THE THREE AMIGOS

At the start of the semester I made agoal to read 100 - 150 pages each night for my thesis and independent study. I then got realistic and told myself I needed to read 641 pages a week to be granted any sewing time during the week. And at this point, I am only 321 pages behind from the start of the semester. I would be impressed if I were you. I keep a little tally on my fridge but have thought many times that I should have made a chart with stickers.

I then realized I needed to order three more books for my thesis. 

I checked the bookstore and iBooks, but realized neither was helpful and made my way to Amazon. I put the three books in my cart and was faced with how soon do I want these books at my door.

I get free two-day shipping with my student account with Amazon. It is great, but I decided I wanted to wait the five to seven days for books. I wanted the weekend to paint, sew, seek out some murals in Minneapolis and do my decade-annual Spring cleaning. As much as I love King and Bonhoeffer, we all needed some time away from one another. One of my dear friends even noted that I was sounding a little “Bonhoeffer-y” in my texts. It was decided. I would not make the Amazon elves rush to fulfill my order. In five to seven days I would receive some books to my door.

So, on with my tale.

I just finished an afternoon at the coffee shop and was excited for my reading free weekend. But as I approached my stoop, I noticed two Amazon books. I was suspicious. One was a large Amazon box with goodies from my parents, including Zitner’s coconut creme and the other was the books I ordered yesterday. Not five to seven days ago. Yesterday.

I think this all shows that Bonhoeffer, King and myself really value community and our time together. Even the very idea of a weekend apart may be too much.

I will allow myself some art and cleaning time this weekend, but there will also be a lot of beloved community and communio sanctorum because I am clearly gotten the hint.And let me also note that cleaning and sewing time include listening to podcasts about community development/engagement. 

What can I say, the three of us are look those three chatty school girls. 

Bonhoeffer + King + Troyan = BBF 4 Eva

P.S. I am grateful that I currently have the opportunity to be in dialogue with Bonhoeffer and King in my academic work this semester. I have been waiting for this opportunity and I can only describe it as exciting, imaginative and real.

A VISION OF AN INTENTIONAL CHRISTIAN COMMUNIY

“… a group of us feel called to stop, to look, to listen, and, above all, to wait. We want to wait on God, be aware of his presence, attentive to his purpose,  and enter into his response to our area. We want to wait on our neighbours; not setting any agenda or setting up any agencies, just helping out in any way we can.

We have a dream We dream of a world in which all the resources of the earth will be shared equally between all people of the earth, so that even the most disadvantaged among us will be able to meet basic needs with dignity and joy. We dream of a great societ of small communities cooperating interdependently to practice personal social, economic and political compassion, love and justice, and peace.

We dream of people developing networks of friendships in which the pain we carry deep down can be shared openly in an atmosphre of mututal support and respect. We dream of people understanding the difficulties we have in common, discussion our problems, discussing the solutions, and working together for personal growth and social change in the life of love of Christ.

We yearn to make this dream a reality in our own locality….”

David Andrew’s vision for intentional Christian community present at Waiters’ Union in Brisbane, Queensland quoted in Community of the Transfiguration: The Journey of a New Monastic Communityby Paul Dekar.

SPACE TO CREATE

I decided two weeks ago to schedule time in my schedule each day to create. I was finding that I was becoming cranky, homesick, testy, and a level of sassy that is even unnormal for me, simply because I was not giving myself time to create.

I’m only two weeks into this self-study but I would like to think I am less cranky and testy. And if nothing else, I’ve created an ottoman, quilt, and some beautiful crayon doodles that will go for millions. 

Yet I also do not think that it is the physical creation that is important. It is giving myself the space to do what I need to do.