tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25679694488051953392024-02-19T19:32:14.634-05:00simply neighborsthoughts on faith, city, and the pursuit of good neighboring.Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-56179719818129376452021-05-11T11:51:00.000-04:002021-05-11T11:51:18.756-04:00finding affirmation: [part 3] bring it to the table<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9-qwBFCPDLtYmyTKb2_96H22r5xsvUcqmzBKTqVlDnQ7T484-Gws8-NCsE5tACX7IUnOK_u7AlZ_NQJAsXb6T82B8gmwnHNHJS8st2mZuzQscKgJw2B6aPF0LzStrYjXzkYTJXQ3aFnN/s2048/aaron-blanco-tejedor-yH18lOSaZVQ-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9-qwBFCPDLtYmyTKb2_96H22r5xsvUcqmzBKTqVlDnQ7T484-Gws8-NCsE5tACX7IUnOK_u7AlZ_NQJAsXb6T82B8gmwnHNHJS8st2mZuzQscKgJw2B6aPF0LzStrYjXzkYTJXQ3aFnN/w400-h266/aaron-blanco-tejedor-yH18lOSaZVQ-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[<a href="https://ryanyazel.blogspot.com/2021/04/finding-affirmation-part-1-are-you.html">part 1</a>]</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">[<a href="https://ryanyazel.blogspot.com/2021/04/finding-affirmation-part-2-why-now.html">part 2</a>]</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to return to that </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://ryanyazel.blogspot.com/2021/04/finding-affirmation-part-2-why-now.html">last conversation</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a minute.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-43ed1820-7fff-5c49-433c-b574e531319c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Personally, I really wish I could be affirming, but...”</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most of my life, I believed that attitudes like this one were exclusively problematic for their potential to bring an agenda that would corrupt our interpretation of scripture.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But not too long ago, I began to process this question:</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if <i>that</i> agenda isn’t </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>MY</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> agenda?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See, if I’m being honest, I’m not the most empathetic person in the world. The instinct toward compassion and empathy I see in my wife puts me to shame. It comes more naturally to her.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No, my compassionate empathy isn’t innate, but has developed through exploring and imitating the life and teachings of Jesus -- who constantly extends surprising welcome and compassion to people who were seen by the religious community of their day as unclean outsiders. More often than not, Jesus pushed the boundaries of love, justice, and inclusion to such extremes the crowds turned violent against him for his perceived heresy.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have spent much of my life among those crowds, finding myself inside the commonly accepted standards of church & culture, while maintaining the exclusion of those predetermined to be on the outside.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That only began to change when I let myself consider and be transformed by the radical movement of Jesus. As a result, I am different than I once was. I </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feel</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> different than I once felt.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So if the empathy inside of me is really just an encapsulation of what I understand to be the character of Jesus, why would I not let that be an influential consideration in how I understand the rest of the Bible?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In fact, to try to discern and interpret the rest of scripture while holding back my understanding of the character of Jesus would be like trying to untangle a knot with one hand tied behind my back.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now I’m not saying there are no other considerations or that our empathy should be our <i>primary</i> consideration. And I'm not saying that our feelings are always correct or that all of our feelings come from the work of God in our life -- we should certainly always be asking ourselves whether the way we feel is consistent with who we see Jesus to be.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But if you consider your own compassionate empathy, and it reflects your understanding of Jesus, then I encourage you to bring that to the table of interpretation, not hide from it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For too long, we’ve been told our feelings don’t belong. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For too long, we’ve been told not to bring compassion to an interpretation party.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But maybe embracing the boundary-shattering compassion of Jesus is exactly what’s needed to see God’s movement in our world clearly.</span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**************</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>Note</u>: As usual, this is a blog post about the need to take complicated interpretation seriously, not a public space for anyone to publicly debate the status of my LGBTQ brothers & sisters. There will be zero tolerance for that.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-9448039198490030362021-05-03T12:07:00.004-04:002021-05-04T09:30:22.031-04:00finding affirmation: [part 2] why now?!<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11OOjlMExhwCi0dybshebyyQYNihQJ9bLZoBeJC_a9V7TbkKHH0sVoNdd5eUePVx4SW1EshR7EAbxDqH0uIhQ6YC_Eekoi2GLhuUeOJgtiBOulj2mohk97We1V0InU5d9ICV8oZN8ob9i/s2048/da-nina-RA9GWXVpSXc-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi11OOjlMExhwCi0dybshebyyQYNihQJ9bLZoBeJC_a9V7TbkKHH0sVoNdd5eUePVx4SW1EshR7EAbxDqH0uIhQ6YC_Eekoi2GLhuUeOJgtiBOulj2mohk97We1V0InU5d9ICV8oZN8ob9i/w400-h266/da-nina-RA9GWXVpSXc-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p><span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">[<a href="https://ryanyazel.blogspot.com/2021/04/finding-affirmation-part-1-are-you.html">part 1</a>]</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e1391c17-7fff-df49-c695-39dffa63a0ed"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><u>Note</u>: This blog series is just an introductory conversation about my experiences surrounding LGBTQ affirmation, not a deep dive into the topic. I'm writing this primarily for those who have only casually thought about the topic, without deeper exploration. If you are someone who has spent time exploring the depths of the scriptures and the arguments on both sides of LGBTQ inclusion & affirmation, and --through that exploration-- have found yourself in a non-affirming position, this post is not for you. </i></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">---------------------------------------</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As someone who is theologically affirming of my LGBTQ neighbors <i>BECAUSE</i> of my exploration of scripture, not in spite of it, another statement I hear all the time is this:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Personally, I <i>really want to be</i> affirming, but I just can’t get past the literal words on the pages of the Bible. It’s too big an obstacle.”</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the response in my head is usually: “Ok. But why?” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or more accurately, “Why now?”</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually the conversation partner has already gone beyond the literal words on the page quite often in their interpretation of scripture.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They usually: </span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">support war for causes they perceive to be just, instead of turning the other cheek as Jesus taught</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">attend churches where women aren’t required to be silent, in contrast to Paul’s teaching</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">embrace braided hair for women, allow haircuts for their daughters, and don’t protest the man bun</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">defend themselves in court if sued</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">believe it is proper for slaves to resist, protest, and fight for their freedom</span></p></li></ul><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And all these interpretive choices have usually been made without much hand-wringing.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve never heard someone say, “I don’t pray with my head covered, but I wrestle with that 1 Corinthians 11 passage daily.”</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No. In so many other circumstances, the need for interpretation is considered a normal part of understanding scripture.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But here, the literal words, apart from any deeper study & interpretation, often get presented as an insurmountable barrier.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why now? Why on this issue, differently than the others?</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here, any effort to do historical, cultural, & textual exploration to inform interpretation (as are common for these other topics) is often construed as pursuing an agenda.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why now? Why on this issue?</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is different about this issue that causes so many to embrace </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">different</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> standards for interpretation than they have </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">already</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> embraced regarding other issues?</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll leave that answer to our own self-exploration.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I don’t assume that everyone who dives deeply into the interpretive process on this topic will come to the same conclusion I have. It’s complicated. I believe there are good people that will explore the depths of this and come to decisions I disagree with.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All I ask is that we try to apply the same standards for interpretation to understanding this issue that we have to the other issues throughout scripture. And either the literal words on the page are an insurmountable obstacle, or they’re not. </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But if they sometimes are, and sometimes aren’t. I have to ask...</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why now?</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />-------------<br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><i>Final note</i></u>: Once more, this is a blog post about the need to take complicated interpretation seriously, not a public space for anyone to publicly debate the status of my LGBTQ brothers & sisters. There will be zero tolerance for that.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-66470331450905963212021-04-26T10:26:00.001-04:002021-05-04T09:29:40.357-04:00finding affirmation: [part 1] are you serious?<span id="docs-internal-guid-1447d49f-7fff-ec5f-a476-a09f7e44c7a5"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwLnsrRSfpVEE7jIWqyF58OvFTzfZc1zGbj1ulSv5tuyOGIAsT9PLogooX-kI7Xjys215zw8XS26TMtoK4zKT1TF7lMqNo97QEGMoi8z9rGtzAjS-YjiG9Yr8oAZmbDyiHBozJPHOWHD2/s2048/jonny-swales-fIDIgxZpdSM-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwLnsrRSfpVEE7jIWqyF58OvFTzfZc1zGbj1ulSv5tuyOGIAsT9PLogooX-kI7Xjys215zw8XS26TMtoK4zKT1TF7lMqNo97QEGMoi8z9rGtzAjS-YjiG9Yr8oAZmbDyiHBozJPHOWHD2/w400-h266/jonny-swales-fIDIgxZpdSM-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I try to take the Bible seriously.
