INTO THE WEST

More on Pain

2012-01-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

One of the last times I sat down and wrote, I wrote about Pain. It has been months since I did that, but in the meantime I started a job at an urgent care clinic. In the last two years at the hospital, and now at the urgent care I encounter pain all the time; pain in all different parts of the body, pain that is burning, crushing, or throbbing; pain expressed in all manners by people of all ages.

Recently there was a little boy who came into the clinic with a lacerated chin. He was not in much pain; in fact he had a lot of energy and seemed pretty happy, until it was time for the doctor to stitch his chin up.

The boy’s happiness disappeared as the staff “papoosed” him in a sheet to keep his body still on the bed. As the doctor began to clean the wound, the boy screamed and thrashed about, trying to free himself. He could not, since he was held firmly in place by several of the nursing staff. The procedure continued along, the doctor numbing the wound with lidocaine, then carefully working through each stitch to sufficiently close the wound. All the while the boy thrashed and screamed with as much energy as he could muster. When he discovered there was nothing he could do to escape, he screamed forth all the angry words his young vocabulary come up with. Eventually the wound was closed up, the area tidied, and the medical staff went on their way (to their great relief).

When I told my friend Tim this story, he thought about it for a moment, then said, “That’s pretty much the way we are with God.” How true! God knows better than we do what we really need, and usually it involves undergoing things we are convinced we don’t need. These processes involves pain in some form. But like a doctor, God knows in order for us grow and be healthy we need to go through this pain. Even our control must sometimes be restrained so we don’t spoil his work, and we must simply endure it.

Of being an ungrateful patient I am the guiltiest. I thrash, I scream and shout; I disagree with the diagnosis and fight against the pain with all that I have. And somewhere in this process the Holy Spirit reminds me that unless he does this thing, I will not get better. I have no choice but to submit to the faithful hands doing their work.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-3

God, help me to trust you.

Get the Biggest Aluminum Tree You Can Find

2011-11-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

"Long before December 25th everyone is worn out, physically worn out by weeks of daily struggle in overcrowded shops, mentally worn out by the effort to remember all the right recipients and to think out suitable gifts for them. They are in no trim for merry-making... They look far more as if there had been a long illness in the house." C.S. Lewis

Lewis wrote this over 50 years ago, but I can't help but think about these words this year. I just got back from a family Thanksgiving trip, in which there actually was a long illness that affected nearly everyone in the family. I'm thankful to look back on it and the time we spent with loved ones; there was very little time spent in overcrowded shops and the like. But I did hear on the news that this year's Black Friday was one of the blackest yet.

Here's a question: why do we allow Walmart, Target, Kohl's and others to justify opening their doors on Thanksgiving night itself? Do we not realize that the poor people who work in these stores largely miss Thanksgiving with their families, just so we can try to satisfy our insatiable appetite for more bargains and more things?

When people get trampled to death in Walmart, it isn't Walmart's fault. When 20 people get maced, it isn't security's fault for letting the culprit into the store. We and our appetites are the problem. You may be fine with Black Friday (and Thursday), and we can go around for days about whether it's worth all the effort to keep this tradition going. But I say it is not.

"I know how you feel about all this Christmas business, getting depressed and all that. It happens to me every year. I never get what I really want. I always get a lot of stupid toys or a bicycle or clothes or something like that." - Lucy, in A Charlie Brown Christmas

The Hammering Process

2011-08-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

Lately I read a book by C.S. Lewis called The Problem of Pain. If you haven't read this, I would highly recommend that you do; if for no other reason than that it can help to repair our broken understanding of pain and its purpose in our lives. I've included some excerpts here.

Generally when we endure hard times, we balk, we plead, we bargain, and we grieve. It is so hard to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds (James 1). And pain: awful, painful pain; when it comes without respite, tries our faithfulness, even shakes our beliefs.

One of the first beliefs to go is that there is a God who loves us. But this is the fundamental error in our understanding of what that love means. We think that if God loves us, he must want us to be comfortable and happy, and that our every circumstance ought to support and foster that. This is simply wrong.

The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word ‘love’, and look on things as if man were the centre of them ... We may wish, indeed, that we were of so little account to God that He left us alone to follow our natural impulses - that He would give over trying to train us into something so unlike our natural selves: but once again, we are asking not for more love, but for less.

So this God who loves us, loves us enough to want what is best for us, and that is to be purified. If he didn't allow any purifying circumstances into our lives (aka pain), then he would actually be loving us less. Who really wants that?

When Christianity says that God loves man, it means that God loves man: not that He has some ‘disinterested’, because really indifferent, concern for our welfare, but that, in awful and surprising truth, we are objects of His love.

You asked for a loving God: you have one.

This message turns modern American Christianity on its head, but it is the truth. How have we forgotten the struggles of almost every saint in the Bible? How have we forgotten that God welcomes men into his kingdom though much tribulation (Acts 14), and that in this world we are promised trouble (John 16)? Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to ... suffer. Did God not love Job, David, Paul, Peter, and even his own son Jesus, who suffered more than any man? Indeed,

He [God] has paid us the intolerant compliment of loving us, in the deepest, most tragic, most inexorable sense.

God loves us truly; he doesn't love us in some half-caring, dissociated way. He wants us to be conformed into the likeness of Christ, and the conforming hurts. It may be only in eternity, when we see the completion of this hammering process, that we finally understand the purpose for every struggle we endure here below. In the meantime, we must not forget what God's love means. We must not forget the One who endured the cross for our sake, and that following him at all, means to follow him there.

A Fourth to Remember

2011-07-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Joanna and I spent last weekend out on the Western Slope, venturing over a bunch of mountain passes we had never crossed before. Thankfully the weather has warmed up some, allowing us to travel higher without being turned around by large snow fields. As an added bonus, the 4Runner accomplished 22 mpg during the trip! We stayed those few nights near Crawford with the overly-gracious Lance and Laura, and the overly-cute baby Seth.

For our 4th of July, we had the opportunity to travel to Ouray for their festivities and fireworks. The small town, nestled in the midst of a slew of mountains, boasts an impressive fireworks show every year. It was accordingly packed with people when we drove in, with most congregated in a two-block section of main street. I asked Lance what they were doing, and he told me that the fire department was having water fights. Of course I had to get closer in and watch the fun.

The crowd was assembled around the intersection of 6th and Main, as the next two teams prepared to contend with their fire hoses. These friendly combatants consisted of two men apiece, each man armored with heavy clothing and a motorcycle helmet, sharing a fire hose hooked directly to a hydrant. I stood as close as possible with my camera, waiting for the games to begin. I was only able to clearly see the red team, so they became my team to cheer for. Then, without much introduction, the spraying began.

Each team dug into position and sprayed as much water as they could on the other team, aiming mainly for the head and neck.

The water fight became one of endurance, with every man almost immediately soaked in freezing water and standing rigidly in position. The minutes ticked away; each team had its share of close calls, the crowd responding in cheers and tense escalation whenever one faltered.

My red team held on well, as the fifteen or so minutes passed by. But the end came quickly, as my red team decided to advance on their opponents.

The crowd roared in excitement, but it was not to be. The second man of the team got knocked out by a blast of water, leaving only the first to contend.

He couldn't last long alone, and he didn't. But in a water fight that is staged for fun, even the losers walk away with smiles. And really wet clothes.

After watching the firefighters play, we drove up to the west side of town and found a spot to park for the evening. Some friends of Lance and Laura were there already, and let us share in their cookout. All that was left was to enjoy the beauty and wait for the fireworks to start.

