A moment of grace

Here in Mercer County, the recycling truck comes every other Wednesday, so missing a week can be problematic.  We’ve noticed that The Crisis Ministry has a lot of recycling (mostly cardboard boxes) and helped out by bringing it to the curb on Tuesday night for pick-up on Wednesday morning.  

Yesterday (March 27, 2012), I was out by myself bringing some recycling to the curb when two angels suddenly appeared and offered to help.  (They had attended a service at the church, and I see our meeting as a divine appointment because I happened to be out just when their service ended.) 

The work went very quickly thanks to these brothers in Christ, even though the amount of recycling was a lot more than it has been.  This moment of grace was a very welcome surprise, and I hope that you are as encouraged as I was by God’s providence.

Some thoughts on hospitality

From Erin’s mom:

In the spirit of the original Bethany home shared by Lazarus, Martha + Mary . . . may hospitality be always in your hearts and in your actions.

From Open Heart, Open Home: The Hospitable Way to Make Others Feel Welcome & Wanted, by Karen Mains (Copyright © 1997 by Karen Mains), as quoted in 40 Days of Community – Better Together (Copyright © 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 by Saddleback Church), a devotional that my church is studying during Lent:

If Christians, corporately, would begin to practice hospitality, we could play significant roles in redeeming our society.  There is no better place to be about the redemption of society than in the Christian servant’s home; and the more we deal with the captive, the blind, the downtrodden, the more we realize that in this inhospitable world, a Christian home is a miracle to be shared.

In Webster’s Dictionary, the definition for hospitable is wedged between the word “hospice,” which is a shelter, and the word “hospital,” which is a place of healing.  Ultimately, this is what we offer when we open our home in the true spirit of hospitality: we offer shelter; we offer healing.

Socks for The Crisis Ministry

During our first week or so at Bethany House, we noticed a promotional certificate to Store X (a major retailer) on top of the microwave.  We didn’t know whose it was, so we left it there until it was about to expire.  Then we decided that we might as well use it so that it didn’t go to waste, and return our purchases for cash if someone claimed the certificate.

Although our kitchen was very well stocked thanks to the generosity of several individuals and churches (especially Wright Memorial Presbyterian Church on Long Beach Island), we wanted to get a few things, so Amy went to Store X to spend the certificate as cost-effectively as possible.  She was really surprised by the “sale” prices ($10.39 for a plastic colander?! $6.39 for a vegetable peeler?!) and did not feel that she got good deals, even though she tried to get as much as she could.

The very next day, a friend of Bethany House came by to drop off a sum of money that she felt God wanted her to give to us.  We were blessed by this gift and wanted to use it for a good purpose.

In a subsequent phone call, Amy’s brother noted that the kitchen goods would be much cheaper elsewhere and suggested that we exchange the Store X purchases for socks or the like to donate to The Crisis Ministry next door to Bethany House.  Amy thought that this idea was great.

The four of us agreed to get socks from Store X and to use our friend’s gift to buy kitchen goods from other stores.  It took time and some legwork, but we eventually got 66 pairs of socks (after sales and another Store X promotion) and more reasonably priced goods (for example, a $2.99 plastic colander and a $0.99 vegetable peeler).

We are happy that things worked out so well for us and The Crisis Ministry and hope that you are blessed by our (small) effort to be good stewards.

“The days are long, but the years are short…”

I’ve found this saying to be very true of my life in New Jersey. Though this month just marks my sixth in the Garden State, I can say that the time has flown. Even as I ease into a daily routine that can, at times, seem long, there’s no slowing the weekly pace.

I remember tiptoeing about Bethany House for the first time. The newly varnished floors, the antique fixtures– it looked more like a museum than the residence of a twenty-something. As I stood in an empty room, I tried to imagine where my dresser might sit if I had one. I  struggled to picture what a life might resemble in a place so different from my home. Now, thanks to a donation, I have a chest of drawers stuffed with clothes and a mess of a room that testifies to my nesting. I have the guidance of community members that ensure my year of service becomes more than a stepping-stone. I have three roommates who, with all of their gifts, make this living experience rewarding and happy. It amazes me to realize that in a matter of mere months I’ve grown to feel that Bethany House is as much of a home to me as almost anywhere I’ve lived.

As I settle into bed, I can’t help but hear my mom’s chide, “morning comes in early.” I hated hearing it growing up because it meant time to sleep. It meant that the day was already over. “But there’s so much to do,” I’d think with longing. Now a little older and a little more appreciative of sleep, I’m training myself to see the accomplishments. Day by day, little by little–each day moves the year along at warp speed. I’m learning to marvel at how much can happen in a day instead of regretting where it all went.

March 1, 2012 – Vespers Service

Tonight we gathered to discuss The Convert, a play by a Zimbabwean-American about converts to Roman Catholicism during Zimbabwe’s colonial era.  First we enjoyed a chicken fajita dinner courtesy of Dana and Leslie; Jamie loved the caramelized onions in particular.  We had such a great turnout that we had to add our (small) kitchen table to the (large) dining room table to seat everyone.

During dinner Pastor Karen introduced us to Blessed Sea Beans, which are seeds of the Monkey Ladder Vine that have short phrases or Bible verses printed on them.  We each picked a sea bean from a box and reflected on our phrase/verse; several of our beans referred to planting seeds, which made us look forward to the community garden that we hope to start soon.  (We are composting already in anticipation!)

Our discussion on The Convert, led by Angela, was deep and thought-provoking.  We started with our general reactions to the play and whether we expected the ending – some of us did (and thought that the play could end no other way); others were surprised.  We talked about the character of Jekesai-Ester and her reasons for converting, as well as the ways in which she lost her culture, her language, and even her name (which is changed – by an African catechist – as soon as he meets her).  We considered the power dynamics of missionaries who came to Africa supported by imperialists (in contrast to what happened in Korea) and how the character of Kuda felt emasculated.  The conversation covered much more, and we invite you to share your thoughts with us.

Out and about in February

February 2012 was less busy than January 2012, and we were glad to experience some of Princeton University’s culture.  On Tuesday, February 7, Amy, Elizabeth, and Kamran saw The Convert at McCarter Theatre.  This play by a Zimbabwean-American about converts to Roman Catholicism during Zimbabwe’s colonial era was intense, and we plan to discuss it during the Vespers Service on March 1.

On Thursday, February 9, we watched a documentary titled “The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil,” which David and Linda brought for our Vespers Service.  We learned about how Cuba managed after the collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in major cutbacks of oil and food imports, and were challenged to be more intentional about how we use our resources.

On Thursday, February 23, we went to the Princeton University Art Museum for a “sneak peak” at Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, which will be opening at McCarter Theatre on March 13.  Two actors read an excerpt from the play that touched on the relationship between art and society, which was particularly apt given the setting.  Afterwards we chatted with old and new friends and explored the museum (some of us for the first time!).

Community Covenant

Our Community Covenant was a labor of love; the four of us met several times to go over it and we got helpful comments/suggestions from Pastors Karen and Nina and Elder Jacque.  We probably spent the most time on our mission statement (Article II); first we brainstormed everything that we wanted to say and then we tried to summarize our thoughts.  Later this year we will follow up on whether we achieved the purpose of Bethany House 2011-2012 (hopefully yes!).