Connecting with Ryan

About a year ago, a friend told me about "Knights of the Dinner Table," a comic book about old-school table-top RPGer's. (That's "role playing game", for those who don't know.) The most (in)famous today would be World of Warcraft. Back in the day, it would have been Dungeons & Dragons.

In one of the earliest issues of the comic, the gamers are told they enter a peaceful meadow, with butterflies and flowers. So, they gear up for the inevitable sneak-attack-ambush from death dealing bad guys. But the GM (the game master) tries to tell them there is nothing there. "It's peaceful."

"Off in the distance, you see a gazebo."

"I shoot it with my crossbow."

"uhhhhh ...."

"And I throw a fireball at it. What is it doing?"

"Doing?" responds the GM. "Nothing. Its a gazebo. Its just standing there."

So, they throw everything they have at it, and burn it to the ground. Because gazebos must be big and fierce and have lots of treasure. Riiiiiight.

Its hilarious, if you're a gamer. After reading through the dozen that I have, my son decided he wanted to learn how "to game."

Well, okay. I played a little bit back in college, for a few months. Then I ran a game called DragonRaid for our church youth group. After college, but before I got married. It was a Christian role playing game designed specifically for discipleship. There was an Overlord of Many Names (God) who sent his son (Jesus) to lead the Once Born (the unsaved) into the promised land, and become Twice Born (Christians). It was all very blatant and straight forward. You fought against bad guys whose primary attacks weren't physical, but temptations. You needed to memorize scriptures for various effects. Your armor is the Helmet of Salvation, the Breastplate of Righteousness, etc. You get the point.

Anyway, it was designed for a GM, and several players. Not a one-on-one session. So, I started digging around the internet, and fount a HUGE selection of games out there. Free ones. Fantasy. Science Fiction. Western. Cyperpunk. Future. Past. And even a few Christian ones.

Several of the smaller ones were generic. They gave the basic barebones of the game mechanics, and let the GM design the world. Soooo, I decided to run with a simple one, and design a generic fantasy world to drop my son into. He can run around, bashing things, and I'll have some one-on-one time with him before he hits those turbulent teen years.

Deuteronomy 6.7-9 commands that I talk to my children about God and his laws while we walk and talk and sit and eat and everything. Well, with a car, we don't walk too much. And sharing as few meals as we do these days, we don't sit and eat much either. BUT, this is my chance. I can walk from one end of Narnia to the other with my son this way, picnic on the moon, eat dessert in an old saloon, and go swimming across the oceans of Middle Earth.

I'm looking forward to this. I think it will be fun. I'll let you know.

A Passion for Truth

"On the big issues it was not enough to be right--passion was vital. Now that sense of intellectual urgency has dissipated. Tolerance, relativism, the postmodern refusal to commit, the cultural triumph of uncertainty--all these rule out a repeat of the pyrotechnics in H3."

This is a quote from the end of the book Wittgenstein's Poker by David Edmonds & John Eidinow. It is "The story of a Ten-Minute Argument between two Great Philosophers." Although I won't recap the whole book here, suffice it to say I loved it.

But this quote at the end really grabbed my attention. "It wasn't enough to be right--passion was vital." Have we in Christendom lost that? Our passion? I guess your answer will depend on which church you go to. Or which clique you hang out with. But in America, I just don't see it. We want to be right. We know we are right. But where has the passion gone?

The two philosophers were Popper and Wittgenstein. Both were born around the turn of the last century. Both lived in Vienna, saw the rise of anti-Semitism, Hitler, and were Jewish. Wittgenstein believe that philosophy dealt with puzzles stemming from language. (I may be misunderstanding his overall philosophy, but this is what I got from the book.) There are no real problems left, just difficulties left over from our inability to fully articulate what we know.

Popper disagreed, stating that there are real, actual problems. His book The Open Society is credited with being instrumental in the downfall of the Soviet Bloc. His work dealt with the world as it was, and he caused real-world change through his teachings and his writings.

Both men were equally passionate about their beliefs: puzzles versus problems. (This is a gross simplification, though.) But, despite Popper's influence, it is Wittgenstein that seems to have had a greater impact on society at large. Whereas Popper countered specific problems, Wittgenstein dealt more with life in general.

From what I understood from the book, whether he intended it or not, Wittgenstein brought about this "culture of uncertainty." Who can know the mind of another? When I say yellow, and you think of yellow, are we really seeing the same color? Who is to say this is right for all people all the time? I just don't know if this is right or not. Each person should make up their own minds about certain issues. We don't have the right to enforce our morality on another person. To each his own. Its all relative. We need to tolerate one another's differences, and even celebrate them.

Yes, this sounds like the society I live in today. Tolerance. Relativism. Uncertainty. Refusal to commit.

So, back to the first sentence. 'Its not enough to be right--passion is vital.' Now, its reversed. Passion is everything, but the need to be right is gone, since we, as a society, no longer believe in larger Truths. Moral Absolutes have disappeared. With them, a solid foundation for relationships has gone by the wayside. Not just friendships have been affected, but marriages, the affluent vs the needy, cities fighting over water, customers suing major corporations hoping to score some easy cash, nations going to war with other nations, or fighting to control their own people. Much of this has happened because people no longer believe in an absolute right and wrong.

Galileo once proved that the earth is no longer the center of the universe. Scientists, and philosophers, have proven to us that we are an insignificant mistake in an uncaring universe, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." I love the imagery in The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

We have lost our center, and we can no longer hear our Falconer. So, we have made ourselves, each individual, the center of our own little pocket universe. The Bible asks if the mother can forget her own child. The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Read the daily headlines. You'll see it.

Looking at things on a cosmic scale, when galaxies collide, there is massive destruction, as stars swallow each other, planets are ripped apart, and black holes are formed. I know it is petty, but I long for the day when our individual realities collide with God's Reality. No more uncertainty. No more puzzles. No more problems.

Despising mothers

Too many holidays, too few holy days.

I went to church on Mothers Day. Not surprising there. I expected my wife to receive a flower, or a bookmark. Something cute, but inexpensive. She got a baggie of candy, with a smarmy poem explaining why she got a mint, a Starburst, and whatever else was in there. (The mint is for your commit'mint'.)

