Post Thanksgiving status

Hey guys...
I was going to put up the next installment of God Writings tonight, but I decided to take another mini hiatus instead...thanks to everyone who keeps encouraging me to write though--it's surely appreciated. I don't know about you, but sometimes I just feel like I need to be silent...or at least more reserved in what I'm saying--even if it is through writing and I already have a 'script' so to speak.
I'm feeling better about life than I was a few weeks ago. Maybe I'm just learning how to find contentment during the midst of uncertainty/confusion. It's a good thing.
I had a great Thanksgiving, I have to tell you.
I worked open to 1pm, and though we were really busy, the customers were quite courteous and tipped really well.
Then I went to have dinner with some friends from church...and magically arrived right before the meal (I was sure I would be really late!). It was a good time, and I stayed for over 5 hours. Thanksgiving celebrations with friends have been amazing. I was wishing I could beam myself back to WI to celebrate with my family, but as it turns out, I guess it's good that I couldn't. Getting the scoop from my mom, it sounded like a tolerable day/night, but yet another volume of Holidays with Dysfunctional Families. No bad vibes for me that day here in LA...I can't complain!
I also had the chance to partake of a second celebration on Saturday night with some other friends. It was also quite pleasant--AND I got to take home a heaping helping of leftovers. Nice.
I've been reminded in the last week what a blessing friends are...one of God's greatest gifts. Also, what sort of life I've been 'delivered' (if you will) from. There's a passage somewhere in Scripture that talks about being delivered from the empty way of life handed down from our ancestors. That hits me. If God wouldn't have intervened and given me a life worth living, I probably would've shot myself in the head a long time ago...or be alive but miserable. Anyway, my life is good even when it's not so good, you know?
I guess that's all I have to say for now.
More when inspiration strikes...

God Writing #32: Hard At It Part II

10/7/06

The next part of the passage is a little more of a stretch for me since I've never been much into sports.
"Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules."
Last weekend I saw the movie GridIron Gang, which is about a group of juvenile delinquents that becomes a football team. I think the movie illustrated well that even though the team consisted of tough kids, none of them could cheat their way into winning a game. The first team they played trampled them--the team was full of good athletes who played by the rules.
I guess Olympics fiascos where people get stripped of their medals because of drug use also illustrates this idea. An athlete achieves victory through discipline, practice, and performance.

In the Christian walk, sometimes it's easy for us to just sit back and soak up God's grace. There's certainly a time for that sort of rest and regrouping, but to live our lives 'unathletically' is a waste!
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
1 Timothy 4:8 also tells us, "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
For each 'big game' we have in our spiritual lives, there's no cheating to win. The rules cannot be broken. If we're not 'in shape' we probably won't do well, and though God's mercy and grace in Jesus will always be the 'golden ticket', it doesn't automatically turn a lackluster performance into a stunning display of athleticism.

Lastly, the harworking farmer--"The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops." My grandparents own a farm, my brother and cousins have worked on farms, and I used to babysit for a farmer as well. I've seen firsthand what hard work it is to farm successfully...getting up at 4am to milk cows, baling hay in 100 degree heat--it's certainly not for the faint of heart. But there is a satisfaction in a job well done.
From a spiritual aspect, Galatians 6:7 states that, "A man reaps what he sows." 2 Corinthians 9:6+7 also say, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
A hardworking spiritual farmer may be someone who sows God's truth in the lives of unbelievers. Or, it may be someone who diligently studies the Bible and endeavors to apply it to his/her life. Or, it may be someone who uses their free time to encourage others, and/or volunteer. Or, it may be someone who gives a chunk of their hard-earned cash away to bless others.
Regardless of the manifestation of this illustration, the accompanying principle is that the Farmer is the first to receive a share of the crops that result.

Looking back over the entire passage then, we see we should be like the Soldier--enduring suffering, putting our focus and priorities where they should be, and seeking to please those in authority over us. We should also be like the Athlete--disciplined in our spiritual training and practice, with the movitation and determination to win. And we should be like the Farmer--working hard to fulfill the call God has on our lives.
Maybe the best thing is that in God's economy, we are pretty much guaranteed success if we commit to these things...
The Soldier's commanding officer will be pleased, the Athlete will attain the victor's crown, and the Farmer will enjoy a bountiful harvest when the time comes.

mini update and upcoming new video to look for!

Here's a link to a VH1 article that has got me excited and ready to find a computer with speakers so I can watch a little Youtube...
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/
1546013/20061116/cash_johnny.jhtml?headlines=true

This article talks about an upcoming video for Johnny Cash's song, "God's Gonna Cut You Down." I heard the tune once on the radio here (Indie 103 is a super-cool radio station and they have a Cash song around 4pm most days of the week...too bad my car's antenna gets crummy reception), and it was a memorable experience. The song is like a slap in the face--lyrically and musically. And it sounds like the video will be rather poignant...whether all the celebs in it realize the significance or not. Interesting.

