Hospitality and Space

Rereading past reflections and reminded afresh why I love my job at the Green Bean... 

Jan. 2015

I’m thrilled and deeply honored to be the new Green Bean manager.  Being a part of this ministry truly is a gift.  Many of my days are spent at the Green Bean serving our neighbors as a barista or simply sitting with friends, reading a good book, thinking, and reflecting.  The place has become a part of my life and a part of me.  Everyday I am blessed to be able to encounter new people, reconnect with old friends, and continue relationships with those I’ve been getting to know over the past year.  

As many of you know, I spent the summer bicycling cross-country.  We were a few weeks into the trip and had a buildup of a couple hard days.  We were physically and emotionally exhausted.  All morning I’d meant to ask my cousin, 'what do we need to enjoy this and not hate every second of the day?' but never had the chance.  The question sat in my mind, mulling over and over again, like thoughts tend do when left with only yourself, your bicycle, and an open road.  That afternoon we were forced to cut the day short when my cousin broke a spoke.  Lucky for us, we weren't too far from a bike shop, “The Broken Spoke” (the irony).  The owners started asking us questions, and eventually offered us their trailer for the night.  We showered in their home and did our laundry before they took us on a tour of the city and grilled burgers for dinner.  I realized that night, as I lay in the trailer of these strangers who had quickly become friends, that sometimes you don’t know what you need until it happens to you.  All summer long we encountered incredible people.  Their genuine curiosity led to a hospitality I’d never before experienced.  Questions led to a mutual exchange of stories as people fed us and opened their homes, barns, ice cream shops, and fairgrounds to us.  I was and continue to be so humbled by the way people invite us into their lives as our paths cross and we become curious about one another.

What has brought you to the Green Bean?  I’m curious about all your memories and the dreams you have for this place.  I’m curious what you experience when you stop by for a cup of coffee, minister with your presence, or help us clean.  I’m curious, how do you experience hospitality in your everyday lives?

Hospitality has always been at the heart of the Green Bean.  Our busy culture demands that we intentionally carve out the capacity to be hospitable, and the desire to sit long, talk much doesn’t always come easily.  I’ve always thought that people respond well to spaces.  Although each installment has looked different, the Green Bean has always offered a space.  What makes hospitality more accessible is a gathering space of comfort and familiarity.  We need to continually work together to give our physical space a feeling of comfort and openness.  Hospitality isn’t a place we arrive at or a task we complete.  Rather, it’s a sense of being where we are growing in our capacity to serve one another as we listen, sit together, and live into this place. 

My hope for the Green Bean is that we continue to know the stories of one another so that we can live into our space as hospitably as possible.  That God would give us the guidance and courage to be aware of the needs of those around us.  That we would be more curious of one another with each day.  And that we would get creative about how we can best serve each other as paths cross and stories are shared over mugs of our favorite Caffè Lusso coffees and our top notch in-house baked goods.  

The Green Bean is yours and mine, the bakers and baristas, our neighbors, the church’s, and the Holy Spirit’s.  May it continue to be a place for you to meet our neighbors, get to know our staff, and step in when needs arise. As we enter into our second year at this new location, let’s continue to seek the ways that God is calling us to be present here and now in our neighborhood.

So why not come in for a cup of coffee or a freshly baked pastry?  You’re sure to meet some amazing people with meaningful stories.  If you're someone who thrives by having something practical to do, we could always use help keeping up on dishes, organizing the retail space, or wiping down tables.  Don’t hesitate to ask where you can be part of the Green Bean (how’s that for a shameless plug?).  Keep getting to know the space so that you can be a part of growing it into it’s potential.  Our hospitality can extend only as far as we are present and curious with a generosity that extends beyond ourselves.  

Runner

Today I'm a runner. It has been at least five years since I emerged out of my front door for a jog down my block, dreaming of one day being a real runner. Seven half marathons later I still hesitate calling myself a runner because my definition of "runner" has always been one step ahead of me, barely exceeding my current condition. 'Once I'm a little faster...a little stronger...my runs more effortless...THEN I'll be a runner.'

This week tragedy struck runners when, in Boston, bombs blew at the marathon finish. In the midst of this horrific event, runners from all over the globe have been seeping out of the woodwork, uniting as a community that stands strong.

Never before have I been more proud to claim identity as part of this wonderful community. I'm realizing more and more that identity as a runner has less to do about stats, medals and bibs on a wall than it does the persistence to get out the door and move forward in a world full of reasons to stop.

So today I joined 250+ runners from all over Seattle for a group run around Greenake to remember Boston... those killed, injured, struck by grief, whose lives have been changed forever. I realize I have to claim identity as a runner because running gives life to tragedy and (even to my own dry and weak bones)... because running unites me with an amazing group of people who persist and move together through tragedy, injustice, and build strength from weak limp bones, even when surroundings yell 'STOP'... because running alongside people I've never met, we are headed toward a same goal.

