Uncomfortable

Tonight, as I sat in a Starbucks reading, I observed some kids skateboarding across the street at a skate park... in the snow. I watched them doing ollies as the snow fell all around them and as I watched I thought about how much they must love skating. To love something so much to give up the warmth of being inside and instead be uncomfortable and cold.

I sat there with my warm cup of coffee inside a warm building and I thought about these kids as an image for ministry. To love something so much that we are willing to be uncomfortable... to love God so much that we are willing to be uncomfortable... How many of us sit in the warmth of our worship services on Sunday mornings, comfortable and unshaken? How many of us ride around in our cars or sit in our houses, comfortable? Are we willing to give some of this up for the sake of the gospel? Are we willing to be uncomfortable for something that could be so much fun?

Those kids were having a good time skating - the rush of landing a jump or speeding from one end of the park to the other... what about the rush of helping another person or living into our calling as children of God? Those kids gave up warmth, gave up comfort for some great fun. Are we willing to do the same?

Just a thought. =)

Kate

November 1

It's been almost a month, but we'll get together again this Thursday, November 1 at 7:00. Join us at Arabica in Streetsboro as we talk about sex and God.

Questions? Drop an e-mail to streetsboro.youngadults@gmail.com

See you then!

Next Gathering!!

Join us Thursday, September 6 at 7:00 for our next gathering. We'll be at Arabicas in Streetsboro to continue our discussion of Rob Bell's book, Sex God. Questions? E-mail streetsboro.youngadults@gmail.com.

Lifeboat

I've been thinking a bit lately about celebrity and why many of us are so excited to share that we've met somebody of any importance. If you're a member of the general population, it's probably being able to say that you saw Will Smith walking down the street or got a picture with Julia Roberts. If you're a church geek, it might be the ability to say you ate dinner with Martin Marty or hung out with Mark Hanson for a bit (and if you don't know who these people are, then I'm obviously not going to impress you). But why is it that we're so happy to share the information that we got to eat with these people or have a picture of one of them with a golf ball in his mouth? Why don't we say the same things about our friends or a random person we met at a party? "I got to talk with Susan Reyes tonight!" Who is that? Why would we care?

The more I think about it, the more I believe it boils down to the lifeboat. Several months ago, I read a book by Donald Miller called Searching for God Knows What. At some point in the book, he describes what he calls the lifeboat theory. We go through life like we're stuck in a lifeboat and we need to get rid of one person. So we try to rationalize to the other people in the boat why it shouldn't be us that goes, why we have value. Most of us don't need to be the people with the most value, but we certainly don't want to be the lowest ones on the totem pole. So as long as there is somebody with less value below us, we feel alright.

So back to the celebrity thing, being able to say we met somebody of "importance" is something because not many people are able to say that. Scarcity usually translates to value and since fewer people can say they have met Will Smith or the presiding bishop of the ELCA, then that automatically gives us value by association.

So what does this mean for how we live our lives? Do we give into the lifeboat theory? I find that I often do without really thinking about it. But if I'm mindful of it, I remember that the one who gives real value is God and because I know and am loved by God, I have real value. I don't need to prove it to anybody - none of us do. But in this world, sometimes it's hard to remember that.

What do you think?

Kate

Moving to Thursdays!

We're moving to Thursdays. So our next gathering will be Thursday, September 6 at 7:00 at Arabica in Streetsboro.

Want to Know What We're Reading?

Want to know what we're reading when we get together in Streetsboro?

Here's a link for the book: Sex God by Rob Bell.

We'll be together again this coming Wednesday, August 15 at 7:00 PM at Arabicas in Streetsboro.

Hope to see you there.

Next Meeting

For our next meeting on Wednesday, August 15, we'll meet at 7:00 PM at Arabica's in Streetsboro (formerly Greenie Beanies, 9388 Market Square Dr, Streetsboro, OH). We'll continue our journey through chapter 2 of Rob Bell's book Sex God. Hope to see you all there!

Animals Don't Dump People

I was recently walking through a parking garage when I spotted a bumper sticker that said, "Animals Don't Dump People." I immediately wanted to add, "People dump people." It seemed pretty clear to me that at some point in the past, the person who's car I was looking at was dumped by a significant other and it was probably a very bad break up. This person loved another person and was hurt when that love wasn't returned.

Love is risky. It's tough to put yourself out there to another person, to risk loving hoping that the other person will love you back. We risk by opening ourselves up to another, hoping that they will say they love us despite our flaws. Or really, that they love all of us, even the ugly parts. Love is risky - but ultimately a very worthwhile risk.

So what happens when we've been hurt? What happens when we've loved and somebody broke our hearts? Are we gun shy? Not willing to love anymore - not willing to be in a relationship? Bitter because of what has happened to us and look to those we perceive not to be able to leave a relationship (i.e. an animal)?

Even beyond a romantic relationship, what happens when we put ourselves out there at a church and we've been hurt? What happens when we venture into a relationship with God, but then another person tells us we're going about it the wrong way or there's conflict at our church? What happens when we are hurt by the very thing that is to embody Christ's love here on earth - the church? Do we walk away? Do we not worship with others because we find the institution to be full of hypocrisy? Instead of turning to a relationship with God, do we turn to relationships in our lives with things we perceive can't hurt us (i.e. money, television, houses, cars, etc...)?

But in the end, are any of those other relationships that we turn to nearly as fulfilling as a relationship with another person or with God? Can our dog tell us how beautiful we look today even though we're all sweaty from working in the yard? Can our cat plan a surprise birthday party for two complete with dinner? Can our money love us back, telling us all the ways it enjoys our company? Or how about our car, can it cozy up with us on the couch and laugh at a comedy?

Or how about any of it being able to love us like God loves us - no matter what happens? Being able to transform our lives because of unfailing love that lifts us up out of the muck? Or is it able to fill us up when we are empty or empowering us and giving us the gifts we need to serve?

Can any of it compare? Compare to what God is already doing in our lives?

Who would have thought that all of this would have come from a single bumper sticker? =)

Next Meeting!!

We will continue our journey next Wednesday, August 1 at 7:00 PM at Applebees in Streetsboro. Our discussion will continue to connect sexuality and spirituality as we find our way through the book, Sex God.