If we want to foster community, we are going to have to make a conscious effort to go against the flow. – Kate Hurley
I guess you would consider attempting to set a Guinness World Record every spring as something that goes against the flow. (Seriously, who does that?) Though admittedly I'm taking this quote a bit out of context, I think it's quite true; our culture is not set up in a way that encourages and promotes community. Thoughts of self, self, self scream much louder than give, give, give. And yet, there are these rare moments when we step outside of that and collide with the idea that maybe joining together could just very well be more powerful than standing alone.
I honestly don't remember the conversation that first got the Guinness events started; I guarantee it included something to the extent of "I've got a wild, crazy idea" and "this could gain the attention of people who wouldn't look twice otherwise", and "after all, changing the world ought to look unconventional". At least, that's how those conversations typically go! But I'm not sure that we (Mercy Project) could have imagined the gathering of support that would come from this event back in 2010 when we attempted to play 50 hours of kickball one weekend. In fact, Mercy Project didn't even exist as an official entity at that point in time.
Yet now, after 50 hours of kickball, 24 hours of flag football, 49 hours of baseball, 50 hours of baseball, and 24 hours of a mile relay, I'm beginning to see it. I'm beginning to see that the Kingdom takes all kinds of support, and it doesn't look anything like we tend to imagine. The Kingdom certainly does look like feeding the hungry, praying for hurting people, sharing clothes with those who have none, and showing up at church on Sunday morning. But it also looks a lot like playing sports for a ridiculous amount of time, rejoicing in efforts of all skill level and confidence, and running next to a friend in order to encourage them to give their very best. It looks like sharing conversation with someone who believes differently than you and thinks differently than you, but in whom you find the common ground of grace and running. It looks like staying up all night, cheering on the underdog, and giving of hours and effort to be part of something greater than yourself.
This past weekend, I witnessed community and Kingdom support in so many different ways, in so many different people. An army of 180 runners joined forces to run the most continuous miles in a 24-hour period, beginning at 7pm Friday and ending at 7pm Saturday. Many of the runners I knew well, while many I met for the first time. But I witnessed acts of kindness and selfless giving in each one. I saw it in...
• The young man, barely old enough to participate, who showed up alone – not at all a runner – and was so excited to achieve more than he thought he was capable. His smile lit up the track.
• The running club team who wore garishly bright colors at 5am and cheered and paced and encouraged each of their teammates – whether new runners or veterans.
• Families who drove in from hours out of town, kids in tow, because they believe in us and in our work in Ghana.
• Two guys who could look at most of us as mere amateurs and instead gave of their talents and effortlessly ate up 4 laps quicker than most of could finish two. Their humility of their gifts astound me.
• Several friends who had to gather much courage to step on the track at all, much less run a full mile. But they showed up, pushed themselves to do their best, and showed me what it means to do hard things.
• Several young men with endless energy who brought humor and excitement to the middle of the night.
• Many who showed up to support and help and bring coffee, church friends who lined the bleachers towards the end of the night Saturday, friends who have become my family and community here.
I could honestly say something about each of the runners and volunteers who came out this weekend, all giving of their time to support Mercy Project and each other. These people – both mere acquaintances and good friends – teach me a lot about myself and a lot about our need for community – both in everyday life and in the life of an organization that is always grateful to garner support, whether through awareness, encouragement, or financial means. We were made and designed to live life together, not alone. Nothing makes me more aware of this than Guinness weekend when I all I have to do is look around at the broad spectrum of people collected for a single cause and marvel at the way the Lord is working. Maybe there are easier ways to foster community than trying to break a world record, but if that serves the purpose, I'm ready for the next one. Here's to 5 more years of wild and crazy dreaming.
Showing posts with label Guinness. Show all posts
Loving the springtime weather and activity around here. So many fun things to be apart of, so many new things to try out, so many signs of God's presence.
Joined a hilariously fun crew in our 80's gear for the Girls Just Want to Have Fun 5k. Our first race of the BCS Marathon Race Series, and it was a huge hit! Over 1,000 women came out for the morning; our awesome group of all-men volunteers served the ladies and helped with chocolate fountains, course directing, costume judging, and handing out roses at the finish line. We're excited to build on this race for years to come.
Made a trip to Abilene to see the crew over Easter weekend. Lots of zoo time, play time, cooking, and Apples to Apples. Love getting to all be together...
... and love giraffes.
Working on designating more quiet time in the middle of these busy weeks. Time to unwind, regroup, and spend some time in peace with minimal distraction. Challenging for me, yet so good when I create space to just sit and listen.
Spending more time outside! It's been a beautiful spring here with bursts of cold and hot nearly every week. It's the perfect time to soak up creation.
Trying new recipes... like tortillas and pillow cookies! I highly recommend both.
