What TIME is it?
Posted by marty | Filed under .......
I'm glad you stopped by. Here's the lowdown. What you should know is that most of the content is not found here, on this 'Front' page. I do most of my work through iWeb and Wordpress, so take a look at the links either at the top or on the right. Enjoy your stay and come back soon now, ya'here?
You can contact Marty by emailing him at martinrayvaughan@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter by searching MartinRVaughan. And finally, of course he is on Facebook. So is Elvis.
the Prayer Exchange
a new site for the broken down and beat up
My
Church was trying out a new website recently that boasted much more
interacvivity than your typical Church site. It was Craig's List
meets Christian Church where users could sign up and post pretty much
anything they wanted. I posted an ad that said I would pray for
anyone who needed it - and that I would keep the gory details of their
junk anonymous. It took a little faith on the part of anyone who
wanted to share the ugly truth of their lives with a stranger. To
my surprise, people started emailing me daily, offering up confessions
that would make a sailor blush. In some cases, the confessions,
in the hands of law enforcement, would have paved the way to an
endictment. I replied to these prayers with a simple statement:
I am getting on my knees and praying for you at {enter time
here}. This struck a chord with people. Telling them it was
3:21 in the afternoon, and that I was praying, made it very real. It
connected two strangers. A burden that was once carried by one,
was now carried by two. What was truly amazing is how great I
felt, sharing these burdens. I found I was getting something out
of this...my burdens were getting lighter. I eventually launched
a website as the emails kept pouring in. You can find it at
www.theprayerexchange.com. Just as the site, suggests, it's a
place where you can pray for someone, or have someone pray for you.
Either way, you will get something out of the exchange.
Check it out.
I don't really have any answers, other than the fact that I live in the 21st Century and I love Jesus.
- Martin
What does 21st Century Christianity look like? Does it mean belonging to a certain set of cultural idioms? Do I have to own a Macbook and hang out at Starbuck's? (Both of those are true for me, incidentally). Does it mean that I use foul language and talk about Christ in the same breath? (Some are trying this...I often use foul language but I'm ashamed of it and I won't do it in front of children). Does it mean being edgy? Supporting gay marriage or getting inked? These are all considerations; I don't really have any answers. Other than the fact that I live in the 21st Century and I love Jesus. The rest of me is an amalgym of past and present influences; mistakes and lessons learned.
the Jungle
What does Special Education look like?
Jungle
I’m headed to a resource class called
‘Relationships’. Jonathan is on my right. He
walks slowly with a severe limp. The left side of his body was
rendered nearly useless by a stroke at age five. In front of me
is Jack. He’s wearing a hat, which, inside the building
would normally be a violation of dress code. I’m allowing
Jack to break the rules for a few weeks while his hair grows
back. Last month he began channeling his nervous energy by
twisting his hair back at the crown of his head. He now has a
bald spot the size of half dollar. The ridicule he would face
will only set us back further, and while I know better, I partly blame
myself for not catching the behavior sooner.
On my left is Josh. On the autism spectrum, Josh is singing the jingle from his favorite television show.
“Men men men men menly men men men, Oooooo!”.
He hits every note with uncanny accuracy. His auditory skills are
elevated but if he were left unattended he would likely wander off
campus and get lost. I always have one eye on Josh, for fear that
another student will knock him out. He has a fascination with
African Americans, and beards. If he were to encounter both
temptations at the same time he would likely run up and touch the
guy’s face. In High School, that can spell disaster quicker
than you can say “misunderstanding”.
Following behind us is James. Born with a sever speech impediment
and what seems like a host of other minor medical issues, James walks
with a look of fear in his eyes. Last week I saw blood coming out
of his ear. What will it be today. A headlock? Thrown
against a locker? James is in the unfortunate position of
appearing “normal” enough to be picked on.
A pride of lions will overlook a wildebeest too sick to stand up and go
after one that is at least healthy enough to run. No doubt, this
is a jungle. And James is on the menu. Too small to be a
main course, but most definately an appetizer.
High School and the Serengeti are similar enviornments.
Ridicule, malice, misguided angst… it’s enough to cause a
tangible stench in the hallways. We pass Janice, who weighs in at
nearly 220 lbs. She has considered suicide, to stop the way she
feels about her own body. Here comes Kimberly, a cheerleader with
considerable popularity, but I know that inside she is haunted by
secrets. Everyone’s rushing before the bell - all I have
time to do is wink at Janice and high-five Kimberly. That’s
a step for Kimberly, who doesn’t like to be touched.
Neither would you if you knew her story.
I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything, even though my work
sometimes follows me home and into my dreams. Some days it seems
that all I’m trying to do is undo what the parents did (or did
not do) the night before. Some days I make a connection, some
days I miss. But so long as this rat pack needs Coach Vaughan to
get their back, I will be there. Mess with one of my students,
and you just might find yourself on the menu too.
Final Thought
You may have found yourself here on purpose or on accident. You may be putting me in a box right now, creating a summation of my soul by these few pages. That's o.k., after all, I put myself out there by publishing a website. The truth is, I bore myself, and I'd like to read some new material that isn't inside my head, so email me, or send me a link of something relevant or inspiring. Again, you can always find me on Facebook, Twitter, Skype, or Gmail. martinrayvaughan@gmail.com