After some tinkering with the G12, I was able to catch some interesting shots of the fireworks exploding out in front of us. But the most unique part of the show was the loud, long echoes of the show all around us. Ouray on the 4th is worth the drive for that reason alone. Thanks to Lance and Laura, and to everyone else who spent time with us last weekend. Thanks to Ouray for keeping fun traditions alive every year. And thanks to God for the resonant mountains!

Drunk, Broke and Out of Shape

2011-06-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Reuters: IMF cuts U.S. growth forecast, warns of crisis.

"Yet that relatively benign global outlook could quickly fall apart if politicians in the United States and Europe do not start showing more leadership in addressing their countries' debt problems, the fund warned."

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

America is acting these days like a foolish drunk who, despite the party winding down, refuses to slow down herself, sober up and go home. We are a nation marked by hedonism. We have bought this high at the expense of our prudence and wisdom; we have sold the foundation of the house to purchase a new home theater.

We need not political leaders who tell us that the good times are still rolling, but leaders who ask that we sober up and consider our present situation. And our present situation is that we are drunk, broke and out of shape. We need someone who will say, "Put down that game of Angry Birds, we need to talk."

Reuters article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/17/us-imf-idUSTRE75G2VD20110617?type=GCA-Economy2010

The End of the World

2011-05-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

The world was supposed to end the other day, according to one Harold Camping. It did not. And the attitude toward his failed prediction was largely cynical, which in the age of blogging and instant opinions, is not surprising. The sorry part of all of it is that along with Camping's false prophecy, we wanted to throw out the idea of finality and judgment altogether. "If a 'Christian prophet' is wrong about the end of the world, it must not be coming after all!" We snickered to ourselves and continued on with our lives, with renewed confidence in our invincibility.

One day later, a tornado ripped its way through Joplin, Missouri. Along with leveling most of the town, the tornado killed at least 124 people (the death toll is still rising). Now isn't that a little unfair? Those who may have just relaxed because May 21 wasn't the end of the world, were blindsided by a whirling mass of death just a day later. And the rest of us, still chuckling about silly old brother Harold, were forced to stop for a moment and consider that death still comes to us all. There is still a time of finality to our lives. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. (Ecc. 7:2)

We fool ourselves to think that just because we avoid the end in one way, that we will avoid it altogether. And it nearly always comes unexpectedly to us.

(photo credit: Reuters)

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)

Who Owns Miley's Heart? Part Two

2011-02-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

This is the second of a two-part blog about the relationship between American Christianity and celebrities. In this case, the subject is Miley Cyrus. The content here may soon appear on the Axis Worldview blog.

Let’s talk about compartmentalism.

Do you remember learning about how the Titanic had all of those compartments built into its hull that were supposed to keep water from traveling throughout the vessel and sinking it? Well, we can sometimes set ourselves up in a similar way. Like the sea water in the ship, we want our faith to only go into certain compartments of our lives. But the danger to us is the opposite of the Titanic. If we only keep our faith in secluded areas of our lives, we have a greater chance of them becoming a shipwreck.

Sure, you go to church on Sundays and maybe Wednesdays if you feel really spiritual. But that is all neatly contained in your Faith compartment. And you’re sure not to let those contents spill into your School compartment or Social compartment, etc. What happens when a teacher asks you about macro-evolution? You mention that your Faith compartment believes the Bible, but the more professional School compartment believes Darwin, more or less. How about partying? Your Faith compartment objects, but your Social compartment tells you to go ahead with the beer pong (or Salvia bong, in Miley’s case). Point number two of this Miley Cyrus series is this: a life of separation leaves you ever-divided. Either Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.

It seems like we’ve heard something about this before. In fact it was Jesus who told us that, “if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” (Mark 3:25) In other words, the compartmentalized life is unsteady, ready to fall at any time.

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In Miley’s case, she once proclaimed that, “Faith is a big part of my life.”

That was a good enough testimony to give her a great reputation with Christians. She and her daddy, Billy Ray were featured in numerous Christian magazine articles and put on a pedestal of sorts in the Christian community. Her TV shows, movies and songs weren’t really Christian in nature, but not terrible either. After all, many Christian artists don’t necessarily mention Jesus in their songs. No big deal.

“Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock!”

“Nobody's Perfect! I gotta work it!”

“You know they say, when there’s a will there’s a way. Lives are free, talk is

cheap.”

These songs were pretty neutral to the average consumer, so they passed the basic morality tests pretty easily. Now in 2010, Miley’s songs have a bit more bite to them.

“For those who don't know me, I can get a bit crazy. Have to get my way, yeah,

24 hours a day, 'cause I'm hot like that. Every guy everywhere just gives me

mad attention, like I'm under inspection. I always get the 10s, ‘cause I'm built

like that.”

When Miley first moved to Hollywood, she seemed like a good girl on a mission: “That's kind of why I'm like here in Hollywood — to be like a light, a testimony to say God can take someone from Nashville and make me this, but it's his will that made this happen.” Instead, it appears that Hollywood has had more of an impact on Miley. “I'm a completely different person [than when I released 2008's Breakout]. I'm much more confident. You know, I've always been a confident person, but I was going through a lot then," she told MTV news in June. "There's so many people in your life telling you who you should and shouldn't be," Cyrus said. "And that's what Tamed [is] about. It's about being who you are to the fullest. And now I know who that is."

Who that person is, is not what we all used to think she was. But it’s easy to redefine yourself when your faith only occupies a neat little space in your life. It’s true that nobody’s perfect, but on the other side of the coin, talk is indeed cheap. What should we expect from Miley in the future? We can’t be sure exactly, but we ought not raise our expectations.

The question is: Now that Miley’s faith has started sneezing, will you catch the cold yourself?

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How do we respond to this danger of a fragmented life? Here’s a solid answer from the Word: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” All your heart, soul, mind and strength means everything. It’s not a matter of filling a time quota in church, feeding enough homeless or visiting enough elderly people in your spare time; it’s about knowing God and loving Him. Your life will reflect that. That is how the world gets changed.

Who Owns Miley's Heart? Part One

2011-01-20T09:39:00.001-08:00

This is a two-part blog about the relationship between American Christianity and celebrities. In this case, the subject is Miley Cyrus. The content here may soon appear on the Axis Worldview blog, but I thought I'd put it up here to show you that I haven't been totally lazy in my absence from this blog.

Oh, to have the good old days back again. It seems like only yesterday when young superstar Miley Cyrus made the cover story of Christianity Today. How thrilling it was to hear someone so famous talk about her relationship with Jesus. “I sing, dance and act for Jesus!… I do everything for Jesus.”[1] Christians across the country were beside themselves that someone so cool recommended Jesus! Golly, with Miley Cyrus on board, now Jesus is sure to catch on with the kids!

Now in a new decade, times they are a-changin’. Since Miley has been wearing black leather and grinding with dudes in clubs, a lot of bewildered Christians have begun to pull back their Miley endorsements. How embarrassing! Just when we had such a lovely and famous role model, she turned 17 and decided to do what most pop stars do at that age. She has begun to market herself as a sex object with a microphone.

Along with Miley’s apparent fall from grace, this question arises: What about Miley’s faith in Jesus? What about all of the kids who thought Jesus was cool because of Miley’s testimony?

That brings us to point number one.

