Separate

Initially posted this on Medium.

 

Today furthered my rich appreciation for the absurd.

On my way back from an interfaith prayer vigil for gun violence victims, I look in the next lane and see a man on a motorcycle with an amazing sound system blasting “Niggas Bleed” by the late, great Biggie Smalls.

To his heart’s content.

On Martin Luther the King day tho? Slow down son, you killin’ em.

Yet this did not take the crown.

At the aforementioned vigil, I was ready to leave with my group when a police officer approached me.

“Excuse me. Were you with this group?”

“Yes.”

“Well, would you mind cleaning this place up?”

This isn’t one of those moments where I’m sweetening the story; substituting what I should have said with how I actually reacted. See, I like to give folks the benefit of the doubt. Maybe we misunderstood each other.

I meant that I was part of the group in respect to I was a part of a group that was one of many groups of participants in this interfaith rally. Perhaps he meant the group of people who put the vigil together. Surely that’s what he meant right? After all, no one would go up to a Yankee fan on Broadway and ask them to start sweeping tickertape.

But I didn’t have time for clarification. My group was leaving and he wasn’t asking if I could help clean up, he wanted me to be the help. And though I try to be kind, I’d like to think I’m too smart to fall for the okey doke. He wasn’t accusing me of littering; my sticker (unlike the few stickers on the sidewalk) was still clearly on my shirt. So after processing the situation I promptly responded,

“Yes, I would mind,” and walked away as his face filled with surprise.

I’m proud of myself but initially felt like a jerk. It’s not that I’m too good to clean litter. In the spirit of the day, I could have reasoned that doing so would be servanthood. But I’ve been pricked by too many microagressions, too many #AccidentalRacist episodes to give the benefit of the doubt.

I don’t know if I was the closest person but I know the officer didn’t stop my group, he stopped me, the closest black man he could find.

And I thank God that my response only inspired surprise.

Weekly wha dat?

In the past I’ve made a flurry of posts on Sunday night to share information about lupus thrivers, new medicines and the like. I’ve decided to condense this into one post and share my thoughts where necessary. Let’s see how this goes…

 

Lupus Initiative to receive $2 million in congressional appropriations bill

The Lupus Initiative, a lupus provider education program initiated by the Lupus Research Institute in collaboration with the federal government, stands to receive $2 million in the 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill released by Congress.

 

Lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome

New Genetic Clue to Lupus Is Found

Lupus 101: What You Need To Know About Latinas And The Disease

 

Marshall High School’s drama club has worked with numerous organizations to put together a fundraiser for Danielle Tuff, a senior who began home schooling last year after being diagnosed with lupus.

 

An autoimmune disease destroyed a Wadsworth woman’s kidneys, but the travel consultant was not going to let it take away her life, which revolves around traveling. So Dyana Shanahan now packs up a couple of hundred pounds of equipment and solution that provides her dialysis while she sleeps, cleaning out the toxins.

 

LUPUS AND JOINT PAIN: QUESTIONS ANSWERED

“Selena has been going full throttle the past few years and her Lupus is really catching up with her right now,” a source told Popdust. “She knows that she needs to take some time to address the disease and look after herself better if she wants to live a full and healthy life.”

 

RETIRED boxer John Melfah took on some of Britain’s most famous fighters during his long sporting career in sparring contests and title fights.

The Gloucester pugilist, now 53, is now facing his biggest battle yet as he fights back against debilitating disorder Lupus.

The next morning the pain had faded. Normally, I would just move on because with lupus I get all kinds of random pains. Now that I’m pregnant, I wanted to make sure everything was ok, so I called the nurse line. The nurse didn’t seem too concerned and almost talked me into not going in, but she said that if I was concerned enough to call, it might not be a bad idea to come in. So I made an appointment for later that morning with my doctor.

People who suffer from Lupus are more likely to develop certain nutrient deficiencies. It’s important for you to do your best to avoid letting this negatively affect your health.

 

Researchers have identified a genetic mutation that leads to lupus in mice and say the discovery could open the way for development of therapies that target the mutation in people.

Redeeming the Time

 

I’ve been studying Ephesians 5 this month and have been stuck on the question, “What does it mean to redeem the time?” It’s inspired by the advice given in verses 15 and 16,

“ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16, NKJV)

When I think about what it means to redeem the time I think about how love adds value. The days are evil, and indeed the world is a cold place if the dominant narrative is loveless. People doing them, showing no concern for one another and living like they are the center of the universe.

There’s a lot of temptation to live for self but we must resist the tragedy of selfishness. Living only for yourself is not truly living, it’s limited. It feels foolish sometimes and even lonely when you muster the courage to love. Truly loving one another and wanting the best for another person can even seem countercultural but it is who we ought to be.

I am convinced that love is transformative. Love changes circumstances, it creates room for joy and enlarges the possibilities of endurance. My prayer for you is not mere survival but I am believing God that you will thrive through any circumstance you are facing. I know we all have concrete difficulties in our lives but I am praying that the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) mature, develop and are made evident in the way we treat one another.

We are called to, “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2, NKJV) We need to ask ourselves what would our lives look like if we took love seriously? How would my relationships improve if I followed God’s example and walked in the way of love?