Social Justice, Matrix Parodies, and Someone Please Hire Me.

EPIPHANEIA
A couple of Saturdays ago, Epiphaneia Ministries (aka Nathan Colquhoun, Darryl Silvestri, and two other guys they went to school with) put on a conference called "The Evolving Church" with key note speakers: Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, and Shane Claiborne.

FRUSTRATION
It was a day filled with stories, encouragement, enthusiasm and, for me, more than just a little frustration. Frustration because I feel so overwhelmed by all of the issues. Frustration because even though I know that I can do work in the kingdom of God one person at a time, I all too often forget. Frustration because I hear concepts like "justice" and feel that they are too large to truly consider in my mind. Frustration because I know that I live so much more extravagantly than the majority of the earth's population.
However, I also found hope. Hope for tomorrow, for next week. Hope for me and my neighbours. Hope that I will remember to see people as people. To want to be a part of people's lives. Hope that Christ will work through me regardless of my selfish nature and arrogant spirit. Hope that I will see "justice" in this world in the eyes of orphans, widows, minorities, and other marginalized members of God's creation.

(SIGH)
After this conference, I took a deep sigh. Wanting so badly for social justice and the desire to take action to not simply be a fad in the church, but to be a constant: the living out of the Gospel. I sighed for the widows, the orphans, the marginalized. I sighed for creation. I sighed because I felt so overwhelmed, and yet so inspired to take action.

I began to dwell on the millions of Christians that live in this world, and thought, what if we all contributed just a little bit more.
$10, $20, $30 more a year each to missions and aid organizations. (It's not that much more, but multiply it by the millions of Christians.)
Carpooling to church/work/social events.
Recycling what we can recycle; using the green bins when we can.
Being more stewardly with our energy consumption.
Desiring "things" less and people more.

IMPACT
What kind of an impact would it be on this world if Christians began to really start living the Gospel? If our church communities really became communities who supported each other when in need and blessed others when we can? What if we really did take care of the homeless, the widow, the orphan, the unwanted, the neglected? Would people see Christians a little differently? Would they see Christ at work in this world?

SIMPLE
Then I realized that I am one of the millions of Christians, and though I cannot make a choice for the other people, for the other millions, I can make a choice for myself. To live a little more simply each day. To care more about people and less about stuff. To stop just talking the talk and start living it.
I know that it may not be that simple, but it is a simple thing. I can do what I can do. I can encourage others. If we all just start somewhere, things seem a little less overwhelming.

ON A COMPLETELY UNRELATED NOTE
A funny/obscure website that my environmental science professor showed the other day in class is:
www.themeatrix1.org

LASTLY...
I'm looking for a job right now and would really appreciate the heads up on any jobs that anyone may know about. It would help me out a great deal!