As for me, sorry I haven't had much of a chance to post candidly on this here blog lately. Hard to say how many people are even checking it, so maybe only a few people feel put out...er...anyway.
Yeah, I'm an internet moocher these days...exploiting my roommate's laptop when I have time to bring it to a Starbucks, exploiting my church's internet access when I'm serving in a ministry with the computers, and even popping into the local library when I'm desperate. Ideally this will soon come to an end and we'll get an internet connection at the apartment...ideally. Or I might just keep up the scavenging for internet time for the next 6 months and see where that puts me.
Aye karumba.
So, how am I these days?
mmmm...ok.
I'm waiting to see if I'll officially get promoted to Assistant Manager at work. Seems to be taking some time for the powers that be to get their ducks in a row. I got some sad news on Monday that one of the residents at the group home I used to work at in MN passed away last week. He was a Christian, and I'm sure he's very happy where he is now, but it's still sad to lose him...and it's been making me think about my work and if I'm really on the right course or not...
Lots of questions with not so clear answers right now...
I'm also rather frustrated that my whole reason for coming back to LA has yet to be realized...as in, in the 5 months I've been here, I have yet to work with any youth outside of a few younger coworkers... The mental dilemma is do I 1)Wait patiently for things to line up or 2)shake things up to make something happen--and possibly change a lot of things (in my own life) in the process?
Maybe I can blame the holiday season for making me feel a bit homesick. It was my mom's 51st birthday yesterday. This last week I thought about how much I'd like to beam myself back to her place to have some coffee with her in the morning, while sitting on the kitchen floor--my back to the oven--and peering out the big picture window.
On that note, I also thought about how much I wish I could beam myself back to Minneapolis and take a morning run around Lake Nokomis with my pal Foxx. Of course, I'm not sure I'd want to run in the chilly air there...
And call it masochism or not, but Crowded House's Together Alone album has been in constant rotation in my car's cd player. This album reminds me of New Zealand more than any other...with the last track featuring a Maori choir, how could it not? And as I've been driving to work, seeing posters for the Nativity Story movie coming out soon, I keep looking at the girl who plays Mary (she's Maori and starred in the movie Whale Rider) while Neil Finn sings in my ear, and wishing I could find myself back in New Zealand--or even Australia--again for a while.

But for now, here I am. Work to be done, bills to be paid, lease to follow through on...thus is life.

God Writing #32: Hard at It ...part I

This entry was actually created over the space of two weeks, so I'm going to post it in a similar manner...

10/1/06

Sometimes I run across a passage in the Bible where the words are familiar, but I somehow seem to stumble upon the actual meaning for the first time. I guess that could be termed as a revelation or epiphany. Usually it's a surprise to realize I had heretofore not grasped the passage as deeply. After having gained this new perspective, it's exciting to let it infiltrate my world.
Yesterday I was reading a passage where this sort of thing happened...kind of. I feel like I kind of got the deeper meaning, and am kind of still waiting for the rest of it to click. It's like those magic-eye puzzles where you try to pull a 3-D image out of a psychedelic inkblot. If I look at these things cross-eyed, and like, stand on one foot, I can usually see a good chunk of the image...but frustratingly, not the whole thing.
So this is the passage that caught my attention: 2 Timothy 2:2-6--"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civillian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops."
Where my new understanding of this passage comes in, is that I see that the 3 images conveyed fit together, whereas before I viewed them more as random puzzle pieces.
The soldier, the athlete, and the farmer: three examples set before us as followers of Christ that cover a lot of ground.
The first part of this passage tells us to "Endure hardship...like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." I've heard it said that one area American Christians are extremely lacking in is our theology of suffering. For whatever reason, many American Christians believe if they pray hard enough, they can and will be delivered from all of their hardships. I personally find no biblical basis for such a train of thought--quite the contrary!
The next question--if we accept that suffering is a given--is how do we react in the midst of our suffering?
Philippians 2:14-16a tells us, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, Children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life..."
Natural instinct is to whine and complain. The Israelites were quite good at it when they were wandering through the desert for 40 years...and it also appears clear that this really irritated the Lord!
Enduring anything becomes much more difficult with a complainer in one's company. Maybe that's one reason why the military is so strict and complaining is not even an option.
I have a coworker that spent a large part of his life in the military. He told me a story once about how one night he had to endure standing at attention in a swampy area because that's what his commanding officer had decided was best for the company. It was a miserable night, but they all made it. On the other hand, another company settled down and slept by a road. Two of their soldiers were killed by being run over that night.

