Sound of the Week - S. Carey

For all you Bon Iver fans, Sean Carey will be a welcome sound. Carey plays drums and sings backup vocals for the indie folk band, and has now branched out on his own solo project. While his voice isn't powerful, it does have a haunting beauty to it, and for the drummers first whack at his own record, Carey did pretty good. If you're a fan of Sufjan, Bon Iver or Iron & Wine, he's probably worth a listen.

So here is "In the Dirt" by S. Carey

Learning from Wishing

When I was 8 my Christmas wish-list was littered with Lego’s, Nerf Guns and a Nintendo, though I knew my mom would never get me one. This year, my wish list consisted mostly of books, CD’s and a movie I really wanted. Clearly things have changed. It’s been interesting to reflect on the different types of things I’ve asked for over the years, and so, for your convenience, I’ve broken down the different wish-list era’s many of us went through over the past 20 years:

The Oblivious Era (0-2 Yrs) – You were a baby, and thus, you didn’t know anything. You just took whatever you were given, probably tried to eat it and certainly slobbered all over it.

The Golden Era (3-11 Yrs) – These were the golden years of wish-listing. You would scan the Lego magazine and Toys’R’Us catalogue, marking your favorite item on every page. Your list was full of fantastic toys even if you knew there was no chance of getting them. Every so often scary things like Furbie’s would sneak onto your list, but overall, this was the highlight of your wish-listing career.

The Confused Era (12-15 Yrs) – This was an odd time in the wish list era. You were still young enough that you wanted to ask for Lego’s and Nerf Guns, but unfortunately, you also falsely believed you were too cool for these fantastic toys, and thus were ashamed to ask for them. So instead, you asked for boring thing.

The Awkward Era (Could come any time, but usually around 13) - Beginning to realize how weird and awkward you were, you did your best to hide this reality by proving you were actually very “cool”. This means you asked for “cool” clothes that were actually funny looking, and music that nobody really liked but everybody listened too.

The Practical (Lame) Era (16 -20 Yrs) – Rather than trying to prove how “cool” you were, you now began to pride yourself on being “mature”. This means your list was absent of anything fun, and filled with practical things such as a new dress shirt or a pair of running shoes. Totally necessary…but also pretty boring.

The Redeemed Era (21-? Yrs) – You’ve now realized you’re neither cool or mature. In fact, you really are pretty awkward…but that’s ok because everybody else is too. You’re growing more “ok” with who you are, and you’re figuring out what you really do like. So once again, your list is full of things you really enjoy like books or music. It’s a good list.

While this list is exaggerated and silly, I do think we can learn something from it. I am now 22 years old, fresh out of the Practical Years, and I’m proud to say my list had no clothes, toothpaste or gas cards. Sure, it still looks a lot different from those fanciful wish lists from when I was 9, but then again 22 year old Kyle looks a lot different than 9 year old Kyle. By God’s grace I’ve grown over the years, and I’m no longer so worried about trying to prove how “cool” or “mature” I am. Instead, I’m now facing the difficult task of simply learning to be Kyle, and, more importantly, learning to appreciate being Kyle. I’m trying to figure out who I am in Christ and learning to appreciate, and even love, who God has made me to be.

Constantly changing and growing, it turns out this silly list epitomizes life, as we ourselves undergo constant change and growth. As the years pass, we change, but the beauty of life is that we do not experience this growth alone. As I look back on the growth I’ve experienced, I am encouraged to see that God has actively been working in my life every step of the way. He is near, and He cares. The most profound truth in all of reality is that God loves us, yet sadly, this truth is so incomprehensible that many people struggle to truly believe it. This is where reflecting on our past becomes an incredible tool because in the clarity of hindsight God’s love becomes more recognizable as we see God graciously working in our lives.

As Christians, we must hate sin, because God hates sin. Sadly, in an attempt to hate our sin many of us begin to hate ourselves, but in this we underestimate the power of the Cross. We must remember that in Christ we are reborn, creatures of the Spirit, children of the Light.

