I recently read Lee Hull Moses’ book, More Than Enough.  You can find the book here:

Buy the book here

I enjoyed the book a great deal.  While the reading was easy, casual almost, the concepts and challenges were profound.

Ms. Moses tackles ideas about child rearing, spending, food sources, gratitude, poverty, calling, and more.  I found myself at the end of the book quickly and wanting to discuss the insights I’d drawn from the reading.

One quick thought though is this:  Jesus was an advocate for the poor.  We know this.  Jesus was a champion of the disenfranchised.  Certainly documented.  Jesus believed in people and gave them hope.  Certainly.

But what Jesus did not do is abolish poverty itself.  Jesus did not eliminate systemic disenfranchisement triggers.  Jesus worked for the poor and the disenfranchised within the system he had…or that we had…

So one thing that had never dawned on me was that God could, if he wanted, with him being Omni Powerful and all, could totally abolish, eliminate poverty.

But he has allowed it to continue……..since ancient times.  He urged us to care for the poor, to bring in the widows and the children.  To provide for them.

 

So I’m thinking.  A lot.  About this.  In a democratic but modified free-market society, what is my role as a tax payer, and as a Christian? 

Do I march and rally to provide more to the SNAP program?  Do I spend more time with the widows or the disenfranchised/marginalized?

I don’t know yet.  I just am asking at this point.  And what does all this mean in light of a new President heading into office in January?  How will our environment change?  What will the most immediate, the intermediate, and the long-term needs be? 

I wonder if God hasn’t basically challenged us, as intelligent life, to find a solution for these systemic problems?  Maybe God has said “the world is complex, let me have these beautiful, intelligent being that I’ve created, solve this problem?”

Am I working on the complex problems as God’s beautiful created being?  Am I doing my part?  Am I being my best self and working on ways to help others be their best selves?

I challenge myself these days on these areas…..

More is needed.  Whom shall I send said the Lord?  Whom shall I send?  Will it be me Lord?  

Living After, In and For

I tend not to be someone who wallows in misery much.  I actually just wrote a passage for another project where I noted that I like the song by Alyssa Bonagura entitled, I Make My Own Sunshine.  So, when people took to the streets or spent days crying over our recent Presidential election, I was baffled.  I’m not trying to be insensitive, but people, come on, staying home to cry?  

I mean I didn’t vote for the guy either but if I learned correctly, there are checks and balances in our government and last I checked, we had term limits.  Admittedly, I do not sink too deeply into politics but surely if those things had changed I’d have noticed.

I recently read a blog by Deidra Riggs which inspired me to think about the “living after, in, and for.”  Ms. Riggs wrote a beautiful blog which can be accessed here:  Deidra Riggs' Blog

Living After:  So, now that it is after the election………so?  The United States has a new Commander and Chief who will take office around January 20, 2017.  What does that mean for me?  I do not know yet.  I need to wait and see.  I am not going to run out into the street in lament because nothing is certain.  

I have been involved in plenty of crisis situations in 26 years of university life and I’ve found that when things are getting tense and unknown, the best thing is to no add to the tension and to seek information.

Running into the street in protest could get you plowed over so I’ll stay on solid ground.  I am not going to wail and lament because what good will that do?  

What positive contribution does that make?

To seek information will take time-probably a couple of years before we know for sure about certain things.  So why make my life and the lives of those around me tenser by adding to the negativity?

Another thing I’m going to do is rely on my faith.  I did see a little meme on social media that is quite profound despite its overuse:  Regardless of who is President, Jesus is still King.  I like that.  While I admit it was overused and is cliché’ it makes a solid point.  Remember who it is that you worship and why.

Living In:  In some ways I have already addressed this.  I’m going to be positive and I am going to contribute to the greater good, and I am going to withhold judgment.  I have worked pretty hard to be positive and objective throughout this election cycle.  Many of my friends had no idea which “team” I was even on.  Ironically two individuals both made an assumption that I agreed with them and would be voting accordingly.  Both were wrong! 

I’m going to continue going to church and do my best to be a good person and active, engaged citizen.  As I live in this time, I am going to pray for our nation and other nations as well.  Let’s be frank, we can all use Divine intervention in any way we can get it.  Shit is real out there in the real world and you just have to do the best you can.

Living For:  I have learned that it is during some of the hardest times that I really come to know my non-negotiable values.  I learn what I will and will not budge on and how true I’ll stay to my word when times are really tough.  So, what am I going to live for during these next four years?  I’m going to live for God, civility, and growth.

