I'm reading this book right now by Rob Bell. Its been good. I'm at chapter 4. So far Rob has basically just summed up the story of the Bible up to Jesus' death and resurrection. He's made some important connections between the history of the Jews and Jesus' life.
The title of chapter 4 is intriguing: Genital-Free Africans. His titles are often provocative and bizzare. I'm not sure why, but I'm looking forward to it.
Anyway, more to come about the book later.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Power of Words
In a recent staff conversation the word "mandatory" came up. I hate what it means. I naturally rebel against it. Bitterness starts to creep in. I don't like whatever its referring to before I even know what its referring to. "Mandatory" is an evil, evil word in my mind.
Yet, its helpful. It brings clarity. When someone who has authority over me says something is "mandatory," the message is clear. I know its something that has to be done whether I like it or not. Now, obviously, I still have choice as to whether or not I do it, however, the consequences of failing to do something designated mandatory is always more severe than the results of fulfilling the required action.
So I have a naturally critical response to a helpful word. When someone in authority over me tells me my attendance at an event is "mandatory" my internal response is in conflict with good communication. Its easy to let the rebellious part of me make it personal with the person who has the power to make something mandatory, however, the real issue is not with the other person, the real issue is with me. I'm the one rebelling against it and thinking negative thoughts because of the designation of "mandatory."
Its my issue. I have to deal with it. I just have to think more about this. Stay tuned...
Yet, its helpful. It brings clarity. When someone who has authority over me says something is "mandatory," the message is clear. I know its something that has to be done whether I like it or not. Now, obviously, I still have choice as to whether or not I do it, however, the consequences of failing to do something designated mandatory is always more severe than the results of fulfilling the required action.
So I have a naturally critical response to a helpful word. When someone in authority over me tells me my attendance at an event is "mandatory" my internal response is in conflict with good communication. Its easy to let the rebellious part of me make it personal with the person who has the power to make something mandatory, however, the real issue is not with the other person, the real issue is with me. I'm the one rebelling against it and thinking negative thoughts because of the designation of "mandatory."
Its my issue. I have to deal with it. I just have to think more about this. Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Birthdays
I turned 32 on December the 31st. My daughter turned 1 on December the 28th. She got a brownie cake thing with pink icing (thanks to my wife), I got one of the best homemade German Chocolate cakes I've ever had (thanks to my mom)! I think I got the better end of that deal.
Birthdays are strange now. I want to be younger, not older.
I remember recently having a conversation with someone over 50 years of age and I asked her this: if you could be any age what would it be? Surprisingly, she said 30. I was happy. I asked her why. She said because she thinks people are the most attractive in their 30s. Again, I was happy.
It was encouraging.
I don't like getting older, but at least there's someone older than me that wants to be my age again...okay...at least its only 2 years younger than my age.
I've decided that I don't like getting older. I know there's nothing I can do about it, but still, I really don't like getting older.
How about you, if you could be any age, what age would it be and why? I would go back to being 18 again. I remember the feeling of independence and the lack of a whole lot of responsibility. If only I could take the Xbox 360 back in time with me...all that freetime and the 360, a dream come true. Seriously, I enjoy video games that much.
One really good thing about this Birthday was Facebook. It was so encouraging to hear (more accurately "read") happy birthday from so many people. Some were close friends, others were people from my past: like people in high school that I barely ever knew but felt inclined to accept their friend request so I don't look like a loser with only 3 friends on Facebook (the power of desiring a reputation). It was good. I even called my wife over to show her all the happy birthday wishes. I highly recommend putting your birthday in your Facebook profile (or getting a Facebook profile if you don't already have one). You will know you were thought of by all the poeple that wish you a happy birthday, its a good feeling, you should try it if you haven't already.
Birthdays are strange now. I want to be younger, not older.
I remember recently having a conversation with someone over 50 years of age and I asked her this: if you could be any age what would it be? Surprisingly, she said 30. I was happy. I asked her why. She said because she thinks people are the most attractive in their 30s. Again, I was happy.
It was encouraging.
I don't like getting older, but at least there's someone older than me that wants to be my age again...okay...at least its only 2 years younger than my age.
I've decided that I don't like getting older. I know there's nothing I can do about it, but still, I really don't like getting older.
How about you, if you could be any age, what age would it be and why? I would go back to being 18 again. I remember the feeling of independence and the lack of a whole lot of responsibility. If only I could take the Xbox 360 back in time with me...all that freetime and the 360, a dream come true. Seriously, I enjoy video games that much.
