...an interesting development with the situation in burma.
time news feed.
continue to pray for these people literally trapped in this country.
29.9.07
28.9.07
myanmar
please pray for the nation of myanmar.
this country (formerly called burma) has been a hot bed of chaos for the past few hundred years, but just in the last several months, protesters have rallied against the corrupt government to try and force, among other changes, a democratic nation. new york times reports that the protesters have "also called for the release of all political detainees, including daw aung san suu kyi, the pro-democracy leader who has been held under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years." yesterday, 9/27, the government's military forces opened fire on protesters in the streets of yangon as well as inside of a number of monasteries. the times also reports, "the violence of the past two days has answered the question of whether the military would fire on buddhist monks, the highly revered moral core of burmese society. for the past 10 days, the monks have led demonstrations that grew to as many as 100,000 before the crackdown began." the number of dead and injured cannot be accurately calculated at this time as many of the journalists covering the conflict have also come under attack. one japanese reporter was shot while photographing a street raid, continued taking pictures while lying on the ground, and died a short time later. other reports from the monasteries indicate that government forces entered the buddhist temples where a number of monks were beaten and between 70 and 150 more arrested. all told it is estimated that nine demonstrators were killed in a singular attack yesterday while 11 more were wounded.
25.9.07
belief
this message from brennan manning (one of my favorite writers) opens up some deep wounds of mine. it certainly is not intended to call anyone out for their faith issues or individual christian perspective, in fact, that is nearly antithetical to the entire premise for his statements; it is, rather, a simple request to look inwardly at yourself in order to discover the honest truth about what you believe about God. for me, this is very difficult, because, to be perfectly honest, i have a difficult time believing that i am loved by God and that my life means so much to Him. this may sound off-kilter to many, but i'm sure that if you asked yourself candidly whether or not you believe that God loves you, that you mean something to Him, that He cherishes you, you might find yourself in a similar predicament as i.
it is easier to think that we have no place, no identity; that we are faceless servants in a hoard of others running about seeking purpose (at least it is for me), than to trust that we are loved unconditionally. i would rack my brain trying to come up with some reason for which God would need me, and the plain and simple answer is that He doesn't. i've heard an extension on the analogy that God left in us a space only He could fill: that we fill a space in God only meant for us. i do not think that is the appropriate way to go about this, for if God needed something from us, if we met some need in Him, then He simply wouldn't be the all-powerful God of the universe (read a.w. tozer for further insight into this particular idea). so at what conclusion, then, can we arrive? if God doesn't need us, but loves us so much and has such value for each one of us that He gave His very own life so that we might live, the only possible resolution i can find is that He wants us. He chooses us.
it is far more difficult, a much bigger leap of faith, to believe that this kind of love exists, and to be honest once again, i'm not altogether sure i'm there yet. it will take a great deal more time spent wrestling with God to discover just what my true identity is as result of His powerful love; that is where our identity truly comes from: the love of our Father. do you believe that He loves you?
fall ball
three games up with six left to play, my beloved cubbies are playing their best baseball of the season and are in good position to make a serious play-off run. wrigley has already taken on a post-season atmosphere, and more than any other team in the league, the cubs can say that they are feeding off of their fans' enthusiasm. this season, the franchise set a ball-park record in attendance, not only for wrigley field, but for every single other athletic venue in the city of chicago; more than the bears, bulls, blackhawks, white sox.....ever. 3,252,462 in attendance on the season and counting. after 99 long years, let's see this thing through.GO CUBS!
20.9.07
temperance
fun title, huh.
have you ever had a subject that you weren't necessarily thinking about just keep presenting itself in random places? well that's what has been going on with me, and unfortunately the subject just had to be temperance, which is kind of ironic if you think about it. so in an effort to exercises the demons, so-to-speak, i'll just write about it a little.
some months ago when i was still living in iowa city a good friend of mine was telling me that he and his family had had quite a heated discussion about drinking alcohol and whether it was right for a christian to do so. now, i will enjoy a drink now and then; i like the taste of good wine properly paired with food, it's nice to have a beer while enjoying music or a game with some friends at a pub, so my response to my friend's debate with his family was more a matter of justifying my own actions than a straight-up biblical rationale (which does exist, and i'll get to it in a moment).
