Away In A Manager

Much earlier this month, I got to meet and hold a baby less than 24 hours old. It was terrifying. He seemed so small and fragile. His loudest cry barely turned a head because his lungs weren’t yet big enough to wail. He was beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but mostly soft and tiny and helpless.

I was incredibly content to look at him. Who knew what would happen if I held him? Suddenly everything in the room and on my person resembled a potentially harmful weapon that could wound this little life in a split second.

This little boy was the son of my coworker Stacy. His name is Zachary and his arrival was much anticipated. Zachary was their first, and Stacy did everything she could to nurture his growth while he slowly developed within her.

She and her husband made every preparation for his entry into the world- touring the hospital, attending childbirth classes, decorating the nursery, looking up baby food recipes, getting his car seat approved, buying onesies, baby blankets, socks and hats. This little man didn’t know how good he had it when he took his first breath out of the womb.

In the midst of Advent season, God had me meet a little boy to help me meditate on the baby boy of the Christmas story. Marveling at little Zachary (and the Christmas card picture still propped up on my kitchen table), I still can’t believe Jesus donned the flesh of a helpless infant. Moreover, he didn’t have the relatively plush life that Zachary does, but rather endured real poverty, rejection, and homelessness as a newborn while embodying joy, hope, love, and peace in their purest forms.

The story of the child in a manager and his life on earth is the ultimate story of humility, for the God of heaven and earth condescended Himself into the form of an infant. The longer I think of the Christ child, the more clearly I see my own pride and sense of entitlement in contrast. Thus, during this Christmas season, I’ve asked Jesus to teach me His humility and am trusting He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself... Philippians 2:5-8

Book Review: The Gift of Being Yourself

Acknowledging from the start that it may seem paradoxical to write a “book promoting self-discovery to people who are seeking to follow a self-sacrificing Christ," David Benner insists that knowing self and knowing God are intimately intertwined.  By knowing our vulnerabilities, our gifts, our pitfalls, and our own personalities, we can better know the God who made us and meet Him as He actively delivers us.   

In The Gift of Being Yourself, Benner doesn’t gloss over the importance of disciplining ourselves to sit at God’s feet so that we might really know Him, not just know about Him.  He encourages readers to meditate on the life of Jesus as described in the Gospels as one way to give shape, color, and flesh to the God we long to know.  He also spurs the reader on to meet God in the events of daily life by taking time to reflect with God on the happenings and subsequent reactions and emotions of the day.

Knowing oneself is clearly described as knowing ourselves in relation to God and also knowing ourselves as we are and as God intends us to be.  Benner affirms that we can’t really know ourselves without knowing simple truths about the way God made us: we are sinners who are deeply loved and we are works in progress with marvelous potential.  As such, we must dig deep to discover the self that is really present, that is the self that we would prefer to ignore.  To truly know oneself, the false selves so quietly crafted must be unmasked, accepted, and then sacrificed to God for transformation.  In this way, Benner hones in on developing an integrity and authenticity to the self that does not naturally exist.  Our natural inclination is to hide and pretend, but to truly experience the “gift of being yourself,” one must first come to terms with the real self that we might not even know until we trod deeper into the journey of self-discovery. This is the redemptive restoration process of the Christian life.

Thoroughly describing both the current situation and the journey ahead, Benner continues by offering practical ideas for how to identify the false self and grow into the true self that is uniquely made and distinctively called by God.  It is evident throughout the book that both the process and outcome of truly knowing self are grounded in the Lord and intended for His glory and our deep joy. 

Benner’s case that the journey of self-discovery and knowing God are co-dependent and inseparable is a believable one.  He supports his arguments with compelling biblical texts along with keen observations of the human psyche and development. I found the premise refreshing, especially as our sinful identity is increasingly emphasized while our dual identity as God’s image bearers is (albeit fractured images) is more and more so ignored.  We are indeed “God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10).  Benner captures both identities quite well in this work and inspired me to know my true self in Christ.  

Around 100 pages, this is a simple yet centering read; especially relevant as we quickly arrive at the time of year in which we reflect on who we are and who we are becoming.  Get it!

The REAL Self-Realization

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you..." Matthew 4:19

The psychology field has a lot to say about self-realization.  It's our ultimate need, says Maslow, the thing after which we strive.

So do many Christians.  It’s a selfish pursuit, say some.  Just one more piece of evidence that collectively and individually, we’re slipping into a state of absolute consumption with self.

