Happy Christmas

To all two of you who read this:

Happy Christmas and New Year.  I hope everything is great for us all.

12.20.2008, a day to remember

Saturday, the Hoosier Dome (begrudgingly the RCA Dome) was imploded with 800+ charges.

My heart cries.

First, Market Square.

Now this.
I hope you're happy, Irsay.

"You finally did it. You maniacs! You blew it up!" -George Taylor (Charlton Heston), Planet of the Apes

Taming the Lion

Our cat is simply delightful. She's nothing more than a big kitten. She's always doing the silliest things like jumping into baskets or waiting at the door for us. Why can't I be more like that with the Master? Why don't I love to bring Him pleasure like she loves bringing us pleasure?

Osama I'm Not...

Today seems to be a great day for blogging...

My favorite days in the week are Monday and Thursday.  These are the days that I get to go to the middle school and the high school (respectively) for lunch.  It's always fun to see some of the teens from youth group and talk with them, but it's even better to see the confused looks of other teens trying to figure out who I am.  Some of them actually muster the fortitude to talk to me, usually mistaking me for a parent or a teacher.

Last Thursday, however, I was mistaken for a terrorist.  As I was scanning the cafeteria with my eyes, my head had apparently become transfixed on a particular table.  One of the students came up to me and asked if I was a terrorist planning to do something terrible to him and his friends.  I had to explain that my intentions were good and told him who I was.  Needless to say, they were relieved to find I was just another guy who enjoys the company of high school students.  Still, I laughed quite loudly in my car...

On the first date of Christmas...

A few weeks ago, Jess and I saw a news spot about couples trying to save money on Christmas this year.  One of the ideas was a couple who had decided to agree upon 12 dates that they would take during the Christmas season.  Jess and I thought that this was an awesome (I think her word was "cute") idea.  So, in no random order:

12 & 11 - decorating the apartment for Christmas (this seemed to be a two date process since we didn't have everything the first time) DONE

10 & 9 - movie nights (two nights were we each pick a movie to watch, usually rented from Netflix) HALF DONE

8 - Fair Trade expo in Madison DONE

7 - cookie baking

6 - Gamecube night

5 - game night

4 - TV show night

3 - organic food night

2 - serving night

1 - overnight to Milwaukee!

I've found that these dates have been super relaxing and helped to grow a lot of intimacy in our marriage.  It's been so good to just spend time with her instead of getting a Christmas gift that is either forgotten or used up in a short amount of time.  Instead, I'm investing in us.

FYI - Some of you might not know to what the actual "12 Days of Christmas" refer.  Historically, this has been the amount of time between Christmas and the Epiphany (I believe on Jan. 5), the day celebrated as the coming of the Magi to visit Jesus.  Now you know!

Life's Tensions

Jesus said that we're going to face troubles in this world.  I love the world "trouble."  The root word actually means to be pressed like grapes are pressed for wine.  The physical grape is crushed and squeezed so that the flavorful, fragrant juices can be leaked out.  How often are we pressed?  Paul uses the same word in 2 Corinthians 4:8 when he says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed."  We are pressed out by things in the world.  We are emptied by our circumstances, but there is hope in knowing Christ...

The word "crushed" Paul uses means "to be in a narrow place."  We find ourselves in many narrow places, not knowing if we're going to make it through.  We feel squeezed by life and the things that are thrown at us by the world.  But Jesus says, "Don't be discouraged, I've overcome the world."  He's busted through the narrow walls so we can walk in a wide place with sure footing.

We will face the pressing, but it is in the pressing that we become like wine instead of like a grape.  Wine lasts far longer than a grape does.  Enjoy the pressing.  Let life press you out because you don't have to worry about being crushed.  Jesus keeps you juicy?  I don't think we'll ever use that in a church, nor should we.  It's a little weird.  Anyway, Jesus keeps you from being completely pressed out.  He's overcome the world and all its "troubles."

E-ddicted

I just read this article on CNN.com about Obama's BlackBerry habits.  As someone who is in the prospects of getting a BlackBerry to keep up with events (I'm a poor scheduler), I find it interesting that Barack is an email junkie.  I guess politicians aren't immune to the same addictions as the rest of us.  Still, it makes me think about how addicted we are to cyberspace.  Sure, it's a great way to communicate with friends over great distances, but is there a point when you take it too far?  I guess there would be.  I mean, you can take anything too far and rely on it too much.

