Today was a beautiful day.
After what feels like weeks, months, years of constant rain here in central Arkansas, it was nice to see an endless stretch of clear blue sky. I drove along the main road of downtown and admired the red maples planted in steady intervals along the street. I spent some time browsing the shelves of a used bookstore, although I came away empty-handed. I felt too restless to seriously consider any of the offerings found there.
I love this adventure I am on. I love the people I am meeting. I love my job. I love the fact that yesterday we got official permission from the Little Rock School District to hold Good News Clubs in the schools. I love my church. I love the beauty of central Arkansas. But I do not love everything here. Some things about this new life are hard, and make me feel restless. Mostly the fact that I am surrounded by strange and unfamiliar people and places. Mostly the fact that I can't go over to my best friend's house and talk the night away with her, or drop by my mom's house, eat a little dinner, and complain about the little I have to complain about in life.
I am a fairly independent person. In fact, I have always wanted to move to a completely new city where no one knows me and build a life. Well, I guess my dream came true. Only, I would like someone to go to the movies with now. But perhaps that is the price I pay for this experience. This for that. A little loneliness for a year of new experiences in a new city. At any rate, it has definitely been a stretching experience.
There are things to love and hate here, as in any place or season of life. I am learning, fitfully, sometimes faithlessly, to be content. I know God has guided me here, and it's not a perfect place where all my dreams are coming true, but another place where He is teaching and refining me. There is nothing mystical about it, only getting up day-by-day to live by faith and learn (or maybe I should say re-learn) that He is enough.
I gotta preach to myself sometimes, you know?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Lazarus the Chicken Man
I was standing in the hallway of one of CEF's partner churches waiting for a meeting to start when I spotted him - Lazarus the Chicken Man. All around me on the walls were lovely murals of Jesus' life and ministry. I wasn't really interested in them, although the colors did strike me as vivid and the art work as something particularly adept, not your normal church fare at all.
Directly in front of me was a mural depicting Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. I studied Jesus, moved onto Mary, but was arrested by the get-up newly-alive Lazarus sported. Was it just me, or did Lazarus look like he was wearing a giant chicken suit?
Directly in front of me was a mural depicting Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. I studied Jesus, moved onto Mary, but was arrested by the get-up newly-alive Lazarus sported. Was it just me, or did Lazarus look like he was wearing a giant chicken suit?
What do you think? As you study this work, observe how fightened that sheep looks. Mary too.
It's almost as if Lazarus dressed up for some out-of-control frat party, but died before he could get to it. Just imagine: Jesus commands the men to unbind him, when all of a sudden Lazarus steps forth in all of his chicken glory and shouts "par-tay!" Then they all go down to his house and have some good wine. Yeah, this is the Gospel as it should be - lots of rejoicing, and redeemed frat boys, and good wine. Let me tell you, it made my day.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Update from Little Rock
I've been working with CEF of Central Arkansas for two months now, and I know it sounds so cliche, but it's hard to believe. Honestly, it feels like I've been here for a much longer period of time, and yet I feel like I'm just now getting the hang of things. Really, just ten more months? I don't think I'll be done with Little Rock by then. Possibly it will be done with me, though. I don't know what that means exactly, but it sounds cryptic, doesn't it?
I love this job. At times I feel guilty for drawing a salary for doing this thing I love so much. I hope no one finds out! There have been frustrations, yes, and lots of them. One them is connecting with contacts from each church in order to get their Good News Club started. Today, after many ignored phone messages, one of the churches finally got back to me and told me the bad news: they decided they didn't want to hold a club after all. This is totally fine with me.
I know I'm supposed to feel indignant that they are revoking the commitment they made to CEF in the spring. Possibly I should fall to the floor screaming "NOOOOOOO!", but honestly what makes me the most peeved is that they don't just tell me. They knew, probably right after Little Rock '09, that they had no intention of holding a Good News Club this fall. Why drag out the inevitable? I have so many other churches who actually want to hold a club that it frustrates me to expend so much effort in trying to contact a church that isn't really into CEF when I could be pouring that time and effort into a church that really is into CEF.
Like one of the children's pastors here who heads up our first ever After-school Good News Club. He and his team have been working for over a year to start this club, and when I go to visit I just smile. First of all, the kids love him and his team. Secondly, he is super organized - he color-codes AND alphabetizes. I'm so in love! And today a member of the team called me to tell me that he had talked with a principal from Bald Knob (I have no idea where that is) this weekend who wants a Good News Club in her school. They're doing my work for me! I'm not offended by churches with no heart for this ministry, certainly God doesn't call everyone to it, and that's okay, but they could at least stop wasting my time. Augh!
Tomorrow is, Lord willing, going to be another full day as I meet with three different churches to discuss clubs. I love these meetings because I'm able to sit down and hear other people's stories, and they are always so interesting, both the people and the stories. One of the meetings is with one of my favorite ministers from a local Methodist church. I talked with him today, and after I had identified myself ("hello, this is Jeanne Hulme with CEF...") he exclaimed "hello my friend!", like we were best pals, even though I have only met him once, and only talked with him a few times since then. Gotta love these Southerners...
Yes, it's been a good few months all in all, and from all appearances it will only get better. God is so faithful and kind, that I have experienced, well, all of my life really, but certainly during these last few months especially. What His Word says is true: there is no want when you follow Him.