One really good thing about this Birthday was Facebook. It was so encouraging to hear (more accurately "read") happy birthday from so many people. Some were close friends, others were people from my past: like people in high school that I barely ever knew but felt inclined to accept their friend request so I don't look like a loser with only 3 friends on Facebook (the power of desiring a reputation). It was good. I even called my wife over to show her all the happy birthday wishes. I highly recommend putting your birthday in your Facebook profile (or getting a Facebook profile if you don't already have one). You will know you were thought of by all the poeple that wish you a happy birthday, its a good feeling, you should try it if you haven't already.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Fantasy Frustration vs. Real World Happiness
(Disclaimer: this post is about sports).
Anybody else struggle with the balance of emotions between fantasy football and real football? Let me explain.
You would think that since 3 of the 4 fantasy football teams I manage made the fantasy playoffs that one of them would have won the fantasy football superbowl, right? Wrong. In one league, my team lost in the first round. In another league, my team made the fantasy superbowl (which is week 16 of the regular season) and lost. I had one hope left this week. Its a league that takes the point totals of your players from week 16 and 17 of the regular season and combines them to determine the superbowl winner. I went into week 17 with an 11 point advantage...and still lost. I think its easier on me to not have a team make the fantasy playoffs than it is for a team to go to the fantasy superbowl and lose.
That last sentence does not apply to real football. While all four of my fantasy football teams have let me down, the Panthers are the source of real world happiness. No matter what happens in the post season, I'm proud of the Panthers. 12-4in the NFL is a huge accomplishment. Second place in the NFC behind the superbowl winners is a perfect place for the Panthers to be. First place comes with a lot of pressure, second place is a position where you can play with a lot of pride, confidence and a chip on your shoulder. Right where the Panthers like to be! I have a good feeling about the Cats in the post season this year.
Anybody else struggle with the balance of emotions between fantasy football and real football? Let me explain.
You would think that since 3 of the 4 fantasy football teams I manage made the fantasy playoffs that one of them would have won the fantasy football superbowl, right? Wrong. In one league, my team lost in the first round. In another league, my team made the fantasy superbowl (which is week 16 of the regular season) and lost. I had one hope left this week. Its a league that takes the point totals of your players from week 16 and 17 of the regular season and combines them to determine the superbowl winner. I went into week 17 with an 11 point advantage...and still lost. I think its easier on me to not have a team make the fantasy playoffs than it is for a team to go to the fantasy superbowl and lose.
That last sentence does not apply to real football. While all four of my fantasy football teams have let me down, the Panthers are the source of real world happiness. No matter what happens in the post season, I'm proud of the Panthers. 12-4in the NFL is a huge accomplishment. Second place in the NFC behind the superbowl winners is a perfect place for the Panthers to be. First place comes with a lot of pressure, second place is a position where you can play with a lot of pride, confidence and a chip on your shoulder. Right where the Panthers like to be! I have a good feeling about the Cats in the post season this year.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Advent (Part 5)
This week at our church and at other churches around the world the Joy candle was lit.
Most of you know these lyrics to the popular carol:
Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Something about joy makes me twinge with cynicism. Even when I'm careful to remember that joy isn't just a sentimental emotion, there's a part of me that thinks joy is overrated. Then I remember, maybe happiness is what I'm thinking of.
Happiness is fleeting. It comes and goes. As the circumstances of our lives change, so does our happiness. I once argued about this with a girl in college. She believed we could always have joy and that we couldn't always be happy. In my naivete, I argued that we could always be happy, because happiness is a part of joy. I was wrong. I don't say this very often, but she was right.
Joy is something that can coexist with any other emotion because its more than just an emotion. Its more than a sentiment. Its more than a feeling that comes and goes as it pleases. Jesus says in John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." What did he tell his disciples? That they can remain in his love by obeying his commands. He also told them that he is sending the Holy Spirit to remind them of everything he taught and commanded them. So it is by obeying Christ that his joy becomes our joy.
What's interesting, is that there are plenty of examples in the Bible where joy and another emotion (whether positive or negative) exist. When the two Mary's discovered that Jesus was not at his tomb in Matthew 28, they "hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy..." I love that phrase "afraid yet filled with joy." We can be full of fear and joy at the same time.
Its like I tell grieving people whose loved one was a Christian, joy and pain can coexist. Its often confusing, frustrating, tiring and strange...but its true, its natural, its necessary and its normal.
That's why the carol "Joy to the World" can be true even in a world where poverty, hunger, Aids and homelessness abound...because pain and joy can and often does coexist.
