Tuesday
Having finished all of the necessary bagging this morning, our volunteer crew broke for lunch early. Before we began eating Meghan asked if anyone would like to pray. Quickly, members of the group placed their index fingers at the ends of their noses in a classic ritual for deciding who will be stuck with an unpopular task. In this case, the slowest person is then expected to lead the prayer. I understand some people's reluctance to pray in front of groups, large or small. It can be intimidating when a group's attention spotlight shifts to the individual, waiting for some impromptu, meaningful words. And maybe this is just a quick way of diffusing the potential awkward pause as everyone decides whether or not they are willing to volunteer to pray. However, I have seen 'nose goes' used to decide who should pray in many times times and settings, and it has always rubbed me the wrong way. Isn't it an honor and a priviledge to be able to communicate with Almighty God simply through talking and telling Him what is on our hearts? Shouldn't we be fighting over who *gets* to pray instead of who *has* to? What does a non-believer think when they see Christians trying to avoid talking to God? Would that kind of god be a god worth worshipping and praising?
I must confess, I am not afraid of speaking in front of people, and actually rather enjoy it. From a young age, my father asked a different family member to pray over our dinner every night, so praying in front of people is not something that I am uncomfortable with. However, how else will people become comfortable unless they begin doing it?
Perhaps one culprit is our tendency to view prayer as very polished and collected. God can listen to us just as easily (and perhaps more so) when we simply say what's on our mind instead of worrying about how to say it. I think of the man in the Bible who prayed by beating his chest and saying, "Lord, forgive me. I am a sinner." I think of the Spirit interceding for us with groans that are deeper than words. I think of how we are to "Pray without ceasing," and I don't see how that could be if prayer is understood only as formalized, concrete sentences directed towards heaven with folded hands and closed eyes. Prayer is an area in which I feel extremely lacking, and should like to grow.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
"Remote Control Robots"
Monday
We have another group of volunteers this week. Due to a mix-up about when they were coming, the volunteers were at the warehouse by themselves for about an hour yesterday. Meghan (TBPM staff member from Calvin) was with them, and she called Nancy to figure out what to have them work on. They cleaned up around the warehouse until we got back from the market. At the market we a little pineapple for the first time this summer!
When we got back, we unloaded, then sorted baby potatoes and onions. These potato boxes were some of the worst that I've seen this summer. They may have been sitting around for awhile though, since they were sitting in the warehouse over the weekend. Most of the kids were reluctant to stick their hands into the box, so they were slowly picking out baby potatoes one by one. Some of the guys were challenging one another's 'manliness' over who was willing to handle the nasty potatoes. I had no idea that manhood had anything to do with potatoes...
For a couple months during my senior year of high school, my church youth group divided by gender for the lessons. The guys were supposed to be learning what it meant to be a (godly) man. Despite devoting many weeks of discussion and teaching to it, I don't think those lessons gave me any kind of answer. If I had to make a stab at an explanation, my first attempt would involve loving deeply, especially loving God and one's family. That doesn't seem to answer the question, though, as I would hope that women would feel called to that same role. Is there really some sort of special office deigning how men should aspire to live that is different from how women should aspire to live? There are plenty of stereotypes about each gender, certainly, but there are plenty of sterotype breakers as well (take the mechanic/carpenter/jack-of-all trades Nancy for example). It seems like most artificial definitions of manhood are thinly disguised chauvinistic jabs. I can't think of too many times when I have heard women told, "Come on, be a woman!" but I have heard the reverse said often.
If someone could offer up a good definition of manhood (or womanhood) I would be glad to hear it. (Yes, there are the obvious biological differences, but of course that's not what I'm talking about).
We have another group of volunteers this week. Due to a mix-up about when they were coming, the volunteers were at the warehouse by themselves for about an hour yesterday. Meghan (TBPM staff member from Calvin) was with them, and she called Nancy to figure out what to have them work on. They cleaned up around the warehouse until we got back from the market. At the market we a little pineapple for the first time this summer!
When we got back, we unloaded, then sorted baby potatoes and onions. These potato boxes were some of the worst that I've seen this summer. They may have been sitting around for awhile though, since they were sitting in the warehouse over the weekend. Most of the kids were reluctant to stick their hands into the box, so they were slowly picking out baby potatoes one by one. Some of the guys were challenging one another's 'manliness' over who was willing to handle the nasty potatoes. I had no idea that manhood had anything to do with potatoes...
For a couple months during my senior year of high school, my church youth group divided by gender for the lessons. The guys were supposed to be learning what it meant to be a (godly) man. Despite devoting many weeks of discussion and teaching to it, I don't think those lessons gave me any kind of answer. If I had to make a stab at an explanation, my first attempt would involve loving deeply, especially loving God and one's family. That doesn't seem to answer the question, though, as I would hope that women would feel called to that same role. Is there really some sort of special office deigning how men should aspire to live that is different from how women should aspire to live? There are plenty of stereotypes about each gender, certainly, but there are plenty of sterotype breakers as well (take the mechanic/carpenter/jack-of-all trades Nancy for example). It seems like most artificial definitions of manhood are thinly disguised chauvinistic jabs. I can't think of too many times when I have heard women told, "Come on, be a woman!" but I have heard the reverse said often.
If someone could offer up a good definition of manhood (or womanhood) I would be glad to hear it. (Yes, there are the obvious biological differences, but of course that's not what I'm talking about).
"My New Toy"
Sunday
A few things were different around Nancy's when I returned from North Carolina. For one, there was a new trailer sitting in the lot adjoining the house. Nancy explained: A hitch trailer only costs $100 a year to put on the road, as contrasted with a motor vehicle which costs $700+ a year plus monthly insurance expenses. When she learned this last week she put out word to a few friends that she was in the market for a trailer. Several days later her friend Mo dropped by with a trailer that he thought she might be able to use. He hadn't heard that she was looking for one.
God provides.
A few things were different around Nancy's when I returned from North Carolina. For one, there was a new trailer sitting in the lot adjoining the house. Nancy explained: A hitch trailer only costs $100 a year to put on the road, as contrasted with a motor vehicle which costs $700+ a year plus monthly insurance expenses. When she learned this last week she put out word to a few friends that she was in the market for a trailer. Several days later her friend Mo dropped by with a trailer that he thought she might be able to use. He hadn't heard that she was looking for one.
God provides.
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