While self-realization is an obvious result of a blatantly individualistic culture, I don’t think self-realization and faith are diametrically opposed.  As with many ambitions, the way self-realization is understood and pursued as god in our society is skewed.  The intense focus on finding what makes you happy and discovering who you want to be can be sickening, but the hope of self discovery is not a devilish concept in and of itself. 

I contend that today’s pursuit to realize one’s individual identity, strengths and potential is primarily a distortion of the sanctification process.  We all agree and sense that we are not yet what we were created to be, and so we long to find that person, our true self, that God designed in His own image.  Without a clear understanding of the Gospel, this process is like a pre-teen without a license taking the wheel.  We aren’t supposed to be in the driver’s seat and we don’t really know where we are going or why.  We just want to move, progress, transform, grow, but we don't know where, how, or why.

Without the salvation story, we miss out on the crux of our story, i.e. we are being developed by a Sovereign God into men and women who reflect His character, creativity and beauty.  This is intended to give God His deserved admiration and devotion, not primarily to make us happy.

Although many have ignored the operator and the forgotten goal of these self-realization efforts, it is a valuable process.  In the gospels, we see Jesus reeling in His first disciples by promising to make them into something that they would be but were not yet.

Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.

John Calvin said “without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God.”  His proposition is somewhat audacious.  Shouldn’t God be so set apart from us that knowing ourselves would lead us away from His perfection?  By this statement, are we claiming to be like God?  No, experience proves it true: Knowing ourselves, the created, leads us to knowledge of the Creator.  Indeed, a severe reckoning with our self helps us glean something of God’s character.  The sin within repulses us because somehow we have an idea of what perfection is and how we fall short.  We are thus drawn to that perfection.  The semblances of purity we find in our self then reflects God in us and reminds us of Him. 

Scripture shows us that pursuing knowledge of self and knowledge of God are two intertwined adventures meant to be embarked upon within the same journey.  Jesus promises to “make” the disciples should they “come, follow.”  Following leads to knowing and with every step, we know more of ourselves and more of the King we serve.  Jesus is in the business of making, and there is much joy in participating in that process with Him as discover our true selves.

Lessons from Autumn

Something happens in me every autumn- something beautiful and refreshing.  The colors, the relief from heat, and the feeling of a fresh new start all collide to create a sense of awakening.  Years of the rhythm of the school year have created an unmistakable association with this season- the old is gone, the new is come! 

Ironic though that it's the death of foliage that heralds this awakening.  It's not new birth, it's death.  Those striking colors all result from the degeneration of trees and bushes as they prepare for winter hibernation.  Day after day, leaves change color and drop to the ground to be trampled and slowly disentegrate. 

It may sound odd, but God uses trees to teach me.  I'm not an animist, but for four years now, I can pinpoint specific lessons God had for me by drawing my attention to nature, and specifically to trees.  This season is no different.
The Christian life could not be possible without death.  Jesus' sacrificial death and powerful resurrection are the avenue by which we gratefully inherit eternal and abundant life.  God does not waste death; He uses it. 
Likewise, He calls us to death.  We see this most clearly in Matthew 10:38,

"Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

The life God designed for us is found through death- both Jesus' and our own death to the god of self.  Death is not only meaningful and purposeful for the Christian, it is beautiful as God so lovingly reminds us at this time of year.

The Levity Effect

Life has been getting really serious lately.  Jeromy is looking for a job, my employer just went through a round of lay-offs, and a double dip recession is officially upon us.  Socially, I've been spending lots of time with acquaintances and friends alike talking about serious subjects: anxiety, depression, insecurity, and loneliness.  It's not all necessarily bad serious though.  Friends are also having babies, getting married, and landing jobs.

It could be the dark mornings and cold evenings, but whatever the reason, everything and everyone seems so SERIOUS lately. 

So I enjoyed spending the first two hours of my Monday morning in the "corporate world" on this project:

Fondly entitled "P-Section Pumpkin," this entry in our office's annual pumpkin carving contest heralded some much-needed laughter (and won!).  It also led me to look for more opportunities to employ the Levity Effect, as my coworkers call it, at work and home.  In sum, LIGHTEN UP!

So here's to taking ourselves a little less seriously, whether it be by creating borderline graphic pumpkin displays or laughing at the minor freak-out you had yesterday.  God has a sense of humor, so why shouldn't we?