And, of course, we can't leave anyone out, so the baggies of candy were for all the adult women in the congregation that day. I think thats what really got my goat. So, I thought to myself, Mothers Day isn't for mothers anymore? Apparently not. We can't leave out anyone. Why not? Do we despise our mothers that much?

Why not? I ask again. We don't want to hurt feelings, maybe. Or appear to be exclusive. Or maybe the church just bought too many bags of candy and needed to get rid of the excess. (Although I doubt that was the issue, since I'm almost sure the fathers were treated to the same baggies with slightly altered poems.)

So, neither fathers nor mothers are special enough to receive their own 'holiday' anymore. Its all inclusive, because ... I don't know why. I felt insulted. Not for myself, because I knew it was coming for me on Fathers Day. I was insulted by the way my wife was treated. It was as though she were told that, although this day is for mothers, she's not really any more special than any other woman in the congregation that day.

Woopee. Lets dress in green, white & red and celebrate the Iranian election on July 4th. After all, they're a democracy, too. Lets set off a few fireworks to celebrate their freedom.

And don't get me started about the commercialization of Christmas. ("Happy Holidays", anyone?)

If modern Christians can't maintain that special something that sets these days apart from all the others, then what would make the world think that there is anything different about our religion? I don't want to celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving, even though I enjoy eating. Nor do I decorate the house for Cinco de Mayo. I'm not a Mexican. Neither of those countries hold any attraction for me. And neither does Christianity hold any attraction for the many people. And why should it?

We've watered down the message and tried to incorporate it into mainstream culture. It won't work. Christianity is about the Absolute Truth, not about popularity. As long as churches, and Christians, are trying to be popular and inclusive and non-offensive, the Gospel cannot be truly shared. After all, Jesus was crucified because it was offensive. Telling people they are going to hell is offensive. "You aren't going to heaven because you don't meet up with God's standards," is exclusive.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer wrote about the Cost of Discipleship versus cheap grace. Discipleship is hard work. Being a follower is easy. You hang around with the right crowd, but it doesn't get you invited up to the Mount of Transfiguration, or into the garden to pray the night before the crucifiction.

You can get a bag of candy on Mothers Day, or Fathers Day, just because of your gender. But that doesn't make you a parent anymore than going to church makes you a Christian.

National Prayer

Obama tones down National Day of Prayer observance - CNN.com

"I think the president understands, in his own life and in his family's life, the role that prayer plays."

 

Sweet.  I'm so glad he understands the role of prayer.  Um, I wonder what that role is?  Does it draw him closer to God?  Does he seek guidance for our country from the Creator of the Universe?  Or is prayer just a way of linking himself to the powerful Christian voting block?  (I wonder if/when we'll ever elect an openly Islamic president?  Or New Ager?  Or an atheist?)

Wait a second.  I seem to remember a few things from the Old Testament.  What is the role of prayer in the national life?  Do you remember Moses calling the people together for national prayer?  The prophets?  One of the greatest national revivals they had was when King Josiah called them to Jerusalem for repentance and consecration. 

Being a "free" country means that our government cannot force us to engage in a particular religious practice.  That was why so many fled from Europe in the first place:  religious freedom.  And now, we have religious anarchy (which I don't think was the Founding Fathers original intent).  We have the freedom to exercise religion in almost any fashion we see fit.

Almost.  There are still stories of people who practice voodoo, or some-such, and they get in trouble for killing animals.  Cruel and inhumane behaviour towards those who aren't human.  Oh, and drug use.  There is still some wrangling going on over drug use during some ceremonies.  But, these are things that most people frown on, so our government condemns them.

Our government steps in and tells people what not to do in certain cases.  Isn't that what God is accused of doing?  A great big list of don'ts?  What about all the do's in the Bible?  Do pray.  Do spend time with other believers.  Do be kind to the less fortunate.  Do take care of widows and orphans.  Do feed the hungry.  The list could go on.

Does our goverment have a right to tell us what to do?  In certain cases, yes.  Do pay your taxes.  Do wear a seat belt.  And religious practices?

Maybe thats one of the problems with our country.  Our leadership has not lead us into His presence.  National Day of Weeping and Repentance.  National Day of Rending Our Clothes and Confessing National Sins.  The way our government is set up, these things can not happen.  And I think our country is worse off for it.

What would happen if he led our country into a time of national prayer, like Israel of old?

F.U.D.

“Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt”

Origin

This was a marketing term used to describe one competitor sowing distrust about a  competitor, so customers would stay with them instead of trying something new.  “They’re product is full of bugs.”  “They’re a start-up company.  They have no staying power, or tech support.”  “They’ll go out of business, and you’ll be left holding the bag.”

These are all drawn from computer sales, where, I think, F.U.D. got its start.  One company advertising against another highlighting their defects and shortcomings, whether imagined or real.  It didn’t matter.  Sales mattered.  The truth didn’t matter.  Only the bottom line.  You went with one company and avoided another.

Mutation

Its mutated away from commercialism though, and entered the political arena.  During this  last election, Obama’s slogan was “Change!”  “We need change, because what we’re doing isn’t working.”  Or, if its working it isn’t good.  “It isn’t ethical.”  “It isn’t right.”  “Look at the devastation of the war.”  “Look at the cost in lives, and money.”  “The environment.  We’re killing the whole world.”  “We’re exploiting the Third World.” 

I guess in politics, its called mud-slinging and fear-mongering, but its the same thing.  “My opponent doesn’t have the experience needed for this job.”  “More of the same isn’t the answer.”  Republicans, Democrats, and those independent few all use the same tactics.  “You need to fear our opponent (fear), because he can’t handle it (uncertainty).”  “He is not capable (doubt).”

More of the Same

We’re seeing more of it today, with the “swine flu,” or H1N1, scare.  In the midst of all this frenzy, I heard people saying that it isn’t really that bad (which I agree with.)  But, they went on to say it was pushed and publicized so we would overlook Obama’s first one hundred days.  What did he do?  Spend money?  or solve problems?  It was used as a distraction so we, the people, wouldn’t look too closely.  Hmmm, maybe.  Or more F.U.D.  “Obama wants us to be scared of something other than himself.”  “He wants us to look to him for our safety.”

