This is a video my brother made for the youth group he leads- Northe. It tells the story of the real St. Nick, and I think it's pretty rad.
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Babel
I'm working on my last paper right now, and I thought I would upload a paper I finished last week. It's on the Tower of Babel. If you want to read it, download it from here. I think it's about 7 pages, and I reformatted it to be more readable. It probably sounds kinda snooty and scholarly. I hate it but it is kind of what is expected... Anyway, if you read it let me know what you think.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Some thoughts on consuming
Hey all, I wanted to follow up with some more thoughts on consumerism since this got some questions. I do have a tendency to make big blanket statements, assuming that everyone has the same background and same ideas running through their head, which obviously you don't! So here's a little bit about why I made some of those statements.
I'm not against buying things at all. I'm not saying to stop spending money, grow your own food, make your own clothes, build your own house. I'm not against capitalism. We should be thankful for the systems that are in place in this country that have given us such an amazing opportunity, but as Christians our first responsibility is to God's way of doing things. If something in our culture is against the things Jesus taught, we need to stand up for a better way of life and help others get there. This will make more sense when I give some specifics.
I think what scares me about consumerism is that we begin to think that we are consumers. I hear people call themselves consumers all the time. Do we really want to be people who consume everything around us? Who always need more and more and are never satisfied? The average American sees over 3000 ads a day, and they are all telling you to buy more. You will be happier with this thing, you need this to be safe, this will make you cool, you work so hard so you deserve this, this will make them love you...
Honestly, we all buy lots and lots of things we don't need and probably aren't good for us. I really really wanted to buy a new Nintendo cause I was playing with some friends, and I haven't played video games a lot in a few years. It's $250, which is cheap for something like that these days. I was all ready to do it, and then I started asking why I wanted it? Well, I'm too busy right now to play it right now cause of finals and papers. And when I go back to Colorado, I want to spend time with the people I haven't seen in months. And why did I stop playing in the first place? Well, cause it was a distraction and kept me from building good relationships with people and it sucked up too much time. And I wondered why I thought I needed it so much.
And I know there are lots and lots of times where those situations come up and I don't even recognize them. I am so used to buying things for myself cause I'm convinced I need more. And I'm realizing that consumerism makes us think we need more stuff to really be happy, which is really destructive. On top of that, we start to think that everything in the world is about us. Does this meet my needs? Is that what is best for me? This kind of thinking spreads beyond our buying patterns and gets into us even deeper. We get angry because someone is driving slow in "our" lane. We are mad because the lines at the grocery store are so long and we are going to be late. We want the pastor to meet all our needs and talk about the things we are interested in. And we become pretty selfish people.
That's why 2 billion people live in extreme poverty, which means that they cannot mean their basic needs of food, water, and shelter. They live on less than $1 per day, and will never get out of this cycle unless someone intervenes. Check out some stats that were accurate from about this time last year. I got these from a podcast sermon of Rob Bell's.
1.2 billion people live on less than $0.23 a day and half the world lives on less than $2 per day
The top 1 billion people make $70 a day
The 3 wealthiest people in the world are Americans, and their combined worth is greater than the GNP of the world's least developed countries (over 600 million people)
12% of the world uses 85% of the world's clean water
Every 6 seconds someone dies of hunger. Two thirds of the US is over weight.
The average America consumes 14 lbs of wood each day. The rest of the world averages 4 lb.
8% of the world owns a car.
US consumes 20 million barrels of oil each day (300 million people). China: 5.6 million barrels for 1.3 billion people.
Malaria kills more than 1 million people every year, even though we've known how to prevent and cure this disease for about 100 years. 70% are children under the age of 5.
I've heard that the amount of money it would take to completely eradicate extreme poverty from this planet is roughly equivalent to what Americans spend each year... one ice cream.
That is why I say that consumerism is anti-human. To be human is to represent God, as we are made in his image. America, a "Christian" nation, would rather get up at 4am to spend more money than it would to give a fraction of that to stop completely inhumane living conditions. That is why consumerism is anti-human. And in a globalized society the entire world sees this. They see the way we are never satisfied. They see the way we manipulate and steal from those who have so little so that we can have more. When the world sees a "Christian" nation so self-consumed and excessive, why would they want to hear anything about Jesus?
This isn't intended to be attacking, and I'm certainly not condemning anyone. This has been something that has been on my heart and mind for 18 months and I am grieved by how selfish my habits still are. I am only inviting you to join this struggle with me, because I don't think anybody who reads this wants to be selfish. We just so often can't even see how blinded we've become. We don't have to stop buying all together, and I don't think we are supposed to deny all the good things God has given us. God isn't asking everyone to be miserable. But can we ask God to help us give more and more instead of taking more and more? Can we pray for a heart that isn't overwhelmed with guilt by these stats, but breaks in love for these individual souls. Can we ask God how we can be better representatives so people will see the way we live for others. The way we give our lives away. The way we love. Then maybe they will want to know more about the God we represent.
I'm not against buying things at all. I'm not saying to stop spending money, grow your own food, make your own clothes, build your own house. I'm not against capitalism. We should be thankful for the systems that are in place in this country that have given us such an amazing opportunity, but as Christians our first responsibility is to God's way of doing things. If something in our culture is against the things Jesus taught, we need to stand up for a better way of life and help others get there. This will make more sense when I give some specifics.
I think what scares me about consumerism is that we begin to think that we are consumers. I hear people call themselves consumers all the time. Do we really want to be people who consume everything around us? Who always need more and more and are never satisfied? The average American sees over 3000 ads a day, and they are all telling you to buy more. You will be happier with this thing, you need this to be safe, this will make you cool, you work so hard so you deserve this, this will make them love you...
Honestly, we all buy lots and lots of things we don't need and probably aren't good for us. I really really wanted to buy a new Nintendo cause I was playing with some friends, and I haven't played video games a lot in a few years. It's $250, which is cheap for something like that these days. I was all ready to do it, and then I started asking why I wanted it? Well, I'm too busy right now to play it right now cause of finals and papers. And when I go back to Colorado, I want to spend time with the people I haven't seen in months. And why did I stop playing in the first place? Well, cause it was a distraction and kept me from building good relationships with people and it sucked up too much time. And I wondered why I thought I needed it so much.
And I know there are lots and lots of times where those situations come up and I don't even recognize them. I am so used to buying things for myself cause I'm convinced I need more. And I'm realizing that consumerism makes us think we need more stuff to really be happy, which is really destructive. On top of that, we start to think that everything in the world is about us. Does this meet my needs? Is that what is best for me? This kind of thinking spreads beyond our buying patterns and gets into us even deeper. We get angry because someone is driving slow in "our" lane. We are mad because the lines at the grocery store are so long and we are going to be late. We want the pastor to meet all our needs and talk about the things we are interested in. And we become pretty selfish people.
That's why 2 billion people live in extreme poverty, which means that they cannot mean their basic needs of food, water, and shelter. They live on less than $1 per day, and will never get out of this cycle unless someone intervenes. Check out some stats that were accurate from about this time last year. I got these from a podcast sermon of Rob Bell's.
1.2 billion people live on less than $0.23 a day and half the world lives on less than $2 per day
The top 1 billion people make $70 a day
The 3 wealthiest people in the world are Americans, and their combined worth is greater than the GNP of the world's least developed countries (over 600 million people)
12% of the world uses 85% of the world's clean water
Every 6 seconds someone dies of hunger. Two thirds of the US is over weight.
The average America consumes 14 lbs of wood each day. The rest of the world averages 4 lb.
8% of the world owns a car.
US consumes 20 million barrels of oil each day (300 million people). China: 5.6 million barrels for 1.3 billion people.
Malaria kills more than 1 million people every year, even though we've known how to prevent and cure this disease for about 100 years. 70% are children under the age of 5.
I've heard that the amount of money it would take to completely eradicate extreme poverty from this planet is roughly equivalent to what Americans spend each year... one ice cream.
That is why I say that consumerism is anti-human. To be human is to represent God, as we are made in his image. America, a "Christian" nation, would rather get up at 4am to spend more money than it would to give a fraction of that to stop completely inhumane living conditions. That is why consumerism is anti-human. And in a globalized society the entire world sees this. They see the way we are never satisfied. They see the way we manipulate and steal from those who have so little so that we can have more. When the world sees a "Christian" nation so self-consumed and excessive, why would they want to hear anything about Jesus?
This isn't intended to be attacking, and I'm certainly not condemning anyone. This has been something that has been on my heart and mind for 18 months and I am grieved by how selfish my habits still are. I am only inviting you to join this struggle with me, because I don't think anybody who reads this wants to be selfish. We just so often can't even see how blinded we've become. We don't have to stop buying all together, and I don't think we are supposed to deny all the good things God has given us. God isn't asking everyone to be miserable. But can we ask God to help us give more and more instead of taking more and more? Can we pray for a heart that isn't overwhelmed with guilt by these stats, but breaks in love for these individual souls. Can we ask God how we can be better representatives so people will see the way we live for others. The way we give our lives away. The way we love. Then maybe they will want to know more about the God we represent.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
conference
Sorry another busy couple weeks. Last week I spent the whole time that I wasn't eating food writing a paper on the Tower of Babel. This week my employer, World Orphans, is at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church at Saddleback Church. We have a booth and our president is speaking at a couple breakout sessions, so a big chunk of the team in Colorado Springs flew down to LA, and I've been hanging out with them. Marcello and I have had a blast hanging out and goofing around. I'll be heading back to Pasadena tonight (I think!) and then I need to write a final paper for another class and study for one more final! But then I'll be heading back to the Springs! YAY! I'm really looking forward to that and I hope to catch up with as many of you as possible!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Best Political Ad Ever
If you haven't already picked a presidential candidate to support, I may have found your man...
More here
More here
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Buy Nothing Day!
Speaking of consumerism, this upcoming Friday is Buy Nothing Day!
Also known as Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving is the most celebrated shopping day in the country. People line up outside stores at 4am to get the best deals and instead spend far more than they planned. Employees at these stores miss Thanksgiving because they have to spend the day preparing for the shopping zombies. Trust me, you don't want to mess with the undead, even though these are only armed with credit cards. Just stay home and enjoy the day off, or better yet, have a Turkey Bowl football game. Yes, that would be brilliant.
I normally don't like protest things, cause they are always "against" something and angry with something, but don't offer a better solution. But this is different, because consumerism is anti-human, so by being anti-consumerism, you are anti-anti-human, which is pro-human. See, all those logic classes in college are paying off. And if you ABSOLUTELY must buy something on this day, because you always have and you don't know what else to do, buy clean water for some folks who can't get it: blood:water mission. One dollar gets clean water for one African for a year.
