So this morning, I got a phone call from one of the three people we've been working with to find work around Nashville for flood relief. Laquita asked if we would like to haul some furniture from a warehouse into a U-Haul and then deliver the different pieces to some of the flood victims houses. I think it would be a very neat opportunity to meet lots of new people and do a little task that will make their day. I haven't asked the crew if we'd be up for the challenge of heavy lifting and hauling furniture, we'll see.
We also have the option of painting trim at a lady's house so that she can then move back in and live there again. This one is organized through Lutheran Disaster Response, the furniture one is with North Nashville Flood Relief Group. It is kind of neat how all these little organizations are working together to help the victims of the flood.
Well, I suppose I should eat some breakfast cause everyone else is.
Peace out ya'll!
Adam
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Workin Hard
The last two days, we haven't had a lot of work. But when we do work, we go hard.
Monday and Tuesday morning had us reporting to Carol's house, a woman who's "basement" (code word for three-feet-high crawlspace) had been badly damaged in last May's flood. So we mucked around under there, getting rid of all sorts of debris, to make way for the contractor that will come later to properly treat the space.
I'm sure Kirstin will put up the pictures of us, and you can witness our hard work. It's plainly splashed all over our bodies.
Monday and Tuesday morning had us reporting to Carol's house, a woman who's "basement" (code word for three-feet-high crawlspace) had been badly damaged in last May's flood. So we mucked around under there, getting rid of all sorts of debris, to make way for the contractor that will come later to properly treat the space.
I'm sure Kirstin will put up the pictures of us, and you can witness our hard work. It's plainly splashed all over our bodies.
Monday, February 28, 2011
T-Minus 1 Hour
It is time to wake up and have first Word and eat breakfast and pack our lunch for our first day of work! We were on hold for this morning due to severe weather, but we got the official call from our site leader saying all things are a go and we're excited to get into gutting this basement out! I really hope that the homeowner is home so we can meet her and chat with her as there isn't much work we can do today in the severe weather.
Serving amid flash flood warnings, high wind warnings, hail warning, and tornado watch is going to be exciting stuff! Check back later!
- Adam
Serving amid flash flood warnings, high wind warnings, hail warning, and tornado watch is going to be exciting stuff! Check back later!
- Adam
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Storms are Calling
Hey y'all, It's Adam here. Just thought that I would check in! We had a great day as you can see by Kirstin's post. So I will just add a manly twist since I am the only man on this trip.
This morning we had worship and it was good. I feel like I can say that sin took a hold of me during the service and it was a struggle to hear God's Word through the mouth of an ordained female pastor. With God's grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit it was a great service.
After church we decided to ask some of the yocals what's what in Nashville and where we should visit. One member came up to us and told us that we would really enjoy the Cheekwood Botannical Gardens. It was really fun! We got there and despite lots of brown and little green, it was a neat experience. The best part was when we decided to take different things in nature to make a percussion medley and record it. It will be up on Facebook this evening, check it out!
We then ate our lunches on the way to the Adventure Science Center. And let me tell you, it may have been geared towards little kids, but college kids can make lots of fun out of it! I even lifted a car! (with the help of a lever system of course). When looking through the exhibits I would have to say my favorite things were the robotic exhibits. And maybe its just because I love technology, but I think everyone else enjoyed it as well...
At the church we are staying at there held an afternoon Swahili worship service. We decided to check it out because Africans have a very unique style to worshiping God that intrigued us. We got to the church when it started at 4pm. And the service began twenty minutes later (typical non-American view on time). There was lots of impromptu music and dance and clapping sessions that was great to experience! Seriously, it brought me such peace and I now have a strong desire to learn Swahili and worship with African Americans more often.
After the service was finished, we decided to cook some dinner. We settled on spaghetti with homemade sauce. We wrote down all the ingredients we needed and headed to the grocery store. When we got back it was like somebody flipped the "community building" switch and everyone pitched in with a different task. Katie Miller and I watched the stove, browned hamburger, heated up and seasoned the sauce mixes, etc. Kirstin Meyer was the "dicer" which will probably end up being her nickname the rest of the week. She diced the tomatoes and onions and even sliced the bread! (with accidental injury no worries she's all safe!) Samantha Hasek was the "mincer" and minced the garlic cloves. And Lydia was everything else, the brains behind the whole working cog. By the time it came to eating everyone had raved about how great the sauce was and complimented me and for those who know me, I don't take compliments very well so I shrugged it off saying that I couldn't do it without my minions!
