Mandarin Oranges

We took a drive through (ahem. thrrrrough) downtown Gary today. And I loved it. Me, my parents, and this amazing senior went to this women's and children's shelter to drop off the two car-fulls of clothes our school collected. Which was amazing. We used this huge can of mandarin oranges to prop open the door while we carried garbage bag after garbage bag into the little donations room. The ladies were so sweet, and it was really great getting to talk with them a bit after the clothes were brought in.  Things like that should definitely become normal for me, I think. We drove around Gary for a while after that... haha, which was a bit out of my comfort zone. Chirch said that he wanted to show us more, but he wasn't going to turn down streets that he didn't know, not because he was afraid of getting lost, but because just a few minutes on the wrong street would potentially end in, er, catastrophe. And you know what really got my attention? Was that there were maybe... oh, three (bah, thrrrree) buildings I saw the entire time we were driving that had every single window intact. For whatever reason, I LOVE the way that broken windows look... (not sure why..) but this was horrible. Dead of winter in Northwest Indiana, and people were living in these homes that allowed the cold, chilling air right in. Not that they were leaving the broken windows there out of laziness, either. The only thrrree or so building that I saw with intact windows were... church buildings. Hmm.. and while we were driving, Chirch & Danny were discussing a lot of issues that had been brought up in chapel, Bible classes, and elsewhere... It was really neat to hear, especially since I haven't had much of an opportunity to listen to these two guys talk together. Hopefully, as the year goes on, I'll share a little but if that, eh?
         Let's just say, for now, that it's caused me to admire Rich Mullins even more than ever. And that's saying something. And you know what, thanks for reading this. It means a lot.

Thanks, Disney

I was conviceted. By a Disney Song.
Crazy, right? It was weird, lemme tell ya... I never would have expected it.
If you've never heard it, I posted it below. So scroll down, listen to it, then come back to read this, aight?
You see, at the time this movie [The Hunchback of Notre Dame] was set, gypsies were pretty much te epitome of "outcasts;" they had a reputation for being thieves, fortune tellers, seducers, and trouble-makers. They wandered from town to town, homeless vagabonds. Nobody liked them. Even the "church" people. They ask for money, fame, glory... when really, none of that mattered. They should have seen the need, and, instead of asking God why He wouldn't help them, actually get out there and be the hands and feet of God.
I heard this story once, about two friends who were talking. The first guy says that he has a question for God. The second guy asks him why he doesn't ask. Guy Number One says he's afraid. When the second guy asks him why he's afraid, the first guy says,"I'm afraid that God will ask ME the same question."
Lord, give us strength to help the outcasts... 'cause really, that's what you were, in a way..

God Help The Outcasts

The Little Things

Today, I gave two guys in my English class the hair that was leftover after I got it cut. One gave me a hug, the other told me that he would keep it for forever. It pretty much made my day. (For those of you who don't go to my school, you have my pity, 'cause it's pretty amazing.) But, whether you go to a really awesome school, a really lame school, or not to a school at all, don't you agree that it's the little things that really make your day?
Like the cookie someone gives you, or spending your lunch hour drawing a picture of your math theacher killing a cat to save her greometry class... or any number of things!! (Like planning to take over the entire Western Hemisphere!! Easier than it would seem...)

So today, my mission: Fill my day with as many little things I can do for others... 'cause really, that's all a day is: a bunch of little things. :)

We Take Nothing

I don't know about you guys, but I was born naked and illiterate. I didn't come into this world with money, or fame, or the means to keep myself alive. I wasn't born with shoes or books or best friends. I was born with nothing, and when I die, I will take nothing with me. Not even clothes, like Job says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart." No material possessions will I be able to bring to Heaven.
So why all this time spent trying to satisfy every little want? A teakettle, new sandals, that really cool movie I saw at the resale shop for 50 cents (The Princess Bride, no joke!), none of it will go with me.

On Friday, Chirch showed us this clip from Schindler's List. Basically, the guy gave up his entire fortune to bribe other Nazi's so he could save the lives of Jews. And near the last scene, when he's about to go into hiding, Schindler says, "I could have gotten more out.. if only I'd had more money.. I threw away so much money.. Look at this car, why did I keep this car?

And he is in anguish over this, why he was so selfish as to keep a car, a car that he could never take with him, when the amount of money could have saved the lives of ten more people. He realized how valuable those people were, and how worthless in comparison a car is.

It was convicting for me, to see a guy who gave up everything, risking his own life, to say that he should have done more, that he could have done more. And then there's Sam over here who has risked nothing, given up nothing.. while there is so much I can give. Possessions, when we stand before God's throne, mean nothing. We are called to gather up treasures in Heaven. Because really, that's all that's going to matter anyway.

Second Chance - Hillsong

A Selfish, Silly Little Sinner.