F.U.D. is being used as an accusation:  “The other person is using underhanded tricks to get what he wants.”  Now, the accuser is guilty. Of fear-mongering.  One side accuses the other of mud slinging, while their own hands are stained and dirty.

 

We, the Accused …

The Church has been accused of this also.  “Fire and brimstone!”  “Turn or burn!”  “God will smite you!”  “AIDS is God’s curse on mankind for _________.”  You can fill in the blank with your sin of choice:  homosexuality, drug use, abortion.  The mortgage crash is because we worshipped money.  Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for … what?  Mardi Gras?  9/11 was God’s call to repentance, a sign of the End Times.

Some few Christian’s say these things.  Many more may think them.  This isn’t right.  It isn’t useful or productive for the kingdom of God.

The Gospel is good news.  When John’s disciples came to Jesus, what was his response?  Tell them the blind see, the lame walk, and the poor hear the good news.  Eternal Damnation isn’t good news.  Its bad news.  We can use scare tactics to get people into heaven, but I don’t think that was God’s plan of the ages.  I think He wants us to tell people “good news.”  Jesus loves you.  God wants to hug you, not smite you.  Heaven will be exciting, not boring.

 

What do you think is the “best” part of the “good” news?

Someday Syndrome

I've been reading a blog called "Someday Syndrome" that deals with procrastination. Sure enough, someday I will ... what? Write my novel? Finish my fish pond? Grow up? Ummm, no, that may be pushing it a bit.

Alex Fayle asks a series of questions to get you started. Here are his questions.

1. What is my "Someday"?
2. When do I want to complete it?
3. What are the big steps to get there?
4. What am I doing right now to move things forward?
5. How much progress have I made since starting?
6. Anything missing?

I thought these were very good questions, and might actually be able to help me get started.

What is my "Someday"?

I've started writing three short stories, and each one grew out of control, only to be abandoned as I started another one. NaNoWriMo is coming again in November, and I'd like to be prepared for it. Meaning, having these other stories out of the way. I've want to finish Raider, Green Land, and Shadowsmith by October 31st.

When do I want to complete it?

Well, I want to finish them by October 31st, but ... I've got lots of excuses why I can't, or won't. Perhaps I need to set time limits on each of them. I have six and a half months to go. That gives me two months each, plus 2 weeks leeway. So, finish Raider by June 15th, Shadowsmith by August 15th, and Green Land by October 15th. Give or take a few days. Raider and Shadowsmith are nearly finished anyway. At least, in my head. Green Land keeps getting longer, so I put it last. If I don't finish it, it won't keep me from having done the other two.

What are the big steps to get there?

First, I need to find the notebooks I have the stories written in. I do most of my work long hand, then type it up. That is where I usually have problems. If I have it written down, the story is finished enough for me to enjoy, so why go through the effort of typing it? It's like doubling my work. I also have to work out the details of the endings. I've got the general idea in mind, just not the details. So, find the notebooks, type what I have, and work out the ending.

What am I doing right now to get there?

I've found almost all my written material for Raider already. Unfortunately, a few pages are missing from one of my notepads, so I had to go back and reconstruct the missing material. Its been nearly 3 years since I wrote those pages, and I'm a bit fuzzy on what was there to begin with, but I think I did okay stitching my seams together. I haven't looked for the rest of Green Land or Shadowsmith yet. If I find them now, I'd just lose them again anyway.

How much progress have I made since starting?

I found all my printed material from Raider, and re-read it, so I knew where I'd been, and my characters names. Then I forged on through my hand-written material, filled in that one gap, and wrote a few more pages.

Anything missing?

Yeah, I haven't typed anything up yet. I need to start typing what I have while I have a chance. Faith's laptop broke a while back, so she needs the desktop on occasion. I can write while she's on here, but I need to type while I have it available to me.

This is my "someday." What's yours, and what are you doing about it?

"Stop selling what you have ...

"Stop selling what you have, and start selling what they need. -- IBM"

I found this quote on Twitter, posted by Adrian Warnock.  Okay, honestly, I assume he's quoting something IBM said at one point, although I couldn't find it.  I googled it a bit, and found someone else quoting it a while back, saying its from an ad he saw by IBM.  Even knowing that, I couldn't track it down.  Nevertheless, it got me thinking, (which is something I do when people aren't talking to me).

The church needs to hear this, too.  We have been selling what we have, instead of what the world needs.  And what is it we have?  I guess it depends on where you live.  In America, we have an awful lot.  (Stress on the awful part.)  When I was in college, one of the "big things" circulating was the "Faith Movement," or Hyperfaith, or the name-it-and-claim-it people.  Basically, they said, God loves us and doesn't want to deny us anything.  So, if we pray with faith, God has to answer us, because of His nature and his promises.  "They say I need a shopping mall" mocked Steve Taylor.  I need a bigger house, or a Porsche.

But the world has these things.  It has all these things and more.  More than I can state here.  More than I can even imagine.  Things out of science fiction are popping up today.  The world has "gained the world", but it doesn't need them.

The world also doesn't need another testimony of what "God has done in my life."  Rock stars and movie actors saved from selfish and destructive lifestyles are powerful testimonies.  Then there are stories of kids raised in the midst of gang warfare and drugs, and come through it like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.  God was able to preserve them from falling into that lifestyle, and they don't even smell like smoke.

These are stories from the Church, about the Church.  They are interesting and amusing, sometimes relevant and heart-rending.  But they aren't powerful.  We need to be witnesses to the life of Christ.  His life is the One that can change us.  These others are "effects" to His "cause."  He is the source of power and change.  

Jesus Christ is the exact image of God (Hebrews 1).  If we have seen Jesus, we have seen God (John 1).  His love, His power, His message, His words.  Jesus Christ is, in every aspect of His life, God.  The story of His life demands people make a choice:  believe and be saved, or reject Him and remain in their damnation.

