A Very Un-Colton Thing To Do

I did a very odd thing, for me, today (technically yesterday at this late hour). I got up, and I decided that I wouldn't go to church today. 

I wasn't sick. I wasn't unable. I could've gotten around in time to go, but I decided I wasn't going to. I think this was the first time I consciously decided not to go to church since the seventh or eighth grade, barring conflicts. 

I didn't do anything life changing with the time, and I mostly wasted it, truth be told. 

The sad part, to me, is that while I may have longed for literal and figurative communion with my Creator, I didn't regret missing church very much. It felt like skipping a meal- I knew I was doing it, but it wouldn't really hurt anything. 

I haven't made a deep realization about the workings of religion through skipping church. I've heard the "going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than going to a garage makes you a car!" line too many dreadful times to count, but I fear that I may personally be changing. I greet this opportunity with open, and happy arms, though. 

However, I'll be honest- next week, I'm pretty sure I'll be at church. I think I may have missed it more than I thought. 

Happy Halloween!

Time to Reconcile

Oh my. A week has gone by. That's a shame. I'm to blame. Where's the time gone? I fear to be shown. I need to organize, for it's time again to prioritize. 


Today was my Fall Break, and what a B E A Utiful break it was. I rather liked it. I relaxed yesterday and did just a small bit of homework. I knitted a great deal- that was nice. 

Thursday night I went with my "favorite charity case" (otherwise known as Belle Grober) to the Newman Center for pizza. The Salve Regina Newman Center is our Catholic ministry on campus and also St. Luke's parsonage for their priest.

The Newman Center had a get-to-gether to celebrate the short break, as well as to have something for those who cannot go home, like Belle (for non-regular readers, she hails from New Zealand). Hence we've taken to calling her our little charity case or project. 

All in all, the party was a nice event and I'm glad I was able to attend with Belle. We walked and talked on the way home and I ended with, "I'm sincere about this, if you ever want me to go again, just tell me."

You woulda thought I gave her the world! "Ahh! Thank you Colton!" she exclaimed as she wrapped me into a life threatening embrace. 

"What?!" I said, kinda shocked, but not really, "you're not weird because you're Catholic!"

"I know. It's just nice to be reminded of that sometimes. Ta mate! [in American English: thank you friend]"


It's rather sad that we still have such a poor Protestant/Catholic relationship. I am a Disciple, unashamedly so. However Belle is a disciple, which I am too. How often it is that we think it is the "big D" that defines us, when the "little d" is just as important. 

I have love to give the Catholic Church. First and foremost, they're the primary institution that carried Christianity to the reformation. Among other reasons is that they are still communities of faith, they may carry unique ideas, but they try to fully believe in those unique ideas, and it is ultimately another part of the One Body- that same one body of which I belong. 

In the Disciples-with-a-big-D church, we have what is called Reconciliation Ministry, which helps to mend the conflicts of opposing cultures that so often plague us. I hope that within this still-vital ministry we are or can recognize the differences between these divisions, not just between skin color, economic status, or culture, but also within Christianity.  That this ministry is or will push us to yearn to celebrate these differences that make us who we are, and also make our mutual faith so much rich and vibrant, while also noting that we are still brothers and sisters, hand-in-hand and step-by-step. 

Small Stuff

I think I survived this week.  Someone cyber-pinch me, please. 

I am SO elated! My family comes in tonight for parent’s weekend.  I missed them so greatly.  I may not seem overly sentimental, and I am incapable (mostly) of feeling homesick, but I did miss my family. 

I have a very funny story to tell all of you, my lovely blogosphere family.  A week ago my First Year Seminar professor and I were talking about the meal that we are serving on Sunday.  I was in charge of survey and ticket distribution, and it was looking like everything was about to unravel if we were not playing very very carefully.  I reassured him that everything would be okay because, “it’ll all work out.  None of us will die and we will do okay.”

He smirked and said, “I like your “nobody’s dead yet style philosophy.”

