junkmail for blankets: i stole this story, too

August 05, 2004

i stole this story, too

Looking to enact particular application after a sermon on the 8th commandment (the don't steal one), pastor Derek Rust of Hosanna Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN, installed "amnesty bins" in his church, the hope being that people would return all that they had stolen. Among the items: rubber toy, gum, power drill, hotel accoutrements, soldering iron. I'm not sure whether the pastor encouraged repentance along with external returns, or how he interprets the Old Testament call to repay four-fold. What I am sure of is that I could fill up a church full of "amnesty bins" from high school alone. But the things that matter most don't fit in bins. I have stolen:

time--I should have listened instead of talking
dignity--I put you down to lift myself that night with our friends
ideas--passed them off as my own
glory--the way I talked about you behind your back
affections--with no intention of holding them
away--I should have stayed

There's more, enough to make me feel small enough to fit in a bin. The only thing I can't steal is the thing I need the most: forgiveness.

Posted by ghetto monk at August 5, 2004 08:02 PM | TrackBack

Comments

nice, jeremy.

Posted by: joy at August 6, 2004 06:58 AM

can i use this with the teens i work with? it's really good jeremy. i am guilty of each and every one of those, but until i read them i didn't realize it. thank you!

Posted by: bobbie at August 6, 2004 07:57 AM

things i stole in jr. high: a jack-o-lantern, the front page from a special edition newspaper when the challenger exploded, my friend's uniqueness.

this stolen story is good.

Posted by: stephanie at August 6, 2004 10:04 AM

joy, thank you.
bobbie, yes, of course--it's not mine to begin with.
stephanie, i hope you put the jack-o-lantern to good use.

Posted by: jeremy at August 6, 2004 10:13 AM

how do you steal "away"?
I want to steal money, lots of money. And pens, especially ones with little ads written on them. And maybe an unpublished novel or two.

Posted by: Serven at August 6, 2004 12:32 PM

This moved me.

I am so glad forgiveness is there for the taking.

Posted by: jamie at August 6, 2004 02:13 PM

Thanks, J.C. I am so thankful God forgives, when I ask for it, no matter what! Glad you made it back to St Louis safely

Posted by: Mom at August 8, 2004 01:52 PM

nice site. i like you're writing. it's honest. seems like we have some similar perspectives on life.

Posted by: pablohart at August 9, 2004 06:52 AM

thanks, pablo . . . i'll be sure to drop by

Posted by: jeremy at August 9, 2004 02:40 PM

I recently discovered your blog and have been very impressed by your postings. This one in particular arrested my attention. I'm afraid my list of stolen items would be too long and too personal for this entry. I plan to bookmark this site and visit often. Thanks.

Posted by: Matt at August 16, 2004 12:49 PM

matt, that's really kind. thank you. and i shall visit, as well. you should also check out two of my friends, who are also graphic artists ("also" in relation to you, not me): hendrixillustration.com and carlfox.com

Posted by: jeremy at August 16, 2004 01:12 PM

Jeremy, do you mind if I reference your blog on my site? You're friends with Hendrix? I think I just saw one of his illustrations in the Sept 04 issue of Fast Company. Is that the same Hendrix?

Posted by: Matt at August 18, 2004 07:59 PM

matt, yes, i'd be honored. thank you. i met john through a friend. he did an illustration for my small publication ghetto monk. he does a lot of work (did a Beastie Boys piece for Rolling Stone recently), so the Fast Company piece is probably his. He's disgustingly talented, and brilliantly humble.

Posted by: jeremy at August 18, 2004 08:21 PM