Nature did it first.

A growing appreciation of design has introduced terms such as "color story" and "color scheme" into my vocabulary. These terms refer to color combinations intentionally chosen to produce a certain effect on the eye. In design, I enjoy gray as a neutral and think it looks elegant paired with yellow, purple, blue, or even pink. Upon transferring images from my wallpaper file to my external hard drive, I discovered an inadvertent collection of a classic color story...

 

*Unfortunately, I saved these before I began crediting sources, so I only know that the last image is from National Geographic Photo of the Day.

Giving

"Riches should be possessed in a becoming manner and shared generously, 

not mechanically and ostentatiously.”

~Clement of Rome, early church father

Getty Images

 

The Rites of Manhood

The Rites of Manhood

by Alden Nowlan

It's snowing hard enough that the taxis aren't running.

I'm walking home, my night's work finished,

long after midnight with the whole city to myself, 

when across the street I see a very young American sailor

standing over a girl who's kneeling on the sidewalk

and refuses to get up although he's yelling at her

to tell him where she lives so he can take her there

before they both freeze. The pair of them are drunk

and my guess is he picked her up in a bar

and later they got separated from his buddies

and at first it was great fun to play at being

and old salt at liberty in a port full of women with

hinges on their heels, but by now he wants only to

find a solution to the infinitely complex 

problem of what to do about her before he falls into

the hands of the police or the shore patrol

--and what keeps this from being squalid is

what's happening to him inside:

if there were other sailors here

it would be possible for him

to abandon her where she is and joke about it

later, but he's alone and the guilt can't be

divided into small forgettable pieces;

he's finding out what it means

to be a man and how different it is

from the way that only hours ago he imagined it.

________________________________________________________________________
A few years ago, two of my family members claimed it is easier to raise boys than girls. Evidently boys are "less complicated" and "less dramatic." Admittedly unqualified in this area, I am skeptical that boys are truly easier to raise. Rather, I think our standards for men are too low. Producing wise leaders who understand that strength and gentleness can co-exist, respect authority, defend the weak, speak truth, promote purity, work diligently, and esteem the whole personhood of women seems an awfully big challenge to me.

Dessert every time!

Blessed are the pure in heart, 

for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

In junior high youth group, we were asked to pick the Beatitude that we most wanted to be true for us, and this was the one I chose. A few days ago, a thought popped into my head: Katie, being pure in heart is not so much about all the bad things a person has not done because I (God) cleanse from sin. Yes, there are latent consequences and heart issues resulting from people's wrong decisions, but being pure in heart is more about how you choose to fill your mind and heart.

The Bible, of course, explains it well: "Keep your heart will all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil." Proverbs 4:23-27

The word for heart here does not refer to our emotions or pathos, but rather to "the inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding." The Bible is saying to guard our cores, the indefinable part of a person that reasons and decides and emotes. Stay away from things that will make you stray from the excellence that God has abundantly available.

Frankly, I do try to live by this instruction. We've all heard "Junk in; Junk Out." Why would I want to make life harder for myself by consciously indulging in movies, books, or music that glorify evil? Then I have to wade through those depressing, disgusting, or simply dull topics instead of dwelling on bigger and better thoughts.

Please, do not misconstrue what I am saying. Being "secular" (i.e. not explicitly Christian) does not make input taboo. For me, the two main questions are: Are the messages telling the truth as best they can? Who or what are they glorifying? There are plenty of stories that are rough and hard hitting but tell the truth. So, let's check. Are the messages...misogynistic? Lies. People have inherent value. It doesn't matter if the beat is good. Throw it out. Depressing and hopeless? Lies. Hope exists, however faint it may seem. Move on! Superficial? Lies. Appearance and possession and fame are fleeting. Don't settle! Sexually explicit? Lies. True intimacy is more than the sex act. No doing! (Pun intended. Don't faint, Mom.) Save it for the bedroom.

Essentially, why kill your digestive system processing dirt when there are so many blue ribbon winning desserts* available? What's stopping you? Well, the desserts are over on the counter, and the dirt is right here on the floor. I don't have the energy to go get the dessert. The one that makes me bristle: Everybody else is eating the dirt! It's really popular! You should try it. You'll probably like it too! You just don't know. It's not that bad. It has some really great flavors. The worst is when you actually start to think that dirt tastes better than dessert. That's scary, friends. 