I am also theologically affirming of my LGBTQ neighbors.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is <i>BECAUSE</i> of my understanding of the narrative of the scriptures, clarified by Jesus, not in spite of it.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More times than not, when other church people find out, I hear some form of:</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I get that, but for meeeeee....I believe the words written in the Bible when it says that marriage is between one man and one woman.”</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The implication is that I (or the many others like me) have either never read those words or have read them and simply choose to ignore their existence.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The further implication is that those who are serious about the Bible follow it literally.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But here are some other words written in the New Testament:</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Women should be silent in church <i>(1 Co 14:34-35)</i> </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Women shouldn’t braid their hair, or wear gold or pearls <i>(1 Pe 3:3, 1 Ti 2:9)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Men must pray with their head covered <i>(1 Co 11:4)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Women shouldn’t cut their hair short <i>(1 Co 11:6)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a disgrace for men to have long hair <i>(1 Co 11:14)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slaves should obey their masters in everything <i>(Col 3:22)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give to anyone who begs from you or asks to borrow <i>(Matt 5:42)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If anyone sues us, we must not resist but must give them even more than they ask for <i>(Matt 5:40)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If our eye causes us to stumble, we must gouge it out and throw it away <i>(Matt 5:29)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyone who calls someone a fool will be in danger of the fire of hell <i>(Matt 5:22)</i></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We should not resist evil people when they try to hurt us, instead when they hit us we should turn the other cheek to them so they can hit that too <i>(Matt 5:39)</i></span></p></li></ul><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most people I talk with don’t take these very clear words very </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: line-through; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seriously</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> literally.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I’m not saying they should.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because the Bible needs interpreted. We need to understand context and culture and examine the whole picture. And we make those choices every time we read the Bible.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every time we choose NOT to take something literally, that’s a choice of interpretation.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And every time we choose TO take something literally, that’s ALSO a choice of interpretation.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s not taking it more seriously. It’s just coming to a different interpretation.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now I’m not saying all interpretations are correct. And I’m not going to argue with you right now that <i>MY</i> interpretation is correct. And what we’re definitely not going to do is publicly debate the souls of friends.</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All I’m asking is that we stop playing the game that acts like everything is as simple as reading the words on the page. </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then maybe sometime we can grab coffee and discuss the rest.</span></p></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-36784687367941954512019-08-27T10:19:00.001-04:002019-08-27T10:19:40.253-04:00A Lament for South Bend<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJhxonzknkiTrY_agDLPLZBZU2TdmdClII4Ty8j3DLwl_nts0SvMeOFcmJx2x1UJuBUYfGTwT0psfHJgSrQXdJDE6GRz8k_enPIsYgz6W2HhFICAWwg7hmKr56InELXWj8nApATNfImoM/s1600/5d648902b2028.image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="750" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJhxonzknkiTrY_agDLPLZBZU2TdmdClII4Ty8j3DLwl_nts0SvMeOFcmJx2x1UJuBUYfGTwT0psfHJgSrQXdJDE6GRz8k_enPIsYgz6W2HhFICAWwg7hmKr56InELXWj8nApATNfImoM/s320/5d648902b2028.image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Bend Tribune Photo // Santiago Flores</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(a response to the <a href="https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-common-council-votes-down-buttigieg-administration-s-plan/article_fb42899f-3f07-563a-be05-4b29a20a30c3.html" target="_blank">Common Council decision</a> to turn down funding to build Permanent Supportive Housing units in a local neighborhood)</i></div>
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Today is not a proud day for South Bend.<br />
<br />
I had hopes for South Bend, as a city that claims “progressive” values, but I’ve seen the other side too often.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-homeless-intake-center-idea-in-trouble/article_fdcb3ce9-29e2-564c-a6a3-094a41912ac9.html" target="_blank">Gateway Center</a>? “Love the idea, we really need it, but it should go somewhere else”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/neighbors-drug-rehab-group-clash-on-south-bend-sober-home/article_5a093152-bdd5-56e6-8f97-2b2d52012b0e.html" target="_blank">Sober Living House</a>? “We really believe our city needs these, but suggest this other neighborhood as a better fit”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/south-bend-homeless-apartment-project-falls-short-of-positive-plan/article_1fadda3e-6d76-577d-9a14-fb3c5448e52a.html" target="_blank">Permanent Supportive Housing</a>? (PSH) “Yes! But not here.”<br />
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It turns out that South Bend is more just like the rest of humanity. We generally want good things for others, but not when it comes at any significant cost to ourselves.<br />
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And I can’t fault people for looking out for themselves. Heck, <a href="https://www.wndu.com/content/news/Residents-outraged-at-proposed-plan-to-relocate-Menards-to-Granger-513368001.html" target="_blank">a Granger neighborhood just went apoplectic </a>over the thought of Menards moving literally one block north.<br />
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But I somehow thought South Bend with its progressive values would be different. It turns out we just like to learn about progressive values, then use progressive language to protect our interests, while making it seem like we’re really out for some greater good.<br />
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The progressive arguments were made: this neighborhood needs more investment and it would be racially unjust to put this upon them. But is it really about racial justice? If so, why at the meeting I was at last week, was it mostly middle class white people speaking on their own behalf? And name a neighborhood near downtown that has received more investment through the years than the near west side? I can only think of the East Bank. When we were doing development work in Keller Park years ago (another redlined neighborhood), we were told that there wouldn’t be redevelopment grants available for us because all of the investment was going to the <a href="http://www.nearnorthwest.org/" target="_blank">NNN</a> and <a href="https://sbheritage.org/" target="_blank">SB Heritage</a> (who was developing primarily in the near west at the time). We’re talking about a prime focus area for SB Heritage as well as the home of Indiana Landmark. We’re talking about a neighborhood that has seen sidewalk and curb and tree lawn upgrades through the years. And we’re talking about an area that borders a neighborhood with literal historical mansions (indeed some of the opposition was coming from this part of the neighborhood). I’m not saying that this is comparable on any level to the development of the East Bank, but just to say that there has been significant investment already. (Compare that with the Far Northwest or Keller Park which have received little-to-no investment). And if we’re going to say that a project like this is needed, and it needs to be near downtown for accessibility, and it needs to be in a neighborhood that has had some investment already...the area we’re talking about is probably in the top 2-3 locations I can think of. Would the East Bank be better? Sure. But if we’re only going to use the absolute 1st choice ideals, nothing will ever get done, and our homeless neighbors suffer in the meantime.<br />
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The progressive arguments were made: PSH complexes are not AS GOOD as scattered site housing. While this is true, I don’t believe these arguments were primarily made with the interest of our homeless neighbors in mind. And while scattered site may be better, due to how grant monies are made available there wasn’t more money for that, while there is for this. And in the meantime, we’re telling our homeless neighbors “we’re not going to build you housing, because it’s not optimal for you. We’ll wait for something better.” I’m not sure that would be heard as compassion.<br />
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The progressive arguments were made: there was environmental contamination in the past...we can’t put people there. And while this was also possibly true, the city said that all remediation standards were met and they were promising to meet all future remediation standards if anything else came up. But I have to ask, do the people raising these concerns also raise them for other development around town? The Studebaker redevelopment? The apartments by the baseball stadium? The building on the east bank? In an old industrial town, there are traces of contamination everywhere that we should take seriously. And I applaud those who hold our leadership accountable for that. But is this an example of legitimate concern for contamination by people so inclined? Or is this latching onto progressive language to stop something undesirable for different reasons, while absolving the guilt?<br />
<br />
I am constantly haunted by Dr. King’s wisdom in his <a href="https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html" target="_blank">Letter from a Birmingham Jail</a>:<br />
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“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”<br />
<br />
I can’t help but wonder if we have embraced the same moderate mindset towards our homeless or recovering neighbors.<br />
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Finally, my experience has come from intentionally living in complicated places. Our cars were both shot up last year. There are shell casings spray painted on my block from shooting two weeks ago. We get about 4 quiet nights a week where yelling and screaming outside doesn’t keep us awake. Don't get me wrong, it definitely isn’t easy. I regularly dream of moving. But to this point, I keep coming back with the reminder that I am a better human being due to the influence of my neighbors. My children are more well-rounded and compassionate due to the experiences on our blocks through the years. Yes, there is pain here, but there is strength in the midst of the pain and we do not want to miss that: the mom who has the strength to scrape life together to keep her kids moving forward, the formerly homeless neighbor who has become the grandfather of the entire block, the young couple just starting to figure out life on their own as adults.<br />
<br />
And even in this lament, I recognize the goodness of those working for our hurting neighbors: those who show up on the streets and at the tent communities to make sure everyone is healthy and has an opportunity for warmth, those working for the service providers for too little money and for too long of hours, those crafting policy and scrounging for public funding even though it will likely get shot down in the end, and the neighbors who show up and speak on behalf of projects like this even in the face of opposition from those who live around them.<br />
<br />
The complexity of life, both the pain and the joys, is beautiful. My hope for South Bend is that we can become a city that embraces both with care. My hope is that we will become a city that truly works for justice for others, even at great sacrifice to ourselves, because we realize we are all better off for it.<br />
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Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-55313399467916413002018-12-10T12:19:00.000-05:002018-12-10T12:30:20.690-05:00it did [not] happen: the end of our adoption adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsdte1CpaUaXI3PrkVOoqin8N-DV4W8EQhhkGB_AqGenA4VIJ8hM7_OdUIMaJf-n7SgvTth43dKOqSEBrae1hemG906Z9nmV6NgUdwLJoVDHYePDGrYgfS5lz2rHPt7U_Br-dzNoPYfKH/s1600/daiga-ellaby-154928-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsdte1CpaUaXI3PrkVOoqin8N-DV4W8EQhhkGB_AqGenA4VIJ8hM7_OdUIMaJf-n7SgvTth43dKOqSEBrae1hemG906Z9nmV6NgUdwLJoVDHYePDGrYgfS5lz2rHPt7U_Br-dzNoPYfKH/s400/daiga-ellaby-154928-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>“Can you be faithful in your community even when the only thing changing is you?”</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>- Pastor Jonathan Brooks [@PastahJ]</i></div>
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As many of you know, our family has been in a season of preparing for another adoption. Shortly after my last post, processing the end of our foster care adventure, we were contacted by a dear friend in a difficult place. Since that time, we have been preparing for life with a baby girl, due this February.</div>
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We have been blessed by a community that has been immensely supportive, through prayer, encouragement, and supplies. You all are blessings we never want to take for granted.<br />
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Throughout this process, we have let our friend know that our primary goal is not to grow our family, but to provide care where needed, and that we support her if she changes her mind. This past week, she let us know that she felt ready to give mothering a chance. At this point, our new adoption adventure has finished its course.<br />
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Again, this whole process comes with a range of emotions: Joy for a mother's act of courage to reach out for help and another to boldly walk the beautiful challenge of parenting. Happiness for a baby girl who will know the love of her mother. Awkwardness for taking so many of you on this roller coaster adventure with us. Gratitude for the support and encouragement of friends. Sadness for missed snuggles and Miki’s lost* dream of becoming a big sister. Relief for not facing those sleepless nights. Guilt for feeling that relief.<br />