Also known as Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving is the most celebrated shopping day in the country. People line up outside stores at 4am to get the best deals and instead spend far more than they planned. Employees at these stores miss Thanksgiving because they have to spend the day preparing for the shopping zombies. Trust me, you don't want to mess with the undead, even though these are only armed with credit cards. Just stay home and enjoy the day off, or better yet, have a Turkey Bowl football game. Yes, that would be brilliant.
I normally don't like protest things, cause they are always "against" something and angry with something, but don't offer a better solution. But this is different, because consumerism is anti-human, so by being anti-consumerism, you are anti-anti-human, which is pro-human. See, all those logic classes in college are paying off. And if you ABSOLUTELY must buy something on this day, because you always have and you don't know what else to do, buy clean water for some folks who can't get it: blood:water mission. One dollar gets clean water for one African for a year.
Monday, November 19, 2007
where are we?
Yeah, it's been a while again. This is all a plan to decrease my active blog readers from 8 to 4, so if you are reading this I guess I haven't worked hard enough. Just kidding!
I've been thinking and learning and questioning a lot over the last few weeks. That would probably be the best time to blog about stuff, cause it's the most fresh and hasn't been cleaned up for public consumption yet. So it's the most honest, but also the hardest to put down on paper, or bytes, or whatever this is. So that's why I haven't written much. I want to find a way to communicate ideas that are raw and wild and odd in a way that allows others to interact with their own raw, wild, and odd thoughts, but that seems to work best around a small table face to face. Actually, that has been a source of HUGE frustration, probably my biggest, with being in CA and not CO, cause I get new ideas and learn fascinating things but can't really talk with anyone about them! GAH! This blog is so one-sided, but it's all I got. So...
Today in class we talked a lot about how technology affects culture. For example, right now I am sitting in my room, on the 2nd floor of an apartment somewhere in Pasadena, at 1:42pm PST. You are reading this from some-where and some-time else. And it won't really be me that you are interacting with, but who I was or how I represented myself. So then you could ask, where and when are we? Are we in my time and place, or yours? And if more than one of you reads this, are we all in 3 places and times? This brings up a bigger question: Where is cyberspace?
Maybe you are thinking this is a little overly dramatic, but think about it like this. When I am writing this, I am more in my blogworld than I am in my room. I may physically be present in Pasadena, but my mind, my concentration, my thoughts, etc, are all in blogworld. It's kinda like when I'm watching football and "talking" to someone else at the same time. Most of me is in that stadium with the Chargers. I'm far more aware of what is happening there than I am of what is happening on the couch. So, where am I? Or if you are at home but are constantly on the phone talking business or thinking about work problems, aren't you still at work? I guess this has probably all been talked about before, but I've never really thought through this. You'd think this would be common among computer geeks, but it wasn't among the students I hung out with in the programming labs. Maybe cause we were lost in another world playing video games...
How does this affect us? We can't escape it. Maybe this is a big part of why so many people feel fragmented and long for a holistic lifestyle. We need to wrestle with how to live a cohesive life even though we are in a very real sense split all over the world. I think having a sabbath where you cut turn everything off and rest is essential, but is that all there is? I've never thought of it before, but isn't it a little warped if the best hope we have is "I'm so overwhelmed and stressed, but if I can just get past this and make it to the weekend..."? That can't really be life to the fullest like Jesus promised. It's almost another form of escaping, and therefore dividing ourselves yet again. So what do we do? The world is chaos all around us, and that's only going to keep increasing. We know it's not good to escape to our protective bubbles, because we can't live split between the sacred and secular. How do we live in a world that pulls at us constantly and live healthy, whole lives? We have to learn a balance. I have no idea what that really looks like in day to day living! Thoughts?
Okay, that was not what I intended to write about. I went off on about four other tangents while writing, and ended up with about 20 paragraphs. I'm not going to post that all right now. You would hate me. More to come later. I promise!
I've been thinking and learning and questioning a lot over the last few weeks. That would probably be the best time to blog about stuff, cause it's the most fresh and hasn't been cleaned up for public consumption yet. So it's the most honest, but also the hardest to put down on paper, or bytes, or whatever this is. So that's why I haven't written much. I want to find a way to communicate ideas that are raw and wild and odd in a way that allows others to interact with their own raw, wild, and odd thoughts, but that seems to work best around a small table face to face. Actually, that has been a source of HUGE frustration, probably my biggest, with being in CA and not CO, cause I get new ideas and learn fascinating things but can't really talk with anyone about them! GAH! This blog is so one-sided, but it's all I got. So...
Today in class we talked a lot about how technology affects culture. For example, right now I am sitting in my room, on the 2nd floor of an apartment somewhere in Pasadena, at 1:42pm PST. You are reading this from some-where and some-time else. And it won't really be me that you are interacting with, but who I was or how I represented myself. So then you could ask, where and when are we? Are we in my time and place, or yours? And if more than one of you reads this, are we all in 3 places and times? This brings up a bigger question: Where is cyberspace?
Maybe you are thinking this is a little overly dramatic, but think about it like this. When I am writing this, I am more in my blogworld than I am in my room. I may physically be present in Pasadena, but my mind, my concentration, my thoughts, etc, are all in blogworld. It's kinda like when I'm watching football and "talking" to someone else at the same time. Most of me is in that stadium with the Chargers. I'm far more aware of what is happening there than I am of what is happening on the couch. So, where am I? Or if you are at home but are constantly on the phone talking business or thinking about work problems, aren't you still at work? I guess this has probably all been talked about before, but I've never really thought through this. You'd think this would be common among computer geeks, but it wasn't among the students I hung out with in the programming labs. Maybe cause we were lost in another world playing video games...
How does this affect us? We can't escape it. Maybe this is a big part of why so many people feel fragmented and long for a holistic lifestyle. We need to wrestle with how to live a cohesive life even though we are in a very real sense split all over the world. I think having a sabbath where you cut turn everything off and rest is essential, but is that all there is? I've never thought of it before, but isn't it a little warped if the best hope we have is "I'm so overwhelmed and stressed, but if I can just get past this and make it to the weekend..."? That can't really be life to the fullest like Jesus promised. It's almost another form of escaping, and therefore dividing ourselves yet again. So what do we do? The world is chaos all around us, and that's only going to keep increasing. We know it's not good to escape to our protective bubbles, because we can't live split between the sacred and secular. How do we live in a world that pulls at us constantly and live healthy, whole lives? We have to learn a balance. I have no idea what that really looks like in day to day living! Thoughts?
Okay, that was not what I intended to write about. I went off on about four other tangents while writing, and ended up with about 20 paragraphs. I'm not going to post that all right now. You would hate me. More to come later. I promise!
Monday, November 12, 2007
the latest
My mom was in northern California for a conference at The Mission, a church in Vacaville this last weekend. (This is Graham Cooke's home church, for those of you who get excited about that!) I guess the conference was really cool and God did some special things, but for me the best part was Sunday when we met half way in San Luis Obispo. This is where my brother and I were both born, but this is only the 2nd time I've been back since we moved away about 24 years ago! It's was really great getting to spend some time with my mom and enjoy the ocean a little. Here's a pic:
It was a great escape from the normal urban city life.
I haven't been writing a lot lately. I don't really know why that is. It might be cause I'm just kinda bored right now and feel like there is nothing worth talking about. There is lots that I should be doing, but I'm kinda, well, not. I mean, with school there is always something you should be reading or studying or writing. But it's not really interesting at all anymore. It's become a bunch of intellectual stuff without no practical application for today, or tomorrow. I guess that's the role the students are supposed to play, but I don't have any where to do that. I'm discovering that is doesn't matter if you have all the right ideas if you don't have anyone to share the ideas with or apply them with. And since I can't really apply this stuff, I am less and less interested in learning anything else. Maybe that's lazy, but I'm done with going through the motions so I look excited and ambitious. That didn't turn out so fulfilling last time either.
Instead, I'm finding things I want to do, but I don't even know how to start. And since I have all the "supposed to" stuff hanging over my head, I don't invest time doing the things I want to do either. Instead I waste it away on random stuff. I'm still trying to figure out what I can do with my life that is exciting and real and I'm passionate about and will help other people... I don't really know what to make of it, so if you got any thoughts, fire!
In the meantime, check out a quote I found during some of my random time-wasting. It's from Aaron Niequist, who was the worship pastor at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI. I really love some of the songs he's written. They are deep and insightful and fresh. He recently stepped away from that position to pursue other dreams, one of which is a new cd. You gotta hear a demo of one of those new songs called "resistance": http://www.myspace.com/aaronniequist. It's really really good! Anyway, check this quote out. It's really sticking with me right now cause I've been thinking a lot about what worship really is.
There are parts of life that make sense and are easy to wrap our arms around. For the other 99%, there is music.
There are parts of God that make sense and are easy to wrap our arms around. For the other 99%, there is worship.
-Aaron Niequist
It was a great escape from the normal urban city life.
I haven't been writing a lot lately. I don't really know why that is. It might be cause I'm just kinda bored right now and feel like there is nothing worth talking about. There is lots that I should be doing, but I'm kinda, well, not. I mean, with school there is always something you should be reading or studying or writing. But it's not really interesting at all anymore. It's become a bunch of intellectual stuff without no practical application for today, or tomorrow. I guess that's the role the students are supposed to play, but I don't have any where to do that. I'm discovering that is doesn't matter if you have all the right ideas if you don't have anyone to share the ideas with or apply them with. And since I can't really apply this stuff, I am less and less interested in learning anything else. Maybe that's lazy, but I'm done with going through the motions so I look excited and ambitious. That didn't turn out so fulfilling last time either.
Instead, I'm finding things I want to do, but I don't even know how to start. And since I have all the "supposed to" stuff hanging over my head, I don't invest time doing the things I want to do either. Instead I waste it away on random stuff. I'm still trying to figure out what I can do with my life that is exciting and real and I'm passionate about and will help other people... I don't really know what to make of it, so if you got any thoughts, fire!
In the meantime, check out a quote I found during some of my random time-wasting. It's from Aaron Niequist, who was the worship pastor at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI. I really love some of the songs he's written. They are deep and insightful and fresh. He recently stepped away from that position to pursue other dreams, one of which is a new cd. You gotta hear a demo of one of those new songs called "resistance": http://www.myspace.com/aaronniequist. It's really really good! Anyway, check this quote out. It's really sticking with me right now cause I've been thinking a lot about what worship really is.
There are parts of life that make sense and are easy to wrap our arms around. For the other 99%, there is music.
There are parts of God that make sense and are easy to wrap our arms around. For the other 99%, there is worship.
-Aaron Niequist
Thursday, November 1, 2007
could it really be fall?
