Occupiers...

Dear Occupy Wall Streeters,

Let me start with saying, I am so glad to see that people in my generation giving up their apathy and actually caring about something. I feel as though our generation has been succumb by apathy for too long. So, from that standpoint alone, I am glad that you are raising your voice and wanting to be heard, I am glad you are caring enough to take some sort of action.

With that being said, let me offer a few pointers that could potentially gain you a larger group of people agreeing and supporting your cause...
The biggest struggle I am having with agreeing with anything to do with "Occupy Wall Street" is there is no clear solution, and everyone I ask or anywhere I read gives their own personal opinions about what the movement stands for and the things it is hoping to accomplish. Which means, no one understand what the 3, 5, or 10 bullet point things are that the movement is seeking resolution for, meaning there is no solution. I know that you are passionate, I know that you care, and I know that you are frustrated and upset with our government and big businesses... However, simply protesting those things without a clear plan for resolution just annoys the crap out of the rest of us who are working and trying to make it, it actually causes us to refuse to "join" the movement or cause because of those annoyances alone.

I would like to see 3-5 clear cut goals and resolutions to emerge with one voice. I would like to see "Occupiers" actually begin meeting with prominent people to figure out steps, ways, and things that need to be done so that we can measure success.. Which means there needs to be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) goals, and that is how you would begin to know if your movement is successful, needs adjusting, or needs to make a 180. Please, begin to seriously assess how to move forward because whether you like it or not, the media is not "for" your movement right now, but it COULD be if you play your cards right. Begin to disseminate information to all the supporters so they can accurately and fluently talk to the media and begin to flood social networking sites with one common voice and goal instead of individual thoughts and ideas. Be unified in voice instead of just in location because as it stands right now, the unified in locations is actually working against you, people are focusing on the crimes being reported of (what I hope is) a few, rather than the over-arching purpose of the movement. The frustration those of us who have to go to work or school.. or both every day find you occupying our parks in so many cities frustrating and insulting rather than inspiring. Whether we would ever join your movement becomes more difficult every day when your movement is hindering the small businesses and restaurants in those areas you are occupying, which for some of us means we are getting a cut in pay because people are avoiding the areas you are occupying.

So, please find your SMART voice and begin to take action to find resolutions, otherwise this is all for nothing, and you just make our entire generation look foolish. I would love to support specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely goals if you could as one unified voice tell me what that looks like.

Lastly, please do not take this as an attack on the movement, a "hate again occupiers" or me asking you to shut up, this is merely a plea to begin to organize and move forward.. People are listening, but that window of opportunity is quickly closing.

Thanks,
Young, working, and frustrated with the government too.

I Know I am Single, But...

Last night my best friend from college and his father-in-law (who I also know) stayed the night as they were passing through (sorta) to buy a new "mid-life crisis" (is it too early for me to buy a mid-life crisis car?) car for his father-in-law. Anyway, they got here late, but we stayed up talking until REALLY late.. then they got up to say bye to me since I had to leave before them in the morning... It got me thinking.. I am SO BLESSED. I have these amazing friends who just love me.. and I have more then I can count on one hand... And even more then I can count on TWO hands... But, the thing that got me really mulling over how blessed I am is the fact that here I am, my best friend from college went out of his way to see me, his wife packed me a surprise, and a little note written on it that she couldn't wait to see me for Easter...

Does anyone else notice what is typically odd about what I just said?... Not only does he love and care for me.. but so does his wife!.. AND.. I am a "single girl" in their life. Shouldn't I be seen as threatening to her?... Nope, she loves me just as much as he does. I am so blessed.

This lead me to thinking about "the Church." True, pure, un-broken, perfect community the way God wanted us to be and live... Typically once a couple is married all the opposite sex friends that are still single get put on this "caution, dangerous material" shelf, until they can also join the ranks of the married Borg of God (haha.. is it ok to refer to the married Christian community as the Borg?). But, what I love about my best friend from college and his wife is they have not only continued to love me exactly as I am, single (white) female, they continue to cultivate a relationship as individuals and as a couple with me. I love that because I am not interested in pushing friendship beyond what is ok, but I also love that God still can use those relationships to bring us closer to Him... And, what I love even more is, I can think of several married couples in my life that treat my singleness as though it has no impact on their love and friendship towards me (obviously the relationship changes.. but distance changes a relationship too...). I cannot thank these friends enough for truly unconditionally loving me.

