It is been very unnerving to see the unrest unfold in Iran this last week. On one hand I'm very relieved that there a lot of people who are saying they ARE NOT approving of the incumbent candidate/regime staying power. Over and over I have heard people say it is not revolution they want. They want their vote to count. They want an evolution of thoughts and ideas. Of course that is a threat to the government that is grasping at control whatever it costs. It seemed to me like the people were just taking a stand for what is right. They were given the opportunity to cast ballots and they wanted them to count.
Last week after several days of up rising I couldn't help think what would have to happen here for us to take to the streets. Would out cable TV/Internet need to be taken away or us not be allowed to attend a major league sporting event? Maybe this is a bit harsh, but really. I know there has been times where there have been demonstrations about the Iraq war, but it seems like we don't care. I thought the same thing last year when demonstrators in Thailand shut down an airport which put tremendous strain on the government in power at the time. If I recall the demostrators were successful in bringing about the change the sought beside getting recognition.
Maybe it isn't that we don't care, maybe we don't think it will make a difference anyway? Have we become jaded after decades of revelations of misconduct in the lives of the people we elected to represent us. I'm sure it's much more complicated than that.
Then today I saw a video of a young woman in Iran named Neda who was gunned down while she stood observing the demonstrations in the streets. This story has apparently rocked Youtube this weekend. I'm sure this will bring a whole new fervor as the image of her lying in the streets spreads around the world. Truly things likely this have happened countless times down through the ages. Of course it has happened on US soil people have been struck down when they have chosen to demonstrate peacefully around issues of voting rights and civil rights. I guess I wonder what it would take for us to take to the streets. Would we be in unity? Siiiiiigh there is just so much to this. I guess I all I can say is I'm very shaken by the events of the last few days.
The word "community" seems to be becoming a very hot word in all kinds of arenas. What we don't realized is there are many things that are conducive to the development of community and conversely many more things that are barriers. Some things we think are good for community are actually counterproductive. An example is families more and more running around doing all kinds of activity and the only community people experience is while driving in the car. I know many people who rarely sit down for dinner together and eating in the car is far more the norm. A program I've been listening to called SPEAKING OF FAITH is bravely asking many hard questions in this regard as well.
Over the years I've listened to this very eclectic broadcast periodically mostly when I'm driving. But, since the Fall of 2008 they've focused a series called REPOSING VIRTUE which is in response to the current economic crisis. I've been very encouraged to hear others wrestling with the very real possibility of a impending cultural shift which could very likely completely reshape the landscape of our society. As I've tuned in or downloaded a podcast I've heard the word "community" countless times. One of the voices I heard tonite said something very surprising and I felt it typified American culture to a tee.
The story told was of a time when the interviewee was a child. He was a latch key kid and one day he wanted to make a cake for his mom to surprise her. Like I've done countless times, he opened the cake mix package, dumped it in the bowl and discovered there were no eggs. His mom had told him many times of harder days when she grew up in the segregated South and how although the black community experienced tremendous hardship they stuck together and were always there for one another. In those days if someone needed something it was unheard of to refuse another in their time of need. So, he went across the street to a neighbor's house who he'd know would be home to ask for 2 eggs. When his mom came home he felt his resourcefulness would be as much apart of his gift to his mother as the cake itself. Much to his surprise as he told his mom about how the cake came to be she quickly became upset and he received a lecture about him about going through the neighborhood asking for handouts. The teller of this tale noted that times have changed even more so than when he was a kid. We are isolated and we as a people do not expose need. On the contrary we fortify facades to present completeness.
But, in the financial times that we find ourselves I hear more and more about the need for community and co-operative living. But, just exactly how is that supposed to happen.? Just because we need this kind of living doesn't mean we know how to do it. We hardly no how to share let alone practice all those things we were supposed to learn in kindergarten. More often in our culture if there is any kind of extension to someone in need it is not from a place of mutuality. Generally, there is more of hierarchy of well meaning benevolence. Someone generally has the upper hand.
