Desktop Delight For You
Berlin
I’m off to Berlin for a few days. Sara and I are heading out today til Sunday for a bit of a holiday… good company, new city… lots of photographs hopefully, maybe even learn some history if I’m lucky. See ya Sunday.
Freedom Writers
A few nights ago I watched a great film, Freedom Writers.
Freedom Writers is inspired by a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach teenagers after the LA riots, during the worst outbreak of interracial gang warfare. Hilary Swank plays Erin Gruwell, whose passion to become a teachers is soon challenged by a group of Black, Latino, and Asian gangbangers who hate her even more than each other. When Erin begins to listen to them in a way no adult has ever done, she begins to understand that for these kids, getting through the day alive is enough – they are not delinquents but teenagers fighting “a war of the streets” that began long before they were born. Erin gives them something they never had from a teacher before – respect. For the first time, these teens experience a hope that maybe, they might show the world that their lives matter and they have something to say.
There were so many scenes throughout this film when I was literally blown away by things that were said. It addresses some fantastic issues. It’s also one of only four films thats made me cry!
In one scene, Miss G and her husband Scott are talking, when he says… “I think what you are doing is noble, and it’s good, and I’m proud of you. I am. I just want to live my life and not feel bad about it.” I think this quote is representative of a lot of what is wrong today. People believe in the ideals, but they aren’t really willing to pay the price to pursue them.
Another scene shows the kids in Erin’s class listening to Miep Gies (the woman who hid Anne Frank) speak about her experiences. One of the teenagers calls her a hero, and she responds…
“I did what I had to do because it was the right thing to do. That is all. We are all ordinary people, but even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can within their own small ways turn on a small light in a dark room… You are the heroes. You are heroes everyday.”
To find out more visit the movie website, or visit the Freedom Writers Foundation.
I Am Ruined For This World
“I always wanted to believe and live the Sermon on the Mount, but usually got told that it did not mean all that I thought it meant, and that I needed to be practical. I would read the Scriptures longingly, trying to imagine how wonderful it would be not to worry about anything, safe and secure in the presence of Jesus all the time. Miracles would be normal. Love would be natural. We could always give and never lose. We could be lied to, cheated and stolen from, and yet always come out ahead. We would never have to take advantage of anyone, or have any motive but to bless other people. Rather than always making contingency plans in case Jesus didn’t do anything, we could count on Him continually. We, our lives, and all that we preach and provide would not be for sale, but would be given freely, just as we have received freely. Our hearts would be carefree in the love of our Father in heaven, who always knows what we need, and we could get on with the glorious business of seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness. There would always be enough!”
Idealism
Idealism: (n.)
The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, esp. unrealistically.
The belief that ideals can be achieved, even if this does not seem likely to others.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about this idea of being ‘idealistic’. It seems like more often than not today it is used as a dirty word. It is bandied about and applied to people who others think are a bit crazy, not in touch with reality. Maybe they’re right. But idealistic is not a dirty word.
I want to reclaim it as a good thing.
I’m the first person to admit that I’m young and idealistic. But why is that bad? What is the point of having ideals if we are not willing to pursue them? If we don’t think they can be lived out? Would you rather think that a better world is possible, but not want to try to achieve it? I’m not naive enough to think that it is easy or perfect as we pursue idealistic dreams – everything costs something. It’s just that I’m willing to pay the price to try. Are you?
I’m beginning a new season, and I will be starting to pursue very idealistic dreams. Too idealistic some would say. It will cost. It will be difficult at times. But it will be worth it. Ryan wrote this a few weeks ago, and it feels appropriate for here…
“It was a year of realizing that idealistic dreams are seldom sustainable in the real world as they are in my head. And that’s okay… it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t dream or try to live into God’s Future. It simply means that everything costs something.”
What price are you willing to pay to pursue your ideals?
Common Grounds
A few nights ago I headed out with my good friends Lori & Connor for a coffee in Belfast. We went to Common Grounds, my favourite place in Belfast. Check out their website here, love their motto, “Coffee not profit”. It was great to spend time with these guys… good coffee (I had a steamer actually), good company, good coffee house…
Hope In The Dark
Hope In The Dark is one of the new books I got given for Christmas. It’s quite possibly the most wonderful book I have ever held in my hands! It’s a book of photography of Africa with reflections by Jena Lee, founder of blood:water mission. The book is kind-of the embodiment of what I’d like to do with my life… take pictures that make a difference. Someday…
I stood within the filthy, shack-filled slum of Kibera while also looking up at the stunning clouds that danced across the vast stretch of African sky. There is such tragedy and yet such beauty at the same time. Overwhelmed by the insanity of this broken world, I find it difficult to understand how the pieces of it all fit together. The same earth can hold the fragrence of a field of flowers while also occupying the stench of urine on hot concrete. Who is this God that we call Father, Creator, and Lord? Kenya is here. And so is God.
Follow Me
I read a great article over on the Wrecked for the Ordinary wesbite a few days ago that I wanted to post a link to… I think you should go read it. It’s called Follow Me by Lindsey McDonald, and it describes a lot of where I am right now. This is a new year, a new season for me (will make the official blog announcment of big changes when they are all official and completed!), and I’m incredibly excited… and also quite scared!
Here’s an excerpt (emphasis mine)… though you really should go read the whole thing!
– – – – –
“Follow Me.”
But, Jesus, what about comfort? What about safety? What about my desires? Jesus I want to go. I want to follow you. It’s just why does it have to be so difficult? I look around me, and I see the lives of my peers. They seem to live such normal lives with jobs that actually pay money and happy hours after work, engagements, marriages, and children.
They seem happy and it seems so easy and safe. There is a part of me that wants that right now, yet there is this louder part of me that does not.
There is this part of me, that many find ridiculous, that believes I can actually make a difference in this world; a part of me that longs to free the oppressed, to love the orphan, and to help the widow; a part of me that longs to be like you. I know I cannot be like you, though; until I leave my self behind, and it is no longer me but you. Why is it so difficult for me to forget myself?!
Resolved.
[I borrowed some of these ideas from Longbrake. Thanks.]
- Take a photograph every day for your new project, 366. It will be fun to try to document everyday life and a good exercise to help you think more about how you make photographs.
- Take a Polaroid photograph every week to represent that week. Store it in a lovely new Moleskine journal. Perhaps one of the nice new softcover ones.
- Attempt to write down one main thought or idea from each day. Maybe it’s only a word. Maybe a complete thought. It will be interesting to look back on periodically.
- Start a photography course. And complete that course.
- Listen more. To everything and everyone. Sermons. Friends. Strangers. Street preachers. Prostitutes. Pastors. Leaders. Teachers. Children. There is a lot that you could learn from them.
- Work out what Sabbath will look like for you this year. And keep it.
- Look after your body better. Eat better. Exercise. Sleep.
- Memorise more Scripture. One verse a week seems a good place to start? Write it out and stick it everywhere so you cant miss it.
- Simplify. Be able to pack everything you need into two bags by the end of 2008.
- Write more. About anything.
- Find, purchase, and read Rilke’s Letters To A Young Poet (finally).
- Drink less coffee and more water.
- Go to Africa in June. Take a lot of pictures. Explore. Dream. Be.
- Learn to process film. Finally unbox the stuff Neal left you, figure out how to use it, and then start shooting film again.
- Finally build the portfolio website you’ve been talking about doing for 2 years.
- Find and purchase a Polaroid SX-70 for a reasonable price. Or at least one you can afford.
- Go back to Chicago. You love that place. Explore it. Spend time with friends.
- Remember. Everything.
Change Is Coming…
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