We Can Use BIG Words

Can we chat for a moment?

There is an apathy that seems to be swirling all around me, and it makes me feel like I am choking.

It could be, perhaps, this incredibly painful election season. It might be because some churches I know are struggling, which impacts people I love. Perhaps it is struggles in my own little world, patterns I need to look at and hopefully change…who knows? But what I want to shout from a roof top is this: It is okay to have a higher standard of behavior and thought.

I love what Andrew Pudewa says:

We need to feed our kids language that is often sophisticated and consistently reliable. What they get from the world is language that is often unsophisticated and consistently unreliable.

I will now let you in on the conversations I am having with me, inside my own head, watered down and cleaned up for public consumption:

• Where can I grow my capacity? One of the things that amazes me about the Brighten A Corner journey is the projects that we do. They are SO MUCH BIGGER than they were ten years ago. Our capacity has grown enormously. It is like having kids. Once I had three, one with Special Needs, I look back on the days when I had one and wonder why I wasn’t more organized…The truth? I am not the same person I was then. The time has grown me and my ability to multi-task efficiently and predict outcomes. I can accomplish more, with less stress. WHERE ELSE IN MY LIFE CAN I GROW MY CAPACITY?
• What can I cross off my TO-DO list? This is a tricky wicket. Many voices in the world, particularly in the mom-Christian world, tell us to take things off our list. Battling the perfection of Pinterest and unrealistic expectations, we are told to step out of condemnation station and move into the real world. This is great advice except for one thing…I am lazy and I don’t want to work. My kids need clean underwear and an occasional vegetable; I would be healthier if I exercised; and my hubby would complain if we ran out of toilet paper. (I am hypothesizing on that last one…we have not actually run out.) Some things can’t get taken off the list. But many things in my life would benefit if I actually did what was necessary to cross them off my list! ACCOMPLISHMENT!
• Who is living life in a way that inspires me? Who parents well? In my view that means not perfectly, but intentionally. Who is walking out a faith, in real life, that I admire? Who is bringing more beauty into the world? Who has thoughts that stretch me? I am convinced if I can learn, even a smidge, from these people my family and I will benefit.
• What books can I read? I have recently discovered audio books, and this is a game changer. Especially these next two months as I will be taking my peanut to the speech in the Bay Area, and swimming in Santa Barbara, once a week. That is about 2400 miles a month. LOTS of books can be “read”.

I want to see and celebrate beauty.

I want to teach my kids to do the same.

And I want it to be an integral part of the Brighten A Corner Story…

Connect the Dots was a reflection of that desire and of my core belief that life is more attractive when we know what we believe and can articulate it clearly. Apologetics is simply the ability to defend what you believe.

That begins with knowing what you believe.

The Christian faith is one that can withstand intellectual scrutiny. It is as basic as the love reflected in a Children’s Bible, and as sophisticated as the smallest atom seen in an electron microscope. Without faith, there is no Brighten A Corner.

And while we have volunteers and recipients who are people of many beliefs, it is the trust and love of Jesus that keeps the leadership going.

Our capacity is growing. We have a leadership team in place that is larger than ever, and we are learning how to use each one of our skills fully. We are praying for the next project God has for us…That unique combination of story and need mixed with an openness to take what God calls us to. We are not a “list-doer” here to provide a labor force for someone’s thing  that needs to get done.

We hear a story. We see the needs. We pray about what we think God wants us to do. We gather resources. We SURPRISE the recipient with the final product.

It is unique, but it is a blast.

We would love to have a design team that gathered to collaborate and organize for projects. We would love someone to take over meals at projects. We believe everyone has something to bring to the table, and that a life of increasing capacity is wonderful. Join us? Pray for us?

Thank you so much!