Head to the SSCC Facebook Group to see the video of this performance. The lyrics were for barista John’s breakdancing routine. Check it out – it will spin your head as he spins on his! (well, he didn’t but it was amazing in other way!)

Below are the lyrics:

Reluctantly waiting at the counter line,
Caffeine pumping and thumping in time.
The green light turns on, the brewer is up,
Grinding and brewing, he yearns for the cup.

Staff deftly manouver and muscle for rank,
Espresso pulling fast on an empty tank,
Wreckless and wild they pour thru the shots,
The espresso is podent and whip cream tops.

As they speed thru the airpots, the hopper goes down.
The guests get up, and they get out of town.
The shop is empty except for one man,
Still drinking and sipping as fast as he can

The sun has gone down and the moon has come up,
And eventually everyone has chipped a cup,
But he’s drinking and slurping the origin he yearns,
And thinking of Brundi whom he still burns.

He’s going the distance.
He’s almost on speed.
He’s not alone, not alone in his time of need.

Because he’s racing and pacing and grinding it course,
He’s chewing the Greek and eating like a horse.
He’s going the distance.

no tea, no smoothie, no milkshakes, no wine,
he’s haunted by aromas he cannot define.
bowel-shaking earthquakes of coffee and remorse,
assail him, impale him with Andy-truck force.
in his mind, he’s still drinking, still sipping the grade.
He’s hoping in time that Foldgers will fade.
cause he’s racing and pacing and grinding it course,
He’s chewing a Montana and eating like a horse.

the sun has gone down and the moon has come up,
and everyday baristas will give him a cup.
But he’s drinking and slurping the origin he yearns,
And thinking of Rwanda whom he still burns.

Cause he’s going the distance.
He’s almost on speed.
He’s not all alone, not alone in his time of need.

Because he’s racing and pacing and grinding it course,
He’s chewing a Montana and eating like a horse.
Because he’s racing and pacing and grinding it course,
He’s chewing a Bonanza and eating like a horse.

He’s going the distance.
He’s almost on speed.
He’s going the distance.

Below is a blog post I wrote on the Standing Stone Coffee Company Blog where you can find more posts from the trip along with photos!

From Granada To Huntingdon

The SSCC Gang in Nicaragua

It’s 3:10AM Eastern Time as I sit on my yoga ball/office chair. It was a long day of traveling, waking in Granada, Nicaragua and heading to bed in Huntingdon, PA. Thanks to an iced soy latte and a head full of thoughts, I’ve unpacked, checked Facebook, gleaned the e-mail of advertisements, relished in a hot shower and decided to use my remaining caffeinated-steam for a post-Nicaraguan blog.

Despite the relativly short length of the trip with the Standing Stone Coffee Company Crew to Nicaragua (5 days), one cannot underestimate the power of travel, especially international. Personally, this adventure being my first beyond the borders, the trip changes my perspective on the big things and the little things of life.

For instance, I paused before rinsing my mouth in the faucet at the house was a simple yet profound reaction. Nicaraguan water contains dangerous bacteria and other elements unsafe for drinking. A simple “hello” and “thank you” in the states felt secondary to “hola” and “gracias”. Flying into Atlanta, a city decorated brighter than the night sky, was such a metropolis metamorphosis from Managua’s landscape of mountains, volcanoes and tin roofs.

However, saying good-bye to 4 other great folks from the trip from the area brought to my attention the beautiful bond formed from such an excursion. Gazing at the coffee cups of other air-bound travelers made me question if my neighbor knew coffee was a cherry before it was brewed into their cup. Learned about the Selva Negra Coffee Estate showed me a personal depth to coffee, the process, and especially the people. Estate owner, Mausi Kuhl, spoke of the difference relationship-based coffee is making in the country. Malnutrition has decreased, beautiful and magnificent people are able to enjoy more of life, and even the children are smiling wildly as they danced and exhibited a warmth similar to the heat at the equator.

There is much to share, much to continue learning, and much to continue pursuing to love our neighbor down the street and love our neighbor hundreds of miles away.

you only have to watch his eyes:
a cook mixing a sauce, a surgeon

making a primary incision,
a clerk completing a bill of lading,

wear the same rapt expression,
forgetting themselves in the function.

