Saturday, September 29, 2012

Nehemiah, part 1

     The book of Nehemiah is not especially long, only 13 chapters.  Few people preach from it and fewer know where in the Bible it is located.  There are no major signs or miracles.  There is not even an appearance of the voice of God speaking to the main character.  In spite of all that, Nehemiah has been one of the most compelling and influential narratives that I have ever read.  It is full of God's power and heart and resonates with our world today as few other stories can.
     The book begins with Nehemiah living in a foreign land.  The people of Israel had been overcome by the Babylonians and spread across the known world.  Nehemiah finds himself in the service of the king when he hears that members of his family are arriving from Jerusalem.  He questions them about the conditions from back home.  They answer succinctly:  the city walls are destroyed; the gates are burned; the people are in great distress.
     The ancient world had no greater defense than city walls.  Well-made walls provided protection and security, advanced warning, immense strategic advantage and hope.  Walls allowed the people to sleep easily at night, knowing they were safe.  Even if an opposing army greatly outnumbered the city's forces, walls turned battles into sieges, granting the defenders an excellent chance of outlasting their opponents.
     Jerusalem had no walls.  Nothing to prevent, or even deter, anyone who had a grudge from attacking and taking anything they wanted.  Nothing to provide warning of threat.  The people of Jerusalem lived with no safety, no security, and no rest as they wondered when the next assault would fall upon them.  Wondering what, or who, would be taken from them next time. 
     As I went over the story of Nehemiah with the Joel's Place staff, we were struck by how much in common our kids have with these citizens of Jerusalem.  When home is not safe and school is a struggle and the climate is lethal and the streets or a friend's couch are your only refuge, you live just like those men and women did.  You live without rest, wondering when the next assault or insult will come.  You live without thought of the past or thought of the future...there is only now that must be survived.  Consequences and planning are irrelevant and so you fight or you cheat or you lie or you seduce or you intimidate.  Whatever it takes.  You push people away who may be trying to help you.  You find a pack of others who are struggling to survive.  You are always wary of betrayal and quick to run.  That is the effect of not having a wall.  That is the effect of not having a family or community that defend you from the world.

     Nehemiah's first reaction was to mourn for his people...mine is often to get frustrated and find someone more pleasant to spend time with.  And yet I am drawn back to these at-risk young people over and over again.  Sometimes it is compassion that leads me to sit and talk.  Often it is my duties that require me to enter into their lives and for that I am grateful.  Everything that we do at Joel's Place is for the express purpose of welcoming in kids who have no walls in their lives and helping to build them.  We feed them when they are hungry.  We give shelter from the elements.  We provide places to study and places to rest and places to laugh.We invite them into community and say that they are loved here, even if that is the only time it is true in their entire day.

     The staff and I will be in Nehemiah for a while.  I would invite you to read it over as well.  Spend some time allowing God's heart for the oppressed to speak to you.  Ask if there is something He would have you do as the temperatures continue to drop and our homeless youth population begin another winter without homes.  May God pour his Grace out upon us all.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Gratitude

     We had a large donation come in this week.  Large as in "More than we brought in over the past 2 months combined."  Large as in "We can now pay our staff and the overdue bills we carried throughout the summer."  Large.  The staff of Joel's place were smiling and whooping and bouncing around for the night.  It was a fun evening.
   
     Problem solving.  It is one of my strengths and one of my central character flaws.  Our entire summer has been devoted to trying to figure a way out of our financial hole.  As soon as the donation was deposited and the staff paychecks were passed out, my attention shifted to the other problem areas that needed to be fixed.  While I will spend ample amounts of time working out those issues, it is important for me to push "Pause" in my brain and intentionally focus on an area that does not come naturally for me:  Gratitude.

     Gratitude.  Thankfulness.  Appreciation.  These words are all used to define each other.  What they boil down to is this: 
  • An awareness of our need
  • Provision by an outside party
  • A relational connection and affection that grows from sharing in need and resources
Gratitude is hard to define and it is hard to quantify.  It is one of the more complicated emotions out there.  The amount of gratitude that we have is dependent on how aware we are of our needs.  It is also dependent on how much we indulge in worry about our future.  The spoiled child casts gifts aside out of boredom while the frightened child is too busy worrying to enjoy theirs.

     The grateful person, however, lives a life of joy and peace and wonder.  They feel the pain of need like everyone else but when provision comes, they savor it.  They embrace the one who gave to them.  They look to be generous since people have been generous with them.  They give freely and love freely and laugh freely since they feel that they have been lavished with gifts.

     Stop for a moment and think about what you have been given.  Personally, it is staggering.  I have parents who love and support me, who sacrificed incredible amounts to see me succeed.  I have an amazing, beautiful, compassionate, artistic wife who chose to spend her life with me.  I have two, almost three, remarkable children who bring wonder and laughter to my life every day.  I have a brain and heart and body that have been developed by teachers and coaches and mentors and pastors and friends.  I have a warm home in a cold climate.  I have a job that challenges me in a myriad of ways, sending me home both exhausted and invigorated all at the same time.  I live in an amazing place, surrounded by amazing people.  I serve a God big enough to create a Universe while interested enough in me to know how many hairs are on my head...true that number is getting less challenging every day, but you get my point.  Everything I have, everything I accomplished, everything I am is a result of what other people have poured into me mixed with a healthy portion of God's grace.  Humbling?  Of course.  But today I choose to focus on being grateful to them all.