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A good friend said to me, “I’m really sorry it didn’t happen for you.”<br />
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I really appreciate the empathy.<br />
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But as I process, I realize that while first instinct might feel like this is a story about what did <i>not</i> happen, I believe it is a story about what <i>did</i> happen.<br />
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Our adventure started in an effort to be faithful with the generosity God has shown our family, to provide relief to a friend, and a loving environment for a sweet yet-to-be-born baby girl. In the end, each of those were accomplished.<br />
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Our friend found peace to process her pregnancy without the fear of the parenting challenges ahead. She found the space to get to a personally healthy place, which allowed the restoration of her own family support systems. As a result, she now is ready to be the healthy momma this sweet baby girl will adore. <br />
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The lesson our family will process is that the impact of our actions is not always what we expect, but it does not have to be. The goal is to simply be faithful and let the chips fall where they may; live like Jesus, and let God worry about the results.<br />
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Maybe it changes our communities. Maybe it just changes us.<br />
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May we continue to make ourselves available for either.<br />
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Blessings to the sweet baby girl and her incredibly brave and loving momma. You will always be in our hearts.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*I’m clearly the last to know what our life will look like, and I’ve made the claim we are done having more children 4 previous times so far, so take any of my claims knowing the future (or present) with a grain of salt. I'm obviously bad at it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**if you have any curiosity about foster care or adoption, visit <a href="http://embracesouthbend.com/">embracesouthbend.com</a> to see what your next steps may be.</i></span>Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-75686702263277558782018-06-18T11:50:00.000-04:002018-06-18T12:04:30.580-04:00one pound, one ounce: a foster care post-mortem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As many of you know, our family has been marching forward on our renewed foster care adventure. With our youngest adoptive daughter turning four this month, and the <a href="http://wsbt.com/news/local/indianas-children-in-desperate-need-for-foster-families" target="_blank">overwhelming need for foster care in our state</a>, we began asking ourselves earlier this year whether we have the capacity to dive back in.<br />
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For us, the question was never really about growing the family, rather our core belief that <a href="https://southbendcitychurch.podbean.com/e/24-teaching-caring-for-vulnerable-children/" target="_blank">as Christians we are called to use our capacity for the good of others</a>. With this in mind, we decided to call our local DCS office and begin the process of renewing our foster care license.<br />
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Cue a lengthy adventure that included nearly 30 hours of workshops and training, more paperwork than you can shake a ball point pen at, the purchase of a new van capable of holding all of these children, and a scramble to reorient our house to an appropriate environment for babies. Within two short months, we were ready.<br />
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Thirty minutes after turning in our final paperwork, we received a call for a likely permanent (adoptive) placement for a 3 yr old boy. Though his age was outside of our pre-established healthy range for our family (due to being only months younger than our youngest), we couldn’t help but see the need for an adorable little boy to find a loving home and say “yes!”<br />
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We walked that road toward a move-in date with the dear boy as he began to find his way deeper into our hearts with every hug. However, after a month of progress, we discerned that he and our youngest were just too similar to ever live happily together and (when alerted to another family looking to adopt the young boy) we stepped aside.<br />
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Back to square one.<br />
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The next couple of weeks were an up-and-down adventure of taking our new understanding of our capacity and learning to say “no”. Newborn twins. An older 2 yr old. A preemie still on oxygen support and with a feeding tube. Finally, we got a call that seemed like a great fit: we invited a preemie baby boy into the family as a short-term foster son.<br />
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Baby Z came to us at 6 weeks old, but due to his premature 29-wk birth, was still 5 weeks away from his original due date, just over 4 lbs, and resisting weight gain. We knew this would be a short term placement, and our task was to wake him every three hours, all day and night to make sure he ate to gain the weight needed for proper brain and body development.<br />
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We loved our time with Baby Z. He was about as perfect as you could ever dream. His eyes only opened for about an hour per day, but when they did, they stole your heart. Our 3 daughters were captivated as was Robin who spoke with clarity: “I need to remember this, because he will likely be the cutest thing my eyes will ever see.”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjb-ld0oqS2-mCo28V39WcxRXP7MbhAj8zz4ZicyN1UZ8kfY8s8rN36tLUKHyBT4cIUDpjZQ3Wi0SyW26a2xoj4HkGb3QgDwBtuKedXgFkau3Gq0hy8f33YJEqrPyM0RJoh9GmOM2ZDOE/s1600/IMG_20180606_190245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjb-ld0oqS2-mCo28V39WcxRXP7MbhAj8zz4ZicyN1UZ8kfY8s8rN36tLUKHyBT4cIUDpjZQ3Wi0SyW26a2xoj4HkGb3QgDwBtuKedXgFkau3Gq0hy8f33YJEqrPyM0RJoh9GmOM2ZDOE/s400/IMG_20180606_190245.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Z and our 4 yr old</td></tr>
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Five amazing, yet sleep deprived days later, we said goodbye to sweet Baby Z. He was placed with his loving grandparents, which brought us great peace.<br />
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The exchange happened at the doctor’s office as Z got his weekly checkup. When they put him on the scale, we saw a miracle. He had gained a full pound and an ounce -- 25% of his body weight in just five days! The doctor was amazed. We were overwhelmed with joy.<br />
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The days after a placement come with some interesting feelings: The relief of renewed sleep. The guilt of that relief. The awkward empty feeling of a slightly less full house. The sadness of a lost relationship. The curiosity about the future.<br />
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For us, it also came with some processing. Baby Z was about as perfect as it could get, and yet we realized it was still pretty overwhelming for our family. Our (now) 4 year old really struggled, and we struggled as parents to both meet her needs and manage caring for a baby. Further, our lack of sleep and its results alerted us that our mental health was not as stable as we supposed.<br />
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Ultimately, we realized that we just don’t have the capacity to be foster parents at this time.<br />
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This realization brought its own feelings: guilt--that we cannot help all the children that are in desperate need. Shame--that our own weaknesses contribute to our lack of capacity to help. Awkwardness--in the awareness that so many have supported us in this path that we are now stepping off.<br />
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But in the end, I return to the old poem: “‘Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.”<br />
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The reality is that we all have limitations. Too often we allow our limitations or the fear of our limitations to hold us back from even attempting to sacrifice or make a difference in the world according to the way of Jesus. As a family, our desire is to always be testing the waters of what we can sacrifice for others. Sometimes that means that we step out and we have our lives & world changed forever, like with the fostering and adoption of our youngest daughter. Sometimes it means we step out and hit a wall and need to readjust our understandings of our own capacity. But without stepping out, we will never know which is which.<br />
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‘Tis better to sacrifice and reach your limitations, than out of fear for your limitations, never to sacrifice at all.<br />
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Finally, regardless of the premature end to this adventure, it was worth it.<br />
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The thirty hours of training. The mountains of paperwork. The house cleaning. The van purchase. The emotional roller coaster. The sleepless week.<br />
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It was all worth it.<br />
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If for nothing more than one child’s life, for five days of healing and development.<br />
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For one pound, one ounce.<br />
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It was worth it.<br />
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Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0South Bend, IN, USA41.6763545 -86.2519897999999941.48659 -86.574713299999985 41.866119000000005 -85.9292663tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-3573146518426347402017-04-19T06:50:00.001-04:002017-04-19T07:04:11.637-04:00standing and sitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight was a rough one for our block for a number of reasons.<br />
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At the top of the list, was being awakened at 4a by a young woman screaming as she fled down the center of the street, trailed by her would-be sexual assaulter. Thank God, more than a dozen neighbors came out of their houses to chase away the attacker, as the terrified woman collapsed into an exhausted heap in the middle of the street.<br />
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I took note of three types of neighbors during this trauma:<br />
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The first are those who did nothing. Perhaps they heard and just rolled over in bed, or peeked out the window and simply watched from a distance. Regardless, God help us for the ways in which we ever stay detached from the needs of others.<br />
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Thankfully, there was a solid core of a different type of neighbor -- those willing to stand up & get involved on some level. These were the neighbors who called the police, turned on their porch light or were willing to step outside. They were willing to put themselves in a bit of risk to be visible and present for a neighbor in great need. I am so thankful for neighbors like this -- those willing to live here instead of moving out and those willing to act on behalf of others.<br />
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Finally, as I walked down the block toward the woman on the street, I saw a man whose neighboring rose to another level. He was an older man, still shirtless from sleep despite the chill in the air, who left his porch, walked out to the woman crying in the street and simply sat down next to her in the middle of the dirty street. He wasn’t really saying or doing anything in that moment. He was just being present with her, making sure she was not alone.<br />
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The world needs more neighbors willing to step off the porch, sit down and just be present with others in the midst of their pain -- for safety, for support, but also just human connection.<br />
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<b><i>Hebrews 13:3</i></b></div>
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<i>Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you.</i></div>
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<b><i>Philippians 2:5-7</i></b></div>
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<i>In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Jesus:</i></div>
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<i>Who, though he was God, did not consider his status as something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he gave up his privilege by taking the very nature of a servant, embracing our humanity.</i></div>
Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-67192582400385829772016-09-12T21:27:00.000-04:002016-09-12T21:31:02.433-04:00breakout<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I grew up a good Baptist.<br />
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This meant that childhood me was absolutely certain that those with Charismatic leanings were complete fakes. They were just highly emotional people who lacked the proper understanding to know when they were getting swept up in a wave of nonsense.<br />
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...until I met this pastor in college. He was intelligent. His education in Biblical studies far surpassed mine. He was very even mannered. And it did not take much investigation to conclude that his pursuit of God over time put mine to shame.<br />
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AND then I found out he was a Charismatic.<br />
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*gulp*<br />
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What was I to do with that? He didn't fit into any of my assumptions about <i>those</i> kinds of people. In fact, in all of the religious check boxes that I valued, he had me beat. Could <i>I</i> really tell <i>him</i> he was not smart enough to know better? Or that he was too shallow? Or that his faith was fake? And if so, what would that say about me in comparison?<br />
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I was forced to reconsider my assumptions. That's the importance of experience.<br />
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Consider this:<br />
<ul>