In our sin we wadded deep into the mire, and it’s difficult to believe that God could love creatures of such filth. Yet, those in Christ are no longer drowning under the weight of sin because our lives are now hid “with Christ one high”. So as you look back on old wish lists and reflect on the growth you’ve experienced over the years, thank the Lord. Thank Him for His faithfulness in the past, His sanctification to come in the future, and His grace encompassing all. Thank Him for saving you, for cleansing you and for loving you.

Now begin enjoying Him.

Morning Prayer: Joyful, Joyful

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Morning Prayer: Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.

Serving to Death

Good leaders serve. They do so, not to gain recognition or to be praised by their peers, but simply for the sake of serving and loving their followers. As Christians, when we lead we should serve and love because Christ first served and loved us. However, this idea of servant leadership is radically different than what we usually see in the world.

We see leaders who seek the limelight, yet Christ performed miracles and told people to keep quite. We hear leaders who say only what pleases the masses, yet Christ offended so many people that they crucified him. We have leaders who seek their own gain, yet Christ came and served until they killed him. We watch leaders operate by striking fear into the hearts of the people, yet Christ came and loved people. To become a great leader, we must not pursue charisma, power or popularity, we must seek humility. As we humble ourselves, as we lower ourselves, we will rise to be great leaders who lead people to a place where they can see Jesus more clearly. We lead, not to be powerful or likeable, but to bring people to a place where they can see the beauty of the Cross and wonder of God’s grace. We must lead like Christ.

He humbled himself to the point of death, as a way to lead people into life. The Great Shepherd lowered himself to become a lamb to be sacrificed for our redemption, and in His blood we are clean. He leads us to God’s grace by serving us, and we must lead in a similar manner that others who are lost in their sin may come to know His grace.

To Reality, And Beyond…

One of the greatest draws of Pixar movies is their ability to arrest the imagination of adults and children alike. While they are each great, none of the movies have captured those common childhood fantasies as perfectly as Toy Story. In the world of Woody, Rex, Slinky, and Hamm, toys exist and live for the sole pleasure of their boy. Although there is a world outside of Andy’s house, the characters only care about one ultimate truth: They are Andy’s toys. This world creates a community where they share a common goal, they live to fulfill their only purpose, and they love their toy friends in a utopic society.

You know the story: One day a self-absorbed, rubber-headed space cadet arrives on the scene. Although they are all in Andy’s room, Buzz Lightyear lives in a different reality. Engulfed in his mission to defeat the Evil Emperor Zerg, Buzz dutifully ignores the signs that he is delusional. The other toys, impressed by the new-toy-on-the-block, become distracted from their goal and purpose. Even Woody, Andy’s most faithful toy, begins to lose his way.

At the low-point of the story, Buzz and Woody are lost. They wander away from Andy—one fueled by ignorance and the other by jealousy—and they are captured by the delinquent neighbor boy, Sid. Fleeing from the maniac schemes of Sid, Buzz finally discovers that his world is a farce. Realizing the lie (which he had believed from his inception), Buzz begins to self-destruct. All seems lost until Woody (realizing the same truth in a deeper way) begins to repeat message he had known all along: “You are Andy’s toy!” With this truth ringing in their ears Buzz and Woody embark on their unified pursuit to return to Andy.

The plot of the story speaks for itself but another contour must be acknowledged. Until the moment that Buzz realized his true purpose, he had been living an existence that was ultimately self-destructive and joyless. Afterwards, Buzz flourishes in his uniqueness as a toy and only then does he experience the intended fullness of life.

Twenty-three years ago, a baby boy was born. Although I was pretty cute (as babies tend to be), I was born into a life of ignorant delusion. Accepting a reality that fabricates personal value and purpose, I was enslaved to a fantasy that is ultimately self-destructive and joyless. As time went on I began to see that my pursuits were meaningless vanities made only to stroke my own ego. Until the delusion was shattered and the truth was shown, I could not pursue the intended fullness of life. Look to Christ. We can only taste and see the fullness of Life through the truth of the One who was in the beginning.

Toy Story Theology

Yes yes, cutesy names are just about as annoying as tantrum-throwing children being dragged by their ankles down the cereal aisle at the grocery store. That said, I am embarking on a several part (five as of now) blog series that explores my thoughts on this time of year. The newly-finished Toy Story Trilogy is a great story that I will use analogously for some of my musings. As a warning (or incentive, depending on what you think about my series title), half the posts won't have anything to do with Toy Story; it's just a vehicle. Please stay posted as I hope to publish a new part every two days or so. The first will come later today or tomorrow.

