Being Intentional!

Greetings to all!! I pray that this finds you well and knowing that you are greatly loved by an incredible God! Well, I realize that I haven't written a whole lot about the community as a whole, what is it really about. I will write some things today and in the future so you can get an idea of what Church of the Sojourners really is about. I've been thinking a lot about the idea of being intentional. I have told people that I have moved into an intentional living community. Intentional, what does that really mean?? I am really excited about this aspect of this community. Are we just roommates? Not at all. We are a family that is taking part in the Kingdom of God intentionally. Things don't just happen because that's that's just what happens, but it is intentional. Ok, Ok. First the dictionary definition of intention:an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result. It is on purpose. For example, our study of the Word of God happens habitually and intentionally. We do it at the same time every week. We study ever Tues. night, every Sun. together! Speaking of Sunday, Sunday is the Sabbath. We do it intentionally. Until 11:00 am, we spend alone in quiet reading, studying God's word, and prayer. Everyone's doing it, so we can keep each other accountable. The afternoon is for hanging out with the community, friends, or just doing something YOU ENJOY. Not working, not doing chores (Unless your on for Sunday cooking). Then we get together and worship and eat together at 4:30.
We intentionally eat together, which in today's society is unheard of. Our household eats together Mon, Tues., Wed. The whole church eats together Sun. and most Fri. So, it's not that we eat together when it just happens, but we say in our schedule that this is when we eat together. We take turns cooking, I cook every Thursday!! Which has definitely been a learning experience for me!
We pray intentionally together. Evey morning, Mon. through Fri., we pray together at 6:45. It gives us an intentional way of starting our day together. We pray the psalms, the Lord's prayer, and for each other. It becomes habit.
We intentionally celebrate. I think one is really cool. It is said that Celebrating is one of our praciices (I'll talk about those in the future.) We, on purpose, celebrate. It becomes habit. On of the guys here talks about it in the way of Dr. Seuss and the Who's from Who-ville in the Grinch that Stole Christmas. If they didn't intentionally and habitually celebrate by standing around the Christmas tree and singing every christmas, would they have celebrated after the Grinch stole their presents and trees. Probably not, but the gathered because that's what they do to help them to remember to celebrate. So we have times of year where we intentionally celebrate together, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kingship of our Lord and Yahweh(4th of July), decade birthdays, Easter, and retreats throughout the year. This is not unlike most church or family calenders I guess, but there is something intentional when it is said that this are celebration times. They make a huge deal of them. They spend tons of time to make sure they are celebrations.
And then, we try to intentionally love each other. I know that back in my life before Sojourners, I would love people, but I don't think it was intentionally. It just happened sometimes. Not all the time. But, here, we say that we will intentionally love each other. For example, we as apprentices (the newbies) have named aloud to each other 3 other people in the church that we want intentionally love this yeard. We are mindfully determined to love these people. Not that we don't love other people, but it just makes a difference when you say this what I'm going to do. Something you may want to try at home! Anyway, Church of the Sojourners is about being intentionally together to take part in the Kingdom of God together, which I will write about more in the future. Thanks to those of that read my ramblings. Some of them I'm sure don't make sense, but hopefully you will get something out of my ramblings! Love ya all!

God Provides!

Greetings everyone! Well, the last time I wrote God was teaching me trust. And again He proved trustworthy. DUH! Nate! It's amazing how I forget that. It's seems like He provides, sometimes how I don't expect, but He provides and then next time I come across a situation and I forget........... And then God provides again, again not always how I expect but He provides, and then I forget..... Well you get the picture. Well, a few things. In one of my first blogs when moving to San Fran to join this crazy community out here, I mentioned that it was hard to move on away from my family and friends. Well, although, I miss them greatly and think and talk to them often, God has of course provided new friends and family here at Church of the Sojourners. I was feeling a little, well, ok a lot home sick on my b-day, but I ended up having a great time! Of course! Went to a movie including a great time pushing our car down a busy street in San Fran trying to get to start after having left the lights on!! Wee, the car stories never end. Some folks had a bbq for me and ended the day sitting around a fire with a nice beverage and great convo! For those of you that know me well, it couldn't have had a better ending. So, God has provided family. I will write more on this later, but we have started small groups here which will focus on confession and forgiving, time for healing, and praying for one another. We just started them. Should be an intense but a good and challenging time together.
Well, I HAVE A JOB!! Again God provides. Well, since my car has died, and not having much money, God has provided a job where I get FREE transportation! I can a free shuttle from San Fran General, just a few blocks from my house, to UCSF Medical Center, just a few blocks from my new job!! I will be working as 1-to-1 aide at the Oakes Children's Center, a center for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed kids. It should be a great job. Seems like a great place where kids are really loved and encouraged. So..... God again provides!! DUH! NATE!! Someday I will learn!!
On a side note, those of who have not become Over The Rhine fans yet, well here is your chance. If you don't become fans after listening to this, then I don't know what well. This is OTR at their best. I get to seem them in a couple weeks here in San Fran!! I can barely stand it! It's too far away!! Anyway, find a loved one, a glass of wine or other favorite beverage and listen to this!! Please give them a try. ; ) You won't regret it!!
http://www.archive.org/details/otr2007-09-01.sbd.flac16

Ok, well, in the next couple weeks, expect some more blogs on the Kingdom of God, and what it means to find the Freedom of Simplicity! All things we are starting to study here at Church of the Soujoners! Oh, yeah, here is a link to the churches website.

http://www.churchofthesojourners.org/

lots of love!