i had, quite frankly, put the matter out my mind until recently when the subject of temperance ran itself out in front of my road once again. during a good discussion at 'journey,' the college/young adult ministry i lead worship for, we were discussing the nature of sin while we read 1 john 1 (a chunk of scripture that speaks candidly about sin among those who believe in Christ), and as all those who attend this ministry are in their college years, the idea that drinking alcohol somehow doesn't coincide with being a christian was one of the first, among many, of legalistic issues raised. i provided the same stock responses as before when i spoke with my friend months ago: "romans 14:22 says, 'the faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.'" that drinking in moderation is fine, et cetera, et cetera. and i preceded to put it out of my mind.
God doesn't seem to be done addressing this issue with me.
today, as i was reading in c.s. lewis's 'mere christianity,' i came across the chapter dealing with the cardinal virtues, one of which is temperance, and lewis was careful when writing this to note that temperance did not always carry the meaning it does now: that one is not to drink, but rather translated itself "to all pleasures..." he goes on to say that "one great piece of mischief has been done by the modern restriction of the word 'temperance' to the question of drink. it helps people forget that you can be just as intemperate about lots of other things. a man who makes his golf or his motor-bicycle the center of his life, or a woman who devotes all her thoughts to clothes or bridge or her dog, is being just as 'intemperate' as someone who gets drunk every evening." obviously there's more going on here than just whether or not one should have a drink every once in a while; in fact, drinking is barely a significant part of this issue.
isn't it very interesting how we are so easily distracted by one vice and place all our emphasis on it as being particularly nasty (i don't really need to list what those commonly thought-of hot-seat discussions are) while at the same time completely ignore the others that completely consume our lives? almost as if we say that as long as we don't fall prey to alcohol or drugs or anything else this culture has labeled unsavory, then we're perfectly free to pursue other vices because they just 'aren't as bad.' as lewis states, anything we place at the center of our lives instead of God is sin, which directly corresponds to the message of the Word.
'if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us' (1 jn. 1:8) means all sin, not just those we have placed at the top of our own established hierarchy.
have you ever had a subject that you weren't necessarily thinking about just keep presenting itself in random places? well that's what has been going on with me, and unfortunately the subject just had to be temperance, which is kind of ironic if you think about it. so in an effort to exercises the demons, so-to-speak, i'll just write about it a little.
some months ago when i was still living in iowa city a good friend of mine was telling me that he and his family had had quite a heated discussion about drinking alcohol and whether it was right for a christian to do so. now, i will enjoy a drink now and then; i like the taste of good wine properly paired with food, it's nice to have a beer while enjoying music or a game with some friends at a pub, so my response to my friend's debate with his family was more a matter of justifying my own actions than a straight-up biblical rationale (which does exist, and i'll get to it in a moment).
i had, quite frankly, put the matter out my mind until recently when the subject of temperance ran itself out in front of my road once again. during a good discussion at 'journey,' the college/young adult ministry i lead worship for, we were discussing the nature of sin while we read 1 john 1 (a chunk of scripture that speaks candidly about sin among those who believe in Christ), and as all those who attend this ministry are in their college years, the idea that drinking alcohol somehow doesn't coincide with being a christian was one of the first, among many, of legalistic issues raised. i provided the same stock responses as before when i spoke with my friend months ago: "romans 14:22 says, 'the faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.'" that drinking in moderation is fine, et cetera, et cetera. and i preceded to put it out of my mind.
God doesn't seem to be done addressing this issue with me.
today, as i was reading in c.s. lewis's 'mere christianity,' i came across the chapter dealing with the cardinal virtues, one of which is temperance, and lewis was careful when writing this to note that temperance did not always carry the meaning it does now: that one is not to drink, but rather translated itself "to all pleasures..." he goes on to say that "one great piece of mischief has been done by the modern restriction of the word 'temperance' to the question of drink. it helps people forget that you can be just as intemperate about lots of other things. a man who makes his golf or his motor-bicycle the center of his life, or a woman who devotes all her thoughts to clothes or bridge or her dog, is being just as 'intemperate' as someone who gets drunk every evening." obviously there's more going on here than just whether or not one should have a drink every once in a while; in fact, drinking is barely a significant part of this issue.
