Today is Memorial Day. I'm typing away at my mom's iMac, not quite believing that June begins tomorrow. Where did the month go?
May was the month when I finally shook the depression and anxiety about the future that had been dogging me about the future. I guess I've developed a que sera sera attitude about my career, and am beginning to dream about what my future could look like if the rumored-changes at work occur. It also helped that I did something for myself -- I began a diet and have lost 20 lbs this month. My exercise program was a little less successful though, and I found myself laid up for a week with a bruised ligament which came from exercising on inadequate footwear and continuing to push on with daily walks and bikeriding when I was in pain. (A classic newbie injury.)
I spent an evening with J--, an old friend from my radio days, and his pastor. I shared my knowledge about website building and they returned the favor by talking to me about the house church movement, something I'm very keen on learning more about.
We did our first annual community meeting at work. I was really satisfied with an annual report I put together which ran in our local paper. I have to admit that it was nice to get a lot of positive feedback from my coworkers and people in the community. I was also assigned a PowerPoint presentation for the meeting itself. I pushed the envelope quite a bit on this and turned it into a music video with moody black and white photography that demonstrated our organization's work in the county. Both projects took a lot more time than I anticipated, but I ended up with two media pieces with which I'm really quite proud. I forgot how much I enjoyed hands-on media work!
Everything at church is going really well, with the exception of our finances! T-- and I introduced a some new small groups that really seemed to flourish this month. We also began a low-key meditative prayer meeting on Sunday evenings. We've had really small crowds, but the people that have participated have been really touched through the leisurely, intimate time spent in the presence of God. I hope to see this work grow in the coming months.
I've also begun to look out more diligently for my own intimacy with God. I continue to observe The Daily Office, which has been a means of grace in my life since February. I began participating at a local pastor's prayer meeting. I also participated in a Labyrinth experience at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery which quite moved me. I've been reading the book Soul Shaper and trying out different spiritual practices from church history.
Last evening I had a blast with the family and a friend of ours at the Park 60 Drive-In in Jamestown, New York. We watched Shrek 2 and Envy. Yes, it's almost impossible for five people to remain comfortable in a small car, and the drive-in's FM system and screen is crap, and it's way too expensive -- but c'mon it's a drive-in! It transcends it's shortcomings and becomes a fun experience of Americana!
This morning I participated in the Memorial Day parade and ceremonies in Jamestown, NY. I got to ride in H--'s 56' Dodge and did the benediction at the memorial service in Lakeview Cemetery. It was the most official and public religious duty that I've performed since beginning this work two years ago, and I couldn't help but notice the irony: just when I finally feel comfortable in the role of a pastor I may be losing the job at the end of this summer! (But I didn't feel bad about the realization.) The family and I then went to my mom's house in Warren, PA . I spent the rest of the day -- well, resting! I fell asleep around 2 pm and just woke up at 7 pm! Must have been my late night at the drive-in!
May was a month where I tried a lot of new things, met a lot of new people, and saw that the future -- whatever that may be -- is something good to be embraced.
Monday, May 31, 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Creature Double Feature
Since I spent a good part of the last two weeks laid up because of a bruised tendon in my foot, I missed out on a high school play that M-- and H--, some girls from youth group had worked on. My wife and I decided to make it up to them by having them over for dinner and a movie. The movie thing can sometimes be more trouble than it's worth, because quite often the youth group will want to watch something that we wouldn't screen for teenagers, let alone watch ourselves (think American Pie); other times my wife and I will err on the side of discretion and pick a movie more appropriate to their brothers and sisters in elementary school (think Jonah -- a VeggieTales Movie). But I knew that wasn't going to be a problem this time as M-- is a horror fanatic rivaling even myself.
We ended up watching Dracula -- Prince of Darkness and The Masque of the Red Death. Dracula was a no-brainer because the girls knew Christopher Lee from LOTR and they love vampires, I have to say that although I normally would rate this film as one of my favorite Hammer Films, I found it to be a little slow-paced when viewed with a group. At least it picked up the pace a bit after the young couple escapes to the monastery and the ending on the cracking ice is one of the best conclusions in the whole Dracula series. I chose Masque of the Red Death because M-- had never seen any of the Corman/Poe pictures. I think that Masque is the best picture in the whole cycle. It took the girls a bit to work out that "the monster" they were looking for was the very human Vincent Price. (We also scared the heck out of M--'s grandmother who had driven them to town and stayed for dinner. The directors of the films would be proud -- she gasped or jumped at every single shock.)
The verdict? For teens that most likely think of a horror film as something featuring Jason, Michael or Freddy, they were suitably impressed with these movies made almost twenty-five years before they were born. We're planning another double feature soon when I hope to spring some Amicus or William Castle on them...
Young people enjoying Christopher Lee and Vincent Price movies! In these uncertain times, it kind of makes a guy have hope for the future...
We ended up watching Dracula -- Prince of Darkness and The Masque of the Red Death. Dracula was a no-brainer because the girls knew Christopher Lee from LOTR and they love vampires, I have to say that although I normally would rate this film as one of my favorite Hammer Films, I found it to be a little slow-paced when viewed with a group. At least it picked up the pace a bit after the young couple escapes to the monastery and the ending on the cracking ice is one of the best conclusions in the whole Dracula series. I chose Masque of the Red Death because M-- had never seen any of the Corman/Poe pictures. I think that Masque is the best picture in the whole cycle. It took the girls a bit to work out that "the monster" they were looking for was the very human Vincent Price. (We also scared the heck out of M--'s grandmother who had driven them to town and stayed for dinner. The directors of the films would be proud -- she gasped or jumped at every single shock.)
The verdict? For teens that most likely think of a horror film as something featuring Jason, Michael or Freddy, they were suitably impressed with these movies made almost twenty-five years before they were born. We're planning another double feature soon when I hope to spring some Amicus or William Castle on them...
Young people enjoying Christopher Lee and Vincent Price movies!
Saturday, May 29, 2004
deviANT
Aren't ants supposed to work together as a team? That's what I always thought. But I just saw something which is making me question that assumption: I noticed two ants scurrying around on my dining room table. Before I could sweep them away, one of the ants picked up the other one, walked over to the edge of the table and tossed his struggling victim over the edge. Now I can truly say that I've seen everything as I've witnessed an ant homicide. All was put right on the dining room table as justice was swiftly meted out to the murderer. I remain I.F. -- judge, jury and executioner.
