This was my date told ya he looked snazzy

Did I have a community that I really didn’t know about until now?

Why yes, yes I did. I had people willing to connect and love me.To some these people are seen as handicapped or someone who has special needs, but for me this is the only community that really teaches me something. People willing to teach me what it means to care. These people continue to surround me today. We will always have a friendship no matter how many years pass, they will be there ready to support me.

But before we knew it one of my supporters was in dire need of my support. They were suffering from a brain aneurism and in a matter of  one day they saw God and experienced true life. (I am so so so jealous!) Tim Vlahek died on April 15th 2011.

This wasn’t just any person who died. He was my hot date to Jesus Prom!

A snazzy looking guy who asked me out to the prom of a life time. He was the perfect gentleman and we both danced the night away.

I mean what could I do, I was hooked. He had me at first awkward hug. Yes, Tim was a very very awkward hugger, but he was probably one of the only people that I would willingly always hug every Sunday. I loved him for it somehow I was always smiling while he was around.

Tim would come over in his unique way and comfort people. Break the barrier that some put up and was simply their friend.

We were actually planning on going to the next prom until his unexpected journey….

Tim was a deep part of my community. Tim impacted me in such a way that his love for the church taught me how to love the church for all of her faults. Tim broke any stereotype or limitation that was set before him. He sky dived at the age of 55! There was no fear in his eyes whatsoever.

This friend was one of my favorites. He was a man who taught me so much about what it means to love. purely love. To serve in a way with great passion. He never once complained and would serve in whatever you asked him to.

It was plane and simple as that. Tim never had to worry about what others expected out of him. He didn’t even have to address his special needs all he had to do was talk to people like it was all good. He din’t have to look at what they were doing, what they were wearing, or even how old they were he was just there to talk. Talk like anyone else would.

Get to know you and build relationships.

Relationships that brought comfort to others.

So while some look at this man and think oh here is another person who I should feel bad for because of their special needs, I now look at the life of Tim and see someone who demonstrated a courageous confidence yet tender love. Lets just say he was nothing but handicapped! Instead, a man designed by God to impact many me being one of them.

This book for Book Club Monday is a blast from the past. Particularly a blast from the hippy era.

A book by Henri J. M. Nouwen challenges Christian leaders what it means to be a Wounded Healer (hence the title)

Nouwen dives into what it means for a minister to sincerely lead his people in the paths of God. He discusses the struggle leaders have to connect generations to each other and the importance of having compassion for the people you are serving.

Nouwen shows the current clash that all churches have between the young and older people. On one side we have a lively passionate rebelious generation exploring life. and on the other. Weathered people who are seeking the rest rather than exploration of who God is.

But what connects us all

loneliness.

(didn’t see that coming did you)

Here is Nouwen’s thoughts on this…

“The Christian way of life does not take away our loneliness; it protects and cherishes it as a precious gift.”

Nouwen points out that this loneliness is our common bond. It is the feeling that we all must face whether we like it or not. This loneliness is the challenge. It forces people to be vulnerable with others and overcome this feeling together. It can be seen as a uniter rather than a severe divider.

It is the leader that must unite us. The leader who must be the first to explore and work through this emotion then walk with his community.

After all “Who can take away suffering with out entering it?”

It is a necessity that we expose our struggles which will induce an intense pain. And it is in this same pain that we understand what it means to be the broken healer. The one who readily bind up our wounds as well as others.

We plunge into all of this pain again and again to bandage up the broken. We know what it takes. The strength it requires and through those moments leaders lead the hurt and the broken because they are the broken.

Ministers point to our hope that we have in this world. They leap into the unknown clinging on to hope for their dear life.

Nouwen says, “Hope prevents us from clinging to what we have and frees us to move away from the safe place and enter the unknown and fearful territory.”

Ministers demonstrate what it means to be a healer through our wounds.

Have you read this book yet? What did you think?

Todays Foreign Friday is going to be on the happiest country in th world. This country is….

Denmark.

Yep Denmark. They are not the richest country in the world but they are the happiest.

So the big question is Why are they so happy? What is the secret?

special government issued ”happy pills”

Maybe… but I believe, the key ingredient is low expectations.

Citizens of Denmark have low expectations.

They see people clearly and they choose to acknowledge that we as people will always let each other down.

Denmarkians (yes i just invented my own word) choose to be pleasantly surprised with life.

They take the lemons and make lemonade. They don’t place extreme amounts of pressure on each other and expect to magically have everyone live up to their expectations. They see people for who we are.

We are broken.

not perfection

See that is a toughy. I always expect so much from people and am never pleasantly surprised. I allow the pressure of others to seep into my life and end up letting people down.

It is time for me to expect nothing.

Choose to love people where they are at and make some good old lemonade.

Do you have high expectations for others?

So Jonah finally listens to God and goes to Ninevah! God did twist Jonah’s arm a little bit and he did what God called him to do.

Courage and all Jonah stood there and told all of the Ninevaites that they would soon die due to God’s wrath. The people repent and they are saved. It is an awesome experience. People suck up their pride and turn from their evil ways.

One would think this would be a happy ending. All the people were saved and God spared them all. but Jonah is mad. He is sulking around and waiting for the fireworks to go off at the big city.

Jonah waits for God to rightly punish his people and it never comes. God gives them grace of all things.

Here is a guy Jonah who has been serving God all of his life and the one time he doesn’t want to serve God a fish eats him. He suffered and he only disobeyed God once. How is that just.

These people have murdered and committed all of these sins and God somehow has compassion on them? He chooses to spare them but not with Jonah so much.

Jonah is angry he wonders how is this fair. These people are shallow jerks who just don’t want to die so that is why they are repenting.

Then the thought provoking question that hits me in the gut….

Have you any right to be angry?

Yes God of course I do! I am the one who has strictly followed you until the end unlike these heathens. Why didn’t you give me grace.

Gods response: Well first off I am the one who has saved you and can save anyone I want to. you have no right to tell me who to give grace to. I gave grace to you! and you needed a good kick in the pants….

Enough said.

Do you find yourself in Jonah’s shoes?