How Do You Organize Compassion

This week's Group was not my favorite.
It was awful, actually.
We wrestled with some hard questions, some specific, some general:

GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Who decides who receives donations?
Are any of us worthy?
What if trying to live a life like Jesus makes you too tired to deal?

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:
If Women's Group gets donations of warm clothes, do we share with men in the community, or just women?

Do we allow men in the room? Ever?

Do women who need a safe, sanctuary space once a week for one hour get to ask that men not be allowed in the room during that hour?

If someone has money to buy alcohol and drugs on the street, do they get any warm clothes from the donation pile? Or do they go to the local shop and use their money for a warm jacket and skip buying the drugs and alcohol?

Do we get to make rules about who gets what donation?

Should hygiene kits only be given to the women who attend Group and stay the whole hour?

With clothing donations, should we say you can only pick out one thing for someone else, to practice "giving back"?

Do you get a coat first to warm yourself, so then you can move forward in giving a coat to someone else? Dorothy Day said that if you have two coats, you stole one. What do we do with that?

Since Women's Group is a religious, spiritual, seek-the-truth-in-scripture Group, I read and re-read our devotional after all the arguing about who receives donations and how do you organize compassion.
I also had been sketching dream catchers...and dreams came up twice in the devotional from Jesus Calling.

It seems...Jesus said to give to everyone.
Love all the time.
Repeat compassion.
Trust God.
Over and over.
As we prepare for his birthday, I wish he were here to help us hand out coats, calm our fears and cease our judgments about who gets what and when.
He said all the time, everyone.

Next Tuesday we are making Elderberry Syrup to share with others (boost immunity this season) and passing out coats and hygiene kits. I hope we sing a carol and Happy Birthday and grow from our hard questions this past Tuesday.
All the time, everyone...

Unifying Topics and Divisive Topics

Today in Group, I realized something:

When we talk about dreams we have - whether they are weird or random or repetitive or prophetic - that is a UNIFYING topic of discussion.

When we talk about the existence of Santa Claus, that is a DIVISIVE topic.

It was also voting day for the midterm elections, so talking about dreams and Santa Claus was great practice for staying in the room, present for the discussion, whether you agreed or not.

Fibonacci in Group

One Tuesday in Group, we talked about the Fibonacci numerical sequence (Jessica explained it to the Group):

1+1=2

2+1=3

3+2=5

5+3=8

8+5=13

13+8=21

21+13=34

34+21=55

55+34=89 and on and on.

We talked about patterns and math and where we feel stuck in our lives. It was mind blowing and connectioning in a very strange way. 

Then we talked about the artist rendering of the numerical sequence and how quilters and architects use it. We drew it out with squares...and realized that it is very similar to the layout of the very building we were INSIDE in that moment!

We looked at each other wide-eyed, feeling loved and surrounded by the wave of Fibonacci...even in Women’s Group.

Tacoma

Tacoma is a staple member of Group.



She told her story last year at a fundraiser and this is what she wrote and spoke:

I am a strong woman.
I am a woman who has survived.
I am a woman who loves her children.
I am a woman who has been hurt beyond words.

My story began August 2007 when through a domestic violence situation, I lost everything in one day and became homeless not only me but my daughter also. We went from living in a house to living in a shelter and I felt hopeless and blind to how I didn't see this coming. That's when my faith was tested. Not being from here, someone told me about the Church of the Reconciler.

I remember pulling up behind a blue van and an older gentleman I'll call Pops told me the Church of the Reconciler was a good church and it could help my daughter and I.

Once I came through the doors, I was greeted by Rev. Higgs and it was then that I knew I was home and through time I have found an extended family and met many wonderful people.

I remember Rev. Higgs giving my daughter Christmas gifts when I couldn't afford them. I remember Mr. Lee helping me get furniture for our apartment and Ms. Bertha helping us with the referrals for the things we needed, but through it all I knew God would bring me out of the darkness.

I have seen this church grow into a blessing for so many as well as for myself.  I now have a sense of purpose by volunteering my time at the Church of the Reconciler whenever I can for Women's Meeting on Tuesdays and a Housing Meeting on Thursdays and being a Case Manager for Shelter Plus.

I was to thank Mr. Adam Burns for this opportunity to tell my story but for also being the first to realize that the women of the church need a meeting once a week not just once a month and for that I can't thank him enough.  I have learned through my experience that through God all things are possible.

I have learned that I am a woman who can use my story to help other women.

I will use my strength to love my God, myself and my children for I was once blind but now I see.

Thank you for letting me tell my story and thank you for all of you who have helped me on my journey, for once I was blind and now I see.

I asked Tacoma what she would do if she had an entire day to herself and money was not an issue, what would she do?
She said, "I don't know...I guess pamper myself at a spa and read a book. I have a simple life, my friend."
How many of us can relate???

Thank you Group for shrinking bridges...