Friday, May 28, 2004
THE OOZE
THE OOZE is a website created and maintained by Spencer Burke, one of the emerging church's most important voices. Every aspect of the site is designed to facillitate relationship-building and idea sharing between people seeking to understand what "being church" means in the 21st century. It's an interesting stew of user-submitted articles, blogs, websites, and resources. It's the type of site that I'll intend to take a quick peek at but invariably end up spending two hours on. They've also added this very blog to its ever-growing directory, so you know it's a website of great taste and discretion! Go get yourself stuck in THE OOZE today!
Review: The Road From Coorain
Mothers and their children have connections that can inspire them to greatness or can hold them captive to expectation and the fear of being left alone. Learning when to break the apron strings is an important lesson Jill Conway learns in the film based on her book, The Road to Corrain.
Jill and her family are strong independent people that desire to succeed in life. Jill is born and raised on acres of wild Australian rangeland on the edge of the desert. Her father raises sheep for a living, and her brothers help him in the work. Jill’s mom has the spirit of a pioneer woman and has worked very hard to build a dignified and proper home for her family.
Early in Jill’s family relationships, the viewer can see the great amount of expectation and promise that is associated with her abilities to learn, read and eventually become the matron of her family. Jill proves her academic abilities to her mother as she is home–schooled and in return aids her father with the herds of sheep after her brothers have been sent off to boarding school. It is her passion for helping her father that comforts him during a drought that kills off much of his stock.
Tragedy is a catalyst for Jill’s development as a mature individual. Just as she learned to read while her mother lanced a boil on her leg, Jill learns to care for her father’s business during the drought. This knowledge proves to be invaluable after the sudden death of her father, as she emotionally supports her mother through economic trials.
Undoubtedly, Eve takes situations into her own hands by selling of some of her furniture and moving the city to find work after her husband’s death, but Jill takes on what seems to be a role of friend, peer and equal—more than a traditional mother and daughter relationship. Jill also begins to attend formal schooling when the family moves into the city. Jill thrives in school and earns many awards for her abilities, but instead of her mother’s support and approval, Jill begins to receive sarcasm and criticism from her mother. In some ways, her mother is responsible for emphasizing the importance of education, but perhaps her extreme working strains caused her to resent her daughter’s opportunity for successes.
The family succeeds in turning the family business into a profitable one, so education and privilege are given to all the children and her Mother. All three children struggle with pressure to satisfy and impress their mother. The oldest brother, even after given a car for his birthday, feels unacceptable in his mother’s eyes. After the sudden death of her eldest brother, Jill again takes on the role of matron, as her mother regresses into the shell of grief and despair she had visited after the death of her husband. Jill’s next oldest brother escapes from his mother’s emotional extremes by returning to Coorain to run the family business. Jill continues her education, but dutifully cares for her grief-stricken mother on a daily basis.
As Jill nears graduation, her mother seems to improve as she hopes for Jill to pursue becoming a doctor. But Jill’s denial of her mother’s wishes causes her mother to become more erratic in her effort to hold onto her.
Over time, Jill becomes aware that if she is ever going to be happy she needs to follow after her heart. She does so and ends up involved with a married American businessman. This relationship helps Jill to realize a great deal about love, choice and how unselfish decisions made in love usually have the greatest results. Jill wants to be with this man, but decides to send him home to be with his family as she understands how terrible it is to lose a father. Jill becomes more aware through her interactions with this man that children need to move away from their parents at some point. Jill knows that she must pursue her dreams of becoming a history professor or be content with the choices in her life.
Eve was an amazing woman who had great abilities and a potential, but she allowed loss and bitterness to poison her love for others by pushing it into efforts to contain and control them. Jill respected the beginning that Eve gave her in life, but she understood that it was her life—not her mother’s. Jill could have tried to control every relationship around her, but power wasn’t her desire. Love was her desire all along.
Love taught her to read. Love taught her to care for the sheep. Love taught her to support and care for those people who were hurting around her. Love taught her to be unselfish and give back what wasn’t hers in the first place; and to chase after what was.
The Road from Coorain teaches families that tragedy and loss can be overcome, but the biggest tragedy occurs when controlling others becomes more important than loving them.
Jill and her family are strong independent people that desire to succeed in life. Jill is born and raised on acres of wild Australian rangeland on the edge of the desert. Her father raises sheep for a living, and her brothers help him in the work. Jill’s mom has the spirit of a pioneer woman and has worked very hard to build a dignified and proper home for her family.
Early in Jill’s family relationships, the viewer can see the great amount of expectation and promise that is associated with her abilities to learn, read and eventually become the matron of her family. Jill proves her academic abilities to her mother as she is home–schooled and in return aids her father with the herds of sheep after her brothers have been sent off to boarding school. It is her passion for helping her father that comforts him during a drought that kills off much of his stock.
Tragedy is a catalyst for Jill’s development as a mature individual. Just as she learned to read while her mother lanced a boil on her leg, Jill learns to care for her father’s business during the drought. This knowledge proves to be invaluable after the sudden death of her father, as she emotionally supports her mother through economic trials.
Undoubtedly, Eve takes situations into her own hands by selling of some of her furniture and moving the city to find work after her husband’s death, but Jill takes on what seems to be a role of friend, peer and equal—more than a traditional mother and daughter relationship. Jill also begins to attend formal schooling when the family moves into the city. Jill thrives in school and earns many awards for her abilities, but instead of her mother’s support and approval, Jill begins to receive sarcasm and criticism from her mother. In some ways, her mother is responsible for emphasizing the importance of education, but perhaps her extreme working strains caused her to resent her daughter’s opportunity for successes.
The family succeeds in turning the family business into a profitable one, so education and privilege are given to all the children and her Mother. All three children struggle with pressure to satisfy and impress their mother. The oldest brother, even after given a car for his birthday, feels unacceptable in his mother’s eyes. After the sudden death of her eldest brother, Jill again takes on the role of matron, as her mother regresses into the shell of grief and despair she had visited after the death of her husband. Jill’s next oldest brother escapes from his mother’s emotional extremes by returning to Coorain to run the family business. Jill continues her education, but dutifully cares for her grief-stricken mother on a daily basis.
As Jill nears graduation, her mother seems to improve as she hopes for Jill to pursue becoming a doctor. But Jill’s denial of her mother’s wishes causes her mother to become more erratic in her effort to hold onto her.
Over time, Jill becomes aware that if she is ever going to be happy she needs to follow after her heart. She does so and ends up involved with a married American businessman. This relationship helps Jill to realize a great deal about love, choice and how unselfish decisions made in love usually have the greatest results. Jill wants to be with this man, but decides to send him home to be with his family as she understands how terrible it is to lose a father. Jill becomes more aware through her interactions with this man that children need to move away from their parents at some point. Jill knows that she must pursue her dreams of becoming a history professor or be content with the choices in her life.
