My husband has music on in the kitchen, while he works on some classwork. He's listening to a CD by Brave Saint Saturn that he's had a long time- I first heard it when we started dating, more than 6 years ago. My favorite song on the CD hits me every time I hear it (I just did hear it coming from the kitchen).
Under Bridges by Brave Saint Saturn
Yesterday while walking
Beneath an overpass
I saw the figure of Jesus
Standing barefoot on broken glass
His beard was graying
Smell of urine filled the air
Asking if I had some change
Anything that I could spare
Emaciated
His shaking fist balled up
Influenza and pneumonia
Begging God to take his cup
So different from his pictures
Breathing air through yellowed tubes
Jesus Christ, dying of AIDS
Can look right through you
And all have hated
Crucified and walked away
Savior of the prostitutes
Drunkards, rapists, and the gays
Under Bridges,
With hands raised
From the ghettos
They praise His name
Broken, crippled
In the dark of night
Raise your voices
To Jesus Christ
Hallelujah
Homelessness. AIDS. Addiction. "Drunkards, rapists, and the gays" Messy stuff and messy people- and yet, in their eyes, we meet Jesus? It seems like a long way to go, and an unsafe way- stepping into uncomfortable places and sitting face-to-face with uncomfortable people- just to meet our Savior. Jesus radically identifies with these people- and I'm sorry to say, I don't.
I've got a long way to go.
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It may be just change, but change adds up.
WHAT ARE WE CHANGING?
Change matters.
The nickels and dimes in my pocket add up over the long run, so saving the change now will make a difference. Here's the place to record my change-saving tips.
Change matters.
If enough people work together, become informed about social-justice issues, and vote with their wallets, we can change the world. The change we will see will be a just change.
Read more about why I'm here
The nickels and dimes in my pocket add up over the long run, so saving the change now will make a difference. Here's the place to record my change-saving tips.
Change matters.
If enough people work together, become informed about social-justice issues, and vote with their wallets, we can change the world. The change we will see will be a just change.
Read more about why I'm here
Email me at ItsJustChange (@) gmail.com
Twittering away...
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3 pennies for thoughts:
They are just people trying to make it through life.
They have birthdays and families like we do. Their life is hard and so many people make it so much harder than it has to be for them. Hatred runs deep in this state, in my town, and in my family even. Love...they just want love....for someone to look them in the eyes and accept them for who they are, not for who you think they should be or for who you think they chose to be. No one would choose a life that hard, when life would be so much easier for them to live "like everyone else". We are all "messy people." Some of us just have much better support systems than others. People who love us unconditionally. What would you do if one of those "messy people" was your sister and you felt the hate of the world directed at her and your family? You just can't imagine, unless it really was a part of your daily life that you couldn't just pretend it away. This is part of the reason why a portion of our society is alienated by the church. Last year my school was promoting tolerance of all people. Another teacher said, "Tolerance isn't enough.....We need Acceptance." You tolerate pests, you don't tolerate your family. You accept your family because if you strip away everything else in this world, your family is what you come home to at the end of everyday.
I almost put this comment in under anonymous, but I wanted to wish my brother, whom I love very much,a happy early 27th birthday! We are in this messy world together doing the best that two messy people can do!
Heather, you're totally right. You make a good point about "tolerance" not being "acceptance". Tolerance is a long way from Love, which is what we're called to. I wish I had it all figured out, and I don't. You're right, we're all messy people.
I want to wish your brother a happy birthday, too!
Sometimes we find Jesus. Sometimes we are called to be Jesus to others. I think we're on the right path when we can do both.
http://4thfrog.blogspot.com/2009/08/counting-my-blessings.html
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Penny for your thoughts!