Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 11/20/2008
One year ago today I was waking up in my gradparents' house, my first whole day back in the US after a year abroad. It hardly seems like a year has gone by in some senses, but in other ways, that year seems so far away it's practically just a dream.
As all of us World Racers from Jan 07 look back this week and remember our year together, there is no doubt a full range of emotions that accompnay the memories. Mine are all good. The WR was a year of growth, challenge and new opportunities for me. In addition to those great benefits, I believe that through those experiences, doors opened to me. I feel I have a greater freedom life. A greedom to fail. A freedom to succeed. A fredom to try new things and engage in new endeavors. It's an ongoing learning experience, which is proved by the areas in my life in the last year where I lived in fear and not in freedom, but at the same tim, there were/are consistentely areas where I have gone forwrad in blodness that I had possessed before. This manifests in small things, like trying new sports, or foods, and in the larger arenas of life, such as stepping out to learn a new job in a new place by myself. One of the racers posted a great note, reminding us all not to let the WR be the best thing in our lives, but to always expect more bests to come as we follow Jesus and embrace the adventures he has for each of us. For me it was a great year, a pivotal year, a life changing year, but the BEST is yeat to come!
I re-read my blog from a year ago today, and for me it was good to look back.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 11/13/2008
I haven't posted in a long, long time, but want to let you all know that I have made another life change and will be trying to keep a blog about it again. I have moved to Idaho to work at Sun Valley Ski Resort, where I will wait tables and/or bartend and ski in my off time. I have started a new blog to keep track of all my new adventures at www.alissagibson.blogspot.com Check it out!
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 4/14/2008
A friend told me last week that she believed Jesus was a socialist, not a capitalist. I have been thinking a lot about it, so I figured it's time to work it out in a blog.
I don't believe he was a socialist, though I don't believe he was a capitalist either. He was not governmental in his position at all. He never addressed the government, directing them how to govern or how to care for people.
An unfortunate disconnect has happened that is confusing so many people now. Jesus told his followers to care for the poor, the widows, orphans and the needy. We as his people have been called to do these things, not the government. There are innumerable scripture passages that instruct us to feed the poor, care for the orphan, the widow and the alien, beginning in the Old Testament and continuing into the New, from the prophets to Jesus himself to the apostles. But all of the directives were toward the followers of Jesus, not the national governments. (Except in the case when Israel, as God's followers, were a nation on their own.)
However, in the church's lack of obedience to these commands of Jesus, (as well as believing a lie told by the father of all lies) society has now come to expect that which Jesus clearly called his church to do to be the government's responsibility.
I believe that capitalism is a superior form of government, but the church has to do it's job in regards to social issues in order for the people to be fully cared for. I would dare to say that most people in the American (western) church would rather have the government shoulder the responsibility, rather than themselves, despite the fact that most ‘christians' are conservative in perspective and don't believe the government should be as involved as the liberal perspective believes.
Unfortunately, there has been a severe lack of stepping up to the responsibility, an attitude of apathy and disobedience to the basic commands of Jesus. The result of this ‘misunderstanding' and disobedience leaves us with a complicated political battle over issues that God never designed to be political at all.
The early church was a community of people, who lived under a Roman government, but who cared for one another's needs from within the community...the Church. (See Acts 2:48). He commanded his people to honor and respect the government over them. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's (Mark 12:13-17; pray and honor those in authority over you.)
Books have been written on these thoughts, and I'm not as articulate as some I've read, or as elaborate in my explanations, but I've just really been thinking about it. I'm not very politically minded, perhaps because it's not been a primary focus in our family, but I think also because I just don't see Jesus being concerned about the political aspects and government, but rather simply on his followers' obedience.
Maybe I'm a socialist. But not in a political way. In a ‘following Jesus church' way. The church was designed to be more socialist - community based, sharing all that is owned between all involved, caring for those in need and looking out of others. Socialism in my world is ‘community'.
