Hey everyone!! So this is me on Alcatraz and the bridge in the background is the Golden Gate Bridge. Saturday we went as a house to Alcatraz for the day. It was really interesting and as you can see a beautiful day in San Francisco. This weekend has been really nice. Stayed in at night though and just chilled in the house. Most of the house is getting or has a cold, luckily I haven't gotten it yet, so we all stayed in, made dinner, and just talked. This morning I went to a pretty interesting church this morning that wore me out spiritually. I am still processing everything I encountered this afternoon, so I might post on it later. But everything is going well and most importantly my boxes finally came! Thank the Lord so I officially have all my stuff and am moved in. Note: Don't ever ship USPS! Well I have a paper to write and dinner to make. Love and miss you all!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
San Francisco...almost home
Hey everyone!! So this is me on Alcatraz and the bridge in the background is the Golden Gate Bridge. Saturday we went as a house to Alcatraz for the day. It was really interesting and as you can see a beautiful day in San Francisco. This weekend has been really nice. Stayed in at night though and just chilled in the house. Most of the house is getting or has a cold, luckily I haven't gotten it yet, so we all stayed in, made dinner, and just talked. This morning I went to a pretty interesting church this morning that wore me out spiritually. I am still processing everything I encountered this afternoon, so I might post on it later. But everything is going well and most importantly my boxes finally came! Thank the Lord so I officially have all my stuff and am moved in. Note: Don't ever ship USPS! Well I have a paper to write and dinner to make. Love and miss you all!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sense
Sense
Soft, rich, brown skin caresses my arm
Reassurance that someone is there
Someone cares
Rocking back and forth
Back and forth to the sound of the R&B hits
Music flows through the foam earphones to the ears of a woman in which sound is the
gateway to the world
Where irises and pupils should be there is nothing but a cloud of white
Sight is darkened
A soft raspy voice speaks words of univeral religion
All under one true God
Baptism in love
Love, love, love
Baptism in acceptance
Acceptance, acceptance, acceptance
Baptism in oneness
Oneness, oneness, oneness
This is the voice that should be listened to
But so often is drowned out by the loundess of tradition
Quiet
Listen
Why must we lose a sense to truly appreciate and fully grasp another?
Shut your eyes!
Shut your mouth!
Be still and listen!
Listen to those who are the least of these
Listen to those who are poor in spirit
Then you will learn what this life is about because they are the truly blessed.
I wrote this after I spent the afternoon at the St. Anthony's Adult Care center. It is a place that is paid for by medicare for the elderly and those who are diabled to come and connect with others. Many of them live by themselves in SRO's, which are single room occupencies and are not nice places to live, so they need a place to be around other people and to be active. A simple thing we so often take for granted. I sat at a table with a 48 year old African-American woman named Brenda who was blind, and another woman named Louise.
The woman I first described is Brenda. As soon as I sat down she did not stop touching me. Running her hand up and down my arm and sometimes reaching up to my hair and face. It was moving because she didn't even need to talk the whole time. Her basic need was to be touched and to touch. How often do we take hugging our parents and siblings for granted. Or being around our friends and being able to joke around and wrestle. Brenda lived by herself in a cheap flat, which is about $660 a month in the worst part of town living on a government check which is about $659 a month, and saw coming to the adult center as privelege. With the money the government was providing she struggled to barely buy food yet, she saw being around others in a room and watching TV as a privelege. Sometimes they would play Bingo and do arts and crafts but to her this was her world.
The second woman named Louise was quite an interesting woman. At first I could not tell if she was a woman or a man, and in this city that isn't out of the normal, because she had a beanie on, long sweatpants, and a jacket. Take note that it was about 90 out and the Adult care center does not have AC but only a fan. I finally realized Louise was a woman when she asked if I could paint her fingernails. Of course I obligied and massaged her wrinkled old hands that were the most unique colored skin I think I have seen. Not black, not brown, almost white but you could tell there was something else there. As we began to talk, with Brenda still cluching my arm, I asked her what she believed in because she kept on bringing up how she had to baptise Brenda. She said that she hadn't been baptised yet and wouldn't be until all religions were one. We all worship the same God in her ancient eyes. From Hindu's, Muslims, Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Buddists, and beyond. I asked her who would lead such a church and without hesitation says ever so slightly...me. I smile and ask what this universal religion would be founded upon. She said love and acceptance because we need to be one. This struck me. Isn't this was Christ has called us to. Hasn't He called us to love, too accept, to be one body? Then why are we so divided and continue to divide ourselves even more over little ritual things? I don't have the answers and even though Louise offered a rather unique answer I feel that it is going to have to be something even more radical and mind blowing then this little old ladies answers to the worlds religious problems.
I just wanted to share this with all of you so you can think and ponder. I love and miss you all!!
