In case you didn't know

What up y'all?
I know this will be a shock to you hoards of faithful followers, but I have reciprocated your faithfulness with diligent posting. Therefore, it is long overdue to declare what is already a reality:
This blog is dead!

Now, take heart! My random musings can still be found in cyberspace if you attend to the glorious parksidestories.blogspot.com

Beyond that you'll just have to engage me old-school, and actually talk to me.
Peace and blessings to you all!
A

Community

In LA I found an amazing community that changed my life (I’m not being extreme, every interaction effects our lives, even if just minutely). I have been so fortunate to have wise Professors, Pastors and other leaders and friends who have shaped me through their actions and words. My growth and maturation has come through relationships more than any other avenue (which may cause you to wonder why I’m spending over 2 decades in formalized education but one of education’s greatest assets is the thoughtful community it offers). I am grateful for having enough self-worth to be teachable early on; and for being surrounded by people who communicate honestly and have not been afraid to confront, encourage and seek help. I’ve been fortunate to get to serve and lead, as well as listen and learn.

Leaving an amazing community in LA to come to Wheaton I realized how vital community is for my health and growth and diligently sought it here. I did everything I could to have community waiting for me here in Illinois, and the College had far more opportunities waiting for me. All of this has caused me to reflect on community.

You cannot truly live without being in community; to be completely isolated is death. Community is core to the meaning of life. We are alive to commune together and to commune with the one who created all of us and became like us, humbling Himself to come close and reconcile us with Himself. To live the abundant life we were created to live we must be reconciled with the One who formed us and longs to gather us to Himself. To know Him is to love Him, and to love Him is to love all that He has made. Therefore we must be reconciled to each other, to learn to love All of His children with the love He has poured on us (Oh if we would soften our selves and invite His love in). The beauty in being reconciled with each other is as we build relationships with people who are different from us (which is all people) we realize that they experience life and God with a different perspective than we do and we grow in wisdom and understanding as we commune with them. We also learn a great deal about ourselves in community as our rough edges (or our humanity) rub against the rough edges of others and we choose to become smooth. We see our reflection in the actions and words of others. We are so profoundly freed of ourselves when we serve others. When we seek to bless and lift up our brothers and sisters we are liberated from depression, selfishness and all the destruction that is birthed out of self-focus. Community is powerful.

When I was on tour in Canada I asked an elderly man, with whom I was staying, what was it that shaped his family into the wonderful family that he had (because in my time with them I was impressed by the health and wisdom of their family). After thinking about it he came back to me with the answer, which was not what I expected to hear. He told me community. Community is what kept him married for more than half a century. Community is what shaped his children into loving people of integrity and maturity. For in community he found the warm arms of accountability and encouragement holding he and his wife together. In community his kids were exposed to people of wisdom who shaped them at every encounter they had.

I stayed with a similar family in Boston that rented out most of their house to people who wanted to be intentional about being in community together. I sat at dinner with them as they discussed ways they could serve their community (they already had a community garden and different community events regularly). I saw how valuable community is in accomplishing your goals. At Central City Community Outreach where I worked this last year we could not have functioned without community. We needed every skill, every part of the Church to serve those we endeavored to serve in LA. We could not have functioned without those with skills in: teaching, administration, construction and much much more. The gifts I have are not sufficient to adequately serve those I desire to serve; I need others.

I need people not just to join with me in service but also in mentoring relationships, which elicit growth (which enriches how I serve). It is vital that I be speaking into people’s lives and that I spend time with people who speak into mine. Healthy community has everyone being mentored/discipled and also mentoring/discipling. Now that I’m in Wheaton I am actively seeking wise people that I would want to be mentored by. I know the great value of having someone further in their journey of life guide me and equip me. I also am seeking relationships and opportunities for me to pour into the lives of others that I might be a good steward of that which I have learned (not to mention the benefits I get out of it). Recently I was talking to a friend and peer about feeling ill-equipped to lead and speak into people’s lives because of our great deficits in wisdom and maturity. Yet we concluded that it is a lie that we will ever reach some point of proper maturity from which we can serve. Those who enter community with that mind are difficult to approach and confront and are blind to the reality of their own life and therefore those of others. We are imperfect, welcome to humanity. But we must serve and engage in community.

I urge you to seek the community I have described for yourself. Deal with wounds and misconceptions that cause you to flee community and make you afraid to trust. If you have been hurt (and we all have been) seek healing. I know the Great Physician and through His Spirit and His people I know He will restore you. Invest in the communities you’re in. A major part of life is simply showing up; just going to the places where people can build into you and you can engage. Be wise and guard your heart. Be careful of premature self-disclosure. Yet invest, don’t always run back to safety and limit your ability to build solid community. Learn to be present with people. To truly engage them. To really listen instead of thinking about yourself and your distractions. Know your worth so you can be truly aware of others.

If you are reading this you are part of my life and have had a hand in shaping me through community, for that I thank you. I pray our Lord fills you with His healing, love, wisdom and boldness as you seek the wonderful life He’s prepared for us.

Winter's here!

This morning, as I sat in the library working on my paper I watched a clear day grow gray and snow begin to blanket the ground. The snow piled higher and my focus on my report dwindled as I thought about my imminent first drive in snow being one in which I have the lives of the Gospel Choir in my hands for an hour on the way to our concert. The snow was beautiful, so fascinating how it falls so lightly in contrast to later this same day when it came down heavy as frozen rain then just cold and wet regular rain.
Snow has always been a compartmentalized experience; I go to see it. I travel to go to the snow, have my fun and return home to a warmer climate. Snow doesn't sneak up on you, you decide when you want it. Oh, no, not any more.
I actually didn't end up needing to drive but the ride was still eventful. Though I have a deep trust of my boy George Jackson's driving ability we encountered some obstacles. Though he braked at a stop sign we did not stop and we slid into another car, also unable to stop. It was just a bump but exciting none the less.
The most novel experience today at our first snow was this evening when I returned to my car to find it frozen. Yes, it was as if my entire car had been dipped in water then thrown in the freezer. Stalactites dangled from every edge and my car was fully icificated. Yes it was redonkulous. Though I purchased a scraper a few weeks ago it did me no good being inside a car that was sealed shut. I was afraid that if I pulled any harder on the door handle it would snap off. Then George came to my rescue and showed me the slam-your-car-like-you're-a-defensive-tackle technique. As he shoulder charged the side of my car the ice began to loosen and after some persistent effort we were able to open the door to get the scraper and start the car to finish the job.
Though I'm still lacking in the necessary wardrobe and equipment I think I'm figuring this whole freezing winter thing out. We'll see how it goes, I hope I don't die. Tootaloo, I'll have pictures soon.

What up?

I have just brought this blog into being due to many motivating factors which have finally overcome my laziness. In my posts on Facebook and Myspace I quickly realized that only a few found them beneficial, many were bewildered by the expanse surpassing a paragraph (though if you know me you should not be caught off guard by my lack of brevity), and most were oblivious to the existence of them all together. Though making time to journal is hard for me, for I would often rather chillax with people, there remained a burning desire in my bosom to share the stories and lessons that shape my life, that they might shape and edify others and in turn, their responses would shape me. So I beseech you, share with me your questions and concerns, your heart and your humor (though not to the point of replacing real human interaction). So actual blogs are on the way, I look forward to hearing from you.
Shalom