Archive for September, 2007
Neighborhood Hands
September 24, 2007Every Spiritual Blessing
September 21, 2007On my drive to work, I see tiny, dilapidated houses, and old Mexican people sitting out on their porches. I see very young moms carefully escorting their children down the street to a charter school on the corner. I see day hires gathering at St. Ann’s Parish, praying for a day’s wage. I see the homeless man at Martinez Barbacoa, cigarette in hand, and a past as colorful as the bright pink building on which he leans. I see the people around me who are living well below poverty level, and I drive on to my well-paying job in my nice Honda Civic.
Lots of people widen their eyes when I divulge the neighborhood in which I chose to live. No, it’s not the illustrious northside of San Antonio, where most in my demographic reside, and let’s be real– it’s an old neighborhood that, in some spots, is very run down and maybe a little scary for a single woman in her late twenties. But I made the decision before I even began looking for a place that I wanted to live close to church. My church meets at San Antonio College, which just happens to be about four or so blocks away.
Today, as I was walking Willie, my neighbor below came out to introduce herself. She couldn’t have been more than about 21, and her pregnant belly was adorable. She said she’d been waiting to meet me– that she didn’t want to bombard me until I settled in more, and also that she wanted her boyfriend to be there to meet me too. She said that she and her boyfriend were having problems, so she didn’t know when he’d be around. In the span of about ten minutes, ‘D’ told me that she dreamed of going to an art institute in Chicago, but that getting pregnant derailed that. She said that her boyfriend wanted to move to Portland, and asked if I’d ever heard of Portland, Oregon. I said I had, and explained that I understood Portland to be a great artsy city. She smiled hopefully, and said that she hoped she could go to school there when/if she and her boyfriend went. She told me about her sister and niece moving in with her this month, and how that’d contributed to her boyfriend’s… absence… On and on she talked, and I listened, bewildered at her openness and all the while thinking, Ok. THIS is why I moved into this neighborhood– for people like ‘D’. What the heck do I do next?! As we ended our conversation, I told her to come up and see me any time, and to let me know if she ever needed anything at all.
What now? How do I love her? Do I just listen? Are there feet to this love? God, You’ve began what I’ve been praying for– opportunities to minister to the community in which I choose to live and worship. WHAT NOW?! PLEASE DON’T LET ME SCREW THIS UP!
As I walked up my stairs, I was nearly moved to tears as I recounted the Community Group Bible Study I attended just last night. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. I don’t live in Darfur. I don’t live in Uganda. I live in inner city San Antonio, Texas, USA, where even here, we have ‘endless apparent blessings’ (ht: Brandon Eggar). It occurred to me last night, and again this afternoon, that often, I have to physically remove some of those ‘apparent blessings’ in order to make room for every spiritual blessing.
My selfishness in wanting to be the blessing in D’s life is staggering. I am not the blessing. I can only be obedient and pray for the blessing, and in the meantime, try my hardest to live intentionally with this sweet girl… to know her and minister to her needs, as the Father makes them visible to me.
So, what next, Father? How shall I be utilized by You?
The People I Love: Michelle
September 17, 2007When I wandered into First Baptist Church, Murphy, TX, I didn’t meet Michelle or Jason Kearney. I didn’t meet them even the second or third time I visited. I’m tempted to say that I didn’t meet Michelle until about six weeks into my time at the Murph, and even then, we didn’t actually have a conversation until we moved to the Prov, I don’t think. It wasn’t because Michelle or Jason were too involved in themselves or their own cliques, but rather because they were both serving in less visible capacities.
My friendship with Michelle was not fast. Don’t misunderstand me– it wasn’t that we had disagreements, or didn’t care for one another. For once, I didn’t throw myself into a one-sided relationship, and Michelle was her usual somewhat cautious self. Our friendship grew out of a mutual longing to have community and by the grace of the Father, I was blessed enough to get to claim her.
She is meticulous and thoughtful, and incredibly insightful and creative: all things that I am not. While I am busy running off at the mouth and taking leaps off of cliffs, she quietly contemplates before speaking and calculates before taking a walk near the edge. Don’t misunderstand me: she is a passionate woman– but she has more restraint than I. Sometimes, I’m envious of that restraint. She gets into FAR less trouble than me!
She has taught me these things and more… her sweet thoughtfulness and southern charm make me want to be a better woman, who embraces her feminine rolls more gracefully. I am so thankful to call her friend.
Things That Remind Me of Michelle:
- “Tonight, Tonight” by the Smashing Pumpkins
- Dave Matthews Band
- Gilmore Girls
- Abstract art
- “Arse”
- Wicker
- French-style fabric patterns
- Memoirs of a Geisha
- Toothless loud men with their louder wives in grocery stores
It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood…
September 17, 2007Well, I woke up this morning with my eyes so swollen with allergies that I could hardly open them. This morning, when I went out to walk Willie, I was immediately drenched due to humidity. I got lost on my way to work.