There was another article at CNN.com that talked about an al Qaeda leader saying our civilization is nothing more than cardboard, qualifying the statement by saying that if our electricity were cut and computers down, we would be plunged into a pre-medieval state.  I'm going to have to say that I actually agree with the guy.  I've been struggling with the shallowness of relationships in America.  Maybe this is why true discipleship is hard to come by in our churches.  We desire to go deep in some relationships, but it makes us uncomfortable so we withdraw.  We never get below the surface where it's safe.  As soon as someone starts talking about their problems (or ours come up), we become disconnected.  This post has completely gone in a different direction than I thought it would, but I think there are some good observations.

I guess I'll never run for president since I'm addicted to my email and Facebook.  Just ask my wife!

activate

It seems like we are hearing more and more stories like this one.  It breaks my heart to hear what is happening to my brothers and sisters around the world.  I wonder how much of it is true hatred for the Christian faith or if it is hatred for what America has made Christianity become.  I love my country, but my true allegiance is to my Lord.  As Tony Campolo has said on several occasions, "We may live in the best Babylon in the world, but it is still Babylon, and we are called to 'come out of her.'"

I think I'm slowly becoming more of an activist for the church fulfilling her duties to love God and love her neighbors.  We try so hard to accomplish the first one that we often overlook the connectedness of the two.  After 9/11, how many Christians were all for bombing the crap out of Afghanistan?  How many were gung-ho about invading Iraq?  What does this say about how much we love ourselves?

From where I stand...

Now that the election is over, I guess it's time to declare my stance on many "important" issues to Christians.

Life/Choice

I'm pro-life.  No surprise there.  However, I don't think it's appropriate to legislate a "no abortion" law unless the church is willing to assist mothers who have found themselves in a situation where they are pregnant.  Why are we so quick to judge a woman who has found herself in that situation?  When the church is ready and willing to help single moms, adopt unwanted babies, or aid women who have had abortions with counseling, I think abortion will die out on its own.

Same-Sex Rights

This one I believe should be determined by states.  Marriage isn't a topic discussed in the U.S. Constitution.  Again, legislating federal regulations in this instance (whether for or against) isn't something that needs to be done.

War and Military

I'm non-violent, but understand the need for a country to go to war against another for defensive purposes.  I also think it's arrogant and unnecessary for the U.S. to have troops stationed all over the world and not having any other national military stationed in ours.  We're not the Earth Police.

Entitlement and Welfare

I see the benefit of having programs that help the poor and elderly.  However, we're creating a problem for ourselves when we allow jobs to be shipped overseas.  There's a vacuum of no jobs and people needing support.  Also, when the government gives to people without accountability, you're creating a system of dependence that doesn't get people out of the cycle of poverty.  Bring jobs back, help people become independent.  I know what it's like to live on welfare.  I'm a product of food stamps and Medicaid, but my parents worked their butts off to provide for us.

I don't think legislating Christian values is the right thing to do.  We're supposed to be fighting evil with our love and prayers, not laws and regulations.  If we actually be the unconditionally accepting church, people will be transformed.  Making them follow our rules without experiencing the love of God makes us look like harsh, bigoted people and shuts people off to the Gospel.

Back in the...CR

Jess and I had the chance to visit Cedar Rapids this past weekend.  It was a weekend full of hard work, memories, and smells.  I enjoyed every minute spent in the city.  We stayed at the Kaufman's house (shown in the picture).  What wonderful hosts!  Natalie even cooked breakfast for us on Sunday.

Jess and I hung drywall, installed a new door, and nailed plywood to huge holes in houses downtown.  It was the first time we'd seen the flood area up close like that.  It was depressing to see the place where I had lived so devastated.  There's still a lot of work to be done there.

I sure do miss that city and New Covenant.  It was refreshing to spend time with so many friends (who I would say are more like family).  We were sad that we didn't get to see everyone and that we had to leave.  You just don't find people like them all working together for the cause of Christ like they do.  They are truly a unique church.  (I found myself in Old Navy wanting to tell people about the church just down the street.)  I'd love to be back there someday.  If you live in Cedar Rapids (or visit during a weekend) and happen across this blog post, check out New Covenant Bible Church at 1800 46th St. NE in CR.  They'll welcome you like family right when you walk in.

Breakneck Update

It's been a few weeks since I've been out here in Blogland.  Here's a quick update as to what's been going on in Wisconsin...

1.  Spent last weekend at the National Youth Workers' Convention.  It was an awesome time of learning and refreshing and hanging out with other youth workers.

2.  Jess has a new job as an in-home therapist for autistic children.  This is something she's been wanting to do for a while.