Side story: On the way to Midland, MI we were at the toll booth to cross the bridge from da UP to the LP and the attendant, upon taking our $3.50 and giving us a receipt said: "Have a nice day Reverend, and to your minions as well!" So I am a pastor now and my minions are well... my minions. :)
Back on track: After dinner, we cleaned up and had closing devotions at 10pm. We sang the songs: Holy is the Lord, Mighty to Save (Kristi's favorite), and Sanctuary. I read from Mark 4:35-41 on Jesus calming the storm but focused on the fact that Jesus was sleeping (thank you Dr. Steve Arnold for this devotion). And now it is time to blog and sleep. My migraine is slowly dying which is great and we are ready for our first day of work! (God willing the storm isn't that severe).
Until next time, Peace Out!
This morning we had worship and it was good. I feel like I can say that sin took a hold of me during the service and it was a struggle to hear God's Word through the mouth of an ordained female pastor. With God's grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit it was a great service.
After church we decided to ask some of the yocals what's what in Nashville and where we should visit. One member came up to us and told us that we would really enjoy the Cheekwood Botannical Gardens. It was really fun! We got there and despite lots of brown and little green, it was a neat experience. The best part was when we decided to take different things in nature to make a percussion medley and record it. It will be up on Facebook this evening, check it out!
We then ate our lunches on the way to the Adventure Science Center. And let me tell you, it may have been geared towards little kids, but college kids can make lots of fun out of it! I even lifted a car! (with the help of a lever system of course). When looking through the exhibits I would have to say my favorite things were the robotic exhibits. And maybe its just because I love technology, but I think everyone else enjoyed it as well...
At the church we are staying at there held an afternoon Swahili worship service. We decided to check it out because Africans have a very unique style to worshiping God that intrigued us. We got to the church when it started at 4pm. And the service began twenty minutes later (typical non-American view on time). There was lots of impromptu music and dance and clapping sessions that was great to experience! Seriously, it brought me such peace and I now have a strong desire to learn Swahili and worship with African Americans more often.
After the service was finished, we decided to cook some dinner. We settled on spaghetti with homemade sauce. We wrote down all the ingredients we needed and headed to the grocery store. When we got back it was like somebody flipped the "community building" switch and everyone pitched in with a different task. Katie Miller and I watched the stove, browned hamburger, heated up and seasoned the sauce mixes, etc. Kirstin Meyer was the "dicer" which will probably end up being her nickname the rest of the week. She diced the tomatoes and onions and even sliced the bread! (with accidental injury no worries she's all safe!) Samantha Hasek was the "mincer" and minced the garlic cloves. And Lydia was everything else, the brains behind the whole working cog. By the time it came to eating everyone had raved about how great the sauce was and complimented me and for those who know me, I don't take compliments very well so I shrugged it off saying that I couldn't do it without my minions!
Side story: On the way to Midland, MI we were at the toll booth to cross the bridge from da UP to the LP and the attendant, upon taking our $3.50 and giving us a receipt said: "Have a nice day Reverend, and to your minions as well!" So I am a pastor now and my minions are well... my minions. :)
Back on track: After dinner, we cleaned up and had closing devotions at 10pm. We sang the songs: Holy is the Lord, Mighty to Save (Kristi's favorite), and Sanctuary. I read from Mark 4:35-41 on Jesus calming the storm but focused on the fact that Jesus was sleeping (thank you Dr. Steve Arnold for this devotion). And now it is time to blog and sleep. My migraine is slowly dying which is great and we are ready for our first day of work! (God willing the storm isn't that severe).
Until next time, Peace Out!
The Fun Day
The work begins tomorrow.
But today felt like a proper spring break day.
We woke up at a decent time, spent the morning at church,
made some PB&J sandwiches, and hit the road. That road was classy!
Before we made it to the botanical gardens, we passed by an
incredible amount of southern-style mansions.
Today was sensory heaven for me:
Beautiful homes to look at,But today felt like a proper spring break day.
We woke up at a decent time, spent the morning at church,
made some PB&J sandwiches, and hit the road. That road was classy!
Before we made it to the botanical gardens, we passed by an
incredible amount of southern-style mansions.
Today was sensory heaven for me:
then the gardens where i
touched every green thing i could
reach... And then on to the Science Adventure
museum. Yup, i played like a kid there. When in Rome, do as
the children do. Back at camp we enjoyed a spaghetti dinner together.
