Reyes Gibbs Blog

Organic Intellectual

The term intellectual is not how I would describe myself. I think I break out in a rash if I hear the words intellectual or scholarly.   In fact, becoming intellectual is so far removed from my vision that I wonder what am I doing taking Doctor of Ministry courses.  I am in Chicago taking a Philosophical Anthropology in the quest to learn how to live.   

Our professor Sean McMillan is great and I have actually enjoyed hearing again about Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Augustine, Luther, etc.    From him, I get a timeline of how society or people struggled with the meaning of life.  Lots of good sermon stuff.

Yesterday, our first day of class, he said that we were all organic intellectuals/scholars.  Meaning we in the class come with the experience, etc to have something to add to the conversations of the scholars and theologians.  I was pretty impressed but the only thing I could add was "what?"  I am sure I'll be more profound by the end of the week. 

Today he called us scholars again. In saying that he said that we may like what we read about certain scholars or theologians but that doesn't mean we should reject all they had to say but to glean what we could use in our lives and ministry.  Here is his quote

" Follow the river back to the ocean...this is what it means to be a scholar.  Just don't swim in the water you like, try the ocean, earn the right to to say why you don't like or like something.  Don't reject because you don't like them, study them."

Many of you know that I have a fear of open water spaces.  So his description of what it means to be a scholar for me affirms that reading Kant, Socrates, Aristotle etc may cause drowning!  So if I am going to swim in this scholarly ocean and try and figure out what they have to say to me I am putting on  a life-jacket and get in a sturdy  boat.    Keep praying for me as I continue this journey, with life jacket and sturdy boat, as I am becoming an organic intellectual/scholar.   
 

Where have all the manners gone?

Today I flew to Chicago for my last Dmin Class.   It was the usual "cattle call" seating, A, B, C,  I was a "C" once, never again, so I am in the A line so I can get my favorite back of the plane aisle seat.   So as it happens A's and B's get the aisle or window and leave the middle emply for the "C's"    I got into my seat and was getting comfortable, doing all the homework that needs to get done before noon today.  I started people watching, how they pick their seat, wondering if their "carry on" is really a carry on as they struggle to smash it into the overhead carriers and how no one looks anyone in the eye in hopes that they won't sit next to you.   The plane was full so every seat would have someone in it.   A Filipino family came, there were five of them, a lolo and lola, mom, dad, and son.    Lolo and Lola sat behind their family in the aisle and middle seat.   Then, this big tall white guy puts all his stuff in the overhead a few rows ahead walks up to them and says, "you have to get up so I can get in."   Lolo and lola looked as if they had done something wrong and were very apologetic.    Maybe it was because they were old, brown, foreign, that the man figured he didn't have to say "please or thank you."   I did want to ask him where his manners were but decided against it, instead I looked at lolo and lola and said  the word for "white" in filipino and they smiled.    The rest of the trip he didn't say a word, thanks be to God!!!

The Wedding - Part III - The Picturres

It has been a week and two days since Lauren and Beadle were married.   Their  wedding presents are stacked high, the left over flip flops are almost gon, the extra stuff is here and there in the house, it looks like our house had a party!

Folks took lots of pictures and I can't wait until the photographer posts hers.   
I took a lot of pictures.   So many of Joel looking at his baby girl while he danced their first dance.   Erin and kevin looking so cute together.   Evelyn looking like a grownup.  Abigail and Annie looking as cute as a button.   Ava in so many loving arms.   Lauren and Michael cutting the cake and sharing a cupcake.  Lots of great shots of freinds and family.   I wanted to capture the moment.  And with digital cameras that's pretty easy you can easiy review your picture and take another one!

Now all those pictures are a memory.   While someone was looking at them through my camera the wrong button was pressed and the pictures disappeared.    So each day I try to remember what that look Joel had when looking into his daughter's eyes or how happy the couple was.  In my mind's eye, I want to keep those pictures permanent but when I can't I am hopeful that others' have taken great pictures.