isn't it very interesting how we are so easily distracted by one vice and place all our emphasis on it as being particularly nasty (i don't really need to list what those commonly thought-of hot-seat discussions are) while at the same time completely ignore the others that completely consume our lives? almost as if we say that as long as we don't fall prey to alcohol or drugs or anything else this culture has labeled unsavory, then we're perfectly free to pursue other vices because they just 'aren't as bad.' as lewis states, anything we place at the center of our lives instead of God is sin, which directly corresponds to the message of the Word.
'if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us' (1 jn. 1:8) means all sin, not just those we have placed at the top of our own established hierarchy.
17.9.07
rhythm 'n roots
this past weekend i was fortunate enough to experience the 7th annual rhythm & roots bluegrass festival here in bristol. coming from the midwest where bluegrass is scarcely found, i had little idea of what to expect, but i was pleasantly surprised. this event was wonderfully organized and offered an eclectic sampling of all that the bluegrass genre has in its arsenal; yes, you heard me correctly: i used the words 'bluegrass' and 'eclectic' in the same sentence...i was shocked too. but if you look hard enough and find yourself at festivals such as this one, then you're bound to run into something you didn't expect. twelve stages and approximately fifty bands all along historic state street (the place where rca first recorded country music), with all the vendors and colorful people you would expect, comprised this past weekend in downtown bristol.
but as we all know, it's really about the music, and this event didn't disappoint. bluegrass has apparently been redefined over the years to the end of producing some truly unique sounds that popular music will never be able to accomplish, and believe me, it's a tragedy that most of these band will go unheard-of by a majority of radio listeners. here are a few of the concert highlights i found from this past weekend (their band names are links the their websites).
the carolina chocolate dropswith a sound that belongs to the deepest south, this trio of african-american string players blends the beginnings of soul, gospel, and blues to bring back a sound that simply can't be heard anymore. they make their way through the midwest, so be sure to check them out some time.
the everybodyfieldsa good way to get yourself recognized is to take something old and make it new; this band is gaining recognition for doing just that. a quartet from the tennessee area , the everybodyfields draws influence from country, rock, and blues to paint sounds that make you sit and pay attention; not only that, but their powerfully morose and doleful lyrics pull you in until you're completely lost in the experience of listening. they have a new cd just out called 'nothing is okay' with the picture of an upside down cartoon rainbow on the cover...enough said.
the wiyosragtime vaudeville is back! that's right, you heard me...there is a place in music still for the vaudevillian sideshow and this trio proves it. if i had only heard this one band all weekend, it would have been enough. a certain crowd favorite (for good reason), the wiyos provide non-stop entertainment with their shtick and banter while backing it up with the most amazing musicianship i heard throughout the entire event. tight rhythms and even tighter three-part harmonies, wonderfully nuanced compositions (some traditional tunes but many of their own), and a condensed sound that seems it should be coming from an old victrola; top it all off with a washboard, harmonica, kazoo, megaphone, etc. (played by a musician who actually knows how to play each of those instruments) and you'll start to have some idea of what this group offers.
of course i didn't have time enough to sample every band there, which, in my opinion, is a good thing; there really was something for every one; a sonorous taste for every musical palate. kudos to each band that participated in keeping the spirit of bluegrass alive. i can't wait for next year's event.
of course i didn't have time enough to sample every band there, which, in my opinion, is a good thing; there really was something for every one; a sonorous taste for every musical palate. kudos to each band that participated in keeping the spirit of bluegrass alive. i can't wait for next year's event.
