Work is really hard at the moment....

Well I should start off by saying I love working with teenagers. I'm not sure if I would say I am 'Called', but definitely have a gift. This gifting is part due to experience and part personality. This was always a struggle at school when asked when you were called, because in part I believe everyone is called to do good work. To separate those in full time ministry and those not merely put up walls for christian conversations on the Christian life.

I am a treatment worker at treatment centre for teens with addictions and co-occurring disorders. I guess sometimes I wonder how people get into this line of work, because one does not get a lot of money. In reading Donald Miller, I started to ask more why questions that many of the people at work have answered similarly. However, it seems we have a few staff who have lost that visions and because a job not a way of life. One of the staff constantly engages in power struggles with the teens and get them kicked out of the program, if she doesn't like them. I struggle how to address this because I think she does a good job as a counsellor. However, she does create tension and conflict for the teens and hinders the healing for redemptive work that can happen.

Well we have team meeting tomorrow, I believe a lot of the tension will come to head tomorrow. This weekend everything came to a head as the staff got a teen discharge for basically swearing at her, when she called a house meeting on rumors. To make the story short she started accusing the guys of obtaining drugs, which led the guys to react strongly and swear at her. I am not defending the guys for swearing, but being sworn at is an everyday occurrence at work.

I guess this is sort of a prayer request. I've been doing a lot of praying about the situation, mostly how to address the situation in a loving, peaceful, and Christ like fashion. I firmly believe that this staff is a toxic influence for our therapeutic community.

Why I love Bright Eyes...

Well in November Trisha and I went to see Bright Eyes, the concert was amazing!!!! The band played for almost 90 minutes. I've been thinking a lot lately why I enjoy his music so much. A lot of the songs are cynical and jaded, which I don't think I am. I think my life has taken me to a place where Christian music is dishonest to real emotions and life experiences. To listen to CCM music is like everyone is on cloud nine with their hands raised and no worries about life or what is going on in the universe.

I think the reason I like him so much is that I see lots of how I view life in his songs. I think my main difference is that I had loving parents and a somewhat positive experience of church/ministry growing up. I am not sure I would be a Christian if I didn't have those experiences. I think for a long time I have felt out of place in the church, many times I heard if I don't love the church I don't love Jesus. Somehow that hurts, since the church can do whatever she wants without being held responsible for anything.

Bright Eyes allow for honesty and truthfulness of life that can't always be explained away by slogans or reciting verses. Bright Eyes has beauty, honesty, and passion..all the parts of creation I see and would like to emulate in life.

With all my critics of the Church I must admit that many of my struggles with the Church is really with a stream of the Church I was brought up in, but those years are over. I now belong to a community that does not suppress questions, simplify following Jesus, or even believe in the after life the way i was taught.