Books-Music-People

It's the time of year when people ask what you are thankful for. I will try to answer that question now. I am thankful that God moves people to write music and books that in turn have moved me to change. My views on almost everything have been slowly changing over the last year. Maybe it would be better said that I am starting to believe these views are truth, and in turn it is changing how I live my life.(thanks in part to the Inspired words of others) If I were to be honest about moving to Pine Ridge, at first I was unsure of the exact reason why. Not that I feel it was a bad thing because truthfully alot of my decisions are made with the same mindset. Kind of a "well lets see what happens." If I knew then what I do now I would tell you that I was moving to Pine Ridge to be connected with the suffering of the world. To live a life more like Christ (I have along way to go) To be a missionary to stagnant christians trapped in their american dream suburbia lives. To get away from the empire that hasn't stopped telling me how to live, and begin to learn another way. I am thankful for the people I have met here. I have seen Christ in many ways I never have before. I have seen people taking in others(relatives, mothers, even strangers). People who truly give themselves everyday to greater causes then there own. People who are fighting against the injustices and working for change. I have been so blessed by the people I have met. They make me aware of my selfishness and bring me to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" or as my friend Matt put it "I would diminish that You would increase."

Everybody Dance NOW!

I walked through Whiteclay Nebraska yesterday looking for an A&W Root Beer. (no one carries it, in case you were wondering) Anyway I saw a familiar sight which today stuck with me. Beneath a sign that says A's Auto parts, a group of homeless folks dance to any number of Bob Marley songs that are currently being played. Today the song was "Three little birds". "Don't worry about a thing because every little thing will be alright" blasts from from speakers into the streets of whiteclay and the people were dancing. There was more joy in whiteclay today then usual and the dancing was even more expressive. I wondered to myself if I would ever dance in the streets, if my soul could be stirred to shed my minds inhibitions. Then I started to think back of a concert I recently attended at 555 just steps away from where these folks were dancing. A band called Broken Walls was playing there unique style of worship. As the band played a song about dancing, there was only one man who was. His name is Patrick and tonight he put words into actions, whether it be the alcohol, or his personality, or his unabashed joy for the creator. I couldn't help but wonder what God thinks of a crowd of people sitting in chairs singing about dancing. C.S. Lewis says that "All scriptural images of heaven, are symbolic attempts to describe the indescribable, musical instruments are the thing in this present life which most strongly suggests ecstasy and infinity." No matter what the reason for the dancing that day in Whiteclay, (or during the concert) I wonder if somehow they understand something about heaven that I don't. That they feel God in a way I haven't yet.