I'm on break from a class, so this won't be long. It is currently, according to weather.com, 60 degrees in Pasadena at 7:43pm. it is definitely the coldest it's been since I've been here, so I think it's colder than that. I'm thrilled! It finally feels like fall. Kinda. The air is still all think and gross from the smoke, so I'm not enjoying the crisp fall air I love so much, but at least I had reason to wear a hoody. I know, you are thinking that 60 is hot. Pssh, just let me enjoy this for a little bit. Fall is my favorite season and I don't want to miss it.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Efficiency
Soon I'll be offering some interesting stuff I've read about in "Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire" by Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat, which is a book I've wanted to read for about a year now and couldn't find anywhere. So when I saw it at the Fuller bookstore, I grabbed it. But I am usually so busy reading school books, I've barely started. So instead, here is a quote from my favorite school book, "Postmodern Youth Ministry" by Tony Jones, which I think is actually quoting from Youthworker by Mike Yaconelli. It's all very confusing...
_________________________________________________
Jesus: I don't like crowds.
Me: You don't like crowds?!? What are you talking about?
Jesus: I don't like crowds. Go back and read my story. Yes, I had crowds from time to time, but most of the people in them just wanted more wine, food, and power. Then - when I didn't give them what they wanted - they killed me. Nope. I don't like crowds. Besides, my best work was done one on one. You know the woman at the well, the crazy guy, the blind man, the prostitute. That's when I did my best stuff.
Me: But... um... that isn't very efficient.
Jesus: I know. I don't believe in efficiency.
Me: What?!?
Jesus: Let me put it this way. I believe in making disciples one at a time. Very slow stuff.
_________________________________________________
If only Jesus had read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, think what he might have accomplished...
Sorry, I couldn't resist it. I'm still working on my self discipline.
_________________________________________________
Jesus: I don't like crowds.
Me: You don't like crowds?!? What are you talking about?
Jesus: I don't like crowds. Go back and read my story. Yes, I had crowds from time to time, but most of the people in them just wanted more wine, food, and power. Then - when I didn't give them what they wanted - they killed me. Nope. I don't like crowds. Besides, my best work was done one on one. You know the woman at the well, the crazy guy, the blind man, the prostitute. That's when I did my best stuff.
Me: But... um... that isn't very efficient.
Jesus: I know. I don't believe in efficiency.
Me: What?!?
Jesus: Let me put it this way. I believe in making disciples one at a time. Very slow stuff.
_________________________________________________
If only Jesus had read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, think what he might have accomplished...
Sorry, I couldn't resist it. I'm still working on my self discipline.
Some pictures...
So every Thursday a bunch of us gather together to watch the Office. This is us all pile onto the couch. We don't usually watch the Office on the same couch, cause that would be really awkward.
Please note the Chipotle cup, the Mill shirt, the DSI water bottle, and the Relevant magazines. I still represent CO. (Ok, Relevant has nothing to do with Colorado, but I had to mention that anyway.)
But needless to say, we are all big fans of the Office tv show. So I guess it isn't surprising when two of us show up to a Halloween party as Office characters. This picture of "Dwight", "Jim", and some special jello pretty much says it all. NOTE: in the event you should ever try to encase random office supplies in jello, use either yellow or green jello, not a dark color like red. And be sure to grease the bowl before you put the jello in. Apparently that helps a lot. Also be aware that once removed from the fridge, jello formations rapidly deteriorate into slimy little piles (Jordan, that one is for you) of goo.
Also, the northeastern part of our country, particularly the region known as "New England" is really testing my commitment to not hate anyone or anything. Although I sometimes wonder if Jesus would love the Red Sox and Patriots. I guess he would, because of the whole "Love your enemy" thing, but he would DEFINITELY NOT be a fan. Jesus always sides with the broken and forgotten, not the arrogant who like nothing better than to ground the weaker into the dust, or turf as it may be. So I guess he would be a Dolphin and Royal fan...
Please note the Chipotle cup, the Mill shirt, the DSI water bottle, and the Relevant magazines. I still represent CO. (Ok, Relevant has nothing to do with Colorado, but I had to mention that anyway.)
But needless to say, we are all big fans of the Office tv show. So I guess it isn't surprising when two of us show up to a Halloween party as Office characters. This picture of "Dwight", "Jim", and some special jello pretty much says it all. NOTE: in the event you should ever try to encase random office supplies in jello, use either yellow or green jello, not a dark color like red. And be sure to grease the bowl before you put the jello in. Apparently that helps a lot. Also be aware that once removed from the fridge, jello formations rapidly deteriorate into slimy little piles (Jordan, that one is for you) of goo.
Also, the northeastern part of our country, particularly the region known as "New England" is really testing my commitment to not hate anyone or anything. Although I sometimes wonder if Jesus would love the Red Sox and Patriots. I guess he would, because of the whole "Love your enemy" thing, but he would DEFINITELY NOT be a fan. Jesus always sides with the broken and forgotten, not the arrogant who like nothing better than to ground the weaker into the dust, or turf as it may be. So I guess he would be a Dolphin and Royal fan...
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The Most Interesting Man In The World
So I saw this commercial during the Charger game today. It's hilarious. I hope you enjoy:
If you go to staythirstymyfriends.com, it has more ridiculous stuff just like this... :)
If you go to staythirstymyfriends.com, it has more ridiculous stuff just like this... :)
Friday, October 26, 2007
fires
Oh, and for anyone who was worried, the wildfires didn't come anywhere close to Pasadena, so I haven't had any problems with that. Most of the trouble was in San Diego area. The closest thing to me was in Malibu, and that's about 40 miles west. It's been really smoky and hot, and the sun and moon have been orange the last week or so, but that's pretty much all. Hopefully nobody thought I was in danger and that's why I didn't update...
a new post cause i felt like i had to write something
I guess I haven't written anything in over a week now. There are a few factors in that. First, school has been busy and I had a midterm and paper that were taking large portions of my time. Second, there has been a lot on my mind, but its not coherent enough to write about. Yeah, I know that's never stopped me before. And third, I borrowed a friend's Nintendo Wii and started playing Zelda. But that really has nothing to do with it...
School is going well, but I'm a little frustrated that there is very little emphasis on application. We constantly have to read and I've learned a lot of interesting stuff. And so far that is really where it has stopped; we get lots of info. It seems the only point is to be able to wow your congregational with your incredible Bible Trivia abilities. Now I love random info (it's probably most of what I know!), but I really got the impression from everything Fuller said that they emphasized WHY this piece of info, was in fact, not random but important and helps to bring light to that other seemingly unconnected piece of info. There has been some of that, but it's mostly "Discuss all the evidence that leads to a likely dating of the Exodus, from the Bible, other written sources, and archaeological findings", and nothing about why the dating is important, what it means for Joe Randomdude, and how it affects the best way to understand other events in the Bible. It's like that "practical thing" doesn't really matter, when that's really ALL I care about.
In fairness, it is mid-term time, and who doesn't hate class when you are studying for a test or writing a paper. And I had the exact same complaint with UCCS when I got my Computer Science degree there. All theory, no practical. Maybe it's just the way I'm wired, but I don't really care to just think about stuff. I love thinking about stuff and learning new things, but I get stuck there and it doesn't change me or help me live differently, and what good is that? (This is actually a lot of what I have been wrestling with lately, cause I feel like I'm not really doing what I say I should be doing, cause I'm doing other stuff first, but is that what I should be doing, and does it even matter, and will I get there either way, and...) And it really has me frustrated when all I've learned is just what I can read in a book, for about 1% of the price...
So anyway. I hope to have something more interesting or exciting next time. Miss you all a lot. Hope you are enjoying the fall (for those of you who either like for or are experiencing fall). I'm sick of it being hot, smoky and fiery, and you mountain dwellers are mad cause it's already snowing...
School is going well, but I'm a little frustrated that there is very little emphasis on application. We constantly have to read and I've learned a lot of interesting stuff. And so far that is really where it has stopped; we get lots of info. It seems the only point is to be able to wow your congregational with your incredible Bible Trivia abilities. Now I love random info (it's probably most of what I know!), but I really got the impression from everything Fuller said that they emphasized WHY this piece of info, was in fact, not random but important and helps to bring light to that other seemingly unconnected piece of info. There has been some of that, but it's mostly "Discuss all the evidence that leads to a likely dating of the Exodus, from the Bible, other written sources, and archaeological findings", and nothing about why the dating is important, what it means for Joe Randomdude, and how it affects the best way to understand other events in the Bible. It's like that "practical thing" doesn't really matter, when that's really ALL I care about.
In fairness, it is mid-term time, and who doesn't hate class when you are studying for a test or writing a paper. And I had the exact same complaint with UCCS when I got my Computer Science degree there. All theory, no practical. Maybe it's just the way I'm wired, but I don't really care to just think about stuff. I love thinking about stuff and learning new things, but I get stuck there and it doesn't change me or help me live differently, and what good is that? (This is actually a lot of what I have been wrestling with lately, cause I feel like I'm not really doing what I say I should be doing, cause I'm doing other stuff first, but is that what I should be doing, and does it even matter, and will I get there either way, and...) And it really has me frustrated when all I've learned is just what I can read in a book, for about 1% of the price...
So anyway. I hope to have something more interesting or exciting next time. Miss you all a lot. Hope you are enjoying the fall (for those of you who either like for or are experiencing fall). I'm sick of it being hot, smoky and fiery, and you mountain dwellers are mad cause it's already snowing...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Everything is Spiritual
Last year Rob Bell and his family went on tour and did speaking events all over the country. It was essentially 2 hours of him writing on a whiteboard talking about how all of life is spiritual. I didn't get to go because the Colorado Springs stop sold out, but I heard it was pretty cool. The sweet part is that they recorded a couple of the stops, and there is a DVD coming soon! You can pre-order it at www.everythingisspiritual.com. I've heard that if you pre-order Noomas, you usually gt them before the official release date, so consider that... And don't forget that Rob is going on tour this fall. I already got my ticket for that one. YAY!
my new church!
I've been visiting a few churches out here, trying to find a good fit. It's been tough. I really want to be a part of a community that values worship. I'm finding that often worship has been reduced to 3 happy songs where everyone stares blankly at the worship leader, and maybe sings. Everybody has the full band and sounds great, but passion, awe, humility and, er, worship, seem to be missing. That was really hard for me.
Then I visited a church called Origins on Sunday night. It is in Long Beach, which is about 40 minutes south of me. Ben is the one who pointed me in there direction, and after checking out their site I figured the church was aimed at 20-30 years old crowd who are looking for a more organic, community-focused expression of church. That is really exciting to me, but part of me is still a little skeptical about it as well. There are many people trying to wrestle with these ideas, and how they put it into practice can be drastically different (which is part of the point...). So you never know what to expect until you are there.