I feel like that leaves me in a complicated place politically, because I view all of this as two separate arenas - that which God has called his people to do, and that which the government does. Unfortunately, they have become melded together, causing divisions among people that were never meant to be. We've now got political conservative Christians with what I see as a superior (though full of weaknesses too) governmental standpoint, and with the ‘good news' of Jesus, but not dealing with social issues on either a political or personal (church) level; and then the politically liberal Christians who have great cause and vision, but have combined two arenas that Jesus kept totally separate. Neither is the ‘right' standpoint. Both have their strengths and both have their weaknesses, and so in turn, I am left without a certain definite standpoint behind either side.
The government, no matter how great or socialist it may be, can never do what was designed to be done by the people of God, the true followers of Jesus. Until those people (myself included) decide to be truly obedient to those very basic and crucial demands of Jesus, there is no real hope for change.
Anything other than cause and vision combined with the honest message of Jesus' salvation is not sufficient and will ultimately fail.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 4/4/2008
April, and my return home from Georgia, bring a new beginning, and the end of a chapter of my life. As I look back over the last months (19 weeks) of being back in the states, I see that they have been their own chapter of transition.
I have taken the time to adjust to working a regular job again (waiting tables at my former place of employment); I have little by little noticed the changes in my heart and perspective that cause me to respond to life in a new (and more beautiful) way; I chose my priorities for that time period and stuck to them - investing in my family and not in making money and am fully rewarded for that; I have been welcomed back to my home church, met with folks, shared life and been encouraged, hopefully encouraging them; I took the time to settle back down to certain realities of American life, namely the pace of life here, but with a new perspective and the choice to not be swept away by it; I have thought often of the things I wish to do, but didn't focus on, such as visiting new churches to make some more friends and find a community of young people to which I can belong, or start looking at homes to buy to ‘see what's out there right now' (plenty, by the way).
But now the time has come to shift slightly. A number of issues have brought this sense of movement to my spirit. Some things are very practical, and then there is just the knowing that it's a new season.
Show Choir season is finished, so my weekends are now more open to work; I have resigned at Starbucks in order to focus more at my other job, so I am entering a season of ‘full time' work, which I haven't yet really done. I can now begin to save some money and more seriously look at buying a house down the road.
After several months of thinking of visiting other churches, I am ready to step out in faith and go. Just to be clear, I am not seeking other churches in order to necessarily leave Des Moines Fellowship, and I am certainly not unhappy with it. I just realize that I am in a different stage of life than the majority of people there, and I am excited to find young people who are in a more similar stage as myself. I have had ‘chance' encounters with a couple young ladies which have given me hope that there are plenty of those people out there. :-) I recognize the ‘risk' in this, and that it may not always be fun...meeting new people can be intimidating, and I will likely meet quite a few before I find some ‘kindred spirits', but I'm ready to face that. Being with great community down in Gainesville for a couple days reminded me that it's truly worth it.
I can't even begin to say how much I have enjoyed being with my family since I have been home. My relationships with each person has grown, as they have gotten older, and I now more greatly appreciate them. My younger siblings seem less like my little siblings than my friends, which is so fun! I love being able to just be with my older sister and her kids, and I'm deeply, madly in love with my niece, who has given me new perspective and responsibility in life. I am not a mom yet, but an aunt, and that holds incredible responsibility to live like Jesus, to show who He is to her, and pray that she too falls in love with Him. I guess it's good practice for being a mom. :-)
This new season brings with it an excited anticipation to see what's coming next, as I continue to enjoy every moment with my family, work full time, and begin a new adventure pursuing more relationships and friendships that will mutually encourage growth in the Lord.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 4/4/2008
As I enjoyed my short vacation in Georgia, I took some time to think some thoughts worth blogging. :-)
This was a thoroughly refreshing and encouraging vacation for me, visiting friends, sharing our lives with one another. I saw my old coworkers from AIM, 2 World Race 06, and 3 WR Jan 07 folks (including my good friend Tana), and the couple with whom I lived during my last 7 weeks in Gainesville before the Race. (Catherine and Spencer)
I knew when I left Des Moines that I would return with fresh perspective and an encouraged and empowered spirit, and I am.