My life makes no such demands.  These are stories about me.  I hope you laugh with me, and have fun with me.  But you don't need me.  The world doesn't need me.  I can offer myself as a friend, or a co-worker, or an anonymous voice online.  But my life has no inherent power in it.

Christ's life is the Gospel.  It is "good news" for all people.  It is powerful.

We have stories, and they need power.

It is the Gospel of Christ Jesus that changes lives, not our anecdotes.

Wake the Dead

If its too loud, well, then you must be too old.

Doesn't this just sound like some young punk making excuses to play his music as loud as he wants?  He's laying the blame on those he's offending, instead of taking the blame for being the offender.  After all, this is America, the land of the free ... free to do whatever I want.  Even if it means inconviencing someone else.  "I can listen to what I want, as loud as I want.  If you don't want your kids hearing these lyrics, take them somewhere else.  If you don't want them to see me dressed this why, go somewhere else.  If you don't like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk."

But, hey, wait a second.  Don't some of these words sound a lot like what Jesus said?  Jesus came to "Wake the Dead" and the apostle Paul said "Wake up you sleepy heads".  They sound pretty close to biblical quotations to me.  (Of course, if you've read my blog, you'll know that most everything I see or hear has a biblical lesson in it somewhere.  This one comes closer than many others though.)

I don't think anyone would call Jesus and Paul 'young punks' making excuses for their behaviour.  However, they do lay blame on those they offend.  "If you don't like my message ... If you don't like my lifestyle ... "  Well, the truth is, if the Truth offends you, you must prefer lies.  You must be "old and dead" and set in your ways.

Jesus spoke very harsh words to the Pharisees.  He called them golden cups filled with filth, and beautiful, white-washed sarcophagi filled with dead-mens bones and cobwebs.   Yes, his words were offensive.  His lifestyle condemned their own, because his was righteous, and their's wasn't.  In effect, Jesus said "If my message is too loud, then you must be too old."

So, to all my fellow Christians  --  Turn It Up!

Walking with Ryan

My son and I went for a walk the other day to the corner market, to get a couple drinks.  He talked as we walked through a parking lot, heading for a narrow gap in a chain link fence.  At one point I had to grab his shoulder to point him in the right direction, because he kept drifting into me.  It was a bit annoying, since there was only one obvious exit.  But, he's only 10, and was talking at the same time.  I can't really expect him to walk in a straight line while his mouth is open.

I find the same thing happens in life, in general.  I found myself walking beside other people, metaphorically speaking.  We may or may not be headed to the same place, but we are beside each other for a few days, weeks, or even years.  (Its hard to believe my wife and I have been walking side by side for close to two decades.  I'm just not old enough to have been married that long.)

Some of the people I walk with wobble back and forth, getting in my way.  I'm heading for a specific place in life, and they're steppng in front of me, veering into my path, or forcing me off the sidewalk altogether.  Most of the time, this is unintentional.  For example, I want to be a writer, a real writer who spends his days at home ... um ... writing.  However, my boss won't pay me if I don't show up for work.  See, this is what I'm talking about.  How can I follow my dreams if I'm expected to spend so much time at work?  Of course, there are other drains on my time, energy, and money.  All of these 'things' force me off my elected path.

The same can be said of my spiritual life.  I want to spend more time with God, to truly grow in righteousness and grace and knowledge of God.  All those things the apostle Paul prayed for all Christians to experience.  However, I have a family, so I can't just hare off and become a monk, forsaking all the world in pursuit of spiritual perfection.  Nor can I honestly expect my family to leave me alone to just "leave me alone" while I have a quiet time spent with God.  Our house is too small for me to hide in.

Then there are 'friends' outside of my family and my church.  These are the ones who distract me, showing me other ways of spending my time and my money and my energy.  They aren't specifically targeting me and trying to draw me off the path to God.  They are more like my son, just going their own way, wobbling around, bumping into me, and subtly nudging me off the sidewalk.

Ryan and I finally made it to the corner market and got our drinks.  I knew where I was going, and guided him along the way, too.  I suppose there's a lesson in that, too.

Active Context

In The Way of Aikido, by George Leonard, he writes of waking up listening to an orchestra outside his window, surrounding him.  Beautiful music all around.  Why was there an orchestra outside?  Especially at this time of night?  Then he reached up and touched headphones.  He'd fallen asleep listening to a CD, and woken to a musical interlude.  Instead of an orchestra, it was a CD.  Big difference.

What made the difference?  Context.  His understanding of what was really  happening at the time.  As his understanding changed, so did the whole event.

When we read the Bible, we need to be aware of the context.  Who wrote the passage, to whom, when, under what circumstances.  Read the verses, paragraphs, and chapters before and after.  Getting the whole picture will allow us to understanding the text.  (There is a story of a frontier preacher who taught that Elisha wandered around carrying Elijah's fireplace mantle, because he didn't know a mantle was also an article of clothing.  Just had to throw that in.  *grin*)

But, as Leonard points out, context isn't just a "passive container for our experience," it is an "active process dealing with how we weave our experience together to give it meaning."  Context isn't just for interpreting the Bible.  Its how we look at all of life.  Context "impels and directs our thoughts, emotions, and actions."  So, the way I see things will directly affect the way I interact with them.

If I see a problem, and focus on the problem, I'm giving my energy to it.  I need to focus on those things that made me successful, and direct my energy that way. In the words of Leonard, I need to make sure I don't lose sight of what made me successful in the first place.

And, just what is that?  It is God.  Daily time with God.  Imbibing his Word.  Resting at his feet.  Practicing his presence daily.

Notice in the quote by Leonard, he uses the singular "experience" and not the plural "experiences."  Life is all one piece.  We break it up into days, weeks, years, morning, noon, and night.  But, it is one.  One big experience.  I can't separate my Sundays from my Mondays just because the hour hand slips past the twelve in the depth of the night.  God isn't trapped by the hands on my watch.

When I go to work, or go shopping, to family reunions, or sit down to pay bills (not that I pay bills, my wife does, but you get the picture), what situation am I walking into?  Am I an interloper?  A pariah?  Low man on the totem pole?  Or, am I an ambassador of Christ walking in the power of the his Spirit?

