Category: anecdotes

day one

Well, today was the first day of LeaderShape and I am completely and utterly exhausted! It brings back so many memories of my summer counseling at Covenant Harbor… I had forgotten how much energy is required!!

Because I have absolutely no capacity to think or write at the moment, I just want to give a little blog space to a cause I care about: Compassion International. Now, you can help out this amazing organization just by using Search Kindly as your search engine in the month of May.

Read this!

Posted on by Caroline 1

Empezar

To begin.

This means so many things right now.

Last night I began to add to my small list of Spanish music artists. This past Thursday, I formally began a book club. Students finished up exams at St. Edward’s last week, so I guess that means summer begins. After training today, tomorrow begins a week as a facilitator at LeaderShape, a leadership conference for students.

Beginnings are like endings are like hellos are like goodbyes. Cryptic, I suppose.

Maybe beginnings are like inspiration: contagious. My long-time friend Patrick was in town last week and what a fellow! He had just barely recovered from jetlag after returning from Africa and now he’s off for a three month gig assisting a photographer.

I consider Patrick a kindred spirit, in the Anne of Green Gables sense. Sometimes you need such a friend to remind you about where things begin. Do you ever feel bogged down in the middle somewhere, or preoccupied with the end? I certainly do.

If I do succeed in regaining my focus on the true beginning, inspiration nearly always follows.

Posted on by Caroline 0

the world is bigger on FM 969

I almost gave up. I had driven back and forth so many times on FM 969 that I was tempted to stop at the roadside, knick-knack garage sale and head back home.

I drove in and out of several drives until I saw a wee-bitty sign poking out from an overgrown entrance. Austin Samaritans shared the sign with another local non-profit and between the two of them, the inches were precious.

I wound my way around the curves into a ghost town. The layout suggested maybe a school or education center, but the weeds had long declared this territory. I finally came to a cluster of cars, and, relieved, saw the most-welcoming registration table, where I signed a form saying I wouldn’t hold anything against anybody if something happened.

This weekend my church organized Serve Austin at local organizations; to build capacity through service, to be obedient and effective as servants, and most of all to magnify the Lord. And that’s how I ended up in a deserted school on FM 969. Not too long ago, Austin Samaritans moved their warehouse operations to a small portion of this school. From this humble space, they collect surplus medical supplies to ship to Nicaragua, where a hospital anxiously awaits every box.

Nicaragua, I learned, classifies 85% of their population as being below the poverty line (defined as $1/day). Next to Haiti, its the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.

As we sorted today, we came across medicines, sterile needles, infant formula, x-ray film, syringes… the list is endless. As we worked, we speculated at the reception of this package. I came upon some loose cottonballs and instinctively wanted to trash them, but thought about how resourceful I would be if I didn’t know cottonballs were so easy and cheap.

We are so flippant with surplus! Every single thing sorted today would have been in the garbage dump, completely useless and adding to the alarming amount of waste. But now, with the vision of a few to bring first the transformation of Christ, the people in this Nicaragua hospital might understand how the true gospel is to care for the orphan and the widow.

I just kept thinking, “This should be every day.”

And so, as I meandered out of the hidden drive, I wondered at all the acts of service and all the giant foundations and galas and bake sales. For some reason it struck me that so much was happening in this little place just off of FM 969 with out any hoopla.

The world outside is still consumed, wasteful, and self-absorbed, but in this little place the world is a little bigger… and purpose a little greater.

Posted on by Caroline 0

con poder

My new theme song is Con Poder by Salvador. They are ironically an Austin-based band I first heard while vacuuming the church auditorium a couple summers ago. I have since loved to sing and dance especially to their Spanish songs. When I decided officially on Honduras, I started cranking the Spanish music and this song keeps popping up on my playlist.

The words are simple:
 Se mueve la mano de Dios
En su palabra hay vida
Se mueve la mano de Dios
En su palabra hay vida
Se mueve, Se mueve, se mueve con poder
Se mueve, se mueve, se mueve con poder

Con Con Con poder
Con Con Con poder
Con con con poder
Se mueve la mano de Dios

I’m a little rusty, but the idea is this: there is power in the hand and Word of God… here there is life… with power the hand of God moves.

I know only the Lord can guide, sustain, and move in my preparation for Honduras and so this is my prayer: the power of the Lord be revealed.

I will be designing a newsletter (hard copy and email form) to send, but feel free to decline the imposed subscription! If you do nothing else, say a prayer right now for the people at Academia Los Pinares.

grace and peace.

Posted on by Caroline 0

classically inclined, a book club

Some may have already endured my excitement about the newest endeavor, but I’ll try to sum it up.

Awhile ago my friend Jared (also developer of Wi-Fam) started pursuing the idea that highest quality should not always be completely separate from “Christian.” Actually, he came to a quite opposite conclusion. Like others before him (among them Lewis and Schaeffer), Jared is convinced that Christians should be able to use their gifts at the highest level without compromising their love for God.

Jared did not have a vision for this idea to make ripples within Christian circles… no, Jared’s vision was way bigger than even himself. He wanted talented artists and intellectuals to have a space to bring God the highest glory by doing the best work. This space became the Renascence Project.

I say all that as an introduction, because just about a month ago I had an idea about what I could contribute to this space called the Renascence Project. Now, I get ideas a lot, but this idea seemed bigger than most. I guess it came two-fold: 1. creating a website with my sister to bring together art and intellect and 2. to create a book club

I’m jumping to number 2. The vision… the really big vision may not make a whole lot of sense right now. So, here’s the important part: I love books. A perfect day is curled up with a big, fat novel, a hot cup of tea, and any kind of weather.

