Put a Little Hope In Your Heart

I've been hearing that little four-letter word a lot the past few months.

In case you've been living with your head stuck in a hole, you know what our economy's like, that there's about to be a historic inauguration of the first African American president, and people in general are just weary. You either are full of it or fully aware you're missing it. Let me just first say that I know this is a huge moment in history and am proud of the United States that we have moved even further past that horrible time of slavery and racial inequality to be able to have a non-WASP president. And I will be praying for Barack Obama as he takes over the office of the President of the United States of America. But let me go back to something I wrote days after the election last November:

The same way that we need to respect and pray for Barack Obama, we need to respect our current president. We give one (hu)man way too much credit if we believe that this one man alone is the cause of all our nations problems, and on
the flip side, we give one (hu)man way too much credit to believe he is the answer it to it all. I would believe this no matter who had won. These are men, albeit powerful men, but men. In my knowledge there has only been one time in history that God has walked this earth in human form.

Leading up to tomorrow's inauguration, I've seen TV specials, newspaper articles, books, hear conversation, etc. And it's all about how "now we have hope." I think this desire for change and something to hope in is 1) because of how times are difficult now (but that's a natural part of life... some times are hard, some times are easy, some times are in between)... and people want to believe that new leadership is capable of bringing change, and 2) because the desire for hope is evidence of the hole in our heart for God. You may be reading this and not have the same faith as I do. So let me say this to you in apology: I think the Church (universal) has done a very poor job of displaying the realness of God. He's not just some Sunday/Wednesday only thing. No, He is a real part of every part of my day. (Although, sometimes... often times... I mess that up and don't act like it because of my sin.) There are definitely Believers out there getting it, but I think why we're seeing so many people turn from faith in God is that we're not showing people how a relationship with God changes your life. How you should be different because of it. Life won't be easy, but you have hope for something better. Hope that you will be changing to become more Christ-like. Hope that you'll one day be in Heaven. But in a world where people want to know what makes Christians different, we don't always do a good job showing them. We don't show how Christ is real, in the flesh (through our flesh) working in our lives and on this earth. So people continue to search for something or someone to hope in.

But without Christ, there's no hope.

Cleaning Out the Gunk

The following post is not for the faint of heart...

Okay, it's not that disgusting. But God recently showed me a somewhat disgusting-but-true reminder.

I work with kids. I work at a public library. You interact with a lot of people and items that are "contaminated" (for lack of a better word!) People are sick. People read books and take movies when they're sick and put their infected hands all over library items. It's a fact of life. Can't change it. I try to be careful about washing my hands at work, but I can't be anal. And inevitably, it happens. I get sick. I've never been sick (or borderline sick) so many times as I have since I started working with kids. In fact, I rarely got sick in college! But now, between a crazy busy schedule that leaves me less than full strength at times (I'm working on that!) and constant contact with "carrier monkeys" (as Friend Jen lovingly calls her adorable girls!)... well, you get sick! So the disgusting thing? All that "bodily secretion". Pus. Mmmm. Anyone eating?

But what did God remind me of? The fact that we all have "infection" in our lives... sin. And for that infection to be healed and cleaned out, our body needs to fight it. It needs to produce the nasty stuff. That's a sign that our body is healing. The infection is not good. But the signs of healing are. So while colds and the like are not fun, the end result is good. I was recently driving into work and just struck by how cool our bodies reaction to infection is! (I know, weird.) But it's just amazing that God designed that system so our bodies would heal (and not get worse!) and that the gunk serves to warn us "hey, something's wrong here... go to a doctor or take some cold medicine!" (so the problem doesn't go untreated.) Just like sometimes, junk in our lives is hard, painful, challenging, etc. It's our warning "hey, something's wrong here... go to God and clean up the sin infection!" Just think about both cases, if what was wrong/infected continued to get worse with no warning... where would we all be? So yes, I'm thankful for the nasty signs of health returning. It means the infection's getting kicked to the curb!

P.S. I just got Mo Willems' new book, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Classic Mo. Hilarious. Grand-pah Mole Rat is wise. And seriously, who else but Mo Willems would think of a title like Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed??

Tis the Season!

... to have more than usual going on! Ha. Okay, I always say that. But with the holidays and different groups and different people celebrating, there's bound to be even MORE things going on! So I've been keeping busy. It's not just been the holidays though (don't ask me where I am on Christmas shopping... with only one week before Christmas!)

