Erring on the Side of Mercy

In downtown Pittsburgh today, specifically on Smithfield Street, I encountered three things: several people proselytizing; a homeless man named Michael standing about 30 feet away from them, asking for change; and pro-"life" protesters in front of Planned Parenthood at the intersection of Liberty Ave and Smithfield Street. Both groups ignored Michael; in fact, as I was walking by the protesters to catch my bus, one of them said to me, "I see you're not wearing a wedding ring," and then called me a slut. No wonder women are  scared of walking into Planned Parenthood. What was that Jesus said about judging again? Oh, that's right...He told us not to.

But back to Michael. He's staying in a shelter here on the North Side. He has no place to call home. He does have food stamps and medical assistance. He has paid into the system, and yet the government is dragging its feet in giving him the aid he deserves. He tries to look for work, but gets turned away, because 1) he has health issues (This sounds familiar) and 2) he's "too old." The proselytizers a few yards away, after I approach them about him, say "What homeless guy? Oh, he should get a job. He's not trying hard enough." What was that Jesus said about judging again? Again...He told us not to. In fact, read Matthew 25:31-46...tells you exactly what you should do when you see guys like Michael.

And yet I hear evangelicals asking "What would Jesus do?" Little do they know, apparently, that question gets them into trouble. Jesus didn't call people names - with the exception of the Pharisees, whom He called hypocrites on at least one occasion. He did say "No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6), but He spent far more time helping people, changing their lives. He led by example, something so many people who claim to follow Him are not doing today. I can see that. I'm not making assumptions. It's an open book. You can tell me that's not true, but how many of you would just walk right on by? You think you know, but you don't. You think you know why a woman's walking into Planned Parenthood (or even by it), but you don't. They don't just do abortions *gasp*. And...not all Planned Parenthood clinics are even abortion providers (Wow, that last one's a shocker). It's none of your business, anyway.

You think the reason why someone is homeless/on assistance/etc. is that they're not trying hard enough. Again, you don't know. Jesus didn't know either. You say one should always err on the side of caution, but you know what? Jesus didn't. He erred on the side of mercy. Many say they follow Him. It's way past time for them to follow through.

Rise

So - I saw The Dark Knight Rises on Friday. Twice. I loved it that much. But I held off on my thoughts about it for a few days, because of what happened in Colorado early Friday morning. I also held off, because I wasn't sure of the right thing to say about everything. Some reactions in the media have been honorable. Others have been downright ghastly. People have blamed the film for this. People have spent more time talking about the shooter (I refuse to type his name here). It's not about the shooter. It's not about the movie. This could have happened at any big movie coming out; he just wanted a lot of people in one place at one time. It's about the victims. About Alex Sullivan who was turning 27 and tweeted that it was going to be the best birthday ever. It's about Jessica Redfield who had witnessed a shooting at a Toronto mall last month. It's about Matt McQuinn, who dove in front of his girlfriend and her brother. It's about the two active duty servicemen. And the survivors - like the guy who went to another theatre the next day to finish the movie "for those who could not finish it." I recommend this movie - when one is ready. It was fantastic, and we should not live in fear and let one man destroy something that was meant for entertainment. The guy who went back the next day conquered his fear right away, it seemed, but I must stress here that everyone deals with things in their own time. Some will never see this. Some will wait awhile. Just let everyone be. I say this also with that Twitter campaign in mind where people want to see the cast of Batman visit the injured in the hospital. Really, guys? REALLY?? Use some common sense, all right? Because this is not a good idea. If they want to go to the theatre after they heal, or wait til it comes out on blu-ray/DVD, or...just never see it, that's up to them. Don't force it on them. And definitely don't say that the actors should go visit them in character. No. Just...no. My prayers are with all of them. With Ashley, who lost her 6-year old daughter Veronica - and yet did not lose her unborn child, even though she took shots to the stomach and throat. With all of them, and with those who did not make it as well. 