Of course, let's not forget that when you are focused on filling yourself with the Lord, these other messages are not so attractive. We see them for what they are: empty promises, blind entertainment, destructive lies, dulling babble. Our modus operandi should be to walk towards the Lord, seeking His truth, filling ourselves with His extravagant goodness. And we will find Him, even in the most unexpected places! "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

*Substitute salad if you like. See, my nutrition is improving!

Jordan

Three weeks from today I will be sitting in the Middle East. Yes, that was an abrupt and generic opening sentence to cover my embarrassment for not informing you sooner, dear Reader. As you know from your avid consumption of this blog, I work for Joni and Friends, an international disability ministry. I work specifically in the Wheels for the World department. The "elevator speech" is that we distribute wheelchairs worldwide to impoverished people affected by disability. The gift of a wheelchair provides invaluable, life-changing mobility, but more importantly serves as a tangible demonstration of God's love. Our chairs are all donated and subsequently refurbished in fourteen different prisons around the United States. Volunteer outreach teams comprised of physical therapists, mechanics, and support workers distribute the wheelchairs in sixteen different countries. I will be serving as a writer and support worker on the outreach team to Jordan.


Our team departs November 9, returning on November 19. I appreciate your prayers for safe travel, energy,and wisdom with relating to those in a Muslim culture.

Who am I?

"Wow, this sure is a lot of chocolate," the Whole Foods cashier commented casually as he scanned the fifth bar. Casually, but was there perhaps a tinge of admiration in his tone? Evidently the average Whole Foods customer does not buy his or her chocolate bars in bulk. Unabashedly, let me proclaim: Katie Brooks does! I am woman, hear me roar! No qualms there, but his comment prompted me to switch out of shopping list mode and quickly examine my purchases as a whole statement: fours bars of dark chocolate with fruit, one bar of pure Icelandic semi-dark chocolate, one can of fair trade chocolate protein power, one peach-colored bottle of fair trade Beautiful Curlz conditioner, one container of chocolate soy milk, and one bag of agave-sweetened granola. The shapes and earth tones and clever packaging phrases fused together before my eyes and converged in a clear revelation: I have become one of those people I used to make fun of. I am unsure as to which is more disconcerting: finding that my self-perception once again arrived late to the party or realizing that my grammar crumbles under the minor shock of self-discovery.

Yes, I have become a nutrition-conscious fair trade advocate who strides springily through Whole Foods swinging my reusable bags. (Okay, I exaggerated at the end of the sake of alliteration, but I do snicker snidely at the imaginary scene. Sorry.) Of course, I have noticed changes in my habits, but the blunt revelation at the check-out counter threw me--and thus provided not a few good laughs! My convictions regarding fair trade have been largely documented on this blog, so for the sake of my cogitations on self-perception, let's examine the nutrition aspect, shall we?*

For years, I was disdainful of many people who were, in my opinion, overly concerned with what they ate. Unfortunately, most of my acquaintances who took the time and care to research what they put inside of their bodies were no mere hobbyists. Rather, they were consumed with their body images. They often used their food choices to feel superior to people who were not as strict. My response? Hah! Poor carrot crunchers deluded into thinking they are satisfied with their thumb-sized portions of cheese. Yes, I will scarf that extra helping of lemon bars while rolling my eyes at the size fours stressing over their excess body fat. Why are they stressing? It's really not that big of a deal! Forget "You are what you eat!" Who you are is so much more important that what you eat! For me, eating healthily was commendable in theory but not worthy of the time, effort, and agony demonstrated.

Are you catching my mistake? My self-perception was that I was free from obsessive and prideful dietary rules. Yet, failing to test my attitudes towards nutrition against God's truth, I was just as trapped by pride as many of the people I condemned. It should be obvious that both obsession with nutrition and neglect of nutrition are unhealthy in every respect. Growing closer to God and observing better examples of nutrition advocates has slowly changed me over the past three years. Somewhere along the way I grasped why intentional nutrition should be a priority. Although still reluctant to invest much time in the subject, I do now--gasp!--read labels instead of scrupulously ignoring them and have come up with some general--second gasp in one sentence!--rules. All this while steadily consuming chocolate and avoiding peas and eggs. Life is good.

