A Favourite Poem of Mine

Here is an inspiring poem I would like to share with you all:

Ride a wild horse
with purple wings
striped yellow and black
except his head
which must be red

Ride a wild horse
against the sky -
hold tight to his wings
before you die

Whatever else
you leave undone
once...

Ride a wild horse,
into the sun.

Hanna Kahn

This poem inspires me. My wild horse seems so impossible. Yes it seems even more impossible then a wild horse with purple wings, striped black and yellow except for a red head.

Striped yellow and black? Is that not a caution warning? I wonder what that is for? Chasing dreams is dangerous for sure, but, isn't it better than simply existing? Just like another favourite piece of mine says!

A Man Said To The Universe
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."

Steven Crane

Doesn't that strike you as one of the world's greatest truths? We aren't entitled to anything. What we do is who we become. If you work a job to make yourself money to buy cool things who inevitably becomes the center of your universe no matter what other great intentions you had to begin with.

If your job meanwhile is a means to come by resources with which to bless others you've made a giant leap forward. Everything we do should be motivated by love including our reason for earning $$. When motivated by love humans still make the occasional wrong decision but the heart is in the right place which keeps us alive, energetic, passionate and excited.

I believe there is a further goal we should have in mind though. What if your job was the means by which you bless others? I have come to the belief that there is no better place to be then using your profession to bless the rest of humanity. Whatever that profession may be. Journalist, Doctor, Janitor, Social Worker, Missionary (many of whom have other jobs as an outreach opportunity), Artist...... What are your gifts and passions and how could you use them in a professional manner to make yourself a livable income and bless humanity all at the same time?

I am currently in a job hunt in Toronto and these thoughts have been dominating my mind. Will I be fully alive working alone in any work environment? NO, I need people to be fully alive and to outreach to. Will I be fully alive if I am working a job that promotes further injustice on the world's poorest? NO I have seen the negative impact of the World's greed and I will whither inside if I support the beast that drives us.

So where do I go? There have been some major hopefuls for me. The YMCA, what a perfect opportunity to serve my community, make an income AND capitalize on many of my skills and passions all in the same workplace. Youth Hostels, how cool would it be to work in a place that houses so many Youth on their own journey discovering what they can about the world? I would be meeting many new international friends, making my chunk for living and I would have the opportunity to outreach to these people and the rest of Downtown Toronto. Black Market Clothing, BMC is a really kool second hand clothing operation you can find on Queen St in downtown TO. Their style may be a little edgier than I am, but, who is to say I couldn't use a little more humorous edge? I would be working with people who already don't trust the system as it is and are looking for the opportunity to change the ways things are. What a cool opportunity.

Anyway the world isn't perfect though. Maybe I will need to grab another less awesome job for a season in order to land one of these other full potential jobs. I'll make it though, Toronto is where my passion lies, I can't wait to get there and meet some more amazing people.

Dream big or go home guys. Ride that wild horse, it is stressful and dangerous but far far more rewarding!

Free to Dream

So it has taken a little while. I think I am starting to figure out a little portion about what God was teaching me in my last season. While working on MA for summer 08 I don't think I dreamed enough. I let my dreaming die and I died myself (spiritually and emotionally). I am a dreamer and there can't be a doubt about that from anyone who knows me well. There are benefits and disadvantages to being a dreamer.

Advantages usually include optimism, fresh ideas, free thinking and a strength in (or at least a strong appreciation of) some of or all the arts. Disadvantages are that dreamers often have too many projects on the go, they are not as good at thinking critically and dreamers cease to function properly when they forget to dream, have all their dreams crushed or when they forget them.

In the last eight months I lost my identity as a dreamer. Through a variety of actions and circumstances some controllable some not I stopped dreaming and forgot my end goal. There is no greater tragedy than when people stray from being the person God made them to be.

So now what? I have left the places and circumstances that killed me spiritually. It all had less to do with the type of place and people were there and more to do with the fact I was trying to build a program on my own. I've learned I need people or a team to work with. I needed the fresh page, new start, new faces and leaders.


I don't know exactly where that fresh start is (in Toronto), who my new team is going to be or the leaders I'll have over me in the next phase, but, in step by step transition as God has me in now not knowing is normal and perfectly OK.

The good news is I am dreaming again. They spurt out quicker and quicker as I come alive in these new places I might find myself working soon. I am SO EXCITED to move downtown and start living like God has told me. Yesterday I was downtown checking out a church who's apartment I may move into and get involved with. The people there are SO inspiring and it is right in the middle of so many opportunities to turn dreams I've had into reality.

Oh and how kool is this- while I was downtown talking with a girl I was working with we realized we are cousins way off down the line. My cousins in Walkerton are her cousins, were prolly not blood cousins but it is still very funny and cool. Small world, something tells me that no matter how big this world gets God will find ways to keep the world small enough for amazing stories like this...

Dream on, dream BIG, then go be what you dream of happening. I can't wait to get started!!

Irresistible Revolution Chapter Two

Wow what a great story.

Chapter two is one of those ones you need to read yourself. I can't retell it, that would suck, go read the book. Seriously.

Chapter Two basically is Shane telling a story about when some homeless families in Philly needed a place to stay so they crashed an abandoned Catholic Church. The archdiocese and other people "in charge" tried many times and different ways to kick them out, but, Shane and many people from the Bible College he was attending at the time would go there and risk arrest along side these people to defend their right to shelter when the city wasn't providing any.

There are miracles, possible angels, people sacrificing their time for others, people giving generously. Even the Mafia got involved buying bikes for the children, turkeys for each family and donating thousands to their cause.

If God ca use the Mafia he can use anyone can't he. Isn't that great. Even you can be used by God if you let him. Anytime compassion, love, justice are driving your decisions and actions you are reflecting God in some small way. Keep doing it. Dwell on the good things, the Godly things and you'll reflect them all the more.