Morning Prayer: The Prayer of Zechariah

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, 
for he has visited and redeemed his people 
and has raised up a horn of salvation 
for us in the house of his servant David, 
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 
that we should be saved from our enemies 
and from the hand of all who hate us; 
to show the mercy promised to our fathers 
and to remember his holy covenant, 
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, 
to grant us that we, 
being delivered from the hand of our enemies, 
might serve him without fear, 
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; 
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 
to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, 
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 
to guide our feet into the way of peace."

"She left him; and they parted."

One of the struggles of English Language Learners (ELL students) is a lack of basic "active" reading skills. If you grew up reading, then you have likely developed active reading skills: you pause momentarily as you read, you note important details, re-read key passages, or even tab a page to return to after you finish the chapter. Sadly, my students grew up and thought reading was "passive" reading; in passive reading, the main goal is to read as many words out loud as quickly as you can. Some tests assume that if you read quickly, you are an effective reader; often, however, if you read quickly as an ELL student, you're missing major (key) points and have limited comprehension.

This is especially problematic with a novel like A Christmas Carol because you need to stop after every paragraph to understand the ponderous weight of each word. A key example that also provides a larger message during the Christmas season is in Stave Two of A Christmas Carol, when Belle releases a younger Scrooge from their engagement.

We never learn how Scrooge met Belle. Both poor, they fell hopelessly in love. Eventually, as Scrooge gained wealth, a golden idol replaces Belle.

Belle releases him from his engagement. She says:

I would gladly think otherwise if I could," she answered, "Heaven knows. When I have learned a Truth like this, I know how strong and irresistible it must be. But if you were free to-day, to-morrow, yesterday, can even I believe that you would choose a dowerless girl -- you who, in your very confidence with her, weigh everything by Gain: or, choosing her, if for a moment you were false enough to your one guiding principle to do so, do I not know that your repentance and regret would surely follow? I do; and I release you. With a full heart, for the love of him you once were."

A few short lines of dialogue later, and the narrator tells us that "she left him; and they parted." At first glance, it seems like a simple statement. But if you pause and read carefully, the words "and they parted" reveal far more about the moment of heartbreak. Scrooge does not chase after Belle; he lets her leave, and even walks the other way. [After this pause an explanation, my students were shocked that Scrooge would act so foolishly.]

And so I ask you, dear reader, to pause when you are reading. Studies show that as you have read this blog post, you only truly read the first paragraph (I'm sorry that it was a boring paragraph). By the time you are reading the last paragraph, you will likely read THIS but not this, since you skim only the right hand side of the page as you scroll down.

But most importantly, make sure you pause in life. It would be a true tragedy that in a rush to read the pages of your life story, you missed the most important moments of the novel.

Morning Prayer: Come Thou Fount

Come Thou Fount of every blessing tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, mount of God's unchanging love.
   
Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above

O that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen how I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry, take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry me to realms of endless day.

"A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time..."

In the first stave of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Scrooge's nephew says "But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time."

"[Christmas is the] only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seemed by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle [Scrooge], though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that ithas done my good, and will do me good; and I say, "God bless it!"

Today, I introduced 57 eighth grade students to A Christmas Carol. The most they could remember from vague cultural references as a crabby old man ("like the grinch!") and ghosts - but none mentioned the moral of the story or the change that Scrooge undergoes.

Clark has graciously invited to join One August Dei as a blogger. I recently graduated from Biola University and am now teaching English Language Arts to 137 eighth graders at a charter school in South Los Angeles. 99% of my students are free/reduced lunch and many of them have never been outside Los Angeles. The world in which they live is small: not by choice, but often a result of the zip code where they were born. I am part of a national non-profit organization that aims to end inequality in education in our nation, focusing on placing recent college graduates in high-need, low-income urban and rural schools. A Christmas Carol is one small unit of a larger, year-long goal I have to widen my students view of the world. Over the next few weeks, I hope to add a unique perspective on A Christmas Carol: brought to you by a first year teacher and his 137 eighth grade students in South Los Angeles.