From the beginning of this "crisis" I've felt there is a tremendous potential for change and that just like an earthquake can bring about instantaneous shifts in the Earth's plate. More and more people are talking about reevaluating what is important. But, after several decades of disposable relationships including marriages and families how are we going to navigate becoming community. We've lost the art of it. Do we know how to value one another? Do we know how to wade through the mire when someone isn't being pleasant because their world is collapsing? What's it gonna be?
I've really been feeling pressed to get some ideas down with a little more direction. I haven't posted in some time, but hopefully will be sorting through some thots if anyone cares to listen. I've been thinking about group and community development, gender roles, and Emerging Church (whatever that is) to name a few.
This is more or less a intro to the next thing I guess. A little update about me. I'm living here in Portland and have been accepted to PSU hoping to receive an MS in counseling. We're seeing new things sprouting with the house of prayer Livingstones ministry.
I've met some amazing people in the last few years a few of them have lived at my house for a time two of them left my home to move to other cities. I'm not taking that personally though.
Honestly, I find some irony actually at me starting to blog because I'm such a late comer to this game. Blogging and more recently video blogging is the rage. We all know that not only does everyone and there dog have a blog, but many have regular posts on media site like Youtube. Anyway, I have long since been an admirer of one of the earliest bloggers Andrew Jones better know as the Tall Skinny Kiwi who has become the Emergent church guru (even though this was not his intention at all). He is even recognized as a blogging icon more broadly than the blogging alternative church world. Anyway, if I compare myself to Andrew I am the antithesis. I don't live in castle, I don't travel around the world speaking about what the church is or isn't, and I'm not tall.
Maybe my blog should be called Average portly Yank. hee hee hee
Well, the 2008 Olympics games are concluding. We've learned lots of new names and witnessed amazing feats of athleticism (for those that have tuned in). I've watched some of it, mostly because online media is always available. I've also plopped on a couch at home or a friend's rooting on our favorites. One thing that has really stood out to me is how similar the feel of these games are to the cold war era of the 70's and 80's. Back then it was the USA "beacon" of freedom and liberty up against the "evil" communist governments represented by Russia and the Eastern block (China was in there too, but not very often were they contenders). I've never had the opportunity to view the Olympics in an other country to hear their slant on the national pride, but especially back in the day any verbiage regarding our national pride always had an air that we are the bearers of truth and justice (which seems quite ironic). Now a days the networks have gone for the personal-interest-story angle doing lots of interviews with the athletes. Anyway, what seemed to loom over the "super-power" contest of the 80's was that we were completing against our enemies. Not only were they purported to be the enemies of the freedom and personal liberty there was the very real fear that with one press of the button could start nuclear war. This current "super-power" contest lacks the imposing sense they could get us. I don't think that reduces it down to a contest of ideologies. With the human rights and environmental issues clearly documented and broadly known it is the average Chinese citizen who fears. Today, China in no way would want to get rid of the USA. We are their bread and butter.
30-some years later the economies of China, Russia, Eastern Europe, Europe and Asia are entwined. It is pointing out the obvious to say we are now a global economy. This was not the case in the early 80s. While there was some exchange the Russian and Chinese market were rather insular. I traveled with my family to the then Leningrad in 1988. That was before "the Wall" fell. Western blue jeans could only be found on the black market and there were no goods readily available and good food was hard to find. The daily routine was to line up for milk each morning. We are truly in a new age. This is competition of super powers, but the power now is economic verses military. Some of the same themes have emerged that I remembered came up before of "the communists" cheating and the judges being biased against the USA.
I guess what really stands out to me is not who is at the games and whether they will be any match against the US the crusaders of freedom and democracy. To me it is who IS NOT there. It's the little guy's game now. It seems that the definition of power has completely changed. All someone needs is one suicide belt to hold a country hostage. None of the desperate people around the world are likely to ever imagine being in Olympic game. Their eyes are set on reward in the next life.
It really is a new world and new games to be played.