<li>We can believe that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart <i>(Proverbs 22:6)</i></li>
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<li>...until we connect with a loving old pastor whose children have chosen a different path.</li>
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<li>We can be convinced that God will always provide for all of our needs <i>(Matthew 6:26)</i></li>
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<li>...until we are told the stories of children starving to death.</li>
</ul>
<li>We can be assured that God has promised to protect us <i>(Psalm 121:7)</i></li>
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<li>...until we meet a neighbor who lost her God-fearing grandson to gang violence.</li>
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<li>We can declare that God will never give us more than we can handle <i>(1 Corinthians 10:13)</i></li>
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<li>...until we hear of the cries of the Christian brother who faced trials to the point of mental & emotional breakdown.</li>
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It is all too easy to reduce our God and our faith to simple promises or universal proverbs and in doing so we miss the complexity of both God and the world in which we live. <br />
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We badly need the stories of others to break us out of our simple certainty. <br />
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May we seek and treasure those stories.<br />
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<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-41370475755379543512016-09-07T21:32:00.001-04:002021-05-14T10:51:14.710-04:00life beyond the siding<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Our new house is part of a great neighborhood revitalization project. They take old homes that are falling apart and do a fantastic job completely redoing them, hoping to spur neighborhood growth and change along the way. Ours is the first house on the block, which comes with a fair bit of anticipation for seeing some of the "revitalization" hit our street.<br />
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But in the week since we have moved in we have had neighbors:<br />
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<ul>
<li>go out and buy us donuts and sweets to welcome us.</li>
<li>mow our yard and trim our weeds on multiple occasions.</li>
<li>bring us a bag of clothes for our little one.</li>
<li>come from several different houses when they saw our shed delivered to help us carry it piece by piece around back.</li>
<li>make sure to come share the trash & recycling schedule when I put everything out on the wrong day like a fool.</li>
<li>spend some time sharing some great wisdom from life experience with us.</li>
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And I am reminded once again that life and kindness and wisdom and generosity are not related to the paint on the house, the quality of the grass, or the cost of rent in a community. There is plenty of vitality on my block. The houses just need some work.</div>
Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-20344612775466742552016-07-26T09:46:00.000-04:002016-07-26T09:49:21.987-04:00the flattery trap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet. // Proverbs 29:5 </i></div>
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As many of you know, we have a move ahead of us.<br />
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Processing this with my 9 yr old daughter Kali the other night, she said to me, "Daddy, at our new house, I don't want to tell our new neighbors you are a pastor right away or put a bunch of crosses around our house, because I don't want them to think that we're just being friends with them so that they will become Christians."<br />
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Oof.<br />
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There's some wisdom there.<br />
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At the bare minimum, Kali has acknowledged that there is a difference between "loving" other people for a purpose and just loving her neighbor.<br />
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One of those loves is manipulative, deceitful, and hollow (even in its good intentions), the other is simple, authentic, and dignifying.<br />
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Proverbs 29 acknowledges that manipulative neighborly kindness is like setting a trap. This metaphor expresses a power dynamic of hunter & unsuspecting prey. Perpetrator & victim.<br />
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And we must ask ourselves, does that approach mirror the free and releasing love God shows us?<br />
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It's not enough to pursue God's love for our neighbors. If it is to be found, it must be pursued in a way consistent with God's love.<br />
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So instead of flattering our neighbors in working for their salvation, may we be people who seek first to truly love our neighbors -- agenda free. And when our neighborhoods are filled with the love of God...who knows what the Spirit of God may do?!Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0South Bend, IN 46616, USA41.7027539 -86.269184841.6553289 -86.3498658 41.750178899999995 -86.1885038tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-60138061839182687052016-05-29T13:36:00.000-04:002016-05-29T13:39:08.491-04:00A Letter to My Neighbors: TransitionIn 2004, God changed my life and future by bringing Robin & I (freshly married and just out of college) to the Keller Park Neighborhood and Church. At that time, I thought Keller Park was just a layover for me before moving on to seminary upon Robin’s graduation. I was arrogant, narrow, & judgmental. I knew the calling on my life was to see churches do things “the right way”, but had no understanding of what that really looked like.<br />
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Over the last 12 years, God used the amazing people of Keller Park and the Keller Park Church to develop an understanding of what it means to love our neighbor. He helped me to see his beauty in the midst of brokenness and discover the potential for the Church to live in intentional community. He taught me that some of the most meaningful moments of life are also the messiest. He took my certainty about people and theology and left me only with the certainty that life is complicated, but God is good.<br />
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After a rough first 4 years, it soon became clear that the Keller Park Neighborhood & Church had won my heart. I was no longer a young kid passing through, but had found a home. For better and for worse, the people of the Keller Park Neighborhood and Keller Park Church are my people and that truth has come to define me. I am a Keller Park Neighbor. <br />
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And it’s not just me. Keller Park has been home to Robin and our 3 girls. They have known nothing else than the open, messy, occasionally loud, exceedingly honest world of the Keller Park neighborhood, and we are so thankful for that. Further, the KPC has been their primary source for personal connection and formation, a reality that has been a source of great grace for our family.<br />
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These past years have provided quite the transformation for our family. We have gone from seeing the Keller Park Neighborhood and Church as a communities we could change, to seeing our lives changed in return--from seeing this place as a temporary stop to not being able to imagine ever leaving.<br />
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All of that makes the next reality complicated: after a long period of discernment, Robin and I have recognized that God is calling us to another place, with the transition coming this fall.<br />
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This transition is not coming as a result of any frustration or disgruntlement with KPC or the neighborhood, but purely as a result of trying to be faithful to the call of God on our lives. I firmly believe the call on my life has always been to see the Church around America embrace values that look like Jesus. We have seen that at KPC, and now God has been letting me know that he wants to use me to share the lessons we have learned with others.<br />
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While this transition will require moving, we plan to stay close. Our Keller Park relationships are irreplaceable, and we desire to keep them strong. We love you all deeply.<br />
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To the Keller Park Church: I am proud to have been a part of the family. I am confident that you will continue to keep KPC weird in the best possible ways.<br />
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To my Keller Park Neighbors and KPNA teammates: Thank you so much for all of your grace and friendship. I am forever changed by you. Keep working hard at being the kind of neighbors you want others to be for you! I will miss you much.<br />
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More information will be shared in the days ahead as to what is next for the Yazels, but for today, I wanted to just focus on the Keller Park part of our journey.<br />
<br />
Peace,<br />
Ryan (& Robin, Kali, Sophie, & the little one)Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-10815563894796805112016-02-26T12:59:00.000-05:002016-02-26T13:06:41.723-05:00On Gluten, False Stories, and Empathy<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="197" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1429962714451-bb934ecdc4ec?crop=entropy&fit=crop&fm=jpg&h=950&ixjsv=2.1.0&ixlib=rb-0.3.5&q=80&w=1925" width="400" /></div>
<br />
The other day, I saw an article that surprised, then saddened me.<br />
<br />
Presidential candidate Ted Cruz <a href="http://time.com/4225884/ted-cruz-military-gluten-free-meals/" target="_blank">promised</a> that when <i>he's</i> president, there will be no more gluten-free meals for our armed forces!<br />
<br />
WHAT?! That seems like an extremely strange issue to make a position in a Presidential election. Even more strange that he was taking a position against providing relief for people who may have food allergies.<br />
<br />
The reason? Providing gluten-free meals, for Mr. Cruz, is nothing more than an exercise in political correctness. And he will have no part in that.<br />
<br />
Mr. Cruz likely has no relationship with anyone in his life that battles gluten sensitivity or Celiac disease, or he would see the daily battle with headaches and other pains and realize this issue goes beyond political correctness. In the absence of those relationships, he has written what he clearly does not understand into a false story of political correctness.<br />
<br />
And he's not the only one to do this. We all do.<br />
We are quick to write stories to simply describe the things we do not understand.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Gluten sensitivity. <br />Poverty. <br />Racial Discrimination. <br />LGBTs. <br />Divorcees. Addicts. Single moms. Gang members. <br />Catholics. Protestants. Evangelicals. <br />Republicans. Democrats.</i></blockquote>
<br />
If we don't really get to know the people walking these paths, it's likely that (like Mr. Cruz) we have already written a story and printed a label.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Politically correct.<br /> Lazy.<br /> Race bating...</i></blockquote>
<br />
And there's really only one way to find out if those labels are wrong: dig deeper. <br />
Get to know someone. Ask questions. Listen. Listen again. And again. Pray for empathy, understanding, and Truth.<br />
<br />
If we do this, we just might find out that the simple stories we have written about others are far from sufficient to describe the complexities of our human experience.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Hebrews 13:3</i></b><br />
<i>Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.</i></blockquote>
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-57656452344257444492016-02-05T11:25:00.002-05:002016-02-05T11:38:21.008-05:00LOVE MY CITY: Michiana Youth Soccer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGseF2NgzT4EQ8pVkF2jZrcuZfYM4t1wIvQviaWQNvHlSHCEVoSrKK08WWlY4tComWbMvg4faxoS1gcRfkA4dL6c5M9RIJo5drmQkOYhqt_bxJdllFcdWvsB-WyvEQMcUT0PxvLLjq-Ou/s1600/sophiesoccer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGseF2NgzT4EQ8pVkF2jZrcuZfYM4t1wIvQviaWQNvHlSHCEVoSrKK08WWlY4tComWbMvg4faxoS1gcRfkA4dL6c5M9RIJo5drmQkOYhqt_bxJdllFcdWvsB-WyvEQMcUT0PxvLLjq-Ou/s400/sophiesoccer.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie kicks off with the Super Seals! (2014)</td></tr>
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Those of you that know me know that I'm a big soccer fan, so this may come as no surprise. </div>
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Our city is blessed to have Michiana Youth Soccer (MSA: <a href="http://michianasoccer.org/">michianasoccer.org</a>).</div>
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In general, kids soccer is great. They can run around, get great exercise, and learn some healthy life lessons. But having a great experience goes beyond that, and MSA checks the right boxes.</div>
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I've talked to many families in other cities whose kids are in youth soccer and the range of stories is a bit unsettling. Some practices in other leagues amount to setting a ball down on the field and babysitting kids as they run around. Some games I've heard about include throwing a full team of kids (not even separated by gender - a distinct challenge for young girls) out on a full sized field where some kids may see action only a couple times a game.</div>
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Not so with MSA. </div>
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We are blessed in South Bend to have a league that takes player development and positive atmosphere seriously. Coach Bo Hunter (the director of coaching) ensures that the league follows national youth soccer protocols with small-sided, gender-specific games (so kids are always involved in the action) and detailed practice plans for coaches. He also regularly reminds coaches and parents about the values that are truly important for kids to make sure that the adults don't miss the point and ruin the fun for the kids. This may seem basic, but it's unfortunately all too uncommon.</div>
<br />
Over time MSA has also grown to include different levels to provide a variety of opportunities for kids. Is your kid just starting out? Or prefers to just have fun without the messiness of much focused effort? There's the Recreational Division! Does your child still want to have fun, but also wants to put in some work with teammates & coaches that are a bit more focused and competitive? There's the Academy Division! And if you're the family that's ready to go all-in with soccer (time & effort), there is a partnership with Junior Irish Soccer Club (travel).<br />