How beautiful it is,
that eye-on-the-object look.

W.H. Auden
from his poem “Sext”

This poem was featured on the back cover of a yearly publication from Cardus titled “Making the Most of College”. It proves to be one of my favorite “magazines”, if you can call something with such thought, vision and meaning in the same catagory as other magazines like Cosmopolitan.

What strikes me about this poem is the personal connection into my own vocation. Serving as a campus minister with the CCO and partnering with Standing Stone Coffee Company has given me two places to experience this type of vocation connection. Whether it’s a thrilling conversation about faith, life and learning with a college student or the intricate, artful and scientific preparation of a well-crafted latte, I see a place where I sense the rapt expression in my eyes, a focus on the task at hand, an “eye-on-the-object” look.

For such expression I am grateful but also compelled to serve thoughtfully in these moments rather than being lost in the hustle of life, resulting in disconnect. To be present can often be a sacrifice of one’s self for the sake of another. To give.

Wind Symphony Spring 2009

The beginning of the semester also means the beginning of Juniata College Wind Symphony rehearsals. Even though it’s a credit class for students, community members and staff members, like myself, and join the group as well. The first day of classes was also the first day back playing the euphonium after a long summer’s break from tooting.

Two things knocked my socks off. The first was the gigantic size of the group. We are now at 107 members! Remember, this is a college without a music major program. Three new members happen to be in the euphonium section, making a rousing total of five participants in the row. It will be a delight to know more about these 3 new players, playing together, making mistakes together and sharing a euphonium player’s gold – valve oil.

As I scanned the group I also noticed familiar faces from the Environmental Science and Services Inbound Group from last week! One was even sitting behind me playing tuba – go figure!

The second thing surprising to me was the simple fact of creating music. While sight-reading a piece with the group, I was struck with the reality about how much I enjoyed the group. Often times the rehearsals and expectations and challenges can be time consuming and I start to wonder if the toot is worth the time. But after an evening of creating music, learning new names, and seeing old faces, how could I say no?

Zippy Linds

Once upon a time there was a country-raised girl named Lindsay. Now Lindsay grew up playing in the woods and picking berries but never went to camp or did outrageous hikes. Lindsay became a CCO campus minister at Juniata College and loves it. Living in central Pennslyvania has it’s benefits too – endless trails, beautiful hills, wonderful streams, and great places to drink coffee. When Lindsay went to CCO training events, the OLT (Outdoor Leadership Team) always looked so thrilled about taking students outside. “Sure, it’s cool, but how can you get so thrilled about it? Am I missing something?” Lindsay would wonder.

All of that changed today.

Way to go, Inbound ESS!

Today I joined the Environmental Services and Sciences Inbound group. Inbound is a freshman orientation program led by two upperclassmen student leaders. As their adviser, I picked up some cookies at the local supermarket and traveled out to Camp Blue Diamond on this beautiful, cool, sunny day. The camp is located 5 miles into Rothrock State Forest. Old growth = very cool (no pun intended).

Climbing the tower

This morning’s adventure at the camp was a giant swing and the tower/zip line. At first it appeared as if it’s just a good time, but fun can have many layers of depth and meaning. Here’s what I discovered:

• Communication – the CBD (Camp Blue Diamond) instructors communicated effectively for the safety of others and as a team. One part was just as important as the other. What an amazing take away when you think about your own role in a group, a team, a work force, a church member, a leader. Not one CBD instructor was jocking for authority. It was a team effort to make amazing things happen. They knew it, too You also need to communicate with those on the climbing wall. Are they okay? Are they feeling alright? Do they need any help?
• Encouragement – Today I wanted to cheer team ESS on! (Environmental Sciences and Services). Today I realized other students began encouraging each other also. It seems fun and exciting to cheer for others but when I was on the wall and ready to zip off a tower, words of encouragement from the ground made it all worthwhile. Encouragement is a form of love. If we are people who want to live a life of love, expressing encouragement is a key component.
• Community – something was moving and happening in that group today. Bonding had happened out at the camp overnight (they went out the day before and spent the night) and continued during the time I spent with them. You watch others climb, encourage, and challenge yourself all within an hour or two!
• Facing fears – I’m not going to lie, I was shaking! (the small latte for the drive out didn’t help). It’s exhausting and terrifying being up on that wall! But I made a decision halfway through – I wasn’t going to quit. I was climbing that wall no matter what. What an achievement to join other students at the top of the tower and then an added delight zipping to the ground. If only I funneled that perspective when it comes to other fears that keep me at bay when it comes to leading, learning, or growing in life, relationships, and faith.
• Learning how to lead – “A leader without followers is just taking a walk”. We learn how to lead by seeing leadership happen. Being with a team of students today really opened my eyes of how students need to be prepared as leaders by following one themselves. There’s a difference between becoming a leader and just throwing someone in the water expecting them to swim without instruction on how to tread water.