Jesus is not cool or uncool based on human endorsement, no matter how famous that particular human is. As author Os Guinness has quipped, “A Christian celebrity sneezes and the Church catches the cold.”[2] Trying to convert your friends because Mel Gibson or Michael Vick or Miley Cyrus “loves Jesus” is very dangerous. Why? Because people, especially celebrities, fail us. Mel Gibson made a great movie in The Passion of the Christ, but in the years since has been publically exposed for his drunken fits in which he hurls out racial slurs. What do you do with that? Well, you certainly don’t base your faith on Mel Gibson or any other Christian celebrity.

We must tell others about Jesus. It is our duty as Christians to tell this dying world about the glorious salvation and hope that He is. However, let’s not base it on celebrity endorsements. We must base the gospel upon Scripture and upon what Jesus has done. He Himself is our firm foundation.

“Titans from the worlds of politics, sport, music, television and religion stride the Christian stage and screen with an authority born only of their mass appeal. ‘Following the star’ has become the exact opposite of what it was for the three wise men. Today it leads away from Christ, not to him.”[3] -Os Guinness

Stay tuned for the next installment, where we’ll explore a deeper reason for this whole problem: compartmentalism.

[1] http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20186041,00.html

[2] Os Guinness, The Gravedigger File, p.104

[3] Os Guinness, The Gravedigger File, p.154

Until We Meet Again

2010-09-30T10:50:00.000-07:00

My grandpa is no longer in the flesh, but is now caught away in glory. I revered him deeply, and will miss him. Last night he passed into eternity. I got the news after our worship service at church, during which we sang Tomlin's rendition of Amazing Grace. I thought these words very fitting for Grandpa:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, who called me here below
Will be forever mine

My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

Until we meet again, I love you Grandpa.

Take Nothing for Granted, Part II

2010-08-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

Today finds me sitting here enjoying the cool morning. It seems like Colorado has decided to give us some respite from the summer heat and chill down for a bit. I don't have a problem with that at all.

Let me tell you about Dustin, a friend of mine from back in Minnesota. I met Dustin through church, as he was in a Sunday school class for high schoolers that I taught for a few years. Never one to say a lot, he would sit and listen attentively to the lesson and only say something back if I asked him to. But like a lot of quiet people, there was a lot more to Dustin when you got to know him. He was smart and thoughtful, and empathized with others in a deep way. We struck up a friendship and I started calling him by a nickname "Dusty Britches," for no reason I can remember.

As Dusty got older, he came around church a little less frequently, as his work schedule didn't accommodate Sunday mornings that well. But his demeanor didn't change; still hopeful and bright, and making plans for his future after high school. He started attending college in a nearby town for a law enforcement degree.

I moved to Colorado July of last year, and lost touch with a lot of peripheral friends and acquaintances back home. A little while after I moved here I heard that Dustin had been diagnosed with lymphoma, and that he would be receiving treatment. And every now and again I would get an update on how he was doing, but that was about all I heard.

I decided it would be a neat idea to write Dustin a letter of some sort, since he was dealing with his illness. But I didn't know where to start. I didn't want to give him some sort of empty words, like I have heard people give their sick loved ones. There's not always a reason, it's just God's plan... Let go and let God. No, that doesn't cut it. But instead, a letter talking about the reality of suffering and evil, and the intervention of a real God into our fallen world. I just wanted him to know that I cared about him and that I hoped and prayed for his healing. So I put it on the "to do when I have the time" list. Soon I heard that Dustin's treatments were going very well and that it looked like he was on the upswing. It was good news, but the urgency of writing that letter diminished a bit, pushed to the "to do sometime, maybe" list.

It was a beautiful day in May when I got the call that Dustin passed away. After the shock wore down, my thoughts immediately went to that letter I had intended to write. Still unwritten, still unheard.

Time is a precious thing. They say to never leave anything unsaid. They say to take nothing for granted. They are right. Eventually we all run out of time, out of opportunities to show others that we care.

Here's to you, Dusty Britches (July 16, 1990 - May 12, 2010). I will not forget you.

The Star Spangled Banner, Verse Four

2010-07-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Take Nothing for Granted, Part I

2010-06-19T20:33:00.001-07:00

With a title like that, you might be expecting something serious. Well in a roundabout sort of way, it is. But first, a story.

Thursday my roommate came home with a sweet batch of Arbucks-stay* banana bread. Apparently he scored it from some employees who were about to toss it because it was a day old or something. Like any generous roommate, he offered some to me also.

My plan was to take a piece of banana bread to work on Friday morning and devour it during my coffee break. Friday morning rolled around and in my rush to get out the door, I left the banana bread behind. I realized my mistake on the way to work and yelled "Stupid! Stupid!" at myself inside my head. Then I spent the rest of the day anticipating the delight I would have by remembering to bring the banana bread to work today.

This morning I woke up, showered, put lunch together, and packed my banana bread snugly next to my sandwich in my lunch bag. I drove to work, put it all in the refrigerator, and then something happened. One of the nurses came in to work and brought with her a specially-made batch of... you guessed it, banana bread. What could I do? Of course I couldn't turn down more free food, so I ate the banana bread she brought in (which was delicious, by the way). Meanwhile, mine stayed in my lunch bag all day and came home with me tonight.

I was thinking about the whole thing tonight, and I was reminded of a verse in the Bible that says:

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. - James 4:13-14

How true this is. The verse is talking about taking big things for granted, but I think we need to be careful of taking the little things for granted also. I was caught in the act taking my morning banana bread for granted, and what a small thing. Yet we sometimes find that we have far less control over situations than we'd like. So if it's a steady job, a warm place to sleep, or even a morsel of food, be thankful and diligent; it could be taken away at any time. Next time I'll talk about a friend of mine named Dusty.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12

*This is a fictitious name of a real coffee shop that might not want the world knowing that it sometimes gives away food that would end up in the dumpster anyway.

Quote of the Day

2010-06-13T21:47:00.001-07:00

Tonight I opted out of a post-work burger (thanks for the invite, Mark) and went instead to a young adults Bible study. There were some people there I needed to reconnect with now that I'm back from vacation. I walked in late, but I heard the leader talking about how important it is for us to have a heart that is tender and fruitful to the things of God; a heart like cultivated soil.

It's funny, but it brings to mind an experience I had while I went to visit Minnesota last week.

My parents have a big garden. It is full of thick, nutrient-rich, potting soil-grade black dirt. One day during my visit I got the privilege of tilling the garden. I was all too eager to do it, because as soon as the tiller did its thing I got to walk behind, barefoot, through the soft, warm, moist soil. If you haven't experienced this before, I suggest you do before you die. At least buy a bag of potting soil and stick your feet in it, if you don't have any black dirt of your own.

Anyway, that is the picture I get when I think of a cultivated heart. As I look at my own heart, I think that it has more resembled the dirt you'd see after it parched in the sun for a couple of months. But I know that God has a sweet tiller, and I believe there are some plants to grow.

So finally the quote, since I promised it at the outset. When we closed the night with prayer, one of the men in my group said:

"Are we the bride of Christ, or a fickle, fickle girlfriend that hardly ever gives him the time of day?"

Selah

Health Care, Health Insurance, Economics and the Bible

2010-03-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

The Health Care debate has a couple of lies that swayed a lot of people toward supporting it. Here they are, as far as I have seen in my experiences in the doctor's office and working in the health care field:

1. There are poor people dying in the streets and their homes because they don't have health insurance!
I work at a hospital where I treat homeless people on a weekly/daily basis. They can't pay for the care they receive, but they receive it nonetheless. If someone dies from lack of care, it usually means they ignored their symptoms and didn't call for help.