3.  We went apple picking this past Saturday!  What a great time of spending time with my beautiful wife.  We also bought some apple cider, apple cider doughnuts (good, not good for you), and a pumpkin.  We are officially decked out for fall.

4.  We've been having some difficulties with health, both physically and mentally.  We're both feeling like God is taking us through a wilderness to shape us and refine us.  It's just hard being in the wilderness when you aren't sure what's coming.  Pray for us.

For anyone who reads this, thanks for your prayers.  We love you and hope that the God of the universe who loves us would bless you!

Flying Sola or Why Sola Scriptura doesn't mean "only scripture"

I was listening to a sermon by Mark Driscoll (who gives hour long sermons, so be thankful for your 30 minute-ish pastor) and he was talking about why Protestant American churches worship the way they do and how they decide that.  One point he makes in the grand scheme of this lesson is a difference between "Sola Scriptura" and what he calls "Solo Scriptura."  The latter, he says, is when you treat Scripture as the only measuring stick.  For me personally, it's when you say the Bible is purely objective.  The former is treating Scripture as the "supreme court" of decision making with several other lesser courts.

Being emergent-esque (since it's still emerging), I'm thinking the idea of Sola Scriptura presented by Driscoll is something I can grasp and say is true.  There are a lot of emergents out there you see Sola Scriptura as something to be avoided, but I think they're throwing the baby out with the bath water.  If we look at the way the supreme court in the United States is set up, we can see that there's more than just "my interpretation" needed when making a decision.  The SC is made up of nine justices who hear cases and decide together.  Right there is a perfect example for the need for community.  We don't leave our biggest cases to be decided upon by just one person because we see the fallacy and arrogance in that.  Maybe Sola Scriptura is meant to be a call to community as we work through understanding what the Scripture speaks to us today in our life instead of a call to fly solo.

How Constantine Defiled the Church

It was a grandiose arrangement.  Constantine, emperor of the Roman Empire, had a vision of Christ then won a decisive battle.  What other conclusion would one draw than to make Christianity a government-recognized entity?  And everyone was happy... (insert apathetic "Yay!")

One of my main beefs with history is what Constantine did when he married church and state.  He paved the way for civilization.  Okay, maybe a lot of this has to do with the fact that I'm reading The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus.  Personally, I really agree with his idea that Christianity is a call to a barbarian lifestyle.  He's not talking about "eating the heads off living chickens" barbarianism, mind you.  His message is simple:  God calls us to a road of risk and trial.  This is completely counter-cultural in America today, especially where the "prosperity gospel" is so prevalent.  We believe in feeling good, being rich, and living well.  God calls us to love Him with our whole being and love our neighbors like we love ourselves.  The way I see it, we currently love God when it's convenient and love our neighbors even less than that.

What does Constantine have to do with this?  Simply put, he made it civic duty to be a Christian.  When the Roman Empire recognized Christianity as the official religion, it became a mark of citizenship to join the church, only the wrong kind.  It was no longer a mark of being a citizen of God's kingdom, but of Rome's.  This union allowed corrupt men to come to power in the church and the government, using both to push a wholly sinful agenda.  She stopped listening to God's voice and began listening to another's.  Constantine took much of the risk away from being a Christian and domesticated the church.

Which path will you choose:  the one marked by risk and passion guided by God's voice or the other, more comfortable, easier path of domestication?

My Heart Is Pierced

I just finished the two most monumental chapters in The Reason for God by Timothy Keller. All I can say is that my brain and my heart are overloaded with love, awe, wonder, and just "holy camoly"-ness. Grace is a beautiful thing. I'm glad I don't have to save myself from being a slave to myself, especially since that is totally paradoxical. I'm humbled by what God did for me and think about how many times I try to look like I'm saving myself by doing all the right things. Don't get me wrong. I'm still gonna do the right things, but because I love God, not to get His love. How many times do we do spiritual things to "get God's approval?" Guess what. We're flawed, and Jesus HAD to die for us. You can't do it on your own. Guess what else. You're loved and valued, and Jesus WANTED to die for us. Personally, I'm thankful.

Back in the Lunchroom

Today marked my first lunchroom experience at Waunakee High School.  It was a great time of seeing some of the teens in their own setting.  I will admit, I was scared out of my mind about 15 minutes before I went.  It wasn't nearly as bad as I had thought.  A quick prayer and already knowing the principal helped a lot.  It wasn't like I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get into the school.  I also got to meet the study hall supervisor, Trevor.  It was a great experience.  I hope to get to the Late Lunch early next week and hit the Middle School tomorrow.

