I wrote and posted my last blog post on April 3, 2011 and on April 4, 2011 my grandmother passed away while at a dentist appointment. It was not expected, as you probably guessed not many people die at the dentist office. I was able to fly into Bryan on Wednesday to be with my family. I was not expecting this time at home to be easy but I was not expecting it to be as difficult as it was. With overwhelming grief it was almost impossible to get any sort of rest. People kept calling, texting and facebooking their condolences. Don’t get me wrong I am grateful for all of those who contacted my mom and me but after a while I just did not know what to say anymore. It got to the point where I was only answering calls and texts from specific people. Most of who were family members or members of my intentional communities here in New Orleans. It was at this moment I noticed something I had never even paid attention to. I came to New Orleans expecting to gain an intentional community (the Blue House) but in fact I have gained three separate, but equal intentional community. I gained the obvious one of the Blue House but then there is my Church community at Metairie Ridge Presbyterian Church and my community at Ochsner in the Pastoral Care Department. Without each of these communities I would not have been able to make it through these past few weeks.
My community at MRPC was unexpected. I did not expect to find such a loving church home as quick as I did. I have been welcomed into MRPC. I have become a member of the church community. I have been asked to do fellowship after church, lead children’s worship, be liturgists and most recently I lead a four week Bile study on Max Lucado’s book Outlive your Life (life of course being said with my Texas accent.) I have met wonderful people at this church including my mentor Karen.
I expected to have an agency placement that I would like but not one that I would fall in love with as much as I love Ochsner. I have become close with everyone in my office especially Mrs. Pat the Administrative Sectary. She and one of the other Chaplains Sheryl have become what I call my NOLA mom’s. They both look after me and greatly care for me physical and spiritual well being.
My community at the Blue house has not always been the best. I am sure none of my housemates would disagree with that. Once the honeymoon stage was over it was rough seas for a long time. For the first few months I was not as open and honest with the community as I should have been. I let the issues that I came in with hinder me from growing in multiple ways. I finally took the advice of my community and sought out a counselor. I have been seeing my counselor regularly working through my issues, some of which I did not even know that I had. It took until recently for me to become fully honest and comfortable with my community. I believe I was able to do this because I was becoming fully honest with myself. Once I broke down my barriers that I had subconsciously set up was I fully able to grasp the amazing gift that is the intentional community of the Blue House.
As we quickly approach Easter I am reminded of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me on the cross. I have learned through this year just how hard sacrifice is (and I am not sacrificing my life on a cross for the World’s sin). I am merely sacrificing a year (okay two if you count the next YAV year that I have signed up for) of my life. Through this year I am doing what Jesus did throughout his ministry. I am loving others for who they are, living simply Loving God and living in an intentional community. None of which are easy. All of which are rewarding in numerous ways. I am reminded of the Story in John where Jesus meets the Samaritan Woman. He was thirsty so he asked her for a drink fully knowing who she was. She had been married to several men. Now she lived with a man who was not her husband. Perhaps nobody would talk to her. Jesus spoke to her. He had a habit of talking to people no one else would. He asked the woman for a drink. She protested saying he should not be speaking to her for he was Jew and that he did not even have a bucket to draw the water. Jesus then proceeded to tell her of Living water. Once you drink of this Living water you will never be thirsty again. She then begs Jesus for this Living water wanting to know how to get this water. She does not know that the Living Water is sitting right in front of her. Jesus Christ is the Living water. We remember this Living water this Easter and every Easter as we celebrate his resurrection on the Cross. We once again take a drink of the Living Water.
We come to the cross this week thirsty, weak, and with crusted over hearts due to the years trials and tribulations. Let us once again take a drink, no, take a gulp of the Living Water that is Jesus. I am blessed by having the opertunity to take a gulp of the Living water on an almost daily basis. Every time I drink I find that differnt parts of me are more thirsty that I origianly thought.
Totally just figured out that I strted this post out with the intention of saying how much I love my intentional communities but I ended up in a totally different place.
I love when the Holy Spirit takes over!
See Ya next time!
On a side note: I am less that $500 away from my fundraing goal! please prayerfuly consider donating to this year that I am serving in New Orleans!
Any Donations can be sent to
Kathy Lee
Presbytery of South Lousiaia
3700 Gentilly Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70122
Enjoy these photos!
Awesome post Maegen! (spelled it right!)
ReplyDeleteYou da best! You da You da.