Soaring on the zip line

Taking students into the wilderness has amazing outcomes. It’s not only enjoyable and fun, but it provides a context for growth. This may come about through conflict, challenge, and sheer enjoyment of nature and all of it’s zip lines. Personally, I walked away from this experience with great connections to my everyday, non- forest life.

Campus ministers help make those connections in the context of who Jesus is and how He transforms lives. My new CCO colleague at Juniata College, Lisa Hershey, desires to lead trips and adventure with students in the wilderness to make those connections during 4 of the most transformative years of a person’s life. This is a little bit of what she says about campus ministry:

“Working for the CCO provides the opportunity for me to journey with students as they investigate faith and world issues, empower students to pursue and discover their passions that fit with the gifts God has given them and to connect students with a Christ-centered community where they can foster meaningful relationships.”

This CCO ministry at Juniata takes a team of people to make opportunities possible. If you are interested in this ministry, would you consider being a financial sponsor or giving a one-time gift? Your partnership makes the CCO partnership possible.

I encourage you to consider giving to my new partner on campus, Lisa. As a new staff she is building that team of supporters. Pass on a gift of encouragement to her as she pursues outdoor ministry at Juniata College. Her gifts, abilities, and excitement for transforming college students to transform the world is inspiring and a valuable asset at Juniata.

I never understood why the CCO’s OLT folks were so excited about taking students outside. I get it now. It’s because transformation happens in the woods. No, students don’t turn into lumberjacks, but when Jesus enters the picture, beauty is all surrounding. Our hearts soar.

George of the Jungle

Inbound 2010 - Environmental Sciences and Services

Blue booties are the new nikes. Watch out, Addidis, here comes plastic and elastic!

On day two of the Taj Mahal sheep farm, we helped construct hoop shade for our wool friends in the field. Together with a team the metal fencing, heavy duty tarp, and stakes quickly created a space of shelter from the elements. This is day two for the Environmental Sciences and Services group for Juniata College’s orientation program called “Inbound”.

What I walk away with today is simple yet profound. Many hands make light work. Our culture promotes and affirms individual success and it propels us to tackle the big and small things of life by ourselves. Working with people can be one of the most challenging things due to personality, disagreement, or attitudes. But working with people is one of the most rewarding, illuminating, and life-giving things we can do. I believe we are created for community, so when we come together to see a goal, the process and result is both a beautiful portrait of the Kingdom of God.

Sheep Patrol Pooch-Style

Today I connected with the very origin of my socks and other great wool creations – sheep! Nine freshman and 2 student peer leaders along with myself traveled to Taj Mahal Farm, located in a little town called Orbisonia. I’m serving with the Environmental Service and Sciences group as an adviser.

The couple owning and operating the farm began their farming adventure about two years ago but had always dreaming of owning a farm for decades. With the help of their daughter and her interest in sheep, the couple caught on to the enterprise and began learning from book, other farmers and, of course, the internet!

We touched on a variety of breeds like texels, cotswolds and dorsets (oh my!) and also about ailments and temperaments of the sheep. Since sheep are instinctively regard themselves as prey, they hid any sickness or weakness from outsiders. This trait can make caring for your flock more of a challenge. I chuckled about the striking similarity between sheep and humans. We never want to let our guard down so we can easily hide our weaknesses.

Shear delights

In the afternoon we experienced a whole new world of wool. It’s incredible to see the intensive care and process of how the wool comes sheered off the sheep to a sweater packed in my cedar chest. The one sheep owner is originally from the Bronx and just started spinning wool a year ago! There is still hope!