By the way, due to not having internet from Tuesday until this past Saturday (and also not being a cable subscriber or getting my news from TV), I was completely unaware of what had happened in Colorado. My mom made some comment about it, that maybe we shouldn't go because we might get shot, and I had no idea what she was talking about. I was on Facebook later in the day on my phone, and there were random comments made - still no real idea that anything had happened. The theatre on Friday morning was mostly empty, but I chalked this up to it being a morning showing. Morning showings are never that crowded, and the ushers weren't going through the theatre any more than usual. Same goes for the showing Friday night in Lake Placid. There were more people, because it was a night showing. But again, nothing out of the ordinary in terms of security or anything like that. I didn't really start getting information until Saturday morning. I was not scared then, and I would not be scared even now that I know. We owe it to them to not be afraid. Because if we are, then the man responsible - yes, the man responsible - will have won. He is responsible for this. Not the movie, not the people who made the movie. He is. 

I'm not going to post a full review, but I will just tell you what I loved the most:

• Michael Caine. Amazing performance as Alfred.
• The final twenty minutes or so, which I found on YouTube today, and have watched several times since finding it. 
• The plot twists. And that's all I have to say about that.
• Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman - not nearly as bad as people thought she would be.
• How everything with the three films together was tied up in a nice little package by the end. I can't wait for the blu-ray, because when I get it, I'm going to watch all three films back-to-back. I watched the first two Thursday night, but (obviously) didn't see the third one until the next morning.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He's good in pretty much anything.
• Obviously, the scene at Heinz Field. I recognized Brett Keisel, Hines Ward, and Ben Roethlisberger straight away. And no way is Hines that fast. 

There were some flaws, some plot holes, but really...I didn't care. I kind of figured that Bane wouldn't hold a candle to the Joker, for one, although he was okay. Heath Ledger left some huge shoes to fill in terms of the role of the villain. I loved this movie. RISE.

Steel City...Soon to be Home

I finally heard from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh last week. I'm on the waiting list for two complexes in the city. I'll take either one, because I want this so bad I can taste it. This is what will happen - especially if the apartment comes up when there's no snow on the ground. I'm going to walk virtually everywhere and take pictures. I was down there a couple of years ago, but my mom and I only spent a few hours. There was so much we didn't do. And I'm going to do it all. I'm going to Primantis for a sandwich. I'm going to Eat n Park again, to get a chocolate milkshake so thick you almost have to eat it with a spoon. Throw some grilled stickies a la mode on my plate also. I'm going to go to PNC Park and see the Roberto Clemente statue and the Willie Stargell gate. I'll go see Consol Energy Center and see the Mario Lemieux statue. I'll go up the inclines and go to the Point. Go to the zoo, go to the aquarium, if there is one. I've never been to an aquarium. All in the first week. If I get into the building I hope to get into - although I will take the other one - on Pressley Street, I'll be able to walk to Giant Eagle, a three-minute walk, and Allegheny Center Alliance Church, an eight-minute walk. I want to walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge and take the Gateway Clipper.

I will be able to fulfill my ministry calling in Pittsburgh as well. The Allegheny Center Alliance Church has an urban ministry outreach that I will be able to get involved in. I'll be looking for an office job that I can do. For now, I have SSI, and will have that when I get to Pittsburgh, but I want to get off it. I need a job that I can do, a clerical job. I'm just really excited now that I have a plan. I have an image in my head, I can see it. And the food, I can taste it. And I can't wait. <3

It's Graduation, not a Campaign Stop

This morning, I and the rest of Liberty Class of 2012 got news that made our heads explode. Mitt Romney has been selected as the keynote speaker for our Commencement ceremony in three weeks. Everyone else's problem is that he is Mormon. It is not this that I have a problem with, although you'd think a Christian university would have selected someone in line with their beliefs. This country is not a Christian nation. You want a theocracy, go over to the Middle East or something. The First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion. Presumably, that extends to the office of the President. Nowhere does it say the President must be a Christian. Anyway. I have my own issues with Romney, most chiefly that he is so out of touch with the citizens of this country that it's not even funny. He says he doesn't care about poor people, that we have a safety net. Yet at the same time, he wants to eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is a huge part of that safety net. He does not, and will not, have my vote come November. But again, this is not the problem I have with him that is related to Commencement.

