This Is My Home

The man in this video embodies a life well lived, selfless generosity, genuine human connection. He created a space to call home and lives to invite others in to that space. To him, home is a place to be opened and shared with strangers who quickly become friends.

my friend Tim

Tim is a beautiful soul. He is a neighbor who has befriended me and I him over the past year here in Fremont. Tim stands outside our neighborhood grocery store, mostly at night, no matter the bitterness of the weather. Sometimes he asks for money and other times he just says hello. He has made my day more than once. Tim loves to read and has a desire to return to school. He has a compassionate heart, as I witnessed when he saved a sick and broken bird, fed it, and kept it warm saying everyone deserved a chance at life because God created and cares for even this little bird. For a while, I had thought that Tim had forgotten me and the conversations we've had. And then the other night, he surprised me. As I smiled at him and continued on toward the grocery store door he said, "You cut your hair." I turned back, a smile on my face, and said yes I had. He said four words that said "I see you, I notice you, I remember you." I walked around the store wondering what I could give him as he stood out in the cold. I ended up walking out after making my purchases and handing him a turkey, ham, and avocado sandwich and the dollar I had in my wallet. "It's not much" I said. And he replied that a sandwich was just what he needed. What a beautiful man. He is a constant reminder to me to be in the moment, noticing the needs and offerings of those around me.

Giving up, Taking on

This morning I went for a walk/jog/more walking. I am not, nor have I ever been, a runner. I try periodically, thinking that maybe this time I will enjoy it. Not so. Running is one of those things I envy in people-a skill I would love to have and yet have never been willing enough to keep fighting for. So, I run once in a blue moon, hopeful that something in my DNA will change and that my brain will tell my body that I love this feeling. Yet without fail, I go for a run and end up walking most of it and wondering why I ever thought this was a good idea. This morning was not much different. And although my "run" turned into a long walk, it felt good to be outside moving my body instead of inside sipping coffee on the couch (although I must confess that is what I am doing now).

My "run" this morning was inspired in part by the season of Lent that began yesterday. Lent is a beautiful season in the church calendar where people choose to give things up that are important to them in order to enter into Christ's story before his death a little more deeply. Oftentimes the cliche thing to give up is sweets, as too many of us are highly addicted. Yet, as I learned last night, giving up social networking sites is quickly becoming a popular Lenten sacrifice.

This brings me to my own choices regarding celebrating this season of Lent and entering deeper into God's story. Along with treating my body better by exercising more frequently, I have decided to give up Facebook for Lent. Some may mourn this as a loss, but I am really excited by and eager about this choice, especially since a few good friends have decided to give this up as well. Yet, it is important to me not to just give something up but to take something on as well. And so as I give up Facebook I am going to be very intentional in these next 40 days to connect with the people in my life on a deeper level. I am committing to writing more letters and making more phone calls and spending face time with the people in my life that I take for granted. I think a huge part of God's story is making real, honest connections with people; therefore, this is a practice that I feel strongly about taking on in a much more intentional way.

Sitting in the living room last night with my roommate, Facebooks deactivated, we laughed about how because we no longer have Facebook we are already learning new things-particularly from all the national news articles discussing people giving up Facebook for Lent. It is ironic how much more connected we become when we choose to "disconnect."