Through The Mud Clearly

This is part 2 of a 5 part assignment. In this writing we are to write about the same episode in part 1. This time from someone else's perspective who was involved in the situation. Obviously we can't know what that person may have been thinking so we have to see ourselves as that person and speculate how they may have perceived or experinced the same incident. So, here it is!

Personal Memory Ethnography Project Part 2



Hi. My name is Cynthia. I am 5 years old and in Mrs. Goodrich’s kindergarten class. I like it because every day I get to play with my best friend, Susan.
However, there is one person here who we really don’t like. Her name is Mary Lee. We don’t know much about her; but she is way different than us. She doesn’t have nice clothes or shoes like we do. Really; her clothes look used; and so far, she has only worn one pair of shoes all year! She smells. Like cigarettes. I think her parents must smoke.
Anyway, we just don’t want her anywhere near us. So, this morning, on the way to school, we thought of a plan to get her in trouble. We decided to build a tall tower out of the wooden blocks that she was always playing with. Then we would knock it down and tell our teacher that Mary Lee had ran over and wrecked our building. During play time we implemented our plan. We built it and violently knocked it over. Then; we started screaming and crying so hard that Mrs. Goodrich came running over to see what was wrong! Of course, we told her that Mary Lee had done it because she wanted to play with the blocks. Mrs. Goodrich punished her by not allowing her to play outside at recess.
Out on the playground; Susan and I laughed and laughed. We knew she would never come near us again!

I am taking a class called Cultural Diversity. One of my first assignments is to write a short paper about an "incident" from my own past experience through which I learned about "difference". This is the first part in a five part assignment. Thought I would post it.

KINDERGARTEN WOES
I remember it like it was yesterday. Except; it wasn’t. I was five years old and in kindergarten. The classroom was large. Actually, it was two rooms which half of the center wall had removed to make one big room. My teacher; Mrs. Goodrich, was a tall, slender woman with short dark hair. I liked her. In my eyes, she treated everyone fairly. It was somewhere in the middle of the school year when “the incident” took place. There were two students; Susan and Cynthia who took a dislike of me from the very beginning. They make it clear to me that they came from wealthy families and they knew that I did not. I already was aware at the young age of five that there were definite differences in “class”. But that wasn’t “the incident” that bothered me. The following scenario is what affected me. Susan and Cynthia were playing with wooden blocks on the floor. I was not anywhere near them. As a matter of fact; I was on the other side of the room playing by myself. Suddenly, I heard what sounded like something crashing to the ground. As I looked in the direction of the noise; I heard Susan and Cynthia screaming and crying to Mrs. Goodrich. They said I had run over and knocked down their blocks. Mrs. Goodrich angrily asked me why I had done such a mean thing. I told her I didn’t do it. However; the teacher believed them and my punishment was no outside recess for that day. I think this incident has stuck with me for so long because I believe it was my first recognition of inequality coming from an adult I respected.

Last week, Arizona lost two TV news helicopter pilots and their photographers in a tragic accident. Then, later that same day a Phoenix Police Officer was killed in the line of duty. The community came together to honor these men. There were memorials set up at the crash site, at the TV stations and at the location where the Police Officer lost his life. The families of the pilots and photographers generously gave the money from the memorial bank accounts to the widow and sons of the slain Officer. The memorial services were televised and I watched all or part of all of them. I just finished watching the last one. They all said the same thing about these guys...they died doing what they loved doing. They were passionate about their work, their families and their friends. They lived each day to the fullest. I am writing this because in my previous post I wrote about passion etc...The death of these five guys got me to thinking about how I/we live life. It inspired me to be the best I can be in whatever God has for me to do. To dive head-first into life. Whether it be at work, school, church, at home or with friends and family. I don't know if this will look different outwardly; but I know it has made an impact internally. Lets all discover our passion and live it!!

Gifts, Callings and Passions
The other night, I attended a "small group" meeting. It is more like dinner and fellowship rather than a meeting. We (actually "they;" three guys with alot to say) were talking about our "passion." You know, the thing or things that motivate you, especially in your walk with God. Or... the giftings in your life. Well, all that talk got me to thinking about different people I know and what I think their gifts are. Some are Christians and some are not. I am not going to name names here; I am just going to describe their gifts as I see them. I work with someone who is a great encourager/exhorter...I emailed her this morning and told her that...she was encouraged! I know a couple of different people who excel in the area of hospitality...one knows it; while the other doesn't. How about the prophetic?! I know many people who are gifted in that area but few walk in it. I wonder why. I know someone who excels in the gift of service. She faithfully labors in service to the Lord. She also walks in mercy. My former neighbor is a very creative, artistic person. She uses that gift constantly! As for myself, I really can't pinpoint a certain gift (although I do know that I have one or two). I know that when I spend time with people who are walking in their gift....the annointing for that particular gift seems to land on me; I don't know why; but it does. Except that mercy thing!! Anyway, that is all I have to say for now.