Since the beginning of December, I've roadtripped to see two crazy girls (with two other crazy girls) in New Jersey for a weekend, we got a new youth pastor at church (yay!), I had a blowout flat tire on the side of a major highway (and subsequently had to get FOUR new tires), planned a middle school Christmas party, had a middle school Christmas party, am preparing for various more Christmas celebrations to come, been asked out (then somewhat stalked) at the library, dressed as an elf and hosted Santa's visit to the library for 50 preschoolers, got a new haircut that many people have commented on (you never know till you make the change)... Rich Mastronardo's comment doesn't count..., had the BFC wide young adult coffeehouse, had a cold, gone to see the Nutcracker... and probably a few other things I've forgotten. That list probably bored you, but it explains why I haven't posted in a few weeks! Oh! And I read a really good elementary (4-5th grade) book... Newbery buzz... called Savvy by Ingrid Law! I'll try to write a review soon.

But I'm looking forward to celebrating the holiday and reflecting on what it's actually about... the birth of my Savior!

A Journeying Prayer

I was just looking through one of my favorite books, Punk Monk by Andy Freeman, again and (re)struck by one of the sections.

The idea of our relationship with Christ being a “journey” is pretty well accepted by Christians. In one chapter, Freeman talks about journeying with God, journeying after God and journeying for God. Think of all the great epic stories in literature (or movies, although the book’s better!)… journeys are tough. We’re not staying at a resort. We’re roughing it. Journeys mean not taking the sissy way around, but instead, going THROUGH. Because the other side’s better. The other side’s where God wants us.

And for some reason (despite admitting intellectually otherwise), we struggle with the struggling. Don’t get me wrong, we may be able to admit God has a purpose, and we should work through our feelings to get to a place of peace and trust. But life is a journey, and that includes all the typical ups and downs of journey life. But thankfully, I have a hope for the other side.

Here’s A Journeying Prayer from Punk Monk:

Jesus, take me once again on a journey.
Take me to the city,
Take me to the valley and to the mountain,
Take me to the desert.
Take me to the place of wandering,
The place of hunger,
The place of solitude and of pain.
Take me to the place where You seem so far away
Yet only You are there.
Remove my crutches of possessions,
Remove the pillars of my faithless life,
Remove all the thumbs I suck.
And there in that place where nothing is left,
There refine my soul.
Amen.

This is what happens when I’m home from church sick ;)

Why I Do What I Do

I’ve had people ask. Honestly. Why do I do what I do? There are multiple reasons why I love it. Yes, I obviously need to pay bills somehow, and yes, I do love books. A lot. A LOT, a lot. And yes, there is something about me that likes that I am the one who’s allowed to make a lot of noise in the library. Because I do. Make a LOT of noise. Not gonna lie. And my boss actually lets me! Telling your kids to use "library voices" is apparently no longer a good idea! 0:) (But for the record, I am (relatively) quiet when a program's not going on.)

So… why do I love my job? The obvious answer. Simple really. Kids. I stinkin’ love working with kids. And the people who bring them in can be kind of cool, too! These kids make me smile and laugh out loud. Case in point, two boys singing (tone deaf) the Carpet Square Song on the top of their lungs, faster than me... just because they were so excited. Or who can keep a straight face when a two year old raises his hand in the middle of storytime and goes, “Miss Erin, I tooted.” Follwed by un-imitatable preschool giggle. I can’t! Or how preschoolers make friends... Girl 1: Do you want to be friends? Girl 2: Sure. Girl 1: What's your name? Hahaha! Kids keep me on my toes, give me a challenge, help me see things through a purer lens, and they are so honest, sometimes brutally so! Miss Erin, is it time for craft yet?

Plus, I can’t tell you how exciting it is for me to hear a kid who had previously hated reading talking to his friend about a book that he loved that I had recommended for him. I had one kindergartener bragging about the History of Poop book I showed him. (Yes, I buy books about poop.) Or when I see a certain little near-three year old getting into "the storytime swing of things" (Yes, Danielle!)… and that boy's smile is simply contagious! Seeing kids grow to love the library and see it as a “cool” place to be (because it’s not easy convincing kids that a building full of books can be fun!)... that makes my day :)

And those are just some of the reasons.