Self-perception frustrates me because its uniqueness limits litmus tests. In other words, how do I check the accuracy of my self-perception? Is it true that I think and therefore I am? How do I measure the gaps between what I think of myself and who I truly am? Should I ...

a.) Memorize forty-five Bible verses about my identity in Christ? 

b.) Take every personality test online? 

c.) Poll my family and random people at a gas station? 

d.) Change my (non-existent) Facebook status to say: "If Katie was a superhero, who would she be?"

e.) None of the above?

In the end, we know the answer, right? We check our self-perception with God's Word and with the truth of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has come to convict us of sin and of righteousness. He has come to speak truth. Truth. Pure truth. My "self-improvement" prayer is often, "God, show me how You see things. Help me to have Your perspective." Oh friends, sometimes the thought of truly having God's perspective terrifies me, but it is an essential part of loving Him, and I will not give up.

*Yes, dark chocolate is most certainly nutritious! Have you ever heard of antioxidants? No? Please be aware--oxidants are dangerous business and you definitely want to take measures against them! What? You say although dark chocolate is healthier than its lighter cousin, it still has plenty of fat and sugar? Hmm, here we have one consumer not swayed by relentless marketing campaigns! Good for you. Now get over yourself and go eat some antioxidants.

Winner of three really trendy awards!

YouTube hosts several amusing (and convicting) parodies of contemporary church worship services. This one is my favorite, and I post it as a follow-up to the discipleship video I posted earlier this week. Be sure to read the "awards" at the end.

In God's eyes, a successful church is one focused on loving Him, particularly in fulfilling the Great Commission. A great question to ask about your church is "Does the leadership strive to disciple the congregation?" That includes training the congregation to disciple others. If not, perhaps it is time to move on.

Merci mingi

As many of you know, my friend and I hosted a clothing swap party for our joint birthday celebration. In lieu of presents, we asked people to bring donations for HEAL Africa, a nonprofit I have previously highlighted on this blog. Here is the fun email I received after donating the contributions:

Dear Katherine Brooks,

Thank you so much for this significant donation ($100).  Our executive director (Judy Anderson) just returned from Goma and again was so encouraged by the staff and the impact their work is having.  Not only are women realizing a new future, but communities are being restored and the fragile peace is gently expanding from village to village.  Judy met two young boys in one village who have been helped with loans.  They told her they are no longer living on the streets (and crime) but they each have their own small portable store and sell goods. With the proceeds they are now attending school and have been plugged into a mentorship program and are receiving life skills and good counsel.  They said their lives have been dramatically changed and they now have a future.  That’s what it’s all about- seeing change, one person at a time.

Thank you Katherine, for helping HEAL Africa expand these changes to others.  On behalf of our team and the Congolese community. 

Thank you, merci mingi,

Dick Anderson

PS… I like your handle--- chocolate puddings! 

Because He said so

A short series of articles in Essence magazine online interested me because it is about women repenting of unwise choices made in their quest for happiness. The first article was written by a woman who used to secretly date men in relationships. She was "the other woman." She says:  "I can’t fault anyone for my past. It wasn’t due to bad parenting, the lascivious nature of pop culture or even the Black man shortage. It was what I thought would make me happy. Sadly, I learned that happiness built on hurt and deception is short-lived." 

The second article I read was written by a former drug dealer: "I have to be honest. I wasn’t in dire straits. I didn’t come from a broken home. I wasn’t abused. Though I’d been exposed to the street life while living in Harlem, I didn’t start hustling by circumstance. It was a choice. I was a teenager enthralled by the toxic yet alluring mix of the street life. You know, the medley of close calls, quick cash and unfiltered fun. I had to have it. So I sought more." 

The third article was by a woman who aborted her first child and later married her partner and birthed two children with him. She shares: "Choosing to end my pregnancy was one of the most distressing decisions I ever made. I wasn’t just thinking about myself. I was consumed with thoughts about what type of life I would be able to offer my child. I was riddled with anxiety over whether my partner and I would be able to stay together for the long run, and how that would impact our baby. Last, I was worried about what my family would think."

