Recession? Really?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/fashion/09fitness.html?_r=1&hp

Awareness

What is the point of awareness campaigns? In certain cases (environmental sustainability, i.e. getting people to unplug stuff they aren't using) I can see it working. But in almost all other cases I'm wondering what the point is? Generally, the people who attend awareness events aren't the ones who would be going to perpetuate said global crisis (i.e. child sexual slavery, genocide, etc).

Can someone walk me through this? What's the purpose?? I'm sure there must be one, I just don't know what it is.

Reincarnation

I'm with a friend who's watching a film called "Waking Life." Interesting film. But the opening scene talks about reincarnation as the collective memory-the idea that you aren't born just yourself, but the collection of what has come before you. This is very interesting considering that I currently live in a country where nearly every person's actions are governed by the belief in reincarnation-women who are in prostitution don't deserve help to get out or shouldn't hope to get out because they were bad in a past life and this is the price they pay, victims of motor crashes need not be helped because this is their fate and a bi-product of something done wrong in a past life.

I don't believe in reincarnation. The Word tells us clearly that we were each knit together in our mother's womb. But I do think it's a bit megalomaniac to believe that our experiences are all our own, that nothing came before us to make us who we are or to create the environment that we currently inhabit. I'm not sure each of us believes this fully, but to some extent I believe this is an American ideal. We're used to the New Frontier, creating our "own" way. But so much is lost in this way of thinking. This is when elders become useless in society, this is when community becomes a weakness.

So perhaps not reincarnation, but I think we could all use a dose of collective memory, collective experience, to in habit a bit more of our thought process.

Sweet Rain

Today it rained. Not for long and not hard, but it rained. For the first time in 3 months. Lightening, thunder, the whole deal. Amazingly, the King actually made it rain. This involves chemicals and small planes, but it is in fact possible. I have truly never been so thankful for a rain to wash away all the grim, the impurities, the grey.

We're throwing a Japanese-themed party this week for all the women who work in the bars. I am so excited for this. We've been planning for over a month. We're going all out. This is a big blow-out event to tell the women that they are loved and appreciate and that they are our honored guests. Finally a party like Jesus told us to throw!

Organic market day tomorrow! Steamed pumpkin and fresh tofu here I come! Newest, greatest recipe: fresh, raw tofu+Frank's Red Hot Sauce (Thanks, Ryan!)=amazing snack. Really, I promise. Just give it a try.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I spent a great evening at "The Pub" with some friends enjoying 100B Guiness pints. Hope everyone put on their green and celebrated life!

Friday...

What a day. The kids made thank you cards for the folks who donated the funds to buy this Drop-In Center. This is a miraculous story all unto its own: in Midland, Texas, from what I hear a fairly segregated church town, 35 churches decided to get together for a bit of unity. They each raised $1000, though for some that was a small amount and others it was a grand act of faith. They came together to create unity in their community, in the Body, and to provide 35 children with a safe place to play and be loved.

Nevertheless, half of the cards turned into "Thank you Midland, Texas. Here's an awesome naval battle scene that I drew to show you all my gratitude." Still trying to figure out how the two are related...

Any good ideas for how to exercise when the air outside is toxic? I detest the idea of joining a gym but apparently that's a popular way to stay fitting in ones clothes.

What a place this is. What a place.

How's the rest of the world treating everyone?

Selfish Selflessness

So I've delved into this "SexGod" book, in the hopes of really liking it despite it's being so popular. And I'm going to try to push through and finish it. But here goes my initial critique. Within the first chapter, Rob Bell is telling you why this book matters. And he goes through all the ways that humanity is connected and how people must be valued and appreciate. And I think that's where it should end. But then he must do the inevitable selling point, apparently feeding off the selfishness of human nature. He says "We don't respect the divine image in others just because we want to uphold their humanity. It isn't just about them.

It's about us."

Why? Why must it be about us also? Repecting humans is an end in itself. The very value of that should not be denegrated by suggesting that it's worth it mostly because it involves YOU, because it is better for YOU.

I know the man is trying to sell something-his book, the idea, his point. But don't do that. Don't take a good idea and then feed into the narcissism of humans by making it about the ME instead of the YOU or the US.

Loving others is the end.

Joy

At my job the working definition of joy is "happy to be together." The idea here is that one of the main works of God is bringing us together, reconciliation, with one another and with God. And Evil's main goal is separation. Defining trauma as a higher pain level than joy level, one way we emphasize for helping people overcome trauma is being happy to be with them.

Isn't that so beautifully simple? Suddenly, all the moments of lounging on the floor talking about nothing seem very important.

What do you all think about these definitions?