Morning Prayer: Take My Life and Let It Be

1. Take my life and let it be
   Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
   Take my moments and my days,
   Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
   At the impulse of Thy love.
   Take my feet and let them be
   Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
   Always, only for my King.
   Take my lips and let them be
   Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
   Not a mite would I withhold.
   Take my intellect and use
   Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
   It shall be no longer mine.
   Take my heart, it is Thine own,
   It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
   At Thy feet its treasure store.
   Take myself and I will be
   Ever, only, all for Thee.

Morning Prayer: To the Saints in Ephesus

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and in earth derives its name, that according to the riches of His glory he may grant to you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Chris may dwell in your hearts through faith-- that you, being rooted and grounded in love may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and hight  and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than we can ask of think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Sound of the Week - Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley. I'm sure all of you have heard his rendition of "Hallelujah" and love it, but the rest of his music is often times sadly overlooked. He's got an incredible voice, flowing lyrics and a beautiful sound overall. So for those of you who have never really listened to Jeff Buckley...enjoy.

And check out his CD "Grace". It's fantastic.

Jeff Buckley - "Mojo Pin"

Morning Prayer: A Pursuit of God

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness 
And it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. 

I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. 

I am ashamed of my lack of desire. 

O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; 

I long to be filled with longing; 

I thirst to be made more thirsty still. 

Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. 

Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. 

Say to my soul, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” 

Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee 
Up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.

Finding Rest

Life often provides us with times of relaxation. Whether that means a weekend in the wilderness, a day at the beach, sleeping in on a Saturday, or a ten minute coffee break at work, we know what it feels like to relax. Lately, I've been confronted with the the fact that in my life those times of relaxation are often the times in which I find very little rest or peace. In those prolonged moments when my schedule offers a void, my head begins to race. All of my worries, insecurities, and irrational fears rise to the surface and anxiety gets a grip. But wait:

For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Finding peace and rest are very different pursuits from the search for relaxation. We must find a way to lay our burdens down and quickly step away. We must loosen our grip and release the reigns. We must recognize the bigger picture. Our lives are significant but our actions or inactions are incapable of derailing the sovereign will of God. I have never found true rest while relying on my own abilities. However when I turn to God and affirm that "Your will be done," the waves beneath my feet become a solid and unshakable foundation. It is in that moment when I finally rush into the capable and loving arms of a Father who delights in my joy.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

I urge you each to find rest in this coming week. Finding true peace is contrary to our contentious soul and thus we must struggle to embrace it. Don't settle for cheap relaxation but instead find rest.

Sound of the Week: Beirut - Nantes

This week's sound comes from Beirut, a band from New Mexico who sound like they're from some tiny Eastern European country whose name nobody can pronounce. This is probably because the lead singer found his inspiration from Balkaan folk music while traveling through Europe in high school. They're odd, and probably not for everybody, but I'm a big fan. Interesting instruments and a very unique sound. "Nantes" is absolutely my favorite song, but I also attached a two other songs by Beirut if your interested.

Beirut - "Nantes"

Beirut - "Cherborg"

Beirut - "Postcards from Italy"

***If you like Beirut, you might just like this song as well.

DeVotchKa - "How it Ends"

The Gospel of the Ungrateful

This is the Gospel.

All humanity is born into sin. The simple act of our birth earns us damnation. We are ungrateful creatures, scorning our Holy Father for the fleeting pleasures of earth. Bent on doing evil and lovers of sin, we wander through the darkness drunk on depravity, too blind to even understand our wretched state. We are born into our death, wallowing in our own filth, unable to pickourselves up or clean ourselves off.

And God saw us in this offensive state, yet He did not abandon us. We were his enemies, doing the very things he hates as we sinned. We were vessels of wrath, spitting on our creator, assuming we did not need our Heavenly Father.

Yet He did not abandon us.

He saw us, and though He hated the sin we reveled in, He loved us. He wanted us to have the opportunity to be with Him, but in our dirty and depraved state we could not come near His Holy nature. As a good and perfect judge, He had to punish our sin and pour out His wrath on that sin. Man had to pay for their iniquity.

Yet even still, He loved us.