I find myself drawn consistently to ‘classic’ literature (though I never took any courses), but I can’t quite shake the thought that I am missing out on a most essential part. I just finished the book “The Idiot” awhile back and was sad to see such a brilliant book given so little of my time. I really believe that so much about understanding literature is processing it with others.

So, to fill the post-college void of discussion groups and challenging conversations, I (with the help of an enthused handful of Austinites) have formed classically inclined, a book club! This club will be many things, but first we will be a group of people who want to read and discover together.

This isn’t a class, nor is it highly structured. The main goal is to use the minds God gave us and challenge ourselves through literature. We will read several books from classic authors to give us an understanding of both the writer’s perspective and common themes. We also hope to vary the books with short stories and films.

We are beginning with George Orwell and his book “Animal Farm.” Here is a tidbit:

“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.”
– George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 1

I realize ‘classically inclined’ sounds ridiculous, but I’m severely ordinary when it comes to these matters and so I choose to be absurdly so. We’ll see how it goes over.

Posted on by Caroline 0

zonked and getting older

Man. I didn’t realize how many muscles a good game of ultimate frisbee really required. I was made fully aware this morning when I woke up to sore back, legs, arms, and abs. Yesterday, I celebrated Amy’s birthday at the park and we ended with a rousing game of ultimate frisbee.

Apparently, I felt like I had to show off some sweet catch-and-dive, reach-and-split, tuck-and-roll moves. I definitely didn’t think I’d be using the phrase, “I’m too old for this,” quite so fast!

Now, I can take this one of two ways: 1. I think I’m ‘over’ competitive physical activities or 2. Competitive physical activities should be the rule and not the exception. I guess you should ask me tomorrow when I have to walk again.

It’s been a rough couple of days, with many goodbyes on the horizon. But, as my dear friend Grace tells me, it just means there will be more hellos.

apologies for no posts… I have been, well, severely otherwise engaged.

Posted on by Caroline 0

my outside weeps, too

Tonight, after hosting the first inaugural Community Appreciation Dinner, I was walking back with one of my favorite students. She is a joy; she is sunshine. I was burdened with bags and boxes, but somehow mentioned Bible study as my next destination.

“You’re going there right now?” she said.
“Yes! You should come… do you want to come?” I asked.
“Oh, I have to write a paper for tomorrow. Shoot. Is it every Monday? What about next week?” she asked.
“Yes, it will be next week. Man! I can’t believe I haven’t asked you before!” I said.

And that was it. I made it to Bible study, unfashionably late, and looked at the scribbles on over-sized post-it notes. “Creation, Fall, Redemption, Our Response” it said.

The tears came – outside tears this time. I had just shared with my 6th grade girls on Friday that the most selfish thing we can do with the Gospel is to keep it to ourselves.

And what a fool I’ve been! These aren’t just words in Romans and John and 1 Peter. These words – these scribbles – are LIFE. God have mercy on me when I make life about less than the Gospel! A whole semester and only now the invitation is an outward, open gesture.

Lots of outward tears this time. Weeping for those without life.

Posted on by Caroline 0

art fairs and the greatest inheritance

It seems a week since I woke this morning! I woke up for morning church, greeted by the bright sun. I have been carpooling with my beautiful neighbor and her children Ingrid and Oliver. This Sunday was special because Bernardo, her husband, joined us.

We studied James 1:2-8 and praise the Lord! Afterward, Bernardo had so many questions about the pastors, the prayers, and the real-life application. I was praising God all the time for His tearing the curtain and allowing us to come into community with Him. How beautiful and glorious and dreadfully undeserved! But, every time I explain or hear our salvation my inside weeps with joy.

After church we decided to check out an art fair downtown and it turned into an afternoon event! We perused the artist’s tents lining the streets and lingered to stare at creativity in color and form. My mind wandered, danced across the poses of pain and pretense. I know little of art, except that my soul seems to sense beauty as it reflects my Savior… when I see before me a new window opened to breathe in even more of my Creator.

Yet, as I listened in the Gathering service, I settled down slowly, as a feather falls. Looking about I saw these gifts and reflections fall solidly in the periphery. My heart stretched toward the small gate on the narrow road because this is LIFE. Everything else – absolutely everything – is penultimate. Though beautiful reflections are indeed signs of an even greater and more glorious Creator, they are still merely signs. Every gift points not to itself, but to its GIVER. And how much MORE wonderful must the GIVER be to give such gifts?

Through the perfect sacrifice of Christ, we have been given an inheritance greater than any gift earth could ever hold. We have been given GOD. When I heard this tonight, all the gratitude and awe redirected to its rightful place, whirled up in exaltation to a throne on high where my Savior resides.

Posted on by Caroline 0

One Hen

This is the story of how one hen changed the life of a small boy, his family, his community, his country, and West Africa. The story of one hen. I shared this with my Student Service Council students this past Friday to help create a vision for next year… to challenge them (and mindself) to continuously stretch our idea of community and humanity outside borders. Did you ever think microfinance would make it into a children’s book? I certainly did not!

Well, last night after the 3-hour meeting with the Student Service Council I literally ran to the store to pick up a few things before jetting home to have a few minutes to breathe before the wonderful 6th grade girls started showing up. That’s right. We had a slumber party! I haven’t been around such screaming and laughing since, well, since I was their age. It was a headache easily endured for the sweetness of this dear group.

This morning we made cinnamon apple pancakes from scratch and they were delicious! I finally got everyone off in time to take a shower and meet up with my friend Joy, who was hosting a tea party for her birthday.

I. am. exhausted.

Posted on by Caroline 0