Love Without Agenda » action

No. Your daughter cannot play with my son…

Jimmy Spencer Jr. — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:24:30 +0000

My friend Brad, who works here in the LWA offices, told me a saying that goes “1/3 of all things our parents believed when they were growing up…we will eventually find very silly” Put this in that category. Today marked the passing of the judge, Sylvia Pressler, who forced Little League to allow girls the opportunity to play baseball with boys. Apparently in 1973, little girls were not seen fit to play baseball, with or without little boys. I’m reminded that this seemingly common sense thing—that we assume has always been—had to be fought hard for…and it (like all changes) was seen as both radical and deeply subversive at the time. I love the quote from the Little League on the court’s ruling (yes…Little league fought this tooth and nail…even appealing the ruling) The ruling was decried by Little League as “conceived in vindictive and prejudicial fashion of the worst kind” Amazing. The story really puts change in perfect perspective. Change is never easy—even for something as innocent as letting Read more...

steeped

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:43:08 +0000

steeped. to be immersed in something so that it is re-created. green tea leaves steeped in water=my morning tea. as a child i was steeped in school system during the school year, language and math for the summer it was dreams i was steeped in as i played outside from dawn to dusk as a new wife it was making him better and being the woman i should be as a mom it was my boys, steeped in discovering they are and how to help them be all they are to be in the suburbs it is: our home. when i had less it was surviving, when i had more it was thriving. in spiritual life it is sacrifice and service. i suppose this is life, in part: to create a place within this big bad world for people to be steeped in the breathing in and out of love. one where people act out as they seem to be made to be. where they focus on what to give, not to get. where they love without an agenda. where help is given to one in need. one where emotions are as physical, both in need, both feel pain, both heal and give life. there are so many causes and places in this world trying to create Read more...

can I see your ETHOS?

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 03:44:33 +0000

My 3rd son was our first to join a mental sport, not football but robotics. While I was happy for he and his friends to have all the gifts that being part of a sport brings to ones character, I met -more- at my first standing in their midst.

I was instantly overcome by the feeling, vibe or ETHOS in the room. I had never felt or seen anything like it in a competition based group setting. As a disclaimer I will say that I directed youth groups and camps for years and am no stranger to the world of kids, teams and to the “how to compete” discussion.

Instantly while standing in the room of robotics students, I was aware of JOY. calm joy. not zany and chaotic kids vying for attention. CREATIVITY. not wacky emo stuff where kids strive to be different and yet are just like the other dressed in black purple haired kids they hang with. The kids dressed with creative self expression. non-emotionally expressive engineer types did the macarena. they named their own teams: exploding bacon, thunder chickens , chipenguineers, cheesy poofs and the like. INTELLIGENT Read more...

what is your C.Q. ?

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:47:15 +0000

I LOVE I.Q. tests. I love the information on emotional intelligences E.Q..I think about integrity quotient I.Q. I love to study people, groups, interdependence, interaction, culture, birth orders, temperaments, learning styles and the like. As i have progressed from being a staff ministry leader in an organized church setting, to its structurally opposite: organic community, I have discovered that there is indeed a “COMMUNITY QUOTIENT”. A community quotient is a measure of ability to live in community. It is a powerful life skill. Taken from the simple observation of folks who have learned to live in community along with me I can look back and assess Community Quotient Characters: 1. Humility-understanding oneself as an vital part of a whole. Humility ultimately leads to all of the proceeding C.Q’s. Humility naturally kills competition and consumption mindsets, replacing them with collaboration and giving. A community mindset is the antithesis of a consumption mindset-the 2 cannot coexist. It is the soil in which another can grow along side you as is Read more...

little words -big ideas

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:12:53 +0000

-community

dies in competition

-love

has no agenda

-action

will reveal your loyalties

-information

will not alone make transformation

-walk

more than talk

-temptation

is an opportunity

-grace

is rich soil

-leaders

serve

-sacrifice

saves

-emptiness

fills

-joy

marries suffering

-pain

can be a purpose

-consumption

creating apathy

-giving

is a mindset

-programs

can prop

-loneliness

can prepare

-everyone

must overcome

-forgiveness and respect

are not options

-trials and tribulations

are part of the plan

-hope

will carry it

undefeated

hand to hand

a leaders sunrise

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:16:33 +0000

i open my eyes another day for good in one hand i grab the sword given to me to fight the enemy my other hand i open to relinquish the trinkets i cling to a leader often feels alone while i lay still i fight my to give parts of myself to others the deployment that i have chosen is so real, so good, so scary to me it is clear but i fear the enemies that i face every day i want to run, hope takes my hand and stays with me as i decide to walk the good way the first enemy is inside of me i hear it it tells me i cannot i am a loser ez pickins i see it i am so average not a beauty to man so nothing except for hope standing now i fight round two the peopwho say they are family the ones who love me they are so accustomed to me they cant even see the great thing happening they trip me negatively speak dont carry their share dont worry a man cant get in the way of loves plans walking now battle three in front of me the enemy working his way in others, friends we fight over petty things disraction no Read more...

learning to lead

Lisa O'Brien-Wentzel — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:20:52 +0000

i just made it up another life step with my 18 year old son. this past 2 years have been a huge inner life change for both of us. I have watched him turn from: a silly 16 year old, part goofy kid, part responsible man a more serious 17 year old, having faced his gas bill, working for jewel foods, applying for college. into an 18 year old. he grew as he faced the joys of college acceptance and reality of rejection. he grew as he sifted through all of the advice thrown his way on what he needs to do to make it in this world. he thought about what “making it” means and what defines happiness and seeing that he is great fish yet a little one in a big pond He is ready to leave home in the summer. this is what we raise them to do, to be ready to go out on their own. as i saw the moment come where i realized that he is beyond ready for he will do better outside of my home i guess i did not expect this moment but i now see that real readiness is when his growth is possibly inhibited by my constant presence he is ready to go -to stand -to fall and to grow- Read more...