Eve was an amazing woman who had great abilities and a potential, but she allowed loss and bitterness to poison her love for others by pushing it into efforts to contain and control them. Jill respected the beginning that Eve gave her in life, but she understood that it was her life—not her mother’s. Jill could have tried to control every relationship around her, but power wasn’t her desire. Love was her desire all along.
Love taught her to read. Love taught her to care for the sheep. Love taught her to support and care for those people who were hurting around her. Love taught her to be unselfish and give back what wasn’t hers in the first place; and to chase after what was.
The Road from Coorain teaches families that tragedy and loss can be overcome, but the biggest tragedy occurs when controlling others becomes more important than loving them.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Sacred Space
I love this. It's called Sacred Space. It's a website run by the Irish Jesuits. It guides you through the Ignatian Exercises with an elegant interface. I guess this is the kind of idea that Leonard Sweet considers "ancient future." The idea of praying at a computer seemed really odd to me at first, but I grew used to it quickly. In fact, I visit it enough to consider it a part of my regular spiritual disciplines. Give it a try!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Praying in Circles?
I visited the Mount Saint Benedict Monastery this evening. The guest speaker was Carol Posch Comstock, the founding member of The Labyrinth Society. I had read a lot about labyrinths on Jonny Baker's website and in the book Soul Shaper, but I still wasn't sure what the fuss was all about. But in the words of Carol, "The best way to learn about labyrinths is to walk one."
After a time of prayerful preparation, I stepped into the labyrinth and started to slowly follow the long circuitous route to its center. Because I've been acutely aware lately of a need to be more conformed to the image of Christ, I silently repeated the prayer, "More of Jesus, less of me." When I got to the core of the labyrinth I just paused for awhile in the presence of God. Then I traced the route back to the outside thanking God for all the ways he is transforming me into his image. (I also tried a smaller labyrinth and even some small hand labyrinths that were on display.)
It was a beneficial experience that I would like to incorporate into my regular spiritual disciplines. I'm accustomed to sitting or laying down while I'm at prayer, but the act of using my whole body added an interesting depth to the experience. I also found it helpful that the labyrinth imposed a rhythm to my prayer: walking in I could express my lacking to God, wait on him in the center, and express my gratitude on the way out.
Thank God for the spiritual connections series at Mount Saint Benedict! In the midst of all the uncertainty at work these days, it makes for a nice personal time of refreshment and reflection each month.
After a time of prayerful preparation, I stepped into the labyrinth and started to slowly follow the long circuitous route to its center. Because I've been acutely aware lately of a need to be more conformed to the image of Christ, I silently repeated the prayer, "More of Jesus, less of me." When I got to the core of the labyrinth I just paused for awhile in the presence of God. Then I traced the route back to the outside thanking God for all the ways he is transforming me into his image. (I also tried a smaller labyrinth and even some small hand labyrinths that were on display.)
It was a beneficial experience that I would like to incorporate into my regular spiritual disciplines. I'm accustomed to sitting or laying down while I'm at prayer, but the act of using my whole body added an interesting depth to the experience. I also found it helpful that the labyrinth imposed a rhythm to my prayer: walking in I could express my lacking to God, wait on him in the center, and express my gratitude on the way out.
Thank God for the spiritual connections series at Mount Saint Benedict! In the midst of all the uncertainty at work these days, it makes for a nice personal time of refreshment and reflection each month.
Be Careful What You Test Drive
I need to preface this piece by stating that I'm not a car-obsessed individual. I don't buy specialized mud-flaps, design overly elaborate flame airbrushing techniques or get my car pimped-out with neon tubing. Normally, I’m perfectly happy putting around in my little Dodge Neon. But something strange is happening to me. I think I'm going a little crazy—car crazy.
Remember when you were a month of two away from graduating from high school? All you could think about was:
“What will I do after I graduate?”
‘Who will be my friends after I graduate?”
“After I graduate I will...”
I think you get my point—your present was overcome by a preoccupation with the future. Slowly but surely obsession over a car has taken up residence in the little space that was left in my conscious mind and I fear the lease was written for a long time. I currently have a 1996 Neon Expresso, and though it’s still running and doesn’t look too bad, it's beginning to show signs of eight years of family wear. I have replaced the brakes (several times), rotors (twice) and plugged several oil leaks that show no sign of stopping over the past few months. So last week after the starter in my car burnt out, I started to consider my options.
While the starter was being repaired a leak was found in the air conditioning unit. This repair and part would cost more than the starter did, so I opted to hold-off for awhile. So to be honest, the images of “shiny new cars with air conditioning, built in cd/stereo units and glossy new paint jobs dancing in my sweaty head” isn’t all that strange.
After a little discussion, my spouse and I decided to start “looking” for a new car. Now the only thing a person would really need to look is an eye. But this is where I think the new car virus really started to grow. It was such an innocent gesture—surfing the Internet for car information. I began reading and comparing the major car companies websites. I read reviews and compared similar vehicles I thought would serve my purposes of looking sporty, getting great gas mileage and lasting forever. Oh, and don’t forget the most important feature—the payments can’t be more than my “I-work-for-a-non-profit-agency” budget can afford. After gathering enough information to write a car reviews for Popular Mechanics, I continued to “look” by driving up and down the major auto sales street in my town (even when it really wasn't convenient). As my obsession grew I found myself surfing the net by day and visiting car dealers in the evening, but even that wasn’t satisfying my appetite for a new car. I finally spoke to a car–dealer friend of mine and it just happens that he sells the new cars I like the best. But speaking wasn't enough—I took one of the prettiest red sport wagons you've ever seen for a test drive. I let myself go in the fun of the moment. I cranked the stereo, rolled down the windows, drove it around town and zoomed on the highway a little. It was a zippy little thing. When I returned to the lot, my friend suggested I take it home to my husband and kids and have them test it out as well. I took him up on the offer. This is when new car obsession crossed into the realm of reality and it was beginning to get serious.
My kids loved the car, my spouse didn't seem to want to stop driving it, and being a passenger wasn't a boring experience either. I have to tell you, either the dealer had actors planted by the side of the road or people liked the look of the vehicle (or us in it—maybe both). There were people smiling at us and the car. This new car-itis is crazy stuff. My entire psyche was being fed all things that fuel the already car-obsessed mind. We returned the car after about a half hour of testing and everyone in my family was giddy and smiling. I remember saying to everyone, "Don't get too excited. This is only a test drive," but I think I was really speaking to myself more than anyone else. After a rather long conversation with the salesman and our friend, we said our good-byes and promised to return with our Neon to consider a trade-in. As I watched my family linger around the potential family fun car, I got a little nervous.