Racing for Perfection... or is it 'against'?

How many times do we get discouraged and give up? Probably more than we would like to answer. It's especially true when it comes to living virtuously. Why is it the case that when it comes to living a virtuous life that we get so easily discouraged?

I was reading an excerpt from The Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa. It was a good read. He puts Paul's words about running a race into a more philosophical perspective. Here's a smaller portion:

"Coming to a stop in the race was not safe for [Paul]. Why? Because no Good has a limit in its own nature but is limited by the presence of its opposite, as life is limited by death and light by darkness. And every good thing generally ends with all those things which are perceived to be contrary to the good. Just as the end of life is the beginning of death, so also stopping in the race of virtue marks the beginning of the race of evil."

He goes on to say that we strive for perfection, which we cannot attain. Perfection is limitless just as God is limitless because God is Perfection. This is why it can be a struggle to continue the race of virtue. How can one be expected to run a race when an end is never in sight? It sounds pretty depressing. However, Ol' Greg give us some hope: "For in the case of those things which are good by nature, even if men of understanding were not able to attain everything, by attaining even a part they could gain a great deal." There you have it. Our goal is not to make it to the finish (which is unattainable as corporeal meatsacks) but simply to run. As Greg says, "For the perfection of human nature consists perhaps in its very growth in goodness."

May you run with great zeal, knowing that your perfection in virtue comes with each step and not by crossing the finish line.

ATROPHY!!!

My brain feels like it's going to atrophy soon.  With no prospect of mountains of books to read or miles of papers to write, I feel like something in life is missing... Wait.  I'm writing a new Leader's Handbook for our youth ministry and still reading lots of books.  Why does my brain still hurt?  I need a nap.

some good news

 A big thanks to God for answering prayers!  Jess got a call this morning from Heritage Elementary and was offered a job as a teacher's assistant.  She'll be supervising 2-3 recess periods and teaching reading to first and second graders!  The pay is good and the hours aren't super long.  I'm super proud of her and know that she's going to do awesome!

Congratulations, my beautiful wife!

Hit the Road

Jess and I picked up our bikes last night. Hopefully this will begin a fitness regimen I can stick to. We bought some decent bikes from Wal-Mart... I know, not the best bikes in the world, but they work. I got a GMC Denali 700c road bike and Jess got a Schwinn Skyliner comfort bike. With all the bike trails in Madison, we had to do this. We simply wouldn't be Sconi's without them.

We love Wisconsin. Even though they charge a lot for license plates and don't have the best paved roads, we are finally close to a place where we call this home.

A Question

Who do you say Jesus is?

The Gospel Message: Love or Reconciliation?

I recently saw the preview for a new book/documentary called "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers."  It follows the same line of literature/cinematography as Blue Like Jazz, Super-Size Me, Sicko, and the like.  It seems light-hearted, and I can follow the don't-take-yourself-more-seriously-than-you-ought tones Dan Merchant uses.  However, I am stuck in a conundrum about the subtitle:  Why is the Gospel of Love dividing America?

If we simply reduce the Gospel to Love, I feel as though we are putting flowers in Jesus' hair and turning Him into a hippie.  I think there's more to the Gospel.  Saying it's a Gospel of Love is merely oversimplifying it.  I think it's a Gospel of Reconciliation.  Jesus tells us they will know we are His disciples by our love, and that love's ultimate form looks like a man dying for his friends.  Does it stop there?

Repentance is a key phrase used in the New Testament by just about everyone.  With repentance is also the idea of reconciliation.  We admit our wrongdoings and become reunited with God the Father.  After that, we become people who love God and those around us with the intent that they might be reconciled to the Father the same as us.  I'm not justifying bigotry, hatred, racism, etc.  I'm just saying that we love for a purpose.  We don't love for the sake of loving.  We love for the sake of reconciliation.

Post #50 on the Kingdom

It is my understanding (from great thinkers like N.T. Wright and Mark Fairchild) that the Kingdom of God is something that is already/not yet.  To explain, the Kingdom is here now among the Church being built but not yet fully realized in its maximum.

However, I feel as though I've always been taught to be waiting for the Kingdom.  I see it in many Christians, also.  They're waiting for something that is already here and in which they should be taking part.  I think that might be what Jesus meant (see: KINDA) when he said we wouldn't know the day or the hour when he would return.  We're supposed to be working so hard at ushering in the Kingdom that it takes us by surprise when Jesus comes back to finish the work we've been doing for him all along.