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 

The Family of Believers

What does it mean to be a member of the family of believers?  In Christ, we are blood relatives in a new way, now related to each other by Jesus' blood shed for us rather than the colloquial “blood relative” phrase alone. We live this out as the church today through both the miraculous and the mundane, because that’s what families do.

  

This family identity is enjoyed in potlucks, praying for each other, celebrating baptisms, holidays, and weddings together, sharing possessions and meeting practical needs.  This is “doing life together,” as the trendy Christian catch phrase goes, but I contend there is a depth to this identity rarely explored.  Are we acting as family or are we really attending meetings and accomplishing the administrative tasks asked of us?  When it comes to living and loving as family, I think we experience moments of delightful sacrificial family life but honestly, overall, probably only scratch the surface of what God intended with that powerful designation.

 

Caring for seven year-old Shannon last week afforded me a mere peek into the riches of living as a family of believers.  Shannon’s parents delivered a precious baby boy and needed someone to take care of Shannon those first few days that leaving the hospital wasn’t an option.  On respite in Richmond from their work in China, their local family IS the church.  It’s incredibly novel to me, but normal to them.  So we played Old Maid, we sat down at the dinner table together, we read Bible stories, we tucked Shannon into bed and got her ready for school.  For 48 hours, I learned a little more what it means to live as the family of believers, and I think it made God smile a little bit.  It made me smile too :)

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 

Galatians 6:10

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

1 Peter 2:17

In Celebration of Freedom

Why is autumn so intensely beautiful and refreshing?

It might be the fresh start feeling of the “back to school” season or the precision of the drum line at football games. It could also be the first glimpses of vibrantly colored leaves or seasonal pumpkin-flavored delicacies. I think those sounds, sights, smells, and tastes are all part of the allure of autumn, but in my opinion, it is the freedom from oppressive summer heat that causes the season to be welcomed with such open arms. That first chilly morning that resulted in wrapping up in cozy fleece and slipping on soft slippers confirms it.

For me, spring’s offer of freedom from winter’s bitter cold lacks in comparison. Autumn does not offer the plagues of itchy, red eyes and hourly sneezing fits that spring does. With the first buds of spring, freedom from cold is traded for bondage to aggressive allergies. It’s no contest, really. Right now, today, is the best time of year. It’s the sights and sounds, smells and tastes, but it’s also the FREEDOM from the suffocating, muggy heat that we Richmonders know well.

Our nation has recently celebrated freedom with a few high-profile human interest stories. Who is not captivated by the scenes of the U.S. hikers falsely imprisoned in Iran running down airplane steps to their families? Was it possible to miss the overturn of Amanda Knox’s murder conviction and the captivating photos of her tearfully leaving the courtroom?

         

Can you imagine the relief and joy that these individuals and families experienced upon receiving freedom from imprisonment and even in the case of the hikers, abuse?


Here’s to freedom of all kinds-

freedom from false accusations, prison, abuse, and enslavement;

freedom from sickness, hunger, injustice, and poverty;

freedom from the strong bonds of sinful greed, impatience, malice, and retribution;

freedom from hopelessness, despair, self-pity, and keeping up appearances.

Even still, here’s to freedom from heat, humidity, and hurricanes.


For all of these heaps of grace, thanks be to our Father who created both seasons and freedom and gives them abundantly to our weary bodies and thirsty souls. May we partner with Him to share this freedom with who we can in whatever ways we can.


Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

This is CHAT Y'all

Reason 174 to love Church Hill Activities and Tutoring: The CHAT Rap

The Opposite of Cruelty

"Hospitality is the lens through which we can read and understand much of the gospel, and a practice by which we can welcome Jesus himself," explains Christine Pohl in her book Making Room.  Then why has so much of the modern church forsaken it?

Jeromy and I have begun a study on recovering the practice of church-based hospitality with a small group of servants at RH.  After the first week, I am convicted of neglecting the practice and renewed with courage to pick it back up.  

Within the church, hospitality offers more than fellowship to friends, but compassionate welcome to strangers.  Making room for the least of these is not a substitute for the regular meeting together of Christian family, but simply a fulfillment of the other half of the equation.  In Matthew 5, Jesus says "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?"