Context.  Is this a problem, or an opportunity for God to show his power amongst those who need to witness his power in action?

I wanna be ...

My daughter announced two days ago she's decided what she wants to be for Halloween:  a pirate.  A splendid, romantic idea, except for the fact that pirates are foul thieves and murderers.  Historically speaking, they terrorized the Caribbean and coastal waters of the southern United States.  Go a bit further back in history, and you'll see they were employed by the English, French, and Spanish in warfare against each other.  Today, the problem is arising again off the east coast of Africa.  I don't think I want my daughter even pretending to be a Somali warlord.



She also said she'd like to be a "Bratz."  Okay, a cool little doll, like a modern Barbie.  But, Bratz appear to be spoiled little girls who dress like tramps.  My opinion only.  I don't play with them, or watch them on tv.  But, the dolls I see ... well, that's too grown up for an eight year old.  I don't think I want to see her dressing like a Brat either.

Her third choice:  She like to dress up like a bride ........

Suddenly, a pirate doesn't sound so bad.

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Speaking their Language

There's a cartoon about a man going door to door, witnessing, but he's having problems with his language.

Christian: Are you lost?

Homeowner: No, I'm standing on my front door step.

Christian: No, I mean, are you blind?

Homeowner: No, I can see just fine.

Christian: No, I mean, do you need to be saved?

Homeowner: I don't think so. I feel just fine.

It would be funny if it weren't so true. We speak our Chrstianese inside the church, which is somewhat okay, if there are no visitors (which is a pretty sad commentary on your church, if you don't have any.) But, we can't really take it outside the church to the streets. Even Jesus had this same problem. "Eat my flesh and drink my blood" sounds an awful lot like cannibalism. And "I came down from heaven" sounds like a "Chariot of the Gods" thing. People who don't speak our language don't understand us.

Missionaries run into this, too. Ever hear the story of the missionary explaining "white as snow" to a group that has never seen snow? Your sins shall be as white as the inside of the coconut sounds weird, but it gets the point across just the same. Or the one who couldn't explain being nailed to a cross, because they didn't have hammers or nails? (God sent him a nail in a can of mandarin orangers, by the way.)

We had a missionary speaking at our church a few weeks ago. She was in northern Cambodia, and explained they can't say "God loves you." And why is that? Because they believe in millions of little gods, demons, spirits, and ancestors, all of whom need appeased.

Love? Love is desire. Desire is of the flesh. Flesh is evil. (Buddhist/Hindu/Animist beliefs, remember).

So, then, "God loves you" really means some little spirit of some kind or other wants to make your life miserable. Just great. That is exactly what they want to hear.

And what about those around me? The nurses I work with, old friends from high school I recently found on Facebook, my mafioso buddies on Myspace? What language do I need to speak to them? Many of my digital friends will never meet me, never get to see "Jesus in my life" and so see the difference he makes.

There is no resolution, no solution, no fix. Not for me. Not now. This is a question that I cannot answer.

Yet.

This is my world

Leonard was training for his black belt, but something was wrong. His teacher told him to "own the mat." When he changed his viewpoint, things got easier. "This is my mat, and I welcome my attackers. They are on my mat, my home territory. I own this place." He moved with greater confidence and grace, easily achieving his black belt.

According to his teachings, we need to approach life like this. "This is my ..." home, work place, restaurant, park, sidewalk, road. (It gives "owning the road" a whole new meaning.) This is my world.

However, is it really? Isn't this my father's world? (This post has more questions than answers.) Yes, this is my Father's world, and I'm a King's Kid.

But, once again, we are told we're "strangers and aliens." I'm not sure "my father's world" or "king's kid" are biblical phrases, but I know "strangers and aliens" comes from the New Testament. If I'm a stranger in a strange land, and I don't belong here, how can I "own the mat."

How can I reconcile these two views? Either this is my world, or it isn't. Is it even possible to "own" this world when I don't "belong" to it? My mom inherited a piece of property from her father. It happens to be on an Indian reservation in South Dakota. I don't think I'm registered with the tribe, so, will it pass to me, or revert to the tribe? What would they do if I showed up and claimed it? (If you've never met me, I'm severely white, with red hair. I look nothing like your stereotypical Sioux.)

Lets backtrack, and look at this from a different viewpoint. I belong to God. As his adopted son, I am an heir of God, and co-heir with Jesus. This world will pass away, and all we see. What I will be, and inherit, has not yet been seen by human eyes. By this reasoning, I shouldn't be proud or possessive of this "world" because this isn't mine. This is temporary and passing away.

In this whole, wide world, then, what is mine?

[T]he art of owning your life has larger implications. Are you willing to own, to take sincere and positive responsibility for your relationships, your financial situation, your health, your spiritual life? ... [T]here are limits, things beyond our personal control. But perhaps there are fewer of these than we might think.

Yes, here is the difference I was looking for. This is the last paragraph in this chapter. I can't "own" my job, because I have a boss to whom I answer. I can't own my "home" because I have a wife. The difference lies in the choices I make concerning my life, and how I interact with those around me.

I need to constantly remind myself that God is with me. He is my center. The choices I make are based on that unshakable fact. The decisions I make will affect my family, my friends, and my co-workers.

The Illusion of Power

Empowerment. A buzzword of today's business establishment. The employees are empowered to make decisions. This gives them the power to make decisions without having to seek out management approval for every move they make. Its a good feeling, knowing that I am in charge, and I can do what I need to get the job done.

However, there are still rules. There are boundaries I can't cross. In the retail environment, for example, I may give a discount, but I can't give away the product for free. I can write a check and the bank will honor it, but only if I have the money in an account with them. Not having the money, or having it in another bank, doesn't count. Climb up the political chain, and you will encounter more and more red tape. Some gifts are acceptable, others not. Some may be taxable, while others are punishable by fines or prison time.

I come to realize that my personal power, inherent in my own "empowerment," is constrained and eroded. Its a grand sounding word, but ends up being a small pinnacle surrounded by slippery slopes. Use that power outside of fuzzy boundaries and you'll get into trouble. You could lose your job, your friends, your money, health, spouse. The list goes on.