I don't know that I was born a runner but I've grown into one. It sure hasnt been easy and wont be as I continue to push myself forward past the voices yelling 'stop'.  Though I have far to go, today I call myself runner and hope that running continues to weave intself more and more into the fabric of my being. 

Travel

In three days my cousin and I are heading across the ocean, London bound! I'm getting way too excited! Now that I'm graduated and have an iPad (much thanks to my parents and grandparents) I'm feeling pretty ready to jump on a plane for some adventure. Have fun Seattle while we are gone!

Women empowerment...

The more I read, learn, think about gender discrimination in our world the more feminist I want to become.  Not because I want women to rise above men but because we continue to perpetuate such a limited picture that denies women the ability to live into fullness, as people of gifting and incredible significance.  We as the body of Christ are recreated in Christ and richly gifted by God’s Spirit.  We must not limit this gifting on the basis of gender.  Scripture advocates that we live liberally into these areas of giftedness regardless of gender and we greatly limit a full experience of the body without doing so.  We need to continue intentionally seek out ways to empower women locally and globally.

We have to get corrective in a way that chooses to challenge the categories and labels society continues to promote; in a way that works within our context to radically oppose while avoiding the temptation to be overly corrective.  I love what Michelle Bachelet said in the video for International Women’s Day last week... “The neglect of women’s rights means lack of progress on gender equality.  But also means that that enormous social and economic potential of half of the populations is so underutilized.  Women rights are human rights.”

It seems far too often we think that we have made so much progress in the US, that the bigger problem resides in other countries around the world that don’t have equal opportunity.  The sobering truth is, in the United States we have one of the highest rates of rape, 17 times higher than many other countries around the globe.  Domestic violence is also the leading cause of injury for women.    And our media hyped perception of women seems to be extremely warped.  While only 27% of people in commercial media are women, 83% of those women are sexualized.  We are among the worst. 

I feel very fortunate as a women.  I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given for education and the ways that I’m encouraged as a person of leadership within the church.  But my heart is weighs heavy for the woman who was raped and robbed at gunpoint on Saturday night in her driveway two streets down from where I work.  I’m so infuriated.  As I drove into work early this morning I had several moments of feeling very threatened myself.  I get to work so many days in the dark and early hours of the morning or lock up long after dark.  Who’s to say it couldn’t have been me?  I’ve never felt threatened like this before.  And it makes me even more livid that women around the world live day to day in constant fear of violation. 

We have to move out of categories.  Not only to value women more fully but because it’s a liberating experience for everyone.  Watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI. 

 

“I am convinced that women are the greatest untapped resource in the world.  We have talents, skills, education, and financial resources that women didn’t dream of in the past.  Beyond all this, we have the tremendous power of compassion. How different the world could be if we each responded compassionately to the needs of our sisters—whether they work at the desk next to us or live half way across the world.” –Lynne Hybels 

Today has been legen...wait for it...dary.

Today has just been great.  This morning I got to lead worship for the quiz meet with some of my favorite people, the SFMC youth band!  It's always such an awesome time of holy surrender to such an astounding Creator God.  I also got to spend a lot of time with one of my youth group friends, Mikayla.  We went on a coffee run for a couple people, painted nails in the church parking lot, talked about the history of the church, personal faith journeys, and asked big questions.  Its so encouraging hearing about the amazing ways God is working in her life, her heart for service and her desire to know Jesus deeply!  This afternoon I've been barista-ing but it hardly feels like work.  The sun was blazing through the windows and for a few minutes, as I sat with my boss and her family, it felt like summer again.  Working for a family run business can be horrible or the best.  In my case it has been the best.  I was visited by Erynn and her friend Darin.  Later, a new lady came in and started talking about her godmother who is dying of cancer.  She asked if I had any experience with death.  What a privilege it was to chat with her.  We are so eager to avoid the reality of death, it seems.  She started crying while we were talking about how to better be present with people in the midst of such a hard reality of loosing someone.  My job at Cafe Aroma never ceases to heap blessings into my life!  As for the mouse picture, I told Kyle to put a picture of "the cutest animal" on the welcome sign for the quiz meet and since he didn't (sheesh) I'll feature it here. This has been a good day.

This weekend I discovered what my life has been missing....

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The Ultimate Comfort Beverage: Peaches & Cream Tea

Cabin time!

The cabin is incredible! I just can't even handle it. No agendas lead to days like these. Fell asleep to David Crowders new album Rest while riding over the blizzard frenzied pass. Slept in til noon this morning (afternoon). Spent the rest of the afternoon crocheting a scarf. Surprise run into old friends at dinner. Delicious gelato. Met by Tim, Annie, and the girls. Snuggled with a little sleeping Ari while watching a movie. Excited for tomorrow! Excited to be joined by Heather and the boys!