Thoughts flow, grand ideas i want to be sure i remember to write down pass through my mind, and then are gone. I've been learning a lot these days, and i wish to capture the lessons in words to remember and share, but the words don't seem to come when i sit to write them down.
well, here are a few short snap shots of life:
The importance of rest: im building rest into my schedule. yep - scheduling to do nothing. I have had many wonderful people encourage me strongly to look at my days and weeks, and examine my times of rest. of refreshment, of health for mind and body. Athletes take care of their bodies. Is what im doing, as important as competing well in a tournament? Doesn't my mind, spirit and body then need care also? Yeah, i know its different, but its an example. I created a time map of my week and im working on building in rest, that will be held as important as any other meeting or activity. I do want to stay healthy, and able to run this race to the fullest. To press into all that God has for me to do, in His work of bringing hope to the hopeless, and light into the darkness. I need to take care of my voice if im going to be a voice for those whose voice has been silenced by oppression for the long term!
The beauty, challenge and relief of forgiveness and restoration of friendships.
Conflict is never fun, and i would rather smooth things over and hope it all works out, then dig into the depths of conflict. But sometimes that is needed, to pull out roots of hurt and frustration that color the rest of the relationship. Sometimes it is impossible to do on your own, and i think always, it takes time and patience and radical abundant love beyond my strength.
The sun was shining brightly as i walked to a meeting in Beacon Hill. I was early, so i took my time, watching people criss cross across the city streets, and through the Public Garden. As I climbed up to cross the bridge, a man 'busking' said hello, then "hey, i remember you! from the summer! how've you been? where are you coming from?" I smiled and did sort of remember his face, so i said hello and that i was coming from the south end. He introduced me to the guy in running clothes leaning against the pillar of the bridge across from us, as his friend Teddy who is running from North Eastern. "oh dear, are they running after you?" we all laughed. The conversation quickly ended up around what i do for a living, and as I shared a bit about human trafficking my friend said "oh yeah, in my country organ trafficking is really bad!" Wow, i have hardly ever heard anyone who knows what organ trafficking is! I ask him where he is from, and he says Argentina. We talk for a while about the situation there, and he says there are underground hospitals that take out the organs and sell them on the black market. rich people buy them. We don't really know who puts them back into people? hmm. But the money is all connected to drugs of course. And People are just killed for their organs! He also shares how things are bad in China, and Vietnam, Cambodia, Eastern Europe and especially Russia. He has daughters, and if anything happened to them - "ah, i don't know what i'd do! I would find a gun. I wish i were a secret agent then. you know, Secret agents do go and find these people sometimes?"
"yes, i know- I work with some of them. And, if anything happened to your daughters, give me a call - i could try to get help for you - and Teddy will run after them!" we all laugh.
People are walking between us across the bridge this whole time. My argentinian busker is just holding his guitar, case open by his feet. He is thinking, his face serious.
Im going to have to go pretty soon. I give him a card with info about NFS. He says he has seen that on facebook! And, he gives me a fist bump "keep up the good work!" I tell him to do the same, and keep filing the streets with music. Its needed!
We say our good byes, and part ways. I never did learn his name. I hope i'll run into him again soon so i can ask.
As i cross the Garden i hear a familiar sound. A deep husky voice rhythmically sining "does aaanyone have any spare chaaange? Does Aaaanyone have any spare chaaaange?" as I walk closer I smile as i hear him add "does anyone have any long legs?" into the song. That is what he does. He sings his request for money, and adds bits about passers by, and the weather, and sports news, and also today i heard him sing an old Spiritual.
I walk up and smile " hello! its good to see you! do you remember me? from down on the commons, and my friend andrew?"
"Ohhh yeah, the really tall fellow?" and he puts his hands way up.
"yep, him. how are you?"
"oh yeah, i remember. doing alright. Does anyone have any spare chaaaange?"
"would you like some coffee?"
"does anyone have any spare chaaange? Does anyone... yeah, thanks! something cold. Aaaanyone have any spare chaaaange?"
"how bout an iced coffee? do you want milk in it?"
"yeah please and 4 or 5 splenda or equal. Thanks. Does anyone have any spare chaaaange?"
So, i go inside starbucks where i'll be meeting someone in a few minutes, and order an iced coffee. I put some whole milk, give it a stir, and grab 4 splenda and tear them all across the top at the same time (a trick i learned from my friend Tasha - she would always put at last 10!!) and then I grabbed an extra one in case he needed it. I think the lady sitting at the table was giving me a weird look. oh well.
I went back out and gave it to him. He stopped his sing-songy-song for a moment to say thanks. I asked him where he's been, since i hadn't seen him in a while. He said he's been around. He winks at me, as he says "Wherever I think there will be money" and ive been let in on his little secret.
I go sit on the steps a little ways down the street to wait for the person im meeting with, and after a few more requests for money i hear him start singing "If I help Somebody who has lost their way, then my livin' shall not be in vain. My livin' shall not be in vain..."
Im thankful for George, and for my argentinian busking friend who wants to see an end to organ trafficking. And for so many other folks out on the streets struggling to get by, but have the time and space to put a smile on your face, to listen, to laugh, and to sing.