Love,
Adrienne
Soft, rich, brown skin caresses my arm
Reassurance that someone is there
Someone cares
Rocking back and forth
Back and forth to the sound of the R&B hits
Music flows through the foam earphones to the ears of a woman in which sound is the
gateway to the world
Where irises and pupils should be there is nothing but a cloud of white
Sight is darkened
A soft raspy voice speaks words of univeral religion
All under one true God
Baptism in love
Love, love, love
Baptism in acceptance
Acceptance, acceptance, acceptance
Baptism in oneness
Oneness, oneness, oneness
This is the voice that should be listened to
But so often is drowned out by the loundess of tradition
Quiet
Listen
Why must we lose a sense to truly appreciate and fully grasp another?
Shut your eyes!
Shut your mouth!
Be still and listen!
Listen to those who are the least of these
Listen to those who are poor in spirit
Then you will learn what this life is about because they are the truly blessed.
I wrote this after I spent the afternoon at the St. Anthony's Adult Care center. It is a place that is paid for by medicare for the elderly and those who are diabled to come and connect with others. Many of them live by themselves in SRO's, which are single room occupencies and are not nice places to live, so they need a place to be around other people and to be active. A simple thing we so often take for granted. I sat at a table with a 48 year old African-American woman named Brenda who was blind, and another woman named Louise.
The woman I first described is Brenda. As soon as I sat down she did not stop touching me. Running her hand up and down my arm and sometimes reaching up to my hair and face. It was moving because she didn't even need to talk the whole time. Her basic need was to be touched and to touch. How often do we take hugging our parents and siblings for granted. Or being around our friends and being able to joke around and wrestle. Brenda lived by herself in a cheap flat, which is about $660 a month in the worst part of town living on a government check which is about $659 a month, and saw coming to the adult center as privelege. With the money the government was providing she struggled to barely buy food yet, she saw being around others in a room and watching TV as a privelege. Sometimes they would play Bingo and do arts and crafts but to her this was her world.
The second woman named Louise was quite an interesting woman. At first I could not tell if she was a woman or a man, and in this city that isn't out of the normal, because she had a beanie on, long sweatpants, and a jacket. Take note that it was about 90 out and the Adult care center does not have AC but only a fan. I finally realized Louise was a woman when she asked if I could paint her fingernails. Of course I obligied and massaged her wrinkled old hands that were the most unique colored skin I think I have seen. Not black, not brown, almost white but you could tell there was something else there. As we began to talk, with Brenda still cluching my arm, I asked her what she believed in because she kept on bringing up how she had to baptise Brenda. She said that she hadn't been baptised yet and wouldn't be until all religions were one. We all worship the same God in her ancient eyes. From Hindu's, Muslims, Christians, Catholics, Mormons, Buddists, and beyond. I asked her who would lead such a church and without hesitation says ever so slightly...me. I smile and ask what this universal religion would be founded upon. She said love and acceptance because we need to be one. This struck me. Isn't this was Christ has called us to. Hasn't He called us to love, too accept, to be one body? Then why are we so divided and continue to divide ourselves even more over little ritual things? I don't have the answers and even though Louise offered a rather unique answer I feel that it is going to have to be something even more radical and mind blowing then this little old ladies answers to the worlds religious problems.
I just wanted to share this with all of you so you can think and ponder. I love and miss you all!!
Love,
Adrienne
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
New Beginnings
Help Me to Believe in Beginnings
By: Ted Loder
God of history and of my heart,
much has happened during these days:
I've known death and birth;
I've been brave and scared;
I've hurt, I've helped;
I've been honest, I've lied;
I've destroyed, I've created;
I've been with people, I've been lonely;
I've been loyal, I've betrayed;
I've decided, I've waffled;
I've laughed and I've cried.
You know my frail heart and my frayed history--
and now another day begins.
O God, help me to believe in beginnings
and my beginning again.
Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks
in the land of now;
to begin forgiving
that I may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth;
to begin sacrificing
that I may accomplish justice;
to begin risking
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.
Help me to be a beginning for others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender of the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness for the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.
Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new
each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live
with the passion of Jesus Christ.
This is a prayer that Brad Burkey made us read the other day in class and I thought it was really powerful. I am starting a new beginning and I want to make a new beginning here in the city and be a new beginning for those that come along my path. Even though many of you are not up and moving to a new city or taking a giant leap in life it is never too late to make a new beginning or to be a new beginning for others. All you have to do is make the deciscion, make the effort. If you are looking for a fresh start to your whole life or just an aspect don't be afraid to take it. As this prayer clearly states we all fail and are all things we don't want to be but in beginnings there is redemption and grace.