Fantasy and play are fun things, but now I’m going to have to do some number crunching. Ugh. I have to take some time to figure out the trade-in, down payment, and monthly payment for this pretty little number. Then there's a loan application process. Double Ugh!
I know that I'm really getting ahead of myself and it will all work out somehow. But I would hate to disappoint those happy little faces I saw reflected in the red glossy paint of that cute little wagon if we weren't able to swing its cost. I even tried to go for a generic cure for my car obsession. I test-drove a (gasp!) cheaper car. It was new, but it was boring. It was new, but the doors felt like they were made with aluminum when I closed them. The car was new, but it coughed and sputtered a bit when I stopped at every red light. The car was new, but I slammed my head on the inside of the car when I got out of it. This car was new, but it reminded me of a lemon and it had nothing in common with the pretty red number across the street. Generic cures don’t cure the illness that has affected my mind and body over the last few weeks. This is going to have to be the real deal. So now that I’ve found THE ONE I have to see how to make it work in reality.
It worked great in the test drive. I may have to wait a little while for something that is next-to-new or previously-leased, because I would rather wait for THE ONE than end up bitter because my fevered state made me jump and buy a lemon.
So just like all those soon-to-be-graduates I find myself preoccupied about the future. Only instead of wondering what I will be doing after graduation, I keep imagining:
"What will I do after I get the car?”
“Will our family and friends like the car?”
“After the car…”
Instead of Senioritis, I have New Car-itis and I'm not sure when I’ll be cured. But before the reality of making payments and driving off the lot will take away this long lasting illness, I think I'll try to enjoy it some more. Hey, do you want to go on a test drive?
Remember when you were a month of two away from graduating from high school? All you could think about was:
“What will I do after I graduate?”
‘Who will be my friends after I graduate?”
“After I graduate I will...”
I think you get my point—your present was overcome by a preoccupation with the future. Slowly but surely obsession over a car has taken up residence in the little space that was left in my conscious mind and I fear the lease was written for a long time. I currently have a 1996 Neon Expresso, and though it’s still running and doesn’t look too bad, it's beginning to show signs of eight years of family wear. I have replaced the brakes (several times), rotors (twice) and plugged several oil leaks that show no sign of stopping over the past few months. So last week after the starter in my car burnt out, I started to consider my options.
While the starter was being repaired a leak was found in the air conditioning unit. This repair and part would cost more than the starter did, so I opted to hold-off for awhile. So to be honest, the images of “shiny new cars with air conditioning, built in cd/stereo units and glossy new paint jobs dancing in my sweaty head” isn’t all that strange.
After a little discussion, my spouse and I decided to start “looking” for a new car. Now the only thing a person would really need to look is an eye. But this is where I think the new car virus really started to grow. It was such an innocent gesture—surfing the Internet for car information. I began reading and comparing the major car companies websites. I read reviews and compared similar vehicles I thought would serve my purposes of looking sporty, getting great gas mileage and lasting forever. Oh, and don’t forget the most important feature—the payments can’t be more than my “I-work-for-a-non-profit-agency” budget can afford. After gathering enough information to write a car reviews for Popular Mechanics, I continued to “look” by driving up and down the major auto sales street in my town (even when it really wasn't convenient). As my obsession grew I found myself surfing the net by day and visiting car dealers in the evening, but even that wasn’t satisfying my appetite for a new car. I finally spoke to a car–dealer friend of mine and it just happens that he sells the new cars I like the best. But speaking wasn't enough—I took one of the prettiest red sport wagons you've ever seen for a test drive. I let myself go in the fun of the moment. I cranked the stereo, rolled down the windows, drove it around town and zoomed on the highway a little. It was a zippy little thing. When I returned to the lot, my friend suggested I take it home to my husband and kids and have them test it out as well. I took him up on the offer. This is when new car obsession crossed into the realm of reality and it was beginning to get serious.
My kids loved the car, my spouse didn't seem to want to stop driving it, and being a passenger wasn't a boring experience either. I have to tell you, either the dealer had actors planted by the side of the road or people liked the look of the vehicle (or us in it—maybe both). There were people smiling at us and the car. This new car-itis is crazy stuff. My entire psyche was being fed all things that fuel the already car-obsessed mind. We returned the car after about a half hour of testing and everyone in my family was giddy and smiling. I remember saying to everyone, "Don't get too excited. This is only a test drive," but I think I was really speaking to myself more than anyone else. After a rather long conversation with the salesman and our friend, we said our good-byes and promised to return with our Neon to consider a trade-in. As I watched my family linger around the potential family fun car, I got a little nervous.
Fantasy and play are fun things, but now I’m going to have to do some number crunching. Ugh. I have to take some time to figure out the trade-in, down payment, and monthly payment for this pretty little number. Then there's a loan application process. Double Ugh!
I know that I'm really getting ahead of myself and it will all work out somehow. But I would hate to disappoint those happy little faces I saw reflected in the red glossy paint of that cute little wagon if we weren't able to swing its cost. I even tried to go for a generic cure for my car obsession. I test-drove a (gasp!) cheaper car. It was new, but it was boring. It was new, but the doors felt like they were made with aluminum when I closed them. The car was new, but it coughed and sputtered a bit when I stopped at every red light. The car was new, but I slammed my head on the inside of the car when I got out of it. This car was new, but it reminded me of a lemon and it had nothing in common with the pretty red number across the street. Generic cures don’t cure the illness that has affected my mind and body over the last few weeks. This is going to have to be the real deal. So now that I’ve found THE ONE I have to see how to make it work in reality.
It worked great in the test drive. I may have to wait a little while for something that is next-to-new or previously-leased, because I would rather wait for THE ONE than end up bitter because my fevered state made me jump and buy a lemon.
So just like all those soon-to-be-graduates I find myself preoccupied about the future. Only instead of wondering what I will be doing after graduation, I keep imagining:
"What will I do after I get the car?”
“Will our family and friends like the car?”
“After the car…”
Instead of Senioritis, I have New Car-itis and I'm not sure when I’ll be cured. But before the reality of making payments and driving off the lot will take away this long lasting illness, I think I'll try to enjoy it some more. Hey, do you want to go on a test drive?
