Reminders...

I remembered last Wednesday night why I love my life so much at times...

Hearing the honest and passionate words of my homeless friends brings laughter to my soul and tears from the love I have for them...

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only 'forgotten' son..."

"I took myself to the hospital because I couldn't breathe and they incubated (meaning intubated) me!"

"Dear God, I pray that you all in this circle survive forever."

They say these prayers/ words with such sincerity, confidence, and love and I am reminded to give thanks that this has become part of my life... and an even bigger part of my prayers.

Some nights are really heavy and others are light and our laughter brings freedom and while both are good feelings in one sense or another, the nights of laughter provoking freedom and equality are spiritual cleansing for me.

Laughter, true and genuine laughter, shows no differences. When you get to laugh with people it doesn't matter if you are homeless, dirty, and belligerent sitting on railroad tracks or if you rich, oppressive, and clinging to your life. Laughter knocks down all predisposed identities and puts everyone on the same level.

Laughter put me sitting on railroad tracks in the dark... homeless, dirty, and belligerent ... loving life, God, and my brothers... and experiencing fullness like I never have before. There was not another thought in my mind except for being perfectly content and perfectly purposeful.

A stunningly holy moment...

From my dear friend Kelly...

Last Monday I had a "Monday" and I was blessed to have spent that night with my beautiful Jezreel friends and Kelly put into perfect words how the night went...

Mondays
August 12, 2008, 9:02 am
As long as there exist depressing Mondays, here’s to hoping there always also exists spontaneous after-parties (in pursuit of sanity and laughter) with cheap wine, baked-zucchini with Parmesan, debates on absolute truth, Jane Austen action figures, and interviews with wives on behalf of the women terrified of marriage (facetiously considering polygamy…)

Cheap wine, laughter, truth, and awesome friends ARE all you need to turn a Monday right around...