Odds and Ends

Ready?

1. BUF wrote about community a few days ago, in which she said that it is easier to be isolated than to be honest. I've said this to her, but I'll say it again: even the fact that you're being honest about being uncomfortable is its own form of community. Even in this, you're doing the very thing you're afraid of doing. Just a thought.

2. MEchelle has been talking about the Gospel of Judas, and about whether or not Judas was "set up" by Jesus to be the betrayer. The conversation (in the realworld, if not in blogdom) meandered into Pharoah and Romans and why God would harden someone's heart, etc ... here are my thoughts: It is out of line with the character of Jesus to set someone else up as the fall guy. That does not line up with anything we know about him, from either Scripture or experience. It's more likely that Jesus was prophesying, and was telling Judas what was going to happen. Since none of us has actually read the manuscript, none of us really knows ... Also, in the rest of Scripture, Jesus let people be. If they wanted to walk away, they could. If they wanted to follow, they did. He never forced anyone into anything. Rather, I think Jesus drew out what was already within a person (I think the enemy does the same thing). We know from the canonized Scriptures that Judas was stealing money from the community purse. So nobody had to convince Judas to be greedy or deceptive. He already was. That's my two cents worth ..

3. A short update on life in a coffee shop: Let's just say, for argument's sake, that there are two types of workers. There are kayakers and there are canoers. Kayakers like to work alone - give them their little oar and the water, and they'll paddle away. They may flip or they may not, but either way, they don't want anyone else's help. Then there are canoers (I am SUCH a canoer). They're looking at what's good for the boat, how to best maneuver without anyone else falling out. They're calling out commands to each other, they're alerting one another of rocks, and they see the water from a collective perspective. Here's the story of my life: I am a CLASSIC AUTOMATIC CANOER. Any of you that has ever had to complete a task with me will see this, I am sure. I look at the whole. I work on my part, but I'm never just looking at what I'm doing - I'm always seeing how what I'm doing is affecting someone else. And this is all fine and good. Except. I naively assume everyone else is a canoer. And, because of this, kayakers HATE me. They think I'm bossy and overbearing. Maybe I am - but I'm assuming they're going to boss me around too. I'm not trying to be in charge, I'm trying to get the job done. I work with two kayakers right now, and THEY HATE ME. It makes for a fun eight hours, let me tell you. But, all is well. After all, it's just coffee.

4. If I had a dollar for every person I see from my high school while at work, I could quit making coffee.

5. A Public Service Announcement: On April 24, the Wetumpka Public Library will be closed in observance of Confederate Memorial Day. That's all I have to say about that.