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On a personal note, I couldn't be more thankful for the experience our family has had with MSA. It has provided our girls confidence, fun, and a motivation to exercise. It has given our family strong friendships with the girls and parents we've grown up with on our teams. And it has given me the privilege of spending quality time with my girls as a volunteer coach alongside other great dads like Shane Fenske.</div>
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If you are interested in MSA, there are Fall and Spring seasons for boys and girls ages 4-15. Registration for this Spring '16 season ends February 15 on the <a href="http://michianasoccer.org/" target="_blank">MSA website</a>.</div>
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-11268537095935092802015-11-05T15:35:00.000-05:002015-11-05T15:52:44.626-05:00LOVE MY CITY: Neighborhood-Driven Churches<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpAzOf3IAHidlm-Wi7N5bAWryTGQduBzYNcZJscdvbamPWNhYkfMQ0TO8AHY4Z4REAZHXnIL1O3u7Q6wMob2DSMesIVu0i1gNBWFTBtSWFtEU2mWxaJIL0c5ujIpc8v3-xooMccLQJU8F/s1600/11952877_644417311406_7400898223745788919_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpAzOf3IAHidlm-Wi7N5bAWryTGQduBzYNcZJscdvbamPWNhYkfMQ0TO8AHY4Z4REAZHXnIL1O3u7Q6wMob2DSMesIVu0i1gNBWFTBtSWFtEU2mWxaJIL0c5ujIpc8v3-xooMccLQJU8F/s400/11952877_644417311406_7400898223745788919_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Jeremiah 29:7</b></div>
<i>"Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare."</i><br />
<br />
It's easy for churches to get caught up in thinking about what the surrounding community can do for them. What if a certain amount of people in the region joined up? (Think how big the church would be!) And what if those people all gave generously from their resources? (Think how great the programs could be!) And so churches often move from their deteriorating neighborhoods into more prominent locations, filled with booming populations of well-resourced families.<br />
<br />
But that type of thinking seems flawed from the start. Do people exist to build churches? Or do churches exist for the good of God's people?<br />
<br />
The longer I've been in South Bend, the more I have come to recognize and appreciate the many churches that really do love and serve the neighborhoods where they are planted. These churches show the love of God to our city, and through God's love we see our city becoming great.<br />
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Many of these churches have found resources and encouragement from the <a href="http://ccda.org/" target="_blank">Christian Community Development Association</a>, which brings together churches and organizations who are working together for the peace and prosperity of their cities.<br />
<br />
Here are just a few of the churches that I have seen loving their neighborhoods in profound ways:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://livingstones.cc/" target="_blank">Living Stones Church:</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Home of the I ❤ South Side bumper stickers you may see around town. LSC has done a phenomenal job of embracing the South Side, particularly the Miami Hills area near the church off Donmoyer.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kingdom-Christian-Center-Church/139038889477309" target="_blank">Kingdom Christian Center</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>Located on Elwood between the Near Northwest and Far Northwest neighborhoods, KCC has shown God's love to their community by being vocal opponents to violence in the community, barbershop & daycare ministry, and more.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.riversidecommunity.org/" target="_blank">Riverside Church</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>RC has embraced their neighborhood south of the airport by launching the Beacon, a community center for the West Side. RC also recently merged with City Chapel, a congregation that had loved the DTSB area faithfully for more than a decade.</li>
</ul>
<li>St. Augustine Catholic Parish:</li>
<ul>
<li>Just west of downtown on Washington, St. Augustine has been an ongoing presence in standing for justice and seeing basic needs met in the surrounding neighborhood.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.hopecity.cc/" target="_blank">Southgate Church</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>Formerly Calvary Temple, Southgate has been serving the Southernmost edge of the city through community programs, athletics, and more. They are now part of the greater Hope City Church, with a campus also on the West Side.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.newcitysouthbend.com/" target="_blank">New City Presbyterian Church</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>A new church plant, NCPC has a heart to serve the community downtown and just to the north.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ThatChurchDowntown/" target="_blank">That Church Downtown</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>Located in Monroe Park Neighborhood, TCD has been a force for neighborhood focused presence, prayer, and care for a couple years now.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.treeoflifeanglican.org/" target="_blank">Tree of Life Anglican</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>Tree of Life is as neighborhood as they come. ToL meets in a home just south of Edison Intermediate School and loves their neighborhood well.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.riverparkgrace.com/" target="_blank">River Park Grace</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>RPG is planted in the River Park Neighborhood and loves its community in many ways, most notably through The Well coffee shop. RPG & The Well bring the opportunity for community connection to their neighbors.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://kellerparkchurch.org/" target="_blank">Keller Park Church</a>:</li>
<ul>
<li>I'm a little partial here, but I am blessed by the KPC. It started decades ago as a community center in the KP neighborhood and continues to embrace the people of the KP neighborhood by living, serving and worshiping as neighbors.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-52161513193826485882015-10-21T15:29:00.000-04:002015-10-21T15:54:50.007-04:00LOVE MY CITY: The South Bend Community Schools<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcd5LxqRLk0RTMQS9qOdQXFLyUKqVfIyzoUjhwJxKuxitW6SJfJRms-WFvj7Bl9gkh7Sywvb2FxQozqu8z_9S1zs3L2m70VuWfw-lDp9mgiDZNmY-tt_qKwOH2qR51SSnCrATjxCH95Yv7/s1600/IMG_20150523_165314-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcd5LxqRLk0RTMQS9qOdQXFLyUKqVfIyzoUjhwJxKuxitW6SJfJRms-WFvj7Bl9gkh7Sywvb2FxQozqu8z_9S1zs3L2m70VuWfw-lDp9mgiDZNmY-tt_qKwOH2qR51SSnCrATjxCH95Yv7/s400/IMG_20150523_165314-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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It is no secret the South Bend Community Schools have their fair share of problems. Heck, it's <strike>practically</strike> actually broadcast on <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/billboard-touts-south-bends-pubic-schools-12200" target="_blank">billboards</a>. So yeah, they have some issues.<br />
<br />
But the reality is, our city has some issues too. And the issues in the South Bend Community Schools are merely a reflection of the broader community. To expect it to be any different, is to ask the Schools to be detached from the communities they serve. And that is something they cannot nor should not be.<br />
<br />
But that is what I love about the schools -- they represent and serve our communities.<br />
<br />
In a world of charter schools and vouchers, some schools can shape their desired environment. Just recently, when nearby Penn-Harris-Madison schools <a href="http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/education/penn-harris-madison-told-to-allow-more-non-district-students/article_42108e75-c682-52fb-8158-80f10ae41002.html" target="_blank">discussed opening their doors further</a> to serve South Bend students, the conversation centered around whether the added income would be worth the "types" of kids it would bring. One board member stated, “I just would want to be comfortable that … we don’t change the character of our schools."<br />
<br />
And so these schools pick and choose. Inviting in students and the funds that come with them, while finding ways to exclude others who may not fit the "standard" they are looking for. <br />
<br />
But the South Bend Community Schools do not have that freedom. In years of plenty or want, they have the mandate to serve the families of South Bend. All of them. With all of the baggage and the beauty that comes along.<br />
<br />
And I see this in so many that staff the schools--teachers, administrators, and support staff who are committed to pushing through difficult situations, with relatively little pay, and even less thanks. In conversations, you can hear their passion for justice & opportunity for <i>all</i> of the students, especially those who may lack support. These public servants could make more money elsewhere, or find easier positions with less time in classroom management, but they believe every kid deserves a chance at an education.<br />
<br />
And this kind of thinking goes beyond the staff. I have met many parents who could afford to enroll their children in safer private schools or to transport them to higher-rated school districts, but instead decide to invest in the plight of the local schools with their time, energy, and children. Those families are many of the most caring, genuine, and sacrificial people I have ever met.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is something about seeing my own kids learn as a part of their community, not separated from it. The South Bend Community Schools <i>are</i> the South Bend Community. And my children are neighbors in that community, by virtue of their <i>participation</i> beyond just their <i>location</i>. I love my children having friends of many cultures, races, languages and backgrounds. I love that my daughter came home from first grade furious to learn about what happened to Dr. King, and in kindergarten chose to dress up like Rosa Parks when challenged to dress like her hero. I love that both daughters have close friends from families where English is a second language.<br />
<br />
Those are experiences I did not have. And they are beautiful parts of the South Bend Community.<br />
<br />
South Bend has its warts, and the South Bend Schools (as members of the greater community) have theirs. But there is also something beautiful about our city, about our people, and about the stories that make up who we are. And the South Bend Schools reflect that beauty as well.<br />
<br />
People often talk about the risks of public schools. They exist. But I'm just as concerned with the risks of missing out on what our community has to offer.<br />
<br />
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-19433823134506977682015-10-14T09:43:00.002-04:002015-10-14T09:43:21.155-04:00LOVE MY CITY: The St. Joseph River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQssuM6-_Nijvi3WIqk55gVcjHwRL9aiIer-aiEn3BK6Uowt2s6PwcP83X5tUGNvZbfxiqi_4bQYqrw2chBil28j_23F1xObBX-8Jo4YNpfTHP1bGUh2zDCNMpC9G53xRcHkHMF_JlVRX/s1600/12119467_645061235976_1776902287_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQssuM6-_Nijvi3WIqk55gVcjHwRL9aiIer-aiEn3BK6Uowt2s6PwcP83X5tUGNvZbfxiqi_4bQYqrw2chBil28j_23F1xObBX-8Jo4YNpfTHP1bGUh2zDCNMpC9G53xRcHkHMF_JlVRX/s400/12119467_645061235976_1776902287_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(photo by Sam Lima)</span></i></div>
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<i>Any river is really the summation of the whole valley. To think of it as nothing but water is to ignore the greater part. — Hal Borland </i></div>
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I am sure there are some great stories of what the St Joseph River has historically meant to South Bend. In fact, I am pretty sure the city is only here because of the River. But my love for the city has to do with what the St. Joseph River is today -- what it means to our city, to me, and to my children. The River has become central to the story of what South Bend means to us.<br />
<br />
<b>Here are some of my favorite things: </b><br />
<br />
<b>Wildlife in the Urban Context</b><br />
I live in the middle of a neighborhood that has its challenges. We are an urban community, in the heart of our city, with occasional gun and drug problems. And yet, just this summer, my daughters were overcome with the giggles to see our fence trampled by two deer that found themselves trapped in our backyard as they wandered the several blocks down from the River. It's a really strange feeling to feel so intimately connected to city life, and yet see the beauty of God's natural creation. Several times a year, my children get to see groups of deer or foxes travel up and down the streets of my neighborhood seeking wooded areas close to the River, and it is magnificent!<br />
<br />
<b>Swimming & Kayaking</b><br />
Call me old fashioned, but there is something really special about living in the city, but being able to walk down the street and take a swim in the River. My kids and my chocolate lab love our swim sessions in the summer. The River is special in ways that swimming pools and splash pads can never be. And being able to paddle to church with our friend Sam Lima (like freaking pioneers!) will be a memory my kids will take into adulthood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiHhF63jpEC_Zq5NS2rjIu_ZmA42XMMStafsz8T7V5dODNUWYD38YSLLYLsaMLsX6-PZ1cnyPzW3Z8CfnQjmKzbmAZsmA0wJWEy5Sud9Mh0_9Li7wDHFc1P_WZ-GPdocFDYaCgVrykwlo/s1600/11696417_637200224506_3622557755034167733_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiHhF63jpEC_Zq5NS2rjIu_ZmA42XMMStafsz8T7V5dODNUWYD38YSLLYLsaMLsX6-PZ1cnyPzW3Z8CfnQjmKzbmAZsmA0wJWEy5Sud9Mh0_9Li7wDHFc1P_WZ-GPdocFDYaCgVrykwlo/s400/11696417_637200224506_3622557755034167733_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(paddling to Church with our friends Bryant & Sam - photo by Sam)</span></i></div>
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<b>Baptism</b><br />
Again, in a world and a Church that have lost authenticity, I love the Keller Park Church ability to be able to walk down to the River after service and Baptize in the natural waters! This year marked our second group service at the river landing just down the street.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrhv-rC3OHWTF8xAmoB0cyKwyjKO93vEQLzG3oNNHEIOl0QBwhtMt206u-OM1uHkDoxn1vFQrfEaFWO6_W8hfjC-5-gHu22llWvF3GzSXMCT0pbBzTvFetydqkroPGhQkG6F06_UEBSvY/s1600/riverbaptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrhv-rC3OHWTF8xAmoB0cyKwyjKO93vEQLzG3oNNHEIOl0QBwhtMt206u-OM1uHkDoxn1vFQrfEaFWO6_W8hfjC-5-gHu22llWvF3GzSXMCT0pbBzTvFetydqkroPGhQkG6F06_UEBSvY/s400/riverbaptism.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(KPC Baptism 2015 - photo by Sam Lima)</span></i></div>