In fact, the distinctive Christian contribution to hospitality in early church history was the emphasis on including the poor and neediest, the ones who could not return the favor.  When was the last time I hosted stranger in my home?  What was the most recent occasion that I welcomed someone into my life who could not offer me anything in return?  The instances that come to mind are not as commonplace as these exemplars of the early church.  Could it be because of my fear, aversion to risk, tight hold on my possessions, or packed schedule?  I can't snap my fingers and force those obstacles away, so I'm praying that Jesus would free me from hindrances and enable me to practice His discipline of hospitality.

The resurrection of Christian hospitality is not solely purposed for the care of those in need.  In the first few centuries A.D., it cannot be overlooked that hospitality played an instrumental role in the spread and credibility of the Gospel.  It paid no heed to race, class or gender, but infiltrated lives with Good News and an offer to come and partake. "Deeds speak the language of the great virtues far better than words do... words limp outside the gates of the mystery of compassion for strangers," mused Philip Hallie.  Indeed, Jesus came, He spoke, and He acted... perfectly.  We are left with His example to do likewise, including meeting the "strangers in our midst" where they are and inviting them in to our social circles, our row at church, our conversation, our plans, our communities, and our homes.

Many have followed the example of the early church in offering hospitality to strangers, including refugees, the homeless, the disabled, the sick, and wanderers.  In so doing, Dorathy Day, a Catholic Relief Services worker poetically remembers, "Mistakes there were, mistakes there are, there will be."  Serving people in this way never follows a systematic process; it is sacrificial love and love, well, it's messy.  A dish may be broken, sheets sullied and carpets muddied, but the gift is worth the sacrifice.  It is better to give than to receive.  "Show hospitality," God plainly says in Romans 12.  In the end, making room and welcoming can be uncomfortable and uneasy, but "the biggest mistake is to play things very safe in this life and end up being moral failures," concludes Day. 

I am convinced most of these blog entries are opportunities for me to preach to myself as much as anyone else, so as I respond to conviction and tease out the application of God's call to hospitality, join me.  

Pohl suggests that embracing sustained hospitality requires a full girded in prayer, a light hold on possessions, and a commitment to a simplified lifestyle. It can be difficult to know to whom, when, and how much if we are distracted by our complex lifestyle and not listening to the Father.  What a brilliant place to start.  

"The opposite of cruelty is not simply freedom from the cruel relationship, it is hospitality."  Philip Hallie.
 

World Religions 2.0

A new world religion has arrived on the scene. Despite a gapping lack of a charismatic founder or body of doctrinal literature, it has gained followers at lightning speed.  It's called "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" and was first specifically identified by a study into the religious thoughts of American teenagers by Christian Smith, a Sociology professor at UNC-Chapel Hill.  Alongside Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Judaism, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is certainly something you would recognize, even if not by name. 

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism "is about inculcating a moralistic approach to life.  It teaches that central to living a good and happy life is being a good, moral person.  That means being nice, kind, pleasant, respectful, responsible, at work on self-improvement, taking care of one's health, and doing one's best to be successful." 

Being "nice" is a central tenant of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism.  It follows then that holding strong theological convictions that exclude other truth claims is not nice, rather outright rude.  Here, MTD consciously separates from Christianity since standing behind some central truths of the Christian life is a direct violation of MTD doctrine.  The word nice is actually never used in the Bible.

Secondly, MTD is also about "about providing therapeutic benefits to its adherents."  It is the religious feel-good pill that costs no money.  MTD is also the only world religion void of an acknowledgement of suffering or sacrifice. "This is not a religion of repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of a sovereign divinity, of steadfastly saying one's prayers, of faithfully observing high holy days, of building character through suffering, of basking in God's love and grace, of spending oneself in gratitude and love for the cause of social justice, etc.," explains Smith in his study.  "Rather, what appears to be the dominant religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally about feeling good, happy, secure, at peace.  It is about attaining subjective well-being, being able to resolve problems, and getting along amiably with other people."  Happiness is the end to which we seek.


Third, MTD also alters the concept of God.  He is still one who orders the universe and gives humans moral guidelines, but He is not one who is personally involved with human affairs.  He's especially not involved in the personal happenings in which we prefer God to stay at a distance.  In MTD, God is not God of all things, rather of a select few convenient things (i.e. meeting my needs).

