as weird and geeky as it may sound, i've missed these! homework parties are the bomb. quite literally. hanging out with some freshies and sophomores studying before we go to bible study, just seems so typical "spring arbor" and i've missed it. i've missed the community. thats why i've requested to be an RA on a community floor. I want to be an RA so bad! well, i need to get studying for chemistry before we go to Clark's bible study. I just wanted to say that i've missed this. i need to do this more often...
cm
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Adventure Called Life Day 110...everybody's workin' for the weekend...
happy friday everyone! the weekend is here! and its a three day weekend at that! YAY!
well I have a hot date...with the laundry room, ah, at least it smells nice. I have lots to get done tonight, I just wanted to quickly post something that God has been showing me today...
today at 3:30 Mitch, Hannah and I all met in the Lowell Prayer Chapel to pray for River Tree and our campus. I am so excited about this. I LOVE things like this. I'm excited to see where God takes us in this, and how he answers our prayers. God has been faithful. I got up the courage to get this meeting in order, and it worked! And God showed up. I know he did. Mitch was exhausted though. I felt bad. I can't really do anything to help him, except to pray... I don't have any brownies or anything to bake in the house. I guess I could make Heather's cup cakes and bring him two of them. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. maybe I'll do that...we'll see...
well, time to make dinner, and then switch over my laundry so I can have clean clothes. Drumline tomorrow bright and early at 11am, I'm singing the national anthem for both basketball games on saturday. wish me luck. until next time
cm
well I have a hot date...with the laundry room, ah, at least it smells nice. I have lots to get done tonight, I just wanted to quickly post something that God has been showing me today...
today at 3:30 Mitch, Hannah and I all met in the Lowell Prayer Chapel to pray for River Tree and our campus. I am so excited about this. I LOVE things like this. I'm excited to see where God takes us in this, and how he answers our prayers. God has been faithful. I got up the courage to get this meeting in order, and it worked! And God showed up. I know he did. Mitch was exhausted though. I felt bad. I can't really do anything to help him, except to pray... I don't have any brownies or anything to bake in the house. I guess I could make Heather's cup cakes and bring him two of them. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. maybe I'll do that...we'll see...
well, time to make dinner, and then switch over my laundry so I can have clean clothes. Drumline tomorrow bright and early at 11am, I'm singing the national anthem for both basketball games on saturday. wish me luck. until next time
cm
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Adventure Called Life Day 109...community...
Last night at Deeper, our chaplain Ron Kopicko, challenged us with the reality of a Revival, and what it truly means. Revival isn't all fire and brimstone, its a party, its a celebration of love and redemption, acceptance and grace.
He told a wonderful story about Tony Campolo. Tony was speaking in Honolulu, and he's from Boston, so his internal-clock was a little off. So up at 3am, he wandered down the street from his hotel to find a bite to eat. He found this sleazy, dirty diner and went in. He tried to read a menu, but it was covered in grease and food. Then he heard a shout from the back, "What can I getcha?" It was the cook. His name is Harry, his a big, burly fella. So Tony says, "a coffee and a donut." Then eight prostitutes walk in the door.
So there Tony sits, in this sleazy, dirty diner, sipping coffee and eating a donut, with eight prostitutes and the cook named Harry. He is sitting at the service bar. The girls all sit up at the bar as well. Sitting next to him is a woman named Agnes. She is 39. Suddenly she says to her friend, "Tomorrow is my birthday." Her friend says back, "So, what? do you want a party?" Agnes looks at the counter, "I've never had a birthday party." The friend doesn't say anything else, but the girls keep chatting. Then they leave a little while later. Tony says to the cook, "Harry, tomorrow is Agnes' birthday. Let's throw her a party." Harry stares back at him and then says, "That's a great idea!" So he calls his wife and says, "Honey, there's a man here that wants to throw Agnes a birthday party tomorrow."
So the next day, Tony returns to the diner at 2:30am in preparation for the party. By now, word has gotten out that there is going to be a party for Agnes' birthday at the diner at 3:30am. The diner is full of prostitutes and other street folk. Then it hits 3:30 and in walks Agnes and her friends. The people in the diner burst out with, "Surprise! Happy Birthday Agnes!" Then they begin to sing Happy Birthday. Harry brings out the birthday cake for Agnes. There are candles lit on top. She has almost fainted and tears are streaming down her cheeks, so some people are helping her to sit. Harry places the cake in front of her, and says, "Agnes, blow out the candles," and she only cries harder. Harry again prompts, "Agnes! blow out the candles." So someone helps her and blows the candles out. Then Harry says, "Cut the cake Agnes," She shakes her head, "I can't, I've never had a birthday cake before." Someone says to Agnes that Tony is the one who put the party into motion. She thanks him for the cake, "Can I take it home? I want to show my mother. I only live two blocks away." So Agnes picks up the cake and leaves the diner.
An awkward silence fills the diner and Tony does what any good preacher would do, he says, "Let's pray."