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<b>The Riverside Trail</b><br />
About 7 years ago, the City cleared the banks of the St. Joseph and built a walking and biking trail along Riverside Drive near where I live. It is probably the single greatest thing the City has done to improve my love for this City. It provides beauty, community interaction, and an outlet for family activities and exercise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ysDI-3OH5zFtWX92Fpt0YXmElj8FKd6pk_32EuXi0NiTu1tUBHbxsqCdqZ9T0pGoIrKaaalsllTSzbviBo3u9RhwpMW7nl-Lp9dlNx8OJUaTg8syUbp1WfYHJjttgQC10UaXW4Rwu0Cp/s1600/River+Walk+Way+-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ysDI-3OH5zFtWX92Fpt0YXmElj8FKd6pk_32EuXi0NiTu1tUBHbxsqCdqZ9T0pGoIrKaaalsllTSzbviBo3u9RhwpMW7nl-Lp9dlNx8OJUaTg8syUbp1WfYHJjttgQC10UaXW4Rwu0Cp/s400/River+Walk+Way+-+crop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Riverside Trail across from Keller Park)</span></i></div>
<br />
<b>The East Race</b><br />
South Bend's East Race is the first thing that caught my attention about the City. When I arrived as a Bethel College freshman, I was captivated by the rushing waters of the kayak course and river dam. I've spent many nights with friends walking around, biking, or just sitting by the rushing water. I'm convinced its beauty even made my wife fall in love with me (I needed some serious help)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO7nzOuf8DWMm1kg1yKKNvowln6IZvMogATZWBIKFMVNHDfHwOjc73j4woJWNz0d9GXSAQdUcQbRWREy-hwjVJ1JX-V-DT2MLG7tqaMzZxWMojsrtdEPxRj0jZjw4Ga4fAmLWHiku8FnX/s1600/river-south-bend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO7nzOuf8DWMm1kg1yKKNvowln6IZvMogATZWBIKFMVNHDfHwOjc73j4woJWNz0d9GXSAQdUcQbRWREy-hwjVJ1JX-V-DT2MLG7tqaMzZxWMojsrtdEPxRj0jZjw4Ga4fAmLWHiku8FnX/s400/river-south-bend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(St. Joseph River dam, next to the East Race - source unknown)</span></i></div>
<br />
<b>South Bend River Lights</b><br />
Just this year (2015), South Bend commissioned the River Lights project. It's a gorgeous, interactive light display. As much as the original falls captivated Robin and I, the lights have captivated the hearts of our daughters. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMjxe18ZoUD-HHirI7XM5v8CIxPkBoimFkKGG9vNf03-T1ZpgpPfJ_mb7xsKRBVpyRpct_Cryx590c_yIuE1Oa87XJOUPn6Xk5vsLTy_MWhDY3sy4D_MGx1yBl1l5hjoPiYHdoHXZhiV0/s1600/22695_632155414346_1591937026310593675_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMjxe18ZoUD-HHirI7XM5v8CIxPkBoimFkKGG9vNf03-T1ZpgpPfJ_mb7xsKRBVpyRpct_Cryx590c_yIuE1Oa87XJOUPn6Xk5vsLTy_MWhDY3sy4D_MGx1yBl1l5hjoPiYHdoHXZhiV0/s400/22695_632155414346_1591937026310593675_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(River Lights - source unknown)</span></i></div>
<br />
So, yeah, I love this River. It is a part of the story of our City, the story of my marriage, and will shape the story of Kali & Sophie's childhood.<br />
<br />
Who would have thought we could have BOTH the best of God's natural beauty AND the amazing community life of our City?!<br />
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-67288904282579701522015-10-06T11:51:00.001-04:002015-10-07T10:43:58.497-04:00LOVE MY CITY: The Sunrise Cafe<i>NOTE: I really love my city (South Bend). I understand it doesn't always have the best reputation, and it certainly has its issues, but it's pretty amazing as well. This "Love my city" series will focus on some of my favorite parts of my city.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/115478200206017095022/about" target="_blank">SUNRISE CAFE</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1805 Lincolnway West</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
574.232.2323</div>
<br />
A neighborhood thrives when there are places for the people to come together.<br />
<br />
I always wanted to find a "place". When envisioning what that "place" would be, there were two clear parts of the vision. First, I would be a "regular" (you know, one of those people that sit down and the staff already know your "usual" without even having to ask). Second, there would be lots of neighbors there. I guess the vision was pretty much a diverse "Cheers", except in diner form.<br />
<br />
The Sunrise Cafe is that place for me.<br />
<br />
South Bend is a complex place, with a lot of great things going on, but also a lot that divides us. Communities are often split by race, class, and language. Restaurants often appeal to one segment or another, but the Sunrise Cafe is the only place I have visited that seems to truly belong to the people -- all of the people.<br />
<br />
Walk in the door of the small cafe on any day and you will see a beautiful diversity of race, language, and background. Mechanics, professors, police officers, businesswomen, the retired, the unemployed, and even pastors from across the spectrum fill the small room with conversation. One of my favorite parts is the chatting and bantering that can take place at times from table to table. It reminds me of cafeteria eating from my school days. Constantly I'm finding myself connect with someone (other than just who I came with) in a meaningful way.<br />
<br />
I have no clue what makes the Sunrise what it is. I would love to know how it became (intentionally or unintentionally) a place where everyone can feel comfortable. I would love to hear why others have found it to be not just a great place to grab breakfast, but a safe and familiar place to experience community life. The management I have met have always been very friendly and open. I would imagine that is a big part of it.<br />
<br />
All I know is that coming from a childhood in the "suburbs", the Sunrise Cafe is one of those places that presents the beauty of what is gained from city life. And the Northwest side is better as a result. <br />
<br />
If you, too, love the Sunrise Cafe or have an idea why it's so special, share it with me!Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-53129675837237209102015-09-30T11:29:00.000-04:002015-09-30T11:30:06.088-04:00LOVE MY CITY: The Portage Sunoco<i>NOTE: I really love my city (South Bend). I understand it doesn't always have the best reputation, and it certainly has its issues, but it's pretty amazing as well. This "Love my city" series will focus on some of my favorite parts of my city.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/111309415248615624743/about" target="_blank">PORTAGE SUNOCO</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1335 Portage Ave., South Bend 46616</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
574.233.0282</div>
<br />
I first moved to the neighborhood (Keller Park on the northwest side), straight out of college. It was a time where I was getting out on my own for the first time and realized I needed to start finding service providers locally, instead of driving home to Fort Wayne like when I was a student. <br />
<br />
When my car first had trouble, I was referred by a fellow church member to "go see Ray" in the service station in the Martin's parking lot around the corner. As a kid who still felt foreign to the city, I was uncomfortable with that proposition, so I decided to tackle the situation passively. I was going to look them up online and make a proper appointment.<br />
<br />
The only problem was, I found no promotional reference to them anywhere. Eventually, I found a listing of "Snyder Bros. Garage" on some random third party website, and called the phone number. It rang for minutes with no answer. I was going to have to just "go see Ray".<br />
<br />
The next day, I took my car in. I headed for the big dilapidated Sunoco sign and walked inside the nearest building. I was greeted by no one, and after tracking someone down, I was told to "write my car, problem, and phone number" on a sticky note on the cluttered desk and leave my key on top of it. That was it. No detailed appointment, no write-up. I was feeling a bit apprehensive. Was this place legit?<br />
<br />
It was. Days later, I had my car returned, fixed appropriately, and for cheaper than I could have imagined. In the years since that point, I have come to love the quirky old-school style of the Portage Sunoco. In a world of fast pace, money first, image-driven society, the Portage Sunoco feels like travelling back in time to a place where community relationships and authentic reliability trump big business polish.<br />
<br />
The Sunoco was founded years ago by community stalwart Ray Snyder (who runs the local Little League among many other civic roles). Often when handing the business over to the next generation, financial pragmatism rules the day and community takes a back seat. Here that didn't happen. The shop known only as "Sunoco" on Google Maps, without a website of its own, serves the NW South Bend community well.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the unique stories I've heard or experienced:<br />
<ul>
<li>An elderly friend was once allowed to drive the owner's car to get around while his car was being repaired.</li>
<li>They once finished my car while I was out of town, and (knowing I was unavailable) parked my car in front of their own house so it wouldn't sit unattended in the lot all weekend. </li>
<li>I've seen them stop and help put a windshield wiper on an elderly woman's car who just pulled up.</li>
<li>They sell cheap used tires that keep our neighborhood on the road and able to get to work. I imagine they have kept many people from losing jobs as a result of their auto work in our community.</li>
<li>I have had to ask (on several different occasions) to pay them more for services than what they were charging me, so I wouldn't feel I was taking advantage of them.</li>
<li>Many times they have told me, "This is what's wrong, but if it were my car, I wouldn't worry about it unless it gets worse." They have never tried to up-sell me on anything.</li>
<li>They are really decent guys who serve our local schools and neighborhoods well.</li>
</ul>
I love the Portage Sunoco. Yes, you won't be greeted by a polished receptionist and you may not even get the phone answered when you call. And yes, it may not always be as quick of a turnaround on repair time as other places. And yes, you may have to leave your key on a sticky note. But they get all the important things right: people, honesty, compassion. And our community wouldn't be the same without them.<br />
<br />
If you have a great Portage Sunoco story, share it in the comments!Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-63920839759324682872014-11-25T15:41:00.000-05:002015-10-07T11:01:48.524-04:00What’s the Big Deal? An FAQ on Ferguson<i><u>Disclaimer</u>: I am just a guy. I am no expert. I come from the white suburbs, and live now in a diverse urban community...but I am still white. My perspectives on race come only from my listening to others in my community and my attempt to represent their concerns here. But this is no substitute for actually talking to people who are different from you about what they experience. Further, this post isn’t intended to pose what the proper response from the Grand Jury should have been, but rather just discuss why people might be feeling the way they do. This is a post aimed at helping those with empathy who truly desire it.</i><br />
<br />
<b> These questions I have seen across social media in the last couple days and weeks: </b><br />
<br />
<b> What does race have to do with it? </b><br />
<i>“Officer Wilson was wrong in firing or he wasn’t, but race has nothing to do with it.” </i><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Short response</i>: For the African-American community that is accustomed to being followed around in stores while shopping, pulled over at far higher rates than the rest of society, and experiencing the general vocalized and non-vocalized racism of society, it would be hard to believe that race has nothing to do with this. Even if there happened to be a case where it does not...you can understand how it would be hard to see it that way.</li>
<li><i>Officer Wilson’s motivations</i>: It is possible that Officer Wilson is a racially hateful person, as certainly some in Ferguson are (through the testimonies of racial strife in that particular region for decades). But even if he is not (I’ll assume the best), race could have played a factor.</li>
<ul>
<li>Is it legally recommended for an officer to ask people walking in the road to get off the center of the road? Yes. But does Officer Wilson angrily confront the two teens walking in the center of the road in the aggressive manner he does if they are white? Maybe, but maybe he asks nicely first. But either way, perhaps you can understand why there might be mistrust.</li>
<li>Race can make things scarier for people with racial anxiety. I have heard many tell a scary story that says something like, “And then this big black guy came out from around the corner and I was freaking out.” Now the interesting thing is that if it was a white guy that came around the corner, the story likely would just have said, “and then this big guy came around”...with no other description. We wouldn’t say “big red-haired guy” or “big guy in a polo shirt”, but many would say “big tattooed guy” or “big guy with piercings all over his body”...because it makes their story sound scarier. Or if we’re telling a story about a person who does something stupid we may say, “and the blonde lady in front of me couldn’t count to ten”, but if it was a brown haired lady, we would probably just say “and the lady in front of me couldn’t...” My point is, even in simple storytelling, we include the details that use stereotypes to accent how we felt in a given situation, and “blackness” is a description I often hear from white people in describing qualities of a person that makes their story scarier.</li>
<li>Take for example John Crawford. A black father wandering around a WalMart in Beavercreek, Ohio. He found a BB gun for sale in the store, that was already out of it’s box on the shelf. He picked it up and was carrying it around like a walking stick while he chatted on his cell phone in the store. There is video of the whole event. Another customer called 911 and reported that a dangerous man had an assault rifle in the store and was pointing it at people. Security video shows this was a lie. It is likely the caller felt threatened because of Crawford’s race. The police arrived with Crawford on his phone, swarmed him in the aisle with guns pointed, yelled for him to drop the gun, and while a confused Crawford tried to process what was happening (again, he was on the phone), he was shot in less than 2 seconds after the command to drop the gun...the gun he had never even pointed at anyone...in a state (Ohio) where people are allowed to carry fully exposed guns legally anyway. He was never asked to show his license (which he didn’t have because the gun wasn’t even real). You could say that racial fear has no part in this, but there are pictures easily found in the internet of groups of white men walking through WalMart in Ohio with full automatic rifles strapped to their backs, and no one bats an eye (http://goo.gl/0ZWIEj). I’m not saying the police or even the caller hate black people, but his “blackness” certainly seemed to raise the fear level to the point that he died in a situation where a white man likely would not have.</li>
