Fellowship across divides

Photo credit: Audrey Johnson via Stock.XCHNG

What do a smiling student "overwhelmed by the grace and love of my Savior, Jesus Christ," a "Catholic creature unlike any other," a Rabbi who is co-director of a youth fellowship, and an atheist dedicated to breaking free from irrational belief and opposing Christian extremism, have in common?

I'm having lots of fun, and learning a lot, reading their blogs!

I would need to be a much better story teller to even begin to share the fun I've been having, and what I've been learning. All I can do is offer a tiny glimpse:

Goals and deadlines

I've always seen a lot of value in having goals and deadlines, but I haven't had any for years. Emily sets monthly goals, and reports on them each month. After reading her last report, I decided to try re-learning to use goals and deadlines. I'm starting with some very easy goals each week, just to spend two hours doing one thing or another. After the first week, I found Rabbi Zion writing about timed benchmarks, for example reading one midrash a week or a new Jewish book each year, with some very helpful additional tips for what I'm trying to do.

Helping to promote social justice, around the world

Recently on my facebook timeline I was musing about what I can do to help reduce the ravaging and counteract its effects, not only in my geographical vicinity, but all around the world. Then I found Lucia discussing how to have a more loving economy, which is a central issue for me in practicing and promoting social justice, and I had some wonderful exchanges with her on that topic. After that, I saw Emily, and an atheist blogger, discussing some social justice issues close to my heart.

What I saw Lucia saying rejoiced me so much I laughed out loud! Again and again I've been cheered and refreshed, and moved to joyful tears and laughter, in reading those blogs, and interacting with their authors.