Throughout the last four months, since I have been home, I have been noticing subtle changes in my heart, attitude and perspective, and though it shouldn't surprise me, sometimes I still marvel at how gently God has worked in me to change.
One of the perspective changes I noticed this week is how I look at my life, and I realized that I am truly content. I miss living in Georgia, the beautiful hills and forests with curvy, fun to drive on roads; I miss the people and community in Gainesville and at AIM; the small town feel with everything I need, but a big city close by if I get the urge to visit.
But this visit didn't cause me to wish that I lived there, as I know it would have in the past. For a number of years, I have been looking for the next best place to be. I believe that I have followed the direction of the Lord, but I wonder sometimes if he allows/leads me somewhere because I would always wonder what was out there otherwise, and I begged. :-)
This time, though, I feel empowered to go out and find/create the community that is waiting for me in Des Moines. I am confidant that I belong ‘at home' right now, and I have never been so confidant that visiting elsewhere hasn't caused me to be discontent with my current placement.
For nearly all the years that I have NOT lived in Des Moines, I have been determined that I wouldn't come back here to settle down. I had my reasons, some understandable, some irrational, and though some of those thoughts haven't fully changed, I felt the call of God to come back home, and I can't argue with that. I tried. And failed. :-)
I remember back in the mid summer last year, while in Gordon's Bay, South Africa, this call to come back home became undeniably clear, and I tried bargaining with the Lord.... ‘I'll give you two years there Lord, then move on...' The Holy Spirit challenged me then, asking if the vision he has given could happen in two years, and the answer from my own mouth was ‘not really.' After a couple weeks of this prayer discussion, I gave in and gave the Lord an ‘indefinite' amount of time in Des Moines. There are people here in whom I will invest and love, and a long term vision (I will explain in a future blog), and to be really honest, I don't want to leave in the middle of something that God is doing. I don't want to leave a calling undone.
So, I will stay until He says to go, which may happen down the road, and it may not. But right now, my heart is settled and content here.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 4/1/2008
It's raining here, not quite the thunderstorm I was hoping for, but a good solid spring rain. I'm so happy to be experiencing my spring a couple weeks early. Spring rains are meant to wash away the winter remains, and I love them!
I was talking with Catherine and Spencer last night, about my trip, and realized I haven't really talked about it much lately, as is expected. I had to ‘get in the zone' to remember things...people groups, where I was, what I did, when I was there, etc... It sure was good to look back again. I found that some of the issues I thought were a big deal as they occurred and then even when I first came back, are now not. It makes me laugh now. ... ‘Oh, so and so was so annoying then, but now I can't even remember why', or ‘I was so upset and offended during that time, but now I can't remember why or at whom.' It's nice to realize that life moves on and perspective changes as time passes. I hope to one day live with a clearer present perspective, less offended and more graceful.
I love being with friends, talking about life, about my trip, about knowing Jesus, finding passion, living with purpose and raising kids to do the same. (Not that I have them, but now many of my friends do, and I have great influence on my niece and nephew even now).
Being with friends here again makes me all the more motivated to do what it takes to make and find good friends in Des Moines. I have wandered around in loneliness too much at home, mostly in years past, but the temptation is there now again. I know they are out there, and I have been too caught up in my own selfishness and self pity to find them, hoping that people would come out of nowhere to be my best friend. I am reminded that I do have great friends all over the country even if I don't talk to them all the time, and certainly never really see them.
