So I pay thousands of dollars to go to school and try to figure out what it means to be in ministry so that I can help other people do the same.  I am getting that out  of my “official” education…I am being taught theology, and I am being taught ideas and practices  of ministry, and heck I even at least tried to learn something about Christian History (not my strong suit).   But some semesters we learn more outside of the classroom.  I have been surrounded by beautiful people who have had some terrible things happen to them. So what?  So what does this mean to me as a person?  It means I have learned some things about the way I want to be and ways I want to think and ways I think the world is.

1) Hope is never silly.  While that sounds dumb, it is easy to forget.  In the midst of chaos we can forget that there is something that is beautiful out there, there is something that will give life.  There is something that isn’t crazy and scary.   It is ok to not remember it, that is human.  It is during those times that it easiest to forget that those around us are needed to say “there is hope” over and over and over and over and over.  I think I want to be a person who says that more and more in my life…so here I go there is hope.

2)The world isn’t perfect.  Yep…my little idealist self is a person that had to learn that bad stuff does happen.   People do things and act in ways that hurt and cause so much pain not only to individuals but communities.  The world is a scary place sometimes, but I think that is why we are communal.  That is why we seek others to surround ourselves with that we think are able to stand with us in the brokeness.  My idea is that yes, people and situations are not always perfect.  But in order to get through those times we have to be able to trust others, we have to be able to share our burdens, and we have to be able to continue on and try to make sure that what is bad doesn’t happen anymore.  We have to change patterns of hurt and violence in ourselves and help others do the same.  In doing this then maybe this imperfect world can limp along to something greater.

3) My final rant is the fact that I think that I have learned that humor is sometimes the best way to love a person.  Yeah…I am not always the most serious of people…so the way that I try to show someone that I care and I want to help is by making them laugh.  Yes, I mock the situation they are in or I make a fart joke, or I do something else.  But this has seemed to help those around me that need something.  I always follow it with a hug or something more serious…but I think the way into the pain is often laughter.  To make us see it we often have to take a break and a step away by laughing.  And then enter into it with have a least some distance through laughter.  So I guess I will have to think more and more about the fact that yes, laughter can be a form of ministry and healing.

 

Thanks SPST for trying to prepare me as much as you  can for minsitry, but i think the real world is doing a pretty good job as well.  I fully affirm the beauty and value of a seminary education and think that it is one of my best tools and will give me some grounding to what I am learning and have learned outside of the seminary classroom.  I also want to affim the lessons that I have learned simply from being in relationship with some beautiful people.  So for all of those that I know in one way or the other, thanks for standing with me and letting me stand with you while I learn how to do what I am called to do.

 

Peace

JZ