I considered this for a while and ultimately decided that I had gathered my, “don’t worry unless someone is dying” style of worrying from my grandmother Jayne.  She made a point to tell me to, “don’t sweat the small stuff- and this is small stuff!”  Everything was small stuff to Meme Jayne, except matters of life and death (and then it may STILL be small stuff, or just “another lap around the mountain!)

I miss my grandmother particularly today, and I cannot wait until Thanksgiving finally creeps in so that I can see her.  We have hours upon hours’ worth of conversation to have.  The only person that can talk more than Dad is Meme Jayne, and they are the only two that can beat me. 

I’ll blog more this week, promise.

Clott

Studying Abroad (As in "Other Places", Not "A Woman")

This is an early afternoon post, so I hope that all of those who are still working (i.e. not retired!) will see this when they are done with their duties at their occupation.

My ears keep popping today, students are restless, and the wind is blowing just right… a weather change is in the air.  I fear it is “The Change” that will start bringing the winter I dread to this corner of the earth.  Maybe not, though, and right now I would greatly appreciate the weather to change, it has been far too hot.

When the first cold snap hit, Eureka turned off the air conditioning for the dorms, so it becomes very hot if the mercury rises above seventy five degrees.  It is amazing how well cinderblock walls trap in heat!

Sam is behind me, searching out schools to study abroad.  He wants to be a German major as well as engineering, so he is searching for schools in (you guessed it) Germany. 

I wonder if I will choose to study abroad.  It is a once in a lifetime experience, but so many other things are as well!  Would it be beneficial to the education I hope to achieve during my four short years here at Eureka? 

I know that one of the two mentorships I am given will be abroad.  If I was to choose today (which is a year and some early) I would want to go journey on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela and walk the pilgrimage across France and Spain.  One of my dearest teachers, Mrs. Earle, took this trip a few summers ago.  I would probably start in Paris, make a stop at the Taize ecumenical monastery, and then walk (along with the occasional car or train) to the city of Compostela near the Atlantic Ocean to see the remains of James, the brother of John.  It would be a study of pilgrimages, as this was one of three major pilgrimages during the medieval era (the others being to Jerusalem and Rome, I believe).  It would be so much fun and yet so eye opening. 

I also would need to know a bit of French, which if I went during the Summer of 2013, I would need to start studying French next year.  Depending on how much French I would need, I still would likely start next year, but take the domestic trip in 2013 and the international trip in 2014.  Whew! 

What’s wonderful is that I don’t decide this now, and it is probably too soon to even begin consideration.  However, I look at the doors God has opened to me and I smile and I cannot wait to walk through them to explore as much of God’s creation as I can.

Right, Wrong, or Somewhere In the Middle?

I’m BAAAACK!  Not for a long amount of time though.  Next week will be quite busy with four campus events, mixed in with one service project, one Spanish exam, one major paper, and one visit from my family back home.  Oh, and how could I forget, sermon writing!  I have been contacted by the First Christian Church of Creve Coure to present the message on Sunday, October 23.  It’ll be great fun!!  I may start on the sermon this week, to be honest.  Next week is going to maul me like a bear. 

Today’s topic is a sensitive one.  It concerns the Eureka Heart House.  I love the mission of the Heart House and I believe it is an invaluable asset to this community.  Indeed, it is one of the primary reasons I knit hats (the other, besides aiding in funding the Heart House, is it is rather fun).  However, the Heart House does something I am not a fan of.

The Heart House does not serve men!  It is for single women, single mothers, homeless, and domestic violence victims.  Tis an admirable cause, but it does not include aiding men.

I know that I have the most privileged characteristics in America: male, white, Protestant Christian, straight, college bound, and middle class.  I am in the most favored position, but I am arguing for more consideration for males.  Part of me feels guilty.

However, another part of me remembers my family.  My father was a single father for many years.  Thankfully, he had a good paying job and we had a loving family and support group.  I’ve never gone hungry, homeless, or in want of anything.  I have lived the most blessed life I could think of. 