I love Catherine and Spencer because our relationship during the 7 weeks I lived with them showed me that I was able (and even really enjoyed) relating to married couples, and that it's normal for married couples to relate well with singles.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 4/1/2008
3/28/08
I'm sitting in Catherine and Spencer's living room in Dahlonaga, GA, just north of Gainesville. I arrived in Atlanta late Wednesday night, and Danielle picked me up from the airport. I spent the night, the following day and night with her in Lawrenceville. We had a really refreshing time of talking, along with some great food from the restaurant at which she works.
After some debating and attempting to arrange to see all my scattered Georgia friends, I opted for renting a little car, a Kia Rio to be exact. It's about the size of a jelly bean, and gold, but good enough for me. So this morning, I jumped in my little ‘gold nugget' and headed up to Gainesville, stopping at REI outdoor sports store, and Panera on my way. I dropped by my original Starbucks store, and said hello to the one person working that I knew from nearly a year and a half ago. Then on to Catherine and Spencer's, where I plan on spending the whole weekend, with visits into Gainesville here and there. I am excited to simply be in a beautiful, warm place, enjoying friends, sharing stories of our respective years, and doing a lot of nothing.
My hope is that now since I have my own computer and a little bit of time on my hands, maybe now I can get some of my million World Race pictures sorted out. ...Hopefully....
I love it here in Georgia. Signs of spring are much more abundant than at home (certainly to be expected), and I'm soaking in every bit of it. Some trees are green, but the most lovely are those that are blossoming with pinkish white flower blossoms before the leaves show up. They remind me of the "White Way of Delight" of which Anne of Green Gables so fondly spoke. I'm surrounded by hills and never ending woods and forests. I had forgotten how pretty it is here, and how much I actually enjoyed living here last year...er...the year before....2006.
It felt good to travel again too; to be at an airport, flying, waiting for luggage...the whole bit. I was alone this time, not with 20-50 other people, but it was still fun. I have always loved the being in airports, and flying, whether alone or with company. Admittedly, I would prefer to travel with someone, (though maybe not 50 someones), but there are certain adventures one can only enjoy alone. I love people watching, and then having brief conversations with strangers, opportunities I am not so eager to take with a familiar face right next to me. I was able to make the decision to walk the half mile to the next terminal instead of taking the train without consulting anyone, and as I did, so did the flight crew from my flight, so I chatted with them as we walked. (The train didn't seem to be coming and the computerized timer kept counting down from 3 minutes, over and over....obviously there was a problem, and I didn't feel like standing around with frustrated people.)
Oh, the simplicity of traveling alone. I loved the last year when I didn't have to make all the decisions, and be responsible for all the gang, but this week, I am really appreciating the freedom of making decisions for myself, since it only affects me. :-)
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 3/3/2008
I am presently experiencing a strange dichotomy between
feeling like a kid again and feeling old(er).
I am living once again in the same bedroom in which I grew up, having
been out of it for 7 years while my sister lived there. Being in there brings back funny emotions
sometimes of feeling like a kid. Road
tripping to Minneapolis on Saturday with my 20 year old sister and my parents
brought back kid feelings too: laying in the back, falling asleep to the murmur
of my parent's voices. There is still the same inexplicable feeling of safety in that as there was 15 years ago.
Once in
a while, I just return to childhood in my mind now that I'm home with my family
- moments with my parents that make me wish I was 10 or 12 again, and yet still
fully appreciating being an adult, with my parents. I am loving being ‘grown up' and relating to my parents and the
rest of the world as an adult, and yet sometimes I feel like I just got
‘old.' I'm not sure what defines ‘old'
when I'm 26, and I know that it's not ‘old' in comparison…I don't feel old as a
grandma, or even as old as my parents (which doesn't seem ‘old' to me
anymore).
I guess I simply realize
sometimes that I AM 26, not 16. I attend
my siblings show choir competitions with more of a proud parent perspective
than a cheering sister, and Karyssa (16) told me I sounded ‘like a mom' the other
day. Ha Ha!! Oh well. I actually am just fine with that. I am ridiculously proud of my younger
siblings for everything they are doing with their lives, not just with show
choir, and I'm not ashamed to tell the world, even if it makes me sound ‘like a
mom'. So I guess it's some of those
things that make me feel older…maybe I'm just feeling my actual age.