What are we waiting for?  We've got a Kingdom to build!

Flip-Flops can change the world!

I know... It's a sketchy title, but true in many ways.  Flip-flops can, in fact, change the world!

I'm sure half of my readers (totaling one person) might be thinking, "Flip-flops are terrible for your feet.  They cause bad strain on parts of your foot and can lead to back problems."  And that is the exact reason why they can change the world.

Many of us forget that we are all the same.  We are human.  In the Christian world that means broken, fallen, messed up, etc.  The pain brought on by flip-flops could remind us of that very thing.  Too many times we get caught up in the game of "I'm better than this person or that person."  It's simply not true.  We are all essentially the same.  We're sinful.  We live in a world of pain because of our sin.

Anyway, on to my proposal...  If flip-flops can lead to pain, they can be a reminder.  They can remind us of our past, our sin, and make us appreciate the joy we have in Christ.  This is a very important part of loving God.  God says to the Israelites in Ezekiel 16:22, "Besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare and squirming in your blood."  It's a pretty vivid description.  Israel had forgotten from where it had come.  They didn't remember how God had raised them up to be His people from among the many (and terribly wicked) people to proclaim His plan of rescuing the world from itself.  So wear a pair of flip-flops, hurt a little bit, and remember.  Remember where you've come from, where you're headed, and why you're here now.

Thomas

Cheese, Cows, Corn, Community:

Seven days:  the length of time Jess and I have lived in Wisconsin.

Things have been going pretty smoothly here in Madison.  We've unpacked our boxes in our small apartment, begun figuring our budget, and getting settled into the life of Madison.  I started today at First Presbyterian Church in Waunakee.  It's going to be pretty awesome.  I'm looking forward to the next month with Robby, the current Director of Youth Ministry.  Hopefully, we'll be able to have a smooth transition between the two of us.

The church is a great place.  Jess and I will definitely feel right at home here.  We are, however, struggling with having peers.  There isn't a huge group of young adults at the church.  God is definitely teaching us to rely on each other more through this.  Soon, though, we'll probably be attending at least once a week somewhere with a Saturday service that will help us connect with some young adults.

The Honeymoon

Jess and I are back from the honeymoon.  We had a lot of fun!  We rented a tandem bike at Peninsula State Park, got massages, ate a lot of good food, and toured a winery.  It was such a relaxing week.

At the end of the week, we stopped by Madison to look at apartments.  We found one on the northeast side of town near a little burb called Westport.  We signed the lease on Friday and will probably move in about two weeks!  Life is definitely coming at us fast, but we're super excited.

Up-dating

Updates for all:

Two job interviews in Waunakee, Wisconsin (Madison area) & Lafayette, Indiana.  I liked both places.  Jess wasn't able to go to Lafayette.  Madison offered me a job, I'm waiting to hear back from Lafayette.  Both churches have their pros and cons.  Waunakee has had a solid youth group for the past 10 years.  It's great, but also intimidating to be coming into such a well-established group.  Lafayette has never had a youth director.  That means there'd be more room for me to develop my ministry practice, but I'd be starting from square one.  I don't really find that as too much of a problem, though.  I think I'm the guy who likes to start.

THE WEDDING OF THE UNIVERSE IS THIS WEEKEND!!!  Jess and I are both really excited.  I sure do love that girl.  I'm going to love being married to her.  She's going to be a great wife.  I just feel it in my bones.

Done.

One Fine Day

Saturday was quite a nice day.  It was full of food, long lines, long speeches, and parents meeting for the first time.

Graduation was great.  It was a little lengthy, but still fantastic.  Jerry Jenkins wasn't as bad as everyone had thought when it came to giving speeches about living life.  I got my degree and now own a piece of paper that's worth $110,000, roughly.

Our parents also met for the first time Saturday.  It went way better than Jess had thought it would.  They talked for a long time over dinner at Flat Top.  It was really good!  I think everything is going to be fantastic between them.

That's it.  I'm a college graduate now.  I have no job in my field yet, but God's working that stuff out.

The Beginning of the End

This is the last week of classes.  In a week and a half, I'll be a college graduate.

Life comes at you fast...

The End of Civilization As We Know It

After reading many articles regarding the fuel and food price increases, I am left to but one conclusion:  civilization is ending.  It's true.  People are becoming more and more uneasy with the problems of capitalism (i.e. exploitation of the common man).  I foresee a future where we will become primarily agrarian again.  I wouldn't be surprised to see some buildings knocked down in the next few years to provide land for subsistence farming.

