random little bit -- because i mentioned my mom in my last post, an author asked me to consider being interviewed for his newest book....interesting.....
anyway...
baltimore was wonderful -- everything i expected and more. i'm so glad i went. the family and community they've begun creating is phenomenal and i know that God is going to continue to bless their efforts to renew the city.
in an effort to explain the words i chose, here is a synopsis of the trip:
in the mornings, we worked in a school that had a rough go of it this year -- cleaning, sanding, painting, and organizing. after lunch, each afternoon was a little different. for example, one day we walked around handing out water bottles and picking up trash. one night we had a block party and the next we helped out at a movie night on the pier in fell's point. we had a couple of free nights as well, in which we hung out, shopped, watched the dark knight, and generally had a good time. that, in a very small nutshell, is a description of the trip.
i'm not sure i could completely explain everything that happened, everything we saw and everything that was brought to my attention.
i do know this:
the people involved with gallery church in baltimore are some of the most caring, open and wonderful people i've ever met. i truly enjoyed getting to know them this week.
i loved having fun with the kids during the block party. i love kids in the city. there's something special and different about them.
the question they're asking up there (what if: we decide everyone matters?) is a question we all need to be asking wherever we are and we need to begin living as if we truly believed that everyone matters (because, news flash: they do).
a couple of other things:
i got to go to a post secret exhibit!!!! i've never been to one and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. i love the website, but there's something about being that close to the actual secrets that is so amazing and makes you feel so connected to the people the secrets belong to.
i have decided that i spend way too much time wondering/ worrying what other people think of me. well, it's more like it was brought to my attention through several situations. i feel like i have gotten a little better about this through the years, but recently i've been thinking that i still put too much effort into being someone other than myself in an attempt to make sure those around me like me and include me. so often, i feel like i have to be something or someone i'm not, or i have to do something in order to be included or liked by the people i'm around. in light of this realization, i feel the need to stop pretending and start being me. whatever -- and whoever -- that may be. God made me who i am, so who am i to say that someone or something would be better than that? it's all part of the journey....
i've also thought about the title of this blog. i named it "beautiful journey" because i really do feel that the journey God has me on is a beautiful one, despite the many ugly things that may present themselves while we're on the path. however, i think sometimes we (i) get so caught up in the little things that i get sidetracked from seeing the beauty and the things i write about here don't come across so beautiful. and so, after that confession, i'm going to do my best to be more positive here....
it's super late....and i'm kinda hungry.....so i'm going to go now and go to sleep....
see you tomorrow, my friends!
anyway...
baltimore was wonderful -- everything i expected and more. i'm so glad i went. the family and community they've begun creating is phenomenal and i know that God is going to continue to bless their efforts to renew the city.
in an effort to explain the words i chose, here is a synopsis of the trip:
in the mornings, we worked in a school that had a rough go of it this year -- cleaning, sanding, painting, and organizing. after lunch, each afternoon was a little different. for example, one day we walked around handing out water bottles and picking up trash. one night we had a block party and the next we helped out at a movie night on the pier in fell's point. we had a couple of free nights as well, in which we hung out, shopped, watched the dark knight, and generally had a good time. that, in a very small nutshell, is a description of the trip.
i'm not sure i could completely explain everything that happened, everything we saw and everything that was brought to my attention.
i do know this:
the people involved with gallery church in baltimore are some of the most caring, open and wonderful people i've ever met. i truly enjoyed getting to know them this week.
i loved having fun with the kids during the block party. i love kids in the city. there's something special and different about them.
the question they're asking up there (what if: we decide everyone matters?) is a question we all need to be asking wherever we are and we need to begin living as if we truly believed that everyone matters (because, news flash: they do).
a couple of other things:
i got to go to a post secret exhibit!!!! i've never been to one and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. i love the website, but there's something about being that close to the actual secrets that is so amazing and makes you feel so connected to the people the secrets belong to.
i have decided that i spend way too much time wondering/ worrying what other people think of me. well, it's more like it was brought to my attention through several situations. i feel like i have gotten a little better about this through the years, but recently i've been thinking that i still put too much effort into being someone other than myself in an attempt to make sure those around me like me and include me. so often, i feel like i have to be something or someone i'm not, or i have to do something in order to be included or liked by the people i'm around. in light of this realization, i feel the need to stop pretending and start being me. whatever -- and whoever -- that may be. God made me who i am, so who am i to say that someone or something would be better than that? it's all part of the journey....
i've also thought about the title of this blog. i named it "beautiful journey" because i really do feel that the journey God has me on is a beautiful one, despite the many ugly things that may present themselves while we're on the path. however, i think sometimes we (i) get so caught up in the little things that i get sidetracked from seeing the beauty and the things i write about here don't come across so beautiful. and so, after that confession, i'm going to do my best to be more positive here....
it's super late....and i'm kinda hungry.....so i'm going to go now and go to sleep....
see you tomorrow, my friends!
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