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Jesus Loves You, Everyone Else Thinks You're An --
The Christian life isn't intended to be lived in isolation, but community. Let's face it though: community has its risks. Being open and honest with people can leave you just as vulnerable for attack as it leads to greater intimacy. Sometimes the people who talk the most about love seem the least likely to demonstrate it. And everyone seems to know someone who left the church because of someone's cruel behavior.
B--, the world-traveling wunderkind, recently passed the book When Bad Christians Happen To Good People along my way. I must have been having a bad day or something. I was interested to see what author Dave Burchett had to say about the wounds that get inflicted in the church everyday. Would it be an angry diatribe about every parishioner who ever sat in his pew at church? Thankfully, no.
Burchett writes about a serious subject matter in a witty and conversational tone. He proves that being a sincere Christian and having an opinion aren't mutually exclusive. Trust me -- you'd want to sit at this guy's table at a church potluck.
Burchett recounts some painful incidents directed at his family that made my blood boil. But he's just as quick to point out his own foibles. The book doesn't offer any deep insights -- it's more of a kick in the rear end to people who "should know better." And truthfully, I found my rear end to be the target of Burchett's foot on more than one occasion. Many of his illustrations hit way too close to home. I winced so many times during the reading of this book that T-- thought I had developed a facial tick.
The book is strong medicine, but a necessary prescription for a church that has forgotten its purpose is to be ever-increasingly transformed into the image of Christ.
B--, the world-traveling wunderkind, recently passed the book When Bad Christians Happen To Good People along my way. I must have been having a bad day or something. I was interested to see what author Dave Burchett had to say about the wounds that get inflicted in the church everyday. Would it be an angry diatribe about every parishioner who ever sat in his pew at church? Thankfully, no.
Burchett writes about a serious subject matter in a witty and conversational tone. He proves that being a sincere Christian and having an opinion aren't mutually exclusive. Trust me -- you'd want to sit at this guy's table at a church potluck.
Burchett recounts some painful incidents directed at his family that made my blood boil. But he's just as quick to point out his own foibles. The book doesn't offer any deep insights -- it's more of a kick in the rear end to people who "should know better." And truthfully, I found my rear end to be the target of Burchett's foot on more than one occasion. Many of his illustrations hit way too close to home. I winced so many times during the reading of this book that T-- thought I had developed a facial tick.
The book is strong medicine, but a necessary prescription for a church that has forgotten its purpose is to be ever-increasingly transformed into the image of Christ.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Review: Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
Have you ever enjoyed a book so much that you wished you could put copies into everyone's hands? Abba's Child is one such book. Nobody writes about the love of God like Brennan Manning. This slim volume examines why so many Christians live life under a dark cloud of impending judgment rather than with a spirit of encouragement. The heart of the matter has to do with a believer's image of God -- the dispassionate judge versus the loving father. So often a person feels he can never measure up and puts on a public persona -- Manning calls it The Impostor -- who appears to perform flawlessly. This make-believe is what robs us of true intimacy with God and genuine community with others. A much-needed book for the church today.
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Quote of the Week: The Beatitudes
"For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course that’s Moses, not Jesus. I haven’t heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere. 'Blessed are the merciful' in a courtroom? 'Blessed are the peacemakers' in the Pentagon? Give me a break!" -- Kurt Vonnegut
Review: Avengers JLA
Back in the day, I had a huge comic collection. I didn't collect any particular titles. I just read anything and everything -- Marvel, DC, Atlas, even the odd issue of Archie. I remember when my den mother found out I had amassed over 100-plus comics and berated me over what a waste it was to have over $25 tied up in a comics collection! How times (and prices) have changed!
I gracefully bowed out of comic collecting after Marvel cancelled the U.S. edition of its Doctor Who comic. I still pick up Teen Titans Go and Justice League Adventures for my son, but I only pick up graphic novels myself now -- usually reprints of stuff from my childhood such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and The New Gods. It takes something truly special to make me plunk down four or five bucks (!) on a single issue.
Avengers JLA was a four-issue miniseries that I just couldn't resist. Yeah, I'm a 36 year-old geezer who spends most of his time reading religion & philosophy, but c'mon -- I'm still an eight year-old fanboy at heart. This was a chance to see Earth's Mightiest Heroes duke it out with the World's Greatest Superheroes! I've always been a sucker for DC/Marvel Crossovers ever since I read Superman versus Spiderman in 1976.
The story starts out promising enough, with the Grandmaster challenging Krona to a game using the Avengers and the JLA as unwitting pawns. George Pérez turns out some of the best artwork I've seen in a long time and captures each character beautifully, which is no mean feat considering the large cast involved. I especially liked the sequences where the heroes switched realities and their reactions to each other's earths. The JLA is disgusted with the anarchy and corruption of the Marvel Universe, while The Avengers are speechless at the way heroes in the DC Universe are almost worshipped. Good so far. But the much anticipated battle between the superteams in issue two comes across as almost an anticlimax and the limited series never really recovers. It just got worse with each installment, like The Matrix movies. By issues three and four, writer Kurt Busiek dispenses with the story altogether and the comic just becomes an endless parade of cameos as -- ahem -- reality begins to shift and the rosters of the superteams keeps changing.
Avengers JLA was a great premise that unfortunately disappeared up its own rear end. Frankly, my friends and I thought up better Marvel/DC crossovers playing with our Mego Action Figures at recess. The only thing I regret more than reading it is the realization that I just spent $24 on four comics -- roughly the same amount I had invested in my much better collection as a third-grader!
I gracefully bowed out of comic collecting after Marvel cancelled the U.S. edition of its Doctor Who comic. I still pick up Teen Titans Go and Justice League Adventures for my son, but I only pick up graphic novels myself now -- usually reprints of stuff from my childhood such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and The New Gods. It takes something truly special to make me plunk down four or five bucks (!) on a single issue.
Avengers JLA was a four-issue miniseries that I just couldn't resist. Yeah, I'm a 36 year-old geezer who spends most of his time reading religion & philosophy, but c'mon -- I'm still an eight year-old fanboy at heart. This was a chance to see Earth's Mightiest Heroes duke it out with the World's Greatest Superheroes! I've always been a sucker for DC/Marvel Crossovers ever since I read Superman versus Spiderman in 1976.