2. Everyone needs health insurance! It's a right!
No, they don't. No, it isn't. My parents talk about going to the doctor only a few decades ago; they didn't have health insurance and they paid less than 10 bucks for a visit. When I was between college and working back home, I had no insurance; I got a cash discount for my doctor visits. Maybe the answer is for fewer people to have health insurance rather than more, that way prices aren't so artificially inflated. And why should we consider health insurance a right? Health care, yes, but as far as I have seen it is already a right (see previous paragraph).

3. If rich people possess something, poor people like me should have it too.
I'm astounded to hear Christians saying things like this. Here is my response.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. - Exodus 20:17

Envy. This is one of the main reasons for our current whining about "economic equality," and we need to stop it. Do you envy your neighbor's insurance coverage? Then stop it. Furthermore,

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at the table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For it could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor. But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me." - Matthew 26:8-13

That sounds insensitive! And this, just one chapter after Jesus told his disciples that "as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." What is he talking about then? Priorities. The poor are important, but Jesus is more important. Our relationship with Him is what influences our relationships with everyone else. And pertaining to our current strides to equalize rich and poor, realize that there will always be poor people. We can't just go and make everyone equal, as history shows, because there will always be the king(s) at the top; the wealthy equalizers of everyone below them. What shall we do with the poor? The same thing we do with all of our neighbors; love them and give generously.

Finally, this.

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

Paul, the writer here, died by execution. He lived a simple but hard life full of things like shipwrecks, snake bites, beatings and imprisonment. He was content. What about us? We all need to seriously step back and check our attitudes.

Attitude is Everything, Almost...

2010-03-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

These words were given to me by a patient in the hospital, who was about to undergo his third open-heart surgery. He wrote them on a piece of scratch paper, and said he wanted me to have the note before he went into surgery.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home, yourself.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have. And that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.

Double Blacks, Fear and the Like

2010-03-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the joy of going skiing with my friend Karl, who flew out here for the week. As it turned out, we skied with a friend of Karl's, a friend of Karl's friend, and a ski patrol dude who was a friend of Karl's friend's friend. It was a great group to ski with; very talented, but understanding of my limitations also.

I didn't enjoy having my abilities pushed to the limits but I didn't want to spoil the fun, so I followed along as best I could. We skied through acres and acres of tight evergreens, cutting new lines through the deep powder. When not skiing in the steep forest, we would be zig-zagging down immense mogul fields. It was intense; more challenging than I thought I could handle, at first.

The second day was the breakthrough. One of the guys really wanted to ski a double black run, and everyone chided in enthusiastically at the idea. I did too, but outwardly. Silently, I wondered if I would be able to use my new insurance card at a local hospital. Nonetheless, the group started moving down the hill, and I with them.

(Karl skiing down the mountain)

I can't explain exactly how it happened, but I didn't fall on the 35 degree vertical moguls. I stayed on my feet through the trees and all the way to the bottom of the mountain. And I enjoyed it. The previous day of anxiety; falling down, getting back up, and pushing myself, paid off. I moved with rhythm through the moguls (not great rhythm, but workable); my skis started going where my mind told them to go.

It's an everyday battle to push myself to do what needs to be done. Comfort only makes things worse. But truly, whenever I am challenged and work hard through it, the payoff is sweet. The ski trip was another reminder of that, and of my need to ditch my fears about a lot of things.

Speaking with Authority.

2010-01-30T21:38:00.000-08:00

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

Optismism or Escapism?

2010-01-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

Before I start in, let me say that there have been a bunch of things worth writing about in the month's time since my last post. Unfortunately those things didn't make it to the internet. Things have been rolling along here though, and I will make an effort to keep up more regularly with this for those who read it (like my mom).

There is a popular song on country radio right now called "Outside My Window." It's very catchy, and I've caught it running through my head once or twice. The other day I stopped and thought about what the song is saying, with these words:

Outside my window I hear a church bell ringing
Nobody fighting over what hymn they're singing...
Outside my window I see a flag that's waving
Hands joined together, everybody celebrating...
No wars no more, just a big rainbow outside my window

At first listen, this song seems pretty chipper and hopeful. At second and third listen, you might begin to wonder, What window is this person looking through? And after that, you begin to realize that this song will probably not be a lasting memory. Why? Because it doesn't really say anything. Oh it's great that everyone gets along, holds hands and sings together outside her window.

But the window isn't real.

An earthquake hits Haiti; a hurricane hits the Gulf coast; people die from heart disease, diabetes, cancer. Cars crash; teenagers get pregnant and abort. The list goes on indefinitely.

This is the condition of the world that we live in. This is reality. Evil exists in the world, and you can see its effects everywhere. The weight of it all makes a song like this seem out of touch at best, a denial of reality at worst. Songs that acknowledge evil (like country music is typically known for) are songs that we can relate to, because they accept reality for what it is. And with that, they have credibility to say something about it. But a song, or lifestyle, or faith that denies this reality is one that has nothing to say at all.

Okinawa

2009-12-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been watching the World War II documentary by Ken Burns called The War. It is an excellent, compelling look at America's involvement in the second World War. Tonight I learned about the battle on the little Pacific island of Okinawa. When all was said and done there, more than 12,000 American men were killed in the battle; more than 60,000 were wounded.

It takes a bit of time to stop and understand the immensity of what was sacrificed in just one battle. Being the age I am, I rarely think of death. I guess I assume that I'll get old and wrinkly someday, stay that way for a few decades, then die peacefully in my sleep. But I'm sure a lot of the men killed in WWII had the same idea before they found themselves in the theater of combat.

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12

A look at death is a sobering thing, and rightly so. But I think we ought to face up to our own mortality, with the hope that we will indeed realize our mortal state. Thus our need and desires for the eternal.

The Box

2009-11-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I was winding up my job at a pharmacy in a small town. One of the things I ended up doing was tidying up the basement of the building. It was a job that could be considered menial, but I actually enjoyed digging around and finding some old, interesting things amongst all the clutter.

One day I found a plain cardboard box. I brushed the dust off and opened it, and inside were a bunch of old artifacts; papers, maps, and slides from trips to Europe and Asia. There was an envelope from the Dept. of the Army, a gospel of John, and a picture that said "The Ship I Sailed On." I opened the gospel of John, and inside a printer's note advised: "Read this book fifty times." I bet they don't print that instruction anymore, I mused.

I knew that I needed to return this box to its owner, one of the original pharmacists who built the store there. So I called him on the phone and he came to pick it up a couple of days later.

"It's a treasure," he said.

He recalled some of the memories of the things inside the box: working with Norwegian hospitals in Korea, taking trips when he was young. He talked about days gone by; even about his mother's death, and began to tear up. He thanked me for calling him, then took the box home to continue exploring the things inside.

It made me think, What's inside my Box? What kinds of things will I look back on when I'm old?

2009-10-30T23:39:00.000-07:00

Regarding yesterday's post, let us not forget the significance of all of this.

The Health Care Bill...

2009-10-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

...begins with the words:

"To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes."

Being a 1990-page bill, it makes a person wonder if most of it isn't filled with other purposes. You can see for yourself here. And yes, abortion is in it (pg. 110), as is another interesting detail: a prohibition of the sale of private individual health insurance policies, beginning in 2013, forcing individuals to purchase coverage through the federal government (pg.94). And as always, new taxes on pretty much everyone.

Sweet. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be listening to the sounds of our forefathers rolling in their graves.