And then we had one incredible Guinness Baseball Bash for Mercy Project! 50 hours of non-stop baseball, and the weekend could not have gone smoother. 56 supporters of MP and lots of volunteers, all coming together to spend a full weekend doing something totally crazy to make the world a better place. We always call it a time of "thin space", and so it is. This has become one of my favorite MP events, and I am so blessed to be part of it.
And most recently, I have put these up...
... in exchange for this:
Going on 11 weeks of no running, and it's been challenging to say the least. Lots of PT work, stretching, and cross training. I'm learning to embrace new forms of exercise – even yoga! – and have enjoyed trying new things, even though I wouldn't choose it. I even bought a bike!
The past week has found me here, lots of screen time putting together the Run For Boston book. Culling down 5,000+ photos to ~2,200 to fit in a 150 page book for thousands of folks to see and purchase. Yikes! It's been a long process, but one in which I have continued to be reminded of the ways ordinary people can join together and change the world. Good triumphing evil. Light overcoming the darkness.
May you do something today to make the world a better place.
Don't be deceived; I was only taking attendance. I won't mention the fact
that there were a good 6-8 players I didn't know...
gathered on the pitcher's mound celebrating and yelling "Strike Out Slavery", and you'll
get the idea. Strike Out Slavery indeed, with a grand total of $49,000!
Business of College Sports
Well, sports fans, life is sorta busy right now. We are heading into the last two weeks before our Guinness World Record baseball game: Mercy Project's Strike Out Slavery. Over 50 players are coming in for the weekend of March 30-April 1, and we could not be more excited about the event! Everyone is busy fundraising and spreading awareness of the event, and we are busy wrapping up all the details and ground work. Looking forward to this "little game" of baseball. Check it out:
Alright, let's hope this will get me caught up... before the next hiatus. Warning: long post, no pictures.
I'm loving Bryan/College Station, seriously loving it. It's hard to imagine how I ever truly loved Dallas. Except for friends, there's not much about the big city that I miss. I love the fact that I can go from my house in Bryan to south CS in 10-15 minutes. I'm actually early (or at least on time) to most places – which is a huge step up for me! I've finally settled in to a new norm here. The roomies are great, and it's been a blessing to be out of an apartment and in an actual neighborhood. Less stress, less noise, less corporate work = win.
That said, life has not slowed down in the least. But then, I don't think it's in me to really slow down much. Here's what been going on:
Dallas trip: Made a quick weekend trip back to Big D last month. Needed to take the Mac in for a battery replacement and figured I'd stick around and spend time with my pals up there. As soon as I drove in to town, and subsequently hit rush hour traffic, I thought – nope, don't miss anything about this place. I did eat at Panera twice and revamped that statement slightly (although I have since discovered that CS is getting a Panera soon!). But, it was a great time to celebrate birthdays, run at White Rock, worship, stay up late talking, hang out over pizza and American Idol, and share conversation over coffee. One of the neatest things about friendship with all different kinds of people is the unique perspectives you get on life. I've found that I am just as blessed and challenged by those very different from me as by those whom I have much in common with. It's refreshing to be able to share life with people from various backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs.
Gearing up for Guinness: Mercy Project's epic 49-hour baseball adventure is upon us. I'm hopeful that the 50+ players will not be so sick of my weekly emails that they fail to accommodate my lack of skill on the field, but one way or another, it's about to all go down (March 30-April 1). This is another one of those things that I am excited to see come to fruition. There will be countless innings and unfathomable scores along with great food, one huge campout, and (hopefully) lots of enthusiastic community support. (Beer Fest at the same location that weekend – score!) There will certainly be A LOT of money raised that will be a huge win for the kids in Ghana. We are excited!
Also upcoming: BCS Marathon Registration Opens – May 15, Art Auction – June 16, and Summer Group Trip – early July. Great stuff happening for the Kingdom.
Ghana Bound: It's that time again. 3 hours to DC, then a "short" 10 hour hop to Accra. 4 of us leave tomorrow (!) for an 8-day excursion – visiting villages, meeting kids on the lake, and whatever else we can get into. Please pray for our journey, that God would use us to further His work, wherever and whatever that may mean. I am pumped about being back. Honestly, this trip has completely snuck up on me. I'm not sure how that happens, but it just has. Testament to everything else going on, I guess. It's sometimes easy for me to lose sight of the big picture stuff when I'm focused on t-shirts, planning, emails, and day-to-day tasks here. Thankfully, I'm often reminded that this work is not about my schedule or to-do list. God is doing so much through Mercy Project; He continues to show up in ways beyond what we can imagine or hope for. "Hanging on for the ride" is right where I want to be: learning to surrender control and just be grateful for the journey. I have much to learn; thankfully we serve a gracious God.