<li>Part of the reasons given for no indictment is that Officer Wilson is justified in shooting if he feels his life is threatened. In the Grand Jury reports, Officer Wilson reports that he felt one more punch from Michael Brown could have killed him. While the struggle in the car is certainly scary and inappropriate on many levels, would he have felt scared to that level if it was a white teen? Would he still have reported that Mike “looked like a demon”. Maybe, but maybe not. After the struggle in the car, which did not result in the death of either Officer Wilson or Mike Brown, nor the arming of Mike Brown, nor the disarming of Officer Wilson, Mike Brown fled. According to the report, he reached more than 153 ft. away from Officer Wilson before turning around. 153 ft. is 50 yards on a football field. If Mike Brown was an Olympic Sprinter, it would have taken him 5 seconds before reaching Officer Wilson again (given his current physical shape in pictures, I’m guessing more like 7 seconds). The question asked was whether Mike Brown charged Officer Wilson or was simply stumbling forward. Either way, he didn’t make it far as he was dropped 153 ft. away. So the issue is, even at 153 ft., Officer Wilson felt his life was still in danger (which must have been terrifying). Would he have if Mike Brown was white? Maybe, but maybe not. But either way, perhaps you can understand why there might be mistrust.</li>
</ul>
<li>Race may not have played an issue here, but it makes sense why it is certainly a possibility that it did and why people might find it difficult to believe it was absolutely not a factor.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>Why can’t people just accept a decision that was legally decided?</b><br />
<i>“There was a grand jury who knew all the facts and decided not to indict. People who don’t know all the facts have no right nor reason to argue.”</i><br />
<br />
There is considerable reason for people to feel like injustice was carried out, even if the process happened legally. Consider:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Prosecutor Bob McCulloch who is in charge of bringing charges to the Grand Jury for consideration, declined to even suggest what charges they should be examining (which is highly unusual). Further, McCulloch is the Vice President of an organization (<a href="http://www.backstoppers.org/board.html">http://www.backstoppers.org/board.html</a>) that has been selling “Support Officer Wilson” T-shirts from the beginning (<a href="http://teespring.com/supportdwilson2014">http://teespring.com/supportdwilson2014</a>). Would you feel your child’s justice was receiving unbiased consideration in this situation? Mr. McCulloch may be able to set aside his personal views and still act without bias, <i>but you may be able to see why it could be difficult to trust that is the case</i>.</li>
<li>The Grand Jury did not need to be unanimous. Only 9 out of 12 needed to agree for a decision. There were 9 white jurors and 3 black jurors, and no voting results announced. This is not to say that the vote was necessarily split, even along racial lines, but that it would be hard to feel good about things for people already lacking trust in the system.</li>
<li>There is more to justice than just the law. Something can be legal and still be perceived as unjust. Slavery was once legal.</li>
<li>Perhaps this case was entirely just, <i>but maybe you can understand why there might be mistrust</i>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b> Why are people so stupid as to loot and riot?</b><br />
<i>“All the protesters prove is that they need the police to keep them in line because they clearly can’t control themselves.”</i><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>First, we cannot lump everyone into one category. There were many protesters, including the bulk of protest leaders that had been participating in non-violence training courses in preparation for the non-indictment announcement. One of the protest leaders, Bassem Masri, who had been organizing and Live Streaming the protests had his phone he was filming with stolen right out of his hand with 90,000 people watching live on his stream. There are simply people out there in the world that are opportunistic in their pursuit of evil. If there are criminals who want to steal stuff or destroy stuff, this provides a perfect opportunity. We cannot assume this was all the work of protesters.</li>
<li>Secondly, what if some of it was? Is it just stupidity? Or complete lawlessness? When you feel as though your fight is against the systems of injustice, what do you do? It must have seemed extremely stupid and unlawful for the Patriots to take over an entire shipment of private trade tea and dump it all into the Boston Harbor! That was the destruction of private property! But we see that as a heroic act, and we do so because we believe in the cause and the change it initiated. Rioting and the destruction of property is certainly problematic, but sometimes it represents something more profound than just the acts of the “stupid” who “don’t know any better” or “haven’t learned to respect people’s stuff”.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>What about black on black crime?</b><br />
<i>“Why are people so worried about one white cop shooting a black teen, when “blacks” are killing “blacks” so much already? </i><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The reality is that most crime occurs within cultural groups. People hurt the people they are know and are closest to, more than random people at a distance.</li>
<li>In fact, white-on-white crime represents 83% of crime perpetrated by white people (<a href="http://goo.gl/n4Rkvo">http://goo.gl/n4Rkvo</a>). </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b> Isn’t this whole thing just created by the sensationalist media?</b><br />
<i>“Why do we never hear when a black man kills a white kid, but when a white guy kills a black kid, all hell breaks loose?!”</i><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Crime happens everywhere, constantly. It would be impossible for all of these tragic shootings to garner national attention. The issue that causes situations (Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, John Crawford) to rise to national awareness is not so much the death occurring, but the expectation in these situations that it won’t lead to an arrest.</li>
<li>The reason that stories where black men (or cops) kill white people do not gather the attention, is that there usually is an arrest, as there should be. </li>
<li>In short, the level of outrage and attention is not just about the crime itself, but about the perceptions of whether justice will be carried out and whether that process can be trusted. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Altogether, Ferguson is a great tragedy. It’s a tragic loss of life. It’s tragic in the ripping apart of a community where racial tensions have simmered for a long time. It’s a tragic story of fear and its consequences. And it has brought racial tensions and assumptions to the surface all across our country and world. But the one thing we need to realize is our need to listen to the other side. It’s good to ask tough questions like these if we are truly interested in listening for responses. If we cannot have empathy, we have lost much.Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-51174020712450275482014-01-28T14:32:00.000-05:002014-01-28T14:32:08.760-05:00Let There Be Messy!People and relationships are messy.<br />
Churches are groups of people in relationship.<br />
Churches should be messy.<br />
<br />
And yet churches often try to be these perfectly well-oiled machines. We put on a smiling face and try to minimize issues and eliminate the potential for any sort of conflict.<br />
<br />
Is that healthy?!<br />
<br />
<b>When people get together, it seems there are only a few ways to keep things from getting messy:</b><br />
<br />
<i><b>1) Make sure everyone is the same.</b></i><br />
I like me. I like people who like the same things as me. I never have conflict with people who always see things the same as me. The more a group of people is the same, the less messy conflict there will be.<br />
<br />
And so we form churches where everyone is as similar as possible: race, political positions, theological beliefs, parenting strategies, economic class...<br />
<br />
Can you imagine trying to worship with people who voted for the <i>other</i> guy (especially if he's the antichrist)?! Can you imagine trying to run a smooth nursery for families with radically different parenting expectations?! Can you imagine trying to plan worship music for those who listen exclusively to bluegrass <i>and</i> those who listen exclusively to rap?!<br />
<br />
We often can't. And so we don't.<br />
<br />
We pick one culture and go with it. Whoever fits that culture sticks around, and the others find another place. Either way, messiness averted.<br />
<br />
<i><b>2) Let people avoid each other.</b></i><br />
Alright, so we may have differences among us, but we don't have to let them cause conflict, right? <br />
<br />
If we just separate people into like-minded groups, that helps. <br />
<br />
Let the Baptists hang with the Baptists and the Methodists with the Methodists.<br />
...the donkeys worship with the donkeys and the elephants with the elephants.<br />
Let's have a service for the bluegrass crowd and a different (alternative?) service for the rap crowd.<br />
Let the women have their women's group and the men their men's group.<br />
...and for goodness sake, let's keep the kids away from everyone!<br />
<br />
Or maybe that's overkill.<br />
<br />
If we're honest, we realize that people have learned to avoid each other well enough on our own. We don't need any help. People do a great job showing up for church on Sundays and not talking about the controversial stuff.<br />
<br />
We have learned not to discuss politics, money, race, parenting, sex, or anything else that might make relationships icky between us. And if we can all just keep our opinions and personal experiences to ourselves, we may just all not realize how much we disagree with or dislike those we worship with.<br />
<br />
<b><i>3) Sweep it under the rug.</i></b><br />
Even the best avoiders, given enough time, find their way into conflict. If we stick around a group of people long enough, we are bound to have a problem with someone. What then?<br />
<br />
Well, in the interest of avoiding messy, you can do the "good Christian thing" and stuff it. Ignore it. Try not to be angry or frustrated. It's not Jesus-like (or so the story goes).<br />
<br />
...and if that doesn't work, you can always just go find another church and start the cycle over.<br />
<br />
<b>EXCEPT...none of these things are what we see from the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus revealed!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Jesus was all about messy!<br />
<br />
Jesus left the comfort of heaven and came to this messy earth (John 1; Philippians 2).<br />
<br />
He reached out to the outsiders--the messy people everyone else tried to avoid (Mark 2:16).<br />
<br />
He commanded his disciples to work things out with people they had conflict with (Matthew 18).<br />
<br />
And we see a picture of heaven where people from every nation, tribe, people and language worship God together (Revelation 7:9).<br />
<br />
Can you imagine that?!<br />
Heaven sounds like a mess!<br />
<br />
Maybe our churches could learn something.Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-77554540252797021762014-01-26T13:43:00.000-05:002015-10-07T11:04:44.121-04:00Church with your Kids: Philippians 2<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Philippians 2:1-11</i></b> (paraphrased)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does being connected to Jesus mean anything to you? Do you feel better because Jesus loves you? Do you enjoy knowing he is always with you? Do you like how much he cares for you when you are sad?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you do, then think and act that way towards other people as well. Love people and think about them the way that Jesus thinks about you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t do anything just because it’s what YOU want. Don’t think YOU are more important than anyone else. Instead, be humble. Act like other people are MORE IMPORTANT than you. Don’t just think about what YOU want. Think about what other people may want.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of other people like Jesus does.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Listen to the story of Jesus:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus is God - the most important and powerful in the world. But he didn’t brag about it. He didn’t tell people they had to do what he wanted because he was God.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead, Jesus made himself not look important. He decided to become a servant. He became a normal person. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he did even more than that! He even let himself be hurt and killed on a cross! And it was all because he was trying to love others.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though that did not look very good, God saw what Jesus did. And God told everyone how great Jesus was! He gave Jesus a special reward. God made Jesus king of everywhere! Even heaven!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And someday, everyone that lives will know and say how important Jesus is. And when they do, they God will be happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ------------</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Questions:</b></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What would you do if you were a King or Queen or God?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jesus was a King and God. How did he treat other people?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does it mean to treat others like they are more important?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How can you think more about what someone else wants?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you think happens serve others like Jesus?</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What happens to us?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What happens to others?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What happens to God?</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Pray: </b> Ask God to help you think more about others and less about yourself. Thank Jesus for thinking about you.</span><br />