Welcome to Monument, CO

2009-10-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

It started snowing the night before last, and is supposed to be done sometime tomorrow. Sweet! No school.

Panic! Panic! Panic!

2009-10-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Now that H1N1 is a national emergency, I am officially proposing a list of silly ways to deal with the H1N1 virus (aka "Swine flu").

#1: Run in a tight circle and scream, "We're all going to die! Aaaiieee!!!"
#2: Adopt a "shower-in, shower-out" policy and install a decontamination unit in your front porch.
#3: Contact poison control before eating any pork.
#4: Rinse said pork in Pine-Sol solution before preparation, just in case. It makes a zesty marinade also.
#5: Only go outside on days that are below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. That should be cold enough to kill the virus.
#6: Tell your friends and neighbors you will catch up with them sometime next year.
#7: Quarantine your work space with plastic sheeting.
#8: Notify the CDC every time you see someone cough.
#9: Head down to the Y2K bunker and live on MREs and bottled water for a few months.

Now, a list of sensible ways to deal with the H1N1 virus.

#1: Wash your hands.
#2: Get enough sleep to keep your immune system strong.
#3. Minimize contact between your hands and face in general. Specifically, don't pick your nose.
#4. Drink lots of water. It keeps your body running well all over.
#5. Don't smooch people who have H1N1 influenza.

You may have noticed that the things on the second list are things you should actually be doing already. Well if you are, then congratulations; you are already minimizing your chances of getting sick. I know it seems boring in a way; no magic air sterilizer, no protective shampoo, no flu detox kit, no herbal tea. In fact, you can do a lot for yourself and spend absolutely no money at all.

The key in this whole fiasco is this: fear. Observe some current headlines:

"H1N1 Fears Fill Emergency Rooms." (WCCO, Minneapolis)
"H1N1 Fears Drive Seasonal Flu Shot Shortage." (WBAL, Baltimore)
"H1N1 Fears Overburdening Local Hospital." (KPTV, Washington)
"H1N1 fears lead to rush on Tamiflu." (Washington Post)
"Soccer players warned over spitting amid H1N1 Fears." (Vancouver Sun) -- An interesting twist...
"Fears of Web clogs during major H1N1 outbreak. (MSNBC) --Aren't people with the flu supposed to sleep?

Fear is a powerful thing, unfortunately. Stirred by the media, fed by ignorance. I would submit that the fears of H1N1 are more dangerous than the virus itself. The mortality rate of H1N1 is currently around 0.007 percent to 0.045 percent, according to Dr. Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University. So if it isn't that dangerous, then why all the hoopla? My guess is, it makes great news. Because of this, it won't be going away anytime soon. So go wash your hands, then continue on with life.

Song of the Day

2009-10-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Project 86, "The Butcher"

This man came to me, he was looking for action
Pulling a blade to my neck
He said, “Call me the butcher cause that's my trade
And you know that I’ve come to collect.”

I said, "Hit me now and we’ll see where it leads
Cut me out if you think I will bleed
Strike me down if you think you’re a man
Cause I know that you don't understand..."

Chorus:
Because there is no weapon
There is no blade
You wonder why I’m not afraid?
I’ve erased all of my fear of the grave
You’ll never kill him that lives inside of me

He looked into my eyes, all he saw was conviction
Dropping the blade to the earth
I said, “How could you think that I’d ever retreat?
You know that I’m already dead.”

Materialism in the Positive and Negative

2009-10-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today I was referred to an article by a friend of mine. It talks about the concept of minimalism. That is, approaching life with the mentality of what can I live without? This is something that I have gotten some good-hearted ribbing about from my friends before, and I admit that I am a minimalist. But not to the point of obsession.

Enter Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. The founder of this proudly lives in a house that is about 89 square feet total. He seems to be motivated by his desire to protect the environment, and to live a life as different from the American norm as possible. I will admit, in an affluent suburban culture swelling with mansions, I can understand this sentiment (although the state of the environment concerns me little). The problem this Tumbeweed guy has is that he can't really get a family going in a house that size. Nor can he have more than one person (or two skinny ones) at a time come to visit. This is the point, I think, when minimalism reaches the end of common sense.

What is more important, having as much or as little as possible, or having quality relationships? When a person can't spend time with another because of having too many things, it's a problem. When a person can't spend time with another because of an obsession with having little, it's also a problem. Life is about relationships.

(Continental Divide)

I love to travel remote locations with as little gear as possible. I like that I can fit almost all my possessions in my car. It is a freeing thing. (If you are wondering about getting rid of useless junk, I would encourage you to do so.) But I know that life has a way of changing things. Lord willing, I will have a wife and family someday. Realistically, more stuff will come along with that.

The real important thing is how much priority our things get compared to relationships. When all our stuff (minimalist or not) is gone, what will be left? What really lasts? Relationships last.

(Ma Mason & I)

By all means, get what you need and few things you want. Just don't hold onto your stuff too tightly. Let's take time for the important things.

Beliefs, Ala Carte

2009-10-07T21:20:00.000-07:00

Why do we feel like we need to have beliefs customized to our desires?

In the last week or so I have noticed people throwing around phrases like "God has a plan," and "It's just karma, man," as if they come from within the same framework of beliefs. And it is astounding. I see the marks of two trends working here. (1) Relativism. Belief 1 is just as valid as belief 2, even if they are opposed. (2) Customization (i.e. pluralization). "Could I please have a grande, double espresso, decaf, low fat, caramel macchiato, with extra foam, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a dollop of whipped cream?" Or, "Could I please have a small, happy, non-offensive, double prosperity Jesus with extra mysticism, topped with a sprinkle of higher consciousness, and some Siddhartha on the side?"

No, you can't.

And I'll just have a coffee, and try to add as little to it as possible.

Honestly

2009-10-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

The other day a friend of mine was talking to me about the behavior of some local high schoolers. Apparently on the bus ride back from some sports event, the junior high girls decided to play Truth or Dare. One thing led to another, and soon the girls were daring their friends to kiss other girls.

Are you surprised? Why should we be surprised at this?

It is not enough to simply blame the liberals for putting curriculum in schools that teaches about this and encourages it. No, let's look at the poets of our age. (1) Katy Perry [2008]: Her song about kissing a girl made #1 handily and was the pioneer of sorts into the American pop culture. (2) Lady Gaga [2009]: She has released numerous music videos that portray women making out with other women. (3) Fast and Furious [2009]: There are also several scenes in this movie that portray the same behavior.

If we walk around with the idea that a song is just a song or a movie just a movie, we are kidding ourselves. And these are three mainstream examples. It's easy to point a finger at things those other people are influenced by. But what about taking a long, hard look at what we take in ourselves?

What do you let influence you?

Facebook...

2009-09-28T21:38:00.000-07:00

... is pretty much dead to me now. Tonight I deactivated my account, resolute against the efforts to keep me around. This last-ditch plea begged me to reconsider:

Your 185 friends will no longer be able to keep in touch with you.

Really? Does this include my family members? Have I now been shunned because of this? How about my best friend? What about my roommate? (Granted, we've talked more on Facebook lately than in real life, but...)

The point is this: If I can't keep in touch with my friends except for on Facebook, there is something terribly wrong. That would mean that either I have no time to spend building relationships in real life, or that they are all quite shallow in the first place. At any rate, I am done with Facebook. Now I will try to further authenticate my relationships in the real world.

When you think you're having a bad day...

2009-08-13T17:17:00.001-07:00

Consider this guy.