The students from Juniata College enjoyed the

Preparing wool for spinning

hands on afternoon of spinning and working with the wool. Many enjoyed the new-found challenge of creating the fluffiest wool or the best spin with materials from right outside in the pasture from sheepish friends like Lucky, Coco, and Kelly.

One of the farmers mentioned how the sheep “earned their name” due to their disposition. I reflected on this idea on the bus ride back to campus and the idea of advertising on our clothing. What name do we earn for ourselves? Maybe it’s Tommy Hilfiger or Express but what do these names say about the “I Am”? As stewards of a beautiful creation, can our clothing speak justice and reflect a world where all things belong to God?

Spinning on the wheel

Reading through Genesis 1 and 2 through the perspective of stewardship and caring for creation impacts our call today as it did in the garden.  Colossians 1.15-20 declares all things were created by Christ and are under Christ. When I take this reality and apply it to fashion and the clothing industry, I’m challenged (which is often a safe word that can mean “made uncomfortable”). Thinking critically and reading the labels of my clothing might mean better purchases where workers get paid and not abused, where the environment does not suffer, and as a result the justice of God is reflected in all things.

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col.1.15-20)

A few years back I was fortunate enough to learn about the group Indelible Grace, Derek Webb, and the feature of this blog, Sandra McCracken. The shared hope is to take traditional hymns and give new music to each one while still preserving the integrity of the lyrics and such. Indelible Grace even offers songbooks and resources for other to incorporate into person or congregational music. It’s like reverse napster – you create and choose to give it away.

On Sandra McCracken’s newest album, In Feast or Fallow, she features the song “Justice Will Roll Down”, a song inspired by Amos 5:24. Below is an acoustic version. This is a song I would be thrilled to worship with on Sunday with a church family.

This is what Sandra said in an interview at Backseat Writer about the lyrics:

“Justice Will Roll Down” is important to me because it is the first song of its kind that I have written, direct and pleading.  It is inspired by the work of International Justice Mission, and the being made right of all things.  We have little need for “justice” songs unless we sit next to the majority of people in the world who daily experience social, political and physical oppression and see the world as it is, in a posture of longing for redemption.”

I pray this day that justice would roll down just like that mighty river sound. May I be attentive to the whispers of living justice in my own life and to reflect justice to the glory of God and who he is, where the servant is the King and the slave set free.

The new place

Moving is a wretched experience. When taking a simple walk around your home you wouldn’t think you owned too much, maybe even thinking you didn’t own a lot. Until you move.

Shoving everything into a box is a great item purging experience. By the time everything essential is packed away all other belonging appear more and more attractive for the yard sale pile. I know this to be very true due to my recent move in the beginning of June.

I left one sweet bungalo one-person apartment for a 4 person student rental house built in the 1930′s (the wiring in the basement reveals the age of the home in three different electronic eras). I left the comfort of my “own domain” in exchange for sharing space with three college students. Believe it or not, I had some funny reactions when informing people of such a decision. Why on earth would an adult three years out of college choose to live with students rather than remaining in a beautiful one person apartment?

Because community experiences changes people’s lives. There’s a power and influence in the experience of communal living. Sure, there are little lessons about what constitutes as a clean dish and who showers too long and who always leaves their shoes in the wrong place.  Yet there are some big picture results that can come out of healthy community experiences. Those examples include the discovery of care and compassion in a community, how to meet and love your neighbor, serving as a household, caring for creation and stewardship of a place on earth, creating meals together, sharing meals together, and living out the African philosphy of Ubuntu. Archbishop Desmond Tutu says this:

One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu – the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

This place of potential Ubuntu is located just three block from campus and one block from Standing Stone Coffee Company, my CCO ministry partnership. There is even greater potential of more intentional Christian community the following year as I would have freedom to select students to live in community and serve the campus and neighborhood together. This is a fantastic place of dscipleship, gathering space, and hospitality in the name of Jesus. There’s nothing quite like extending love through dishes and baked goods and coffee at the kitchen table.

Moving showed me I needed to live with less but also, through the sacrifice of comfort and the challenge of community living, showed me to live for more.