What pattern is my life?

Last night at youth group we tie dyed some t-shirts to wind down to the end of summer vacation and to start off the new school year right. Tie dyes are always fun to make, but it's always good to know what kind of design you'd like to create before you start pouring the dye willy nilly. Depending on your choice of pattern( the spiral, the bulls-eye, the crinkle and many more) you need to rubber band the shirt in a particular way and apply the dye carefully so that you saturate the t-shirt enough to create a distinctive pattern.

Last evening as we began tie dyeing, Heather decided to go for the spiral pattern (which you can see here) while I made a bulls-eye pattern. All in all I think we both got the balance of pattern and dye saturation down rater well. There have been many times that I've made tie dyes that I either don't think about the pattern or over-saturate the shirt in dye and end up with a muddy brown ugly blend of a mess.

Our discussion at youth was about Jesus ministry of "proclaiming good news to the poor", " giving sight to the blind", "setting the oppressed free", "proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor." We talked about the disciples being and trying to live in a way that followed Jesus' example. The disciples are sometimes referred to as, "little Christs". I asked the students how we were doing as a church and a youth group as living like little Christs. I asked them if we were really telling the community about God's love, caring for the communities needs and living as beacons of hope to our small city.

For the most part, the students thought we were doing ok in these areas, from their perspective youth group provides them a safe place to spend time with their friends and have some cookies every now and then. One young man read the phrase about caring for the poor and said " When I come here and I'm hungry you always feed me. On a scale of 1-10 - you get a 10!" I still smile as I think of his funny yet sincere and thought provoking statement.

I looked at my tie dye shirt drying outdoors this morning, I began to wonder - "Am I really living a life that follows your pattern, Jesus?" On a scale of 1-10 am I seeing and responding in a little Christ way to those around me? Am I giving more than cookies and kool-aid to my students each week at youth group? When I look at my life, what pattern have I chosen to create, my own design or one that looks to G-d for direction and pacing.

Who would have thought that my student's lesson would speak back to me this morning in the form of a newly tie dyed shirt that just so happened to be a "life" brand inside the collar. What is my life's pattern? I pray it is one of light, hope, love and of course cookies every now and then.

On Friday, we all promised to wear our tie dyes together to keep us united as a group, even as we are in different places. Its my prayer that we are united as "little Christs" as well.
:)

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

For more on the concept of "little Christs" go to the blog yearns&groans by Will.

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Uphill idealist

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