He had to punish our sin; yet he loved us so much that paradox became reality as God became man to atone for our sin. Man had to pay, so Jesus became man, taking on flesh, that he might be a sacrificial offering in our place. He came, and as He died on the cross He absorbed all the wrath that the history of humanity, past, present and future, had earned. The Father poured out every bit of wrath on Jesus until His wrath was completely satisfied. Jesus paid it all. He drank the cup of wrath to the bottom till not a drop was left.

He saved us from our sin.

There is now no condemnation for those who repent and put their faith in Christ. For those who trust in Jesus, not only is the Father’s wrath towards them satisfied, but they are also wrapped in the righteousness of Christ. So now, the gracious Father on high looks at the believer and sees him as clean and righteous. There is no impending wrath for those who accept Christ, and the Father does not see us as filthy sinners, but instead as righteous sons because Christ was righteous. This is the gift of grace that God offers us, and all we must do is leave our sinful past behind, put our faith and trust in Christ alone, and live to love God. We trade our awful, depraved lives for ones of purpose and joy, and trade our eternal damnation for eternal life.

This is the Gospel.

It is radical. It is mind-numbing, earth shattering and life-altering. It is totally undeserved, utterly transformative and completely insane. Seriously, it is absurd that God loves us and saves us. But He really truly does. However, too often the Gospel does not amaze us. For many of us who have grown up in the church, like myself, the Gospel has become very normal. We think of it and are unimpressed, and thus ungrateful. It become an obvious reality to us and we think to ourselves, “of course God died for us, what else would he do”. We hear that "in Christ you have been saved from eternal damnation", and we do not get excited. That is wrong. In our minds it becomes the status-quo and the way things “should be”, and thus we even go so far as to believe we deserve the grace of the Gospel. But we do not, and we must fight this complacent idea that the Gospel is normal and unimpressive.

We do not deserve grace, and we should wake up every morning utterly in awe of the fact that God has saved us by grace and adopted us as His sons. Think about it. Really think about the Gospel. Ponder it, wonder at it, revel in it, marvel your way through it. It is insane what God did for us, so lets begin to find more joy in that incredible gift.

This is the Gospel. It is absurd, but it is true. It is amazing.

Morning Prayer: Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Right From My Heart

This is a micro-macrocosmic introduction of me:

I went through a phase where I tried to eat nothing but yellow foods for breakfast. I was limited to bananas, pineapple, and scrambled eggs with the occasional garnish of cheddar cheese—occasional because it was a bit too orange for my liking. It was served on yellow plates.

Then I went through a phase where I tried to eat nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast. It was delicious and so, so nostalgic.

Then I went through a phase where I tried to be like my grandpa and eat nothing but cream of wheat or oatmeal for breakfast. Did my grandpa only eat these things? I don't know, but eating breakfast like him meant eating only these things.

Then, in the comfort of myself, I ate whatever I wanted and didn't worry about broadcasting my breakfast food choices to the world. I still do this (or I did until I wrote this).

Once Henri Nouwen asked Mother Teresa how to live out his vocation as a priest, and she responded, "Spend one hour a day in adoration of your Lord and never do anything you know is wrong, and you will be fine." [adapted from The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen]

To live a life honest with myself meant living what was right from my heart. And what is right from my heart is only determinable after blurring the lines between my heart and God's.

Sound of the Week - Rye Whiskey

I really love music. I don't play any instruments, nor do I have any musical knowledge, but I do love music. So once a week I'm going to post a new song that I like to share with you my friends. Here's the thing though. Like I said, I don't have any musical training so I only judge songs based on two things:

1) I enjoy how they sound

2) I like there lyrics

I don't get into technical stuff. So if the guitar lines are too basic, the drumming is no good, or the bassist doesn't know what he's doing...I'm sorry. I just like how music sounds in my ears. Let me know what you think of the songs though.

Today's song is called "Rye Whiskey" by the Punch Borthers. All you Nickel Creek fans should enjoy this because this is Chris Thile's new band.

Enjoy

Taking a Second Look

I had a conversation recently and I must admit: I'm still developing my views on the subject. What should we do when we are confronted by a man or woman, destitute and asking for money. Conventional wisdom says that most of these poor and often-homeless individuals are victims to their own vices; they are addicts to the worst degree. In fact, I have been told that it is wrong to give them money because it only feeds their addiction.

