Reggae, Funk & Shalom
Reggae, Funk & Shalom
When I first met my next door neighbor Caleb, he told me that he and his friends were in an up and coming band: The Premiums.
“What kind of music do you play?” I asked.
“It’s a sort of reggae-funk… emphasis on the funk,” he responded.
Then he gave me a tour of their tricked out band camper, which was from that point on either parked behind, or directly in front, of our house.
When I began to walk the streets and pray last Spring, The Premiums went from being merely neighbors to being our friends. What does a house full of chick pastors have in common with a house full of Packer loving Wisconsin boys who “love the funk”?
Not much on the surface, but we have had a blast hanging out in our yard and playing games, hollering at each other from house to house, sharing DVDs and extra food between our two communities. When they needed some extra cash, we found someone who could pay them to do some yard work. Last night Brett brought us a bag full of sandwiches from his work place. Doing life next to them has been an awesome surprise!
A couple months ago, Brett and Caleb and I thought it would be a good idea for me to climb through their side window that opened into my yard (in the city, houses are close enough that this is often a reality). Not sure why I do things as awkward as climbing through a window. But as they pulled me into their living room… laughing at how ridiculous it was – I remembered something Jesus said:
When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you.
Jesus seems to be expressing that there is a certain peace, or “shalom” that God can bring between us and others. It is something that God brings and our peace may rest on someone or it may not.
It isn’t really up to us who our “people of peace” might be.
This reality may be why out of a block of 50 people “The Parsonage” became buddies with “The Premiums”.*
It dawned on me that night in their place, as Brett showed me his beer can collection, that God had brought peace between us and that is why our communities were on the brink of such a great friendship.
When we are in each other’s homes, the concept of shalom seems to be there even though we could not be more different. I’m hoping the guys would agree. If any of you “Premiums” read this, let me know: When we are around each other there is a feeling of mutual support and welfare of the other as the definition of “shalom” or “peace” suggests.
I began to realize that God might be bringing us together as friends for a significant purpose and I believe that it is true. The question that we are asking is, “What is God up to in this friendship and how can we respond?”
When we began to ask this question, God led us to something wonderful.
To be continued…
*The Parsonage is the nickname for our house. It means “pastor house”. To hear music from The Premiums: Click HERE
Reggae, Funk & Shalom
When I first met my next door neighbor Caleb, he told me that he and his friends were in an up and coming band: The Premiums.
“What kind of music do you play?” I asked.
“It’s a sort of reggae-funk… emphasis on the funk,” he responded.
Then he gave me a tour of their tricked out band camper, which was from that point on either parked behind, or directly in front, of our house.
When I began to walk the streets and pray last Spring, The Premiums went from being merely neighbors to being our friends. What does a house full of chick pastors have in common with a house full of Packer loving Wisconsin boys who “love the funk”?
Not much on the surface, but we have had a blast hanging out in our yard and playing games, hollering at each other from house to house, sharing DVDs and extra food between our two communities. When they needed some extra cash, we found someone who could pay them to do some yard work. Last night Brett brought us a bag full of sandwiches from his work place. Doing life next to them has been an awesome surprise!
A couple months ago, Brett and Caleb and I thought it would be a good idea for me to climb through their side window that opened into my yard (in the city, houses are close enough that this is often a reality). Not sure why I do things as awkward as climbing through a window. But as they pulled me into their living room… laughing at how ridiculous it was – I remembered something Jesus said:
When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you.
Jesus seems to be expressing that there is a certain peace, or “shalom” that God can bring between us and others. It is something that God brings and our peace may rest on someone or it may not.
It isn’t really up to us who our “people of peace” might be.
This reality may be why out of a block of 50 people “The Parsonage” became buddies with “The Premiums”.*
It dawned on me that night in their place, as Brett showed me his beer can collection, that God had brought peace between us and that is why our communities were on the brink of such a great friendship.
When we are in each other’s homes, the concept of shalom seems to be there even though we could not be more different. I’m hoping the guys would agree. If any of you “Premiums” read this, let me know: When we are around each other there is a feeling of mutual support and welfare of the other as the definition of “shalom” or “peace” suggests.
I began to realize that God might be bringing us together as friends for a significant purpose and I believe that it is true. The question that we are asking is, “What is God up to in this friendship and how can we respond?”
When we began to ask this question, God led us to something wonderful.
To be continued…
*The Parsonage is the nickname for our house. It means “pastor house”. To hear music from The Premiums: Click HERE
Cool and funny story. I can totally picture you climbing through their window. Lol