Joshi just read a great book for school. It is called "Yonder Mountain A Cherokee Legend" told by Robert Bushyhead and written by Kay Bannon. What a great story!
The story is about a great chief who has aged and knows it is time to pass on his position to a younger man among his people. He calls three young men who he thinks might fill the spot. He tells them they must travel to the top of the mountain yonder. He tells them to bring back what they find there.
The first man goes part way up, finds beautiful rocks and says he shall bring them back, for they will brings his people money.
The chief tells him he has done well, but they must wait to see what the others bring back.
The second one goes a little farther up and brings back herbs, to heal the people. The chief also tells him he did well, but they must wait for the last man.
Several days pass, and the last man finally comes back, empty handed. When he gets to the chief he tells him that he went to the top of the mountain, and it was a tough road, but when he got up there he saw a signal from somewhere beyond, there are people there that need help.
And this is my favorite part:
Sounding Eagle rose to his feet. "Chief Sky," he pleaded. "We need to go to them quickly. They are in trouble."
Chief Sky stood straight before his people and the three young men. Pausing for a time, he lifted his eyes to the mountains and watched the mist settle on the peaks. He then turned to his people and spoke. "We need a leader who has climbed to the top of the mountain. We need one who has seen beyond the mountain to other people who are in need." (Bushyhead and Kay Bannon, Yonder Mountain)
Wow.
I love the way the chief was looking for someone who was brave enough to travel outside their reach, and then notice the need of others. Where the other two men brought back good things, they didn't risk it all and go to the top; they didn't see beyond the needs of their own people.
I couldn't help but relate this to the church today. One of the things I love and respect about the leadership at The Orchard is the way our focus, as a church, is constantly being directed on those outside the church walls. And it isn't about trying to convince anyone that Christ is the way to go; it is about loving others without an agenda. Christ can do His own work, we just need to love and He will do the rest.
And so I say to the church everywhere, we need leaders who are willing to travel the rough road and see the people who are in need, and then act.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Bumps in the Night
Had a great birthday celebration yesterday. Just a small family affair, consisting of pizza at pizza hut, a pizza cake, and the movie G-force at the dollar theater.
Seth had a blast.
It was great celebrating his day!
In the process of the fun, lots of junk was consumed.
Faith can't eat junk. She has had an acid reflux problem since she was born. We pretty much have it under control, but if lots of bad stuff is consumed, an attack is certain.
So we weren't terribly surprised at 1:30 (that is the time it happens every time) when she woke up moaning.
And when I say "wake up" I say it loosely. She never actually wakes up and rarely remembers the experience in the morning.
She will probably never forget last nights, though.
So Mike got up with her like usual, I don't get up well at night, once I am up I am up, so it's best if I stay put and try to ignore it.
Mike seemed to get her worked out and I heard him leave. Heard the bathroom door close. Heard the bathroom door open.
Heard, thump, thump, thump, thud!
We both shot out into the hall to see her lying at the bottom of the stairs!
We ran to the bottom and she was able to stand. I walked her back up to the top, and she acted like she was going to faint!! I freaked out a bit, but realized she was still asleep!
We took her back in the bathroom, flipped on the lights on and put cold washcloths all over her till she woke up and could talk to us.
She seemed to be okay after that, said she only hit her head at the bottom.
She is super sore this morning.
Really, I blame the design of this crazy house. I have feared, for the last 4 years, that someone would fall down the stairs in the middle of the night. I always thought it would be Seth, my other non-waker. The stairs are placed right next to the bathroom, and there is very little hallway, great way to conserve living space, horrible for sleep walkers.
I would like to say thank goodness this house is a tri-level, therefore she only fell down eight steps and not an entire flight of steps.
Good thing we took the day off today. We shall all rest a bit.
Kristen
Seth had a blast.
It was great celebrating his day!
In the process of the fun, lots of junk was consumed.
Faith can't eat junk. She has had an acid reflux problem since she was born. We pretty much have it under control, but if lots of bad stuff is consumed, an attack is certain.
So we weren't terribly surprised at 1:30 (that is the time it happens every time) when she woke up moaning.
