Meredith Shuppy's Blog
Green, Gold, and Purple / 02.19.10, 11:24 AM
Mardi Gras season as passed and we have come out 70+ strands of beads heavier! We were invited to enjoy a night of parades on Monday night (aka LUNDI GRAS as it is the day before Mardi Gras) with our city director, Irvin, at his family’s stake-out along St. Charles. Our friends Julie and Cinyel took us along with them. It was a long night of screaming and reaching for strand after strand of glimmering, glinting beads. Sometimes my pleas were heard and honored, other times, the keepers of the beads simply looked at me and either tossed the strand I most longed for to some other hand shot into the sky, or simply turned away, pretending he didn’t catch the hint of tears in my begging eyes. I even ran after a couple of floats who showcased the beads I truly desired – and would have traded in the hundreds already strung around my neck to have – screaming and pointing, “Those beads! I want THOSE beads!!!!” To no avail, might I add. It was a truly humiliating performance, but it was a blast. I can now boast of my Mardi Gras participation and show off my treasure of plastic pearls of green, gold, and purple.
There hasn’t been a ton going on with services sites this week because of the holiday, but God is still working and using every instance and event to continue His work here. But one huge praise to share is that we met a new neighbor this past Saturday: Miss Rosa. She opened her doors to me and my roommate and blessed us with 6 fl. oz. of dish soap, as we were way, way, way out. We got to spend about an hour taking a tour of her house and listening to stories about her family and life during and after Katrina.
I feel, as each day passes, that I am becoming a part of this community. I feel a bit more ownership over it every single day. I love it here and I love the people here and I just want to become better friends with all of my neighbors as the year progresses. God has been continuing to teach me what He expects of me and my teammates as His ambassadors here in this city. We aren’t here to change everything or to make things happen for people, but we are here to be beside them as their friends. And I keep forgetting that! I keep forgetting that that’s what I’m doing here! I just want to DO DO DO something, instead of rest and wait and hang out with my neighbors and initiate conversations with them. It’s a lot harder staying on track with what seems to be such a simple task, but I keep getting distracted and then frustrated and then re-focused.
So with my green, gold, and purple now dangling from the corner of my bedroom window (alongside my Saints colors), I hope to proceed with love and care with renewed eyes for my neighborhood, wanting to just be friends with everyone and extending Christ’s hand of friendship to all. Because I am falling quickly in love with this amazing city of warmth and joy and colors and I want to love her people, too.
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Mer, We can see you chasing the float as chase all that you truly desire. Just as you are following your chase to share God with your new community!! BEADS FOR YOU!!!
xoxox Aj & UB
By Aj & Ub / Feb 19, 02:45 PM / #
Mer, if anyone can adjust and show the love of God and people, you will do it. I can picture the beads in your bedroom. Too bad the ones you wanted aren’t among them, but the beauty of the beads become more precious with the memories of all that you captured in your experience of Mardi Gras.. You are getting to know the neighors’ hearts and encouraging them as they encourage you as well. That is priceless. The city is becoming more a place of beauty for me through your eyes. Thank you. Keep on building relationships in the way God is showing you. It is awesome. Keep on Gal.!! Your new friend “Rosie” sounds dear. Enjoy the delightful city of New Orleans as it becomes more and more “home” to you. We love you and pray for you dear one. Miij
By Miij / Feb 27, 01:05 PM / #