In the end, "empowerment" is a good concept, but an easy way to destroy ones pride. "I tried to do what you said, but ..." The greatest example of this is Lucifer, who was cast down because of his pride. Satan was given great power and responsibility, and promptly overstepped his boundaries. "This far and no farther" wasn't a command, but a challenge. He was given a choice, and chose disobedience. From his lofty position, he was cast down.

This happens to us, also. We have been given power in life. Too many people let this power go to their heads, and they walk carelessly, slipping and falling from the path God set out before them. They end up lying at the bottom of pit, crushed and bruised, wondering where they went wrong. "God gave me this gift, and set me on this path. Why am I here?"

In the words of Isaiah, God is with the lowly and contrite, those who are broken in spirit. Or, as Steve Taylor put it, "Jesus is for losers."

The very word "empowered" means to be given power. Implying, power comes from an outside source. It is not inherent in us. None of us is born with power. Some are born into rich families, or politically connected families. But, that comes from the efforts of those who came before them. It isn't theirs. It is their families.

If I have an ability, it comes from God, and is a gift. The illusion of power blinds. Disillusionment brings freedom to come to Christ. And, in Christ, there is freedom and power to express ourselves fully in a personal way. A way that has meaning to us, individually, and a way that influences those around us for God.

Defraging in a Fragmented World

Once again, mind mapping "centering" the other day brought up another rich word: defragmenting.

Fragmentation makes me think of a computer process whereby packets of information are randomly stored on the hard drive. It isn't intentional. Nobody actually programmed the computer to scatter information all over the hard drive. It just sort of happened. And, from my limited knowledge, it isn't really harmful either. Rather, it causes the system to be inefficient, which, in turn, causes a little more wear and tear on the system. But, with the new generation/life span, price, and disk sizes any more, the abuse the machine takes is a non-issue. But, its still inefficient.

Defragmenting is supposed to fix this. It takes little bits of information, and tucks them in between larger blocks. It tightens it all up, freeing larger blocks of free space. Somehow, this makes everything all better. Putting everything in order makes the computer run faster and with less work.

This is much like our own lives. (Bet you didn't see that coming, did you?) We say "yes" to so many things in our daily lives that we become fragmented. Consider all the hats we wear. I started out as a son, then a brother. Now, I'm also a husband and a father. Co-worker to some, former co-worker to others, friend to many. I'm a shopper, costumer, patron, member, browser. All of these different hats require time, energy, and some even require money. shudder

Now, if I spend money on books, I may not have it for Mt Dew, which is a high priority for me. If we eat out, we may not have the money to pay bills, or buy gas. I have to prioritize and allocate my money, much like hard disk space. Bills, payments, food and gas are all large, immovable blocks. The little things, like Mt Dew and books, get randomized.

Time. I have to spend time at work. I need to spend time with my wife, with my kids, with each of my kids on an individual basis, plus "me" time. Time on the computer catching up on RSS feeds, blogs, news, e-mail, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter. Time reading, writing, blogging. Time with God.

There is only so much space on a computer disk, and only so much time and money in my life. I cannot spend more than 24 hours in one day. Trying to do too much in one day leaves me exhausted and near useless afterwards. Overspending money brings a whole different slew of problems, with which most of us are familiar.

I find at times that my life is chaotic, and I am inefficient. I am trying to do too much in too scattered a fashion. Therefore, I need to "defragment" my own life. To do this, I need to examine my life, and prioritize those big, immovable blocks: God, family, me, work.

It would be nice if there was a nice reminder that popped up every week, just like on my computer screen, asking if I wanted to optimize my life. Compress here, delete there, make more room, and everything works better. But there isn't.

Besides, I always hated defragmenting my computer. Its time consuming, tedious, and it slows my computer down, which seems counter productive. Isn't this defragging supposed to make it faster instead of slower? But, it only seems counter productive.

The same holds true in life. Defragging my life is chaotic, messy, and painful. I'm supposed to look at all those things I do, and decide if I'm going to keep doing them. Well, I started them in the first place because I enjoyed them. Why would I want to quit? Because I don't have the time, or the money. Or, unlike the nice little computer analogy, maybe these things are harmful to my job, my self, my family, or my relationship with God. Those things certainly have to go.

And what does this have to do with centering? I find the Center of All Life, and put Him there. Like a gravity well in the space-time continuum, everything will fall into His orbit, or fall away. But, I have to make that choice to put Him there in every aspect of my life. Jesus is the Center of my Christianity (duh!). He needs to be at the center of my family, my job, coworkers, and friends. When He is the Center, and all these things settle into orbit around Him, life will be more orderly, (i.e. - less chaotic), and more efficient. Life requires less work, and leaves more energy to enjoy it, rather than stumbling through our days as zombies.

When planets collide, if, in fact, they do, there is a huge catastrophe. Many scientists believe that the meteor belt between Mars and Jupiter was one such planet that got ripped apart. Our solar system is stabilized now, and we don't worry about that sort of thing anymore. When God is at the Center of my life, everyone and everything has its own orbit, and they won't interfere with each other with catastrophic fallout.

Dualism and the Modern Christian

I was mindmapping centering again, because of The Art of Aikido I've been reading.  One of the words that popped out to me was "dualism" so I took off with that to see where I would end up.

Dualism, as I remember it, was part of Zoroastrianism, and expressed the belief that there are two eternal forces in the world facing off against each other.  God and Satan, good and evil, light and dark.  Everything has an opposite, heads and tails, hot and cold, and that fact is expressed in the spiritual realm also.

We have that spiritual division in ourselves:  flesh and spirit.  Others describe it differently, such as material and immaterial, or spirit, soul, and body.  Therefore, this heavenly war is reflected in each and every human.  Even the apostle Paul spoke of it in Romans 7: 19 "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want."  There is an internal conflict we all deal with.

For many of us, it is a head versus heart issue.  We have certain priorities that we are taught are important:  God, family, the church, the poor, our neighbors.  Yet, we often focus our energies on ourselves and our own pursuits.  I get a job to pay the bills.  I accept a promotion, knowing it will pull me away from my family.  Yes, I will make more money, but we don't need more.  We had enough, by the grace of God, before the promotion.  So, why did I take it? Prestige?  Better toys?  Climbing the corporate ladder?