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-80813772999989652512014-01-16T14:23:00.001-05:002014-01-16T14:26:39.287-05:00The Myth of Privilege - Part IIMy problem with using the terms privilege and underprivileged, fortunate and less fortunate, is that it sets up a one-sided marketplace.<br />
<br />
Just from the words alone, we have declared that there is one party in need and one that has something to offer.<br />
<br />
And certainly the poor have needs. <br />
They are indeed under-resourced, in more ways than just money. The poor may lack money, education, role models, coping strategies, emotional and spiritual resources, access to justice, and much more. <br />
<br />
And those with those resources should certainly do all they can to provide access for those who are under-resourced. <b>There <i>should</i> be a flow of resources from the well-resourced to the under-resourced.</b><br />
<br />
The New Testament speaks frequently to this: Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 14:12-14; Romans 12:13; Romans 15:1-2; James 1:27; James 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17-18; et al.<br />
<br />
But that is not the end of the story. The market does not work just in one direction. For there is poverty in the "privileged"as well. As I <a href="http://ryanyazel.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-myth-of-privilege-part-i.html" target="_blank">pointed out last week</a>, the New Testament reveals there is something about being well-resourced that makes accessing the Kingdom of God difficult.<br />
<br />
What is that difficulty? Distraction? Self-sufficiency? Independence? Greed? Who knows?! Whatever the nature of the hindrance, there is something about the condition of the poor that they are not similarly afflicted. In contrast, we saw last week that the poor tend to have great strength in their ability <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A20&version=NIV" target="_blank">to grasp the Kingdom of God</a>. When it comes to the Kingdom, those with less resources are actually in a position of great strength.<br />
<br />
So in the exchange between the resourced and the under-resourced, there is life change that needs to go both ways. <b>Both the "privileged" and the "under-privileged" have something to offer the other that the other greatly needs.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The under-resourced need resources.<br />
The well-resourced need...perspective? A clearer vision for the Kingdom of Heaven.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>So who is "charity" for?</i> <b><i> </i>Both</b> <i>(the under-resourced AND the well-resourced.)</i><br />
<i>Who really needs "missions trips"?</i> <b>Both </b><br />
<i>Who are those in need of a hand?</i> <b>Both</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The myth of privilege rests in the belief that the privileged are better off.</b><br />
What we need to acknowledge is that we ALL have needs, in one way or another.<br />
AND we ALL have something to contribute, which others greatly need.<br />
<br />
The market isn't one sided. <br />
It's a bit of an equal exchange, where everyone participates in the giving...and the receiving.Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-32233729761686139882014-01-07T13:36:00.001-05:002014-01-07T13:39:48.686-05:00The Myth of Privilege - Part II don't like the term "underprivileged" or "less fortunate" when referring to those who have few resources. <br />
<br />
Perhaps my bigger issue is with the terms "privileged" or "fortunate".<br />
<br />
They assume something--that there is a connection between the amount of money or stuff that someone has and the quality of life experienced. <br />
<br />
How are the "privileged" and "underprivileged" typically defined? With a pocketbook and a calculator.<br />
<br />
And clearly, by using the word "privilege" or "fortunate", there is an assumption that the desired position is the one with the higher account balance.<br />
<br />
<b>But that's not really true.</b><br />
<br />
Consider these words from Jesus...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Matthew 19:24 </i></b>I'll say it again. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven.</blockquote>
Jesus himself tells us there is something about "privilege" that makes the important things of life much more difficult. You could say that regarding the <i>really</i> important things in life, like the Kingdom of Heaven, living in "privilege" makes one "less fortunate."<br />
<br />
Consider another quote from Jesus...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Luke 6:20 </i></b>Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.</blockquote>
Again, when it comes to the <i>really</i> important things in life, like the Kingdom of God, those "less fortunate" are actually in a "privileged" position. <br />
<br />
And really,<br />
if the "privileged" are actually "underprivileged"...<br />
and the "less fortunate" are actually "more fortunate"<br />
<b>...then maybe it's time we stop using those terms.</b><br />
<br />
They're just confusing everyone.Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-68008103708360561632012-03-20T13:38:00.000-04:002012-03-20T13:39:36.383-04:00Confessions of a recovering Christian fatalist<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>fa-ta-lism (n.)</i><br />
1. the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable.<br />
2. a submissive attitude toward events resulting from such a belief.</blockquote>
As a child, one of the first truths about God I actually grasped is simply, God is God and I am not. For some reason, this just clicked with me. As such, I've prided myself on not really ever wrestling with doubt or asking the ever popular "Why?" question of God.<br />
<br />
<i>"Why did God allow this to happen?"</i><br />
Who cares?! He's God, he knows everything. He can do whatever the heck he wants to do!<br />
<br />
My theme passage was:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b>Romans 9:20-21</b><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span><sup>20</sup><span lang="en-us">Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing
that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like
this?”</span><sup><span lang="en-us"></span></sup><sup> 21</sup><span lang="en-us">When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use
the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw
garbage into?</span></i></blockquote>
If there was any concept I got well, it was "<i>Let go, and let God</i>!" For me, Christian maturity meant that whatever comes to you in life, you suck it up, take it and move on. Maturity was practically equal to emotional numbness. Don't question, don't regret, don't let it hurt. Like the great hymn says, "whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, 'it is well with my soul.'"<br />
<br />
And let me tell you, this picture of God and spirituality worked great for me. I was stable, unwavering in faith, and well-suited to deal with whatever life would throw at me.<br />
<br />
But one thing still struck me as weird. While I dismissed as immature those who were highly emotional in their pursuit of God, I secretly desired to be stirred in that way. I had little feeling of personal connection to God whatsoever. <br />
<br />
After all, for the Christian fatalist, prayer isn't really conversation. I believe that God's will is best for me. I obviously don't exactly know God's will for me in each situation. So why would I want to risk asking something from God, if it might actually be asking for something that would make my life worse?! So my prayer life pretty much consisted of: "God may your will be done in my life and our world."<br />
<br />
Not exactly soul-stirring, relationship building stuff. <i>(imagine if that was the extent of my conversation with Robin!)</i><br />
<i></i><br />
Was this really the goal for Christian maturity? Was this all God desired for me?<br />
<br />
No. Of course not.<br />
<br />
At some point, God began to reveal to me that there was more. The story of David and Bathsheba stuck out to me once again. Bathsheba was pregnant with a child David fathered during their affair, the one that took place as David was having her husband killed. As a result, David was told the child would die. <br />
<br />
<b>What did he do? Did he say, "It is well?"</b><br />
<b>No. Instead we see him pray like hell.</b><br />
<br />
For seven days, David does nothing but pray and cry before God on behalf of his child. Nothing. Not even eat. This wasn't just giving in. There was no sucking it up and taking the hand he was dealt. No, David showed God everything that was in his heart. He prayed, begging for God to change his mind. He was so aggressive that his advisers were scared to tell him when the child died 7 days later.<br />
<br />
But when they did, a strange thing happened. David got up from his prayers, washed up, went and worshiped God in the (church), and then had dinner. When asked about this change, his attitude was, "This situation is over. Why should I not move on?"<br />
<br />
As David was called, "a man after Gods' own heart," it seems that we can learn a lot about what God desires for us from looking at his life. David believed that life was supposed to be lived <i>with</i> God, not simply deferring to Him. <br />
<br />
He talked to God. Plead with him. Listened to him. <i>This</i> is Christian maturity. <i>This</i> is what we should strive toward.<br />
<br />
But <i>after</i> the situation found its sad conclusion, he looked back on things with humble submission to God. Though he walked <i>with</i> God toward the resolution of life's challenges, he ultimately trusted Him with the final outcomes.<br />
<br />
<b>For David, there was still, "It is well," just not before "pray like hell".</b><br />
<br />
<i>God, teach me to both walk with you and submit to you. Let me share my heart and desires with you, while listening to yours. Challenge me to hold to the promises you have placed in my heart and fight for them, until you show me differently. And when you do (and not before) give me the peace to step back and accept your resolution.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<i><br /></i>Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2567969448805195339.post-52314449234478690392012-02-28T09:24:00.001-05:002012-02-28T09:24:15.524-05:00Raise them in the 'hoodI love my neighborhood.<br />
<br />
But let's be honest. It has...issues.<br />
<br />
In the eight years since Robin and I moved here, we've seen and experienced all kinds of chaos. We've seen women getting punched in the street outside our house and had men come to our house in the middle of the night to try to get money to pay off drug dealers who are waiting in their car by the curb. We've seen our friends have their homes invaded and burglarized (and one eighty year old man beaten), ministry partners robbed at gunpoint, gunfights between feuding neighbors, and more vandalism and domestic violence than you can shake a non-emergency police call at.<br />
<br />
I suppose this is why many who love us were so concerned when we decided to have children and raise them here:<br />
<br />
"Do you know the dangers they'll face?!"<br />
"Do you know the things they'll hear from other kids?!"<br />
"Do you realize what the chaos is like in the South Bend Public Schools?!"<br />
"Get them out of there!"<br />
<br />
To be honest, I was concerned myself as well. In one trip to the park, we heard a group of boys (who had to be 8 years old or so) talking about how they were going to get as many girls pregnant as possible someday. Another young boy was following a little girl around with hip thrusts in her direction. Is this the right environment for my precious angels?!<br />
<br />
And then one day a group of friends from our community took a trip to visit an urban ministry in Chicago and had a long talk with a veteran urban ministry leader. We asked him about his thoughts on raising kids in the city (as he has raised many of his own there). His thoughts have stuck with me today and proved itself true already:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I would prefer to raise my kids in the 'hood. In the 'hood, kids can clearly see right and wrong played out before their eyes, with the consequences clear. Violence causes problems. Drug use ruins lives. Mean words tear apart families. In the rest of society, the problems and sin still exist, they're just decorated and hidden. Those problems are harder for kids to see and easier for them to unknowingly inherit."</blockquote>
And he's right.<br />
<br />
<b>Where I grew up in the suburbs, sin was like carbon monoxide.</b> You couldn't see it, couldn't smell it, so you didn't know to avoid it, but it still had the same drastic consequences. No, there wasn't rampant drug use, violence, or domestic abuse, but there was materialism, arrogance, vanity, and (worst of all) this feeling like everything would be okay with or without God.<br />
<br />
<b>Not so in the 'hood.</b> People are real. You see the good and the bad. It's all very clear, right there before you. There isn't the hiding. There isn't the makeup.<br />
<br />
Last year, a woman burst through the front door of our home and into our entryway unannounced, fleeing an abusive boyfriend, only to see him follow her inside and beat her in our front room. Meanwhile, our two young girls were upstairs ready for bed, anxious as they listened to the angry man and the screaming woman. Needless to say, they asked a lot of questions that night.<br />
<br />
We were able to tell them about sin and the pain it causes in our lives. We told them about relying on God and how He won't ever hurt you like others might. And we shared about trusting God to care for us when we are afraid. <br />
<br />
My belief is that our kids will be better off for these experiences. I want them to grow up seeing their need to depend on God daily; knowing that God is the one who gives life and keeps us from despair.<br />
<br />
Additionally, there are so many great lessons we can learn from my neighbors that were never a part of the suburban culture. People in my neighborhood look out for each other. In the midst of the pain and difficulty of life, I've seen so many rise to levels of grace and kindness that I'm not used to seeing. I've seen mothers, struggling to provide for their own children, take in another child of a friend who is hurting. I've seen the poor offer the little money they have to a relative in need. I've seen families living in already cramped housing take in entire other families who just needed a place to stay.<br />
<br />
<b>So yeah, my neighborhood has issues</b>. The truth is, we all do. But in the 'hood, at least you know what they are.<br />
<br />
And I would prefer my kids be able to see clearly the choices set before them.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure I could raise them in the suburbs. It's too risky.<br />
<br />Ryan Yazelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18130839312794026201noreply@blogger.com19