Okay, I'm really only joking.  I don't foresee our existence becoming subsistence again.  I just have a problem with the oligarchic society we have set up for ourselves where we think we have the power of voting, but really, we've given that power to a few upper-class individuals.  Being what I would call a Christian socialist/Platonic Republican** (see Plato's Republic),  I have to say that I see where democracy and capitalism have failed quite a bit in America.  Now, I'm the first to admit that I don't have many answers at all, but I think we should start looking for new ones...

**NOTE:  The term "Christian socialist" implies here nothing more than authentic Christian community.  This ideal is based on the 1st Century church's example of non-exploitation and sharing all things.  Platonic Republicanism (denounced as inefficient by Plato himself) is a system of three classes:  Guardians (protectors of the community's ideals), Merchants, and Auxiliaries (public services such as police, firefighting, military, etc.).  Perhaps I am denouncing the American government, perhaps I'm just saying that if we want to call ourselves a democracy, we should vote like one.

Tithing in the American Church

Here is a link for an article recently released by the Barna group.  It talks about tithing in the American church today.  It'd quite discouraging...

I guess people don't think they should have to support someone to equip them to impact the world for Christ.

reality: enough to make me puke

Every college senior's most anticipated day is graduation day.  It's their time.  They've completed four years, and it's now on to a career in real life.  Most of them probably already have things lined up: a job, a place to stay, furniture...

However, as I approach graduation day, I find myself more and more likely to puke.  Am I getting sick?  No.  Anxiety is setting in like never before.  With the wedding only 58 days from today, no job currently lined up, and no place for my future wife and I to live, I am feeling anxiety in a new a deep way.

I know God has everything under control and that He'll reveal His perfect will, but the waiting is what's hard.  I love working with students.  Any job less than that will be disappointing to me.  So, as May 17 approaches, I'll be praying and feeling like I'm gonna blow chunks.

Birthday #22

Today was my birthday.  Thanks to all of those who wished me a happy day.  It really was quite fantastic.  Celebrations started on Saturday when Jess took me to Buffalo Wild Wings, bought me a Chicago Cubs hat, and then saw I Am Legend with me.  It laid low for a little while, then came back today with a birthday breakfast made by that pretty lady I'll call Wife someday.  Then later that day, I received the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis.  It's probably one of his lesser known works.  I'm really excited to read them.

For those who read this:

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while.  School and work have been taking up a good chunk of my time.

Service Station to Convenience Store

Today's chapel was really amazing.  Campus Ministries put together "The Nails of the Cross."  It is a look into the "nails" that were driven into Christ:  Pride, Infidelity (disloyalty), Envy, Indecision, Hatred, and Cruelty.  I wanted to take this event seriously and reflectively.  However, many of my fellow classmates did not think that this was worth their time.  They came in for the chapel credit.  I hate it.  It irks me to no end when people come to very introspective experiences like this one with such an attitude.  People were talking throughout the whole thing, not being respectful of those around them, and being very disrespectful even to the Cross.  Hardly anyone stopped at the cross in the fifteen minutes I was there.

Things like this make me wonder what the church has become today.  I might call into question the true Christianity of these people, but I feel that the church is also somewhat to blame.  It seems to me that the church has become nothing more than a convenience store where you come, get a donut and coffee, get your "gas" for the week, and leave.  What happened to the church that used to be a service station, a place where you would drive in and the attendant would come to you, fill up your life, check your "oil" and other necessary fluids, tire pressure, wiper blades, and make sure you were in proper working order in general?  Are we too busy even for Christ?

What's in the Middle? The White Stuff

Also, I'm sitting here eating an entire sleeve of Oreos, drinking milk, and watching Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets.  No guilt...

Laud and Praise... Too Much Hype

Since the beginning of the semester, I have been under a lot of stress and demand.  Most of this has come from my desire for two things:  the Ministry & Missions Department award and graduating with honors.  I've been stressing a ton about my grades (I'm at a 3.488 and need a 3.5 for honors) and the way the M&M professors perceive me.  I've never stressed about grades, and I'm not the kind of person to really care what someone thinks about me.  Why the sudden change in my attitude?  I wanted the honors to know that I'm the best.  I wanted my dad to tell me at graduation that he was proud of me for my accomplishment.  I wanted the affirmation of Drs. Jones, Fetters, and Bergler (and RuthAnn!) to have some kind of certainty that I was going to succeed in my future ministry...  What a load of crap!