It is true. Many of these poor individuals are slaves to substance abuse. Most of them are irrevocably damaged by their choices. It is true. They may use that money to buy alcohol or drugs. Also, I think we would all agree that an offer of food and shelter would be more beneficial. But what should we do when we don't have food or shelter to give? Indeed, we often don't have the necessary resources or time to give them food or shelter. Should we give them our money?

I say yes. Give them everything you have. Give them not only what you can spare but more! In regard to the poor, the hungry, and the destitute, Jesus tells us that "[a]s you have done to the least of these, you have also done to me." He clearly is not saying merely to serve "those who are unfortunate victims of external circumstance." By "least of these" I think and know that he means "the least": Those who are in prison for just cause; those who are poor because their bad choices; those who are hungry because they are unwise. Jesus did not love people based on pretense, he loved people and through that love earned the right to demand better of them. The prostitute of John 8 deserved capital justice but Jesus forgave her of her crime and demanded she live a redeemed life. We don't know, she may have returned to the streets that night. Ultimately, it does not matter. Every person is responsible for their own actions. We must show love first (after all, isn't that how we know love?) and use that care as a way to persuade others. So next time you see someone on the road with a ridiculous sign that pleads for help, realize that you are responsible for your actions, not theirs. We have been given a gift--Love--and we are responsible to give to others without pretense.

 "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor."

Hearing Love

What if we listened?

What if we really, actually listened to one another? I’m not talking about simply hearing the words that our friends speak. No, I’m talking about something much more intimate and much more difficult. I’m talking about listening to our friends and using our ears to peer into their heart to see their well-being that we might love them better. To really know our friends.

Many of your friends are hurting, some are lonely, and most are anxious. Some are experiencing great joy, others intense sorrow, and some are even wrestling with deep depression.Some are struggling to cope with the busyness of life, while others are so confused about life that they are utterly paralyzed and simply do nothing.

What if we began to listen to these people. What if we started seeking to know them deeply, and to care for them based on how they are doing. What if I stopped living a life focused on myself, and began to focus on the needs of my friends. What if I stopped treating people based on how I “feel” like treating them, and began to take time to understand who they are, and how they are doing, and then using that knowledge to love them excellently.

What if we really listened? Well , to put it simply: if we begin to listen better, we will love better. And if we begin to love better, we will serve God better. Thus, we must become better listeners. Because if we do not know what is going on in their life or their heart, how can we love them well? To love a friend when they are in a time of grief is very different from loving a friend in a time of joy.

Unfortunately, the honest truth is that most of us are very self-centered. Even the most virtuous man struggles to listen well that he might know and love others around him. But that is what we must do. That is our calling. That is what Christ did.

We must gauge out our old perspective and adopt the vision of Christ. We must die to ourselves so that Christ can resurrect our hearts to be enabled to genuinely love the world. We must partner with the Holy Spirit, and pray with fervor, that we might be empowered to take our eyes off ourselves to know and love those around us. This is what happened to the St. Paul. He was literally blinded by Christ, and when he regained vision, he no longer saw the world as a hypocritical, self-righteouss Pharisee. He no longer focused on himself because in comparison to serving God, anything we do to serve ourselves is rubbish.

Here we encounter a paradox of life. In our depraved minds, it seems that focusing on ourselves will ensure a life of success and happiness, while focusing on others will lead to an empty life. However, in Christ, we live in an upside down kingdom where things don’t always make sense because, in reality, the life of pride leaves a man empty, unhappy and unfulfilled, while a life of love and sacrafice brings purpose, satisfaction and intense joy. So let us seek to adopt the vision of Christ, and let us plead with God for a new perspective in life so that we can truly know and love our brothers and sisters around us.

The Bird's View

Have you ever noticed the limitation of perspective? This is what I mean: No matter how great your imagination or how out of the box you may think, your whole life is spent seeing from only one perspective. From the moment you wake to the moment you fall asleep, you can only see with your two eyes and perceive with your own five senses.

