Patrick's poem from my daily prayer book

"I sing as I arise today!
I call on my creator's might;
the will of God to be my guide,
the eye of God to be my sight,
the Word of God to be my speech,
the hand of God to be my stay,
the shield of God to be my strength,
the path of God to be my way. Amen." ---St. Patrick

daily desert

I received a new devotional book in the mail. It's a compilation of wisdom from the desert fathers, monastics and ascetics from the early centuries of the church. I think the reading for today is appropriate given the last post from this morning:

Proverbs 25:6-7: "Do not put yourself forward in the king's preence or stand in th place of the great; for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble."

"A brother asked Poemen, "How should I conduct myself in the place where I live?" Poemen answered, "Be as careful as a stranger, and wherever you are, do not expect the things you say to be taken seriously. Do this and you will discover peace."

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

I am not comfortable entering an unfamiliar place and explaining myself. Yesterday, I stopped in to the pottery shop down the street to introduce myself. I felt like a fish out of water, like I wasn't wearing clothes. And all I wanted to do was meet them. Its hard to meet people, to face them with nothing to sell or buy. People want a good reason for you to come.
I did ask a couple of good questions. She and her family have lived in Akron for 40 years. She teaches ceramics, works with kids,and is open to working with small groups. I'd love to get more involved with throwing pottery. Actually, I'd love to commission a communion set---a chalice and small bread plate, maybe a pitcher too. Nice to use indigenous materials, local artists.
Apparently there is not much art happening locally. I wonder about plugging into her work as an event for young adults...
Often when we read that Jesus was a stranger that we welcomed, we are thinking about our hospitality toward others. But what if we, Jesus' sent ones, were meant to embody the way of the stranger. What I mean is, what if we are called to place ourselves in the position of the stranger in search of hospitality? What if we are supposed to be the one who feel uncomfortable in our own skin? Being incarnational means becoming a stranger. Only by becoming a stranger can you become a friend or a messenger or a servant. Missional life is initiated by our willingness to be a stranger in a strange land, a foreigner, a resident alien (as Stanley Hauerwas said). I hope to actively engage in this mission to be the stranger in the room. What might come of it? I believe there is great potential in doing so, in engaging people where they are. It is the stranger whose intent is love that reveals the resurrected Jesus. So, go and be a stranger somewhere. but be a stranger with compassion or with joy or with peace or with grace in your heart and speech and actions. See what that feels like and how God is present to you through it.

Derek Webb and "One Zero"

I bought a CD the other day at a Christian bookstore. I rarely go in there. And I hardly ever listen to "Christian" music. I prefer to listen to excellent music and, if the people making it happen to be influenced by their faith in Jesus, even better. Nonetheless, I bought "One Zero" an acoustic set by Derek Webb of the band "Caedmon's call". I love his blend of chords and thoughtful lyrics.
"Take to the World" strikes me as the perfect missional anthem. These are the lyrics:

"Go in peace to love and to serve
And let your ears ring long with what you have heard
And may the bread on your tongue leave a trail of crumbs
To lead the hungry back to the place that you are from

And take to the world this love, this hope and faith
Take to the world this rare relentless grace
And like the three in one
Know you must become what you want to save
'Cause that's still the way
He takes to the world

Go and go far take light deep in the dark
Believe what's true use it as all, even you
May the bread on your tongue leave a trail of crumbs
To lead the hungry back to the place you are from