Christmas Card 2010

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ku jayhawks

so, i don't really post anything here anymore, but so you can know what it was like at Allen Field house on Monday night, check out this video:

two months later

Well, it's been two months (almost three) since my last post, and I don't have time to say much now. I'm too busy...but I guess that's how everybody is. Why do we think we have to do so much? And how often are our priorities messed up so we're doing things that aren't really beneficial or important?
I've been finding some direction reading Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. He invites us out of superficiality into a deeper relationship and intimacy with God. Another I've been reading (and I like a little better) is Henry H Knight III's Eight Life-Enriching Practices of United Methodists.
One thing that these authors are reminding me of is having a hunger for God/righteousness. It's said that a pastor has to remember the core of his existence, but that's how busy/stressful/pressured it's been. But, having that desire ignited within me changes my perspective, attitude, practices...it's amazing. It's not that trials disappear, or I've got my life together and I'm sinning less; but I am being renewed, and in touch with the presence of God in a way that I haven't been for quite awhile. In a sense, it's simply living more true and honest (not that I've been lying, just holding a lot inside). It's a big relief. I hope this is encouraging to someone. God is living!

For Your Entertainment - How many of you are there?

This website will see how many people have the same name as you...check it out for fun. There's 4 people in the US with my name, what about yours?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 4 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

US Over-consumption

so nobody was very intrigued by my last post. how about this? do you realize that the US represents 5% of the world's population, but we consume over 25% of the worlds resources. Visit www.prb.org to read the information compiled from different government agency reports. This article points to how our American lifestyle is a big contributor to this.
My question is how do we change our lifestyle? We don't really know any different/better. It's mainly just the way we've been raised.
I think I might start taking showers every other day or twice a week, and use the least amount of water possible. Get a bike to ride to work. Make sure lights are off, etc. The problem is, it can't just be me, but there have to be A LOT of us to do this. I always wonder about the corporate world. How much electricity, etc. is consumed by working 24-7 so that consumers can consume 24-7?
Maybe we should sell all our stuff and leave the country and join our brotheres and sisters who consume a lot less---that would be quite the lifestyle change. How long could you handle that? What's so great about our lifestyle that we couldn't endure theirs longer? What makes our way of living so great? Is it our selfishness--"Have what you want when you want it"?
If it's selfishness, doesn't the Church have some responsibility to proclaim something different? Shouldn't being a Christian be marked by being "Christ-like" or self-sacrifice?
How can we (the Church) continue letting people live in continual unChristlikeness, cajoling them to want Christlikeness, but not actually making progress? Most people who come to churches probably think they're "ok." They know they're not evil because they don't murder, steal, etc., and they're not good because they always know they could be better, but because of grace they're "ok." Are we "ok" with that?
I think we need to hear Jesus' and John the Baptist's words again "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

What does God want from me?

This post is inspired by scripture and a song. The scripture is Luke 18:18-30. The song is titled "Rich Young Ruler" by Derek Webb. You can find the song at www.freederekwebb.com and download the whole album for free. The lyrics are at this website where I found them. I hope you enjoy the scripture and song. It poses an interesting conundrum for Christians who long to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. It is one of Jesus' more difficult teachings (for us rich westerners).
This scripture troubles me. But I don’t think the point is for people to give up their stock portfolios, big houses and suvs...that’s mentioned once (in the song). What’s repeated is the line: “I want the things you just can’t give me.” What are the things we can’t just wrap up in a box and give to people? What are the things that don’t go in an offering plate? What are the things you can’t just give and walk away from? In my mind the answer is connected to relationship. It’s easy for us to give to the poor, but the harder part is building the relationship. So in a sense it’s easier to sell everything and give it to the poor, than to actually be in relationship with poor people. Maybe Jesus is asking us in a sense to become poor, to see how we’re all related instead of overlooking them as “those poor people.”
Does that make sense? I’m not trying to explain away the scripture, or take away from how troubling it is. But the struggle for me is, “even if I sell it all and give it all away, has that changed anything, or have I just increased the poor population by one more?” My hope is that through relationships where we develop solidarity with the poor (develop a sense of "we’re all in this together"). So the song speaks to me in the sense that we tend to live our lives to protect us from the poor, or to shelter us from poverty. So we’ve become disconnected from lots of people whom God loves.
Now, I’m just a young naïve 26-year-old who hopefully still has a lot of life to live and learn. So my opinion is probably wrong and mis-grounded, but that’s where I’m at right now. Mostly in the gospels, the poor were not simply without money, they were invisible to those with wealth and status, and so Jesus asked the Rich Young Ruler to see the invisible people and try to see life from their perspective, and live life with them not above/over them.
Who are the people that I pass everyday and have opportunity for relationship with, but don't take the opportunity to relate? Who are the people that I think I'm better than? Who are the people I think "aren't worth my time"? What might I have to give up to actually be in relationship with "those people"? How can I see myself as one of them? Do I sell everything and give it to the poor?

"unless you change and become like children..."

Jesus says these words in Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 18. He finishes the statement, "...you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me ." I had the opportunity of spending a whole week with children, 5th & 6th graders (10-12 yr olds), at church camp. What an experience!

For me, it was a reminder of God's love. So many children have stories of parents' divorcing, and be abandoned by one or the other parent, but yet these kids had a wonderful time praising God and enjoying their time at camp. It was a reminder to me, of how humble I need to be before God and other people.

It's so easy for me to think of reasons why I'm better than somebody else, and that makes me feel good about myself. But Jesus challenges us, the Gospel challenges us, the Bible challenges us, to be humble. In Matthew 18, Jesus forgets what is socially acceptable and interacts with a child. He then tells all of the "important" adults that this is God's chosen. Jesus chooses NOT the biggest, NOT the strongest, NOT the smartest, NOT the highest class; but Jesus chooses the little, innocent child, and says that this is who I choose to be in my kingdom. This is who I choose to participate in a new way of living that is marked by self-giving love to others, instead of love of self taking-from-others.

God makes this point in other places, like the annointing of David in 1 Samuel 16. God tells Samuel to annoint, not the first-born, not the biggest, and not the strongest, but the smallest and youngest...little David.

This is a reminder to me, that if I try to look at my own accomplishments, and how I am "better" than other people to feel good about myself, then I'm missing out on the kingdom of heaven. Rather, what reading these scriptures, and ministering among kids at church camp has reminded me is that I am nothing without God's sustaining, redeeming love. And at my worst and weakest, God can make me good and strong--not to be better than or dominate other people, but in order to love people as God has loved me.

Our example of love is Jesus Christ, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, emphasis mine)