To say it simply, I absolutely loved it. Before I could get in the doors they welcomed me and connected me with a guy who is gonna be at Fuller next quarter. We talked for about 10 minutes, and I could see genuine humility and hunger to love God and people. Worship was simply an acoustic guitar and 2 singers, and we started the service with 10 minutes of quiet reflection on our week and allowing God to enter into those times, healing and refreshing us. The worship time was so simple and raw, it was so easy to connect with God and re-orient ourselves around Him.
AJ, the pastor, is a really great guy. He spent some time in the Sermon on the Mount, really digging into Jesus' teachings on anger. He took it a lot further than I'd heard before, asking hard questions and refusing to stop at superficial answers. Then we split up to talk about it in small groups. We immediately were talking about serious issues, like "People close to me are lying about me to discredit Christians. How can I not be angry with them?" As we opened up and shared, we all were able to help each other see a different point of view, to understand more about forgiveness, and how hard but necessary it can be to love others.
After, they invited me to Chipotle. It's a weekly tradition. How can you not love that? (BTW, I thought you should know that Chipotle is widely loved by everyone I meet from all over the country, and they ALL understand quite well that imitators like Qdoba fall far short. It saddens me that in Colorado, Chipotle's home state, there is far more disrespect for Chipotle's loving gift to us.) AJ spent the whole time talking with me. We had a great time sharing stories and backgrounds. I already feel like I'm part of the community!
So that's really great! I'm excited about it. The only downside is that it is a good distance from Pasadena, so it will be a little harder to build friendships. But I think that will take care of itself in time.
Then I visited a church called Origins on Sunday night. It is in Long Beach, which is about 40 minutes south of me. Ben is the one who pointed me in there direction, and after checking out their site I figured the church was aimed at 20-30 years old crowd who are looking for a more organic, community-focused expression of church. That is really exciting to me, but part of me is still a little skeptical about it as well. There are many people trying to wrestle with these ideas, and how they put it into practice can be drastically different (which is part of the point...). So you never know what to expect until you are there.
To say it simply, I absolutely loved it. Before I could get in the doors they welcomed me and connected me with a guy who is gonna be at Fuller next quarter. We talked for about 10 minutes, and I could see genuine humility and hunger to love God and people. Worship was simply an acoustic guitar and 2 singers, and we started the service with 10 minutes of quiet reflection on our week and allowing God to enter into those times, healing and refreshing us. The worship time was so simple and raw, it was so easy to connect with God and re-orient ourselves around Him.
AJ, the pastor, is a really great guy. He spent some time in the Sermon on the Mount, really digging into Jesus' teachings on anger. He took it a lot further than I'd heard before, asking hard questions and refusing to stop at superficial answers. Then we split up to talk about it in small groups. We immediately were talking about serious issues, like "People close to me are lying about me to discredit Christians. How can I not be angry with them?" As we opened up and shared, we all were able to help each other see a different point of view, to understand more about forgiveness, and how hard but necessary it can be to love others.
After, they invited me to Chipotle. It's a weekly tradition. How can you not love that? (BTW, I thought you should know that Chipotle is widely loved by everyone I meet from all over the country, and they ALL understand quite well that imitators like Qdoba fall far short. It saddens me that in Colorado, Chipotle's home state, there is far more disrespect for Chipotle's loving gift to us.) AJ spent the whole time talking with me. We had a great time sharing stories and backgrounds. I already feel like I'm part of the community!
So that's really great! I'm excited about it. The only downside is that it is a good distance from Pasadena, so it will be a little harder to build friendships. But I think that will take care of itself in time.
Friday, October 12, 2007
welcome
So I just passed this address along to a lot of new people, so if this is your first time here, please stand up, share your name, and tell us a little but about yourself...
But seriously, leave a comment so I can say hi. This is just sort of a way for my friends to stay up on my life and thoughts wile I'm in Pasadena. So sometimes I will post about what my classes are teaching, sometimes I'll write about my thoughts or ideas, sometimes I'll complain and/or cheer about the Chargers, and other times I will provide completely random and weird things like funny t-shirts (see below)...
But most of you know me well enough that you probably expect that!
i really just wanna stay in touch with you, and this is the best tool I know to help with that. If you wanna get an email whenever I post something new, just enter your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the top right hand side, or if that doesn't work send me an email and I'll take care of it for you.
But seriously, leave a comment so I can say hi. This is just sort of a way for my friends to stay up on my life and thoughts wile I'm in Pasadena. So sometimes I will post about what my classes are teaching, sometimes I'll write about my thoughts or ideas, sometimes I'll complain and/or cheer about the Chargers, and other times I will provide completely random and weird things like funny t-shirts (see below)...
But most of you know me well enough that you probably expect that!
i really just wanna stay in touch with you, and this is the best tool I know to help with that. If you wanna get an email whenever I post something new, just enter your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the top right hand side, or if that doesn't work send me an email and I'll take care of it for you.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
How I would waste a few hundred dollars...
I like t-shirts. Especially funny ones. I hope these designs make you laugh as much as they made me.
I love Oregon Trail
If the Dramatic Chipmunk ran for President, I might vote for him...
I know this is twisted and wrong...
Visit Cuba! Some restrictions apply!
B** B*rry B*nds
Juan on Juan tournament...
I love Oregon Trail
If the Dramatic Chipmunk ran for President, I might vote for him...
I know this is twisted and wrong...
Visit Cuba! Some restrictions apply!
B** B*rry B*nds
Juan on Juan tournament...
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
shwarma and fallafel
Every time I come across a story about Israel and Palestine (like this one) it reminds me of the Furnace trip. I pulled a map on Wikimapia and was looking at the area again, remembering different locations and events. I try to find our hostel in Tel Aviv, then follow the roads to find the bus station and the park where we did a lot of outreach to drug addicts and homeless folks. Then I track north to Galilee and the tour stops, baptisms, and Jesus Boats. I think something special happened on one of those boats...
Then I try to find the road that runs along the Jordan River back into Jerusalem that our bus followed. That is especially fun, because on Wikimapia users can tag locations on the map, and there are tags all over Jerusalem. So it is instant memories, as I can find the Mount of Olives, Temple Mount, and (what might be) Jesus' tomb. I think I even found the house where we stayed with our "guides", and now I'm looking for Cafe Aroma and Meat Burger. Yes, there's not much better than a chocolate croissant and an Iced Aroma. (Tela... VIV!) Interestingly, both of those last two, according to google, are located on Hilel St. At the time I didn't know who Hilel was, but now I do! (Thanks Rob!)
And really, I can thank (or blame...) this trip for why I'm in Pasadena typing this right now. It was standing on the Mount of Olives and looking down at Jerusalem that I thought "This is where everything happened". It came alive like never before, and seeing these places made we want to learn more and more. I can't remember if that was before or after Ryan and I rode on the camel, but I'm sure it was unrelated! :) Hahaha! Good times.
So to all of the Tel Aviv team for being so cool and stomping so well, to Ryan for keeping me company during the tours and the camel ride, to Ben for showing us how a camel really should be ridden (with an umbrella, for the record), to Frierson for not ditching us for the Ethiopians, to Joe for being my personal photographer, to Ron for singing, to B for buying IDF t-shirts with me, to Stefan for setting the bar impossibly high (and still taking time to hang out with us and not just his new fiance), and to Matt for the good debriefing talk just before we left, thanks for the memories. Love you all!
Then I try to find the road that runs along the Jordan River back into Jerusalem that our bus followed. That is especially fun, because on Wikimapia users can tag locations on the map, and there are tags all over Jerusalem. So it is instant memories, as I can find the Mount of Olives, Temple Mount, and (what might be) Jesus' tomb. I think I even found the house where we stayed with our "guides", and now I'm looking for Cafe Aroma and Meat Burger. Yes, there's not much better than a chocolate croissant and an Iced Aroma. (Tela... VIV!) Interestingly, both of those last two, according to google, are located on Hilel St. At the time I didn't know who Hilel was, but now I do! (Thanks Rob!)
And really, I can thank (or blame...) this trip for why I'm in Pasadena typing this right now. It was standing on the Mount of Olives and looking down at Jerusalem that I thought "This is where everything happened". It came alive like never before, and seeing these places made we want to learn more and more. I can't remember if that was before or after Ryan and I rode on the camel, but I'm sure it was unrelated! :) Hahaha! Good times.
So to all of the Tel Aviv team for being so cool and stomping so well, to Ryan for keeping me company during the tours and the camel ride, to Ben for showing us how a camel really should be ridden (with an umbrella, for the record), to Frierson for not ditching us for the Ethiopians, to Joe for being my personal photographer, to Ron for singing, to B for buying IDF t-shirts with me, to Stefan for setting the bar impossibly high (and still taking time to hang out with us and not just his new fiance), and to Matt for the good debriefing talk just before we left, thanks for the memories. Love you all!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
the place just beyond words
Ok, I promised to explain a bit about my last rant and clear some things up. As I was reading a book for school just now, I came across a section that seemed to reinforce what I was trying to communicate. Each page I read had more and more. So I'm gonna quote a few lines and offer my thoughts... BTW, the book is Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones and this section is primarily addressing how important community is in our world today.
"We have to remember that most kids need an authentic relationship with us before they walk through the youth room doors. When they get up the courage to come, it's because they literally want to meet the God they've been sensing in our lives. Amazingly enough, that's what they assume church is about... connecting with God. If we make the mistake of equating technology with a high-impact, spiritual experience - if we forget that technology is a tool - we've missed the point. Concentrate on the "L" of worship... on going vertical (meeting with both the transcendent and imminent God) and horizontal (connecting with each other)."
Most of us grew up in entertainment-based youth ministries. Loud music, exciting videos, big budget, special effects. And it was the best show in town. Everyone wanted to be involved because it was exciting and presented Jesus as relevant. Some were more seeker sensitive, where you don't really talk about God, or you lure people in by saying it's one thing, and then try to sneak Jesus in at the last minute. And really, it worked., and there's nothing inherently wrong with it. But times are different now.
A church just can't compete with entertainment these days. No church I've ever heard of has a light show to compete with U2. A church worship band is just not as good at writing or playing music as the best artists in the world- sorry, but it's true. And even though the Thorn pushes the envelope in production and new ideas every year, and they do a fantastic job, they are still about 15 years behind Cirque du Soleil. So we have watered down entertainment that is 5 years behind the times and cheaper but hey it's Christian. And the message we are sending is that Jesus is just another filler to temporarily distract you from your hopeless 8-5 job, overwhelming house payment, and broken family.
Now I know you are thinking "But that isn't what Church s really about. Worship isn't just songs! Exactly! So why do we keep throwing all our effort into things that we openly admit are distractions?