These women all share that their decisions made in the pursuit of happiness and convenience brought them pain, danger, and broken relationships. In essence (pun intended), they are sharing their stories as a warning against their choices, but none of the three ever admits: "What I did was wrong." These women reasoned their decisions were bad because the consequences left them more broken. Following this line of reasoning, if drug dealing, having affairs, and aborting a child had made them happy long-term, then their decisions would have been good decisions. This is obviously backwards thinking.

Imagine a world in which you never knew the wisdom of your decisions until years later when you examined the consequences. Should I steal this iPod? Should I lie to my boss? Should I eat this entire pizza? Guess I'll find out in a few years...ridiculous! Obviously, we cannot foretell the future, but we CAN know whether most of our decisions are good and bad because God has set morality in place. Taking a job at Kohl's versus a job at Target does not matter so much, but cheating on your husband matters because God says it's wrong. He makes the rules, not us. And because He is good, He makes the rules for our benefit. Thus, do not steal because it destroys industry and breaks down society. Do not lie because kills trust and makes you an outcast. Do not have sex outside of marriage because hampers your ability to forge committed, lasting relationships and will harm your health with disease and infertility. Do not idolize possessions, passions, or people because the desire will consume you. The list abounds, and those who have eyes to see will note the natural and spiritual consequences.

Quoteables VI

Me: “We need to start practicing Spanish. Everyone. We’ve got to start.”

Co-worker 1: Bemused look.

Me: “You too.”

Co-worker 1: “Yeah—taco, burrito, enchilada.”

Me: “That works. I can’t put it off any longer. Even if it’s on a very limited basis, I need to start practicing my vocabulary.”

Co-worker 1: “I think we should learn French.”

Me: “Why? Oh, so we can live in Paris for a year!”

Co-worker 1: “I like the way it sounds. I think it sounds better.”

Me: “I want to live in Paris for a year, but Spanish is more practical.”

Co-worker 1: “So is studying engineering, but I took philosophy instead.”

Me: “Good point.”

_____________________________________________________________

Co-worker 1 and I talking about acquaintances who have ten or more children and how such a large number doesn’t appeal to either of us--

Me: “Yeah, it’s not my idea of fun, but—well—God obviously likes children! If you look at the system He set up…”

Co-worker 1: “He did say, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’ But some people don’t know how to turn off the calculator.”
____________________________________________________________________________

Overheard at Goodwill--
Young teenager calling from the book section: "Mom! Look! Oh my gosh, one of my favorite movies is, like, a book!"
____________________________________________________________________________

Me pulling a small filing cabinet: "Brother, will you come carry this for me?" 
My brother: "No, I'm busy!"
Me: "Brother!"
My brother: "No, you've got it! Empowerment of women!"

This is Discipling

This is Discipling from The Foursquare Church on Vimeo.


After receiving this for the second time, I thought I should share. It's a good reminder of where our focus should be.

My middle class life

"Folded Hands, Brunei" via National Geographic Photo of the Day

This beautiful picture reminded me once again of how incredibly wealthy I am.  It takes mental exercise to have a proper perspective when advertisements are always pounding into our heads that we "need" and "deserve" this and that. Are teeth whitening gum or perfume or a new car really human rights? Consider this: you know you're among the world's financial elite when self-discipline is the struggle rather than earning enough money for food, clothes, and shelter. Sometimes when I cave and gobble the desserts at my office or get invited to one too many social events requiring the wallet, I am reminded that most of the world does not share my "problems" of excessive sugar intake and recreation. Historically, kings and queens did not even enjoy the quality of life standard to the American middle-class today!


This used to bother me. Why me? Why the people surrounding me? Why isn't everyone equal, if not in money, then in life circumstances? Although a version of "survivor's guilt" still strikes now and again, I've mostly moved on from being stricken by the disparate distribution of resources in the world. For me, the questions have become: Am I using MY resources wisely? Am I more prone to generosity than to hoarding? Am I too dependent on my belongings and purchasing power for happiness? Do I make financial sacrifices for others rather than giving only out of my excess? Finally, are there easy changes I can make in my purchasing decisions to promote justice for those who, unlike me, toil harshly for their living? Small changes in response to these questions have given me greater peace and purpose.