Or, another example.  I need to exercise.  I could walk to and from work.  Its about a 30 minute walk, which is what I hear is usually recommended.  Instead, I drive.  This allows me time to play around until the last minute, plus I can get a quick lunch at the drive through.  Its all about me.

I have certain priorities, but those things that really motivate me are all about me.  Its the gratifications of the spirit that shape many of my decisions.  In this world of moral ambiguities, we are faced with decisions many of us are unprepared to make wisely.  We vacillate between righteousness and selfishness, not knowing if what we are doing is "the right thing" or not.

Many people, when faced with this impossible situation, slip into a loop and don't make a decision.  They look to those around them, or to pop culture, to make the important decisions in life, thus surrendering their own autonomy.

In the end, indecision and powerlessness bring the same results:  Nothing is accomplished.  Oh, things may get done, but nothing is accomplished.

At least, many people seem incapable of doing anything with their lives.  God, however, has done much.  Lets go back to the beginning, dualism, and God.

"God is one."  There is one God, and only one.  Satan is not eternal.  He was created, and they are not equals.  More than that, though, this means God is indivisible.

Take this another step.  We are created in the image of God.  God breathed and created a living being.  Not two or three crammed into one space.  I am one.  The Hebrews knew this.  It was the Greeks who saw a division in humanity.  This stemmed from their own philosophies instead of Hebrew theology.

When we worship, we are supposed to worship with our whole being, not just our "spiritual man," standing frozen in place lest our fleshly bodies lead us astray.   Our bodies are supposed to live for God, and obey God.  There is going to be a physical resurrection at the end of time to face judgment.  If our physical bodies were totally corrupt, how could God judge us for the actions of our flesh?  Why not let the body do what it chooses, since it is uncontrollable irredeemable, and focus instead on spiritual exercises?

Its because they cannot be separated.  Even modern science sees a correlation between the state of our physical being and emotional state.  Laughter is the best medicine and all that.  Or, take a look at psychosomatic issues.  Psychological issues that are due to chemical imbalances.  The list could go on.

We face an internal war that ravages not just our emotional well-being and our decision making abilities, but also effects our bodies also.  It is because we are imbalanced.

As far as I understand, imbalance occurs when something is off-center.  Such as the tires on my car.  If out of balance, it throws off the performance of the whole car.  It wobbles, it steers poorly, it causes undue wear on the tires, and so on.

If our lives are imbalanced, the solution is the same.  We need to be rebalanced, and this happens when we find our Center.  We need to find Jesus, and put Him in the center of our lives.  Every decision we make must be made in reference to Him.  In His Steps, written in 1896 by Charles Sheldon, is a fine example of this.  A pastor challenged his congregation to ask themselves "What would Jesus do?" and when they had that answer, to do it.  (Yes, this is where WWJD comes from.  Read it.  Its more than a fad.)  A handful of people were able to turn their city upside down.  Being able to make those hard decisions, they were once again powerful.

When we put Jesus in the center, and focus on Him, we will be filled with a passion for life again. We will also be empowered to make the hard decisions.  The decision to scale back on our luxuries, to take a pay cut, to volunteer at the local food pantry instead of going elsehwere to go shopping.  Our money and our time will again belong to God, and He will get much better mileage out of them than we will ever be able to do.  But this comes when we have one focus, one center.

Centering

I was mindmapping the word "centering," which came up in The Art of Aikido.  After a few minutes, I had several different paths to follow:  physical, spiritual, emotional.  There is also personal as well as corporate and family, and probably a dozen other types and styles of centering.  There is also centering prayer, although I can't find my book by Richard Foster right now.

In aikido, you center by placing your attention on your center of gravity.  Most people think of their "self" as being in their head, but by lowering your "self" to your center of gravity, you become more stable, and more graceful.

You can do this in other areas of your life, too.  Although, I'm not sure of everything Leonard is trying to teach.  As a Christian, I view what he says through the lens of the Bible, and some of it is off base.  But, the basic principle is still applicable.

As Christians, what is our "center"?  It is more than the Church, more than Christianity, more than the Bible.  He is Jesus Christ.  When we place Him at the center of our whole life, we become "more stable, and more graceful."  This is how great Christians of the past, and the present, have weathered the storms of life.  It is how Christians have drawn others to Him, by the grace with which we deal with life.

It was this appearance of centeredness that drew so many to the churches of America right after 9/11.  It was the lack of Jesus in so many Christian lives that let them slip away. 

I'll be dealing more with "centeredness" in the next few days, and what it means to me.

Blending with the World

When confronted by any attack or problematic incoming energy, the aikidoist doesn't strike, push back, pull or dodge, but rather enters and blends.

Yeah, that sounds kind of different, the kind of thing you'd expect to hear from a martial artist philospher, I guess.  The author, George Leonard, talks about moving towards your attacker, just slightly off the line of attack, and turning, seeing the attack from his point of view.  Now, a whole new world of possible options opens up for you.

It kind of reminds me of the scene in the Karate Kid, during his first official match.  The Kid keeps getting chased out of the ring,  Mr. Miyagi tells him to wait, and he will see his opening.  Don't retreat.  Don't attack.  Move aside.  See with your opponent.  Of course, we all know the Kid won the tournament.

Leonard goes on to say that this can be used in the rest of our life also.  As a public speaker, he encountered a lot of verbal attacks during his Question & Answer sessions.  He learned to use his attackers own words, pivot with them, and get them to agree to his point of view in the end.  In most combat, whether war, a martial arts competition, or a verbal sparring match, we expect one person to win, and one to lose.  But it doesn't have to be that way.

Enter into their mindset, understand where they are coming from, blend with them, and direct them to a satisfactory outcome for all involved.  Verbally speaking, get them to understand and agree with you.  (This sounds like something out of How to Win Friends and Influence People, another book I really enjoyed.)

But, this isn't a trick to be used only to win.  The secret is sincerity.  Truly enter in, and honestly blend with their attack.  Using it as a mere trick only leads to clumsiness and defeat.

