sharing a meal with eric – part 2

Ben and I had lunch with Eric for the second time. Eric is homeless. You can read about our first lunch here. Or you can read a better account from Ben here.

We found Eric on the same bench we found him last time. And he was drinking a pint of whole milk, just like he was last time. It’s as if not much had changed since we met him over a month ago.

Today was like meeting an old friend for lunch. We talked about old times, like the time Eric told us that Bob Dylan’s wife is from Wilmington Delaware. Ben mentioned how that’s his go to now, for random facts about Delaware. We heard Eric has been in the hospital since we last met, because of his diabetes. He’s doing better now, but we had to walk SLOW as we walked to the restaurant.

We were able to go a little deeper with Eric, trying to get a feel for how we can help this guy.

I’ve realized it’s hard to take homeless people to lunch, on many levels. First, it’s hard to find someone willing to take a risk and share a meal with you. But beyond that, it’s hard to know how to help. I felt helpless just being with Eric. I also felt the eyes of those around us, people looking at us probably wondering why we were together. Maybe I’ve had a small taste of what it’s like to be in his shoes. Hard. And a lot of hardness surrounds him.

But there is hope for Eric, even though I don’t see much right now. Maybe we’ll meet him again.

These are the lyrics that come to mind. Lyrics I’ve sung before. I know they’re true – but this would be really really hard for Eric to sing.

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
and love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are.

From “Cry out to Jesus”, written by Brad Avery, David Carr, Mac Powell, Mark Lee, & Tai Anderson

Paul Potts singing Opera

“so you work at car phone warehouse, and you did that. i was not expecting that.”

this is flying around the you tube world, you’ve probably seen it. but if not – you should.

the abundant life (on a farm in Winnipeg)

I love the King James Version of John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus came to bring the abundant life. Thinking of American culture I wonder if we’re off on his idea of abundance.

This past summer I spent some time farming with my brother-in-law and his family in Winnipeg. Darrell grew up farming, but now he has a day job but he still helps out during harvest. I had the chance to ride with Darrell’s dad on the combine, harvesting the early summer wheat. It was an awesome experience, I felt like a little kid.

Darrell’s dad and I talked for a couple of hours on the combine. He is retired now, and his oldest son runs the farm. He said something pretty profound, and it relates to the idea of abundance.

He said that farming has changed over the years. When he was farming, it was done for survival. But now it’s done for profit and it’s turned into big business. There’s no room for the small farmer and farms just keep getting bigger and bigger. He said the whole mindset has changed.

I wonder if that’s where we’ve gone even with our spirituality, and how we view abundance in our life. We’ve shifted from having enough, to turning a profit.

Our whole idea of the abundant life is so far off, that when we hear Jesus offering us the abundant life – our response is just confusion. We want the abundant easy life, filled with easy stuff.

Maybe we need to reclaim the word abundant, in a whole new way – so it has nothing to do with easiness and stuff.

Spiritual abundance is connecting with God in a complete way, that overflows into each corner of our lives. I hope I’m running after this idea and not chasing after profit in my life.

 

the ultimate convenience

the ultimate convenience?

 

really? read on…

These are the kinds of things you notice with your third kid. With the first I was all uptight. The third? not so much. While changing Silas, who is 5 months old…I noticed this.

This is just crazy, I begin reading the package on the Kirkland “Signature” Baby Wipes (from Costco of course!)…and the description on the back is just incredible. I promise you I am not making any of this up:

Kirkland Signature Premium Baby Wipes are made with a thick, quilted, real cloth material that contains pure cotton. They are extremely soft, exceptionally strong and very gentle against your baby’s delicate skin. And, the handy dispensing package offers the ultimate convenience, so you can take it with you anywhere!

I didn’t know where to begin so I started with doubt. Pure cotton? Real cloth material? Amazing, and they’re disposable! We have come so far. So doubt leads me to check the ingredients. I read on and this is part of what I find:

Water, Aloe Barbadenesis Leaf Juice, Cocoamphodiacetate, Citric Acid, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1

Just as I suspected, no mention of pure cotton. And now I’m worried…what is this nitropropane? That sounds dangerous, really dangerous, and painful – especially considering where these “real cloth” wipes get used. I’m just brimming with fear now. But I totally get the leaf juice, that’s a tradition dating way back. Leaves are the original Charmin. I’m totally cool with the leaf juice.

Then I read the last warning/suggestion…

Store at room temperature. Do not flush.

Ok, wait a minute. I’ve been flushing these “real cloth” wipes all along. I think I’m ok on the room temperature thing, but the flushing thing – not so.

But “real cloth” wipes are the ultimate convenience. As for convenience, it doesn’t get better than this. We in the west have perfected convenience – and here it is in its glory.

If you read this ridiculous post – you have to respond to this question. What’s your favorite convenience? Can you give it up?

sharing a meal with eric – a simple act of worship

Ben and I had the chance to take Eric to lunch today. Eric is down and out, he has no money and is homeless.

We had a good time talking with Eric and sharing a meal with him. We got rejected 5 times before we found someone that was willing to join us. One guy asked us for a cigarette, maybe next time I’ll buy a pack before hand. A couple of other guys were playing chess and just sort of laughed at us when we asked. One of the guys that laughed had a gold tooth which I thought was cool.