All in all a wunderbar day.
now on to some thoughts about it:
i think i got some sunburn on my face from the February sun - that's how deprived of rays the U.P. is, i guess.
i know i felt warm wind blowing all day, and that wind was so welcome.
today, in my devotions to God, i had a complete, uninterrupted hour of quiet, and i discovered what i believe.
i believe that God brought me here to discover something new, something that i never knew about myself. and that new whatever-it-is will let me love others more than ever before.
i read a quote from Mere Christianity: "Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours." I believe that wholeheartedly. the wonderful idea behind it is: nothing. Not one thing. There is no thing that you can keep to yourself and call your own, whether it be possessions, your time, hugs, your love. Not a single thing can be your own unless you share it with someone. This week is all about sharing time, for me. I've got tons of it (unusual). So maybe God will let me discover how to use all this time to constantly glorify Him.
This is Kirstin writing. It's our first full day in Tennessee, and I just want to take a few minutes to share some of the things my senses have experienced over the last day and a half or sor, and in doing so, I'll tell the story of the trip so far.
1) Sight:
As we were driving through Ohio, we saw a large golden dome in the distance, with a tall spire on each side. It took us a while to realize it, but the dome and spires belonged to a gigantic mosque. I guess I didn't realize there was such a strong Muslim presence in Ohio, but later that day we passed another mega-mosque.
2) Touch:
One of the first things we noticed when arriving in Tennessee was the heat: we got out of the van at 10 pm, and it was still about 55 degrees outside. The high temperature today was 70. The air is always a tad humid and the sky threatens impending storms, but for now, we can definitely appreciate a break from wearing winter coats. It's a simple blessing, but God does provide for our mental health :)
3) Taste:
Don't get all excited; I haven't eaten anything spectacular. When we arrived, though, the church leader who met us gave us a grand tour of the church, including a kitchen stocked with food. I was a bit blown away by the hospitality they showed us. Yes, we are sleeping on cots in a church gym, but the congregation is very welcoming. We got to meet several of the members at church this morning, and every one of them was interested in who we were and how we were doing. Clara, the woman who had met us when we arrived Saturday night, actually lived for 2 years in Midland. Another woman at the church said she had relatives in Midland, and a man said some of his relatives lived in the U.P. I am being reminded of how completely and intimately connected we are as human beings and children of God. The world is much smaller than you think.
4) Smell:
I don't remember who said it first, but we all agree Tennessee smells great. After church, we went to an old estate named Cheekwood, which had been donated by the owners and converted into an art museum and botanical garden. We explored around the garden and improvised a song with acorns, reeds, and holly leaves (I'll see if the video turned out and post it on Facebook if it did). The museum had several 20th-century art pieces, which I geeked out over more so than anyone else :). As we were walking through the gardens, though, we all agreed nature is amazing. God has created such beauty and diversity in nature, and getting outside is one of the best ways to connect to Him.
5) Hearing:
After Cheekwood, we spent a few hours at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Many of the exhibits were quite cleverly designed, I must admit, and I wished I was younger or smaller so it would be easier to climb through the tunnels (though I managed quite well at my current age and size). I tell you this just to fill in the context, because the experience I really want to tell you about came after. We got back to our host church just in time to attend one more church service, but this one drew a different crowd than the morning services: the service was conducted in Swahili.
Many of you who know me may be aware of my slight obsession with all things foreign and especially African, but please consider this an unbiased statement: Swahili, especially when spoken in praises to God, is the most beautiful language on Earth. I cannot describe to you the sheer beauty of clear Swahili voices lifted in harmony to worship the Lord. When it was time for a song, one woman sitting in the middle of the congregation would begin singing and clapping her hands in a rhythm that didn't exactly match that of her melody. Then others would join in on cue - they all obviously knew the songs by memory - and add their own rhythmic claps or snaps. One by one, the members (not all of them - there seemed to be a group of 6 that regularly lead songs) would climb out of their pews and walk toward the front of the sanctuary. There they would stand in a row facing the congregation and sing. I mean they would SING! Nobody was particularly gifted with a beautiful voice, but they all seemed to have an intimate knowledge of harmony and rhythm - not to mention the willingness to improvise in front of a crowd. If I listened hard enough to one person, I could tell they were switching between melody and harmony lines. Some would sway; some would clap; some would close their eyes. Every once in a while, the female leader (the one who had started the song) would fill in a gap at the end of a line with a solo phrase of her own. Whenever a phrase finished, all the singers would end on a unison note, take a breath, and then the leader would start a new line. Their worship was so spontaneous and genuine and unified. True worship like this is just the most beautiful thing in the world, and I wish everyone could have experienced that service.