Lastly, the most interesting facet of MTD noted by Smith is that this new world religion dominates our culture without requiring adherents to leave their church affiliations or Christian identification.  "We have come with some confidence to believe that a significant part of Christianity in the United States is actually [only] tenuously Christian in any sense that is seriously connected to the actual historical Christian tradition, but is rather substantially morphed into Christianity's misbegotten step-cousin, Christian Moralistic Therapeutic Deism" summarizes Smith in his book Soul Searching. "We now live in a nation that largely considers itself Christian, overwhelmingly believes in some deity, considers itself fervently religious, but has virtually no connection to historic Christianity."

It's flexible dimensions require little, but what does this new religion offer in return for it's teasing appeal of ease and comfort?  Perhaps the benefits are just what the seekers seek- the resolution of problems and a good feeling.  But is that worth following? 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

The Hope of Restoration

No one could have missed yet another example of the earth's ability to demolish and destroy this weekend as Hurricane Irene collided with the East Coast. Irene wreaked damage, but not as much as originally feared by its precarious trajectory across major East Coast cities.

What might have been overlooked about this natural disaster is that, as 2011’s tenth billion-dollar episode, it has tied the 2008 record for most billion-dollar disasters in one calendar year.

Courtesy of Our Amazing Planet, here are the others:

Upper Midwest flooding, summer: Melting of an above-average snowpack across the northern Rocky Mountains, combined with above-average precipitation, caused the Missouri and Souris rivers to swell beyond their banks across the Upper Midwest. An estimated 11,000 people were forced to evacuate Minot, N.D., due to the record high level of the Souris River. Numerous levees were breached along the Missouri River, flooding thousands of acres of farmland. The flooding, which is ongoing, has caused more than $2 billion in damages.

Mississippi River flooding, spring-summer: Persistent rainfall (nearly triple the normal precipitation amounts in the Ohio Valley), combined with melting snowpack, caused historical flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. The region suffered $2 billion to $4 billion in losses. At least two people died.

Southern Plains/Southwest drought, heat wave and wildfires, spring-summer: Drought, heat waves, and wildfires scorched through Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, southern Kansas, western Arkansas and Louisiana this year. In Texas and Oklahoma, respectively, 75 percent and 63 percent of range and pasture conditions were classified as "very poor" as of mid-August. Wildfire fighting costs for the region are about $1 million per day. Well over $5 billion in damage has been done so far, with over 2,000 homes and structures lost.

Midwest/Southeast tornadoes, May 22-27: Central and southern states saw approximately 180 twisters and 177 deaths within a week . A tornado rated EF-5 on the tornado damage scale struck Joplin, Mo., resulting in at least 141 deaths, making it the deadliest single tornado to strike the United States since modern tornado record keeping began in 1950. The total losses were greater than $7 billion.

Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest tornadoes, April 25-30: This outbreak of tornadoes over central and southern states led to 327 deaths. Of those fatalities, 240 occurred in Alabama. The deadliest of the estimated 305 tornadoes in the outbreak was an EF-5 that hit northern Alabama, killing 78 people. Several major metropolitan areas were directly affected by strong tornadoes, including Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn. Total losses exceeded $9 billion.

Midwest/Southeast tornadoes, April 14-16: An outbreak over central and southern states produced an estimated 160 tornadoes. Despite the large overall number of tornadoes, few were classified as intense, with just 14 EF-3 --and no EF-4 or EF-5 -- tornadoes identified. Total losses were greater than $2 billion. Thirty-eight people died, 22 of them in North Carolina.

Southeast/Midwest tornadoes, April 8-11: An outbreak of tornadoes over central and southern states saw an estimated 59 tornadoes. Total losses were greater than $2.2 billion.

Midwest/Southeast tornadoes, April 4-5: An outbreak of tornadoes over central and southern states saw an estimated 46 tornadoes. Total losses were greater than $2.3 billion. Nine people died.

Groundhog Day blizzard, Jan 29-Feb 3: A large winter storm hit many central, eastern and northeastern states. Chicago was brought to a virtual standstill when 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 meters) of snow fell across the city. Total losses were greater than $2 billion. The snowstorm killed 36 people.

You are not alone if that list raises an eyebrow. The intensity and sheer quantity of weather disasters in recent past has led more than one person to wonder if end times prophecies are slowly being fulfilled.

Is the world ending? Are we spiraling out of control? Is the earth hinging on the brink of absolute demolition?

No. We are neither left to our own devices, nor precariously hinging between death by earthquake or storm. The promise is not demolition, but restoration for those claiming redemption in Christ.