Here are a few more things Leonard had to say about this technique for life:  Don't give up your own stance or viewpoint.  Be well grounded or centered.  Seek true reconciliation.

Don't give up your viewpoint.  "I was wrong, you were right" just makes you the loser.  He isn't advocating giving up, or mere compramise.  Hold your ground, which leads to the second point.

Be well grounded or centered.  As a fighting technique, this would refer to your center of gravity and balance.  In life, it means "Know what you believe."

Lastly, you aren't trying to beat your opponent down.  Rather, win them over to your side.  Be reconciled.  By seeing their side of things, and swaying them, they become a friend and an advocate rather than a bitter enemy.

In the words of the Apostle Paul, "become all things to all men" in order that you may win them to Christ.  We have to know what we believe, and know why we believe it.  We have to be centered and unshakeable, knowing not just what, but in Whom we believe.  Don't give up this ground and say, "well, maybe there are other ways to God."  Jesus said he was the Only Way to the Father.  That leaves no room for Mohammed, Buddha, or myself.  I can't get there on my own.  I can't trust anyone else to get me there.  Jesus and Jesus alone is the way.

We are called to share the message of good news, not hellfire and brimstone.  Jesus is the way to heaven.  Draw them, lead them, but don't browbeat and condemn.  If not for the grace of God, that would be me.  I know these people, their lives, their needs and desires.  I can blend with them, but that doesn't mean becoming one of them.  I am a Christian, and as such, want them to see the world from my point of view.  I must enter into their world, blend with them, and then show them my world.  The world through the eyes of God.

The Way of Aikido

As a Christian, I see God's wisdom all around me, even in this book.  Aikido, as most people already know, is a martial art.  It has deep spiritual applications that are coupled with the physical practice.  Aikido can probably be practiced for self-defence, without necessarily submerging yourself into the spirituality of it.  However, this little book is all about the spiritual and/or practical applications of aikido.  This first couple chapters were enlightening, not in the fact that I hadn't heard these same things elsewhere, but I hadn't heard them in this light.  Its always good to see old truths in new lights, as it reveals hidden facets we hadn't seen before.

Chapter One is taught me one thing:  Practice.  Of course I knew practicing was important.  We've all heard it over and over:  Practice makes perfect.  We've heard it so often its become a cliche, and so we tend to ignore it.  I've told my son if he wants to get better at his video games, soccer, or chess, he needs to practice.  And so he has.

What are the things I need to practice?  I first thought of my recorder, which I touch very rarely.  Its a simple instrument that I can carry with me anywhere, and theoretically, play anywhere.  If I practiced.

There is also my writing.  I write fairly well, depending on to whom you talk.  My wife and a few friends say I should try to get published.  Thats high praise.  Others are simply waiting for me to finish.  sigh  Thats a big part of my problem.  I get a good story going, and as soon as its finished in my head, I move on to another story.  I need to work on finishing my stories.  I've got several big ones started, but none finished.  So, in a way, I need to practice my writing, everyday, until I finish.

Practice, practice ... practice what?  That rings a bell.  Oh yeah, Practice the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.  Well, thats just not as fun as writing or playing the recorder.  Wait a minute.  I call myself a Christian, and at times a mystic.  So then, why isn't this fun?  Touching the Face of God, instant by instant, every individual moment of my life, should be exciting.  Enthralling.  I really do want to see God everyday, in every person I meet, in every thing I see, in every action I take.  To do this, I need to practice the presence of God.

The last sentence in chapter one of The Way of Aikido is  Why?  Because it is beautiful.  I don't know aikido is beautiful from personal experience.  However, I do know that practicing my recorder, my writing, and the presence of God are all beautiful.  So, I will begin practicing them again, for the sheer, unmitigated beauty of them.

"I will practice the recorder

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it." 

"I will practice writing

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it." 

"I will practice the presence of God

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it." 

Redemption in the story of Absalom

I was reading First Samuel, the stories of King David.  He sinned in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheeba and God's punishment was discension in his own household.  Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar.  Absalom killed Amnon and fled.  Joab brought in a wise woman from Tekoa to speak to King David, and these were her words.

God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one may not be cast out from him.

She was begging him to bring back Absalom, which was the apparently the desire of David's heart.

It is also the desire of God's heart.  Not to punish, but to be reunited.  It is an Old Testament summtion of the Gospel.  When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, he told us that he came not to judge, but to save.

When my children offend, it is in simple ways, and easily dealt with.  It is much more difficult to reunite us with God, because the rules we have broken aren't simple household rules, like wearing Heelies in the house, or calling each other names.  We have sinned against one greater than "Mama and Papa" and the debt is much greater.  Hugs and tears won't cover our sins.  The only appropriate payment is in blood.  Yet, if we pay in blood, we have no life left to enjoy.

God doesn't want us dead.  He wants to enjoy time with us.  So, he needed a way to pay our debts, yet leave us alive.  So, while we were sinners, banished from his presence, he found one who could pay our debts in our stead.  This would satisfy the debt, and leave us alive to be with him.  

God's plans are deeper than ours, and his ways are not our ways.  He sees beyond the end, and understands the law of unintended consequences.  His plans are all-encompasing, and he alone could have implemented the way of salvation.

All praise and glory to God for saving a sinner such as I.

One more time ...

I'm unsure of the timing of this thing ... so I'm trying it again. Lets see how this works out.

Another experiment

I'm trying out some new widgets, and this is a test run to see if it works. I've got a widget on my iGoogle home page that allows me to post to my Blogger account. Now, I have a twitterfeed that should pull from my Blogger and posts to my Twitter.

So, lets see how this works.

Blue Like Jazz

Its been quite a while, but I'm back.  Maybe for good, maybe just for a little while.

I picked up a book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller.  It is sub-titled "Nonreligious thoughts on Christian Spirituality."  It was the quote on the back of the book that attracted me to it. 

I never liked jazz music ... But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself ...  I used to not like God ... but that was before any of this happened

Well, now I wanted to know what had changed his outlook.  I've been disillusioned about religion for a while.  A variety of things have put me off, which I won't go into here.  I've been looking for a something to revitalize me for several years now.  Maybe this will be it.