Even as we are,
we are becoming.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Blessed are the pure in heart...
Michelle is a freshman at Heritage High School. She has a high functioning form of autism, which means that socially, her maturity level is equivalent to that of a 10 to 12-year old, maybe younger. We are friends because she is so fun and she is so funny. She loves High School Musical and she is counting down the days until High School Musical 3 is released in theaters. She has a crush on Zac Efron and the youth pastor at our church and my friend Lindsay's brother, Silas, and a few other boys. Michelle and I have a lot in common, obviously.
We had a kick-off event for the new season of high school ministry last Wednesday at our church. It was an exciting night-it was full of anticipation, reunions, and new beginnings. Michelle told me that her birthday is on October 7. She cannot wait to be 15. That, and she cannot wait to graduate from high school. She usually talks about these two things as if they were synonymous.
Woah, slow down sister.
While we were eating dinner, and after I had retrieved her her third Dr. Pepper soda of the night, Michelle asked me if I would buy her a birthday present. I have never been more flattered when someone asked me to buy them a gift. She wants a High School Musical birthday card that is poster-sized.
Of course I'm going to get it for her.
Most people see Michelle and, even upon first glance, can tell that there is something different about her. I think it makes people uncomfortable that she is different and, because most people don't know what to do with uncomfortable feelings, they tend to remove themselves from the source of the afore-mentioned uncomfortable feelings. Unfortunately, this means removing themselves from the presence of Michelle. Michelle might be more comfortable when she is alone than when she is surrounded by people who will accept her, only because it is what she is used to. However, she is flattered when I like who she is. Every person that I introduced her to during the night was instantly her friend too. Before leaving, she informed me that she made ten new friends; it was a minor detail that she couldn't remember most of their names. She was estatic. And while she may have a medical condition that for diagnostic purposes has labeled her socially-behind, I learn so much from her. And I think she might be better at being a human being than I am. Michelle understands that she does not act the way she does so she is liked by other people. She acts the way she does because it is what makes her happy. I know that she likes herself, even though being herself is a little bit awkward, increasingly demanding, and somewhat overwhelming. She does what she does because it makes her happy. She laughs a lot. She makes me laugh a lot.
...for they will see God.
We had a kick-off event for the new season of high school ministry last Wednesday at our church. It was an exciting night-it was full of anticipation, reunions, and new beginnings. Michelle told me that her birthday is on October 7. She cannot wait to be 15. That, and she cannot wait to graduate from high school. She usually talks about these two things as if they were synonymous.
Woah, slow down sister.
While we were eating dinner, and after I had retrieved her her third Dr. Pepper soda of the night, Michelle asked me if I would buy her a birthday present. I have never been more flattered when someone asked me to buy them a gift. She wants a High School Musical birthday card that is poster-sized.
Of course I'm going to get it for her.
Most people see Michelle and, even upon first glance, can tell that there is something different about her. I think it makes people uncomfortable that she is different and, because most people don't know what to do with uncomfortable feelings, they tend to remove themselves from the source of the afore-mentioned uncomfortable feelings. Unfortunately, this means removing themselves from the presence of Michelle. Michelle might be more comfortable when she is alone than when she is surrounded by people who will accept her, only because it is what she is used to. However, she is flattered when I like who she is. Every person that I introduced her to during the night was instantly her friend too. Before leaving, she informed me that she made ten new friends; it was a minor detail that she couldn't remember most of their names. She was estatic. And while she may have a medical condition that for diagnostic purposes has labeled her socially-behind, I learn so much from her. And I think she might be better at being a human being than I am. Michelle understands that she does not act the way she does so she is liked by other people. She acts the way she does because it is what makes her happy. I know that she likes herself, even though being herself is a little bit awkward, increasingly demanding, and somewhat overwhelming. She does what she does because it makes her happy. She laughs a lot. She makes me laugh a lot.
...for they will see God.
Sleep, eat, breathe.
1. If the SAT was a person, we wouldn't be friends.
2. The end of summer feels like the death of an old friend.
2. The end of summer feels like the death of an old friend.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Somedays aren't yours at all.
I just had the time of my life in Seattle. Nevertheless, it was Seattle minus one person.
But... I'm glad you are there.
But... I'm glad you are there.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Creator and the created.
From a distance, there is harmony, and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.
From a distance we all have enough, and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.
From a distance we are instruments marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us.
God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.
From a distance you look like my friend, even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend what all this fighting is for.
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
I just downloaded the African Children's Choir CD It Takes A Whole Village. Ten years ago, my family watched them perform at the high school in the small town where I grew up. More recently, we saw them perform at a church in Greshan, Oregon. I remember when they sang the song above, called From a Distance and later, when my brother's preschool class sang this same song at a concert. I remember that my mom cried. She says it will always have a special place in her heart.
I believe that all humans, while we may be on different paths, are trying to achieve the same one thing or maybe, reach the same one person. At Mars Hill Church in Seattle, the pastor spoke about unity in the Body. But he said that unity does not necessarily mean uniformity. I think this makes unity more beautiful because it is an expression of being, rather than a state of being. Unity is more of an action and less of the same professed beliefs or doctrine. He then spoke of the cause-related society that we find ourselves in today. You have a cause. I have a cause.
What if our cause was the same?
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.
From a distance we all have enough, and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.
From a distance we are instruments marching in a common band.
Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They're the songs of every man.
God is watching us.
God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.
From a distance you look like my friend, even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend what all this fighting is for.
It's the hope of hopes, it's the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
I just downloaded the African Children's Choir CD It Takes A Whole Village. Ten years ago, my family watched them perform at the high school in the small town where I grew up. More recently, we saw them perform at a church in Greshan, Oregon. I remember when they sang the song above, called From a Distance and later, when my brother's preschool class sang this same song at a concert. I remember that my mom cried. She says it will always have a special place in her heart.
I believe that all humans, while we may be on different paths, are trying to achieve the same one thing or maybe, reach the same one person. At Mars Hill Church in Seattle, the pastor spoke about unity in the Body. But he said that unity does not necessarily mean uniformity. I think this makes unity more beautiful because it is an expression of being, rather than a state of being. Unity is more of an action and less of the same professed beliefs or doctrine. He then spoke of the cause-related society that we find ourselves in today. You have a cause. I have a cause.
What if our cause was the same?
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