What we do know is that no one knows the day or hour except for the Father (Matthew 24:36) and the city that we are waiting for is worth the wait… For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come... A city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (Hebrews 11&13).

Until then, we shouldn’t be surprised by calamities.  It's part of being fallen.  Of course this doesn't dismiss the pain of death and loss, but it does remind us that this is not all there is to life.  We are expectantly waiting for something more.  Thank God!  Romans explains that creation is subject to frustration at its present state, but it will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom that we as children of God have already tasted.

In the words of Nicole Unice:

God Made it Good.
Sin Made it Suffer.
Love Walked Among Us.
To live free, Believe–
Our Risen King Cometh!

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:22-25

Funerals and Earthquakes

Without wanting to, I've been forced to reckon with the idea of death lately.  Last week, a beloved coworker tragically and suddenly lost her 21 year-old brother in a late night single car accident.  This week, an earthquake erupted for an uncomfortably local visit.

There is nothing that brings you face to face with your powerlessness like the prospect of death.  Our culture professes power over virtually everything else.  But death, no one escapes.  No one in their right mind can pretend to exert power over it.  We have the capability to control so many other things- disease, time, pregnancy, careers, location, colors, styles, tastes, textures, smells.  The list goes on and on.  You name it, we can choose it.  If we can't choose it, we can change it.  But not death. 

The chilling shock of death when we see it, experience it in those we love, and consider it as a probability for ourselves is just as much a shock to our controlling tendencies as it is to our expectations.  It's not just that we didn't see it coming, it's that we didn't choose it and we can't change it.  Our power is not useful here.  Our self reliance is not relevant.  The status quo is not reliable.
  
Because of both a recent tragedy and a narrow escape from it, I am reminded of our powerlessness when faced with the grave.  We don't choose, although Lord knows we would like to.  Believer and atheist, Jew and Gentile,  scientist and philosopher, Muslim and Christian- all confess that we are empty handed and powerless before the grave.  

But what is the response?  For the skeptic, it may be one bad night's rest and a decisive banishment of the thought to a dusty corner of the mind.  For the believer, we are keenly reminded of the singular Hope that appears most certainly in times and places in which we lack.  Death is too large for us to control.  We are powerless before it.  We need someone larger than ourselves. 

So grace it is... it's all we've got.  God so loved the world that He gave... so that we could hope.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  Hebrews 2:14-15.

For the Days I Want to Feel Small

Sis and I were talking about the strange things we do on our computers when we turn to mush and get sucked into the world wide web.  Kelsey looks for cars at carmax.com, peruses every posted picture on hokiesports.com, and reviews weather forecasts for every city she's ever thought she might like to live.  

I prefer to visit blogs, especially Google's Blogs of Note.  It's like the work of paparazzi, but autobiographical and therefore, consensual.  I also can't stay away from National Geographic's website.  Their Photo of the Day never disappoints.  As I find myself stuck on their website again tonight, marveling at the wonders of the world as captured by camera, I am reminded how BIG the world is and how even BIGGER still God must be to have created this.  These many creatures, these unique people, these striking habitats... all different, carefully constructed, and precariously balanced.  All beautiful in their design. Our Maker is innovative, yes?

Lesson to self: Breathe deeply and step out of self-centered, tiny world.  Breathe deeply again, and the breath is a little less haggard.  It's also a little deeper, in fact, because my perspective has returned.  My vision has widened and deepened.  

I am not the center of the world.  I am not the protagonist.  I am God's beloved, but me and my flippant preferences are not meant to reign as absolute in this life.

I figured I'd pass a few photos and captions along, courtesy of nationalgeographic.com, of course!  If I'm not inspired enough to write something worth reading, I'll settle for passing along something worth viewing. 

AUGUST 10, 2011

Kermode Bear in Tree, British Columbia

Photograph by Paul Nicklen, National Geographic

This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features

A mother of two cubs climbs a Pacific crab apple tree to grab its tart and tiny fruit. In years when autumn salmon numbers are low, the bears must find other food, such as wild berries, lupine roots, and mussels.

See more pictures from the August 2011 feature story "Spirit Bear."

AUGUST 8, 2011

Nujood Ali, Yemen

Photograph by Stephanie Sinclair, National Geographic

This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features

Nujood Ali was ten when she fled her abusive, much older husband and took a taxi to the courthouse in Sanaa, Yemen. The girl's courageous act—and the landmark legal battle that ensued—turned her into an international heroine for women's rights. Now divorced, she is back home with her family and attending school again.

