My exchange student daughter is weaving her way further into my heart right now. She sits in my home speaking face to face with her real parents (thanks to the miracle of Skype) and her laughter and smiles are lighting up our living room. Her mother, father and sister are enjoying a conversation with her, and they seem to be having such fun. Skype is amazing.
This being my "day off," I enjoyed a breakfast with the family this morning. I held Laynie and ate eggs, sausage and homemade scones. It is still snowing outside, and it is beautiful. The northwest edges of the trees are outlined in white, and our German Shepherd is frolicking about as if it is dog-Christmas. The stove is hissing and putting out heat in our pioneer aged cabin.
I got some new books this week, gifts purchased with a little Christmas money. The first one I've started is The New Friars, which tells the stories of dozens of young people who are forsaking all wealth, and moving to live with the poorest of the poor in ways reminiscent of the ancient monastics. I'm gaining theological insight into what I've always heard termed "compassionate ministry." Last night I enjoyed a chapter about St. Francis of Assisi, and Sister Clare. These are amazing and adventurous stories of lives turned around. Next on the list is sub-merge: living deep in a shallow world, and Follow Me to Freedom: Leading as an Ordinary Radical.
If you have been following along here, you may know that I am in a bit of a personal reformation. It is like pieces of a giant puzzle in my life are coming together and creating a picture of a future that I had never envisioned. No, I'm not planning to go live in a garbage dump in Asia or South America. But I believe I can make a difference in the spiritual and physical poverty of world where I live. I am staying tuned and discovering that God is very willing to respond to my desires to serve, when they center around serving those in need.
I may even have a good idea brewing for what Trent of The Runaway Pastor is about to do with his life in the sequel...
Grace and peace to you.
2 comments:
it is amazing to me how many books are now out talking about the new emergent movement... or i guess not new, but rather old - going back to the original idea of what CHRISTianity was supposed to be. even in Amazon, there's gotta be no less than a couple thousand titles...
oooh, the suspense of the new ideas :)
I totally believe if anyone can find an unique way to share God's love with the needy, it is you! Through all the pain and suffering, God is there to show us meaning and purpose in life...I am still waiting on that. I will pray that God will reveal this to you in a new, fresh way! You are amazing!
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