Moving further into the passage, we get an additional insight into the soldier mentality--"No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer."
What's the Christian parallel? Many things. There is a lot going on in the world around us--our culture/any culture--that does not pertain to the advancement of God's kingdom.
For instance, as Christians, we shouldn't get caught up in material possessions--who has the nicest car, how to afford buying a nicer home, stetching for a wardrobe of namebrand clothes, etc. Many people do get caught up in these things and it eats up their time, their money, their thoughts, their attitudes, etc.
Another area might be getting caught up in the dating game. If you're single, the search to find your match can become the main focus in your life...to the point of consuming you.

Now I don't mean to imply that we should all live as spartan as possible and not give any attention to relationships either. The thing is--where are your focus and your heart? If they are wrapped up in 'civilian' matters, you probably need to check yourself. If you're a good 'soldier' of Christ, you're going to be focused and concerned about what HE wants and how you can honor him with your life.
And, as Jesus says in Matthew 6, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (vs 32+33)

One final note about soldiers...notice in the verse, the soldier's heart was to please his commanding officer. Soldiers have a tremendous understanding of and respect for authority. Most of us civilians could learn from that. The Bible seems to indicate that the Lord appreciates the idea of authority and wants His children to respect and abide by the notion.
In Luke 7, we're told the story of a Centurion (Roman officer) who sends a request for Jesus to heal his dying servant. Vs 6-9 are particularly worth noting--"...He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: 'Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, "Go," and he goes; and that one "Come," and he comes. I say to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.' When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.'"
Romans 13:1-7 also has some commentary on this subject.

[sorry for the abrupt cut, but...To be continued!]

Another Headache Poem

[googled image]

Ode to My Headache Revisited, Part II, or Why I'm Slow to Take Tylenol

Confusion may be dizzying
But when my weary eyes
dart to and fro
You move in with compassion
and cup my head
in your steady grip
saying, "Peace...
look only to me, now..."

Heartbreak may be ground-shaking
But when I fear I've lost all balance
your scorpion's tail becomes
my anchor
and the solid pillar
I can lean against
as I stand

Stress may be overwhelming
But when you arrive at its Banquet
you are given the seat of honor
and all other guests
bow their knees in humility
as you reign over them
with a smile.

How am I so favored as to
have won your allegiance?
How was I so deceived
as to have invited you in?

God Writing #31: Are you Jewish? and ensuing thoughts...

9/24/06

They say that 90% of communication stems from paralanguage rather than the words we actually exchange.
Earlier today I had a brief encounter outside of Trader Joe's that left me utterly puzzled as to what messages were actually exchanged.
I was waiting at a stoplight when two young men dressed in obvious Jewish clothing approached me. I had noticed a few exchanges between other apparant Jews and pedestrians and was somewhat curious as to what was going on.
The older of the two young men looked at me and asked, "Excuse me, but you aren't by any chance Jewish...?"
Now, despite my curiousity, I should point out that I was in a hurry. I needed to drop my groceries off at my apartment and get to church. I should also mention that by nature I'm far from eloquent...or even conversationally engaging.
When I opened my mouth, the words came out very precisely--"I'm a Christian."
The young man's reply was quick--"I'm sorry! Enjoy the rest of your weekend."
I responded with some verbal combo of "That's ok/thanks/you too", and waited awkwardly for the light to change.
As I got back to my car, my head began to fill with thoughts and questions.
Had I just made a complete idiot of myself? Was I offensive? Too conservative? Should I not have mentioned my faith? How would my Jewish-saavy Christian Friends have reacted? Had I disappointed God?

I've heard several different opinions on what a Christian's theological stance toward Judaism should be.
I won't lie--it's a subject that I find to be quite mysterious. I can share what I think, but by no means do I feel my view is inflexible or 100% accurate.
Though I don't know many...or any...Jews, I think of them fondly. We serve the same God, so we're part of the same family. Of course, a Jew's outright rejection of Jesus is rather problematic...
I believe Jesus when he says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
But I have also read the Old Testament and recognize the fact that the Jews are God's chosen people--that holds true as much in 2006 AD as I believe it did in 2006 BC.
Even Jesus, who was crucified because of a tenacious group of Jews, didn't reject his heritage. He lived as a Jew, observing festivals and ways of life. Furthermore, his title--from birth--was King of the Jews:
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'" (Matthew 2:1-2)
"Meanwhile Jeus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus replied." (Matthew 27:11)
"Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS." (Matthew 27:37)
Although Jesus died for Gentiles too, he chose to be forever linked to the Jewish people. He could easily have answered Pilate, "I'm King of the world!"...or maybe something less Titanic as, "I'm the King of all who would serve me."