     Soon I will dive back into problem solving...probably as soon as I get back home, actually.  But I want to strive to carry gratitude with me throughout my days.

     Thank you.  I have no better words than to say that I am grateful for each and every one of you.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Why Give?

     I did an interesting Google search today.  I looked up "Why to Donate" just to see what was out there.  What was out there were 384 Million entries.  If I did nothing but read those entries...and each one took me ten minutes...and I had a team of 1,000 people helping me...we could be done in a little under 10 years.
     There are a lot of people and organizations who want you to donate your time, money and resources to them:  political parties, churches, blood banks, service organizations, lobbyists, schools, and so many others.  If you can think of a cause, most likely someone would like to you give towards it.  I work in the non-profit world and have little disposable income, yet I am still inundated with mailings and advertisements and calls to help support this worthy cause and that worthy candidate. Global Giving puts the needs of the world at your fingertips and gives instant access to thousands of amazing projects that are happening right now. 

     "Why give?"

    Before wading through all of the different options that are out there, we first take a step back.  Why would someone who has studied for countless hours, climbed the working-world ladder, taken tremendous risks, and poured themselves into their profession simply give away the compensation that they have earned?  They still have bills and families to support and things they want to do with their lives.  Why would they willingly decrease their ability to do these things?  Simply put, I have arrived at this:

   
We give to promote our vision of the world.

      We have ideas about how life should work.  How parents should treat their children.  How governments should treat their citizens.  How the poor should be dealt with.  How faith should influence generosity.  Our daily routine does not allow us to completely implement that vision; the days are simply too full with jobs and kids and meetings to do that.  However we are granted the resources, whether time or money or connections, to advance that vision a little further.  We join our efforts and offerings with others who share our hopes and then catch a glimpse of vision becoming reality.

     My vision of the world is still under construction, but I know it includes these elements:
  • Children should be safe and given every opportunity to mature before they have to make adult decisions.
  • Generosity is as good for me as it is for those who receive. (Quick side note: The candy on my desk is a perfect example.  If I keep it all on my desk, I end up eating it without thinking and growing unhealthier.  If I bring it to our Board Meeting, I gain friends, the meeting goes better and I have to do less work to make healthy decisions.)
  •  A person is both physical and spiritual.  Only meeting the needs of one aspect is incomplete.
  • Laughter and fun and learning are valuable commodities.
  • Young people are hungry for mentors.
  • Money is a means, not an end.
  • I love Alaska and want to see its people living prosperous lives and making healthy choices.
I could go on, but those are a good summary.  I work at Joel's Place and give to Joel's Place because I am able to see my vision becoming reality there.  If you share this vision, I invite you to join me.  If you have a different vision, give there.  If you do not give because you hold no vision of your own, I implore you to take time to think and dream about what you value in the world.  Visit globalgiving.com to get some ideas.  find some friends and brainstorm together about what you could do if you pooled some of your resources.

     Everyone agrees the world needs to change.  There are lots of great ideas out there to partner with.  Consider this an open invitation to dive in.

James

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Winter is Coming

     There are several different reactions to the title above:

  • For some people this title brings anticipation about the return of the Game of Thrones series.
  • Some people simply brush it aside because it is only the beginning of September and the leaves have not even started changing yet.
  • And then there are Alaskans who fall into two categories:  They either are cringing while nodding or they simply refused to read this post, denial and frustration pouring from their lips.
      For those of you who do not live up here, allow me to fill you in.  I scraped a heavy layer of frost off my car this morning.  Leaves are pouring off my trees as if they are in some sort of "Leave the tree bare" competition.  We just had major work done on my water heater and furnace at home, just in time I may add.  The temperature of the house had been in the low 60s in the mornings.  Temperatures are getting lower and the days are getting shorter.

     Winter is coming.

     Now please do not misunderstand me.  I love winter.  I am so excited for the first snowfall, I cannot actually put it into words.  November and December are my favorite months of the year.  I am eager to play in the snow and be rid of the bugs and enjoy coming into a warm house from the cold.  This is a joyful word for me. 

     It is also a word of preparation.  Winters in Alaska are not simply seasons that you fall into and expect to be safe.  Many homes are chopping lots of wood, getting their heating systems fine-tuned (done!), checking their snow tires, making sure there are good seals on their doors and windows and beginning to make sure that they have appropriate gear for their kids.  City-wide there is a mad rush to finish all the summer projects that were started so that when the next season hits, we can welcome it instead of being resentful.

     Winter is when Joel's Place is busiest.  We become the default location for skating and biking.  We become a safe place to escape the elements.  We offer the warm food and drinks to kids who are not properly equipped for the cold.  Winter is when Joel's Place blossoms and thrives.

     And so now we prepare for that day.  We are fine-tuning our program schedule and making contacts throughout the community to utilize our building.  We are writing grants and finding sites for AmeriCorps members.  We are raising funds to use for major upcoming expenses, especially heating oil.  We are getting ready so that when the snow flies and the kids flock to us, we will be ready to welcome them with open arms.

     I love winter.  I love what Joel's Place offers in the winter.  If you want to help, consider donating food or time to help us make meals.  Consider offering your skills to help our facilities repairs.  Consider donating heating oil or sponsoring a skater or visiting our Global Giving site or helping us put on Ramp It Up in November.  If none of those options sound appropriate, contact me at 452-2621 or joelsplacealaska@gmail.com and we can find creative ways to partner.

     Winter is coming.

     Bring it on.