Good White Person

This morning I rode my bike to the farmers market. As I rode down my street, I said hello to and sort of ended up riding with another kid on a bike. He told me I didn't need a helmet, and asked why I was wearing one.

I figured I would never talk to this kid again, so I told him a friend of mine was hit by a car on her bike and killed. This did happen, but she wasn't someone I knew personally.

I also told him about the deal with my mom (she pierces her nose, I wear my helmet). He asked me how old my mom was, and said that he thought that was pretty cool.

He told me his name is Rashad and asked me if I go to school, and guessed Russell Sage. I had to explain about Goddard and how I don't live in Vermont. "Oh, but you're from there?" No, I'm from this area. I grew up in Saratoga.

"That explains the accent."

Accent?!?

"Yea, sort of country..."

Rashad goes to Hudson Valley. He grew up in Rochester. He is a year older than me, and is impressed that I'm where I'm at in my studies.

At one point he asked me if I had a boyfriend / why I didn't have a boyfriend. I started to explain that I'm looking for someone who loves Jesus and this isn't easy to find. At this point, his demeanor changed a little bit. A little more serious, a little less flirty. He asked me if I had ever looked into Jehovah's Witnesses.

I explained that I'm really opposed to this, because it is a "works" religion - being that you have to be on your toes at all times making sure you're doing everything right so that God will like you. I really believe that it should stem from faith, a love of God, a love of Jesus causes you to want to do things in a certain way. Like, I love my mom so I wear my helmet, because I wouldn't want to be dishonest to her. I don't wear the helmet because I think that not doing so will hurt my relationship with my mom, even if I believe that to be true, it isn't my motivation.

OK, Jehovah's Witness bashing and explanation over.

Rashad told me that he really wanted to be all religious (for the record, I never in my life set out to be 'all religious'), and that he questioned a lot of different religions. He asked me some questions, of which I explained my beliefs or explained why I thought the answers were irrelevant. Then he asked me two questions I found really interesting.

He asked me what I thought about a white, pointy nosed, blond haired, blue-eyed Jesus.

Jesus is from the Middle East, he wasn't from Western Europe. It is a pretty ridiculous notion that he was a white guy.

He asked me if I believed in Adam and Eve, and what I thought about them being white.

If we all came from Africa, and I believe that Adam and Eve started it all, then it follows that they were African.

"African? You believe that?"

Yea, I mean, it makes sense.

"You're a good white person."

I questioned him and he elaborated "There are bad white people and good white people, and there are bad black people and good black people."

This made me think of something John Green said today, about how we like crime shows because they make good and evil very simple and clear cut, when in reality it isn't so simple.

This conversation also is significant because I had spent the last packet discussing race relations.

Synchronicities abound.

100 (Serving is hard)

I realize that it isn't the privileged I despise so much as the complainers. Today I (along with 3 others from my church, a 'meal team') prepared a meal for 50 people at a local homeless shelter. We do this about 4 times a year.

You really can't please everyone. We do our best to mix it up, we know a lot of people make the shelter guests baked ziti, so we stray away from that. The guidelines are that we keep it a balanced meal - a protein, a starch, a vegetable.

The meal we prepared tonight was one of my conception: black bean soup, crusty bread, tossed salad (with avocado!) and caramel brownies. I did the shopping, which wouldn't have been a big deal had it not been a trying week, and if I didn't have two serving commitments fall on the same evening. I felt I should probably do the shopping because, as my friend Gerri Sherry puts it, I'm a purist. (The brownies were boxed, only add water nonetheless, and the caramel was pre-made cubed. Does it make me more or less a purist that I did that, and that I'm bringing it up now?) I thought home made bread would be cheaper and more delicious. And, if you've checked out this dutch oven long-rise bread thing, you'll know that very little elbow grease is required.

But I never considered how awesome it would be to prepare a quantity of long rise bread for 50. Hmmph.

Oh right, complainers.

So I get there and there is a guest sitting down watching TV, and she asks me what we're having for dinner. "Oh. Vegetarian." She grumbles, clearly disappointed. I correct her and explain that it technically is not, as I'm using chicken stock, but she has stopped listening and probably doesn't care. Apparently, she is from the school of gourmands who consider any meal without a meat course Not A Meal (a snack?).

So the four of us use the entire two hours allotted to prepare this meal (and then some), and when we serve it and sit down to eat, the woman from earlier reappears. She is angry at the lack of colored beverage in the dispenser. There is plenty of water, but the flavored 'drink' is really low, because the staff is about to change flavors, so they are watching carefully for it to run out.