And the truth is, a lot of people are sick of entertainment period. They want something real. Something lasting. Something that addresses the realities of a broken world. They want real relationships, not fake plastic smiles.
"I recently visited a huge youth ministry in another part of the country. The place, centered in a former warehouse, is amazing: a diner, video games, pool and foosball, skee ball, air hockey, and basketball... The dissonance occurred during the youth pastor's message to the 500 or so youth in attendance: "Do not be conformed to culture", he preached, "but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."...The whole first hour was rife with cultural influence - and then the students were chided for immersing themselves in secular culture. We must beware of these kinds of double standards."
And we might say that they shouldn't have video games and pool, or that the youth pastor shouldn't make such a big deal about culture. But the point of this quote is not to find the right formula, but to point out how easily double standards can sneak in. This is where my comments about clothing come in. I'm not saying that style is bad. I'm saying that we are sending mixed messages when we tell these students "All you need to belong and have identity is Christ", but the leadership is dressed in the latest fads. When we tell people that we need to give more to the poor (and we certainly do!), and then we try to sell them our cds, clothes, and books! Do you see the disconnect in that?
"Students - and I would suggest adults, too - want the church to deal with the issues that the church should deal with. They want to see religious, spiritual people who are useful in our world. 'Caring for orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself from being corrupted by the world.' "
If we agree that this is the heart of the gospel, then again, why spend our time, money, and energy on things we would all agree are NOT the heart of the gospel?
One value of the Baby Boom generation was relevance. Boomers thought the church had lost the ability to speak into day-to-day life (and sadly, many churches had), so churches were built to look like shopping malls and services were designed to be friendly and nonthreatening...But postmodern students want real more than relevant. The church needs to be what is is: a sacred community of persons who follow a mysterious and demanding Lord... The church is different.
This should make us ecstatic! Now we can be open and honest about our faith. We don't have to feel like freaks for saying we talk to God. This is what real Christianity looks like anyway. Jesus never let people get away with fitting him into a corner of their life. He demanded everything. He demanded that they lose their life for his sake. Maybe this is why Christianity always grows where people can't take it superficially...
The Charismatics, Pentecostals, and the Eastern Orthodox church have won... None of them do worship services - they do worship experiences. To these believers, worship is not an activity - it's an epic-tivity. It's both timely and timeless. They're experiential, participatory, image-based, and connective. Everybody else is rational, passive, word-based, and highly individual.
Again, this is fantastic. And that is part of what NLC does so well. Yes, there are lights and smoke and cameras, but they aren't the focus. The focus really is on experiencing the Living God. But as I've discovered while trying to find a good church here, it's rare. Postmoderns are hungry for experience, not for more rules or beliefs or thoughts. And being that we have a God who loves to be experienced, we have exactly what people want. Over and over and over, the Bible tells the story of a God who want to be with his people. And how they keep finding ways to disconnect and separate from him. But now, look at this! People are desperate for something spiritual! Check out Extreme Prophetic for examples of how some people are using this to reach out to newagers, mystics, and even people in the occult.
What a tragedy if we run away from postmodernism because we don't understand it and are afraid of new ideas. People are asking for an encounter with someone supernatural. This could be the greatest opportunity to reach the world that we've ever been given.
The trouble with writing about postmoderns is that they don't like to be categorized, explained, observed, limited, reduced, dumbed down, isolated, or put under a microscope. Postmoderns resent our obsession with definition. This generation is longing for relationship, mystery, experience, passion, wonder, creativity, and spontaneity. In other words, they want to go past where the "sidewalk ends." They long for the place just beyond words, the shore of mystery. In other words, they're looking for Jesus. What else do we need to know?
"We have to remember that most kids need an authentic relationship with us before they walk through the youth room doors. When they get up the courage to come, it's because they literally want to meet the God they've been sensing in our lives. Amazingly enough, that's what they assume church is about... connecting with God. If we make the mistake of equating technology with a high-impact, spiritual experience - if we forget that technology is a tool - we've missed the point. Concentrate on the "L" of worship... on going vertical (meeting with both the transcendent and imminent God) and horizontal (connecting with each other)."
Most of us grew up in entertainment-based youth ministries. Loud music, exciting videos, big budget, special effects. And it was the best show in town. Everyone wanted to be involved because it was exciting and presented Jesus as relevant. Some were more seeker sensitive, where you don't really talk about God, or you lure people in by saying it's one thing, and then try to sneak Jesus in at the last minute. And really, it worked., and there's nothing inherently wrong with it. But times are different now.
A church just can't compete with entertainment these days. No church I've ever heard of has a light show to compete with U2. A church worship band is just not as good at writing or playing music as the best artists in the world- sorry, but it's true. And even though the Thorn pushes the envelope in production and new ideas every year, and they do a fantastic job, they are still about 15 years behind Cirque du Soleil. So we have watered down entertainment that is 5 years behind the times and cheaper but hey it's Christian. And the message we are sending is that Jesus is just another filler to temporarily distract you from your hopeless 8-5 job, overwhelming house payment, and broken family.
Now I know you are thinking "But that isn't what Church s really about. Worship isn't just songs! Exactly! So why do we keep throwing all our effort into things that we openly admit are distractions?
And the truth is, a lot of people are sick of entertainment period. They want something real. Something lasting. Something that addresses the realities of a broken world. They want real relationships, not fake plastic smiles.
"I recently visited a huge youth ministry in another part of the country. The place, centered in a former warehouse, is amazing: a diner, video games, pool and foosball, skee ball, air hockey, and basketball... The dissonance occurred during the youth pastor's message to the 500 or so youth in attendance: "Do not be conformed to culture", he preached, "but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."...The whole first hour was rife with cultural influence - and then the students were chided for immersing themselves in secular culture. We must beware of these kinds of double standards."
And we might say that they shouldn't have video games and pool, or that the youth pastor shouldn't make such a big deal about culture. But the point of this quote is not to find the right formula, but to point out how easily double standards can sneak in. This is where my comments about clothing come in. I'm not saying that style is bad. I'm saying that we are sending mixed messages when we tell these students "All you need to belong and have identity is Christ", but the leadership is dressed in the latest fads. When we tell people that we need to give more to the poor (and we certainly do!), and then we try to sell them our cds, clothes, and books! Do you see the disconnect in that?
"Students - and I would suggest adults, too - want the church to deal with the issues that the church should deal with. They want to see religious, spiritual people who are useful in our world. 'Caring for orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself from being corrupted by the world.' "
If we agree that this is the heart of the gospel, then again, why spend our time, money, and energy on things we would all agree are NOT the heart of the gospel?
One value of the Baby Boom generation was relevance. Boomers thought the church had lost the ability to speak into day-to-day life (and sadly, many churches had), so churches were built to look like shopping malls and services were designed to be friendly and nonthreatening...But postmodern students want real more than relevant. The church needs to be what is is: a sacred community of persons who follow a mysterious and demanding Lord... The church is different.
This should make us ecstatic! Now we can be open and honest about our faith. We don't have to feel like freaks for saying we talk to God. This is what real Christianity looks like anyway. Jesus never let people get away with fitting him into a corner of their life. He demanded everything. He demanded that they lose their life for his sake. Maybe this is why Christianity always grows where people can't take it superficially...
The Charismatics, Pentecostals, and the Eastern Orthodox church have won... None of them do worship services - they do worship experiences. To these believers, worship is not an activity - it's an epic-tivity. It's both timely and timeless. They're experiential, participatory, image-based, and connective. Everybody else is rational, passive, word-based, and highly individual.
Again, this is fantastic. And that is part of what NLC does so well. Yes, there are lights and smoke and cameras, but they aren't the focus. The focus really is on experiencing the Living God. But as I've discovered while trying to find a good church here, it's rare. Postmoderns are hungry for experience, not for more rules or beliefs or thoughts. And being that we have a God who loves to be experienced, we have exactly what people want. Over and over and over, the Bible tells the story of a God who want to be with his people. And how they keep finding ways to disconnect and separate from him. But now, look at this! People are desperate for something spiritual! Check out Extreme Prophetic for examples of how some people are using this to reach out to newagers, mystics, and even people in the occult.
What a tragedy if we run away from postmodernism because we don't understand it and are afraid of new ideas. People are asking for an encounter with someone supernatural. This could be the greatest opportunity to reach the world that we've ever been given.
The trouble with writing about postmoderns is that they don't like to be categorized, explained, observed, limited, reduced, dumbed down, isolated, or put under a microscope. Postmoderns resent our obsession with definition. This generation is longing for relationship, mystery, experience, passion, wonder, creativity, and spontaneity. In other words, they want to go past where the "sidewalk ends." They long for the place just beyond words, the shore of mystery. In other words, they're looking for Jesus. What else do we need to know?
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Wake up, wake up!
underOATH was really great last night. There were 4 bands, and the total show was almost 3.5 hours long! As headliners, they got a full hour, which is the longest I've ever seen them play (as this time there were no random pipes bursting above our heads, flooding the floor with 3 inches of foul-smelling water and interrupting the show).
Their set list was, for anyone who cares (I think there might be one or two of you...) something like this...:
It was just a really cool time. The opening bands were pretty good (Poison the Well especially) and two of them are not Christians. I appreciate that underOATH always makes a point to let people know they are believers. Last night Spencer (the screamer) simply said something like "We are Christians and the reason we do all this is to honor Jesus and tell people that God loves them. We aren't better than any of you because we believe in God or because we are up on this stage, but I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Jesus. My life used to be ruled by addictions and Christ set me free from all that. We don't want to push anything on you, but come talk with us after the show if you wanna know more about this."
They are so passionate that it's absolutely contagious. The crowd was united in these songs, moving and screaming and dancing with every ounce of strength they had. It's beautiful. The reason I love underOATH so much is that there is nothing fake or pretentious in their music. They don't try to pretend that life is easy even with Christ, but no matter how dark or hard, they always come back to hope. "I know the light is blinding to the naked eye, so why don't you take steps away from being alone. I swear it's not to late for you. It's all worth reaching for the hand to pull you out. Wake up!"
My bud Tyrel once talked about seeing POD play live, and how every time they play "Alive" he steps back from the pit and just worships God, and it's one of the most spiritual, real, intense moments. That's how underOATH is to me. Somehow every gut shaking kick of the drums, every dissonate, distorted guitar chord, every scream is worship. So leaving with a headache, aching body, ringing ears, and a hoarse throat doesn't even bother me cause it's like I left everything out there on the floor as a sacrifice. Maybe that's why I think there should be more screaming in worship songs... :)
\m/
Their set list was, for anyone who cares (I think there might be one or two of you...) something like this...:
- Salmarnir (Pretty cool to start a hardcore show in LA screaming Psalm 50 on top of an otherwise instrumental track)
- Returning Empty Handed
- In Regards to Myself
- It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door
- To Whom It May Concern
- You're Ever So Inviting
- Young and Aspiring
- Writing On Walls
- A Moment Suspended in Time
- Everyone Looks So Good From Here
- Casting Such a Thin Shadow
- Encore: A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White (they always close with this!)