See more pictures from the June 2011 feature story "Too Young to Wed."

AUGUST 3, 2011

Al Kazimiyah Shrine, Baghdad

Photograph by Lynsey Addario, National Geographic

This Month in Photo of the Day: National Geographic Magazine Features

Pilgrims visit Al Kazimiyah Shrine, a Shiite holy site relatively unharmed by the years of violence.

See more pictures from the July 2011 feature story "Baghdad After the Storm."

JULY 31, 2011

Koala, Australia

Photograph by Gary Brown, Your Shot

This Month in Photo of the Day: Animal Pictures

This little miracle was saved from its dead mother. Taken at The Australian Reptile Park in Australia NSW. The amazing staff hand raised this little fella and against all the odds he is surviving and is just immensely cute!!!

JULY 29, 2011

Cheetah, South Africa

Photograph by Frank Trimbos, My Shot

This Month in Photo of the Day: Animal Pictures

Enjoying the attention, the cheetah Juba stretches out in the grass at Wetevreden Leeuplaas (Lion Farm). She needed some peace and quiet because her leg was broken.

JULY 21, 2011

Deer, Japan

Photograph by Angie Sin, Your Shot

This Month in Photo of the Day: Animal Pictures

Deer in Nara, Japan, are revered as holy messengers of God and are allowed to roam freely. They are well known for their bowing gestures for food.

The New York Times on Evangelicals

Finally, a realistic, comprehensive take on the evangelical Christian, articulated by none other than "liberal" Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times.  Whether you consider yourself an evangelical or not, this commentary is a must-read.

In sum, Kristof uses the recent death of "gentle" 90 year-old John Stott, a British Christian writer and pastor, as a launching pad for painting a more holistic view of the evangelical movement. He begins with the overdone stereotypes, i.e. evangelicals are self-righteous, anti-intellectual, and reactionary.  

I know I am not alone in cringing when I hear these judgmental, rash assumptions.  Each of these words hits a heavy blow, first to my pride, and then to my heart.  I know it should never be surprising to walk into verbal persecution, but it leads me to contemplate: Are we really being the people of God that do the work of God if the first words that come to mind in describing the evangelical movement are self-righteous, anti-intellectual, and reactionary?  Something is not right.  Part of the problem is today's scan the page, grab a to-go cup, talk on your Bluetooth at the grocery store type of culture.  Luckily, Kristof doesn't leave it there; he rises above today's common reluctance to peer beneath the surface... of anything... and actually uses observation and facts to put together an informed opinion.  Fancy that.

He says, "Yet that casual dismissal is profoundly unfair of the movement as a whole. It reflects a kind of reverse intolerance, sometimes a reverse bigotry, directed at tens of millions of people who have actually become increasingly engaged in issues of global poverty and justice."

Thank you Nicholas.  Looking beneath the surface of the evangelical front pagers, so to speak, reveals a group of authentic people that simply believe God is who He says He is and tries, although failing often, to do what He said to do.  We're not perfect, and don't claim to be.  That's the point of the Gospel.  But, I don't think it rash to say there is more good in the world because of the God's working through His followers. 

The Sweetness, Substance, and Stickiness of Communion

Every week, in the midst of Communion, I can't help but notice the way the wet, sweet bread sticks in my teeth.  I partake, I remember, I say thanks, I taste the sweetness, and then I chew.  I chew some more, usually pause a second, twist my tongue to get the combination out of my molars, chew a little more, and swallow. 

Is it blasphemous to be writing about this?  Hopefully not.  I know it seems the antithesis of what one is supposed to be thinking of while receiving the sacrament, yet week in and week out I can't help but notice the stickiness of Communion... and how it illustrates to me the stickiness of Jesus.  Corny and weird, but true.

Jesus, in His holy perfection and love, will not be quickly dismissed or shoved aside.  He is dynamic, followable, and charismatic in His leadership.  His sacrifice of both body and blood on the cross binds us to Himself in the Trinity.  Essentially, He is sticky.  Our relationship with Him is one that sticks.  His followers are meant to be sticky.  So it's not too far off base that taking Communion prove to be a sticky experience.

