By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)
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Dear Hannah,
we need to talk.
we need to have sustained, substantive conversations with friends, fans, and foes that are affirming, accepting, accountable - and sometimes authoritative.
they can be focused, civil, intra-generational, didactic, inspiring, comforting, strategic ...
... and can still be pleasant & fun.
... or thoughtful, probing, and sobering.
... or downright serious.
they can edify and mature the mind, will, and emotions ...
... by speaking life
... and preventing death.
they can build bonds, teams and camaraderie.
they can birth visions.
they can create frameworks for change.
they can help to keep peace, help to make peace, or help to say "peace".
it all starts with a good question that provides food for thought.
check it ...
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"Bag Of Life"
By Derrick Brown
1-17-2017
how you doin
what you up to
yo that's kinda fly
kinda fresh and new
what's on your mind
what you pursuin
steady on your grind
new ideas brewin
where you from
what do you do
man is that right
i've been there, too
what you wanna do
how you dreamin
now when you wake up
how you schemin
do you have some time
let's kick it for a minute
i'm out here tryna climb
up in to win it
hey is all good
tell me if you straight
i hope it's understood
that we met by fate
if not now, when
why and how, then
if not you, who
is all of that true
is there info
that you don't know
can the same facts
lead to other acts
what happened
how that make you feel
now are you for real
will you heal
can you forgive
let it all go
live and let live
know and then grow
am I your equal
do you respect me
am I your sequel
do you subject me
does this make sense
come on tell me now
or am i crazy
'gon do it anyhow
can you help me
please help me now
if would you show me
i'm willing to allow
can we pray, please
i need to find my way
which way to go
should I leave or stay
why
tell me what u thought
why not
i'm not gon say "you ought ..."
need some space
i'll take a step back
need some grace
i'll give a brotha slack
is it "you" or "they"
stand tall & straight
is it "yea" or "nay"
firmness carries weight
is this enough
or perhaps too much
should I scale back
use a softer touch
tell me what i say
to make you feel that way
tell me we're ok
to see another day
"Bag of Life" is my project-based approach to facilitating sustained, substantive conversations with friends, fans, and foes that are affirming, accepting, accountable - and sometimes authoritative.
You take a bag and fill it with cards containing short fill-in-the-blank statements like "I am afraid of _____" ...
... questions like "what are your core values about money?"
... terms like "commitment", "change", "love" that you describe to make the rest of the group try to guess - and in doing so you see how aligned your thoughts are with the other group members.
there are also some well-known and obscure Bible passages that challenge you to read, wrestle with, and rightly divide God's "words with friends".
then you sit in a circle, pass the bag, learn, grow, and get to know some folks in ways that encourage you to get together once you leave that circle ...
... and then you go serve people together in ways that expand that circle ...
... then rinse and repeat.
this is one small way we work for lasting change ...
... change that starts with "me" and the renewing of my mind.
Love,
Daddy
Copyright © 2017 Derrick Brown. All Rights Reserved.