It was just a really cool time. The opening bands were pretty good (Poison the Well especially) and two of them are not Christians. I appreciate that underOATH always makes a point to let people know they are believers. Last night Spencer (the screamer) simply said something like "We are Christians and the reason we do all this is to honor Jesus and tell people that God loves them. We aren't better than any of you because we believe in God or because we are up on this stage, but I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Jesus. My life used to be ruled by addictions and Christ set me free from all that. We don't want to push anything on you, but come talk with us after the show if you wanna know more about this."
They are so passionate that it's absolutely contagious. The crowd was united in these songs, moving and screaming and dancing with every ounce of strength they had. It's beautiful. The reason I love underOATH so much is that there is nothing fake or pretentious in their music. They don't try to pretend that life is easy even with Christ, but no matter how dark or hard, they always come back to hope. "I know the light is blinding to the naked eye, so why don't you take steps away from being alone. I swear it's not to late for you. It's all worth reaching for the hand to pull you out. Wake up!"
My bud Tyrel once talked about seeing POD play live, and how every time they play "Alive" he steps back from the pit and just worships God, and it's one of the most spiritual, real, intense moments. That's how underOATH is to me. Somehow every gut shaking kick of the drums, every dissonate, distorted guitar chord, every scream is worship. So leaving with a headache, aching body, ringing ears, and a hoarse throat doesn't even bother me cause it's like I left everything out there on the floor as a sacrifice. Maybe that's why I think there should be more screaming in worship songs... :)
\m/
Friday, October 5, 2007
And God said, "Let there be rock." And there was underOATH
Tonight something amazing is happening. underOATH is playing in LA. I am going. I cannot write down how thrilled I am! The only sad part is that I won't get to enjoy them with my buds. This is the first time I'll see underOATH without Stefan in the pit with me. I hope I make it out alive, in one piece, and with both of my shoes...
Another cool bonus is that this is the same venue Rob Bell is coming to next month on his speaking tour "The Gods are not Angry". So I'll be able to scope it out and know where to park, when to leave, and be able to fully enjoy that event.
I'll come back and write some followup stuff to my last post on Saturday. A lot of the time I'm just throwing unprocessed ideas out at you, so I probably don't really understand what I'm saying or implying. I'm throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. It's kinda like throwing your mashed potatoes up against the wall... And I've never been to Boston in the fall. I don't think the Chargers have either...
Anyway... my goal in making some of these statements and asking some of these questions is just to get us to take a step back and examine what we can grow and improve on. I know the (handful of) people who read this and I know your hearts are all pure. Don't think I ever doubt motives. I just don't ever want to settle in pursuing the best way to reflect Christ to the world around us, and that means asking hard questions some times.
Another cool bonus is that this is the same venue Rob Bell is coming to next month on his speaking tour "The Gods are not Angry". So I'll be able to scope it out and know where to park, when to leave, and be able to fully enjoy that event.
I'll come back and write some followup stuff to my last post on Saturday. A lot of the time I'm just throwing unprocessed ideas out at you, so I probably don't really understand what I'm saying or implying. I'm throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. It's kinda like throwing your mashed potatoes up against the wall... And I've never been to Boston in the fall. I don't think the Chargers have either...
Anyway... my goal in making some of these statements and asking some of these questions is just to get us to take a step back and examine what we can grow and improve on. I know the (handful of) people who read this and I know your hearts are all pure. Don't think I ever doubt motives. I just don't ever want to settle in pursuing the best way to reflect Christ to the world around us, and that means asking hard questions some times.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Coming at ya like whirlwind
Sorry it's been a while. But now I have 2 weeks of Pentateuch and Postmodern Theology discussions and a white chocolate mocha as ammunition. The real question is where to start...
My classes are really great. That is easily the best part of being here. The profs are really intelligent and have tons of insight. It seems like everybody here thinks a lot like me and has the same questions and wrestles with the same thoughts. At least to some degree. We know something is not quite right with the Christian culture or attitude or.. whatever... in general. But we don't want to abandon this whole thing. Nobody says stuff like "hymns are not real passionate worship", "megachurches are all corrupt", "those people need to change this if they want to be saved" or "this is the only right way to do ______"... There is no identity caught up in "my way" of doing church or being a Christian. Instead people are trying to find out how to find identity in being a disciple of Jesus. Only.
So we talk about all kinds of stuff. In one class we watched Fight Club and then discussed what messages the writer and director are trying to convey. And it's a lot deeper than mindless violence and destruction... :) There is a driving theme in that movie that we have allowed stuff to brand us as human beings. We have become a completely consumeristic society. We are far more interested in the new flip flops that have a canteen in the sole, our favorite sports team, and who is the newest cool band than in the military oppression of Myanmar, the 1/3 of the world that lives on less that $2 a day, and the homeless guy sitting outside Chipotle. And when we do recognize these issues, we create a new clothing line with $40 t-shirts and $80 jeans to bring awareness to the issues...
I'm not trying to make anybody feel guilty. I'm just as deep in this as anybody. But see, that's the thing. We don't realize how deep this problem goes. We think it's just the way things have always been, so we try to find ways to fit good deeds into our lifestyle. But maybe the very way that we live is the real problem, and no amount of twisting and modifying will fix it.
Discretionary income has only existed since after World War 2. The men went off to war, so women had to work in order to keep the industry that fueled (food processing, weapon manufacturing, machinery) the war rolling. After the war, there was a huge influx of young men who had seen the world and didn't want to work on the farm anymore. But many were still young enough to live at home, so they worked in the city and found themselves with extra cash. Women started working and going to college, and advertisers saw an opportunity. War technologies, like the transistor radio, are adapted for public use. Now, for the first time, anybody can have their own music playing wherever they go. Bands like the Beatles are creating music that was unlike anything before, and all this combined to create this new culture.
Before the 50s, you wore pretty much what your parents wore, listened to what they listened to, lived the way they did. You didn't have a choice. Now, there is this split between the parents and their kids. There is a global awareness through tv and music and movies. And out of this emerge an idea of teenagers, who define themselves by being different. And how do you express that you are different? Well, you dress different and listen to different music and live different. All this costs money, because you have to buy the new clothes and music...
Fast forward 40 years and our total identity is found in how you dress and act and live and what you listen to. You can tell how someone wants to be identified just by one glance at their clothes or iPod playlist. And if you want, you can be someone different tomorrow. You can reinvent yourself anytime you want with some cash. And what do Christians do? We make our own clothing and music that copies everyone else. We say if you want to be part of this movement, just buy our new conference t-shirt and matching Nalgene... And we essentially say that no lifestyle changes are really important as long as you look like one of us... Is this really the message we want to send? No way, but this is what we are saying. Have we just gotten so used to it that we don't even recognize there is a problem with it?
And remember, I'm not pointing the finger at anybody. Half of my closet is Desperation shirts that I match to my tight, hole-filled jeans and 8 pairs of skater shoes so you can see that and my long hair and think that I'm a cool, laid back, fun guy who loves Jesus... Maybe the reason we don't see the results we want is because we are really just saying "Jesus is great but I'm really cool cause of the way I look". Maybe people want something different. Something original. Something that doesn't try to sell them, but still costs them everything.
My classes are really great. That is easily the best part of being here. The profs are really intelligent and have tons of insight. It seems like everybody here thinks a lot like me and has the same questions and wrestles with the same thoughts. At least to some degree. We know something is not quite right with the Christian culture or attitude or.. whatever... in general. But we don't want to abandon this whole thing. Nobody says stuff like "hymns are not real passionate worship", "megachurches are all corrupt", "those people need to change this if they want to be saved" or "this is the only right way to do ______"... There is no identity caught up in "my way" of doing church or being a Christian. Instead people are trying to find out how to find identity in being a disciple of Jesus. Only.
So we talk about all kinds of stuff. In one class we watched Fight Club and then discussed what messages the writer and director are trying to convey. And it's a lot deeper than mindless violence and destruction... :) There is a driving theme in that movie that we have allowed stuff to brand us as human beings. We have become a completely consumeristic society. We are far more interested in the new flip flops that have a canteen in the sole, our favorite sports team, and who is the newest cool band than in the military oppression of Myanmar, the 1/3 of the world that lives on less that $2 a day, and the homeless guy sitting outside Chipotle. And when we do recognize these issues, we create a new clothing line with $40 t-shirts and $80 jeans to bring awareness to the issues...
I'm not trying to make anybody feel guilty. I'm just as deep in this as anybody. But see, that's the thing. We don't realize how deep this problem goes. We think it's just the way things have always been, so we try to find ways to fit good deeds into our lifestyle. But maybe the very way that we live is the real problem, and no amount of twisting and modifying will fix it.
Discretionary income has only existed since after World War 2. The men went off to war, so women had to work in order to keep the industry that fueled (food processing, weapon manufacturing, machinery) the war rolling. After the war, there was a huge influx of young men who had seen the world and didn't want to work on the farm anymore. But many were still young enough to live at home, so they worked in the city and found themselves with extra cash. Women started working and going to college, and advertisers saw an opportunity. War technologies, like the transistor radio, are adapted for public use. Now, for the first time, anybody can have their own music playing wherever they go. Bands like the Beatles are creating music that was unlike anything before, and all this combined to create this new culture.
Before the 50s, you wore pretty much what your parents wore, listened to what they listened to, lived the way they did. You didn't have a choice. Now, there is this split between the parents and their kids. There is a global awareness through tv and music and movies. And out of this emerge an idea of teenagers, who define themselves by being different. And how do you express that you are different? Well, you dress different and listen to different music and live different. All this costs money, because you have to buy the new clothes and music...
Fast forward 40 years and our total identity is found in how you dress and act and live and what you listen to. You can tell how someone wants to be identified just by one glance at their clothes or iPod playlist. And if you want, you can be someone different tomorrow. You can reinvent yourself anytime you want with some cash. And what do Christians do? We make our own clothing and music that copies everyone else. We say if you want to be part of this movement, just buy our new conference t-shirt and matching Nalgene... And we essentially say that no lifestyle changes are really important as long as you look like one of us... Is this really the message we want to send? No way, but this is what we are saying. Have we just gotten so used to it that we don't even recognize there is a problem with it?