We can't truly say that "I know how you feel" and we can't say anything when someone writhes, "You just can't understand what I'm going through!" Even our emotions are limited and prescribed by our past experiences. This is one of life's greatest limitations and it produces most of life's greatest conflicts. Because we see and feel things so differently, we build values around different things. In marriages, families, and friendships, people are divided because they grasp onto their needs too tightly. It's true, a need is a need. I need food. I need to be heard. I need acceptance. I need to feel significant. These are all rational and reasonable needs that are often too evasive for the human soul. Alone they create no conflict but when two people grasp for the same thing, be it attention, acceptance, food, or significance, conflict arises.

Love. This is the prescription for all of life's problems: Love. When we Love, we lay down our own needs for the sake of others. Love doesn't call us to ignore our needs, it calls us to elevate the needs of others. In Love, we can postpone our own fulfillment as we seek to fulfill another. Often times Love goes unnoticed, but in a relationship this sacrificial Love elevates the needy and empowers the needy to fulfill the needs of others. Love. It is our call; a new perspective on Life. This is a bird's-eye view of Christian living.

Stories and Metaphors

Foreword

This is not my story. My story is part of a larger story. God is the author of this story, and I am just one character in that story. What do I want for my life? I want my part of the story to be a good chapter. Simple as that. Donald Miller, one of my favorite authors, talks about the elements of a good story in his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. They are:

1. A character.

2. Who wants something.

3. And overcomes conflict to get it.

That's it!

So lets review what you have learned about me so far:

-I want to live a good story (speaking of stories, one of my favorite movies is Toy Story which, I believe, is an excellent story).

-I trust that God is writing that story (Which is, as Shai Linne Says, "The Greatest Story Ever Told").

-I love metaphors (running is one of my favorite metaphors, not to mention activities).

-I like to read (memoirs, fiction, Ann Lamott, Chuck Palaniuck, Dave Eggers, Jonathan Safran Foers, C.S. Lewis, among others).

What will I write?

I would like to share things I have been learning. That is what is most interesting to me, and I hope it interests the reader also. The theme may not be concrete, and it may take shape as we (the other contributors and I) begin to lay the foundation of this digital conversation. I think that lessons learned are easily understood when they are presented in metaphorical terms. Look at Jesus and his parables, Aesop and his fables, or any good teacher trying to convey an abstract concept. Any metaphor, like any good story, has three elements:

Topic

Image

Point of Similarity

My hope is that I can make explicit the point of similarity, without dissecting the creature into isolated specimen. I hope that the point of similarity connects the dots for the reader also.

Thanks,

Ryan

Blog News

So, what I haven't told you yet is that this blog is actually not my blog, I'm just one of a bunch of contributers. Hopefully, this will keep more people interested as each author will add a different dynamic to the content. So over the next few days, please stay tuned to read the thoughts and musings of Ryan Richert, John Sirjord, Matthew Barrios, and Kyle Lundquist.

High Ground in a Political Tsunami

The midterm congressional elections are tomorrow, 2 November 2010, and the world is watching. What do 'We the People' think about the state of our nation? What do we think about President Obama? Do we really like Republicans, Sarah Palin, or Christine O'Donnell? Did the economic stimuli help or hurt the economy? Is the Tea Party just another political fad (see: Ross Perot)? How do we make sense of the results?

I can't tell you all the answers but as an avid watcher of all-things-political, I can tell you what you should expect to see in the headlines of Wednesday morning. And just for fun, I'll tell you what I think it all means.

Predictions:
1) Republicans retake the U.S. House of Representatives by netting 65+ seats.
2) Republicans take control of 33-34 Governorships.
3) Republicans net 9 Senate seats, the U.S. Senate is deadlocked at 50-50.
4) In California, Proposition 19, Carly Forina (after recount), and Meg Whitman all lose.

What would this all mean? Ultimately, I believe that Nancy Pelosi, much of the Democratic House leadership, and 4-5 members of Obama's team leave their respective posts (mostly to "retire") between now and January. Republicans will reelect the same party leadership. This election should be seen as a dual referendum on both Presidents Bush and Obama and as such, a popular movement toward austere and frugal government. People are uncomfortable with the size of government and deficit spending. Most voters probably trace responsibility for these economic times to poor legislation and mediocre executive leadership over the past decade or two. The majority of people like President Obama and they want him to succeed, but they are getting this feeling that he is more interested in self-achievement then he is in popular leadership. The majority doesn't like Republicans, the Tea Party, Democrats, or any other political movement.

