Sunday, December 17, 2006
and now for something completely different...
It's been a month since I ranted about EvangePen, EvangeBall and Scripture Aids and now I have a new product that has attracted my spite: Frosted Flakes. Not the original Frosted Flakes (hereafter "FF"), but the 1/3 less sugar variety. What are they hoping to accomplish here? They should call this product "Corn Flakes with a Tease". They are so incredibly far from the glory of the original FF that they do not deserve to carry the FF name. Tony the Tiger should appear on the box as a shaved wet kitten. I think the 1/3 LS FF should be terminated immediately and be relegated to the same product hades that now holds New Coke and Zima. But that's just my opinion, as one who holds sugar in very high regard. (And for the record, I've only ever had one cavity in my life).
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Blogworthy Weekend, Act 3
It's now the next weekend and I haven't finished reporting on the last one, so I best get to it.
The last blog-worthy event from last weekend had nothing to do with the concert, though before moving on from that I should note that I am still on a spiritual high because of it. Though the CD isn't as good as the live show, each track brings me back to last Saturday and how my spirit was lifted and my soul cried out in praise to God.
... Last Sunday at Bible study we got to talking about repentance and living a good life and we explored a bit the ambiguity in such a pursuit. How much do we strive for this, and how much of it is God bringing about holiness in our lives? What is our responsibility and what is only possible because of Him? This is one area where the Scriptures seem to say contradictory things: "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood" (Hebrews 12:4), yet at the same time "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). We bring all we can to the table, yet nothing at all. "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out" (Romans 7:18).
I am left without knowing precisely what I am to do. I can't piece together the Scriptures so that I can understand how exactly this transaction (sanctification in me) takes place. And consequently, if I am not living as though I am sanctified, I don't know what's gone wrong in the transaction that I should now aim to fix.
This elusive understanding is quite frustrating for me and has been a stumbling block in my relationship with God, who, I'm figuring out, is all-around quite an elusive fellow.
By comparison I think about the movie "The Illusionist". I liked the movie because it was an interesting re-imagining of an historical event and took place in locales that I know well from my time living in Austria. I did not like it however because it did not resolve tidily. One aspect of the "miraculous" ending was explained to the audience, but still other parts vital to the unfolding of the puzzle were left unrevealed, and these parts are entirely unbelievable apart from total suspension of one's judgment or, preferably, a suitable explanation. So I felt cheated. The ending would have been more satisfying if how it came about could be naturally explained in its entirely, or if none of it had been explained and all of it had to be left to our imaginations.
So it is with me and God. The aspects of His ways that remain mystical and out of reach to empirical study frustrate me greatly and leave me feeling, at times, cheated. How can I follow Him, as He asks, if indeed I am hopeless to truly follow Him apart from what grace He gives me to follow? In this reasoning, is it not His responsibility then to give me the grace to do what He wants me to do? And yet, I cannot deny that I play some part. My Spirit speaks truth to this.
So I am flummoxed. Yet, on Sunday night last weekend it dawned on me that this may be precisely where God wants me to be. Flummoxed. God is elusive because He could not be God if He were not. If He could be empirically attained, by me or others far smarter than me, He would not be what He most certainly is. He must be out of reach.
And yet He does not leave us with this. He has intentionally asked us to reach for Him -- to pursue Him -- so that we are engaged. Not passive beings merely waiting for eternity to take us back. We were created to engage: with Him, with other human beings. So He's created in us a need to reach, a desire to reach and a command to reach.
In the end, it all works much better if we do this (somehow -- though I don't entirely understand how). But at the same time we must know that He is God alone and will always be beyond our grasp.
I have an unexpected peace about this right now. But I suspect I'll come back to this point again and again as long as I live. It seems to be in my nature to try to figure things out, and divine things are not excluded from this nature.
(If any of this makes sense to anyone else, well I'm amazed because it's quarter past one in the morning and I've been reading way too much Dickens lately!)
The last blog-worthy event from last weekend had nothing to do with the concert, though before moving on from that I should note that I am still on a spiritual high because of it. Though the CD isn't as good as the live show, each track brings me back to last Saturday and how my spirit was lifted and my soul cried out in praise to God.
... Last Sunday at Bible study we got to talking about repentance and living a good life and we explored a bit the ambiguity in such a pursuit. How much do we strive for this, and how much of it is God bringing about holiness in our lives? What is our responsibility and what is only possible because of Him? This is one area where the Scriptures seem to say contradictory things: "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood" (Hebrews 12:4), yet at the same time "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). We bring all we can to the table, yet nothing at all. "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out" (Romans 7:18).
I am left without knowing precisely what I am to do. I can't piece together the Scriptures so that I can understand how exactly this transaction (sanctification in me) takes place. And consequently, if I am not living as though I am sanctified, I don't know what's gone wrong in the transaction that I should now aim to fix.