God's in control.  He's preparing a place for me to do ministry where I'll be just fine.  I've already got the ministry effectiveness seal of approval from about 350 people in Iowa.  Unfortunately, the chances of my dad ever telling me he's proud of me are slim to none.  Dad's:  be sure to let your sons know that you're proud of who they are and you're okay with helping them make choices instead of telling them what to do.  After all, they're not your children.  They're just on loan from your Father.

My Future Daughter

I hope I have a daughter like this little girl...

Christ@Center@Huntington Not@Top

Huntington University has taken on a new ideology this year.  Christ@Center is a thought brought up by the president of Wheaton College to help the colleges in the CCCU find ways to help their students understand better what it means to have Christ at the center of their education.  Part of this makes me cringe, mainly because it feels like overkill.  I think Huntington has done a great job at helping those who are interested in knowing about how Christ can be the center of their liberal arts education.

So my question is this: Is this a push to get those who are not interested in making Christ the center of their education to change their view?  If so, I don't think it's going to work.  It's like trying to get a penguin to fly.  Not happening.

This campaign is not@the top of my priority list this semester.  I'm more concerned about what I can learn in Capstone about being an educated Christian after college.  Leaving a legacy at Huntington University is not my goal.  I'm simply living in a way that gets me out of here on schedule, which happens to be 86 days.

Sacred Marriage

Jess and I are getting ready to start the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.  I've only heard good things about this book from many people (including the cashier at Barnes & Noble).  I'm really excited about starting this book.  I think it's going to be really stretching to our preconceptions about marriage.

deep breaths and knee problems

Another update in my life:  I have hurt my knee doing something unbeknownst to myself.  It's ached since October, but has been hurting pretty badly since Sunday.  When I walk up stairs, there is a popping/squishing sound around my kneecap.  It's not fun.  It's a lot of RICE for me right now.

On to deep breaths:

Pope John Paul II was recorded has having liked to say that Christianity had been given two lungs, one Eastern and one Western, and that for too long the church has been breathing only out of her Western lung (The Gospel According to Starbucks, p. 52).  When anyone brings up the idea of mysticism in Christianity, the Church becomes defensive and drills into the ground that our faith should be a thinking faith, not one based on emotion or experience.  Can we not reconcile the two?  Can our faith be one that is both logical and mystic?  I do not think or feel that the two are mutually exclusive.  What would this look like to balance the two?

Personally, I would like to pick up some of the works of Eastern Christian thinkers.  Some of you reading this may not even know that Christianity has both East and West branches.  It would be worth your while to find out more about the Eastern church and begin to reconcile our differences with them.

in the absence of persecution

Do we, as Christians, lose something when we are not persecuted for our faith?

As I read Matthew 5 this morning, I have to ask this question.  I feel that when we are not persecuted (and I mean more than ridiculed), we can lose sight of what being a Christian is all about.  To me, we lose sense of the rest of the Beatitudes.  In a world where we are the majority, we lose sense of being poor in spirit or meek.  Sometimes it can be so bad that we can lose our sense of mercy in all things.

Persecution has existed for millennia.  But why did we stop becoming the persecuted (which refines our faith) and pick up the sword of the persecutor?

playing in the lumber yard

Finally, I have a job!  I'm a Lumber Associate at Lowe's Home Improvement.  It's a good job.  I'll probably have orientation and training next week and be working about 10 hours a week throughout February.  If you leave near the Fort Wayne area and are looking to do some remodeling (mostly including lumber), make sure to stop by Lowe's.

I'm really thankful that I was able to get a job.  God sure had me hanging by a wire (at least, I was pretty frazzled mentally).  I'm glad to be a working man again.  I feel as though I can contribute to society now.

waiting on the world to change

Two weeks ago, Jessica and I came back to Huntington in the hopes that we would be able to find jobs to start working and to start saving money.  Let's look at what's been going on thus far:

Jess has had two interviews.  The first was at Maurice's in Huntington.  This job looks somewhat promising.  The only thing holding her back from the job is the fact that she can't make a 6-month commitment.  Her second interview was at Victoria's Secret this past Saturday.  Both places have called her references (we know this because one of them is our friend Bob, and he's told us about them).  Both places are looking hopeful.

Now, for my job story...

Nothing.  I've applied at about 15 different places and called around 30.  No one is hiring except Lowe's.  That's the only lead I've got right now.  I had two interviews at Logan's Roadhouse, but at the second interview, they told me that my hours were not what they needed.  I'm still jobless, penniless, and in a bit of an emotional slump.  I need a job not only to pay my bills (which are coming up fast), but also to keep my sanity.

