creators, little things, and a long time since i last posted

I wrote this first part of the blog a couple of weeks ago but am just now posting it. I thought I would add to it sooner and haven't until tonight. 

It was an interesting week. I'm only going to touch on two events, though. Tuesday night, I was with the Disabilities Club at the 174 Trust as usual. I was playing games with one of our kids, a seventeen year old with a learning disability, when he told me he was feeling sick. We left the game to take a seat, and as I went to get him some water, one of our high school volunteers took him to the bathroom. Yup, he was going to be sick. I went to lend a hand and ended up in the bathroom most of the night. Matthew, the boy, did a good job of making getting sick something easy for me to deal with. I'll give him that in a heartbeat, but that doesn't mean it was a night I'll be forgetting soon.

As we sat on the bench in the bathroom, because he was a little jittery from being sick, he looked at me and said pretty clearly with his suddenly wide eyes, "I'm going to be sick again." To be sure, I asked "Are you going to be sick again?" Matthew responded, "Yeah." "Well then," I said, "let's be sick in the toilet and not out here because that will be easier to clean up." Matthew smiled and said, "Good idea!" before returning to the bathroom stall. Shortly after, Matthew's mother was able to pick him up and get him home. I had him cleaned up ok and the bathroom cleaned up, as well. I know that shouldn't be an accomplishment, but that night I feel I proved to myself I can handle some situations better than I would've anticipated at the beginning of this year. And while I had no idea that the YAV year would include something like that, somehow I felt prepared for it.

After Matthew's mum picked him up, I joined the larger group in the hall. One of our girls was by the boombox we had out but wasn't dancing. This was a little odd because she's always dancing. So, I went up and danced by her. She was less than impressed. Eventually, I got her to laugh and then to dance, but after showcasing a few of her moves, she finished off her routine by pushing me quite unexpectedly. Caught completely off guard, I stumbled back and tripped over the moveable staircase that let's you get up on the stage in the hall. Shortly after, a different kid came up and stole my beanie off my head. What response did my newly shaved head get from the kids when it came out from beneath the hat? "Baldy!" All in good fun, and I'm not above those kids getting a good laugh at my expense, I give them one quite frequently, but I will say that they're lucky I didn't sic some she-bears on them (see 2 Kings 2:23-25 for reference). All in all, though, it really was a good night with the Disabilities Club. A night I won't forget anytime soon.

I added this next piece to the blog tonight, Februrary 22.

Matthew couldn't remember my name this year until the week after I helped him when he was sick. He's remembered my name each of the weeks since, though. The little things we do can make a big difference.

This past Sunday evening I had the opportunity to preach at a joint service with Shankill Methodist. I've kept a small notebook in my pocket for the last few months to jot down sermon ideas, funny things Pat says, and other random thoughts so I thought it was just a matter of flipping through the notebook and getting an idea. I didn't find anything that jumped out to me in the notebook, but I eventually settled on trying to dissect Genesis 1:26-31 and explore what it means to be made in God's image.

I'll just cut to the chase with what I discussed and give you some of my main thoughts

• I don't think we physically look like God. We're different. I have bushy eyebrows, the lady in the flat downstairs doesn't have eyebrows. I'm short, you might be tall. The list could go on. But part of being made in God's image is that we are each unique. Like the one God we worship, who is unique, so are the people He made.  
• We can create. Our God is the Creator God and like Him, we can create. He gave us the power to when He made us in His image. We can create bad things, yes, because we have been gifted with choice, as well. But we can certainly create beauty, too. We create beauty when we hug a child. We create beauty when we visit an old friend. We create beauty when we care for a new friend. We create beauty by showing love, which can be done in so many different ways.
• We create beauty, but I don't think it's quite up to snuff with the beauty that God has created. As a result, one person's characteristics don't fully portray the image of God. Thus, I believe that together we create the image of God. It takes each of us, in our uniqueness, and the beauty we create in the different ways we've been gifted to make up the full image of God (similar to the parts of the body stuff Paul talks about in Corinthians but different in my mind). Therefore, we each have tremendous value. The image of God is not complete without you.  

When I reflect on the first part of this blog and the second, I think that the beauty we can create often comes in the little things we do. I hung out with Matthew when he needed it. He called me by name exactly when I needed to hear it. I believe that those two little events created beauty in our lives.

Aside from those goings-on, we're having a fun week because Collette and TJ got here yesterday to visit. We haven't seen family in about 6 months (except via Skype) and it's terrific to have them around! We've got some fun things planned but are mostly just hanging out enjoying being with each other again.

I hope to post some thoughts on Lent tomorrow or Friday so please stayed tuned! But in the meantime, go create something beautiful.