It keeps popping in my head

I've been reading "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and there is one story he tells that keeps popping up in my head. It goes like this:

I remember hearing an old comic strip back in the days of St. Ed's. Two guys are talking to each other, and one of them says he has a question for God. He wants to ask why God allows all of this poverty and war and suffering to exist in the world and his friend says. " Well, why don't you ask?" The fellow shakes his head and says he is scared. When his friend asks why he mutters. "I'm scared God will ask me the same question." Over and over, when I ask God why all these injustices are allowed to exist in the world, I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, "You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet." (page 65)

Wow, what a concept. What if we all internalized that? How would this world be different? Here's another song it reminds me of.

Another thought on Obama as President

So my job is to help kids with behavioral issues. The day after the election, I received a call from one of my kid's teacher saying he was having a bad day and asking if I could come talk to him. So I went to talk to my kid. I took several approaches, but one of them was to try and increase motivation for school.

So I asked him what he wanted to be when he got older and I asked him if he'd want to be President. For a second I thought I needed to take my words back because this was a Black boy. I did not want to instill false hope, unrealistic expectations, or have ignorance about the reality of his future (most Black males go to the cemetery young or go to jail). But then I realized that Barack was just elected and it is possible for a Black male to be President. I felt a sense of relief. I could genuinely ask him that question not wonder if it was too far stretched. And I have someone to point to proving that it is possible. That's pretty exciting!!

Life Quotes

I was reflecting on all the quotes that have come up several times in my life and thought I'd share a list of some:

• If there is a will there is a way -my dad
• You have to learn to delegate -my dad
• Simba, you deliberately disobeyed me - Lion King
• It's not either/or it's and/both - Michele Blanton
• There are no great acts, only small acts done with great love - Mother Theresa
• We have to learn to disagree well - Shane Claiborne
• If life gives you lime, make limeade - my dad
• It's not right or wrong, it's just different - STIM
• Is what I'm doing, thinking or saying building trust or undermining trust? - STIM
• It's not what you do first, but what you do next - STIM
• Two wrongs don't make a right - don't know
• Treat others as you'd want to be treated - golden rule
• You'll never know until you try - my sister Mari
• Si se puede - soccer team
• You have to listen and obey - Elena and Steve
• Don't give up - my dad's co-worker
• Do not pass the buck - my dad
• This is life giving - my dad
• This is like music to my ears - my dad
• Don't worry, be happy - Lion King, Bob Marley and my dad

Do you have any quotes that have come up a lot in your life?

Elections through different eyes

I just read my roommates blog and her belated post about elections and I was inspired to write a quick blog.

The night of the election I was actually having bible study with the high school girls in the neighborhood who are Black and Latina. It was a pretty intense night. I think the thing that really got me, though, was the reaction a couple of the black high school students had.

When Obama won we were waiting to hear his speech and one of the girls asks "Is this Live?" Our response was "Yes." and she had to ask again " Like live, live!" and so I kinda cracked a joke and was like "Yeah, if Obama trips on the stage we'll see it go down" And then another high school girl followed it with "If he's got wardrobe dysfunction, we'll see him lookin' jacked up!" and we were laughing when I turned and saw the other girl having a concerned look and talking to one of the other high school girls.

Then it clicked! She was worried about Obama getting shot.

My laughter was gone and it saddened me. I'm not sure that would have even crossed my mind if I weren't with them. This was a very real concern. I remembered a prior conversation we had when she said "If a Black person becomes President, he's gonna get shot...what's happened to every Black guy that got somewhere in society!" And I had to acknowledge her concern is actually real. There are still people that hate Blacks enough to shoot them for no good reason. I tried to reassure her by telling her they would have lots of security. And sure enough, later, I saw that there was a huge glass barrier on the stage. I guess they weren't the only ones worried.

After that, I was driving one of the girls home and she freaked out and was like "Oh, no! We forgot to pray for Obama's saftey!" So I was like "Well, we can pray for him now!" She said "No we can't, you can't drive with your eyes closed." I laughed and said "I don't have to pray with my eyes closed." She said "But God won't hear our prayers and it's better with lots of people!" So I explained to her that there was still three of us and He would hear our prayer. The other high school girl joined us and Cheraya led us in prayer for Obama's saftey.

I'm thankful to be in relationship with these girls and I have really appreciated the ways I've been invited into their perspectives and struggles as Blacks in America. It's no wonder Jesus values relationships so much. These are experiences that money cannot buy.

It reminds me of a song by Derek Webb especially the part that says "He says 'More than just your cash and coins, I want your time, Iwant your voice. I want the things you just can't give me."

There are two ways, generally speaking, to invest in the poor and the outcast. One is to give money. And the other is to be in relationship and be a part of their lives (I guess the third is to do both). I, personally, have found being a part of their lives to be very rewarding (although Jesus doesn't promise that -it's more about obediance.) And the story above is one of the many examples of it being rewarding.

Come What May

I will love the Lord, come what may! I will love Him until my dying day! (her stage name is Sparkling Diamond...hmmm!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZgMcgqveCM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVAoKTKFDzU&feature=related