The story starts out promising enough, with the Grandmaster challenging Krona to a game using the Avengers and the JLA as unwitting pawns. George Pérez turns out some of the best artwork I've seen in a long time and captures each character beautifully, which is no mean feat considering the large cast involved. I especially liked the sequences where the heroes switched realities and their reactions to each other's earths. The JLA is disgusted with the anarchy and corruption of the Marvel Universe, while The Avengers are speechless at the way heroes in the DC Universe are almost worshipped. Good so far. But the much anticipated battle between the superteams in issue two comes across as almost an anticlimax and the limited series never really recovers. It just got worse with each installment, like The Matrix movies. By issues three and four, writer Kurt Busiek dispenses with the story altogether and the comic just becomes an endless parade of cameos as -- ahem -- reality begins to shift and the rosters of the superteams keeps changing.
Avengers JLA was a great premise that unfortunately disappeared up its own rear end. Frankly, my friends and I thought up better Marvel/DC crossovers playing with our Mego Action Figures at recess. The only thing I regret more than reading it is the realization that I just spent $24 on four comics -- roughly the same amount I had invested in my much better collection as a third-grader!
Friday, May 21, 2004
Roughin' It
I never realized that I was an addict until the unthinkable happened yesterday: my super-fast cable modem connection died! It had been there when I disconnected the iBook to do some work in another part of the house earlier in the day, but it was gone when I reconnected it last night. I assumed the tragedy must have somehow been connected with this, and repeatedly fiddled around with my ethernet connection and cable modem. A glance at the clock surprised me that I had been doing this for about 2 1/2 hours! The story should have ended there, but I came back to it an hour later. Then it was the first thing I checked out when I woke up this morning. While I waited for the cable repairman to get there, I couldn't stop thinking of stuff I wanted to do on the internet: check the news and weather, chat with friends, get maps, and even look up definitions of words. It's amazing to think about how quickly the internet went from being a novelty item to a must-have accessory. By odd coincidence my cell phone died at the same time. Ah, the trials and tribulations of a 21st century man...
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Mister Golden Hair Suprise
I had a very odd exchange the other day with someone after church. Let me first preface this by saying that the person who spoke to me is very level-headed and never, never, ever says odd things. This person isn't a Pentecostal and isn't looking for the Age of Aquarius to begin. This person isn't on any kind of medication or has mental health problems.
Anyway, here's what the person said: "When you speaking this morning, you were surrounded by a golden glow. What does that mean?" It was like that old episode of Welcome Back Kotter when the girl tells Horshack that he has an aura. And Horshack goes, "Great! Uh, what's an aura?"
L-- followed the whole thing up on Sunday night by doing a comprehensive and scholarly investigation of all color-related supernatural phenomena. (Actually she just did a Google search for aura.) Here's what she came up with:
There are different kinds of auras that some people claim to see. They reveal things about a person's nature. A golden aura symbolizes the intellect and an awareness of spiritual nature. It's most often found in the auras of spiritual healers and leaders. (A red aura means you're hot-to-trot. Notice my friend didn't say anything about a red color anywhere around me.)
What does my new-found aura mean to me? Well, probably nothing because I can't see it. I'm not going to tell anyone at work about it until I feel like getting fired. I'm not going to change my name to Goldie. I'm not going to write a book called "Your Aura and You." I guess it's just one of those things that make me go hmmmm...
Anyway, here's what the person said: "When you speaking this morning, you were surrounded by a golden glow. What does that mean?" It was like that old episode of Welcome Back Kotter when the girl tells Horshack that he has an aura. And Horshack goes, "Great! Uh, what's an aura?"
L-- followed the whole thing up on Sunday night by doing a comprehensive and scholarly investigation of all color-related supernatural phenomena. (Actually she just did a Google search for aura.) Here's what she came up with:
There are different kinds of auras that some people claim to see. They reveal things about a person's nature. A golden aura symbolizes the intellect and an awareness of spiritual nature. It's most often found in the auras of spiritual healers and leaders. (A red aura means you're hot-to-trot. Notice my friend didn't say anything about a red color anywhere around me.)
What does my new-found aura mean to me? Well, probably nothing because I can't see it. I'm not going to tell anyone at work about it until I feel like getting fired. I'm not going to change my name to Goldie. I'm not going to write a book called "Your Aura and You." I guess it's just one of those things that make me go hmmmm...
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Quote of the Week
"'The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference." -- Elie Weisel, Holocaust survivor
Monday, May 17, 2004
Review: Ghosts -- The Story of a Reunion
Adrian Plass is a well-known writer in his native England, authoring over twenty books. Until recently, his books have been unavailable in the United States. So I couldn't wait to dig into his latest novel, Ghosts -- The Story of a Reunion, to experience first hand what our friends on the other side of the pond have been enjoying.
A recent widower attends a reunion of his old church youth group -- people who, for the most part, haven't had much contact with each other since the late seventies. Spending the weekend in "the most haunted house in England" the friends come face to face with how much they've changed over the years and uncover some painful traumas -- or ghosts -- from the past.
A book written with gentle humor, compassion, and honestly, Plass shows a lot of insight into issues facing Christians without ever turning preachy or trite. Ghosts is a wonderful introduction to Mr. Plass and I'm looking forward to reading more of his books as they become available in the States. Recommended!
A recent widower attends a reunion of his old church youth group -- people who, for the most part, haven't had much contact with each other since the late seventies. Spending the weekend in "the most haunted house in England" the friends come face to face with how much they've changed over the years and uncover some painful traumas -- or ghosts -- from the past.
A book written with gentle humor, compassion, and honestly, Plass shows a lot of insight into issues facing Christians without ever turning preachy or trite. Ghosts is a wonderful introduction to Mr. Plass and I'm looking forward to reading more of his books as they become available in the States. Recommended!
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Holy Cheesy Comics, Batman!
If you haven't guessed by now, I love books with a passion. But before I read grownup books -- you know, without pictures 'n' stuff -- I was a huge comic fan. I had hundreds of 'em. The funny thing is some of them haven't aged too well. There's a website devoted to some of the cheesier excesses of seventies comics and it's drop-dead funny. Take a trip in the Batmobile down memory lane to Gone & Forgotten today!
You Turned On The Light
Hey. Here's a song I recorded on Saturday at Stonehouse Studios. I wrote it to remind myself that there's always hope no matter the circumstances. Download it by clicking here. Hope you like it!
Here's to Jesus, here's to you!
Love Feast and Treasure Hunt are the last two books Frederick Buechner wrote about Leo Bebb, the founder of The Church of Holy Love, Incorporated. The Bebb books are hard to categorize. I always find myself describing them as hilarious and then go on to recount a plot that inevitably sounds terribly sad. So let me just avoid the whole thing this time and say that these are wonderful books and you'll live a much happier and richer life if you read them!
