Thursday, December 28, 2006
letter from a friend...
A good friend wrote me recently; she works as a nurse in San Jose and has travelled to many parts of the world doing medical mission work. I think some of her thoughts are important to reflect on. So with her permission, I'm reprinting part of her letter. The first section is just a thought on materialism... the second part on finding like-minded people to share your heart with. Every now and again something breaks into my daily mindset of being a wife and mom and causes me to look outside of these four walls and ponder something a bit deeper than the latest diaper blow-out.***
I hope that your Christmas was good. I love the holiday, but am always a little overwhelmed. The birth of the Savior of the world is something to be celebrated whole hearted, but the material aspect is oftentimes to much, and guiltily I admit, a preoccupation. The abundance is overly so sometimes. I didn't even ask for anything for Christmas,yet I got quite the haul. Yesterday, I finally did my tithing. Since I am not plugged into a church yet I gave to a couple charities that are really practical. I picked out sheep, cows, goats, a donkey, I payed for a surgery, and a birth among other things, with my tithe. Amazing. I feel so blessed to have the means to do that. Somehow my soft cashmere sweater still lying in its box seems ridiculous. With the money spent on that, three kids could be reunited with their families, after being lured into the sex trade.
***
I went with a friend to church the other week, and afterward the 20s crowd went out to eat. And I felt so out of place. Three of the people at the table to the technical side of things in computers and were talking about interfaces and other things. Then another was in PR. I feel such a separation from them, more than just different interests, but a different view on life and how it is to be approached and what is valuable. Here we are with the same worldview, which should be our most defining thing in our lives, and I can't find much to relate to with them. It was just one day, so maybe things will change.
I am not excluding myself from this in anyway, but I think that one of the biggest dangers in faith in America is clinging to our culture and not God. It is so easy to lead a "good" life, but escape fighting injustices, and standing up for Truth. There is a difference between going to church, praying, and maybe even being involved in some sort of ministry. God doesn't want Sunday, he wants us fully and completely. I find myself on one hand wanting My time, My space,and things the way I want it, but missing that raw vulnerability of living openly with people in of Faith. I guess what I'm saying is that there are friends who you make in a day and are searching through their cupboards and finding your own glass, talking about surface and heart matters, and then there are those who, years into the relationship,you still arrange to drop by, and ask each time if you can use their bathroom.
***
-Ellie
one of us ::
8:34 AM ::
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