Peace Be With You

I've recently found myself in a debate with myself about working in a church. I was writing an email to a friend the other day describing my experience thus far in North Carolina. I told her that this being my third or fourth job in a church, I'm noticicing a trend in myself. I seem to start every job with an idealistic, bright eyed approach with romanced idea that the church won't be business like and goal oriented, but rather liberal in its love and peaceful in its interatctions. I told her that dream is just starting to wear off here in at First Pres. Winston-Salem. On the other hand, I think this is the longest I've made it and I was telling her how much I love the community amongst the staff. To sit together today and cry over the devotion our brother Alex brought us, or weep with Marissa and Jeff over the realizations of the mortality of their loved ones, we weren't all emotional for the same reasons, but we were all comfortable with being there for each other. Watching Steve put his arm around Marissa in such a protective way was probably the most touching moment for me and I couldn't help but think this church, normal as it looks on the outside, is so different inside. How many churches can say, "we had a staff meeting today, we wept, we celebrated, then the interns and the pastors were hugging at the end." To be honest, I love hugging and I love that we were able to be affectionate today. I refuse to submit to the concept that we need to not make things personal at the church because its the workplace. How can this not be personal, we're with our brothers and sisters in Christ trying to share our hearts with the world. So I say, lets hug every week! May peace be with you.

My new mouth is dry

I'm wondering if I talk too much at Reformed Intern lunches. My jaw feels tired. But perhaps it is the flu shot talking. Then again, I bet I could blame all of my future dysfunction on the flu shot.

Here's my abnormally long confession>>
Sitting at Old Town Bapt. yesterday, I began think about how hard it must be to be a new Christian, walk in to that church, and know that that is what Christians are to look like (well dressed, moderately friendly, mostly old). I sat in my comfortable, wooden pew praising myself be being considerate and giving new believers a chance to grow and not be forced into the image of Christ without the benefit of time.

Then, I began to remember this picture I saw over the weekend. In case you hadn't heard, the first ever partial face transplant took place in France. This poor woman was deformed from a pretty severe dog attack (a whole other story). Doctors convinced her that she couldn't survive in the world without having a normal face. So part of it changed (with their help, of course). Her new face is now a hybrid -- her old face + part of a donor's face.

For the rest of her life, she will take pills to keep her body from rejecting the new tissue. She will undergo speech therapy and learn how to speak with her new lips. She will retrain the muscles in her face to react differently and show various expressions. And most of all, she will look different.

In my moment of self-righteousness, I forgot how I that I too am a new person, yet I'm probably better described as the same "old" person with a new face. Everything inside of me wants to reject the new part, but I struggle and surround myself with the "right" culture and train my new features to look like those around me. My world (my Christian world) says that I should conform. My God says to let Him be Lord. My new mouth has been trained to praise, but yesterday, I began to wonder if I am any different. [to be concluded later in life? >> ]

{free-formed thinker}

My mind has been blown

Today was a sweet intern lunch, can we have more intern lunches where we laugh so much, but also have a topic. It doesn't have to be planned, today wasn't, but Justin I am sure you will have things on your mind when you are in Seminary and I think we'd all enjoy a discussion like today. Righto, Keep it reformed

AP

Welcome to our blog!

I did the initial set-up, but if anyone has any better ideas for the name or wesbite or design...go right ahead and change it.

peaceout
mel