HOME Community: Waiting

Monday, January 16, 2012

Waiting

Howdy.

To begin I’d like to make a couple notes about where I stand in life right now. I’m still not sure what I’m called to regarding community… Truth be told I’m a little bit exhausted with the thought of it all. However, I do believe God has been revealing his plan to me regarding the work he is calling me to. Enough of that. Now here are some thoughts:

I have been thinking a lot about the time that we spend waiting for things in life. Often, I feel as though God reveals an end-goal to me, but I do not see the steps between where I am and where I need to be. Many times it even seems as though I could dive right into that call if it weren’t for the commitments I already have (school, a signed lease, etc.). Why would God give me a vision if I cannot act on it right away? To teach me patience? Do I really have to sit and wait around for the right time? This has been the cause of much anxiety for me in the past few months.

Then I thought to myself, ‘Self, there is a difference between patience and inaction.” This is not necessarily a lesson in patience, because just sitting around is not patience. God would make me wait to take a step unless there was another step before it which I haven’t taken yet. God has given me a vision that I am not yet equipped to accomplish. He is still working on me in the meantime. We should never just be waiting, but instead continuing ever forward to become the man or woman who will be ready for the great cause for which God is preparing us.

So what do I do until then? Well, I can continue to try to grow in virtue, but that’s something that I’ll never be done with as long as I live. What is the next step toward this specific goal? In the words of Derek Zoolander, “I guess I have a lot of things to ponder.”

At the end of this reflection, I suppose I have not really come to any conclusion of what you or I need to be doing… deal with it. J I pray that God will reveal to myself and to you the next step in each of our journeys as we discern and that we will not grow anxious about what the end goal is or how close or far away it may be. I pray that we may focus on where we are now and how it is transforming us for the better.

Peace b w u

2 comments:

Making Service PersonalJanuary 16, 2012 at 9:45 PM
Praise God for where He has you! Thank you so much for sharing Eric.

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus - Philippians 1:6
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UnknownJanuary 18, 2012 at 8:09 AM
Eric thank you so much for sharing this with us. It's really good to hear where you're at in your discernment of community and I really appreciate your encouragement for all of us to allow the now to transform us for the better in the future. You're a good man, Eric, and you're definitely still in my prayers!!
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Who We Are

Our daily lives are structured around practicing the works of mercy as found in Jesus' teachings. We are committed to regularly feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, visiting the prisoner and the sick in the name of Jesus.

As followers of Jesus we understand our lives to be centered in God's Grace. HOME strives to be a "school" for Grace in all its dimensions, working constantly to undo poverty, racism and violence.

All of these can be summed up as the struggle to connect with the God of life. We pray that HOME be a space where all of us - the broken - can come to learn and relearn the ways of Jesus; a place to struggle together for God's call of love, mercy, peace and justice. A place we can all cal HOME.

What do we do

"What we do is not nearly as important as who we are -

and how much we give is not nearly as important

as how much love is in the giving."

- Shane Claiborne

A large portion of our community's common work is the work of 6:8:

6:8 is striving to Transform Communities by Making Service Personal through Intentional Community. We offer many opportunities, especially in Sauk Prairie, WI to serve. Here are some of our Programs:

Sauk Prairie Against Hunger - Feeding People Locally and Globally. We work with the Sauk Prairie Food Pantry and the Sauk Prairie School District Locally and Feed My Starving Children for meals to aid Globally. We are motivated by our love of Christ and His Children and His command to feed Him through the hungry.

Called & Gifted - God has gifted each of us and called us to share these gifts with those around us. 6:8 presents a one-day workshop twice a year and offers follow-up for those interested in discerning their charisms, or Spiritual Gifts. Not a personality inventory, this program, developed by the Catherine of Sienna Institute, discerns how God works in and through a person to make Himself known in the world. If we are working in our charisms, we will be effective AND not be burned out because it is the Spirit working through our gifts. 6:8 encourages volunteers to participate in this program whenever possible as it helps us make service more personal.

Community Garden - Located at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Prairie du Sac, our Community Garden grows food for those who plant, weed, and/or harvest to enjoy. We have set times for volunteers to come and we teach about planting, maintaining, and harvesting food from a Garden. Anyone who helps with the garden has the opportunity to share in the produce. Extras go to community meals/groups and the Sauk Prairie Food Pantry.

The Pines - 6:8 builds relationships with those in need of company by assisting at a weekly activity hour (Tuesdays 3:30-4:30) at The Pines Nursing Home in Prairie du Sac. Volunteers spend time with residents and help residents with active games, art projects, playing cards or games, and more.

MadCAAP High School Mission Trip - 6:8 takes 50 High Schoolers to Mississippi each summer to build a house for a family in need with MadCAAP, a local organization in Madison County Mississippi. Pre-trip Meetings, evening activities in Mississippi, and post-trip follow-up connect the students to local service opportunities in Sauk Prairie.

Feed My Sheep - 6:8 partners with Churches in the Madison Area to raise money and package 100,000 meals at the Catholic Multicultural Center each Lent (early Spring). The food is a vitamin and mineral mix, dried veggies, soy, and rice, through Kids Against Hunger. Half of the meals stay in the Madison/Sauk area and the other half go to a school in Nicaragua.

Fire on the River - 6:8 coordinates Sauk Prairie’s 4th of July celebration on the Saturday closest to the 4th. Fire on the River is a full-day family-friendly event that highlights the best of Sauk Prairie and invites participants into the creative process. Fire up your appetite with Flavors of Sauk Prairie; Fire up your imagination through the Art Corner; Fire up your pallet at the Beer and Wine Tasting; Fire up your ears at the live stage; and then enjoy the Fireworks to wrap up the night!

Silver Cord - Students at Sauk Prairie High School can register and submit their volunteer hours. Students who submit 160 or more hours throughout High School receive a Silver Cord to wear at Graduation. 6:8 gives out one $500 Scholarship each year to a Silver Cord recipient.

Men’s Discipleship Group - F.A.T. (Faithful, Available & Teachable) Men meet weekly to read Scripture, pray, talk, and hang out together as they grow in their role as Disciples and relationship with God.

Women’s Bible Study - A group of women who meet the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month (10:30-11:30am) to grow together as Sisters in Christ by praying, reading the Bible, and sharing life together.

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Waiting

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