Monday...PM...Post Meltdown

Monday was a long day for me...the first part was jury duty...which if you haven't read about and you would like to...here you go!
As we were leaving the court room, I looked around and saw the families involved in this case and it hit me hard that this had been a terrible day for them as well. I know on both sides of the aisle there was just pain...expressed in their faces and in their posture. I asked God to be with them all.
I left the court house tired, sad and freezing. My hubby had dropped me off that morning because we had a convention to go to at 6:30 that evening...so it made sense for him to pick me up on his way there. I sat outside waiting for him and thought about where we were going...I had been excited to be asked to be a part of this organization but I was so tired and downtrodden...I really didn't even want to go. I knew the meaning of bone tired and it wasn't the good kind where you feel productive...I felt like my time had been wasted and I hate that feeling.

The convention we were going to that evening was about justice and the irony of what I had or hadn't done was not lost on me. The organization called HOPE was celebrating it's 20 year anniversary...the evening celebration was called "Two Decades For Justice" HOPE is an acronym for Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality. As I sat at outside trying to get warm...I thought about how my day had gone and I really felt anything but hopeful! To be honest...I was feeling sorry for myself. I had so much work to do and I hadn't accomplished anything and to be very honest I hadn't been in control of myself or my day and that made me cranky...then the poor Hubby pulled up. He was all chipper and I was all Godzilla! I finally said just take me somewhere where I can have coffee and to sit down! He drove to a bar...I kid you not...Yeah..he is a great listener...sometimes...just not then! Finally, after much pouting on my part...we ended up at McDonalds and I was able to share my day...okay... VENT my day!
After, I had let out all my steam...we went to this amazing convention.


It started with a wonderful Full Gospel choir singing these great spirituals that had moved me to tears! This organization is Diverse Congregations working together for fairness, Dignity and Justice and it is Catholic and Protestant Christians and Jews and Muslims. Their mission is to promote justice, fairness and the dignity of people, by engaging and training hundreds of people to responsibly and successfully act together to hold officials accountable to improve the systems affecting the quality of life in our communities. They do that by identifying common community problems, researching solutions, and then by publicly engaging officials for commitments to implement those solutions.
Last year, this organization got the local transit authority to add a later bus route so people could work the late shift...where as before they did not have a way home from work. This not only helps those individuals but the community at large because more of their people can be gainfully employed.
Our church is still deciding if we want to officially join this organization...I have already decided... but as guests for the evening we got to watch their caucusing and voting procedures. The areas of concern for this year was Attainable Housing, Drugs and Crime, Education and Youth and Transportation.They usually choose one area to focus in on and we watched as each church delegation voted based on individual membership totals. It looked like a United Nation convention...we are all so different and yet united in wanting to do something good for our community!
This year they chose Education and Youth...it was close... but this will be the focus of this amazing organization. I HOPE to be a part of it!! It was a great way to end my day.

"What is owed in justice should never be given in charity." Pope Paul VI

"And act justly. Truly God loves those who are just." Quran, 49:9

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God"
Micah 6:8