And remember, I'm not pointing the finger at anybody. Half of my closet is Desperation shirts that I match to my tight, hole-filled jeans and 8 pairs of skater shoes so you can see that and my long hair and think that I'm a cool, laid back, fun guy who loves Jesus... Maybe the reason we don't see the results we want is because we are really just saying "Jesus is great but I'm really cool cause of the way I look". Maybe people want something different. Something original. Something that doesn't try to sell them, but still costs them everything.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday is the new Funday. Or something???
So tomorrow should be cool. I'm getting up early (not so cool) to go visit Newport Beach Church and then at night visiting Fusion, Christian Assembly's version of the Mill. Newport is a Hillsong plant that has been around for about a year or so. They actually have 3 evening services at 5, 7, and 9! But I'm going in the morning so I can visit the other church at night with a couple guys from the apartment here.
I'm really excited about Christian Assembly, cause a certain guy who graduated from Fuller a few years back who I read and listen to a lot used to go there. He describes it as a community exploding with creativity and life, full of people who seemed to like nothing better to do on a Sunday morning than go to a church service. This church helped him and his wife to start dreaming about what a church could be (Tassels 097). Sounds pretty good to me.
And in between, I think I'll grab lunch and watch the Chargers play, then play guitar or read something that isn't a school book. I'm determined to relax on Sundays now. No excuses or emergencies. No unpacking (yes, I'm still digging through boxes) or studying. And no stress pr frustration even if the Chargers fall apart again!
I think that is a big reason why God led me here. I knew for a couple years that I needed to implement more balance and rest in my life, and even though I was exhausted and overwhelmed I kept adding more and more to my schedule because they needed me or it was a good thing. I loved all those opportunities I had to serve and love people, but I'm still trying to recover. It almost burned me out. Maybe sometimes it did... And since I couldn't learn moderation, maybe now that I have nothing extra to do and no way to take on new responsibilities I can figure it out.
I'm really excited about Christian Assembly, cause a certain guy who graduated from Fuller a few years back who I read and listen to a lot used to go there. He describes it as a community exploding with creativity and life, full of people who seemed to like nothing better to do on a Sunday morning than go to a church service. This church helped him and his wife to start dreaming about what a church could be (Tassels 097). Sounds pretty good to me.
And in between, I think I'll grab lunch and watch the Chargers play, then play guitar or read something that isn't a school book. I'm determined to relax on Sundays now. No excuses or emergencies. No unpacking (yes, I'm still digging through boxes) or studying. And no stress pr frustration even if the Chargers fall apart again!
I think that is a big reason why God led me here. I knew for a couple years that I needed to implement more balance and rest in my life, and even though I was exhausted and overwhelmed I kept adding more and more to my schedule because they needed me or it was a good thing. I loved all those opportunities I had to serve and love people, but I'm still trying to recover. It almost burned me out. Maybe sometimes it did... And since I couldn't learn moderation, maybe now that I have nothing extra to do and no way to take on new responsibilities I can figure it out.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Hail to the Master Chief
MIT has a long tradition of pulling complex yet harmless pranks. And their favorite victim tends to be Harvard. So being the geeks that MIT students are, they decided to celebrate the release of Halo 3 by "decorating" a statue of Harvard's founder. Pretty awesome. Read more about it here.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
sacred
So have you ever noticed how we treat some things a s sacred and others as normal. Who doesn't act different in the WPC chapel than the Furnace Coffee House? It's so deep in us that we don't even think of it. (By the way, I thought of this while I was walking from school over to an open church building so that I could get some quiet and pray for a bit...)
And have you ever noticed how you can "feel" God more in the chapel than in the coffee house? Or am I the only one?
Now we all know and say that God is everywhere, but we go to places designed to connect with God. We ask God to come to us. Why do we do this? Is it just habit? Does God really physically come to a certain time and place? Is it just the only way of putting into words our desire to be in fellowship with God?
But then why do some places feel different? You know, those holy, sacred places that demand hushed voices and focused hearts and cell phones on vibrate. Is God really more present there? Are we more aware? Is it because of expectations, or past experiences? Or is it that God is worshiped often there and there is a resonance of his presence? And some times during a worship service everyone is like "Man God just showed up and it was powerful" and other times it isn't like that. Are we all somehow more aware of God and other times we collectively are disengaged?
Please take a second and think about this and pray about it, and then leave a comment with your thoughts. Cause this is something I am genuinely wrestling with right now. I don't just want a theologically correct answer, ya know? What do you think?
And have you ever noticed how you can "feel" God more in the chapel than in the coffee house? Or am I the only one?
Now we all know and say that God is everywhere, but we go to places designed to connect with God. We ask God to come to us. Why do we do this? Is it just habit? Does God really physically come to a certain time and place? Is it just the only way of putting into words our desire to be in fellowship with God?
But then why do some places feel different? You know, those holy, sacred places that demand hushed voices and focused hearts and cell phones on vibrate. Is God really more present there? Are we more aware? Is it because of expectations, or past experiences? Or is it that God is worshiped often there and there is a resonance of his presence? And some times during a worship service everyone is like "Man God just showed up and it was powerful" and other times it isn't like that. Are we all somehow more aware of God and other times we collectively are disengaged?
Please take a second and think about this and pray about it, and then leave a comment with your thoughts. Cause this is something I am genuinely wrestling with right now. I don't just want a theologically correct answer, ya know? What do you think?
Remedy
If you didn't know, the new Crowder cd came out yesterday. It's pretty fantastic. I was never a big Crowder fan until Desperation actually. Then I started listening more and more to get ready (cause you have to!) and was impressed. I thought they were great at Desperation, although I know not everyone thinks so. I have no problem with mixing a video game loop with an 80s beat and "worship music", cause I think joy and fun and laughing are pretty pleasing to God... Except that worship music is sacred and all... Ow, sometimes the inside of my cheek is so raw from rubbing against my tongue all the time...
So Crowder cds are typically pretty experimental, and this one is, well, not so much. And they often have a huge amount of songs and intermissions and such. This one has 10 songs. OH MY GOSH CROWDER SOLD OUT!!11! Instead what you get is a set of songs that are cohesive, feature really simple yet profound lyrics, and music that is interesting, catchy, fun, deep, fast, slow, and all over the place. It's so real. He makes an effort over and over to get people to engage in worship instead of just watching the band play. And then hits on the Church needing to follow in Jesus footsteps and be the remedy to the world.
I love this cd. I'll be listening to this for a long time!
So Crowder cds are typically pretty experimental, and this one is, well, not so much. And they often have a huge amount of songs and intermissions and such. This one has 10 songs. OH MY GOSH CROWDER SOLD OUT!!11! Instead what you get is a set of songs that are cohesive, feature really simple yet profound lyrics, and music that is interesting, catchy, fun, deep, fast, slow, and all over the place. It's so real. He makes an effort over and over to get people to engage in worship instead of just watching the band play. And then hits on the Church needing to follow in Jesus footsteps and be the remedy to the world.
I love this cd. I'll be listening to this for a long time!
Monday, September 24, 2007
books
I just got back from the bookstore. I finally bought some of my books. Not all, because I'm waitlisted in a class and want to see how that works out. I still just dropped $175. And that was for 2 classes. I have 10, yes, 10 books in 2 classes. That's a lot of reading.
Since I'm sure you are so interested, here is a list of the books:
For my Pentateuch class
Understanding Genesis by Nahum Sarna
Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence Boadt
For my Postmodern Theology, Film, and Youth Culture class
Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones (interestingly, my brother bought this same book while visiting me a couple days ago, and it looked really cool. I'm actually excited about this one!)
A Matrix of Meanings by Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor (my prof)
Teenage: The Creation of Youth Culture by Jon Savage
The Postmodern God by Graham Ward
Well I guess I better start reading. Now I'm never gonna finish those books I started before Desperation...
Since I'm sure you are so interested, here is a list of the books:
For my Pentateuch class
Understanding Genesis by Nahum Sarna
Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence Boadt
For my Postmodern Theology, Film, and Youth Culture class
Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones (interestingly, my brother bought this same book while visiting me a couple days ago, and it looked really cool. I'm actually excited about this one!)
A Matrix of Meanings by Craig Detweiler and Barry Taylor (my prof)
Teenage: The Creation of Youth Culture by Jon Savage
The Postmodern God by Graham Ward
Well I guess I better start reading. Now I'm never gonna finish those books I started before Desperation...
here
Hey friends, sorry it's been a while. I am now in Pasadena and getting ready for classes. I have an 8am class (gag) tomorrow so I won't be writing much. The last few days have been full of driving, moving furniture, unpacking, school orientation, and exploring. So nothing too time consuming or stressing...
My parents drove out with me (they towed the Uhaul trailer!) and my brother flew down for a couple days, which was great! Brilliant, even. That is my new favorite adjective. I listen to a podcast of someone who uses it a lot and it stuck... Anyway, I loved having them here. It helped make the transition as smooth as possible, although yesterday and today were full of teary goodbyes as they are now gone. It is gonna be hard for a while but when I get discouraged and want to call this whole thing off (it's too late, but...) God has been faithful to meet me where I'm at and bring hope and life and a promise of things being good. I need that so much.
So if you think of me, pray that I will be able to connect with people really quickly and make good strong friendships. I can never replace the friends and family from the past, but I can't live in the past either and want to make the most of now. That is a really struggle for me, so please remember me in your prayers. The cool part is that the apartments I am living in are designed to foster community, and there are about 10 people I am already building relationships with, including my roommate Jonathon and 2 other single guys, Matt and Darrin, who live right next door. I'm excited for what could develop.
Well I have my first day of school in like 3 years, so I better get to bed. Much love.
My parents drove out with me (they towed the Uhaul trailer!) and my brother flew down for a couple days, which was great! Brilliant, even. That is my new favorite adjective. I listen to a podcast of someone who uses it a lot and it stuck... Anyway, I loved having them here. It helped make the transition as smooth as possible, although yesterday and today were full of teary goodbyes as they are now gone. It is gonna be hard for a while but when I get discouraged and want to call this whole thing off (it's too late, but...) God has been faithful to meet me where I'm at and bring hope and life and a promise of things being good. I need that so much.
So if you think of me, pray that I will be able to connect with people really quickly and make good strong friendships. I can never replace the friends and family from the past, but I can't live in the past either and want to make the most of now. That is a really struggle for me, so please remember me in your prayers. The cool part is that the apartments I am living in are designed to foster community, and there are about 10 people I am already building relationships with, including my roommate Jonathon and 2 other single guys, Matt and Darrin, who live right next door. I'm excited for what could develop.
Well I have my first day of school in like 3 years, so I better get to bed. Much love.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
not the end
Monday was my last day in the springs. Most of the day was spent packing, but tonight I got to hang out with so many of my best friends in the world. I am so blown away by you guys. You mean so much to me. Thank you for making this one of the best nights of my life. It was beautiful- i will remember this forever.