Thank you to my use-to-be-single guy friends who even though married, love me in Christ. Cultivate a pure, clean, loving, community built on solid foundations of Christ with me... This still very single (and probably for a long while still) girl as though I am a special part of their community. Then, I have to thank their wives... Because it is very clear you not only love and trust your husband, but you love and trust me.. and THEN you pursue and cultivate a friendship that is unique to just us. I cannot even begin to count the number of times my best friend from college's wife would say or do something that I just really needed.. or she would encourage her husband to reach out to me knowing I was hurting.. or she would reach out to me and offer their mutual support... That is true, pure, un-fallen, unconditional love that can only come from our Savior... And trust me, I do not take that love and trust lightly.. I cherish it right down to my core, from both of them, and the several other married couple friends who have just loved me regardless of my lack of a marital status. Words just do not do any justice for how much that means to me. Thank you.

Me, my best friend from college, and his wife.

Our annual Easter weekend get together that just means SO much to me! :) Love them!

Community

So, recently I've been learning a lot about community. Not community like "oh hey, all 40 of us live on this floor and share 3 showers and 2 toilets, and sing to each other while we get ready for the day.."

But, I mean actual community where you help each other, look out for each other, encourage, feed, laugh, listen... basically become family.

It's different cause my mom once said "Krista you create your family around you everywhere you go..." I kinda just laughed at her cause it seemed like a cute little quaint comment to make, but now I realize how totally and completely accurate my mom was :) (what a wise Mom I have! lol)

When I think about it.. community makes sense, we were CREATED to be in community.. the whole meaning of life is relationships... aka community. Adam got Eve because he needed community, God desires community with us, depression takes place when we don't have community.. etc..etc..

So, why wouldn't we try our best to create a community that serves as a foundation that we can stand on, and a place we can learn to be our best?

I think the biggest reason I'm sorta getting an "aha" time with this is because of the community where I live currently. I mean it's different lol Some call it a "Bubble"... but in reality it's not, it's nothing like the college I went to, and maybe I would feel differently if I was actually GOING to the college here. However, I feel like there is a solid group of people that serve as the foundation for each other, but then encourage each other to get up and go, serve, move, grow, reach out.. And, at the exact same time serve as the check to make sure it's all for the correct purposes. That the motives are truly from/for God.

But, it's interesting... What makes you feel like you have community?

For me personally, I need to know I'm cared for.. not just "oh hey how's it going?" type.. but truly cared for. I love sharing my life.. which sounds odd, but simple things like making dinner, getting together to laugh, watch movies, having coffee, complete tasks, play games, bantering, being serious, exchange back rubs lol anything really... I love taking people into my life and sharing it with them. I love it even more when they do it back and our lives at least in part assimilate together. I LOVE when I can be sitting next to someone totally silent.. then suddenly ask "why do you think......" or "How does God....." and have them take me serious enough to answer (even though usually they laugh first cause it's so random:).

I love that the community that is established here basically operates as a large family that lives 2..5..10 minutes apart. We work (sometimes together), go to church (usually) at the same place, live together (most of us), but then eating, and entertainment always include each other... granted the group is so large it's never everyone.. but little pockets that shift and change people depending on the night and the activity. And the wonderful part is that it doesn't matter if you know the people or the house your going to, and it doesn't matter if you were specifically invited.. everyone just takes everyone and invites anyone :)

How cool is that? I mean obviously there are people who are closer.. but I don't feel "cliques"... just people who are closer friends, but still love and accept everyone else. It's cool :)

So we do all these things, then seriously fiercely encourage growth in Jesus and challenge each other to reach out so others can know too..

It's exciting, and I hope and pray that you have it too. I pray that you find that, even if it' a smaller group than what I have (I've always been known for my people lol).. If you don't... seriously seek one out, create one of your own. Just make sure they push you towards our Savior, that's important.