The Attributes of God
An essay by Mary Lee Glassburn

It was a Sunday afternoon at Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant. I was eating a delicious shredded beef Chimichanga with rice and beans. It was accompanied by a nice cold glass of iced tea. The conversation turned to “the attributes of God” and an essay that the worship team was assigned to write. I said; “you have to write an essay? I want to write one!” Donna of course said I HAD to because I am a member of the team. OK I’ll write one I said. How long is it supposed to be and when is it due? The crowd said it is due on Thursday and should be one thousand words (I think they were kidding about the one thousand words…but just in case, Kathy; my friend, you are getting at least that many words!). So I went home and pondered God’s attributes. http://www.dictionary.com/ defines an attribute as: a quality or characteristic inherent in or ascribed to someone or something. A quality that is a particular part of a person or thing. Well, He has so many. Let me just name a few.
He is infinite
He is omnipotent
He is good
He is just
He is holy
He is omnipresent
He is merciful
He is wise
He is faithful
He is righteous
He is full of grace
He is our comforter
He is our intercessor
I could go on and on; reaching that one thousand word goal in no time; then I remembered something Donna said at lunch. She said to make it personal. So…..the attribute of God which I chose to write about is God’s love.
Why? Well, for one thing, it encompasses all that He is! Look at the above list. If it weren’t for love; none of it would be possible. Remember; “God so loved the world that he gave His only son”. I know what you are probably thinking…..this sounds pretty generic; and it does. Until… the; make it personal is added. It was an incredibly long time before I realized in my heart that God loved ME so much that He would send Jesus to the cross for Me. I knew it in my head; but until that truth traveled to my heart; it was just words on a page. Let me tell you how this transformation came about. Here is where it gets personal. It was 1998; I had been saved for twenty two years. I volunteered to accompany the youth to the “Desperation” event in Colorado Springs. The very first night; they, (the organizers) staged a mock crucifixion of Jesus. It was the most “real” thing I had ever seen. It brought me to tears…I mean real tears…the kind that you need more than one tissue for! By the time they (and I) were finished, I knew in my heart and not just my head that I was loved by God! I think I really became a Christian that night in 1998; even though I had been saved for many years. That is pretty personal I think! Anyway, let me continue with my essay. I believe one of the most amazing things about God’s love is that it is extended to us even when we don’t deserve it. His love is unconditional. Ours (mine) is not. We as humans tend to express our love when people perform according to our expectations. And then withhold our fondness when people or circumstances displease us. We shower friendliness on children like Bethany and Daniel; and tend to avoid argumentative, ill-mannered little kids (no names here) as if they have the plague! Fortunately God is not like that. Love is the way He is. God’s love is not an emotion….but it is an action. Jesus’ entire life was love in action! God sent Jesus to commit the ultimate sacrifice-death on the cross for the sins of others (an act of love). I have often wondered if I could/would sacrifice myself for someone else. I would definitely do that for Bethany and Daniel. But; it is doubtful I would take a bullet (so to speak) for a stranger. Alas; my love is conditional; but then I already knew that!
Anyway; when I see the cross I think about the love that God has for me! There are two songs; both of which you know quite well, which say it better than I can.

The first one is from the old song The Love of God:

“Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, tho’ stretched from sky to sky.”

And:

Amazing Love by Chris Tomlim
I like the whole song, but the chorus is particularly meaningful to me.
“Amazing love,
How can it be?
That You, my King would die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.”

Oh…I also like:
“Jesus loves me
This I know
For the bible
Tells me so!”

Okay, let me toss in a few scriptures which speak of God’s love. How about:

John 16:27 “for the Father Himself loves you.”

John 17:24 “for You loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Jeremiah 31:3 “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you”.

Don’t forget 1 Corinthians 13 (the whole chapter) but especially the 13th verse: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

God has many attributes; far more than are listed in this paper. I chose to write about the attribute of God’s love for two reasons. First, because it truly is amazing to me. And, secondly because Donna said to make it personal and Gods’ love is personal to me!

Did you know that coffee is mentioned in the bible?
He-brews!!!!

I was perusing the internet today and came across an article entitlied: More People Taking Field Trips of Faith. I was immediatly intrigued! I loved going on field trips when I was in school. They got you out of the classroom and put you somewhere altogether different...at least for a little while. People are going to places like Medjugorje, Bosnia. The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Mecca, in Saudia Arabia and Santiago de Compostela in northeast Spain. That is what seems to be happening now. People across the globe are taking spiritual pilgrimages; or "field trips"; looking for something they haven't been able to find at home. Peace. 150 million people are searching for peace. Some; according to the article; are looking for a miracle, while others are just seeking to deepen their faith. Whatever the reason; these "pilgrims" (sounds like John Wayne) are traveling in record numbers. A quote from Todd M. Johnson; director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity; "perhaps the most important reason is that people are increasingly interested in experiencing their faith through more than just reading or singing." So, that got me to thinking...what can I(we) do as a body of believers; to help the churched and the not-yet-churched to experience their faith?. I don't have an answer to this...I am just throwing it out into cyberspace! I do know that there is way more to Christianity that reading the Bible and praise and worship. How about serving in your local church, your community and those in your sphere of influence. How about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; you know; vertical christianity! Ask today's youth what they would like to see in their church...and go with it! When that happens, I believe revival will pour out. Then people won't need to travel thousands of miles to find what they are seeking. It will be found in their local church, their communities, schools and place of employment. I can hardly wait!! Until that time comes, I will go on my own pilgrimage...my annual camping trip!