Today I talked to a 79-year-old man who broke his arm a couple days ago. He was jogging down Barr Trail on Pikes Peak (that's right) in preparation for the Pikes Peak Marathon this weekend. But darkness befell and he had to switch on a light to see the trail. His light ended up running out of battery power, which caused him to stumble and fall, causing a fractured ulna. He had to spend the night on the mountain, and twelve hours later he was discovered by two hikers. They called search & rescue, who came and pulled him off the mountain.

When I talked to him today (with his arm in a cast and sling), his chief complaint was that he hadn't broken his arm with enough healing time to run the marathon. But he still managed to hike up the mountain, down to Barr Camp, up to the summit again, and completely back down today before the afternoon storms.

I admit the title of the post is a little deceiving. Considering this guy's age, I think he's doing pretty well.

The View from the Top

2009-08-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Today I was working on the summit of Pikes Peak (which I do now as an EMT), and I took some time to look outside the summit house and watch some people walk around. Today there was a kid of about sixteen years old, wearing baggy clothing and a grim expression, walking around by himself. After shuffling around for a couple of minutes, he stepped out onto the concrete overlook on the eastern-facing edge of the mountain.

From that overlook there is a vantage point of at least 100 miles of land to the east of Pikes Peak; and the other sides offer similar views. Today was an especially marvelous day to dwell at such a place and look into the distance for hours. As I watched this guy out on the overlook, I saw him gaze out for a few seconds, then look down and send a text message, and walk back to the building.

Sometimes the problem isn't the things we pay attention to, but the things we ignore.

Standing atop a 14,000 foot mountain, we give our attention to a 1.5 inch LCD screen in our hands. Is this a metaphor waiting to happen or is it just me?

For the philosophy buffs out there

2009-06-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

I think there is a big problem with the push for multiculturalism. The problem is this. There is always going to be someone somewhere who would react to your hugs, good deeds and gift of Coca Cola; by laughing, shooting you, and laughing some more. In other words, utopian multiculturalism will inevitably fail in the real world.

Now here's the kicker. As a Christian it is my job to love everyone I am around (not the gooey kind of love necessarily, but complete love). It doesn't matter if they are my friend or my enemy. What accompanies this, of course, is that I am responsible to share the truth with them if I am able. If I say to anyone out there that we are all God's children and everyone gets to the same place by different roads, then I would be turning my back on what is true. This conflicts with the idea of moral equivalency. The point is this. Why would people want to know Jesus unless there is something different and better about knowing him? In a society that promotes multiculturalism and moral equivalency between different belief systems, the only way for that to happen is for followers of Christ to live differently than everyone else.

10 out of 10

2009-06-25T21:05:00.001-07:00

People die. That is a statistic you can bank on. Today two celebrities died and the national media let us all know about it as soon as possible.

50 year-old men have heart attacks. In fact, two middle-aged men who go to my church had heart attacks last year (both of them survived, thankfully). And 62-year-old women get cancer. These are plain and simple facts of life.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to minimize the lives of anyone, but it is interesting how we react when those who are never supposed to die, do. After all, these were not just people to our culture; they were practically divinity living among us.

So now the focus pans across their careers and lives; over the contributions they left behind. It begs the question also for you and me. What kinds of things will people remember about me when I die? Will I have a hair-do that influences a generation? Will I revolutionize the music world? Will I change my skin color?

Sometimes we stop and think about these questions. But more often than not, we soon forget about it and resume our fixation upon the silver screen immortals in front of us.

"When you want a hot meal without a big deal..."

2009-06-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well, things are still busy here in my camp. I finished up my pre-nursing classes for the year, and now I'm looking at a program out west. If everything happens right, I may be back in school sooner than I thought. In the meantime I'm working, recording, doing youth group stuff, looking at jobs, and trying to tie up loose ends that have been hanging for the better part of the school year. When I stop and think, all I can think is "Shoot, have I got stuff to do."

However, no one really wants to read about how busy I am, so I will leave you with this. The other day I noticed that Hot Pockets are kind of undignified in the world of food. They are made strictly for the microwave (you can bake them if you really want to, but who does that?). No glamor, no thoughtful preparation; just a few laps around the humming box until cheese oozes out the end. I got to thinking about this poor existence, and what came to my mind are people whose lives seem to fall under the same category. Some folks are dealt a duller hand than others in whatever way, and they can get a Hot Pocket complex if they aren't careful.

But the bottom line is, God has made all human beings with the same worth. All have been made with wonder and dignity; in the very image of God. Circumstances do not equal worth, although that is a lie that we can come to believe at times. May that not be the case, or at least no longer.

Of Floods and Folly

2009-03-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

Today I kind of feel like ranting about a couple of things that have been bugging me this week. This doesn't happen very often, but today just happens to be the day.

First of all, I can't stand the global warming theory. Whoever believes it needs to come to Minnesota. Right now it's 19 degrees outside. Five days from now (April 1) our forecast high temperature is 31. This year we can use that day to celebrate the foolishness of the global warming crowd together. The crazy thing is the way the media has spun the Fargo/Moorhead flooding, as if it is all being caused by the warming earth. That's funny, because I was up there a couple of days ago and didn't see a single person in a swimsuit or flip flops. In fact, it's been snowing there almost all week. Also, a big reason for the high river levels in North Dakota is that there are ice jams in the rivers. Global warming indeed. They might have convinced me, but for all that pesky ice and snow.

Before my next topic, I will take a moment and point the finger at myself first. I'm altogether imperfect. I screw up all the time. My only saving grace is from God, who is working on me constantly. That said, I truly wish that excellence was something that I saw more people pursuing these days. It grates me when something gets done halfway and then left alone because it's "good enough." This attitude is what ends up destroying the drive to do anything well. I realize that not everyone is capable of doing everything like a prodigy, or at least not at first. But that in no way excuses us from desiring to do what we do excellently. If you are capable of doing better at something, then you should.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men... Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. -the apostle Paul (Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:15)

Never settle for "good enough."

Till We Have Faces

2009-03-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading C.S. Lewis' epic retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. Though it usually takes me awhile to make it through his books, I finished this one in three nights' time (albeit late nights, but three nonetheless). The story, written in a first person perspective, is set in a barbaric world occupied by humans and mythical gods. It largely revolves around the mystery surrounding the main character's life, which finally unfolds in the last chapter or so. I won't give anything away, but the last paragraph makes a profound statement which I would like to include here:

I ended my first book with the words no answer. I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer. You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice? (p. 308, Till We Have Faces)

One of the main points of the book is that we must approach one another and God with unveiled faces. To be honest; to mean what we say. To voice our concerns and cries instead of keeping them inside, because holding them in will make us bitter and rob us of answers. Let us remove our veils of offense and pride, and honestly approach the One who himself is the answer; meet him face-to-face.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. -Hebrews 4:16

This Year

2009-01-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

This here is an update to my blog. What can I say? It's cold. The little indicator in the corner of the screen says -22 degrees, and that isn't a bit surprising. The Camry never woke up this morning, but thankfully my folks let me borrow the truck, which started like a champion.

This is also a note to say to those of you who actually read this and are interested, "I'll be busy for about the next four months and subsequently away from the blog-o-space." Two jobs, three classes, and life have caught up with me now and I have no choice but to tighten up the spare-time belt at least two notches (it was pretty loose over Christmas break).