But (and there is always a but) if anything had been different, even just a little bit, how would our economic situation had changed?  Would we have been left out in the cold?

I understand that as a domestic abuse shelter, there are several precautions that must be taken in securing a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable in our society.  I would never advocate NOT having the Heart House (Ada, a community four times the size of Eureka, does not have a homeless shelter and THAT is a shame and a disgrace that needs to be confronted in such an affluent community).  Although, I do want this community, and all others, to remember that there is vulnerability EVERYWHERE, that want and pain crosses both genders, all colors, and every single stereotype. 

Talk to you all soon!  Sorry it has been so long.

Clott

Blogging for Money?

So I just checked my statistics, O Blogosphere family.  It turns out that we really ARE a family.  This blog has been visited 2,075 times since I created it 10 weeks ago.  Can you believe how short of a time I have been blogging?  I am so thankful for all that read my blog.  It certainly brightens my spirit to know how many of you are out there!  I have had most of my visits in the United States (roughly 1,900) but 90 came from the United Kingdom, and 8 from Japan (although, chances are, those were spam.  Spam from Japan- what a rhyme, oh what a time we have on this blog on a log!).

So that is good!  I want to give my heartfelt gratitude to all those that read, whether once or everytime I post.  Thank you so much.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this was possible.

Which brings me to what I wish to discuss with all of you today.  I can start integrating advertisements into my blogs.  For money.  Like blogging could be a job for me.

You see, Google owns Blogger, which means the ads I would display on my blog would be an extension of the ads you see if you have ever used the Google search engine.  Since Google is always trying to "read minds" they would (likely) pertain to the subject I was writing about.  I could integrate a lot of ads or a few.  The more I put in, the more money I would make. 

The technical way I would get paid is an advertisement would present a link.  Every time a reader clicked on the link, I would get paid by the owner of the website. 

So... what do you think?  Is it worth it?  Is going commercial worth it?  Chances are I would NOT make a lot of money (my guess is a couple of dollars a month).  I would plague the blog with ads... it wouldn't be horrible- but I want YOU, all of you, the people I actually write for, to make this decision with me. 

SO... please, please, PLEASE comment, or email, or Facebook, or text me, or even write me a letter.  It would be a neat opportunity, but not if it means sacrificing too much integrity. 

This week looks to be interesting... no promises on a new blog until Thursday.  I'll post on FB if I get one up Tuesday or Wednesday.

Yours,

Clott


PS- For my paper which I asked the blogosphere family with help on: I chose the topic of Inter-Faith Marriages.  Blended families, which was my most common suggestion received, was just too broad.  Thanks again!!

World Communion Sunday

How interesting it is how God works in my life.  Today was World Communion Sunday, of which I had forgotten.  The celebration would normally not be too big of a thing, except for my experiences yesterday in which Belle and I talked extensively on communion.  How God must love me to put so much effort into me!

Anyhoo! It was your typical Disciples spiel; the sermon was on the unifying acts of communion that brings us all closer to the risen Christ, so that all may see Jesus face to face.  Lovely stuff, my only complaint was that Belle was not in attendance for a more elaborate take on how I feel (well, mostly.  I’m not going to say that any speaker accurately sums up all my beliefs or feelings with every nuance included- even if I am the orator!).  I love the idea of a meal that we are called to come to; a meal that calls us to be compassionate with our companions (learned today that companion meant literally, “the one you break bread with.” Neat, eh?). 

That really is all I have today for this incredibly short blog.  I have much to do with not much time to do it in- oh the dilemma of my life! 

Much heart, much love, much peace, much spirit, and much hope for this coming week in my most favorite month,

Clott

Adventures with Catholicism

And the Red Devils won their Homecoming game!  22-18 was a close but very nice victory over the Westminster Blue Jays, and it brought a nice conclusion to the Homecoming festivities (unless you count the party at the Bowling Alley tonight, which I do not).  The sad part is next week will be utterly normal, and October will be a somewhat harder academic month.  Real life is back in swing and for the first time since starting at Eureka there are no events or holidays coming up to look to… it is just normal college.  It will be interesting to look at school as just school, to see the “daily grind” with fewer respites.  I think I’m up to the challenge.