Love,
Adrienne
By: Ted Loder
God of history and of my heart,
much has happened during these days:
I've known death and birth;
I've been brave and scared;
I've hurt, I've helped;
I've been honest, I've lied;
I've destroyed, I've created;
I've been with people, I've been lonely;
I've been loyal, I've betrayed;
I've decided, I've waffled;
I've laughed and I've cried.
You know my frail heart and my frayed history--
and now another day begins.
O God, help me to believe in beginnings
and my beginning again.
Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks
in the land of now;
to begin forgiving
that I may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth;
to begin sacrificing
that I may accomplish justice;
to begin risking
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.
Help me to be a beginning for others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender of the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness for the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.
Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new
each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live
with the passion of Jesus Christ.
This is a prayer that Brad Burkey made us read the other day in class and I thought it was really powerful. I am starting a new beginning and I want to make a new beginning here in the city and be a new beginning for those that come along my path. Even though many of you are not up and moving to a new city or taking a giant leap in life it is never too late to make a new beginning or to be a new beginning for others. All you have to do is make the deciscion, make the effort. If you are looking for a fresh start to your whole life or just an aspect don't be afraid to take it. As this prayer clearly states we all fail and are all things we don't want to be but in beginnings there is redemption and grace.
Love,
Adrienne
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Adrienne Arrives in the City...
Hey,
We got assigned this assignment to write a narrative about how we arrived in San Francisco so I thought I would post it. Enjoy and pictures to come once I get my box with my ethernet cord...no wireless here in the old Clunie house.
Adrienne Arrives in the City…
It feels like Christmas eve, butterflies stir in my stomach, my mind races with imagines of what is to come, my heart is fluttering with excitement and wonder. I check the clock its 2:30 in the morning. I have to get up in a half hour to get ready to leave. My bags are packed, my whole life stuffed into two duffle bags. My alarm chimes in, 3AM and the day has finally come. I get dressed as the rest of my house lies still. Once ready I wake my family and tell them it is time to drive me to the airport, their eldest daughter and big sis are leaving for college for the last time. We drive on the empty freeways to the Phoenix airport and in less then an hour arrive at the Southwest gate. My dad drags my luggage out of the trunk while I kiss my mom and sis goodbye. Bye dad, bye mom, bye Rachel, I’ll see you at Thanksgiving. “Don’t talk to strangers Adrienne!” my protective mother yells from the car. “Oh yeah and I love you!” I yell back as I roll my eyes, “love you too mom.” My bags are checked, I wait, board the plane that will take me to my final destination and the one that I have waited so long to arrive at. A two-hour flight and I am in my new home, a new city, San Francisco. I grab my luggage that seems to weigh a hundred pounds and some how, even though I struggle, pull it along to the shuttle stop. I load the 15 passenger van, tell my driver the address and we are off on the busy freeway towards the city. As we turn the corner of the freeway I see it, the San Francisco city skyline. Tears fill my eyes; I know this is where I am supposed to be. Against all odds I have made it to this urban jungle to fulfill God’s purpose because He is faithful and the ultimate provider.
We got assigned this assignment to write a narrative about how we arrived in San Francisco so I thought I would post it. Enjoy and pictures to come once I get my box with my ethernet cord...no wireless here in the old Clunie house.
Adrienne Arrives in the City…
It feels like Christmas eve, butterflies stir in my stomach, my mind races with imagines of what is to come, my heart is fluttering with excitement and wonder. I check the clock its 2:30 in the morning. I have to get up in a half hour to get ready to leave. My bags are packed, my whole life stuffed into two duffle bags. My alarm chimes in, 3AM and the day has finally come. I get dressed as the rest of my house lies still. Once ready I wake my family and tell them it is time to drive me to the airport, their eldest daughter and big sis are leaving for college for the last time. We drive on the empty freeways to the Phoenix airport and in less then an hour arrive at the Southwest gate. My dad drags my luggage out of the trunk while I kiss my mom and sis goodbye. Bye dad, bye mom, bye Rachel, I’ll see you at Thanksgiving. “Don’t talk to strangers Adrienne!” my protective mother yells from the car. “Oh yeah and I love you!” I yell back as I roll my eyes, “love you too mom.” My bags are checked, I wait, board the plane that will take me to my final destination and the one that I have waited so long to arrive at. A two-hour flight and I am in my new home, a new city, San Francisco. I grab my luggage that seems to weigh a hundred pounds and some how, even though I struggle, pull it along to the shuttle stop. I load the 15 passenger van, tell my driver the address and we are off on the busy freeway towards the city. As we turn the corner of the freeway I see it, the San Francisco city skyline. Tears fill my eyes; I know this is where I am supposed to be. Against all odds I have made it to this urban jungle to fulfill God’s purpose because He is faithful and the ultimate provider.
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