Hey gang - yah its me. miss kt so i'm checking in, catching up, dropping a line, whatever it might be considered in www-land. i've been feeling a tad overwhelmed lately. i'm trying to know what is next. there are some areas that are seeming less hazy, but facing some of the decisions i have i'm working at not only feeling overwhelmed and indecisive. the DHOP is transitioning into Livingstones. i believe this is a good thing - i believe this is a God -thing as well. i'm excited about this. involvement for all involved at this point is really more or less as a "volunteer". so like many i know i need to find work that will sustain my living expenses so that i can afford to do what i love. artists and many musicians face this all the time. they have day jobs and then they have their art. so, employment and future viable employment is taking up lots of my brain space.
mercy, justice and the poor are at the center of the shift for the DHOP/Livingstones and many other prayer ministries around the globe. but, what does that look like? Darfur is ablaze with nightmare-ish human atrocity, really most of the African interior is in turmoil and there is much speculation as to the involvement of American multi-national companies. there is the sex trafficking of women & children worldwide. recently, i watched a few beautiful films two of which were about India. one is called "water" and the other, a documentary called "Born into Brothels" each depicting the plight of women who either were widowed or have no means to support themselves. we can't for get Iraq........
on top of all this, the debate over migrant workers is in the news a great deal. we have lots of migrant camps around here due to the fruit industries in this region. the farmers are all saying Americans won't work for them "we need the migrants - legal or not". so basically a huge part of our economy pivots on this sub-class of people. sure there's more and more watch dog groups overseeing and making sure farmers are keeping to standard, but really. they are not able to keep the uncles or fathers of many adolescent girls from being brought to the migrant worker's camps each evening to "service" the workers at night. how different is that than Thailand or India? yes, these issues have been known to man since the dawn of time. but, being that there are upwards of 6 billion humans on the planet the magnitude is so much greater.
clearly this human suffering is impacting the people who are actually born. with more people also comes more abortions too. millions of babies have been aborted since 1973, that's way more than any of the US fatalities in all the US wars fought combined. the average woman in Russia has had 10 abortions - that's the average! that's not even counting China. on a side note - ironically this week the Supreme court made way for a woman in China to seek refugee asylum here if she were being forced to have an abortion. that is amazing and i'm glad for it, but it seems a bit schizophrenic. what is the problem? we don't value human life bottom-line. we either can't afford to or we are taught not to due to racism or religious doctrine.
meanwhile,....... many of my friends struggle to maintain their ability to make payments on their mortgages because decent paying jobs are hard to come by even with a decent education. some marriages are on the rocks and a few friends are struggling with major life issues on verge of depression. i think i need to stop here.
I AM THANKFUL. i'm thankful for health, for family, for friends, and for seeing God break into situations i didn't think i'd see Him in. it gives me gives me faith. hopefully, a comment about thankfulness will keep this post from being a truly miserable post. but, its where my head is. i'm not so much depressed, rather as i said - overwhelmed.
ps - sorry if there are lots of typos. i didn't proof this too well. i just wanted to post it.
yes, i've not posted in some time. I've not really kept up on the blogging thing. it's Sunday afternoon, yes there's always things to do around the house, but here i am. i'm finally feeling well after a three month stint of "the cruds." mostly i'm a little more motivated these days cuz i'm seeing more of the sun as the days get longer again and the spring flowers begin to peak above the surface of the ground. Aaaaahhh Spring!
sorry if i've seemed M.I.A. i've been around. keeping too busy then crashing from exhaustion. kinda boring life i guess. i'm still at the DHOP on wednesdays and fridays for the most part. i'm learning a lot about PDX in a new way at work. most of the folks i'm working with are under 25 yrs and have moved here from other parts of the country to be a part of the up and coming "Indie" band music scene. One kid asked me if anyone is from PDX. that was intriguing to me cuz it was apparent that most of the people he was meeting as he went house to house and show to show are not locals. it appears there's a new population moving into our fair city. they're very musical and arty and have uprooted themselves to find/build a new life here.
