it has been awhile. the main reason for my absence is lack of interesting things to say. sometimes the homework piles up and that is all that seems to be going on. however, spring sing (a stupid show that the clubs on campus have to participate in that includes choreographed dances and parodies of songs tailored to the clubs theme, ours being elves) is now in full swing and we have too many practices. we had our first lock in on saturday night where we practiced for 7 hours straight. it wasn't so bad, but my body was not at peak performance level for my hockey game on Sunday. Needless to say my two goals could have turned into so much more if only I wasn't so tired from doing silly dance moves. hockey has been a lot of fun so far and team is really bonding well, producing some sweet chemistry on the ice. We have one guy from New York who plays for the full 54 min game, and skates harder than anybody else. He is one of the fittest guys I have ever seen. He scores a lot of goals. More than me even.
Clair and I have been doing very well lately. We got into a weird lull at the beginning of semester where we just annoyed each other to death and it was creating quite a bit of tension. We are now back to normal (according to me anyways) and are enjoying each others company.
Here is the question of the week: if a homeless person asks you for money, should you give it to him?
Clair and I went out on Saturday to dinner and a blazers game and at the end of the game was approached by a homeless looking gentleman. He made up some story about how he was at the hockey game, he and his wife got into a fight, she took the car home and left him in downtown with no money or way to get home. I didn't by the story but the guy was only asking for a couple bucks to "catch a bus," so we thought it wouldn't hurt. He kept complimenting us, saying we looked great as a couple, and that my glasses were cool. Good tactic, because he got the money. As soon as we gave this guy the dollar bills, another homeless gentleman was walking by and noticed. After the first guy goes on his way, the next one catches us right before we are about to get into the car. He asks for "some change for a brother" and I offer to buy him some food. It was a pretty cold night and he said that he wasn't hungry but that he needed 5 bucks to get into the Salvation Army Shelter, and that would pay for a week there. I wasn't sure if that was true or not, and I only had a 20 so I was hesistant to give it to him, but I did.
God was definelty testing me with this whole thing, because my friends and I had been talking about this very situation that week. Why are we so hesistant to give to someone who asks for money? I judge people and don't give them any money becuase we all think we know what they, the homeless people, are going to do with it. How fair is that? Did God not bless me with this money even though I am a sinner to? Why do I want to hold on so tight to an earthly possesion that is not even mine?
In the end, I was reminded of Jesus. he healed and blessed not expecting for people to be perfect once he had done so. in the same way, I need to be a generous giver of whatever I have to give at that time, regardless of how I think the person will use that gift.
i hope everyone back home and around the world is doing well. there is a new banner at the top of the blog screen but it doesn't go to the right site unfortunately. you can go here tho. I can't wait for this album.
5 comments:
my answer is 'yeah why not?"
cool.
i know what you mean, with all that money giving stuff. i have given money away like you did, and then people tell me i shouldn't have done that, because they are going to go spend it on booze. sure it's a better tactic to go buy some for them, maybe make a new friend on the way, but you have to trust that God will take that money and do something good with it.
thats what i think.
march 6th my man. for me, more around the march 15th.
oh yeah. keep up the philantrophizzle.
when you said blazers, i thought you meant basketball, like portland trailblazers. and i was like, how did you go to portand for supper and a game?
i get it though.
Very interesting, Tyler. We have faced the question many times and it has troubled us also. We have not been as generous as you, indeed we have a tendency of avoiding any contact.
As for Jesus, let me remind you that with his superior powers I'm sure that he was able to determine the legitimacy of the proposition, something that we mere mortals are not always able to do.
I think its great to be availble in the moment, as Peter was with the crippled guy in Acts 3, but I think the best long term solution is supporting those organizations that help those men and women not only eat once but eat for a lifetime.
In fact, as you know, its my strong believe that the Church is called to be that kind of place.
You have a good heart Ty, I think that's what counts.
John
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