Anger, Embarrassment, Infatuation, Frustration, Resentment --- It's amazing how easily these emotions can grip our entire self and rock our actions out of control.
Last night, around... oh, 9:58, my mom informed me that I needed to put my book down and get ready for bed. Perhaps it was the book, or my mood, or (as i would like to think) my mom's irritated tone, but, whatever the case, I could feel the bubbles and geysers of indignation rise up in my chest. In the most conversational voice I could manage, I informed my mom that I still had a full two minutes until my bedtime. To which she (curtly) replied that, if my room was not ready, nor my my pajamas on, I would not be on time getting to bed. Especially now that another minute had passed.
That all-consuming indignation? Yeah... kicking in right about here. And the frustrating part-- I knew that she was right and I should have been getting ready for bed. So I bit my tongue, holding back a torrent of rude, selfish, hurtful things that one should never say to their mother. (& yes, i freely admit-- I was being a straight-up BAD example here.)  So I then said "goodnight" to both her and Derek, and walked up to my room in order to make that "all-important" bedtime.
And as I lay in bed, thinking up all sorts of nasty things to say if ever given the chance (umm.. yeah right), I began to marvel at just how much that singular feeling, that false indignation, was consuming me. If you can ever relate, you must realize just how difficult it is, in such a situation, to think about anything else. (Especially at bedtime, I mean... I always do my BEST thinking then... but that's a topic for another blog.)
I still need to apologize specifically about this to my mom... (& please, don't think that this is just a rant against her. I love my mom. A whole lot.) and, in a selfish way, I still don't think my apology is deserved...
But then, once I've let the feeling subside, I begin to realize how petty it is and how foolish my actions can be. I think I've learned my lesson for the day.

And Jesus? Thank you for never giving up on a selfish, silly little sinner like me.

Breakfast

England. The mid 1800's.

George Mueller felt a huge burden for the homeless orphans who roamed those streets, and set out to open an orphanage.  But instead of hosting massive fundraisers, or begging for the money from locals, Mr. Mueller had a tactic that rivals most money-gathering ideas we usually come up with. Mr. Mueller simply prayed. Each and every request, regardless of how large or small, he brought to God. And you know what? Every need was met.

On one morning, a chilly, drizzly, English morning, the breakfast plates were empty. The pantry was empty. And there was no money left for food. The children gathered around the table, and Mr. Mueller calmly raised his hand to pray, ""Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat." And there was a knock at the door. Opening it, they found the baker. He began, "Mr. Mueller, I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it." After thanking the man, Mr. Mueller and the children brought the bread to the table. No sooner had they finished this then a second knock was heard an the door. This time, it was the milkman. He said that his cart had just broken down in front of their orphanage and asked if he could give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could repair the cart. 

And so, Mr. Mueller and each child sat down to enjoy breakfast.

Mr. Mueller said that at one time, he had counted over 50,000 specific prayers that were answered-- most on the very day he asked for them. He made it a habit to write down each and every petition on that date,  and to write when that prayer was answered. Think about that. 50,000 answered prayers. 

Last week, Mr. Chirch introduced my Bible class to lectio divina, which is Latin for sacred reading. The monks way back in the day started this practice, which is carefully spending time in God's word. That day, i read Mark 11:22-24.  “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

These verses rocked my world on Friday.... and George Mueller showed me (yes, I realize that he is dead. Work with me here.) that God really does do what He promises.  

Quotes from More Dead, Homeless Guys

"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken." —Rich Mullins

Homeless Guy

Has anyone ever told you that they would enjoy being homeless? A senior told me that last year, and I considered it crazy, even for Ben-David (who could probably pass as a homeless guy, no joke). Of all the things I've learned from B-D, that probably sums up the purpose of this blog. Ironic, huh? That it should begin with someone as eccentric, funny, and genuine as Ben-David.

But he's not homeless. At least, not that I know of. But we'll come back to him (and this other homeless guy named Rich Mullins) later.

Jesus was homeless. Did you know that? I guess I did, but it hasn't really hit home (hah hah. no pun intended) until this year. I mean, as Christians, we want to be as much like Christ as possible, right? But.. Sam, He was homeless. Does that mean that.. I should be homeless? It's a crazy concept to wrap your mind around, right? I'm not homeless. I'm also not Jewish.. Hmm... What else was Jesus like?
And thus began an eccentric, funny, genuine search  for.... I'm still not sure what. I'm learning about what it means to be the Church. What community and family (there's that word again) means. What Jesus really means when he calls us to leave everything we have to follow Him. Could He really have meant.. just that?

My Bible teacher (who, by the way is my step-dad) issued a challenge for us s'mores this morning. The idea is that we say "I'll pray for you," but how often do we really remember to? So he said that when someone has a need, to ask if you can pray for them right then and there.
Now how to end this... how about with something epic. It's as if Christ had said, "Come with me if you want to live," and now I'm gonna see what that could really be like.. to really live.. to follow this un-dead homeless guy.