You see, graduation is about the school. It's about the students. The keynote speaker delivers an encouraging, empowering message. If this weren't an election year, I wouldn't care. But I can see him using this as a campaign opportunity, seeking our votes. It's neither the time nor the place, and I hope he knows better. Given what's come out of his mouth so far, though, I'm not so sure. I'm still going, though. There are a lot of people who are cancelling their plans, though, which I will admit, I think is a little strange. I didn't get to walk for my undergrad. It was a long walk that I was not able to do, but I could do now. So I'm going through it, because I want to walk, and have the whole experience. To do otherwise would be sour grapes, and I've really been looking forward to this. Still am.

Spoon Theory II: Don't Try to Solve a Situation About Which You Know Nothing

There's someone I know who...I know they mean well, but they're doing more harm than good, really. It's no one reading this, by the way. I had surgery four weeks ago, yes, but this goes back to before that even. An example is something that happened last Friday, but has happened before. I needed to go to the bank, Rite Aid, and Blue Moon. In that order. This person insisted upon driving me to all of these places. Oh - and the post office afterward, to get a card mailed. The only exercise I get besides my bands and weights is walking. I'm not allowed to take stairs right now as extensively as I normally do (I live five flights up, just for the record). "That's too much walking," I get told. No it's not. I'm tired of being treated like an invalid. I am capable of walking around town, it's not that hard. Yes, I get rides to church, and to Life Group and Game night. But that's because there are sidewalks missing along the route to church, and I really hate that three-way intersection by NBT Bank. And Life Group and Game Night are in the evenings. It's dark when we get out. But during the day, around town, come on. I get told, "But if you move away, there won't be anyone to give you rides!" Well, I didn't need them in Buffalo a couple of summers ago. It's a mile and a half between Paramount Parkway and Raintree Island, some of that along a busy highway. But I managed. Heck, I walked the 15 blocks between the corner of Bailey and Kensington and UB South Campus one day. By the way, Bethany, Leslie, Rachel...whoever else is down there in the city - I won't ask for a ride unless we want to do something or whatever. Then it would make sense. 

As you guys know, my parents aren't going to my graduation. There are several reasons for this. One is that my brother's fiancee is graduating from Buff State on the exact same day, so my brother will not be home to take care of the dogs. In addition, my cat is on canned food now, in the morning, so someone will need to fill her dish. My parents were also hesitant about going, which my friend Amy has not been. My mom actually had the audacity to suggest that this could be done all in one day. We go down Friday, and leave right after the ceremony on Saturday to come back. However, I absolutely must be there Friday morning for Commencement check-in. If I'm not there for that, I cannot walk on Saturday, which would defeat the whole purpose of going in the first place. This woman who's been insisting upon giving me rides has gotten really chummy with my mother. Um. Yeah. She keeps telling me, "Well, they MUST take you to your graduation! I'll watch your cat!" It's so much more than my cat...come on. I want to be able to enjoy my graduation, not go just to say I went. I went and just picked up my diploma at IC, bypassing the ceremony, but that was because I was unable to march, and also...I was right there. Not twelve hours down the road. 

I just wish people would get to know my situation before they judge what I can and cannot handle. This goes for a lot of people, in regards to a lot of different scenarios that I will not go through here. Only I can figure out if I have enough spoons. I get help getting to church, to Life Group, to Game Night...I had help getting around Buffalo last summer for Ben and Chelsea's wedding, but that was really because we were all going to the same place and doing the same things (hotel, church, reception, and back to the hotel). It just made sense. But this right now...no. It's nice to be offered, but I also get made to feel bad if I say no thanks. As for my parents going to my graduation...to people who really don't know, please don't act like you do. It's not okay.