It's been so hectic lately getting ready for this, plus making the drive out to Missouri for Drew and Kendra's wedding. I usually get pretty overwhelmed and emotional when I'm stressed, and there are times where I have just wanted to call the whole thing off. But God really encouraged me through some things that this is not the end. It's not a new chapter, closing the old one. It is just a new day. And the sun is rising bright.
I have always lived in the past, either wishing for the good old days when something (whatever was hard at the moment) was different or holding on to past mistakes as reasons to not expect victory today. It's been a process over the past few years, but I now understand that if we live in the past, we never live in today. We can't go back and relive yesterday, but we can live and enjoy and love- today. That simple truth put so much peace in my heart and joy for the future that I've been dreading as it's crawled closer. And because of that, tonight was a wonderful time of celebrating with my friends, not a time of sadness.
So to all of you who have been in my life over the last few years, thank you. I can never find the words to share my gratitude for your love, encouragement, faithfulness, and genuine friendship. Please know that you mean so much more to me than I could ever convey! Living life with you has been so much better than I ever imagined it could be! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! This isn't the end, and we will continue to share life. You are too special for me to lose just because of a thousand miles.
As I said goodbye to the last guys at the house, climbed in my car, and drove away, I happened to glance at the clock. 12:00 exactly. A new day.
It's been so hectic lately getting ready for this, plus making the drive out to Missouri for Drew and Kendra's wedding. I usually get pretty overwhelmed and emotional when I'm stressed, and there are times where I have just wanted to call the whole thing off. But God really encouraged me through some things that this is not the end. It's not a new chapter, closing the old one. It is just a new day. And the sun is rising bright.
I have always lived in the past, either wishing for the good old days when something (whatever was hard at the moment) was different or holding on to past mistakes as reasons to not expect victory today. It's been a process over the past few years, but I now understand that if we live in the past, we never live in today. We can't go back and relive yesterday, but we can live and enjoy and love- today. That simple truth put so much peace in my heart and joy for the future that I've been dreading as it's crawled closer. And because of that, tonight was a wonderful time of celebrating with my friends, not a time of sadness.
So to all of you who have been in my life over the last few years, thank you. I can never find the words to share my gratitude for your love, encouragement, faithfulness, and genuine friendship. Please know that you mean so much more to me than I could ever convey! Living life with you has been so much better than I ever imagined it could be! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! This isn't the end, and we will continue to share life. You are too special for me to lose just because of a thousand miles.
As I said goodbye to the last guys at the house, climbed in my car, and drove away, I happened to glance at the clock. 12:00 exactly. A new day.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
cool video of the moment
Makes me wanna drive really fast. This is what introduced me to Snow Patrol. They rock!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
woah
Here's a quote I just heard on a podcast in a discussion of our identity and purpose. I don't know who originally said it.
"Your job is the relentless pursuit of who God made you to be. There is a word for when you do things other than what God has called you to do and be: sin. Are you trying to please people or are you being true to who you are?"
I so quickly fall back into a people pleasing mentality, even though I know better. Even though I've heard this same message in different ways so many times. Why is this so hard for us to understand and live?
"Your job is the relentless pursuit of who God made you to be. There is a word for when you do things other than what God has called you to do and be: sin. Are you trying to please people or are you being true to who you are?"
I so quickly fall back into a people pleasing mentality, even though I know better. Even though I've heard this same message in different ways so many times. Why is this so hard for us to understand and live?
Something interesting
You should check out this video sermon (scroll to the bottom, click the "watch" link on the right hand side). It's Rob Bell speaking at Willow Creek a few years ago. He compares Jesus and the Roman Emperor Domitian. Very interesting, challenging, and even funny at times. It's sure to mess with some ideas you have as well. If you watch it leave a comment with your thoughts. Aight?
Sunday, September 9, 2007
To my good friend Ryan Edwards- sorry about your Bears buddy. It was a tough game and they are a good team. Hope to see ya in February.
I had a blast watching the game with my brother. It was nerve wracking but at least it ended well. Next week will be a test, but it is good to survive the Bears. I'm excited! Bring on the Patsies!
To everyone else- this will not just be about football. I promise. It's just the opening week, and I'm stuck in a holding pattern for a little while longer. It feels like I'm going sky diving. I'm up in the plane, the door is open, but I have to wait and stare out into the air. You either want to to jump and get it over with, or not do it at all. It's good to have the last little bit of time to enjoy my friends and say goodbye, but it's tough too...
I had a blast watching the game with my brother. It was nerve wracking but at least it ended well. Next week will be a test, but it is good to survive the Bears. I'm excited! Bring on the Patsies!
To everyone else- this will not just be about football. I promise. It's just the opening week, and I'm stuck in a holding pattern for a little while longer. It feels like I'm going sky diving. I'm up in the plane, the door is open, but I have to wait and stare out into the air. You either want to to jump and get it over with, or not do it at all. It's good to have the last little bit of time to enjoy my friends and say goodbye, but it's tough too...
Saturday, September 8, 2007
subscribing
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Thursday, September 6, 2007
football team name
So I thought of a decent name for my fantasy football team: WhenLightningAttacks. Thoughts? Suggestions? Venomous Smacktalk?
bet you never expected this.
Yep, just wanted to say, again, that I'm really excited about football! GO BOLTS!
it's the most wonderful time of the year
It's the first Thursday of September. The air is starting to get that crisp snap. Starting, because in Colorado it goes from crisp to hot to hailstorm all in an hour. Do you know what all that means? That means today is OPENING DAY! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Today, every team is undefeated. Today, everyone has dreams of holding up the Lombardi Trophy in about 5 months. Well, everyone except Detroit and Oakland... Today, everyone is convinced that their fantasy team is unstoppable. Today is a day of optimism and excitement and joy. This will last for about 80 more hours. Then we'll start complaining about players who are worthless, ranting about coaches who should be fired, and wondering "why did I ever draft that guy"...
With that said, I just want you all to know that this is the Chargers year! And my fantasy team really IS good. But I need a good name. If anybody has some good ideas, let me know! It will be better than "Luke's Unnamed Team"
Today, every team is undefeated. Today, everyone has dreams of holding up the Lombardi Trophy in about 5 months. Well, everyone except Detroit and Oakland... Today, everyone is convinced that their fantasy team is unstoppable. Today is a day of optimism and excitement and joy. This will last for about 80 more hours. Then we'll start complaining about players who are worthless, ranting about coaches who should be fired, and wondering "why did I ever draft that guy"...
With that said, I just want you all to know that this is the Chargers year! And my fantasy team really IS good. But I need a good name. If anybody has some good ideas, let me know! It will be better than "Luke's Unnamed Team"
Thursday, August 30, 2007
the magic hours
I can sure relate to this. I've always felt most alive when it's way too late (or early depending on your point of view). So many memories of playing games until I could "find a place to save", while the controller seemed to suck the warmth out of my hands. Or getting so lost in Randland that the world of Aes Sedai, Aiel, and Asha'man seemed far more important than mine. Darn the world of responsibility and normal working schedules. It's no wonder that nobody accomplished dreams anymore- we are sleeping when we could be dreaming... Besides, nothing worthwhile ever happens until after lunch!
homeless
The DI2s moved all the furniture out of the Grand River apartments and into the new ones at Bella Springs today. That means I no longer have a bed. I guess I need to find a place to sleep tonight! And play Fable, cause that would be a good time. :)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
you have to see this video
I found this by watching Relevant.tv, Relevant Magazine's music video channel. I usually open it up in the morning and just listen all day long at work. They play a lot indie music that I've never heard before plus lots of great bands that I already listen to and I love it!
Anyway, I think this video is genius. That statement probably tells you a lot about me.
Friday, March 16, 2007
vagueness
So I kinda had a brain dump in ideas this morning as I was sitting on the couch talking to God. It was one of those times where there was a constant stream of "I wonder if..." thoughts started flowing, and before I could really start processing that idea, the next was coming. So I threw em down on a sticky note to remember... and then left the sticky note in the car somewhere. So I'm running off memory now...
Discussing Rob Bell's new book Sex God last night with some friends left the impression that he was too vague on certain key points. Was he watering down truth to appeal to a seeker sensitive crowd? Was he trying to provide a first step to get people thinking about those points that they maybe had never considered before? What was his agenda?
After visiting Mars Hill in January (Isn't She Beautiful conference) I don't doubt his motives are pure. He has a high opinion of the Bible and truly wants to find out what Jesus was trying to say. And then the goal is to wrap your life around those ideas- not wrap the Bible around the ideas we already have.
And I think that is where the vagueness comes in. It's actually a trademark of the whole postmodern/emergent/deconstruction approach. The goal is not so much to instruct. The goal is to ask questions.
So when Rob Bell is discussing an idea or passage, he presents what the ideas might have meant considering who said it, who they said it to, and what was going on in their world (to the best of our knowledge). And then he stops. He purposefully leaves it vague. He wants the tension. He wants you to ask "So what does this mean?". The interpretation is up to you. Is this dangerous? Of course. People are rather creative, and you never know what wacky idea someone could come up with. But is it any more dangerous than telling someone what to think? Is it less?
There is always danger when people start to think. But there is probably more danger when they don't. If you are really serious about this topic, you will wrestle with it, study it, think about it, and let God speak to you. You won't get an easy answer, but some things don't have easy answers. Sometimes you have to work out your faith with fear and trembling.
Discussing Rob Bell's new book Sex God last night with some friends left the impression that he was too vague on certain key points. Was he watering down truth to appeal to a seeker sensitive crowd? Was he trying to provide a first step to get people thinking about those points that they maybe had never considered before? What was his agenda?
After visiting Mars Hill in January (Isn't She Beautiful conference) I don't doubt his motives are pure. He has a high opinion of the Bible and truly wants to find out what Jesus was trying to say. And then the goal is to wrap your life around those ideas- not wrap the Bible around the ideas we already have.
And I think that is where the vagueness comes in. It's actually a trademark of the whole postmodern/emergent/deconstruction approach. The goal is not so much to instruct. The goal is to ask questions.
So when Rob Bell is discussing an idea or passage, he presents what the ideas might have meant considering who said it, who they said it to, and what was going on in their world (to the best of our knowledge). And then he stops. He purposefully leaves it vague. He wants the tension. He wants you to ask "So what does this mean?". The interpretation is up to you. Is this dangerous? Of course. People are rather creative, and you never know what wacky idea someone could come up with. But is it any more dangerous than telling someone what to think? Is it less?
There is always danger when people start to think. But there is probably more danger when they don't. If you are really serious about this topic, you will wrestle with it, study it, think about it, and let God speak to you. You won't get an easy answer, but some things don't have easy answers. Sometimes you have to work out your faith with fear and trembling.
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