I am truly loving this mobile missional life. Tomorrow is our first day of work (we're gutting somebody's basement!), so there will certainly be more to come!
 |
| All of us in Midland, where we stayed with my parents for our first night. Left to right: me (Kirstin), Sam, Lydia, Katie, Adam, and Helga Mikelnokov (our 12-passenger van!) |
1) Sight:
As we were driving through Ohio, we saw a large golden dome in the distance, with a tall spire on each side. It took us a while to realize it, but the dome and spires belonged to a gigantic mosque. I guess I didn't realize there was such a strong Muslim presence in Ohio, but later that day we passed another mega-mosque.
2) Touch:
One of the first things we noticed when arriving in Tennessee was the heat: we got out of the van at 10 pm, and it was still about 55 degrees outside. The high temperature today was 70. The air is always a tad humid and the sky threatens impending storms, but for now, we can definitely appreciate a break from wearing winter coats. It's a simple blessing, but God does provide for our mental health :)
3) Taste:
Don't get all excited; I haven't eaten anything spectacular. When we arrived, though, the church leader who met us gave us a grand tour of the church, including a kitchen stocked with food. I was a bit blown away by the hospitality they showed us. Yes, we are sleeping on cots in a church gym, but the congregation is very welcoming. We got to meet several of the members at church this morning, and every one of them was interested in who we were and how we were doing. Clara, the woman who had met us when we arrived Saturday night, actually lived for 2 years in Midland. Another woman at the church said she had relatives in Midland, and a man said some of his relatives lived in the U.P. I am being reminded of how completely and intimately connected we are as human beings and children of God. The world is much smaller than you think.
4) Smell:
I don't remember who said it first, but we all agree Tennessee smells great. After church, we went to an old estate named Cheekwood, which had been donated by the owners and converted into an art museum and botanical garden. We explored around the garden and improvised a song with acorns, reeds, and holly leaves (I'll see if the video turned out and post it on Facebook if it did). The museum had several 20th-century art pieces, which I geeked out over more so than anyone else :). As we were walking through the gardens, though, we all agreed nature is amazing. God has created such beauty and diversity in nature, and getting outside is one of the best ways to connect to Him.
5) Hearing:
After Cheekwood, we spent a few hours at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Many of the exhibits were quite cleverly designed, I must admit, and I wished I was younger or smaller so it would be easier to climb through the tunnels (though I managed quite well at my current age and size). I tell you this just to fill in the context, because the experience I really want to tell you about came after. We got back to our host church just in time to attend one more church service, but this one drew a different crowd than the morning services: the service was conducted in Swahili.
Many of you who know me may be aware of my slight obsession with all things foreign and especially African, but please consider this an unbiased statement: Swahili, especially when spoken in praises to God, is the most beautiful language on Earth. I cannot describe to you the sheer beauty of clear Swahili voices lifted in harmony to worship the Lord. When it was time for a song, one woman sitting in the middle of the congregation would begin singing and clapping her hands in a rhythm that didn't exactly match that of her melody. Then others would join in on cue - they all obviously knew the songs by memory - and add their own rhythmic claps or snaps. One by one, the members (not all of them - there seemed to be a group of 6 that regularly lead songs) would climb out of their pews and walk toward the front of the sanctuary. There they would stand in a row facing the congregation and sing. I mean they would SING! Nobody was particularly gifted with a beautiful voice, but they all seemed to have an intimate knowledge of harmony and rhythm - not to mention the willingness to improvise in front of a crowd. If I listened hard enough to one person, I could tell they were switching between melody and harmony lines. Some would sway; some would clap; some would close their eyes. Every once in a while, the female leader (the one who had started the song) would fill in a gap at the end of a line with a solo phrase of her own. Whenever a phrase finished, all the singers would end on a unison note, take a breath, and then the leader would start a new line. Their worship was so spontaneous and genuine and unified. True worship like this is just the most beautiful thing in the world, and I wish everyone could have experienced that service.
I am truly loving this mobile missional life. Tomorrow is our first day of work (we're gutting somebody's basement!), so there will certainly be more to come!
Friday, February 25, 2011
On the road again...
So we have just filled up with gas at 3.45 a gallon! And we made it safely across the longest suspension bridge in the world! Well technically, ask Kirstin for more details.
I wish that I could have gotten a picture of the bridge to put on this blog post but we just thought about making a blog as I'm making this blog post! So far it has been a great trip and I enjoy the company of people who make me eat healthier. :)
There will be more to come! With stories and thoughts from the students involved!
I wish that I could have gotten a picture of the bridge to put on this blog post but we just thought about making a blog as I'm making this blog post! So far it has been a great trip and I enjoy the company of people who make me eat healthier. :)
There will be more to come! With stories and thoughts from the students involved!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)