I had the opportunity to go to a Catholic mass today with my good friend, Belle.  For those of you without a spotless memory, Belle is also teaching me piano and is from New Zealand.  She is a wonderful friend that I am thankful to know and even more appreciative that she felt comfortable enough to share her faith with me (not that it is VERY different than the protestant brand of Christianity, but there are differences; enough differences that I felt lost!).

The parish was old, “white and out”, which was in its own way comforting to see.  The hymns were like ours, except they were sung a cappella.  I think that isn’t a part of traditional Catholicism, but due to the fact that they were without an organist.  The pews were hard and wood, just like any that I would find at any of the numerous churches I have visited over the years- but with kneelers and without communion cup holders. 

Most of the service was done in liturgy, which was interesting.  Even though a few Catholics may read this, and please do not take offence, I did not like that aspect of it much.  It didn’t have as much of the individual soul.  I think that was a part of the intended effect, but I prefer it the other way.  By other way, I mean very little is said in unison, the priest/preacher/pastor prays original prayers, and in general the congregation shapes more of the service.  Although, there is some comfort in that everywhere, every mass is saying and learning what you are.  I find some of that appealing, to be sure. 

I am quite positive they did not know I was a Disciple and never attended a mass before, but nevertheless I was asked to help with the service.  I’m not sure if they grabbed me because they knew Belle, or I was young, or my “minister wannabe” factor was showing, but I was asked to be the gift bearer and to bring the chalice to the priest.  I enjoy the way this parish did the collections of monetary tithes and offerings in that they had a basket in the back of the room.  The basket was never passed, so if you didn’t give, no one would know.  I liked that a lot.  Plus, visitors could not give.  Only people who had been there for a time could have known where the collection was.  Normally, visitor confusion is never good, but I liked the inability to give monetarily to the parish.  It makes the service more of a gift then.  The bringing of the chalice was also the only way I got to participate with communion.

Naturally, the universal problem for a Disciple came up while I was there.  Communion was being served, and even though I follow the Christ who was born in a barn and therefore have an open door policy to communion, I had to understand that this meal was not served for me.  I could have gone forward to be blessed, but at the same time, it stung to be blessed by a priest and then turned away from the single most important act of worship, so I elected to stay in my pew as the congregation filed forward for the bread and cup.   

Even though I knew how Catholics believed concerning communion, I was still inwardly angry when the time came.  I was surprised, I thought I had gotten over these poor feelings, but they rose up when it was time to break bread.  I craved to be a part of the body of Christ and to commune with Jesus, to take the bread and drink from the cup and see the risen Christ face to face.  However, I respect their faith, and I understand their reasoning, but I still maintain that the Disciples have the best idea of the meal that heals, the gift from God meant to be a symbol of unity that so often divides.

Belle and I left the mass and walked back to Eureka College and I made her come back to my dorm room.  I wanted to show her one of my all-time favorite gifts.  We got back to my room and I showed her the portable communion set my grandmother Jayne had given me.  It is a beautiful set and I admire it so greatly.  She looked at it confusedly for a moment and then she realized what it was and we discussed it.  She mentioned that she could use this if the priest blessed the host.  I said that in the Disciples way of understanding, any believer can give any believer communion.  I am not sure how she felt about this (as she will probably read this, I have a feeling I will know sooner than later). 

By the end of the adventures in faith that I had today I was thankful.  Not only thankful for my friendship with Belle, or thankful that I lived in a country where I can try out so many different styles of loving one God, but thankful for my heritage.  I thank God that I was put in the place to become a Disciple of Christ with a “big D.”

On the walk home, Belle and I both agreed on one thing above all else: we loved our faith.  How wonderful is it that God can love both of us equally and fully, we who believe similarly yet so differently at the same time.  Praise to our Creator!

The identity statement of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):

We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.  As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s table as God has welcomed us.