The Lord is my Social Worker

It's really too bad that social workers tend to be thought of as enabling, baby-snatching, do-gooders with poor boundaries, on a mission to fix other people. I hear the term "social workers" used to illustrate an approach NOT to use. It's been bothering me for a while and I actually keep hearing the negative comments in political and religious settings-- "we aren't the social workers of the world"; "God is not our social worker"; and "social workers only address immediate, temporal, surfacey needs". 

I couldn't disagree more....

Perhaps I'm biased, but a lot of people do "social work" but do not necessarily represent the heart of what it means to be educated, trained, called and empowered to go out into the world to love, serve and be present in the lives of others. The truth is, it's a profound and powerful model of living and being....oh, and really really hard.

So here's my proclamation, Psalm 23 style:

The Lord is my social worker,
I shall not be neglected.
He makes me practice self-care and recognize my strengths,
He leads me to the resources I need,
He restores my hope.
He guides me in healthy boundaries for the protection of myself and others.

Even though I forget our appointments and miss opportunities,
I will fear no rejection,
For you are never going to give up on me;
Your mercy and self-sacrificing love,
They comfort me.
You prepare abundance for me
In the presence of poverty.
You patiently listen to all my stories and complaints and still believe in me;
I am so honored, and my gratefulness cannot be contained.
Surely empathy and empowerment will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will abide in your justice and mercy forever.

Amen.

Quivering peace

My peace gets shaken less often and less deeply than it used to.

But it still shakes.

I will get so hopped up on things working out and going smoothly that I'm jolted when something inevitably goes embarrassingly wrong.

Like running out of food at an event and dealing with angry, hungry people. Or cleaning up at the end of the night only to find that someone went through and ripped up stacks of our fliers advertising free after-school programs and adult ESL classes for the community.

How many times have I just wanted to give up the not so glamorous posture of serving because the outcome is not pleasing or particularly satisfying? A lot of the time I'm surprised I'm still here. I think I'm in the process of working it out. I sense there's something profound happening to me and to others in the process, even if it's awkward, painful or maddening.

I hope to find my peace growing more and more stubborn in the face of disrespect, mistakes and misunderstanding as I push through.

Tonight I just want to forget it all, sink into my bed and sleep peacefully...then get up tomorrow ready to jump back in.

Vitamin T

We all need a healthy

daily dose of

vitamin T (touch)

my number one love language :)

A simple prolonged, tight, non-creepy hug will suffice.

So, what's new?

Lately I've been wishing there was an alternative to the question, "What's new?"

Mostly because I have a hard time thinking of an interesting answer these days. I would much rather prefer someone ask me:

"What are you still doing?"
-Answer: Social working it at the high school.

or maybe....

"What's lingering in your life?"
-Answer: Some dreams that haven't yet come to be.

how about...

"What has not changed?"
-Answer: My housing (followed by a deep sigh of relief).

There's something to be said for a season of stability and consistency....I'm just not sure how to say it at a party without sounding uninteresting or old.