12.9.07
journey
just wanted to put up a quick post on a huge blessing God has granted me.
so i've been in bristol, tn now for about two months now (time flies) and i have been seeking the Lord's guidance about where to invest myself outside of the campus of king college. as i have mentioned in a previous post, i have quite a bit of worship leading experience by now and was hoping to find something along those lines; God led me to just that.
for the past couple of years, bristol and the surrounding areas has played host to a college and young adult ministry called 'journey.'
this ministry, started by matt chambers, has grown such that they are now holding several meetings a week in various coffee shops around the area, one being in bristol. i met matt about a month ago at a dinner he and his wife hosted for the res. life staff at king. we talked for awhile and he invited me to help out with 'journey' for the coming semester. this last sunday was the first small meeting and it was fantastic. very intimate, very worshipful; i felt so blessed to meet with God with those people. i got to 'lead' worship, in as much as one could call it leading. there was no technology, no lyrics to follow; just a guitar and everyone singing and praying and seeking the Lord together. God has big things planned for this area and it is my constant prayer that i can play a part.
check out the link to 'journey' to the right to find out more!
so i've been in bristol, tn now for about two months now (time flies) and i have been seeking the Lord's guidance about where to invest myself outside of the campus of king college. as i have mentioned in a previous post, i have quite a bit of worship leading experience by now and was hoping to find something along those lines; God led me to just that.
for the past couple of years, bristol and the surrounding areas has played host to a college and young adult ministry called 'journey.'
this ministry, started by matt chambers, has grown such that they are now holding several meetings a week in various coffee shops around the area, one being in bristol. i met matt about a month ago at a dinner he and his wife hosted for the res. life staff at king. we talked for awhile and he invited me to help out with 'journey' for the coming semester. this last sunday was the first small meeting and it was fantastic. very intimate, very worshipful; i felt so blessed to meet with God with those people. i got to 'lead' worship, in as much as one could call it leading. there was no technology, no lyrics to follow; just a guitar and everyone singing and praying and seeking the Lord together. God has big things planned for this area and it is my constant prayer that i can play a part.check out the link to 'journey' to the right to find out more!
5.9.07
fuel
ha!
i made it an entire month without posting anything. my bad.
things here have been pretty crazy with this new job. all the students moved back into the building and classes are well underway. my job is in full swing with all the problems of a college residence hall, but at the same time i'm finding myself having a lot of fun here. along with being a resident director, i have a secondary title as the coordinator of intramurals, so monday night we started all that off with intramural indoor soccer...tons of fun. on day two (yesterday) i had a participant get injured, which is not the best way to start one's job i realize, but i think we'll be okay.
in all this craziness of life transitions (getting engaged, graduating college, moving away, starting a new job, etc.), i'm noticing some interesting things happening to me (other than that i don't have a lot of time to post on this blog). i've been re-reading c.s. lewis's 'mere christianity' and something he wrote in one of the earlier chapters hit me hard: "God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. a car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. there is no other."
and while this illustration may not be as poetic as the kantian 'God-shaped hole,' it does help me better come up with a personal analogy: i have run out of gas.
it seems that when our lives are the subjects of extreme change, when life gets the hardest, when we should be looking to the greatest Power in the universe for strength, we don't; we look to ourselves to get us through. it's a mystery i have never been able to figure out, but i have been relying on myself and others more than on God, burning a fuel that will not propel my self the way in which God desires; i need to refuel.
i made it an entire month without posting anything. my bad.
things here have been pretty crazy with this new job. all the students moved back into the building and classes are well underway. my job is in full swing with all the problems of a college residence hall, but at the same time i'm finding myself having a lot of fun here. along with being a resident director, i have a secondary title as the coordinator of intramurals, so monday night we started all that off with intramural indoor soccer...tons of fun. on day two (yesterday) i had a participant get injured, which is not the best way to start one's job i realize, but i think we'll be okay.
in all this craziness of life transitions (getting engaged, graduating college, moving away, starting a new job, etc.), i'm noticing some interesting things happening to me (other than that i don't have a lot of time to post on this blog). i've been re-reading c.s. lewis's 'mere christianity' and something he wrote in one of the earlier chapters hit me hard: "God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. a car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. there is no other."
and while this illustration may not be as poetic as the kantian 'God-shaped hole,' it does help me better come up with a personal analogy: i have run out of gas.
it seems that when our lives are the subjects of extreme change, when life gets the hardest, when we should be looking to the greatest Power in the universe for strength, we don't; we look to ourselves to get us through. it's a mystery i have never been able to figure out, but i have been relying on myself and others more than on God, burning a fuel that will not propel my self the way in which God desires; i need to refuel.
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