Big City Pretty

Kisses from Katie is the most amazing blog I've discovered in a year. She and Nie Nie are tied for first place in the "most inspirational woman in the whole world who I feel like I know but don't actually know because we're best friends only in blog-land" category.

You know that prayer we pray? "On earth as it is in heaven"? Katie lives it.

She reminded me of a song I've heard before, and loved. God, "every child in Africa is yours."

Her blog recently included this quote:

"What, therefore, is our task today? Should I answer 'Faith, hope and love?' That sounds beautiful. But I would say - courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness. For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature... we lack a holy rage - the recklessness which comes from the knowlege of God and humanity. The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth... a holy anger about the things that are worng in the world. To rage against the ravaging of God's earth and and the desruction of God's people. To rage when little children must die of hunger, while the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and the madness of militaries. To rage against the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace. To rage against COMPLACENCY. To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the kingdom of God."
-Father Kaj Munk, 1944

"Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without works is dead."

Katie is asked often about her life in Uganda:
"As a young single woman, don't you think living in Africa is dangerous? Are you afraid?"

She responds:

I am more afraid of America.

Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but to fear things that can destroy the soul. I can literally feel my soul suffocating in the safety of Brentwood (Tennesse) and all it's numbness, complacency and comfort. Scary.

C.S. Lewis puts it this way:
"I shall feel rather nervous meeting a lion," said Susan.
"That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there is anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking they're either braver than most or just silly."
"Then He isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "Who said anything about safe?! Of Course He isn't safe. But He is good. He is the King I tell you."
(The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)

PS.

My head spins as I think about the health care reform details. It is dizzyingly complex. However. When I'm about to throw up my hands and say I don't care, we should scrap the whole thing, I'm reminded- Something has GOT to be done. Here's why:

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health just declared that lack of health insurance is responsible for 45,000 deaths among working-age Americas each year.