I stayed up really really late knitting this thing last night. I don’t think I’ll ever take it off.
Grandma Quotient (GQ)
So, I’ve been saying for a couple years that I am going to be an awesome grandma with all the training I’m doing. I love rocking chairs, jigsaw puzzles, knitting… ya know, all the good stuff. I wanted to start a point system to keep track of my path to grandma-hood and my dad suggested a Grandma Quotient, hilariously abbreviated as GQ. I’ll accrue points for doing grandmotherly activities. To make it a true quotient, I’ll divide my collected points by my age at the end of each year so I get more weight the younger I am. For example, if I gather 44 points while I’m 22 years old, I’ll get 2 GQ units. But if I gather 44 points when I’m 44 years old, I’ll get 1 GQU because I’m closer to grandmother-hood at it’s more likely and reasonable that I’m doing grandmotherly things.
Let’s tally some activities from this winter break:
Knitted cowl-neck scarves = 4
Worked on a jigsaw puzzle = 2
Made a braided rag rug = 7
Made candles = 8
Purchased and now use a typewriter = 12
Changed exclamatory phrase preference to “Oh, my lands!” and “Oh, my stars!” = 15
(Total for break = 48 points to my GQ)
“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, even if their intentions are ever so earnest. But the person who loves those around him will create community.”
— Dietrich Bonhoffer.
Wow. Romans is a good read. I read 3 & 4 tonight and it’s full of great gospel explanations. I was struck and am stuck chewing on this beautiful nugget for the night:
“… the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17b)
Oh my lands. This is my favorite version now.
I’ve been making all sorts of fun things these past few days. Candle-making with Kelly. Then, some typewritten note cards to have on hand for the coming semester. And now, my first try at a braided rag rug that will be completed as soon as I can locate my missing sewing machine foot pedal. I’ve missed creating.
“expert”
While at the Material Resource Center today with the gang (that is, I’m the youngest by 40 or 50 years and I love it), we were tearing up donated books in preparation for recycling. (Last year, MCC made some $150,000 from recycling old books donated for this purpose). In tandem, a request for books came from some schools in Burundi as they are apparently switching from French to English. So as we tear off covers and rip books into sections, we are watching for books in the categories that were requested. One category listed is history and we’ve yet to come across a history book we thought reasonable to send (as most of the ones we’ve seen are American history). John was talking about when it comes to history books one feels like asking “says who?” and his wariness of the phrase “according to the experts.” Then my grandpa chimed in with, “You know what ‘expert’ means, don’t you? Ex meaning ‘has been’ and spurt meaning ‘a release under pressure.’” Haha.
I left tonight feeling encouraged, inspired, and pushed to engage with God and the subsequent actions of daring to love my surrounding world (not alone but with others) in the audacious grace of the cross.
Not gonna lie, I had entered tonight curious at least to see if Shane or the Simple Way ministry had changed or derailed since Irresistible Revolution came out. Just on the off-chance publicity was taking up more time than continued and active community. I’m happy to say, the light and vision of Christ-inspired living fueling their network of pursuits is still very much engaged in conversation and rooted in the daily centeredness of communal prayer and Biblical discipleship.
It was beautiful to watch the room overflow its capacity in benches 30 minutes before the start. We were packed like sardines in the benches and the side aisles and front floor were also filled. In order to somewhat comply with fire codes, the continued flow of people were diverted to classrooms and nurseries for audio feed. After his talk, a time of conversation and responses ensued and we switched as a mass of people— those sitting gave their seats to those who had not been.
I’ve got to say that I have a very poor sense of belonging, but there is nothing like being packed with hundreds of Mennonites converging in conversations of humble living to make me happy and that there are very few places or peoples I am so willing to be associated with in thought. I would never say we’re a perfect group of people, but gosh, I wish I could explain and show those who aren’t familiar with Mennonites how much beauty there is in this culture and faith community. Shane knew he was preaching to the choir in ways, coming to talk peace to a pacifist group with a history of being actively engaged in restorative justice, peacemaking and reconciliation. And also a culture rich in simpler living. But, we’ve certainly got our conversations to be had and Scripture to struggle through as we strive to become Christ-like servants in the current day.
Another awesome thing about Lancaster, I think, is the percentage of older people— that is our parent’s age and older— also present. This isn’t something contained within the younger generation. We all caught parts of simple, servant living from Mennonite generations preceding us who respond to the physical needs of poor and afflicted, regardless of race, gender, religion or anything. And it’s beautiful to see the continued dialogue of what it looks like be God’s love to the current world in such whole, collaborative ways that are never about numbers but active love, service, community, and a desire for every person to come to passionate, fascinated life in Christ. This is a group that recognizes and encourages all sorts of talents and assumes that they should (and successfully are) applied to the brokenness and pain of the world.
I have thoughts to think about, prayers to pray, and some chains to rip off my paralyzed heart. If you want to hear things Shane brought to the table and thoughts that were shared, feel free to ask me. Also feel free to ask if you have questions about the Anabaptist beliefs, particularly regarding pacifism/nonviolence (or I’d prefer the active term of peacemaking) and what that is rooted in and what it looks like.
That’s right! Shane Claiborne is in Lancaster! Tomorrow at Lancaster Church of the Brethren.
