White dash

Another white dash equals anticipation of going somewhere you've always wanted. But I wonder, is the grass really greener? Is the air cleaner, does the sun shine brighter?
Am I always passionate, brilliant, couragious and bold there when I feel apathetic, dull, mousey and boring over here.
Is it my geographical location that is weighing me down or is it the private neighborhood of my mind that's leaving me feeling cold.
Maybe I need spring to come more then I thought, because this winter has been longer than the white dashes on Route 666.
Too long, too cold. Spring better come before I get too old.

Challenges to Spiritual Formation

My learning cohort was asked "What is the greatest challenge to helping a person grow spiritually?"

I've often found that the greatest challenge is myself! I sometimes catch myself behaving like it's my job to fix a person. And really, aren't there already enough codependent relationships in the world?

A speaker at a retreat once described the relationship between disciples as "One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." That's always stuck with me. In my better moments I resist the temptation to be Superman and simply come alongside a person to share the joys, struggles, and the hope we've found in Christ...

When my wife worked in human services she used to joke that the most wonderful word in the English language was "referral." Well, it's wonderful to refer people to the care of the Holy Spirit.

Challenge number two is: myself. Again. It's easy to take a method that works for me and assume that it will work for everybody in every situation.

I'm introverted. I feel the presence of God in the quiet. I like to read, journal, meditate and pray the daily office. These aspects of my devotional life are nonnegotiable. But they may do absolutely nothing for another person -- say, someone especially extroverted.

I guess I need to keep the end purpose in mind and remain flexible with the methods. The end purpose is that the person has an ever deepening romance with God. (Even if they'd leave me standing in the middle of a labyrinth while they trotted off to some happy clappy songfest!)

The third challenge I see is an expectation that a person will experience one magicial moment that will make them spiritually mature in an instant... No struggles, no discipleship, no dark night of the soul required. Patience is a virtue, little padawan. I guess that's doubly true in regards to watching someone grow spiritually.

A Class is a Gas, But Online is Fine

I just completed my first week of seminary classes. I did question whether or not I would enjoy the online learning environment, but prior to seminary I was able to take a number of work-related training and found myself very satisfied with the experience. I think the biggest adjustment was the asynchronous nature of discussion, but it doesn't bother me nearly as much now as it did in the beginning. (Plus it's made me more patient!)

I've done a great deal of writing for broadcast and print over the years, so I feel pretty comfortable about projecting myself online. (If you're imagining me with the good looks of a Greek god, the intelligence of Stephen Hawking, and the sartorial sense of the "Man in the Hathaway Shirt" -- complete with eye-patch -- I've succeeded!)

Not being present together in a classroom means my learning cohort is somewhat handicapped at communicating because we're without vocal inflection, body language and facial expression. In the end this may turn out to be beneficial to us all. This medium will cause us to become more articulate in the written word out of necessity.

One of my classmates posted something that really got me thinking: "Hopefully, [my] persona is accurate as to who I really am. It is very important to me to be 'real' and not to put up a false front in any aspect of life..."

I interact with a lot of youth both professionally and as a volunteer. Often I look at a student's myspace page and think, "Do I even know this person at all?"

Who's real and who's the doppelganger? The teen who's on the worship team praising God -- or the potty-mouth trash talking online? Would the student even know?

Young people lead such compartmentalized lives. That's out of necessity, I hasten to add. They have one set of expectations at mom's house, another when they visit dad on the weekend, and others at school, work, and with friends. It's the only way they've ever known and it's logical that they end up treating their faith the same way. It's a real challenge for those of us ministering to youth.

Being real in all aspects of life -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- is a much-needed witness in the world these days. If our learning community can extend that grace to each other over the next two years we may have something really vital to share in our local churches and communities.

March Beatnik Madness

Here's the next event at my little church. I hope that you can come and support this one - it will be a grrovy time for all!
Tara