Yep. I’m definitely back in San Antonio… and I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!!
Not really much to report. Church was awesome yesterday, and I’m really looking forward to plugging back in. I’ve spent a ton of time with Katie already, and we’ve had a blast decorating my incredible new place. Willie is still a little confused as to where we are, but then again… so am I.
It all seems surreal. I feel like I’m staying in a hotel or something. It all just hasn’t hit me quite yet.
And I sort of am dying in the relentless pain of missing my Dallas peeps, too. 
Photos to come!
One thing about Dallas that I’ll miss…
September 13, 2007Dale Hansen being a prima dona.
Uhhhm, scatch that.
September 12, 2007So, we have a slight change in plans.
Just as Michelle was arriving to join me for one last Wednesday night dinner, I received a phone call from my new landlord. It seems there was a “mix up.” Apparently all of my communications had been going through Mrs. Landlord, and Mr. Landlord was off doing his own thing and rented my place to someone else. Panic immediately set in.
“Were you planning on moving a bunch of furniture?”
“Uh, everything I own.”
“Oh. When were you planning on moving?”
“This Saturday.”
“Oh. I won’t have any place ready for you by then.”
“Uhh.”
muffled voice of woman in background
“We have a bigger, nicer place not far from the place you’d wanted. It’ll be ready in another week, and we’ll rent it to you at the same rent as the first place. Enough of it is finished that you can move all of your belongings in, but it’s not ready to be lived in quite yet.”
We discussed more details of the second property, and Mr. Landlord agreed to email photos of the bigger, nicer place first thing tomorrow morning, and I spoke to Katie about crashing at her place for the week. She agreed, thankfully.
God is bigger than this. I know. But He’s SERIOUSLY GOT to stop freaking me out!
Mwahahahaha
September 12, 2007 |
You scored as Martin Luther, The daddy of the Reformation. You are opposed to any Catholic ideas of works-salvation and see the scriptures as being primarily authoritative.
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Which theologian are you?
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Four More Sleeps
September 11, 2007…until I’ll find myself a returning resident of San Antonio, Texas, and fellas, I am pretty darn excited. Yep, I’m excited enough that maybe… JUST MAYBE, I’ll pack my kitchen and dishes tonight.
Wednesday, I’ll be meeting Steven and Paul to return their beloved poker tables, joining friends for one last happy hour, and then retiring to finish packing my bedroom and bathroom. Thursday, following a dinner meeting, I’ll complete the packing process and shampoo the carpets. Friday will be my last hoorah with friends and loved ones.
Saturday morning, I’ll be joined by some kind gentlemen from my church who will load up my Uhaul, and off down I-35 I’ll go. I’ll be met by some great guys from Redeemer in San Antonio who’ll unload me, and Katie will join me to unpack and begin the decorating process. Sunday will mark my official return to Redeemer and home.
I. AM. SO. EXCITED.
You’re Lookin’ Swell, Dolly.
September 8, 2007Welcome to the recap of the last couple of weeks, mainly for Keely’s benefit. You’d THINK she’d be up to date on everything that’s happening in my life, but I guess she was off galavanting around, having babies and stuff. I don’t mind. I’ll bring her up to speed.
Well, shortly before we closed our office on Friday, August 31, a manager in my company’s home office called and offered a promotion to me. I accepted, and on Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday, I gave my resignation to my current boss. Thus began a vicious cycle of freaking out and stressing out, and just being plain excited that I got a promotion AND I get to move back to San Antonio.
Last week, I signed a lease on a great place near downtown San Antonio, and just this morning, I learned that my current place, here in Dallas, will be leased out. I’ve arranged to have my phone, internet, and electricity moved on Saturday, and getting a raise means… (wait for it)… I GET TO HAVE CABLE!!! Just in time for Fall Premieres and Red Raider football. Yessssssss.
Just yesterday, I received a call from a coworker in San Antonio whose son lives here in Dallas. He’s going to drive the truck for me. I have been rescued.
God is good. He has given provision every step of this process, and I am SO thankful.
So there, Keels. That’s what’s up with the move.
And THIS is the cutest baby I’ve ever seen.
Mustering Courage
September 5, 2007God has lead me through some scary times this year, however, I am afraid that those times will pale in comparison to the next adventure on which I am about to embark.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to drive my own Uhaul… that is… if my feet will reach and I can see over the dash. Upon the encouragement of my friends, yes, I am going to rent a ten-foot Uhaul, and attach a car trailer to the back. Then, I am going to drive from the “High Five” area of Dallas, down through under-construction downtown Dallas, and into the heart of San Antonio. Rest assured, there will be no u-turns attempted, and I will be praying the ENTIRE time.
It will probably take me six or seven hours to make the trip. Good grief. What am I getting myself into?
And in other news, I have a girl coming to look at my place tomorrow. So bittersweet.