Later that day i picked up my housemate Levi from school and we ran and romped and explored our way through the garden, and along the esplanade. Leaves thrown, thornbushes attacking, skipping rocks and exploring under bridges. It was a beautiful day! and as we walked home we both agreed "the best adventures are the ones where you get all dirty"
well, here are a few short snap shots of life:
The importance of rest: im building rest into my schedule. yep - scheduling to do nothing. I have had many wonderful people encourage me strongly to look at my days and weeks, and examine my times of rest. of refreshment, of health for mind and body. Athletes take care of their bodies. Is what im doing, as important as competing well in a tournament? Doesn't my mind, spirit and body then need care also? Yeah, i know its different, but its an example. I created a time map of my week and im working on building in rest, that will be held as important as any other meeting or activity. I do want to stay healthy, and able to run this race to the fullest. To press into all that God has for me to do, in His work of bringing hope to the hopeless, and light into the darkness. I need to take care of my voice if im going to be a voice for those whose voice has been silenced by oppression for the long term!
The beauty, challenge and relief of forgiveness and restoration of friendships.
Conflict is never fun, and i would rather smooth things over and hope it all works out, then dig into the depths of conflict. But sometimes that is needed, to pull out roots of hurt and frustration that color the rest of the relationship. Sometimes it is impossible to do on your own, and i think always, it takes time and patience and radical abundant love beyond my strength.
The sun was shining brightly as i walked to a meeting in Beacon Hill. I was early, so i took my time, watching people criss cross across the city streets, and through the Public Garden. As I climbed up to cross the bridge, a man 'busking' said hello, then "hey, i remember you! from the summer! how've you been? where are you coming from?" I smiled and did sort of remember his face, so i said hello and that i was coming from the south end. He introduced me to the guy in running clothes leaning against the pillar of the bridge across from us, as his friend Teddy who is running from North Eastern. "oh dear, are they running after you?" we all laughed. The conversation quickly ended up around what i do for a living, and as I shared a bit about human trafficking my friend said "oh yeah, in my country organ trafficking is really bad!" Wow, i have hardly ever heard anyone who knows what organ trafficking is! I ask him where he is from, and he says Argentina. We talk for a while about the situation there, and he says there are underground hospitals that take out the organs and sell them on the black market. rich people buy them. We don't really know who puts them back into people? hmm. But the money is all connected to drugs of course. And People are just killed for their organs! He also shares how things are bad in China, and Vietnam, Cambodia, Eastern Europe and especially Russia. He has daughters, and if anything happened to them - "ah, i don't know what i'd do! I would find a gun. I wish i were a secret agent then. you know, Secret agents do go and find these people sometimes?"
"yes, i know- I work with some of them. And, if anything happened to your daughters, give me a call - i could try to get help for you - and Teddy will run after them!" we all laugh.
People are walking between us across the bridge this whole time. My argentinian busker is just holding his guitar, case open by his feet. He is thinking, his face serious.
Im going to have to go pretty soon. I give him a card with info about NFS. He says he has seen that on facebook! And, he gives me a fist bump "keep up the good work!" I tell him to do the same, and keep filing the streets with music. Its needed!
We say our good byes, and part ways. I never did learn his name. I hope i'll run into him again soon so i can ask.
As i cross the Garden i hear a familiar sound. A deep husky voice rhythmically sining "does aaanyone have any spare chaaange? Does Aaaanyone have any spare chaaaange?" as I walk closer I smile as i hear him add "does anyone have any long legs?" into the song. That is what he does. He sings his request for money, and adds bits about passers by, and the weather, and sports news, and also today i heard him sing an old Spiritual.
I walk up and smile " hello! its good to see you! do you remember me? from down on the commons, and my friend andrew?"
"Ohhh yeah, the really tall fellow?" and he puts his hands way up.
"yep, him. how are you?"
"oh yeah, i remember. doing alright. Does anyone have any spare chaaaange?"
"would you like some coffee?"
"does anyone have any spare chaaange? Does anyone... yeah, thanks! something cold. Aaaanyone have any spare chaaaange?"
"how bout an iced coffee? do you want milk in it?"
"yeah please and 4 or 5 splenda or equal. Thanks. Does anyone have any spare chaaaange?"
So, i go inside starbucks where i'll be meeting someone in a few minutes, and order an iced coffee. I put some whole milk, give it a stir, and grab 4 splenda and tear them all across the top at the same time (a trick i learned from my friend Tasha - she would always put at last 10!!) and then I grabbed an extra one in case he needed it. I think the lady sitting at the table was giving me a weird look. oh well.
I went back out and gave it to him. He stopped his sing-songy-song for a moment to say thanks. I asked him where he's been, since i hadn't seen him in a while. He said he's been around. He winks at me, as he says "Wherever I think there will be money" and ive been let in on his little secret.
I go sit on the steps a little ways down the street to wait for the person im meeting with, and after a few more requests for money i hear him start singing "If I help Somebody who has lost their way, then my livin' shall not be in vain. My livin' shall not be in vain..."
Im thankful for George, and for my argentinian busking friend who wants to see an end to organ trafficking. And for so many other folks out on the streets struggling to get by, but have the time and space to put a smile on your face, to listen, to laugh, and to sing.
Later that day i picked up my housemate Levi from school and we ran and romped and explored our way through the garden, and along the esplanade. Leaves thrown, thornbushes attacking, skipping rocks and exploring under bridges. It was a beautiful day! and as we walked home we both agreed "the best adventures are the ones where you get all dirty"
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