Well, freedom has many different definitions and realities. While I am free from the knee scooter, I am not free from my “walking boot”. The good news is that it is finally living up to its name, as I am to “walk” on it (not a regular shoe), putting just ½ my weight for 2 weeks, 75% for 2 weeks and then working up to 100%. Next appointment is six weeks away! Crutches are my new friends. I can take the boot off at night, that’s freedom of sorts, too. Thanks for all your prayers and continuing prayers, as I still cannot drive (boot is too big).
I’ve been explaining our “Evergreen Jigsaw Puzzle”. We’ve looked at two of the four “core values”, making the four corners of the puzzle, unity and cultural diversity. The third corner, those of us at the leader retreat, agreed is “acceptance.” Acceptance means that all people are “accepted”, and all opinions are accepted. During the retreat when we would self select groups or do some work, time after time, people would say, “well, I agree with what has been said, but also…” The sense that everyone counted was apparent in our work together and it is apparent in our work at Evergreen. Our consensus decision making as well as our caucus structure both support this “acceptance” reality. The growing edge again is the need to listen for and affirm the differences among us so that we use these to best do our work. There is a story line that goes with this “core value”, it is the storyline of “Everyperson”, an organizational archetype, that describes how we usually operate. Acceptance is a primary characteristic of this archetype, we tend to live it out in Evergreen.
I won’t be writing for a few days, as I am leaving for American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW) Board meetings. I will pick this up when I return, adding to this site on a regular basis. Your response is appreciated, please use the “contact us” page on this website.
Marcia
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