Civility in Civil Liberties

A lot of thoughts and emotions running through my head after the election. I don't want to start some huge political debate, but honestly, I wasn't satisfied with either of my choices. In the end, I voted for the person who had the most beliefs/stands in common... saving human life being the most important, and who I thought had more experience and was better equipped to lead our nation. Say all you want about Barack Obama being "change", but I haven't seen enough to prove that he's capable of carrying out anything he says he'll do. There are many other reasons, but those are the two main ones: more common beliefs and experience.

But, like many people, I think we saw the writing on the wall long before Election Day. I knew what would happen at the end of the day. Instead, the thing that I struggled with as the day went on (even the weeks prior) is just how uncivil we are in exercising our civil liberties. It made me so sad to hear conversations, see comments on Facebook or read/hear news on TV or online covering the election. People can be just plain horrible to each other! This country is founded on democracy. Choice. And whether I like it or not, agree with you or not, I have no right to rip you to shreds for your beliefs. I can kindly disagree. But as a Christian, I hold myself to a higher standard: to still love someone I disagree with on various issues. It's hypocritical of a Christian to talk about love, to talk about their moral decisions for voting... and then completely attack someone who believes differently. I am not saying that I choose to accept everyone else's beliefs. NO, I am very firm about what I believe and why. I will not even hide the fact that I disagree with someone. But I can tell someone that I disagree in a way that honors that individual as a person made in God's image. I don't want to make a broad generalization that everyone has acted horribly to each other, because there were definitely things I saw that spoke of the kindess of people. But I'd have to say from what I heard and saw the past few days/weeks, one side dominated the other.

And while I'm speaking of respect, I've been sad to see the way that President Bush has been ripped apart, as well. Whether you voted for him or not, still approve of him or not, he is our president. The same way that we need to respect and pray for Barack Obama, we need to respect our current president. We give one (hu)man way too much credit if we believe that this one man alone is the cause of all our nations problems, and on the flip side, we give one (hu)man way too much credit to believe he is the answer it to it all. I would believe this no matter who had won. These are men, albeit powerful men, but men. In my knowledge there has only been one time in history that God has walked this earth in human form.

So things may not have ended the way I'd have chosen, but I can choose how to respond... and I want to choose to love... and to pray and trust my God, Who's bigger than any one presidential election. He knows what He's doing even when I'm not clued in on the big picture.

Nothing about books, just something that's been on my heart the past few days.

Dealing with Disappointment

So I recently read a book that I was really looking forward to reading. Graceling by Kristin Cashore. The story sounded right up my alley, early reviews were great, pretty high first printing for an unknown author's debut young adult book. I was so impatient and hoping this would be a new favorite, so I bought it the week it came out without having read it from work first.

So the review? Good idea for a story: Katsa lives in a seven kingdom region, the niece of one of the kings, and is "graced". A grace is basically a "super power"... and could be anything from cooking to fighting to swimming. Katsa has grown up believing her grace is killing, after she accidentally killed a man who tried to attack her as a child. It turns out that her grace is something entirely different. Since this is a coming of age story, Katsa grows, putting her foot down with her dominating uncle, sees who she really is, learns to let people in. The story is well-written, the characters developed, the dialog great. I loved how Katsa grows into her true grace. But what I didn't like was the unnecessary sexual relationship between the Katsa and another graceling from one of the other kingdoms, Prince Po. Loved his patience with her and her slowly letting her walls down in order to care about someone. Didn't think the way it played out was necessary... especially for a young adult novel.

So after all the anticipation of reading this story, despite the good writing and story in general, that one thing left me feeling disappointed. I know no book is perfect. Ahhh, but wait, there is ONE book that is! This weekend, a few days after finishing the book, I was at my church for a teacher training class. I've taught lessons for the small groups I've lead over the year and my work is kind of like teaching, but I know I'll never know everything. I always love learning new things, and I've had the guy teaching the class for adult electives in Sunday School before and he is one of the best teachers I've ever had. So anyway, I went to this class. As we're going through exercises of studying the Bible as a teacher, we talked about reading the Bible and examining the details... finding something new with every reading. We read different translations. And wouldn't you know it, during that class, something new popped out. The Bible never changes, but every time, I can find something new and exciting that God will show me inside His Word... if my heart's just open and available. So I know I already knew this, but during the class I was just struck... I can never be disappointed in God's Word. (Maybe disappointed in my reaction to His Word, but that's a whole other post!) Books I read for personal enjoyment, work, whatever... while they might somehow even minutely miss the mark for me, the Bible never will. Like it's true Author, it'll never disappoint. And for that, I'm eternally thankful.