{"id":13505,"date":"2017-06-21T14:48:34","date_gmt":"2017-06-21T21:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/a-bricolage\/"},"modified":"2017-06-21T14:48:34","modified_gmt":"2017-06-21T21:48:34","slug":"a-bricolage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-bricolage\/","title":{"rendered":"A Bricolage"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LGP5<\/a><\/p>\n

Bricolage, by definition, is forming something through the use of various materials or ideas, seemingly unrelated at first, but then creates a new understanding through their connection. It\u2019s a new word for me, a \u201cloanword\u201d from the French, used for various disciplines.\u00a0 With the revelation of the word, I find a way to articulate my experience this year with the readings, coursework, and interaction among my cohort.\u00a0 A patchwork of materials, seemingly unrelated, form me through a transformative process. The ongoing integration creates something new in me, while built on what is, through the\u00a0various disciplines of theology, evangelism, culture, leadership, and virtue ethics.\u00a0 I\u2019m a piece of artwork, a bricolage, shaped by the interaction of knowledge, head-to-heart dialogue, and community.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

From this new place of understanding, I enter into situations differently, as this next story demonstrates:<\/p>\n

She walks into my office to ask a question.\u00a0 \u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d\u00a0 With my unsuspecting nod, she continues, \u201cAfter 58 years, I discover from a DNA test that I\u2019m actually a male.\u00a0 Do you have a recommendation for a counselor?\u00a0 I\u2019m not handling this very well.\u201d\u00a0 Everything stops in that moment.\u00a0 My outside appearance may reflect a calmness, but my insides scream, \u201cHow does anyone cope with that kind of information, a new reality?\u201d While I know I will refer her to someone with more expertise in this matter, I surprise myself when I ask her a question, \u201cWhere is God in this for you?\u201d In my training as a spiritual director, that\u2019s not an uncommon question. What\u2019s surprising is the ability to ask with confidence, not in her knowing the answer, but in knowing, whether she realizes it or not, God is with her, even in this confusing time.<\/p>\n

I attribute my confidence to this year of exploring and engaging deeply with various topics \u2013 some I agree upon and others I question \u2013 that have strengthened my understanding that God works in all things, no matter what the subject: leadership, organizational dynamics, global evangelism, culture, art, prayer (as seen through a non-believing eye), practices of resiliency and slowing down, ethics, an individual voice, and gender issues.\u00a0 As Pierre Teilhard de Chardin offers, \u201cBy virtue of Creation, and still more the Incarnation, nothing here below is profane for those who know how to see.\u201d\u00a0 The ability to see more clearly, in the profane and sacred, is the gift of this year\u2019s exploration. \u00a0Artistically and publicly articulating where I see God at work, I gain a deeper awareness and understanding of God.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019ve nailed down my theology about all of these issues, but I do see with more clarity through a lens that recognizes God\u2019s willingness to be active with love in this world.<\/p>\n

She answers my \u201cWhere is God\u201d question with, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d My previous compulsion to fix the situation loosens its hold, as I no longer need to explain everything about God. \u00a0I response instead by simply sitting with her in this place of confusion, offering what I\u2019ve seen my cohort offer me \u2013 a place to simply wonder, amidst the fear and\/or joy of what is happening, and hoping with trust that God makes himself known.\u00a0 The gain of this year is two-fold: not only does it come in the knowledge and clarity of God\u2019s hand in this world, but also it happens\u00a0in the manner – “the way” – of interaction with my cohort. My life is different because of a community\u00a0formed\u00a0in a safe and sacred place.\u00a0 I am more effective as a leader because I see with clearer eyes and I thrive in a cohort of differing voices that speak into my life.<\/p>\n

The bricolage created through the materials of this year impact my life, providing a theology that helps me build a practical and authentic practice in ministry.\u00a0 While I have little to offer in the way of navigating a gender identity issue, I do know a God who knows how.\u00a0 That God is no different than the God before this year of learning.\u00a0 But I am different, a bit more aware and sensitive to the power of God\u2019s Spirit to move in and through all aspects of life.\u00a0 To further\u00a0that growth, I have a community in my cohort\u00a0that offers perspective, challenges my assumptions, provides encouragement, and above all, expresses love for me, each other, and God.\u00a0 That must be the glue in this bricolage of who I am and am still becoming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bricolage, by definition, is forming something through the use of various materials or ideas, seemingly unrelated at first, but then creates a new understanding through their connection. It\u2019s a new word for me, a \u201cloanword\u201d from the French, used for various disciplines.\u00a0 With the revelation of the word, I find a way to articulate my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13505"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13505\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}