For me, God, the Divine, Spirit is my foundation.  I rely on my faith to get me through and to inspire me to new heights.  I’m going to continue seeking wisdom and enlightenment in all that I do.

I’m going seek civility.  Being civil costs me nothing and I will continue to spread kindness and love as best I can.

I’m going to seek growth.  I’m going to learn more about decision and how I might best serve others as I go into this new Presidency.  I’ll strive to not just ignore the happenings (as I have in the past) but work to learn bi-partisan concerns for major issues and educate others for the greater good.

Alyssa Bonagura – I Make My Own Sunshine Lyrics

Everything is wonderful
Everything is great
Free as a bird singing outside my window pane
Got a fresh new start
It's a brand new day
And I got lots of love to give away

It don't matter if it's raining
Nothing can phase me
I make my own sunshine
And if you think you can break me
Baby you're crazy
I make my own sunshine

Hey, let's make a rainbow
Look for the pot o' gold
I'll show you how to keep it nice and easy
Even if a cloud starts forming on my lovely day
There's nothing, no nothing, that could stand in my way

It don't matter if it's raining
Nothing can phase me
I make my own sunshine
And if you think you can break me
Baby you're crazy
I make my own sunshine

Life: Be

Chasing The Years of My Life

If you are a big Bruno Mars fan and want to hear lots of Bruno’s music, the secret is to make an Adele Station on Pandora.  You will not be bothered with Adele songs but instead will hear LOTS of Bruno Mars.  But, I digress.

Every so often the Non-Adele, Adele Station will play a song by Five for Fighting called 100 Years.  The song goes like this (thanks to Play.google.com)

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

I'm 22 for a moment
And she feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got a hundred years to live

I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a "they"
A kid on the way, babe.
A family on my mind

I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose yourself
Within a morning star

15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got a hundred years to live

Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...

I'm 99 for a moment
And dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you’re on your way
Every day's a new day...

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got a hundred years to live

Each time I hear the song, the part that sticks with me to be mulled over and over is: 

I'm 45 for a moment

The sea is high

And I'm heading into a crisis

Chasing the years of my life

Oh how often I feel like I’m chasing the years of my life.  So often I feel like the years have actually gotten up and taken off without me.  While that’s a good thing in some ways, I perpetually feel like I’m a “late bloomer” regarding wisdom and maturity.

Chasing the years of my life.  I often feel like “how the heck does the birthday number say what it says?  I still feel 22!”  Yet, my body is definitely telling me the birthday number is accurate!

Chasing the years of my life.  I’m not where I thought I’d be at this age.  I’m learning to actually celebrate this!  I am exactly where I’m meant to be and I am thankful for this!

Chasing the years of my life.  Maybe I have a forever youthful outlook and I believe that has served me well.

Chasing the years of my life.  I believe this forever youthful outlook will serve me well until 100!

Patience vs. Endurance

                I journal pretty much every day.  One of the things I did recently was consider how the years at my current work had taught me different things. 

                I noted that I had developed patience.  Upon considering it longer, I’m not sure I actually learned patience as much as I endured the environment.

                I began to explore the difference between patience and endurance.  Here is what I’ve learned.  Patience (or longsuffering from the Bible) is more of a reaction.  The opposite of anger.  It is more of a short-term experience such as self-restraint.

                Endurance is more of a long-term response of not surrendering.  Endurance is associated with hope.  In reflection, I definitely believe I have endured more than developed patience.

                I still have the sense of urgency about me when a committee decision has been made but someone continues to belabor points.  I want to say “enough talk, let’s see some action!”

                I wanted to look more deeply into endurance versus patience but have not, thus far, found a great deal with the exception of looking at endurance athletes. 

                One article noted that three things helped endurance athletes:  consistency, progression, and you got it, patience!  Thus another confirmation that patience is a sub-component of endurance!

                So what does this mean for me?  It helps me recognize that over the last 10 years, I may not have lost my way as much as I have thought; rather I was in a survival mode due to having to endure the environment that was less than supportive of thriving and I do have contributions to still make from my giftedness.

                In my newest role, I am feeling the rekindling of excitement about my work.  I haven’t been excited about my work in probably 6 years.  Yes you read that right, 6 years.  For the past years I’ve been in survival mode.  I am learning that the mind, like the body, changes when subjected to long term stress.  The things I thought had changed in me (passion, calling and so forth) hadn’t changed, they just had to go dormant in order to endure.

                I’m cautiously optimistic for the future.  Let’s face it, I’m older and jaded now so thus the cautious part!

                I would love to hear some of your endurance versus patience thoughts!  Feel free to leave a comment below: