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                George Fox live from 1624 to 1691.  When he was just a young man he became very unsatisfied with the way churches, clergy, and the teachings of scripture were done.  He believed that everyone had the possibility t have Christ in their life.  He called in the light of Christ and it didn't matter who you were.   He believed that the church was not a building but the people who made up the congregation.  Because of this he traveled around and preached everywhere he went.  On many occasions he was arrested for his teachings as well as methods and he was persecuted on many occasions as well.  In this week I have chosen to read one of his entries in his journal and to discuss some interesting aspects of it. 

                The strangest part of this reading came to me near the end.  It speaks of when George Fox went to Lichfield.  He claimed to have been called and directed by God to go to this place.  When he arrived he first met with some shepherds and a sudden urge came over him to take off his shoes.  So he took them off and gave them to the shepherds saying only give them to someone who pays.  He comes back later to pay for them.  He then presides into the city yelling "Woe to the bloody city of Lichfield".  At first he apparently doesn't understand why he has done this.  After he left God again opened his eyes to see that in the past Christians had been killed in the city.  At this point it apparently all makes sense to him.  This part of his journal I found to be the strangest action. 

                Now as a final thought I am going to construct a fictitious conversation with George Fox on the idea of religious freedom in the United States.  This conversation will be between myself and Mr. Fox and simply based on the reading and what I can defer from his character. 

                "We have the freedom to practice any religion we chose in the United States," I would start off saying to him.

                "So you allow those who do not believe in the one true God to practice their faiths?"  He would ask.

                "Yes.  We believe all people should have freedom to worship in any way they chose."

                "It seems as though you are too afraid to do what God has called us to do as Christians."

                Why would you say that?"

                "Well it seems to be as though you don't wish to upset anyone or try to teach them in the one true path so you just let them practice in their heathen ways."

                "I wouldn't say that at all.  There are many people who do go out and witness to these people.  But forcing them into believing something they have not believed for most of their life isn't the way to win souls for Christ."

                "Why not?  If they are forced to see the truth they will eventually come around and come to believe in it as well."

                "I don't think that would be the case.  I think that by forcing any sort of belief on anyone, being true or not, is the way to get people to turn away."

                "If they turn away than perhaps they were never meant to go to heaven and be with God and Christ in the first place."  Silence on my part at this.  "I am getting a message from God...."  From there on out the conversation turns south and any hope of an understanding is gone.          

                This week I have chosen to read Journals by John Wesley.  He was the son of a Rector in the Church of England.  He studied at Oxford University.  While there many people flocked to him and some of his ideas about religion and its practice.  They called themselves "Methodists".  This name was derived from how they approached religion in a very practical detailed way.  Through their actions they became disliked by many in the Church of England because of their high piety and the way in which they viewed the faith.  This lasted for Wesley for many years.  He went to a missionary trip to Georgia but it was a failure.  However during this trip he experienced what we would call a touching by God.  After this event he began to preach however many pastors would not let him do this.  Because of this he turned toward lower classes and had much success because the Church of England had not targeted this area of society.  By the time of his death the Methodist movement was well on its way. 

                The first thing that John Wesley says we are not forbidden in Matt 6:19-21 is that we are to "provide things honest in the sight of all men".  This means that whatever people demand of us justly we are to provide.  At the same time we must not owe any man anything.  So in accordance with these two scriptures we are not forbidden to do.  Secondly it is not forbidden for us to provide for our bodily needs.  Things such as food and drink are possessions that we may lay upon the earth and have a ownership in here on earth.  Also we are not forbidden to provide for our children and those in our household.  In fact we are called to do such an act.  Children are gifts from God and we must provide for them not only in bodily needs but In their spiritual ones as well.  Lastly we are not forbidden to use what we have to carry on our business or career.  In this way you can provide for the first three areas and they are interconnected.

                The work I am doing with Networks is the most rewarding I have ever done.  This is in full part to that fact that I am not being paid.  I am devoting time to this organization out of my free time which I could be using for working and earning more money.  However such an endeavor would only benefit me in one way, income.  Working with Networks I have found a new understanding of my faith and built relationships that will last a lifetime.  Also I get to see younger people experience a similar thing in their faith and come to know God much better and grow in their faith.      

                In this week's blog I chose to read Chronicle of the Crusade of St. Louis by John De Joinville.  In the times when monastic life came out the most it was not only appealing to monks and nuns.  Louis IX of France led a life of self-denial as well.  The monastic life appealed to him even though he was king of nation and technically eligible to all the perks thereof.  In his lifetime he led to Crusades.  Amongst his nobles and others he solved problems by bring morals and ethics into the argument.  In his time he became the perfect model for a Christian King and later was named a saint after his death. 

                King Louis IX did many things as King of France.  Many of those actions were of justice and mercy.   One such case of justice was between the Comte of Chalon his son the Comte of Bourgogone.  To bring peace between these two Nobles the King sent members of his council to Burgundy at his own expense.  King Louis' untiring actions in this situation peace was finally established between the father and his son.  His acts of mercy were not just for attention of his subjects but also in his own home where no one was watching.  He many times would go among the people and give great sums of money to the poor as well as churches and other such organizations.  He attended Mass regularly and religiously.  In his own home his food was plain and he never ordered a special dish and ate whatever was in front of him.  He also forwent the pleasures of being king.  He wore plain clothes and his bed was made much the same as a commoner's bed. 

                This reading is as much applicable in today as it was in the time it was written.  There are many politicians who say they are Christian or religious.  However there are few who really live the life Jesus calls us to live.   King Louis IX is a shining example of someone in a position of prestige but forwent all the benefits and perks that come with it.  That is the message I would like to extend to the political community at large.  Marking yourself as a Christian in a political setting but then failing to follow through with it in your life is faking it.  If we can tell the Political  community to begin to live the Christian life we can begin to fix bigger problems in our society by simple kindness and charity.      

                This week the readings out of Callings were the Rule of Benedict and The Flowing Light of the Godhead.  The reading the Rule of Benedict was written by Benedict of Nursia.  He had a plan to live in a cave to become a solitary hermit.  However he attracted a following of monks around him.  He then founded another monastery at Monte Cassino.  In time he wrote a document that outlined the rules and duties of monks and was used widely in other Benedictine monasteries and other monasteries and convents.  In this work it tells us that the type of Christians we should be the one who prays or the monastic life.  The other work, The Flowing Light of the Godhead, is by a woman by the name of Mechthild.  She is one of the great mystics of Medieval Germany who eventually joined a Beguine community.  Her confessor urged her to write down her visions in a book.  The writings talk about how to follow God and St. Dominic.  It also answers the question of what type of Christian should we be in that we should be the ones who pray and the monastic life.  Both works say that the Benedictine order is the one that should be valued more.   

                Benedict says that there is one reason for establishing the community of monks.  He says that you have to be obedient and servant to our Lord Jesus Christ.  One rule that describes the moderation of the Benedictines talks about ownership.  It says that the only possessions a monk is allowed to own is what the abbot gives him.  They are not to take or receive anything from anyone beside the abbot.  One aspect that seems rather harsh talks about the idea of obedience.  It calls for complete and utter obedience to the bible and the abbot.  Without this compliance the monk is not serving God in the right manner.  Also they must do all their service with a cheerful manner otherwise it is not right and proper in the eyes of God.  "'I shall mention two more things.  Whenever Dominic laughed, he did so with true delight of the Holy Spirit.  But when he wept, he wept with such sincerity that first and foremost among his desires he always put his brethren before my eyes and, in addition, with all his strength, Holy Christianity.'"

                The quote mentioned before is from The Flowing Light of the Godhead.  It is talking about St. Dominic and how he laughed and cried fully for Christ and his faith.  This has given me insight into my project in the area of how to laugh and cry with the young adults I work with.  I need to be very true to this internship to truly get into the program and get the most out of it.  It also tells me that everything I do needs to be completely sincere and in a Christian manner.  Finally looking at the rules of my internship there are many.  There are rules regarding child safety which seem annoying and obnoxious but I believe they are completely necessary.  The place I am working I have not run into a rule that is wrong or overbearing in my mind.  The rules they have set down are good and proper.       

On October 28th I went to my weekly night with Networks.  These Wednesday nights are my favorite part of what I do with this group.  It is an amazing time of fellowship, worship, a message, and small group time.  Tonight was a bit different however.  Dave is starting a three part series talking about the Trinity.  Last Wed was about God as the Father.  He talked about how God is creator,law giver, and protector.  It was an amazing message and something we don't think about too often.  We know much about having a relationship with Jesus and what that entails.  However how many of us think about having a relationship with God as the Father?  Who do we imagine we are praying to?  This were questions we brought up and talked about in small groups.  The answers that came from this young adults astounded me.  They really took this message to heart and thought about it.  To see this young Christians growing was awesome.  This was something they had thought about much, like myself, but had not really known what to do about it.  Together we talked about what we thought it meant to have a relationship with God the Father.  It was a night of learning and growing in our faith that i will not soon forget.

The first meeting with Dave (my boss for lack of  better words) we had decided to do a devotional together.  He had said that when he interned with this program the director at that time had done the same thing with him.  We choose a book called UnChristian.  The title at first made me a bit hesitant.  However i knew Dave would never pick a book that would not be both beneficial and enlightening.  It took me awhile to get a hold of the book.  It recently came in and I have begun reading it.  I am not to a point where i could give an accurate description of the entire book.  But i have learned that book is going to be focusing on the teenagers of world.  Spefically why Christianity makes them sick and want to run away from it as fast as possible.  This is the age in which i feel called to work with.  This book is very intriguing to me.  I believe it will be an eye opeing experince.  I am excited to learn more about this idea.     

Well the last couple weeks with Networks has been pretty amazing.  So far i am loving the work and challenges that are presented to me.  It helps that I have a great supervisor (Dave).  He is willing to work with me in my inexperience and sometimes weird kind of outlook on things.  This being the sort of work my major will be about it has been nice to get some early on site training before my internship for my major later on in my educational career.  The first big thing that has happened in last couple weeks is that I gave my first message to the group of young adults that attend Networks. I spoke on Grace and Mercy.  For being my first message I thought it was rough and could use lots of work.  I had lots of favorable comments on it as well as constructive criticism.  The last thing i would like to talk about is the survivor night which I helped to oversee.  For all of you who don't know what this is it is a night in which the teens are separated into tribes and secluded from each other.  Than every hour or so a game is played and the losing team eliminates someone from their team.  Eventually the two tribes are combined and individual people are winners and people are still eliminated.  It was an awesome night (13 hours of fun).  I have not had that much fun in a very long time.  Thanks to you all so far.  This has been a blast.    

Well I have already began work with organization.  It is a youth group in my hometown of Hudson.  The group is called Networks.  It is a middle and senior high youth oriented organization.  I have always had a love for working with upper grades of youth.  It has seemed to have been my calling ever since i started helping out with youth groups and such.  I very much want to share my faith with those around me.  Especially when the younger generation because i feel that is where we need to hit the hardest.  With this group i am considered to be the intern.  My first contact with this group was with a mission trip that i recently was a leader in training.  This trip was really the starting point of my active search of youth oriented activities and groups.  This particular group is perfect for me.  It gives me enough freedom to do what i want and also to have the authority above me.  They give me times to plan my own events and also give me guidance as what to.  So far it has been amazing and i totally love it.