And when I say "wake up" I say it loosely. She never actually wakes up and rarely remembers the experience in the morning.
She will probably never forget last nights, though.
So Mike got up with her like usual, I don't get up well at night, once I am up I am up, so it's best if I stay put and try to ignore it.
Mike seemed to get her worked out and I heard him leave. Heard the bathroom door close. Heard the bathroom door open.
Heard, thump, thump, thump, thud!
We both shot out into the hall to see her lying at the bottom of the stairs!
We ran to the bottom and she was able to stand. I walked her back up to the top, and she acted like she was going to faint!! I freaked out a bit, but realized she was still asleep!
We took her back in the bathroom, flipped on the lights on and put cold washcloths all over her till she woke up and could talk to us.
She seemed to be okay after that, said she only hit her head at the bottom.
She is super sore this morning.
Really, I blame the design of this crazy house. I have feared, for the last 4 years, that someone would fall down the stairs in the middle of the night. I always thought it would be Seth, my other non-waker. The stairs are placed right next to the bathroom, and there is very little hallway, great way to conserve living space, horrible for sleep walkers.
I would like to say thank goodness this house is a tri-level, therefore she only fell down eight steps and not an entire flight of steps.
Good thing we took the day off today. We shall all rest a bit.
Kristen
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
What Does Your T-Shirt Say?
Once again, school is overtaking everything!
Love my classes this semester. Lots of art, literature, and philosophical analysis and interpretation. I am enjoying it, and trying to get everything I can out of it. After these classes just two more next semester and I graduate!
Kids are doing great in school.
Faith started using Video Text Interactive this year for Pre-Algebra and Algebra. We are really loving it and can't recommend it enough! Bit pricey, but really well worth the price, so far. Going to find out in the next month or so, what our options are for Faith going to high school part time. Pretty sure I don't want it to be a full day, and neither does she, but would like the access to activities offered there. We shall see.
Great things at the Orchard. Awesome to be involved in a place that cares about the community. One that realizes that it is all about unconditional love for people and not love with an agenda. Loved the song from this weekend Mike did "T-Shirts" by Derek Webb . The lyrics say it all:
Love my classes this semester. Lots of art, literature, and philosophical analysis and interpretation. I am enjoying it, and trying to get everything I can out of it. After these classes just two more next semester and I graduate!
Kids are doing great in school.
Faith started using Video Text Interactive this year for Pre-Algebra and Algebra. We are really loving it and can't recommend it enough! Bit pricey, but really well worth the price, so far. Going to find out in the next month or so, what our options are for Faith going to high school part time. Pretty sure I don't want it to be a full day, and neither does she, but would like the access to activities offered there. We shall see.
Great things at the Orchard. Awesome to be involved in a place that cares about the community. One that realizes that it is all about unconditional love for people and not love with an agenda. Loved the song from this weekend Mike did "T-Shirts" by Derek Webb . The lyrics say it all:
they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they’ll know us by our picket lines and signs
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
at anyone whose sin looks worse than ours
who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare
they’ll know us by the pride we hide behind
like anyone on earth is living right
and isn’t that why Jesus died
not to make us think we’re right
chorus
when love, love, love
is what we should be known for
love, love, love
it’s the how and it’s the why
we live and breathe and we die
they’ll know us by reasons we divide
and how we can’t seem to unify
because we’ve gotta sing songs a certain style
or we’ll walk right down that aisle
and just leave ‘em all behind
they’ll know us by the billboards that we make
just turning God’s words to cheap clichés
says “what part of murder don’t you understand?”
but we hate our fellow man
and point a finger at his grave
chorus
they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear
they'll know us by the way we point and stare
telling ‘em their sins are worse than ours
thinking we can hide our scars
beneath these t-shirts that we wear
What a sad commentary about the christian community. Love that the Orchard is all about letting people know what we stand for, instead of what we stand against. Jesus loved the people, hung with the sinners, and criticized the religious community. So if we want to be true Christ-followers we should be loving people where they are at and showing them the love they need, not telling them all the things they do wrong, as if we ourselves are blameless.
Okay, that's it for now.
Kristen
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