May your joy be real this advent season, even if its seasoned with pain.
Most of you know these lyrics to the popular carol:
Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Something about joy makes me twinge with cynicism. Even when I'm careful to remember that joy isn't just a sentimental emotion, there's a part of me that thinks joy is overrated. Then I remember, maybe happiness is what I'm thinking of.
Happiness is fleeting. It comes and goes. As the circumstances of our lives change, so does our happiness. I once argued about this with a girl in college. She believed we could always have joy and that we couldn't always be happy. In my naivete, I argued that we could always be happy, because happiness is a part of joy. I was wrong. I don't say this very often, but she was right.
Joy is something that can coexist with any other emotion because its more than just an emotion. Its more than a sentiment. Its more than a feeling that comes and goes as it pleases. Jesus says in John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." What did he tell his disciples? That they can remain in his love by obeying his commands. He also told them that he is sending the Holy Spirit to remind them of everything he taught and commanded them. So it is by obeying Christ that his joy becomes our joy.
What's interesting, is that there are plenty of examples in the Bible where joy and another emotion (whether positive or negative) exist. When the two Mary's discovered that Jesus was not at his tomb in Matthew 28, they "hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy..." I love that phrase "afraid yet filled with joy." We can be full of fear and joy at the same time.
Its like I tell grieving people whose loved one was a Christian, joy and pain can coexist. Its often confusing, frustrating, tiring and strange...but its true, its natural, its necessary and its normal.
That's why the carol "Joy to the World" can be true even in a world where poverty, hunger, Aids and homelessness abound...because pain and joy can and often does coexist.
May your joy be real this advent season, even if its seasoned with pain.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Advent (Part 4)
We lit the Peace candle this week. When I think of peace, these lyrics from U2's song "Peace on Earth" immediately pop into my head.
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of pain
Sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth
I think this song sticks in my head because it resonates so close to home for me. I'm sick of sorrow, sick of pain, sick of hearing that there's going to be peace on earth. I'm sick of cancer. I'm sick of poverty. I'm sick of abortion. I'm sick of suicide. I'm sick of depression. I'm sick of peace on earth being a future hope, why can't it be a current reality?
If Jesus is Lord and Jesus is the prince of peace, then where is it, where is peace? Honestly. This is just one among a long list of questions I wrestle with. Now, I know what I would tell people if I were asked this question: that a relationship with Jesus gives us the peace we need now and that the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God is what will ultimately lead to peace on earth in the future.
The answer may be theologically correct (and I'm aware its just scratching the surface)but it just seems like there should be greater peace on earth than there currently is. I mean when is the human race ever going to get "being human" right?
Peace, there seems to be such a huge gap between the "now" and the "yet to come." I don't like the gap and there's only so much I can do about it. I guess that's the good news, that there is something I can do about. What if all the churches in the nation, no, in the world, were to rise up and do something about the lack of peace on earth? What would it look like for millions of Christians to say "I don't like the gap between what is happening now and the way things should be, so I'm going to do my part to fill in the gap?"
May you be sick of the way things are and do something to bring peace on earth during this advent season.
Heaven on Earth
We need it now
I'm sick of all of this
Hanging around
Sick of sorrow
Sick of pain
Sick of hearing again and again
That there's gonna be
Peace on Earth
I think this song sticks in my head because it resonates so close to home for me. I'm sick of sorrow, sick of pain, sick of hearing that there's going to be peace on earth. I'm sick of cancer. I'm sick of poverty. I'm sick of abortion. I'm sick of suicide. I'm sick of depression. I'm sick of peace on earth being a future hope, why can't it be a current reality?
If Jesus is Lord and Jesus is the prince of peace, then where is it, where is peace? Honestly. This is just one among a long list of questions I wrestle with. Now, I know what I would tell people if I were asked this question: that a relationship with Jesus gives us the peace we need now and that the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God is what will ultimately lead to peace on earth in the future.
The answer may be theologically correct (and I'm aware its just scratching the surface)but it just seems like there should be greater peace on earth than there currently is. I mean when is the human race ever going to get "being human" right?
Peace, there seems to be such a huge gap between the "now" and the "yet to come." I don't like the gap and there's only so much I can do about it. I guess that's the good news, that there is something I can do about. What if all the churches in the nation, no, in the world, were to rise up and do something about the lack of peace on earth? What would it look like for millions of Christians to say "I don't like the gap between what is happening now and the way things should be, so I'm going to do my part to fill in the gap?"
May you be sick of the way things are and do something to bring peace on earth during this advent season.
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