For a few moments as I was driving and thinking about my "I'm a Christian" answer, I began to feel almost patriotic...
Yeah! Why should I have to pussy-foot around the fact that I follow Jesus?! I'm not ashamed to bear his name! On the contrary, I feel quite proud to...!
That was a bit of a red light in my spirit. Proud? Was I proud of the grace I had received through Christ's sacrifice and the ensuing freedom, confidence, and standing it gave me with my Lord? PROUD? Then there was my error...

Romans 10 and 11 has a lot of interesting things to say on this subject.
"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles who did not pursue rigtheousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by Faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righeousness has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by Faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the 'stumbling stone.'"
(Romans 9:30-32...it's scary to contemplate how many 'Christians' this might apply to as well!)
"Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.' Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in for God is able to graft them in again. Afterall, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be save, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.' As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to their disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."
--Romans 11:11-32

That certainly puts me in my place! Tonight at church as I was thinking back again, I pondered what a gift it is to be allowed into God's Family. By heritage, I have no claim, but by Jesus' gift, I can dine with royalty. Where does pride belong in that?!
Romans 10:20 quotes Isaiah 65:1: "'I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.'"
That verse can evoke many emotions. Tonight I feel humbled by it. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." (Ephesians 2:8)

I might falter in concluding what a proper way for a Christian to interact spiritually with a Jew would be. I believe it involves standing firm in our faith, yet also incorporates love and respect...and humility.
Romans 10:11-13 gives a great sort of summation, I think.
"As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

2nd excerpt from Johnny Cash autobiography

I just thought this little anecdote was too cool not to share...

"I was walking down 57th Street with June one Sunday morning when we happened on the First Baptist Church of New York, which we hadn't noticed before because its entrance doesn't look like a church's. We saw from a sign outside that services were just about to start, so we went in, and the strangest thing happened. The congregation was seated as we entered, but about halfway down the aisle a young boy was turned around watching the door. He saw us, immediately jumped up, and yelled, 'JOHNNY CASH!! Johnny Cash has come to church with me!'
As it happened, the only free seats were right next to him and his parents, so we took them, and that's when we saw that the boy was mentally handicapped. He was so excited. 'I told you!' he kept saying to his parents. 'I told you he was coming!'
The preacher came over and explained to us that, yes, the boy had told his parents, and the whole congregation, repeatedly that I was going to walk into that church, sit down beside him, and worship with him. And that's what I did. Being next to him was such a pleasure. He was so happy.
When the service was over, we walked down to the corner with him and his parents, and they filled in the story. They were Jewish, they said, but their son had decided to become a Christian after listening to some of my gospel recordings. That's why they were in a Christian church on a Sunday morning. They were in that particular Christian church because that's where he knew I was going to walk in the door."

God Writing #30: a lesson from sickness...

9/16/06

Last week I wrote about weakness, and this week I inadvertantly find myself on a similar plane. This time my angle is physical weakness.
Why?
Because I'm sick.

[Consequently, this isn't the most eloquent or insightful thing I've ever written. Consider yourself warned!]

A person's priorities change when they become sick. To-Do lists, errands, and get-togethers often get pushed to the side in favor of rest. One's mental focus may change from lofty thoughts and plans to simple determination...as in, "I need to keep standing up right now" or "Hold it together and don't throw up!" Communication even takes a nose dive as sore throats, croaking voices, or clogged noses become hurdles one is unwilling to jump.
A sick person is reduced to a shadow of their usual self as they ride out the waves of pain and discomfort, trusting that once health is restored, all will return to normal.

I try to exercise regularly. One of the things I hate most about being sick is that it throws me off my exercising routine. If my symptoms are mild, I try to push through and exercise anyway. But when simple tasks--such as taking a shower--begin to feel like workouts themselves, even stubborn old me realizes it's time to throw in the towel...no pun intended.

There's a song by The Wallflowers that goes, "Baby, if you never got sick, I wouldn't get to hold you." From the first time I heard it, I thought of God singing those words to me.
Yes, if it were up to me, I would be like the Energizer Bunny--keep going and going and going and going.... There's nothing like a good bout of illness to knock me on my butt and show me I can't do that.

Some people might think that any touch of illness is not God's perfect plan for us. While I would concur that in a perfect world, no one would ever get sick, I think there is plenty God can teach us through sickness. Considering the frequency with which humans battle with viruses, I think maybe we need reminding quite often...

Today I was reading my One Year bible and I read a verse from Galatians. It seemed to fit perfectly with the state I find myself in. I think I'll forgo giving my own explanation and encourage you all (anyone who reads this anyway) to ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding for your own life. (If you are utterly baffled as to where I'm coming from though, feel free to ask.)

Galatians 3:3 (NLT):
"Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?"