We asked Eric if he wanted to join us for lunch. He said, “yeah, but I don’t have any money” We said, “that’s fine, it’s on us. Where do you wanna go?” He said, “Somewhere I can get a cheeseburger”. So that’s what we did.

I was reminded today that I am rich in so many ways. Eric is divorced, doesn’t keep up with his biological or married families, has 4 daughters that he doesn’t keep up with and he’s on the run. He has a college degree, went to Brandywine High school has served in the military and at one time was pretty successful. But now he sleeps at the Dunkin’ Donuts ‘because it’s open 24 7’.

I would say that sitting down with Eric, sharing a meal with him, and generally trying to engage in his struggle has simply been an act of worship. Not much more.

To be a worshiper of God is to Love the Lord your God with all your Heart (Deut. 6:5) AND to love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus simplified all the law down to these two commandments.

Loving God is connected to the way that we love people. And if we don’t love and connect to others, then we probably don’t really worship.

We so quickly stretch out our hands to God in worship, but so hesitantly stretch out our hands to others to offer help. But we still call ourselves worshipers. Hmm…maybe our logic is off.

Ben and I commented that just like anytime when you reach out, you end up learning more and getting more out of it in the end. That was true when we shared a meal with Eric. I learned I need to bring some Marlboro’s next time.

not trying to point the finger at you, unless the ‘you’ is me

Here’s some honesty for you bro…

Sometimes I’m confused how sin can step into a really spiritual moment or time. If I’m honest with myself, this happens. I can be doing something very spiritual and God focused – like praising or worshiping or planing worship – and then sin enters its ugly head…there are some ways that it keeps popping in, it always seems to find a door. And if I’m really honest with myself, really honest, really honest – then I admit that sin is in every corner. There’s all kinds. Discontent, consumption, greed, lust, laziness, pride, wanting to be cool/popular/wanted/famous – all this being afraid that someone else will think less of me, because I’m so full of sin. And I am. But from what I know of others, they are too.

Not trying to point the finger at you, unless the you is me. Cause I’m not really writing to you as much as I’m writing to me.

One of the addictive behaviors that pulls me in is to stay relevant and edgy – to stay “cool”. If I’m really honest part of me just wants to be a cool Christian, edgy relevant informed missional or whatever. I want to be the man. This is pride knocking down my door. I think this is a temptation when we are part of this emergent/communal/visionary/missional/edgy part of the church, because at times it does feel very cool to be part of what’s happening on the fringes. But that can become an addiction when it becomes the focus or the end goal.

This is what Shane Claiborn said in his book “Irresistible Revolution”:

I guess everybody’s just trying to be cool. I remember the cool days. I used to be cool, chillin with the in-crowd of respectable United Methodists…but everything cool came to an abrupt end, my coolness ruined by a God who has everything backward.

He went on to say that even the pagans hang out with cool people. But God is directing us to be with the not-so-cool. He points out that our luke warm (an old-school way of saying “cool”) Christianity will be spit out of God’s mouth (Rev. 3:16).

But that’s me, in some ways I’m still a luke-warm “cool” Christian. But it’s never too late!

$acrifice $uv

What’s up suv?   (pronounce “suv” like “cuz”, try it, it’ll make you chuckle)

my family has an suv.  this is what it looked like when we got it a couple of years ago.  since then, our 3 kids have put their own special love mixture of cookie and pretzle crumbs in the cracks of the back seats.  it gets pretty interesting when i move the car seats around.  but when i get hungry i know where to go.

Derek Webb is one of our favorite musicians.  in his song, Rich Young Ruler, Webb somehow works “suv” into the lyrics. pretty impressive. if i wrote a tune with suv in it, it would just sound awkward.  but he does it with style.  you can find the suv lyric below.

poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
i want your time, i want your voice
i want the things you just can’t give me

so what must we do
here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

because what you do to the least of these
my brother’s, you have done it to me
because i want the things you just can’t give me

this is interesting, from John Edwards.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards told a labor group that he would ask Americans to make a big sacrifice: their sport utility vehicles.

“I think Americans are actually willing to sacrifice,” Edwards said Tuesday during a forum held by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. “One of the things they should be asked to do is drive more fuel efficient vehicles.”

The former North Carolina senator was asked specifically if he would tell them to give up their SUVs, he said, “Yes.”

are americans willing to sacrifice their suv’s? am i? for what reason?

talk is cheap.

Notes from a Kyle Lake sermon – Subversive

10 Subversive behaviors – countercultural in today’s world

(i don’t know where #10 is…)

1) Suffering with Joy

2) In the market place, to treat customers/clients/co-workers with a sense of worth

3) In the class room, teachers teaching with passion and treating their students with a sense of dignity and respect

4) As a student, to study/work with diligence and excellence no matter what the subject matter is.

5) As business people, squeeze the most work we can get into our line of work – at a reasonable price

(instead of squeezing as much money out of the least amount of work)

6) At home, you look the same way out there, as you do at home

(norm is to live a totally different way at home that you do in public)

7) Treating the environment with respect and dignity

(norm, not to give a flip about the environment)

(if this seems foreign to you – it should be a red flag – who created the earth?)

8) Forgiving another individual for a wrong done, even if they don’t “deserve” forgiveness (rather than carrying that wrong done to you for 12 years)

9) Take responsibility for doing wrong to another individual, and ask for forgiveness