Love Feast finds our characters very much out of place, speaking both geographically and emotionally. Antonio has to deal with his separation with Sharon and Bebb is adrift after the failure of his latest church venture in the northeast. That is until he becomes the Pepsi Generation's next big thing on campus through a strange series of circumstances. The book contains the best description of the gospel that I've ever read and manages to use the word "shit" over a dozen times in the process.
Treasure Hunt is a true original: A Bebb book without Bebb. The evangelist has passed on to his heavenly reward and it is up to his family and friends to deal with the mess -- er, legacy -- he left behind. Bebb's final secrets are laid bare in the immensely satisfying end to the series.
Said it before, I'll say it again: Frederick Buechner is a genius. Quick -- go to Amazon right now and buy these books!
Love Feast finds our characters very much out of place, speaking both geographically and emotionally. Antonio has to deal with his separation with Sharon and Bebb is adrift after the failure of his latest church venture in the northeast. That is until he becomes the Pepsi Generation's next big thing on campus through a strange series of circumstances. The book contains the best description of the gospel that I've ever read and manages to use the word "shit" over a dozen times in the process.
Treasure Hunt is a true original: A Bebb book without Bebb. The evangelist has passed on to his heavenly reward and it is up to his family and friends to deal with the mess -- er, legacy -- he left behind. Bebb's final secrets are laid bare in the immensely satisfying end to the series.
Said it before, I'll say it again: Frederick Buechner is a genius. Quick -- go to Amazon right now and buy these books!
Saturday, May 15, 2004
musicplasma : the music visual search engine
Just when I think that there isn't anything on the net anymore that can impress me, I come across something like this! Musicplasma bills itself as "the music visual search engine." It's cool. Type in the name of a musician, hit search, and you'll be given a chart that shows what other artists or bands are in the musician's musical orbit. What a clever way to discover some new music. And what a cool way to visually represent ideas.
Vector
I spent an enjoyable Friday evening at my friend B--'s apartment. He not only treated my family to dinner and some great conversation, but also to a few hundred pictures of his recent journeys to Israel and Turkey. I was surprised to see that Israel was so green -- I always imagined that it was a big desert with sand everywhere. The pictures of Turkey were incredible. B-- showed us some homes that had been dug out of the rock faces of cliffs, which looked more like something out of a fantasy/sci-fi flick than something that exists on 21st century earth. I was surprised to see those pictures side-by-side with pictures from an internet cafe in the town of Urgup. Or photographs of nomadic Bedouin tribes with satellite dishes sitting outside their tents.
I remember back in elementary school when my teacher described the United States as "the great melting pot." Immigrants from many different cultures came together in a specific geographical location and formed a new culture over a period of decades. But the melting pot has given way to the global village. The Turkish may not be guarenteed indoor plumbing everywhere, but they can surf the net. Bedouins unwind after a hard day of camel herding by watching Seinfeld.
Sometimes I feel like the whole world is melting and blending all around me. In my association with the church I have been exposed to many different cultures and subcultures -- Swedish, British, Hispanic, young, old, haves, have-nots, Christian, other spiritualities, and no spiritualities. I'm also affected by the global culture that gets piped into my TV, internet, and radio. On any given day I can see live satellite pictures from the middle east, chat on the computer with people from different countries, and listen to music recorded around the world on my radio.
Each culture has it's own opinions and behaviors formed by its unique experiences. That's been a rewarding if not always easy learning experience for a middle-class white kid from Warren PA, and I know I've grown richer as a result of building these relationships. The ability of being able to see things from another point of view has made me reexamine some of my ideas and beliefs about life.
Young people tend to make decisions based on instant gratification. That's not a criticism, just an observation on life. I made decisions the same way when I was in my teens and twenties and I bet you did, too. My wife and I encourage the young people we work with to look a little farther into the future than just this school year. We make them aware that the decisions they make today will have consequences both good and bad in the future.
I was hopeless at geometry. But I do remember one thing from third period all those years ago. A vector was a change that involved both depth and direction. Encouraging a young person to look a little farther into the future will hopefully result in him being aware of the direction his life is taking. But I think it's also becoming just as necessary to encourage him to have a depth of experience with other cultures -- because how can a person have an impact on a world he doesn't seek to understand?
I remember back in elementary school when my teacher described the United States as "the great melting pot." Immigrants from many different cultures came together in a specific geographical location and formed a new culture over a period of decades. But the melting pot has given way to the global village. The Turkish may not be guarenteed indoor plumbing everywhere, but they can surf the net. Bedouins unwind after a hard day of camel herding by watching Seinfeld.
Sometimes I feel like the whole world is melting and blending all around me. In my association with the church I have been exposed to many different cultures and subcultures -- Swedish, British, Hispanic, young, old, haves, have-nots, Christian, other spiritualities, and no spiritualities. I'm also affected by the global culture that gets piped into my TV, internet, and radio. On any given day I can see live satellite pictures from the middle east, chat on the computer with people from different countries, and listen to music recorded around the world on my radio.
Each culture has it's own opinions and behaviors formed by its unique experiences. That's been a rewarding if not always easy learning experience for a middle-class white kid from Warren PA, and I know I've grown richer as a result of building these relationships. The ability of being able to see things from another point of view has made me reexamine some of my ideas and beliefs about life.
Young people tend to make decisions based on instant gratification. That's not a criticism, just an observation on life. I made decisions the same way when I was in my teens and twenties and I bet you did, too. My wife and I encourage the young people we work with to look a little farther into the future than just this school year. We make them aware that the decisions they make today will have consequences both good and bad in the future.
I was hopeless at geometry. But I do remember one thing from third period all those years ago. A vector was a change that involved both depth and direction. Encouraging a young person to look a little farther into the future will hopefully result in him being aware of the direction his life is taking. But I think it's also becoming just as necessary to encourage him to have a depth of experience with other cultures -- because how can a person have an impact on a world he doesn't seek to understand?
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Salt & Light
Because I work every Sunday in the church, Thursday is my Friday. And I'm sure looking forward to two days off. I have a lot of things I need to do around the house and in my personal time. Like everyone else I never seem like I have enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished.
My job is actually two jobs in the same nonprofit organization -- pastor and public relations director. The workload for each job should easily warrant two full-time employees, but that's not going to happen given our current budget woes. So quite often I find myself working from crisis to crisis without ever getting to some of the not-time-sensitive items on my wish list. But today I did something very uncharacteristic. I chucked the phone calls, my email inbox, and the to-do list to follow up on something I've wanted to do for a long time: organize a voter registration drive.