Lingering after church today, I noticed one of the pastors' daughters dancing around the gym with a styrofoam cup full of leftover communion bread.  I then entered a conversation with a friend in which he held a few pieces of bread in hand and casually nibbled as we talked.  "It's too good to go to waste" he laughed.  Indeed, it might be the most delicious communion bread I've ever tasted.  Fresh-baked every Saturday and pleasantly sweet, it just tastes darn right good.

Please don't think RH disrespects the practice of Communion.  I like to think of God smiling at our childlike enjoyment.  In Communion, the elements become sacred symbols of blood poured out and a body broken.  They are earthly food and drink meant to aid us in remembering that Chris emptied Himself, made Himself nothing, FOR US.  Upon consumption, you also can't help but notice that the bread and juice are both sweet and substantive.  The combination tastes pleasant on my tongue and fills me. 

So I am reminded not just of Jesus' kenotic sacrifice and nature, but also of His sustenance and the sweetness of communion with Him.  Yet again, God uses the simple things to draw me in. 

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Matthew 26:26-28. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Psalm 24:8.

Debt Doomsday Approaches

What the heck, people?!  Please make a decision: http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/18402

For as much bipartisan talk as our airwaves relay to us commoners, it sure doesn't seem like our representatives comprehend the practice of bipartisanship.  This country's cavernous party divides run so deep that they have transformed the other side into real-life enemies.  The subject of the battles vary, yet always rage front and center in the public eye, slowly chipping away at our confidence in our leaders and heightening our cynical response towards them. 

An NPR interviewee stated recently that a decade ago, fierce debates could be fought across the aisle, but handshaking and casual catching up always surfaced when the debate was over.  Today, that "post-game" civility has disappeared from Congress' floor.  Let's return to the soccer field and make sure our kids are high-fiving and congratulating each other with a "good game" so they don't follow in the footsteps of today's leaders.

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Matthew 5:43-47

Muted

To be honest, I can't keep track of Paul's imprisonments recorded in the New Testament.  They seem countless.  Their individual significances and differences are completely lost on me.  All I know is that Paul was a man on a mission who persevered with the determination of a fierce athlete.

So today when my pastor pointed out the gravity of Paul's two-year incarceration without any recorded letters written during that time, I took note.  "When two years had passed, [Emperor] Felix... left Paul in prison," Acts 24 reads.  Over two years in his prime spent in a cell.  We read Paul's experience and personality into this story and presume fruit was grown and reaped during his tenure in prison, but there is essentially no evidence to assure us.  

What if Paul simply sat and prayed?  What if he despaired?  What if he sang?  What if he spent weeks in silence and enjoyed only one conversation with a skeptic?  What if he spent weeks in silence and enjoyed only one conversation?  What if?

God has afforded me comfort lately in pointing out that patriarchs, popular New Testament figures, and modern day saints alike have all lived "muted" years.  These years spent void of memorable color and spice passed void of noteworthy productivity or miracles.  Noah was 500 before he is even mentioned in the Bible.  Moses and the Israelites wandered the Arabian desert for 40 years between the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and the long-awaited arrival to the land promised.  This morning I learned of Paul's muted years.  

Lesson to self: These years are not unique to me.  I gather that they are not necessarily BAD, perhaps they are simply part of the package, an ebb in the flow of life.  At the risk of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, I tentatively think I'm in such a season now, and thank the Lord that I'm not alone!  Other folks, even Bible folks, gusty folks, and wise folks describe having lived through a few muted years along their way. 

Henri Nouwen confirmed and articulated this for me tonight with his September 2, 1985 journal entry written during his first days at a L'Arche community, a haven where mentally handicapped people live together in the spirit of the beatitudes.  After voluntarily leaving Harvard Divinity School and all of its prestige, Nouwen entered a simple and communal life at a L'Arche community located in the tiny French village of Trosly.  

Here he entered a season outwardly muted, yet spiritually enriching.  No brilliant books.  No fascinating lectures.  No reputable companions.  A journal of thoughts, prayers, and questions is all that year produced.

"I know in my heart that now is the time to pray, to read, to meditate, to be quiet, and to wait until God clearly calls me.  I am happy with the clarity I have... This is clearly a time for hiddenness and withdrawal from lecturing and giving retreats, courses, seminars, and workshops.  It is a time for being alone with God.  I feel a tension within me.  I have only a limited number of years left for active ministry.  Why not use them well?  Yet one work spoken with a pure heart is worth thousands spoken in a state of spiritual turmoil.  Time given to inner renewal is never wasted.  God is not in a hurry." 
Henri Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey