Photo(s) of the Week!!

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to Ann Arbor, MI with some friends just for some time to enjoy the beauty of Michigan autumn! These are just a couple of pictures from the trip, but I thought they would serve as an awesome depiction of the day trip! A lot of the areas and parks reminded me of the beauty of Boone, but I have to admit some areas of Ann Arbor and the surrounding area give Boone a run for its money!

Be CONVINCED

       I guarantee you have heard it before, it is a tried and true statement that appears this time every year and with a certain vengeance every four years. I have heard it about a1,000,000 times in the past couple months, and don't worry if you have been living under a rock, you will probably hear it in the next 50 some odd days until the election. You may be curious what the statement is, here we go, lets take away the suspense: "people have died so you may have the right to vote". 
      I have no issue with the statement itself, really it is not so bad, but what gets to me is why it is needed...The times that I have heard this statement seem to be at the end of a long tirade trying to CONVINCE someone to vote. Yes I capitalized "convince," I do that because it is just darn frustrating! America must be convinced!
      Earlier this week I was at a panel discussion called "The Democracy Panel." The above statement was thrown around several times and it really sparked a certain idea in my head. It is amazing to me that people must be convinced to give their opinion. Granted I know America is by no means perfect (no where close), but what kind of ignorance and apathy does it take to not even try to remedy a hurt and somewhat broken society? Don't get me wrong I do not believe that just voting will remedy everything, but I feel that everyone must have an opinion, so why not share it?
      A story for the closing: During the panel some of the issues of the previous presidential election were discussed. One such issue was people showing up to the wrong polling area and then deciding they just no longer wanted to vote. Laziness. Pure laziness. Why is it that we have become so lax with the responsibility to have our voices heard. As people all around the world clamor to have their voice heard, some simply say "its not worth getting all the way back in my car and driving down the street," or even better its not worth actually reading my voter registration information to find out where to go. Laziness. I am not sure where you stand with the candidates, but I pray November 6th you are educated and ready to cast your opinion along side 314,000,000 other people!
     So I have heard that saying many times, but I will continue hearing it and continue to think about it. The line simply tries to evoke some sort of desperation, some motivation, to put into perspective the importance of adding what seems like a small voice to the chorus of millions. Lets add our voices.

Cucumber Soup

Well I just thought I would share a lovely picture with you! This is cucumber soup...I am just stinkin proud out it because I've never made anything so odd and well it turned out pretty okay!!

I know I know doesn't look too appetising though, but its not bad! Score one point for the day!

Photo of the Week- Big Week!

So this week I recieved my Michigan ID! I have to admit I was pretty stinkin excited about it, and unlike my NC ID it actually does not look like a mug shot...as much haha But now I am actually registered to vote as a Michigan citizen and I can vote on the local government also. Fear not I am still very loyal to ole North Carolina, saldy though that ID now has a corner cut off of it...

On another, more personal note: The beard is still coming in! I have not trimmed it down since I have been here in Detroit! Why you ask? I do not know, just seems like the thing to do for now...

I hope you are having a great Sunday! I have some great stories started I hope to get to the coffee shop soon to post them sometime early this week! 

A Prayer of Humility, Motivation and Determination

Today I would like to share a prayer that I am sure some of you have read before or at least heard before. I heard this prayer for the first time a long time ago, but I have lately used it for a bit of meditating. I have just tried to mull it around in my head as much as I possibly can. I think each time I read it, it will instantly recenter me and essentially humble me. At different times of me reading it different parts speak to me. Maybe you can get something out of it too! Check it out:


May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you will live deep in your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice and exploitation of people and the earth so that you will work for justice, equity and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer, so you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so you will do the things which others say cannot be done.


I think so often in we feel the need to be needed. I think we even see this with the LORD. The idea that God needs us... I find a good bit of issue with that... I think that by looking at things through that lens we can so easily give ourselves an ego boost that can be detrimental to the service that we are called to do. We are called to be humble, to be unrelenting and to be determined. I think this is what this prayer teaches me (of course among other things haha). Read it again, what do you get from it?

Photo of the Week- A View!

So this week's photo of the week is pretty simple, a beautiful view. This picture was taken at the top of the Renaissance Center this week. I feel I have been working one on one with just so many amazing people and hearing so many awesome things about the city of Detroit, to catch this view right at sunset was simply awesome! In this picture you can see Bell Isle in the middle of the river and in the far off distance is Lake St Claire. This is mainly east Detroit which you see and well I think sometimes it is important to simply sit back and look. To not try and understand or try not to even think. Instead just look at the view and behold the beauty of creation (divine creation and the creation humanity has constructed). So thats this week's photo, maybe try and do the same where ever you are, find some high up place and just take it in, its kind of cool to feel small!

Where is the cartoon Moses in Exodus?

So I have a really short idea that I would like to throw out there today and it has been brewing in my head since training ( over a month ago)  but has come to a point in the past couple days...

So I was speaking to a friend a while back about the stories that we find in the Old Testament Bible. These stories often times paint vivid pictures of how people related to God in different ways. However, as someone who has grown up in the church I went to Sunday School and in the mornings I heard these different stories, I watched those movies and I imagined what happened. Now I do not at all wish to get into a discussion of taking the Bible literally word for word or anything like that, but I find I have a certain image of what these stories look like. And the best way I can describe this image in one word is "clean."

Since I have moved to Detroit I have begun reading through the Bible more regularly. I am currently in the middle of Exodus and around chapter 15 of Matthew. And well I am finding some conflicting images. See I for some reason cannot get these 3rd grade Sunday School images of the stories out of my head, but as I read these stories and these accounts of mankind's interaction with God and each other I find these to not be so accurate. As a child I saw The Prince of Egypt and other little cartoons of these characters and to be honest it was when I was a child that I heard a lot of these stories. So upon hearing these stories, watching these clips and seeing these cartoon like pictures on the walls I formed an idea of what happened. Now of course there may be the random sermon that may read over a portion of a story like the burning bush or the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, but I have failed to see these stories in their entirety. Why?

My mind is so confused in making images of what I am reading and what I have so deeply instilled in me. The image of God as an old white man with a white beard who is up in "Heaven" (aka the sky) looking down on me smiling, or who is angry and about to "smite me" (whatever that means) continues to haunt me! I want so badly to pull away from this boxed in image of a creator and these rigid, unemotional, questioning, but never REALLY doubting people who follow this God. Reading through some of these stories at this point in my life lights a new fire in my understanding of what it looks like to see the Old Testament as living breathing work that I can continue to learn from. I suppose in one word if I were to describe these stories and the image they leave me with now is "dirty." 

So it is quite the change. I feel it is my duty as one who claims Christianity and claims to somewhat understand the ins and outs of scripture to actually read it. I can no longer rely on these concepts of God that I formed when I was a child. Concepts where killing a man was him accidentally falling (like in Prince of Egypt) when in the scripture it says Moses "looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand" (Exodus 2:12). Now I am not inferring that it was bad for a 3rd grade Brandon to see those cartoon stories and video clips, of course it makes sense to depict the stories in that light. However, I am frustrated with the 22 year old Brandon for allowing himself to continue to rely on those thoughts solely. Through out my undergrad I was challenged with these thoughts and challenged with knowing the Bible, but maybe I haven't made the effort, maybe I haven't been as passionate, maybe I was so much more concerned with reading the Bible as a textbook and not as a book that can provoke REAL life change. Maybe I was putting the Bible itself in a box. A box that was full of cartoon characters that fit neatly into my 3rd grade theology, right next to that big old white bearded God. So now I will keep reading, I think I am falling in love with the stories of people with real doubts, failures, pains, triumphs, fears, mistakes, victories and real emotions. I suppose in short I am falling in love with these people obeying, ignoring, failing and all the while desperately doing all they can to get to know the creator. Shouldn't we do the same? So here we go, onward through Exodus, coming with?

Photo of the Week- Heidelberg!!

This week's photo of the week is actually a collection of photos from a visit we made to the Heidelberg Project in Detroit. 

The Heidelberg project was started by Tyree Guyton 26 years ago. the Heidelberg Project to me is a testament to the drive and motivation that people of Detroit have to make their city a better place. Tyree began by taking objects such as toys, stuffed animals, and other things people would classify as junk and attached it to much of the neighborhood. Much of the art is certainly abstract which is not always the type of art that I understand or even enjoy all that much, but this neighborhood project was certainly an awesome piece. The art became somewhat of a show bringing more and more people to the once somewhat deserted city block. To some it seems tacky, but bottom line it has gained national attention and continues to bring attention to the growing problem of abandoned homes in the Detroit area. 

See, not your typical art show or neighborhood, but this is an example of an individual in a community taking control of his neighborhood and beautifying it in his own way. Another example of the people of Detroit working hard for their city!

Here is some more information about the project, gives a little more specific history with its creation and even some of the ways the city clashed with Tyree in the midst of its creation, I encourage you to check it out! 
http://www.heidelberg.org/


Happy Monday!

Consumer America

As some of you may have seen via Twitter or Facebook, I was able to see Vice President Joe Biden speak on Labor Day (actually I got to shake his hand too). But anyway...This day really got me thinking a lot about what the different parties are saying and to be honest (I know this is no ground breaking thought) a lot of it feels like a sales pitch. Each candidate puts together his or her's best sales pitch which may include why they are qualified and often times includes why the other candidate is not. But bottom line we are choosing which candidate (or party) to invest in. A lot of this model makes me feel so very odd. The entire time during a speech the crowd is asking what can I gain? How are you going to help me be bigger, better, wealthier, safer, smarter? The American is once again a consumer on just another stage. We debate as to which candidate can gain more for the individual. Do not think for a second that I have it figured out who I will vote for or any such things, but I suppose I just want to mention the complexities of America simply voting to better itself, a people voting to simply better themselves, and on to the individual level. We are focused on "me." Instead maybe think of what ways can America as one of the most powerful nations in the world, thrive, not on the back of oppression or belittling others, and instead America can portray good. I don't know, something about "me" focused politics really doesn't feel right...

So for the past week I have been training more and more for what I will be doing here at NOAH. A lot of this training has consisted of shadowing the staff during individual casework sessions, trying to get a better idea of services that we provide here and also services that other agencies are able to provide. To be quite honest I love it, but the most difficult thing to do is to know what the hundreds of other agencies around the city are able to provide. On top of that it is super intimdating to try and read through the fine print for people to get their Michigan ID, housing agreements and countless other types of paperwork. But I like this, I like this a lot.

So…Story time again!

Yesterday I was shadowing once again and a man came in to talk with a NOAH caseworker. Obviously I am not going to divulge any specifics as to his situation, or his name, but we’ll call him Jack. Jack taught me a crucial element when it comes to dealing with the homeless, downtrodden, unlucky, oppressed, whatever you want to call it, this was the lesson of dignity. What I have come to realize is that so very often it easy for the party that is attempting to help to feel accomplished with simply handing things out, helping or serving in some way. But where is the dignity. Just in my interaction with Jack I learned a little something about what it looks like to partner with someone rather than hand out to someone. I glimpsed for a moment in conversation with Jack how he his dignity, pride and very humanity were not being protected by different agencies and in my own mind. No one had knowingly done this; in fact I believe it was a matter of his overwhelming plight becoming increasingly intimidating to the point where Jack felt he could not handle it any more. I suppose the reason for my writing this is not so much to tell of a story, instead to tell of my folly, to tell of my mistake in remembering the human dignity that each and every one of us has. Regardless if we are living on the street or living in a three story home, there is a certain respect we all deserve as people, as people of a God who sees value in us all. I pray not to forget this dignity, this respect, and I certainly will not forget Jack. Please pray for “Jack" for I do not think we can fathom the hardships, mentally and physically that some people go through. Pray for "Jack."

Photo of the Week!

        Well this week's photo is from my birthday! It consisted of cards, home made key lime pie, homemade oatmeal raisin cookies, homemade banana pudding, a Justin Bieber birthday card, bubbles and an awesome time with the NOAH family and a group of friends coming to our house. I must admit it was strange to have a birthday on the 1 week anniversary of moving to a new place, but it gives me great hope and appreciation for the community and family already forming! Not to mention I probably ate my body weight in delicious desserts!
       Also I think it important to take this time to just thank everyone for all the wonderful birthday wishes throughout the day! It is awesome to have such support in so many places I am so very thankful!