This elusive understanding is quite frustrating for me and has been a stumbling block in my relationship with God, who, I'm figuring out, is all-around quite an elusive fellow.
By comparison I think about the movie "The Illusionist". I liked the movie because it was an interesting re-imagining of an historical event and took place in locales that I know well from my time living in Austria. I did not like it however because it did not resolve tidily. One aspect of the "miraculous" ending was explained to the audience, but still other parts vital to the unfolding of the puzzle were left unrevealed, and these parts are entirely unbelievable apart from total suspension of one's judgment or, preferably, a suitable explanation. So I felt cheated. The ending would have been more satisfying if how it came about could be naturally explained in its entirely, or if none of it had been explained and all of it had to be left to our imaginations.
So it is with me and God. The aspects of His ways that remain mystical and out of reach to empirical study frustrate me greatly and leave me feeling, at times, cheated. How can I follow Him, as He asks, if indeed I am hopeless to truly follow Him apart from what grace He gives me to follow? In this reasoning, is it not His responsibility then to give me the grace to do what He wants me to do? And yet, I cannot deny that I play some part. My Spirit speaks truth to this.
So I am flummoxed. Yet, on Sunday night last weekend it dawned on me that this may be precisely where God wants me to be. Flummoxed. God is elusive because He could not be God if He were not. If He could be empirically attained, by me or others far smarter than me, He would not be what He most certainly is. He must be out of reach.
And yet He does not leave us with this. He has intentionally asked us to reach for Him -- to pursue Him -- so that we are engaged. Not passive beings merely waiting for eternity to take us back. We were created to engage: with Him, with other human beings. So He's created in us a need to reach, a desire to reach and a command to reach.
In the end, it all works much better if we do this (somehow -- though I don't entirely understand how). But at the same time we must know that He is God alone and will always be beyond our grasp.
I have an unexpected peace about this right now. But I suspect I'll come back to this point again and again as long as I live. It seems to be in my nature to try to figure things out, and divine things are not excluded from this nature.
(If any of this makes sense to anyone else, well I'm amazed because it's quarter past one in the morning and I've been reading way too much Dickens lately!)
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Blogworthy Weekend, Act 2
My experience at the concert this weekend got me thinking about worship services and styles. I had to ask myself why I often have such a hard time getting into the whole "sing worship songs, have announcements, offering, sermon, go home" routine on Sunday mornings? Some days I can enter into true worship while singing, others not so much. Despite the fact that our pastor is a very good speaker and delivers solid messages, I don't long remember most of what he brings us each week. On the other hand though, the concert Saturday night was incredibly engaging for me and I expect I'll remember it for the rest of my life. 72 hours later many of the lyrics, melodies, visuals and the overall feeling are still very vivid to me. Why is it so much easier to remember all that?
I think I arrived at an answer on Saturday night... and it started like this: I'm left-handed.
As you probably know, lefties tend to access the right side of their brain more and this side of the brain is where we get our creativity and, well, it's our artistic side. So lefties tend to be more artistically expressive than their right-handed oppressors (err, I mean "counterparts"). Many of the most famous artists in the world were left-handed: M.C. Escher, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Lewis Carroll, Leo Tolstoy, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, H.G. Wells, J.S. Bach, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, James Brown, 50 Cent, Billy Corgan, Phil Collins and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few. It's an impressive list considering only 8-12% of all people are left-handed. We're disproportionately represented in lists of artistic talents.
I could go on for some time about all this, but I digress ... the point is: though I do not sing, play an instrument, paint, compose or anything of the sort, I'm somewhat inclined toward the arts, and I believe that my heart wants to express itself and be spoken to in artistic forms. Hence, a well-written song might have more of an impact on me than a well-delivered sermon. Now if that same sermon were performed theatrically somehow, it might capture me more. Likewise, music can have varying degrees of artistic value. Some people play songs, some people create art and others lead worship -- a small few lead others into worship through their art and these are my favorite people of all.
Bottom line: I think I'm a bit of an artsy type, even though I do not look or act the part. Maybe that makes me a closet artsy type. And maybe it's time for me to come out of the closet and embrace my inner artsiness. It is, after all, God-given ... just as being left-handed is!
I think I arrived at an answer on Saturday night... and it started like this: I'm left-handed.
As you probably know, lefties tend to access the right side of their brain more and this side of the brain is where we get our creativity and, well, it's our artistic side. So lefties tend to be more artistically expressive than their right-handed oppressors (err, I mean "counterparts"). Many of the most famous artists in the world were left-handed: M.C. Escher, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Lewis Carroll, Leo Tolstoy, Kurt Vonnegut, Douglas Adams, H.G. Wells, J.S. Bach, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, David Bowie, James Brown, 50 Cent, Billy Corgan, Phil Collins and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few. It's an impressive list considering only 8-12% of all people are left-handed. We're disproportionately represented in lists of artistic talents.