In the meantime, I've played a lot of Nintendo Wii.  I beat Super Mario Galaxy and am a little more than halfway done with LEGO Star Wars:  The Complete Saga.  I'm bored out of my mind and my trust in the LORD falters now and then.  I know He's going to provide.  I've just got to let go of my desire to have the money in the bank three weeks before the bills are due.  It'll come when I need it to.  It's just hard to be trusting when you're in the crunch.

the last time i counted...

There are about 143 days left until she becomes Mrs. Jessica Elaine Burris...

It's been a wonderful trip this far.  I can only hope and expect a wonderful trip the rest of our lives.  She's stretched me and helped me grow in so many ways.  What a blessing it has been to have her by my side!

How the heck did I score such a babe?  Divine intervention is my only answer...

the baby or the bath water?

After perusing the world of Facebook, I've noticed something quite interesting.  Many of my friends list in their religious views section something to the effect of "it's not religion, it's relationship."

Now, I'm the first one to agree that Christianity is about relationship.  I know that religion can become a "lip service" with no meaning.  But are we helping ourselves by denouncing religion as archaic, irrelevant, or "stupid," or are we losing something profound when we throw the baby out with the bath water?

Religion is like dating...  I know, it's a stretch.  It is the art of practice.  It is how we come to remember who we are, who God is, and what He's done for us.  When it becomes dull and fake, it needs to be revitalized.  So, instead of shoving religion out the back door, let's try our best to re-energize the ancient practices.

Stop the Willow

One of my goals for this break was to read the book The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet. I picked this book up off a table of free books in the hallway outside the youth office at New Covenant. At first glance, I thought the book would be total trash, but I was still intrigued because I like the Gospel and Starbucks coffee.

After reading this book, I have definitely begun to rethink the way of doing church. Sweet's premise for the book is that the church has given up being a lifeboat to give over to a yacht club model. We preach "feel good" instead of Christ. He doesn't say all of this, but the vibe is there.

I'm not writing this to bash the church. It's made of people just like everything else. This whole post is to say that Sweet has some good points in this book. One of those points is that the church needs to stop conforming to the models of a few megachurches. That's right... The title of this blog is referring to Willow Creek. I love Willow Creek, I'll must admit. But when churches start drooling over Willow Creek and implementing everything Willow Creek (or Saddleback, or any other megachurch) does, they begin to lose something. That something is uniqueness. One of the things that Starbucks does right is that every store is different inside. Not any two Starbucks coffee shops are the same. It provides a sense of uniqueness that is attractive. So attractive, in fact, that some people are in the habit of collecting Starbucks'. They are consumed with visiting as many Starbucks stores as they can. They want to experience the uniqueness that each has to offer.

Also, Starbucks employees are different. Although many of them wear the same uniform, I've seen many different kinds of people working at a Starbucks. This is one of the things I've come to appreciate about Starbucks. You aren't told how to look. You aren't made to remove all the piercings, cover the tattoos, or have the right hairstyle. The baristas are all allowed to demonstrate their uniqueness to some extent.

Anyway, this book has a lot to offer the church. I think it has so many good points, and it was definitely an interesting read. I would recommend it to anyone out there who is a pastor, elder, or church leader.

Christmas: The Great Adventure!

What a whirlwind of a break! It seems just like yesterday that I was leaving my family at New Covenant. It's been quite an adventurous break, though. I accomplished many of the things that I had set out to do at the beginning of this break.

Christmas was amazing and relaxing. We borrowed a van from some friends so we had more room to drive out there. Our '99 Ford Windstar just seemed to be a little small now that Jacob (the youngest brother) is 13 and probably about 5'5" now. So, we borrowed a big Chevy van we affectionately called the Party Van. The trip was rather uneventful. I was able to read a lot and we watched part of Transformers on my Macbook. The actual time we spent in Missouri was very well spent. It was very nice to be home for this last holiday I have as an unmarried man. We enjoyed a lot of good food on Christmas. It was also awesome to have 18 people gathered in one house for a meal. I know, I had said in the earlier post that there were 17 people, but my uncle's mother Emma joined us. This was the second year her husband has been gone (he died of a heart attack), and it was harder for her than last year. I really enjoyed having so many people at the house ranging in age from 4 years to upper 60's.

I got a nice sweater from my grandparents this year for Christmas. More importantly, I had a nice vacation with my family. God is faithful. He has brought my family through many testing periods, and this Christmas was a testament to his faithfulness in my family.