharing my TV, my sun block, my nail polish remover, my toothpaste. I know it sounds selfish, but I have to admit this was hard for me at first. The irony is even though sometimes I feel like life is hard here, I have so many privileges that these kids don’t, such as living in the biggest house on the property while they sleep in dorm rooms with bunk beds, being served bigger portions of food and not having to wait in line for seconds, going out whenever I want to, sitting in an air-conditioned room to do my computer work, etc. And I know that I have a family and a home and plenty of opportunities waiting for me back in the States. There is no comparison. And, the ironic thing is, that these kids are the lucky ones. I have heard it said that Hogar Emanuel is like the Hilton of children’s homes in Honduras, and it is true. Our kids have three solid meals a day, health care, clothing, quality education, a social worker and psychologist. They go on trips, they receive birthday presents, they have parties. In short they are doing pretty good compared to the children living on the street, or in impoverished, abusive homes or even in the extremely poorly run state orphanages. It is all relative. Lesson: be grateful for what I have!

These experiences we have are avenues for our gifts to reveal themselves. The widow in the passage is noticed because she is a widow. The woman that Jon met on the street wanted to give back to these volunteers who are giving of themselves. Ashley found herself in a church that needed a pianist so she was able to offer her gift of music. Through Ben and Lauren’s experiences they are seeing a whole new side to society and culture, and by lending a hand to those in need are learning compassion and understanding. Our experiences show us our gifts and also allow us to use those gifts to make the world a better place one by one.

If we don’t use these gifts now, when will we use them? Why are we waiting to use what God has given us? Has blessed us with so freely. There is a song by Carrie Newcomer, a Quaker folk song artist, called If Not Now. These words are so incredibly simple, yet have so much to teach us. Hear her words and meditate upon them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7lFBZasjsQ

The time is now. Size does not matter; amount, level, degree. It’s the way that we give of ourselves. The mindset that we’re in. In the case of the widow, Jesus is pointing out to us that this woman, this widow, came forward to offer everything she had in this world. What would it mean for each of us, to offer all that we have for the glory of God and our neighbor’s good? What would it take for you to sit down and take a minute to write down five gifts that you feel you have? What would it mean to ask a trusted friend to take a minute to write down five gifts that THEY believe you have? Do these gifts coincide with one another? Or are they completely different? Now that you have recognized these gifts, what will you do with them? Will you be like the widow and give completely and willingly of what you have? Or will you be like the others in the temple and give what you will never miss? What are we, as followers of Christ, holding back and keeping for ourselves? What are you waiting for? If not now, then when?