Speak to Me In The Light of The Dawn

I wish I had been better about blogging because at this point? There is just too much to tell.

I'm really not sure where to start.

"She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh at days to come." Proverb 31:25

I don't know about that whole strength and dignity bit - but I can certainly laugh. These days? It's pretty much all I can do. Like today, today we spent a copious amount, probably too much, on going to Detroit to be commissioned. And it makes me physically ill. Do we absolutely have to be there, standing on stage when they call our names? ... not technically. So why pay? Because it's important. Because when we say we are in the process of becoming long term missionaries, we are serious. Because serving communion to the thousands of people there representing their churches means something. And we want to be a part of that something.

Yah, I drank the ECC koolaid. And I liked it.

Chicago grows on your soul like ivy on so many of the beautiful brick buildings here. Slowly, but intentionally, it creeps along the edges of your spirit until it is suddenly covering a rather alarming portion of your heart. And you realize, that while you were trying to rid yourself of the ivy, it has actually made the structure more beautiful than before. Yes. That is what Chicago is like.

For instance, Sunday. Sunday we went to a beautiful church that is renting their building from a different church (who has service on Saturday), and that church is genuinely multi-ethnic and multi-generational with a strong presence in the community. One of our mission classmates runs their "warming house" which provides a meal for the homeless community and a place for them to "warm" - the cleverness abounds. But there is no need for cleverness when the work is good. And the work is good. So good.

"LOVE IS ALLAH'S SIGNATURE ON THE WORLD"

- read the sign above the shop door on Devon. Beautiful. "Can I kiss your baby?" The muslim man asked Marko as Rory slept against his chest. Beautiful. What a beautiful gesture of God's signature on the world. You see, we had this afternoon where we were supposed to wander along Devon St. between California and Western - and while I understood the reasoning behind the task, I mostly just found myself burried in Islamic bookstores. The Arabic, the Urdu, the Pashto - scribble me in ecstasy! Oh, but to know even one. Someday I will conquer you, middle-eastern scripts of beauty.

I'm not going to lie, I fully expected to go to Chicago and hate it. Mark and I were going to spend two miserable weeks listening to people spout off dogmatic nonsense about how Christians are supposed to look. Heyyy, look at that, judgement comes from all kinds of corners (like me). It wasn't. I loved it. It was hard and Mark and I miscommunicated and there were tears and the days were so long and so many new places and two entire seminary courses over the course of two weeks and Rory has four teeth now instead of just two and grew another two freaking inches... but it was wonderful.

"Till I only dwell in thee."

I am covered in henna and my hair is wild. Bracelets of wooden beads adorn my wrists and there is matte on my lips. Oh the joy. My son sleeps long hours in my arms and my own eyes are heavy. The music that plays convicts and saves my soul so many times. There are things to be done around the house, bags to unpack, new books to find homes for. Maps line the walls and scripture lines my palm.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unsustained from the world." James 1:27

Are you sure it's not to judge everyone I meet, James? Because I'm pretty sure it is... - don't worry, my sarcasm is lost on many a wandering soul. But seriously, this is a good Word. We met some truly amazing people these last two weeks, so many of whom embodied this scripture. I can't even begin to tell you about them all, but it was so wonderful to be with so many like-minded people. It is hard to find others with international hearts in this, our tiny corner of the world. And yet, the work begins here.

Oaxaca.

I will save exactly what it means for another blog post, but it is coming! And we are eager.