I learned a good lesson.  Download immediately!!!   

The Wedding - Part II - The Colors

The wedding colors were fuschia, orange lime green.  The attendants wore fuschia dresses, the men wore ties with fushia, green and orange.   These colors were colors I have been watching for and seeing in my sleep for a year.     Auntie Jonelle who did the flowers spent hours at the Flower Mart looking for the right colors.   Now everywhere I turn, fuschia, orgage and green are standard.    It was a very bright wedding.  Even the canopy that Joel designed that was over our heads had the colors.   It felt like prom night.  Kevin's tie matched Erin's dress.  Bruce's tie matched Robin's dress.  Everyone was dressed up.  The dance floor was also filled with colorful people.  The brightness of the colors added to the joy and happiness of the event.
Now what do I do with all those orange napkins and green plastic utensils?

The Wedding - Part I

The Wedding was wonderful.  I am not just saying that because I am the mother of the Bride.  It was a wonderful worship experience.   My son, Bruce Reyes-Chow, presided and as the pastor who did counseling with the couple, Monte McClain, preached.   Michael's father Dan, read a scripture passage and I was inspired by Proverbs 4 to write something for them.

Monte mentioned in his sermon a recent article that covered the costs of weddings, wedding consultants, etcs.   He said it was more important for couples to have a good event and a good time no matter the cost.  And said what is important is the covenant and relationship that the couple has with God and God's purpose for them.  He is so right!   

Lauren and Michael's wedding was about their  covenant with God before the faith community,families and friends that love and care for them.  I was blessed to be a witness!

As for Joel and I, we are exhausted!  We are thankful to Jonelle Crow, Earl Kehret, Noel Moritz, The Magdael-Lauron Family, The Lee family, Karin Conklin-Freitas, Peggy Miyata for each of their contributions to the day.  We are also blessed that the  faith community of Bethel also helped through prayers,setting things up and cleaning up.    THANK YOU!

Joel and I are blessed and exhausted!!
More Wedding details later.

Today is the Day!! That God has made!!!

"This is the day the God has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!  This morning is Lauren's wedding day.  A day for me that is fileld with great expectations of a happy, fulfilled, content and fun lilfe with her beloved Michael.    The picture here is of her and Michael at their wedding shower at Bethel.

  People ask aren't you excited? Yes,  I am excited for the new life Lauren will share with Michael.   I am excited about all the life milestones, each of my children celebrate.  For Lauren her future milestones to be excited about will be -   her first real job as a high school teacher and she gets benefits!   Her graduation from UCLA with her masters!  Another grandchild (not too soon!) a telephone call from her telling me about her week.  I am excited for her life as she continues to grow into the wonderful human being that God has created with a voice and passion for justice and good clothes!!

Today is her wedding day and I am picking a selection out of Proverbs revised with my own thoughts  I am praying that I don't cry too much!  Why cry?  I keep seeing her as my "little girl" grown up!   I knew she was grown up before but now married I am not the principal person in her life, she has a husband now.  I know I am important, but....

Today is her wedding day and for the last 24 hours I have had the stomach flu and not able to attend the rehearsal or attend to the last minute details the "mother of the bride" is supposed to do which made me very sad.   I am up and about today!  Thanks be to God for family and good friends who helped setup and put all the wedding "to do's" together the day before.   We ares so blessed by the many loving people who surround our family.

Today is her wedding day and a day that her dad and I will flashback to the times of when she started to talk and walk so early. How cute she was in her "L" pink sweater for baby pictures...  How she was so smart at sixteen months she could torment her baby brother the first day he got home... Or how she started reading at 3. or her first boyfriend.... Graduating from Wellesley....Time goes by so fast! 

Today is her wedding day, A day God has made and we will rejoice in it with love, vows, food, drink, dancing, good friends and family, dancing and blessings!!!