She walks in, yells "THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT AND NO KOOL AID!" and slams the door on her way out to the patio. The four of us do our best to suppress our reactions. There is a full pot of Panera quality (or better!) black bean soup two feet tall and wider than the circle I can make with my arms, a huge mound of fresh baked crusty bread slices, and a very large bowl of salad, tossed greens, spinach, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes and avocado.

Nothing to eat.

The guests sitting with us think she's ridiculous, and let us know. "She's never satisfied," they say. 'Oh yea, what does she like?' I ask.

"I don't know and frankly, I don't care!" exclaims an old man I have trouble hearing (or maybe just understanding). We share a slight chuckle and the other guests go on to say that this woman would only be satisfied with steak or lobster. One suggests she hitchhike to Maine. "This isn't a hotel. This is a shelter. You're lucky you've got food," one notes. It is good to hear that most of the guests are level-headed and appreciative. They praise the meal, telling me how it was delicious and filling. One guest even talked to us for a while, sharing with us how our presence was a real Godsend for him, as he discussed spiritual things with some of us. He detailed his appreciation, for our company, for the meal, for the fellowship.

Serving is hard, but sometimes, there are moments that make it all worth while.

Young Life

I'm planning my camp schedule for a private school I used to teach Spanish at. They've asked me to lead their April break camp, which I really appreciate, because at this point, trying to pay my bills and save for my road trip, I can't afford to take another non-paid (forced) vacation.

When I asked what sort of structure or schedule I should have for the day, the director mentioned 1 cooking and two arts/crafts activities a day. She gave me a rundown of a typical schedule from the time they arrive (7:30) until the time everyone goes home (5:45), and in it were two different sections of recess. Feeling that some of this time should probably be more structured, I started trying to remember all of the mixers and skits we used to do in Young Life, both when I attended as a high school student, and when I served as a leader. I found this website, along with a document filled with great things. Reading through, I really started to miss it. Just the little things, and then on to the bigger picture.

I should go back and be a leader again. Someday. Not necessarily someday soon.

A Gift

Sometimes people give me things they think I will like. Sometimes those people do not know me very well, if they have ever met me before (read: old people my mom knows). This, however, was not one of those times.

It should be mentioned that my mother invited my friend to a garage sale in her town....she told him about it, as she and he are both avid garage-salers. That she is inviting him to a church garage sale 45 minutes from where he lives was weird in its own right. Apparently, this friend, bringing along another friend of mine, ran into my mother. Collectively, the three decided that this would be something I would like.

They were right.


Also, it inspired me to do this!

Unfortunately, Jesus died for you too.

So I just was informed that Fred Phelps and the Wesboro Baptist Church are coming to Albany tomorrow to spread around their hatred.

They are going to protest both SUNY Albany and Albany High School, which they claim are both "fag-infested".Apparently, these kids drove them away. Here's hoping a similar thing will happen tomorrow.

The WBC wants everyone to know that God hates them and that He is punishing us for not obeying His commands and killing homosexuals. Or something like that.

Also, they think Obama is the antichrist. I really thought Bush was better suited for that role. Did people think that JFK was the antichrist?

I want to know what sort of crack they are smoking before they sit down to read their bibles. I want to know what they think when they read passages condemning pharisees. Did they miss the entire character of Christ?

I don't usually broadcast my faith because as I've matured I've come to realize that no one wants to be beaten over the head with anything. However, I can't help but rant about this!

And what about the whole book of Galatians? Do they not realize that they are bigoted legalists?

You can go up to a drunken hobo on the street and tell him he has a problem, but I doubt he will care or listen to you. However, if you have a friend with an alcohol problem, and he or she knows that you care deeply about him or her, and you go about it with love and respect, that friend is much more likely to listen to you.

Also, just because you see something as a problem doesn't mean that person does. If someone doesn't care about God, why would they care about things God says are sins? If we had to clean up first in order for God to love us: 1. No one would ever make it, and 2. There wouldn't be need for Jesus.

But there would be, and that's just it. The WBC puts the cart before the horse, and if Jesus were around today, he would probably be at the Oh Bar, getting to know the locals. And the WBC would crucify Him. Or drag Him behind a car.


This is one of those times I sort of wish that I didn't believe that Jesus died for everyone. Like Fred Phelps. But I do believe that Jesus died for everyone, even bigots.