Goodnight, y'all.
I love this job. At times I feel guilty for drawing a salary for doing this thing I love so much. I hope no one finds out! There have been frustrations, yes, and lots of them. One them is connecting with contacts from each church in order to get their Good News Club started. Today, after many ignored phone messages, one of the churches finally got back to me and told me the bad news: they decided they didn't want to hold a club after all. This is totally fine with me.
I know I'm supposed to feel indignant that they are revoking the commitment they made to CEF in the spring. Possibly I should fall to the floor screaming "NOOOOOOO!", but honestly what makes me the most peeved is that they don't just tell me. They knew, probably right after Little Rock '09, that they had no intention of holding a Good News Club this fall. Why drag out the inevitable? I have so many other churches who actually want to hold a club that it frustrates me to expend so much effort in trying to contact a church that isn't really into CEF when I could be pouring that time and effort into a church that really is into CEF.
Like one of the children's pastors here who heads up our first ever After-school Good News Club. He and his team have been working for over a year to start this club, and when I go to visit I just smile. First of all, the kids love him and his team. Secondly, he is super organized - he color-codes AND alphabetizes. I'm so in love! And today a member of the team called me to tell me that he had talked with a principal from Bald Knob (I have no idea where that is) this weekend who wants a Good News Club in her school. They're doing my work for me! I'm not offended by churches with no heart for this ministry, certainly God doesn't call everyone to it, and that's okay, but they could at least stop wasting my time. Augh!
Tomorrow is, Lord willing, going to be another full day as I meet with three different churches to discuss clubs. I love these meetings because I'm able to sit down and hear other people's stories, and they are always so interesting, both the people and the stories. One of the meetings is with one of my favorite ministers from a local Methodist church. I talked with him today, and after I had identified myself ("hello, this is Jeanne Hulme with CEF...") he exclaimed "hello my friend!", like we were best pals, even though I have only met him once, and only talked with him a few times since then. Gotta love these Southerners...
Yes, it's been a good few months all in all, and from all appearances it will only get better. God is so faithful and kind, that I have experienced, well, all of my life really, but certainly during these last few months especially. What His Word says is true: there is no want when you follow Him.
Goodnight, y'all.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Good News Club
This afternoon the first official After-school Good News Club was held in the Greater Little Rock area!
Actually, the club was held in a school district outside of Little Rock in the small community of Vilonia. We had fifteen children in attendance, and the club went off without a hitch. It was the very first After-school Good News Club I had ever attended, taught, and supervised. It was a little backwards, but it worked. God sometimes surprises me with crazy things like that.
I continue to experience moments of culture shock here in Arkansas, and today was no exception. When CEF first starts an After-school Good News Club in a new school you expect people to be a bit leary or suspicious of the program, as if we where there to brainwash the children with our dirty Jesus-talk. I "expected" that this would be the case in Vilonia as well. Not so. From the moment we walked in the school personnal were laughing and joking around with the team, which consisted of the children's pastor and three other members of the congregation.
As we walked into the library to set up our sign-in station, the librarians greeted us warmly with their soft southern drawls, and a few minutes later one of them whipped out a photo album. The three older members of our team flocked over to her ooo-ing and aw-ing over pictures of her grandchildren. Pastor Dan must have read my mind as I stood there watching this scene unfold. "Yeah, this is a real closed-knit community...", he said by way of explanation. I flashed him a smile, not minding one bit. There are times when I am thankful for smooth sailing and receptive hearts!
I can't help but fall in love with the people of Arkansas. I am really such a snob sometimes, but if I had to stick around here for awhile, I don't think it would be the worse thing. In fact, it just might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. Confession time? Little Rock is starting to feel like home, and the people here are leaving their mark on my heart.
Actually, the club was held in a school district outside of Little Rock in the small community of Vilonia. We had fifteen children in attendance, and the club went off without a hitch. It was the very first After-school Good News Club I had ever attended, taught, and supervised. It was a little backwards, but it worked. God sometimes surprises me with crazy things like that.
I continue to experience moments of culture shock here in Arkansas, and today was no exception. When CEF first starts an After-school Good News Club in a new school you expect people to be a bit leary or suspicious of the program, as if we where there to brainwash the children with our dirty Jesus-talk. I "expected" that this would be the case in Vilonia as well. Not so. From the moment we walked in the school personnal were laughing and joking around with the team, which consisted of the children's pastor and three other members of the congregation.
As we walked into the library to set up our sign-in station, the librarians greeted us warmly with their soft southern drawls, and a few minutes later one of them whipped out a photo album. The three older members of our team flocked over to her ooo-ing and aw-ing over pictures of her grandchildren. Pastor Dan must have read my mind as I stood there watching this scene unfold. "Yeah, this is a real closed-knit community...", he said by way of explanation. I flashed him a smile, not minding one bit. There are times when I am thankful for smooth sailing and receptive hearts!
I can't help but fall in love with the people of Arkansas. I am really such a snob sometimes, but if I had to stick around here for awhile, I don't think it would be the worse thing. In fact, it just might be the best thing that's ever happened to me. Confession time? Little Rock is starting to feel like home, and the people here are leaving their mark on my heart.
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