My church spends approximately 75% of its efforts working with young people. I am continually impressed by their enthusiasm and dreams. Young people at my church deliver food baskets at Thanksgiving, help organize a massive Christmas effort, work at camp with inner city kids, and generally do a lot of amazing things. These aren't young people who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, but people who have overcome great obstacles in their growing up. A few months ago I was talking with some of them about current events and it was great to hear their opinions on politics. I discovered they weren't registered to vote and didn't know how to go about the process. I always intended to follow up with them about that, but it just became yet another thing that fell through the cracks of my hectic schedule.
But something inside me broke this morning as I listened to the morning news. I can't sit around and be passive while the entire world goes to hell. So I decided to organize a voter registration drive. My first call was to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, and my second to the League of Women Voters. Everyone was so helpful. I discovered that the process is insanely easy -- anyone can organize a voter registration drive.
I hope to get this on the calendar before high school gets out. I'm also seeking a few high school students to get the word out via posters and the internet. Yeah, I know I have a lot more important stuff to do, like paperwork, but if I don't help these young people get involved in the political process, who will?
A lot of churches give lip service to teens and always say that "young people are the church of tomorrow." But my wife and I prefer to look on them as the church of today. I guess the voter registration drive applies that opinion to the political process. I can't wait to see how this turns out!
My job is actually two jobs in the same nonprofit organization -- pastor and public relations director. The workload for each job should easily warrant two full-time employees, but that's not going to happen given our current budget woes. So quite often I find myself working from crisis to crisis without ever getting to some of the not-time-sensitive items on my wish list. But today I did something very uncharacteristic. I chucked the phone calls, my email inbox, and the to-do list to follow up on something I've wanted to do for a long time: organize a voter registration drive.
My church spends approximately 75% of its efforts working with young people. I am continually impressed by their enthusiasm and dreams. Young people at my church deliver food baskets at Thanksgiving, help organize a massive Christmas effort, work at camp with inner city kids, and generally do a lot of amazing things. These aren't young people who were born with silver spoons in their mouths, but people who have overcome great obstacles in their growing up. A few months ago I was talking with some of them about current events and it was great to hear their opinions on politics. I discovered they weren't registered to vote and didn't know how to go about the process. I always intended to follow up with them about that, but it just became yet another thing that fell through the cracks of my hectic schedule.
But something inside me broke this morning as I listened to the morning news. I can't sit around and be passive while the entire world goes to hell. So I decided to organize a voter registration drive. My first call was to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, and my second to the League of Women Voters. Everyone was so helpful. I discovered that the process is insanely easy -- anyone can organize a voter registration drive.
I hope to get this on the calendar before high school gets out. I'm also seeking a few high school students to get the word out via posters and the internet. Yeah, I know I have a lot more important stuff to do, like paperwork, but if I don't help these young people get involved in the political process, who will?
A lot of churches give lip service to teens and always say that "young people are the church of tomorrow." But my wife and I prefer to look on them as the church of today. I guess the voter registration drive applies that opinion to the political process. I can't wait to see how this turns out!
Friday, May 07, 2004
Review: The River Within by Jeff Imbach
I had an interesting experience recently. I was spending a leisurely Saturday afternoon browsing the racks at my local library when I came across a paperback wedged upside-down between two shelves. I'm a book lover, and I couldn't bear to see the little book twisted around, cover bent, pages every which way. As I reached into retrieve it a little voice inside of me said, "Read this book." So I decided to borrow it and read it before even knowing the author's name, the title, or the subject matter. I'm glad I did.
The book turned out to be The River Within by Jeff Imbach. A spiritual formation primer, it raises questions about the absence of passion in many Christians. Where is the life abundant promised by Christ? Quite often it's been crushed by cultural values in the church, where conformity and pat-answers are the order of the day. Imbach makes a great case for living passionately. He suggests that spiritual disciplines keep the passion moving in a life-affirming direction.
Yes, it's yet another book that encourages me to look at the totality of my life and not just the God-bits. I'm already a big proponent of experiencing God in all areas of life. Imbach's book just got me to stop feeling guilty about it. What a great message to be reminded of: God is experienced in church, prayer, and his word; but he's also experienced in nature, conversations, and circumstances. And maybe even in a library on a lazy Saturday afternoon...
The book turned out to be The River Within by Jeff Imbach. A spiritual formation primer, it raises questions about the absence of passion in many Christians. Where is the life abundant promised by Christ? Quite often it's been crushed by cultural values in the church, where conformity and pat-answers are the order of the day. Imbach makes a great case for living passionately. He suggests that spiritual disciplines keep the passion moving in a life-affirming direction.
Yes, it's yet another book that encourages me to look at the totality of my life and not just the God-bits. I'm already a big proponent of experiencing God in all areas of life. Imbach's book just got me to stop feeling guilty about it. What a great message to be reminded of: God is experienced in church, prayer, and his word; but he's also experienced in nature, conversations, and circumstances. And maybe even in a library on a lazy Saturday afternoon...
Monday, May 03, 2004
The Ten Paradoxical Commandments
I'm not big on e-mail forwards, but I really liked this one. It was written by Dr. Kent M. Keith in 1968, and its message is maybe even more important to heed these days.:
THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
Saturday, May 01, 2004
Bliss
I awoke last evening around 3 am. I felt completely rested and would have assumed that it was 7 am if I hadn't been in complete darkness. Going back to sleep wasn't going to be an option, so I got up so as to not wake my sleeping wife. The things I usually do when I can't sleep -- read, surf the net, and watch TV -- just didn't seem appropriate last night. Something else was in the air. I quietly crept downstairs and took a seat in our living room where our two children were sound asleep, the television still on. I switched it off. Our living room is beautiful. My wife transformed the walls a few years ago from a drab off-white to an inviting mustard with a scoria-colored trim. She also decorated our picture window with an odd little string of lights from Ikea and some gold-embossed cloth. Simple touches really, but it's just one of those amazing things she does to a room with a spare weekend on her hands. The house was in complete darkness but for the glow of the picture window, and as the light washed over me I was lost in the most beautiful feeling of bliss. I took a seat near my sleeping son and gave myself completely over to the moment. To be quite honest, I have no idea how briefly or long I sat there. I just felt a complete happiness with God. It was a time of worship and ministry that went deeper than words or intellect. I felt as if I were an empty cup and God was pouring himself into me. The moment never really passed, but I eventually made my way to a spare bedroom for a deep sleep. I awoke this morning and reflected that this must be a little of what heaven must be like.
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