This is me. This is what I need **snark within**

OK, people, I've been hearing the following A LOT. Which tells me that a lot of people don't get it, which...of course they don't. They're not living my life. But here goes. I NEED TO LIVE IN A CITY. I NEED MASS TRANSIT. People think Saranac Lake is great. OK. It's great for you. It is, however, not, as someone put it, "self-sufficient." Especially for me. I cannot hold down a job here (much less one that is self-sustaining). I cannot drive. People who say, "But there are buses here" obviously have no idea how mass transit works. In places like Buffalo and Pittsburgh, if you want to catch the bus, you stand next to a sign that has the number of the bus you need to take to get to point B from where you are. This is called a bus stop. You don't have to call the bus to come get you. Secondly: hospitals. If something goes wrong with my shunt, it's not a neurologist I need. We're way past that point. I need a neurosurgeon. And yes, there is a difference. Saranac Lake cannot get me any of this. I appreciate people giving me rides to and from church and other places. Seriously. A city would give me complete independence, though. People tell me, "But you're supposed to be humble and depend on people!" No...Jesus taught us to depend on each other. It's a two-way street. Where I am now, people cannot depend on me. I cannot give back. I love how people are like, "Just go out and get a job." You have no idea...I don't see my disability, but every job interview I have been to, the interviewer has seen it. They don't ignore it. They don't say "Oh hey, no problem" either. They think, "Oh, she can't get to work," or "She's not smart enough." By moving into a city, I can make that first excuse go away. Small towns are great - for other people. But please, just because they're great for you doesn't mean they're great for everyone. That goes for everything, really.

Evangelism is...

So everyone in my building received a pill bottle in their mailbox today. This bottle contained, essentially, a tract. Not a Chick tract, but something created by a Lutheran church in Barre, VT; the idea being that Jesus is the Great Physician. The office downstairs was not happy about this, and even as a Christ-follower, I tend to agree. There's also the question of legality, due to where I live being public housing, but anyway. I'm not disputing that Christ heals, but coming to Christ is a very personal experience. The person who got through to me got to know me before he even tried to witness to me. I know that the Great Commission says that we are to bring Christ to all the people and all the world, but there are a lot of people who believe that that is our only mandate. It's not. Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25:31-46 are also our mandates and are actually the whole reason why I enrolled in seminary. Your actions mean as much as, if not more so than, your words. Preaching on street corners and through mass mailings does not alone make you a Christian. Shoving the Gospel down people's throats will not win them over. Trust me. I've been there. I got criticized in a class for wanting to help people whether or not they accepted Christ. The terms "Social Gospel" and "theologically liberal" were tossed around. I was even told how helping someone if they reject Christ is unbiblical. Let me tell you something. Jesus did not always win people over with words; and when He did, it was not like what we do today. The Samaritan woman? She was rejected by the Jews, all of them, except for Jesus. He asked her for a cup of water. Let me give you examples of what people do today: 

• The group in Buffalo that used to picket outside the Capen library on UB North and tell non-Christians that they're going to hell and tell Christians that they're going to hell if they don't go to that group's church or read the King James Version.
• People with disabilities get told that their disabilities are punishment for not accepting Christ.
• The Westboro Baptist Church picketing military funerals and preaching messages of hate, which I will not repeat here, because said messages are incredibly vile.
• Groups ambush people on the streets, and now, in the mail, with tracts, and other means of evangelism. While not absolutely horrible, it is impersonal and ineffective, due largely to the image of Christians that people have, thanks to the WBC, and other fundamentalist groups.

Jesus never did any of this. He never condemned people the way we condemn them now. He didn't tell people they were going to hell. He never told women who didn't have children that they weren't going to get into heaven, either. The Samaritan woman? He merely told her He knew of her indiscretions. He did not condemn her. The tract thing is ineffective, because it is impersonal. People get a tract from a stranger, they will throw it away. "You're trying to change me...you don't even know me." They interpret it as judgment, because of what they have seen. Who can blame them? 

I tell people my story if they ask. I carry a Bible in my purse, really for me. If people see me reading and they ask, then I tell them. If people ask about my necklace or my Godstrong wristband, I tell them. Jesus lived to serve people. So do I. Servanthood is my witness. God's grace must be shown, not told.