So he prays, and then Harry says to him, "I didn't know you were a Preacher! What church kind of church do you preach at?" Tony say, "The kind of church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3 am in a diner in honolulu." Harry says, "No you don't. If there was such a church I would go there."
I love those last two lines. To think that people would be willing to come to church if we would only truly follow Christ and accept people rather than condemn them. I'm not saying to brush their sin aside, but I'm saying that if we love them as Christ loves them then we allow God to do the rest. Sometimes I think we need to trust in the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit, rather than relying on our own words, messages, strength, songs, dramas to bring people to their knees.
So this community that we live in at SAU is extremely blessed and amazing. Where else do you live, eat, do life together in a true community such as this? We all even gather together for worship (chapel) twice a week, and seek God together. That's amazing. So let's not take it for granted. What would it look like if you loved those around you instead of judging them and refusing to open your arms to them? What's wrong with hanging out and spending time in God's word together instead of video games? What's wrong with talking about what God is doing in your life instead of the cool thing you did this weekend? What if we challenged each other to a deeper walk with Christ, held on another accountable, and went into this community thing armed with love instead of apathy and hate? I think it would make God smile, and shout and sing for JOY. a revial. yes.
Lord, COME. Come and invade this place, start with me, empty me of myself, and fill me with you, your love, your joy, your grace. Help me to see others as you do. Lord, you are so good, worthy of all the praise and glory, forever and ever. AMEN.
cm
He told a wonderful story about Tony Campolo. Tony was speaking in Honolulu, and he's from Boston, so his internal-clock was a little off. So up at 3am, he wandered down the street from his hotel to find a bite to eat. He found this sleazy, dirty diner and went in. He tried to read a menu, but it was covered in grease and food. Then he heard a shout from the back, "What can I getcha?" It was the cook. His name is Harry, his a big, burly fella. So Tony says, "a coffee and a donut." Then eight prostitutes walk in the door.
So there Tony sits, in this sleazy, dirty diner, sipping coffee and eating a donut, with eight prostitutes and the cook named Harry. He is sitting at the service bar. The girls all sit up at the bar as well. Sitting next to him is a woman named Agnes. She is 39. Suddenly she says to her friend, "Tomorrow is my birthday." Her friend says back, "So, what? do you want a party?" Agnes looks at the counter, "I've never had a birthday party." The friend doesn't say anything else, but the girls keep chatting. Then they leave a little while later. Tony says to the cook, "Harry, tomorrow is Agnes' birthday. Let's throw her a party." Harry stares back at him and then says, "That's a great idea!" So he calls his wife and says, "Honey, there's a man here that wants to throw Agnes a birthday party tomorrow."
So the next day, Tony returns to the diner at 2:30am in preparation for the party. By now, word has gotten out that there is going to be a party for Agnes' birthday at the diner at 3:30am. The diner is full of prostitutes and other street folk. Then it hits 3:30 and in walks Agnes and her friends. The people in the diner burst out with, "Surprise! Happy Birthday Agnes!" Then they begin to sing Happy Birthday. Harry brings out the birthday cake for Agnes. There are candles lit on top. She has almost fainted and tears are streaming down her cheeks, so some people are helping her to sit. Harry places the cake in front of her, and says, "Agnes, blow out the candles," and she only cries harder. Harry again prompts, "Agnes! blow out the candles." So someone helps her and blows the candles out. Then Harry says, "Cut the cake Agnes," She shakes her head, "I can't, I've never had a birthday cake before." Someone says to Agnes that Tony is the one who put the party into motion. She thanks him for the cake, "Can I take it home? I want to show my mother. I only live two blocks away." So Agnes picks up the cake and leaves the diner.
An awkward silence fills the diner and Tony does what any good preacher would do, he says, "Let's pray."
So he prays, and then Harry says to him, "I didn't know you were a Preacher! What church kind of church do you preach at?" Tony say, "The kind of church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3 am in a diner in honolulu." Harry says, "No you don't. If there was such a church I would go there."
I love those last two lines. To think that people would be willing to come to church if we would only truly follow Christ and accept people rather than condemn them. I'm not saying to brush their sin aside, but I'm saying that if we love them as Christ loves them then we allow God to do the rest. Sometimes I think we need to trust in the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit, rather than relying on our own words, messages, strength, songs, dramas to bring people to their knees.
So this community that we live in at SAU is extremely blessed and amazing. Where else do you live, eat, do life together in a true community such as this? We all even gather together for worship (chapel) twice a week, and seek God together. That's amazing. So let's not take it for granted. What would it look like if you loved those around you instead of judging them and refusing to open your arms to them? What's wrong with hanging out and spending time in God's word together instead of video games? What's wrong with talking about what God is doing in your life instead of the cool thing you did this weekend? What if we challenged each other to a deeper walk with Christ, held on another accountable, and went into this community thing armed with love instead of apathy and hate? I think it would make God smile, and shout and sing for JOY. a revial. yes.
Lord, COME. Come and invade this place, start with me, empty me of myself, and fill me with you, your love, your joy, your grace. Help me to see others as you do. Lord, you are so good, worthy of all the praise and glory, forever and ever. AMEN.
cm
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