So here's to buckling down and getting through the next semester. To all of you who are in the same boat, I call,

I heard in Addison's Walk a bird sing clear
'This year the summer will come true. This year. This year.
'Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees
This year, nor want of rain destroy the peas.
'This year time's nature will no more defeat you,
Nor all the promised moments in their passing cheat you.
'This time they will not lead you round and back
To Autumn, one year older, by the well-worn track.
'This year, this year, as all these flowers foretell,
We shall escape the circle and undo the spell.
'Often deceived, yet open once again your heart,
Quick, quick, quick, quick!—the gates are drawn apart.' (1)

As the frost thickens around the windows, I look forward to the end of the semester and to new adventures just around the bend.

(1) C.S. Lewis, "What the Bird Said Early in the Year

Resolution

2009-01-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

This is a fitting song for today and for me. I didn't write it; it's an old Supertones tune actually. Nevertheless, it means a lot.

I've meant to do this for some time
I've gotta get it right this time
This time my God I will be Yours
All my heart, my soul, and mind
Been so long since I truly smiled
But You touched my heart today
Reached through my mind of mud and mire
Consumed the idols in Your way
So I am brand new
Today I make my resolution

Been down so long that it seems like up
I took it now I've had enough
Of the life that I've been living
It feels so cold this far away
So today I will make a change
I will make a change today
Purge my mind of mud and mire
Cast all my gods away
So I am brand new
Today I make my resolution

Looking back the way I used to be
It was just me and God
Can I be there again?
Today I make my resolution.

MewithoutAutism

2008-12-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

Hey there. Long time no post. I understand, I miss me too. :) Well, a lot has been happening; mostly finishing school, working, and getting stuff done whilst on Christmas break. You may expect a serious blog post due to my long absence, but I guess that will have to wait.

I was talking to a girl last spring about the band MewithoutYou, and I made the comment that they are a very strange band. Indeed they are; especially the lead singer, I noted. She remarked, "You know he's autistic, right?" Umm... no, I actually didn't. I knew about his masterful lyrics, but I didn't know that. Well, that nugget rested somewhere in my cerebral cortex until a conversation I had last weekend with the owner of a drum shop (an especially good one in St. Cloud called Kracker Jacks). He told me that there was a study done on brilliant musicians which found that the really good ones all have a touch of autism. I'd never heard that, but it sort of makes sense in a way.

The people I've met who have autism aren't that great at a ton of things, but they are really great at certain things. For instance, there was a kid I knew who was autistic, and all he talked about all day was playing video games. He'd go into great detail about it. For hours. Autism is manifest in different ways, and some people who have it are way more functional than others. But for those musicians (in particular) who are super good, do they have a tinge of autism?

(genetic cheater?)

The really good musicians (I know a couple) also attribute their abilities to lots of hard work. But there is also something to be said about being "born with it." Kind of an interesting thought I guess. Well, that's it for now.

Merry Christmas all!

Involvement

2008-11-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

William Wilberforce was one man who had a profound influence upon Great Britain and the world. Today I watched the last session of the Truth Project (Community & Involvement) in preparation for next week's meeting. In it, Dr. Tackett talked about William Wilberforce and his mission to end slavery in Great Britain.

Immediately after I finished watching the video, I walked over to my office shelf and picked up How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin Schmidt. Hmm, I thought when I noticed a bookmark still in the pages. I never finished reading the book after I was done with the required chapters (a byproduct of late nights at FFI). So I flipped it open to the marked page. Lo and behold, there before me was a description of William Wilberforce. It talked about his marked efforts in the Parliament over 20-some years to bring about the abolition of the slave trade and freedom of slaves. It was an effort he devoted his entire life toward. Literally a few days before his death, he finally received word that Parliament had passed the Abolition Act, freeing some 700,000 slaves in the English colonies.

As the book describes it: "No proponent for the abolition of slavery ever accomplished more." He heard the sound of the slave chains more clearly than perhaps anyone else around him. And according to his love for and fear of God, he was compelled to do something about it. He could not stand idly by.

"If you want to follow Him [God], then you must be involved in the battle." Dr. Del Tackett

Zzyzx Scarecrow

2008-11-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Near the gateway to Mojave
I saw a place
Both beautiful and blistering
And cruel and cold the same
The sun was like a lion
Bearing down upon its prey
Death Valley stained in crimson
For the moon to wash away
And I envisioned rows of gallows
For the world to look upon
One step to bringing order
To a planet tempting chaos

Can you feel it coming down?
The righteous wrath of God
Revealed from out of heaven
For the innocent blood
Crying from the ground

While the wicked seem to prosper
And glory in these days
As if their ways were hidden
As if they had escaped
We have lost our sense of justice
Smearing lines of right and wrong
Despising any standards
We blindly stumble on
Bleeding hearts may scream compassion
What of those that cannot cry?
A life is worth a life
Justice... merciful and blind

Innocent blood
Is crying from the ground

It's coming down

-Zzyzx Scarecrow by Stavesacre

While I normally avoid putting song lyrics in a blog because it's not the most creative thing to do, tonight these words are appropriate to think about.

I am sorry, little ones. You are not forgotten. You are not forgotten.

It Took A Life

2008-10-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Today I was shuffling through some old books and photographs that I stumbled upon last week. They belonged to my great uncle Elmer, who has been gone now for quite a few years. When he died I also ended up with a canteen from his Army days, during World War II. He fought over there as a young man and as far as I can tell, came back to Minnesota and farmed until he retired. It was so interesting looking through the old black and white family photos. There were portraits, pictures of young men and women having fun together, and even a Casablanca-esque picture of a lady traveler with an airplane in the background.

It makes me sincerely long to live in a simpler time. It makes me wonder, what would it be like to spend nearly all day outside? What would it be like to work for everything? What would it be like to take nothing for granted? What would it be like to take time to talk to neighbors? What would it be like to gaze in wonder at an airplane overhead?

What would it be like to appreciate freedom? We run around all the time taking it for granted. During WWII, this country sacrificed over 416,000 men for the cause of freedom. Why would these brave men go put their lives on the line? Because there was evil that needed to be stopped. It was clear what needed to be done. And what a sacrifice.

Compare that with what we see today. "Sacrifice? You mean give up my life for someone else?" Sacrifice in our culture has turned from something honorable into something feared. But there are glimpses of hope still. Flight 93. Wesley Autrey. Our military servicemen and women. Whichever side you fall on with war, know this: people have sacrificed their lives so that we may live freely. Let us honor that sacrifice by living responsibly. It took a life.

A moment of your time, please

2008-10-15T07:22:00.001-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen,

There are 20 days now until election day in this country. We have all been subject to political rhetoric on both sides of the campaign, and I like many of you have had my fill of campaign ads. And the spin machines make a person wonder who is actually telling the truth most of the time. For what it's worth, John McCain is certainly not a perfect candidate in my book. But the odds of finding a perfect candidate in a political process like this are fairly slim, I admit. And judging by the most recent polls, we may end up with Barack Obama in the White House come next year.

That concerns me, and that is why I am writing this little e-mail. No I won't mention Barack Obama's connections to ACORN, Jeremiah Wright, his connections to William Ayers, or the current court case to try to determine whether or not Barack Obama was born in the United States. I'm not here to talk about his plans about gun control, wealth distribution, or holding back our support of Israel. If you really want to know more about these things, I will be glad to provide information. Or you could find it easily enough for yourself.