i suppose historically that's always been the case here in PDX. decade after decade, wave after wave new people come to build a new life. i'm often considered a true Portlander due to the fact that my parents were born and raised here as was I. but, i'm not really from here either. all of my grandparents were from somewhere else. three of them were born in the states to swedish immigrants who had recently come to an area in Minnisota called "little sweden". their families uprooted again and became a part of a new swedish community in the north part of the city in the early part of the last century. (another grandfather's family who was from the Orkney Is got to the NW via Canada) there were germans, chinese, italians and jewish people who did the same thing. (clearly it can be argued that no one is from here but the first nation people). then the depression hit and many from the south uprooted to move here to find work as the shipyard and factory work expanded with the implementation of the "New Deal" and then to meet the demands of WWII. in the 70's & 80's came waves of refugees from various parts of the world escaping the ever increasing violence of war and religious persecution. the 80's & 90's brought many people to PDX in search of shelter for alternative lifestyles. the silicon forest has brought new industry and another wave of global new-comers. and 15 or so years of urban renewal has broughtPDX into a new faze of being the "happening" place to be. relative to other more densely populated areas it's less expensive to live. although i'd argue that since our wage and economy does not really compare unless you're a techie.
so that's my city. after a couple of years of flying to different places and seeing what God is doing elsewhere it appears there is much about this locale that is to be learned as well. it's certainly interesting to see this city thru the eyes of these new arrivals. if one ventured downtown on a friday afternoon you might encounter traffic congestion due to the weekly demonstrations about the war, or you might get run over by the parade of bicyclists who rally monthly to raise awareness of the need for cars and bikes to share the road. there's coffee shops everywhere and its a SIN not to recycle. it makes me wonder what PDX will be in 5, 10 and 15 years from now.
this is what my friend and pastor, Dan always says as a cheeky salutation when people leave his house. either that or "drive wreck-less". well, after almost eight weeks i've found a job. i'm now working in production at Lensbabies where i am a part of the assembly team for the 2.0 and 3G lenses which yields wonders like these shots taken by Craig Strong, the owner and designer if you go to the Lensbabies website go to the "using" to see what its about. i guess i hadn't really realized how long it has been until i counted the days just now. in my head it's been five weeks or so. this has been a hard season. yesterday, when i got the call to start today, a thot flashed thru my head "what have you done with all this time off - there are still house projects that only i can do which didn't get done." but, then i thot "no" - i've tried my best to stay employed in ways that used my gifts and time even tho i wasn't being "gainfully employed." so, amidst daily pouring over adds posting job openings, sending out resumes everyday, interveiws, and staying involved at the DHOP I also got to do things like take friends to the dentist, sit/knit with Renee at the hospital, and help a friend while her child care stuff got ironed out. i did get to go to London too. i was laid off the week before, but when i left i had three very solid leads with friends who said they had work for me. so i left the country able to relax a little. within a week of my return each of the doors were quickly closed. it is no fun sitting thru interviews being asked "so why do you want to work for us?" how do you answer truthfully when what i want to do is ministry and to be working somehow full time for the Portland House of Prayer. but, recently i've become more and more convinced that in the early church they had such a commitment to "orphans and widows" that if money got short it was then that Paul took up tent making. so, i guess i shouldn't feel stress too much about not being full-time ministry when the orphans of our city and world for that matter go without. at the same times, it's been hard not to feel humiliated when i see that my resume does not appear that marketable because i've really sought to set ministry first all these years. my resume hardly reflects my strengths or experiences. but, i guess there are plenty of people in the city who are juggling running ministries and working full-time on top of having families. that's a lot. so i guess that is the season for the DHOP right now. both renee and i are finding the Lord's provision thru other forms of work. honestly, i think thru this whole time a groan in my heart has in increased for a new manifestation of the DHOP to unfold. it almost seems like we're that caterpillar in hidden-ness being transformed into something completely different than what it started out as. the interesting thing is i'm told the caterpillar basically becomes gelatinous and literally transformed into the butterfly (i'll have to google that to verify this). pretty gruesome, but truly wondrous. i trust what the Lord is doing in us and in the city.
so in the mean time i'll be putting together thousands of these funky lenses and getting a really good Christmas list going: Scott - Lensbaby Dad & Mom - Lensbaby Sheena - Lensbaby oops it actually won't work for your camera :-( Xea - Lensbaby Pete - Lensbaby Anna - Lensbaby
and so forth ..... actually, these lensbabys are quite expensive and i'm not one to be absconding a lens here and there so i don't know if this christmas list is really going to happen.
