I have been living in community with people who were all strangers over a year ago. I think about when I'm home and what it will finally be like to go to bed in a room by myself, eat by myself or just be by myself at all. I have struggled with community on many different levels this year, but finally this past month I truly feel like this funny little community is like family and not just roommates anymore. So one night during our team time/feedback session, I voice recorded a typical strange conversation of ours. This one was pretty mild too. Every night this year we have some time to worship and pray together and to talk about how we can grow in our faith. So we give each other feedback, both positive and constructive.
So here it is. I left out the actual feedback parts. My family is nuts, but I love them.
Team: left to right. Boys: Cabe and Brian, Girls: Lindsey, Kari, Kara, Me
Kara – I have feedback. Kari- feedback!! (Kara gives feedback) Lindsey – ( Clearly misunderstanding her feedback) "I thought you were were going to say that you went to bed fully clothed." Kara – I mean I did. I don't think I've never. Cabe – What's the rut of that? Kari – Brian and Cabe come in at any time. Lindsey – You guys, my red toes look spicy hot. grrrrrr. Ya want me to paint your toes, Cabe?
Kari – Feedback, feedback, feedback. Brian, looks like you have the face of a man who has feedback. Brian – What!? Kari – Anybody? (Lindsey gives feedback.) Lindsey – Anyone have more?
Cabe – I'm telling you, my two knees. (He mutters something inaudible) Kara – Oh, i can think of something! (Kara gives feedback to the whole team.) (Then a conversation about the gynecologist…)
Lindsey – Did you know? Did you find the gum in your pants? Cabe – (sadly) Yeah. I only got one piece. One piece. One piece out of it. Lindsey – I looked in your pocket when I did the laundry and I thought what the crap is that? Cabe – No. I got one piece of gum out of it. (angry)
Jen – Oh, Cabe did you get your money? Cabe – Yeah, thanks. Cabe – Jen, don't push my buttons. ( I don't know what this means) Kara – Kari, did you get your money from Carolyn? I realized that you got a message from her on facebook but you aren't on facebook right now. Trent – You're not on facebook? (Cabe keeps talking inaudible words.)
Kari – Does anyone have anything else they need to say?
Kara – Kari, you have one more week. Kari – Huh? Kara – Malaysia video. (everyone groans)
Cabe – Hmmm. Kari – Take a number one to 6. Kara – 5. Kari – 3. Lindsey – Do I have to pick a different number? 4. Brian – 2. Lindsey – There's a piece of poop in your eyeball, Cabe. Kari – Jen! Jen – What numbers have been taken? Kari – 1 or 6. Jen – Oh, that's a tough one. Brian – Jen, take 6 me lord. Lindsey – I'm assuming that's a Lord of the Rings thing. Kari – It's shrek. Jen – I want 6. Cabe – 6? I want 6. Kari – Cabe, you are 1. Sorry, Trent. You don't get a number. Trent – That's fine. I'm gonna take a vacation. (he closes his eyes) Kara – Where are you? Trent – Hawaii.
1, 3 me and Cabe. 2 4 Brian and Lindsey. 3 5 Kara and Jen. Brian – Is this a game? Kari – NOOOO!
Sometime tomorrow, meet with your person and you are going to talk about
Cabe – The birds and the bees? Kari – No, how have you succeeded and failed in like growing this month? what are you going to do differently next month (mmm – trent) what are your goals next month (MMM – trent) Brian – (singing) Lord have mercy. (Jen and Kara join in) Kari – My team time!
Kara – Can you send that on facebook? Kari – I'm not using facebook. imessage. Cabe – Kari, you know what? Tamarrow's our off day. Kari – You know what? We are still friends on off days. Cabe – (whispers) Jesus (Cabe starts humming) Brian – Mirror face. I saw Jen's mirror face. Jen- No. That wasn't it. Ya'll have one too!!! Lindsey – Mirror face. Kara – Practice makes perfect, Jen.
Lindsey – Holy crap! I have so many notes on my ipod. Did you just fart? Cabe – no Lindsey – Do you swear? Cabe – Yeah. Lindsey – I just felt a vibration. Cabe sings – Gooood vibrations.
Cabe clears throat – Guys I need to post like two blogs.Trent makes a funny dance move. Jen – Trent, what was that? Trent – I don't know. I'm having a moment. Cabe – I need to blog about Romania. It's going to include when I led the kid to Jesus when he was really drunk. So that it'll be that and then Serbia. And a post about Europe hopefully before Poland that way where we are in South Africa, I mean Swaziland. Then I'll be ready to start my Word Press and ask my supporters to support me in prayer and if they'd like to, they can send me money.
Brian – Are you now a verbal processor? Jen – He's turning into Kara. Cabe – No, If I did, I would be eating dry meat. No, I'm turning into my dad. Kari – Cabe has a tow ring. Cabe – All right Kari I'm tired of your attitude. Kari – We are going to meet tomorrow and you are going to tell me your failures. Do we wanna pray?
Cabe – You do. Kari – I don't. It's my team time and I'm not it. Kara – Who are you deciding then? Kari – I think Jennifer should pray. (in a accent)
Jen – ok, Jesus, I thank you for this month. I pray that you would continue to pour out your presence on this family and home and the Jewish people as a whole. Would you go before us as we prepare to leave for Africa and prepare our hearts. Change us to be more like you. We ask that you would protect people we know in Thailand. Would you provide protection and safety over Cabe's sister as she prepares to go there very soon. We give it all to you – in your name, amen
Kari – Don't forget to do your homework or I'll stab you on your left foot third toe. Brian – hmmm. What if we don't have one? Kari – I'll get back to you. Cabe – What if I just punch you? (Cabe reaches over and punches Kari in the leg) Kari – You already did.
Kara – I have a question announcement. Kari – Question announcement! Jen – What is a question announcement? (Cabe starts singing something, stands up in front of all of us, makes a mirror face and yells) Skies out thighs out! (Cabe pulls up his shorts to show his thighs) Jen – Cabe! Cabe – Ma'am? Jen – That's weird. (question announcement happens)
Cabe – (Cabe starts tapping his ring on the ground) All right who wants to come leg wrestle me? Kari – You're not allowed to do that.
Jen – It's too hard. The other person will fly off the balcony if they lose. Cabe – No, you're flipped into that door. Jen – Nope, you're going off the balcony. Cabe – Jen, get your butt down here! NO mercy on you! Lindsey – But there is a guitar and laundry! You're gonna break it. Cabe – I don't care. I'm gonna kick you. Brian – Kick her! Kari – But it's a game. Cabe – It's not a game. It's a match. Brian – Ah! Jen – Nope, it's a game. (Cabe stands up and jumps off the balcony)
Brian – Cabe just jumped off.
Jen – Oh, i don't like that. Don't jump. Hey, I just recorded this whole team time.
Kari – That's a really good idea.
*We do have very meaningful moments and talk about some truly amazing things. This just doesn't happen to be one of those moments.