At 26, most around me are married, with one to several kids;
my younger brother is married, all my high school friends are married, and I'm
living at home! I know many of us post
World Racers are in very similar places in life, but none live near me, so I'm most aware of
those around me at church.
This separation of lives between myself and others used to
be a really hard issue for me. I didn't
know how to relate to married people, or those with kids and to be honest, I
believe that once people marry and start having kids, they don't know how to
relate to single people as well as they used to. Lives take on different focuses, and that's normal and mostly good. I used to feel so alone and sorry for myself
because I wasn't a part of the ‘married' people, and they couldn't understand
so much of who I was/am.
I believe I have grown (gotten ‘old') and now my identity is
not so much in whether people relate to me but whether I am honestly relating
to my Jesus. It bothers me much less
that my life looks differently than so many around me. And I think that now I am able to share
life as an adult, (not with an insecure teenage mindset) with other adults, married
or single, parents or not, older or younger than myself. I can't say I really know what this looks
like, because I'm not sure I'm living it out, but I'm not afraid of it
anymore. I am beginning to realize my capabilities
as a grown woman…working as a free medical clinic manager; relating to people
of all ages and many walks of life; discipling people wherever I am; doing
whatever I do with excellence. In
recognizing these skills, I also recognize my lack in follow through…believing
on a day to day basis that it's all true.
But I'm learning. Day to day.
And while I'm learning to be an adult, I still enjoy
the moments with my siblings and my parents that bring me back to being a kid
again…silliness, safety, peacefulness, freedom, and love…
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 2/28/2008
Again today, I am sitting down trying to read up on some blogs...today it's Andrew Shearman's blog. One of our spiritual fathers during the Race and and a man deeply respected by myself and so many others, Andrew's father heart and teachings over the year influenced me greatly. He's the guy who talked to us about being unoffendable - a reoccurring theme in my discussions these days.
Anyway, on his blog he posted some quotes by Henri Nowen. I am familiar with Nowen, but haven't read much of his stuff...because I'm not much of a reader, though I would like to change that. :-) But even if I haven't personally fully read a Nowen book certainly doesn't mean I can't appreciate his quotes. I hope that you do as well.
"Is prayer powerlessness or a creative contact with the source of all Life?"
"Prayer, ...our intimate relationship with God , is the basis for all our relationships."
"The
movement from illusion to prayer is hard to make since it leads from
false certainties to true uncertainties, from an easy support system
to a risky surrender, and from many 'safe' gods to the God whose love
has no limits."
The last is my favorite.
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Posted in General Articles by Alissa Gibson on 2/26/2008
The sun has risen in a blue sky over a another freshly fallen snow, reminding me more of Colorado winters than typical Iowa winters. In all my memories (and my mom's), there has never been a year here in Iowa where we have had as much snow and as cold of weather as this year. Or as much sun. It's been one long, but absolutely beautiful winter. Each time it warms enough to melt what's on the ground, another snow-filled storm follows, covering the ground that had begun to peak out, wishing for spring.
As much as I am looking forward to warmer weather (I've never been a cold lover), I am certainly not missing the incredible beauty that God is giving right now. The snow was wet yesterday, blowing from the north and is piled high on every little branch of the trees, now reflecting the sun, glittering rainbows and sparkles. I wish had words to express the beauty of untouched snow - in the yard, on the roofs, on the trees. Gorgeous.
Winter snow is one thing we didn't experience on the Race last year, (and for that I'm forever thankful) but we saw so much beauty that it became almost easy to take it for granted. Now, as I look through pictures and am reminded of the mountains, oceans, deserts, and people that we saw, I miss that beauty. And then He reminds me to look out the window. This is beauty just as great, created by him to be appreciated by me. God's creativity is absolutely amazing.
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