Good Art Makes My Heart Happy

Prodigal from Stephanie Mathis on Vimeo.

I had the coolest moment today

I talked to a guy on the phone today. He's interested in volunteering where I work, at Water Street Ministries. Water Street's vision is transformed lives as they work with the poor and homeless in our area.

His daughter is one of the employees here, and he wants to support this.

Here's the only thing. He's deaf.

Yep, I did say that I talked to him on the phone. There's this awesome video phone translation service where my call to his house gets routed to a translation center. One of the translators picks up the phone, sets up a video feed with their deaf client, and then proceeds to translate between the two parties--signing on video to the deaf person, and relaying their signed message in speech back to the hearing person.

How awesome is that!?

The situation almost brought tears to my eyes. It just felt redemptive somehow. Here's this guy who's been dealt crap, but he wants to give back to others and there are others in the world partnering with him so he can do things hearing folks do, like talk on the phone.

Sweet.

How Do You Stay Sane?

As you all have seen in my silence over the last few months, life is crazy right now. Being in school is an amazing thing but also has a way of sucking you into a giant black hole. ☺ Each day, I have to make choices about priorities. What relationship do I need to invest in? What homework must be done? What task at home is pressing? What is the next step for the launch of Pearl Street Photography? I’ve started realizing a few things: 1) I have to choose. Choose what I can and cannot do. Where I can invest and where I cannot. 2) I have to take small bites. Just accomplish one thing each day instead of trying to take on everything at once. 3) Take time to rest whether you think you have it or not. If you don’t, you won’t survive.

How do you prioritize your life and not only stay sane but also thrive in the midst of craziness? I would love to learn from you!

Jesus' Hands & Feet

I was at an all staff training for work when a co-worker shared something profound.

We find in the story of God that he calls his people to join him in his restorative work in the world. In the modern world, this work often involved intellect and the building of systematic theologies, sometimes to the neglect of action. God calls us not only to love him with our minds, but also with our hearts and hands.

So this staff member is also a current resident of our Mission, which I think is profound all by itself. But his words struck me when he shared something like this:

"I can't just be told that God wants us to love because my understanding of the whole idea of love was messed up. I needed someone to show me what love is."

This guy gets incarnational theology--the truth of who God is being acted out in our lives. God's people coming alongside one another and alongside our neighbors, putting hands to love, feet to faith, and action to hope. How true that we all have broken understandings of God's truth, and we need each other to put flesh on it to help each other see God. Theology is not meant to be merely an intellectual exercise. Those around us should experience our theology by the way we live.

Thank you, brother, for reminding us of this truth you understand so well. May we heed your words and engage our worlds with the loving truth of Christ...

I Am Still Alive

By this point, many of you must believe I have dropped from the face of the earth, so I thought I would drop in and confirm I do indeed still exist. Who knew full-time work + full-time grad school = crazy? It has, however, also been an amazing last couple months. I will be posting a few mini-blogs over the next couple weeks to share a few highlights and glimpses into my life right now. (Sorry all you get is mini-posts when it’s from someone fighting a daily battle against burnout :)

Spring!

Spring seems to have finally arrived!

First the leaves of bulbs began pushing through the ground, breaking up the brown of winter. It felt like forever before anything else happened, but suddenly the daffodils began nodding golden heads, and I found a blooming cherry tree arching over the sidewalk as I jogged through my usual route. Hedges I never noticed before jumped from the landscapes, cloaking themselves in yellow forsythia blooms and inviting me to brush against them as I run by.

Now the colors have multiplied. Dogwoods aren't blooming yet, but are pushing purple buds out, giving the treeline a hint of life. Redbuds are in full force. Cherry and tulip trees are full of purples and pinks. Fields are bright with new grass. White blossoms fill bushes along neighborhood streets.

As the sun shines warmer, the days last longer, and the smells of life fill the air, I remember why this is one of my favorite times of year...

Moving

Sometimes we stop and we sit

Sitting
Sitting overwhelmed
Overwhelmed facing the ocean of need
Crying

And it moves forward without us

Sometimes it continues on and we are blind

Blinded
Blinded unaware
Unaware of the dark injustice of our world
Comfortable

And it moves forward without us

May we be moving

Moving
Moving forward
Forward into the dark injustice of our world
Forward with the hope of the gospel

Together we hold lonely hands
Educate hungry minds
Feed swollen bellies
Stand by each other
And nurture souls

One step at a time
One voice
One word
One touch

Alone so small, but together facing the ocean
And moving forward

http://www.dalitnetwork.org/