My main concern is this: Barack Obama is not a supporter or protector of unborn life. Now I know what you may be thinking at this point. "Kevin is just sitting there in his Focus on the Family Institute shirt drinking coffee from his Colorado mug." Guilty as charged. But I digress. Mother Teresa once said, "When a mother is allowed to kill her child, what is left of society to save?" According to the Guttmacher Institute, the United States has aborted nearly 50 million human lives ("fetuses") since Roe v. Wade was enacted in 1973. I personally find that to be a staggering number. In a country of 300 million people, it is equivalent to killing every sixth person alive in the United States today. We would find that reprehensible, but somehow can find some justification to keep turning a blind eye to the 3,500-4,000 killed every day by abortion.

Imagine if there were 50 million more people in the United States aged 35 and younger than there are now. Would there be such a massive social security crisis? How about housing? Interesting things to ponder. But my main point is not to talk about making the economy better. My point is this: as a country we have killed more unborn humans in 35 years than the number of people who have died fighting all of our wars since the 1700s. This is a tragedy.

How does this relate to Barack Obama? He not only is pro-abortion, but he supported legislation that would deny the right to life to any child who survives an abortion. Here is a short video that explains it a bit more. A stance like that makes him the most pro-abortion candidate ever. That is why I cannot and will not vote for this man.

For some reason we Americans are known to vote with our wallets, or with our guns, or whatever. Whatever reason you choose to vote, let it not be for money. Let it not be a trendy vote either. I say this with a heavy heart: Human life is at stake here. Let us stop kidding ourselves about it.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. -Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Intestinal Fortitude

2008-09-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity, and fortitude, is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the courage to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement. (Wikipedia: Courage)

A 2002 literature review of elective abortion rates found that 91–93% of pregnancies in the United States with a diagnosis of Down syndrome were terminated. (Wikipedia: Down syndrome)

Courage.

Keep the Change

2008-08-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

"Change we can believe in." "Change the world." "Change your shorts."

Well, lately I've been thinking about this concept of change. It seems like change on a small level is so trendy nowadays (i.e. fashion and technology). I mean, who doesn't want the newest video game system, flat-screen TV and spiffy outfit? Why settle for plain old tennis shoes when you can have the pair that glow in the dark? Those old light-up soles are so mid-nineties anyway.

Change on a large scale can become a different thing altogether. Think of climate change. Now whether or not you believe it is human-caused or not, the objective fact is that the earth has been warming up ever so slightly. But the shocking thing for everybody seems to be the fact that we can't seem to control it (although many people seem to think we have caused it). This aggravates people; because what fun is change, after all, if you can't control it? We can control small changes like fashion, technology and the like, and make ourselves look good. But when it comes to climate change, or even change in the weather, our lack of control hurts our ego. Therefore, we look for ways to control it. Buy some carbon footprints. Drive a hybrid. Seed the clouds to coax some rain out.

The point is, we humans like to think that we're in ultimate control of our lives, but we keep running into the fact that we aren't. What then? If we accept this, the question becomes who, then, is in control? I believe that person to be God, who himself does not change (James 1:17). He is constant; everything he is, he is eternally. Nothing that happens; no change, big or small, takes him by surprise.

In this world of change, it's good to know that there is someone consistent who is really in control of things. That ought to make us thankful; it ought to make us humble.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)

The Crack

2008-08-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

A user guide to navigating "The Crack." Rule #1: go after dark. Rule # 2: only one person gets a light, only to be used during emergencies. Rule #3: it's not for the faint of heart. Now, a set of approximate directions for navigating The Crack.

First, shimmy across a log to reach the main entrance. Climb straight up a narrow rock face about 10 feet, then reach up to the right and pull yourself up into a small crevice. Then reach up and across and find a tiny outcropping in a nearly vertical crack about 18 inches wide, running to the left of the first crack. Literally wedging yourself into the crack using your knees and shoulders, move 10 feet to the left. There you will find a small place to stand on while preparing to move through the next hole. Crouch down to the left and squeeze through a tiny hole, while finding a ledge behind you to prop yourself up on. Sitting on that ledge, move to the left and down inside a vertical crack about 24 inches across. Once far enough down, you will find a tiny ledge on what feels like the opposite wall, which you must use to step across the gap into another crack that runs straight away from where you just were. There is a place to put your feet while you lean back and rest on the rock wall behind you. Now, move to the left about 15 feet until you find a hole going straight beneath your current position. There will be a little crack in the rock in front of you in which you wedge your left foot to control your descent. Lean forward and move down slowly, propping your shoulders against the back wall for more leverage. Continue downward for roughly 15 feet until you find some stones under your left foot to step down on; then stretch your right leg down until you find a solid gravel trail underneath you. Move about 10 feet to the right until you find another hole in the rock going straight down. This is called the "birth canal." Either slide straight down freely, or move down slowly, propping yourself with your arms and legs. Once to the bottom of this 6-foot tunnel, crouch down and move forward through a low tunnel until you find yourself back at the main entrance. Cross the fallen log again, and you've made it.

(inside view of The Crack)

Note: inside The Crack you must completely rely on those ahead of you to guide you; those behind you must do the same. Be safe and be steady, and have fun. Challenging. Captivating. Dark. The Crack.

Truth

2008-07-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.

Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

"What is truth?" Pilate asked.

"Sometimes truth isn't good enough," Batman says. "Sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded."

Question #1: What is the difference between faith and truth?

Question #2: What sort of confidence can a person have in a lie?

Work

2008-07-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Farming probably won't be my lifetime career. However, for now it's pretty cool. This summer I have gotten to: pick rocks, stack hay bales, pound in fence posts, attach wire to said fence posts, drive an old truck around, mow the barnyard, dig a trench and bury wire in it, and (most recently) destroy thistles with a big piece of steel.

Thistles. Yuck. The electric fence we've been building goes through some horrendous patches of thistles about head-high and as thick as hair on a dog. Incidentally, it turns out that mosquitoes consider thistle patches to be prime real-estate, especially this time of year. Well, yesterday I was told to go thin out the thistles around the fence, so I grabbed the nearest goodly sized piece of steel rebar and went to work.

Nothing quite reminds a person of the Fall of Creation quite like an experience like that. Nature, made for our enjoyment, became an untamed force when sin entered the picture. It made me wonder, what was the original purpose of thistles? Did they exist before the Fall? What about mosquitoes? How about their original intent? I suppose I'll never know this side of eternity. Until then, I'll keep swinging my rebar; fighting entropy.

On an end note, happy birthday, America. Remember the God of your fathers.

The Del Button

2008-06-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

I just looked at my keyboard and noticed that I have a Del button. If only life had a Del (Tackett) button, and when you pushed it, an attractively winsome voice would give you a snippet of sound advice. I tried hitting it on my keyboard, but you guessed it, no voice. Siggies out.

Speaking of Del Tackett, when I was in his class at the Institute, he required us to memorize the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy. As of late, I've been thinking about the words to that song more and more. Tonight I was sitting by the campfire, and the words from the last verse echoed through my mind: All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea. Over the constant hum in my ears (from shooting my big rifle last week), all was silent but the cracking fire and the chitter-chatter of crickets. The nearly-full orange moon crept up over the black horizon. And the fire kept on burning bright and steady.

...in earth and sky and sea...

I am a firm believer that if we take some time to shut our yaps, turn off the artificial light of the television, and go sit outside for awhile, we can catch a glimpse of God's works singing their praise songs to Him. As Jesus said, if we're silent, even the rocks will cry out. Sometimes we need to be alone to be reminded that they're still singing, and what a pity if they're singing louder than we are.