I think the mood of voters is this: They just want it all to go away so that they can live in the sunny nostalgia of yesteryear (whether that be the golden age of Clinton, Reagan, or the world your carefree childhood). None of those 'worlds' ever really existed but it is true that the problems we're facing now seem to be unfixable. As a nation, we've faced greater challenges and none of them had quick fixes. The Cold War took decades to defuse. The Depression cost our families years of blood, sweat, and tears. The sin of slavery was not removed by a simple proclamation. The struggle for independence was not won by the resolve of the minutemen. Please just remember that your vote tomorrow can not save the world, you must look to another Savior.

This Day in History: Reformation Day

It was on this day 483 years ago, 31 October 1517 CE, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg Castle Church. Aside from inception of man, the life of Jesus, Moses, and Mohammad, this is the most potent event in human history. This is the day that modern Christianity was born.

As a brief history, Martin Luther was an obscure Roman Catholic monk. A German by birth, he had dedicated his life in service to the Church and Christ. The pope was selling 'indulgences' in an effort to raise money for the building and renovation St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. These 'indulgences' were supposed relics and treasures of the Church that could be bought for the forgiveness of the sins of living and dead family members. Luther was appalled by this practice--viewing it as an embezzlement of the poor--and as he studied the Bible, he found justification for his criticisms. These criticisms were laid out in his Theses:

"The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last."

Very few people would have heard the rantings of this little German preacher had it not been for a recent invention. The Guttenberg printing press had been developed a few decades earlier and it created the first mass-media. Within two months of his protest, Luther's Theses had been spread throughout the Catholic world. The monk was called to Rome and tried for heresy as his followers began to infiltrate the clergy.


Protestant clergymen were excommunicated, persecuted, and martyred as cities, states, and nations began to distance themselves from the Pope in Rome. Scientists and intellectuals were encouraged to question the "facts" that the Church had taught about the natural world. Theologians were encouraged to return to original biblical texts. Preachers were liberated to teach their sermons in the language that their parishioners could understand.


Most immediately, the Protestant Reformation led to the Enlightenment, the popularization of systematic theology, and two centuries of religious wars. By extension, nearly every world event in the past 483 years have been influenced by a protesting German monk. So this Halloween also remember that it's Reformation Day also. 

Morning Prayer: Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
So let Thy great glory, Almighty, impart,

Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

~Walter Chalmers Smith, 1839

Something About This Blog

This is the first time I've ever blogged so please be patient.

The world is full of self-important people who are ever-ready to have their voices heard--blogging is a perfect outlet. I suppose I fall into this category. After all, I love voicing my opinion about everything and rarely do I have the same energy to listen as I do to speak. This is a way to satisfy both my opining personality and the burdened ears of my closest friends. You have a choice. You get to elect whether to hear me or not.

People want their voices heard and as I think about it, this stems from two urges. First, people are self-important. They want to matter and they want to be patted on the back for all of their brilliance. We live in a culture that has to reward every effort and action that we take. Our works are the most valued part of our existence; we are measured by our performance. We, however, don't want to be loved for our works. This flows into the second reason people want to be heard: The deepest and most sincere desire of every human soul is to be fully known and still deeply loved. This is true for every attention-seeking child, rebellious teen, crotchety old man, as well as the suited armies of faceless professionals who only work to make it to the nearest weekend (queue that catchy Loverboy song!). People wish to be known and loved deeply.

One August Dei is a blog that will explore all of the things that I find to be important. The title of this blog refers to the most important thing: God, who is the beginning and the end of every good thing, knows me fully and still He loves me deeply. The word 'august' is an adjective that describes majesty. Dei is the Latin term for God. So in one sense I'm just saying that there is only one God and he is majestic! In another sense, I'm just referencing the mundaneness of everything I'm writing about. There isn't anything special about an August day. They're usually sunny, peaceful and unmemorable. I hope that my words will convey both the eternal majesty of God and the very temporary importance of many of my greatest thoughts.

Thanks for listening.