Take these shoes

Take these shoes

Click clacking down some dead end street

Take these shoes

and make them fit

Take this shirt

Polyestor white trash made in nowhere

Take this shirt

And make it clean

Take this soul

Stranded in some skin and bones

Take this soul

And make it sing

-U2, Yahweh

I haven't been that inspired to write on here the past few weeks. Lots going on. I've been studying the book of Romans and thoughts are swimming 'round my head and I imagine at some point will come out on here. I've been working on my thesis - it's the right number of pages and is going through a few edits and then I need to add the bibliography. I have declared my intent to graduate this fall :) Lots of paper work needing to get done (like taxes - I haven't filed taxes for the past two years - what a pain to do it years later. May I learn from this and be on time). 

And I've been packing! Tonight is my last night at my current place. My last night living in solitude (at least for awhile). Tomorrow I begin an adventure of a life time in joining with 7 others to live out Christ's calling in an intentional community. We are a "new monastic" group affiliated with the Anglican church... I've been reading about new monasticism and will post some good links on here as I find time.

Anyways, as I have been packing, I have the music blasting and U2's "Yahweh" came on - a song that I have heard millions of times but heard differently today. As I jump into this new adventure, it is my prayer that God will take my shoes, my shirt, my soul, my hands and give them a kiss of holiness as they are sent out to follow God in my own life, in the life of Camino House and the life of the community that surrounds us.

I am reminded through this song that there is pain in change - "Always pain before a child is born". But I am excited to surrender these next few months, years, who knows how long! to see where God will lead me. Also, I think healing will come through community. New monasticism recognizes that we are all broken people. I am looking forward to encouraging my fellow house mates to shalom, wholeness, peace, and to letting them into my life as I strive for the same.

So Lord - take these shoes.