I could go on for some time about all this, but I digress ... the point is: though I do not sing, play an instrument, paint, compose or anything of the sort, I'm somewhat inclined toward the arts, and I believe that my heart wants to express itself and be spoken to in artistic forms. Hence, a well-written song might have more of an impact on me than a well-delivered sermon. Now if that same sermon were performed theatrically somehow, it might capture me more. Likewise, music can have varying degrees of artistic value. Some people play songs, some people create art and others lead worship -- a small few lead others into worship through their art and these are my favorite people of all.
Bottom line: I think I'm a bit of an artsy type, even though I do not look or act the part. Maybe that makes me a closet artsy type. And maybe it's time for me to come out of the closet and embrace my inner artsiness. It is, after all, God-given ... just as being left-handed is!
Monday, December 11, 2006
Blogworthy Weekend, Act 1
I just had a very blogworthy weekend ... so blogworthy I need at least three posts to get it all out. So here we go...
Blogworthy Weekend, Act 1 (acts 2 and 3 should be along soon after)...
Saturday night Naomi and I went to a concert called "Behold the Lamb" that's done by Andrew Peterson, with help from Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Jill Phillips, Gabe Scott, Andy G-something-or-other and Eric Peters. That lineup was enough to get us to drop $10 a person on tickets -- we didn't need to know what the concert was all about. If you don't know these artists, I highly recommend you check them out -- google them, look 'em up in I-Tunes or wherever else you get music.
Anyway... it was, quite simply, the best concert I've ever been to. It had a little bit of everything, and everything was done really, really well.
Andy P. started with one of his songs and then introduced the other musicians and explained what would be happening that night. Then five of the artists -- Derek, Sandra, Andy G., Jill and Eric Peters -- each had a chance to do two songs -- each did one and then they went through the lineup again.
I knew what I would get with Derek -- he's always tight. I had heard at least one Sandra song (Derek has done a few she's written -- they're husband and wife) and I knew of Jill Phillips, but had never really listened carefully to either of them. They were both revelations. Very strong singers with well-written, pleasant songs. Sandra has enough country in her (particularly on a song called "Chattanooga") that when Derek joined her on her second song it seemed very much like he was playing Johnny to her June Carter Cash. Andy G., who happens to be married to Jill Phillips (are they trying to breed talented musicians?) was the big winner of that part though with his offering of a song about Andrew Osenga's toe.
Yes, you read that right. Andy played a song about a toe. Not just any toe though. Andrew Osenga's toe. Andrew Osenga has appeared in this blog before -- he's the guy who replaced Derek Webb in Caedmon's Call. He's also the guy I met in Denver on my way from the rental car place to the airport terminal. About a month after that chance encounter he cut his toe off in a lawnmowing accident. Well Andy G seems to find inspiration in odd places and wrote a riotously funny song about Andrew Osenga's toe: it's last meal was roast beef; it wanted to go off to market too; it left in a helicopter ... you get the picture.
Now, 48 hours later it seems rather macabre to laugh about another guy's misfortune, but I'm sorry -- it was THAT funny. I've gotta get a copy somehow. If only I could remember Andy G's last name!
With apologies to Eric Peters, who was good, but not as good as the other four, we now move on to the second half of the show.
Oh ... my ... goodness.
So the second half was the "Behold the Lamb". Andrew Peterson (there are too many Andrews in this story) explained that he wanted to do a Christmas album, but not with covers of the traditional (read: overdone) songs. He wanted to do new material. So he did. Then he invited some friends along to help make it awesome. So Andrew wrote the songs using his clever, whimsical lyrics (he does one song about the lineage of Jesus that is amazingly good considering that the lyrics are really weird names connected by "begat") and folks like Derek, Sandra, Jill and others provide harmonies and background vocals.
He also works in, at various points, plenty of violin parts, drums, a dobro and a hammered dulcimer, creating this rich blend of sounds and also showing off the incredible collection of talent on the stage. One such highlight ... Gabe Scott and John the violin guy (playing mandolin instead) on an acoustic version of "O Come O Come Emanuel". It was just worshipful seeing talented people use those talents and do it to honor Him.
The whole thing was ... whatever the aural version of a spectacle is ... an auracle? It was something to behold, except via listening and not beholding. You get the idea.
Lyrically, it was exceptional in that he begins, not with Mary, but with Moses. He goes all the way back into the Old Testament and spends at least the first four songs dealing with the history of Israel and the prophecies that set the stage for the birth of Christ. Understanding that this context is so important he makes sure we get it before moving on to the events captured especially well in Luke and Matthew.
When we do get there, and spent the latter half of the concert exploring that, there's a well of worship ready to spring forth. I haven't had such a hard time sitting since I was a fidgety 12 year old. I wanted to leap onto my feet hands outstretched and sing with them: "glory to God!" Listening to and interacting with the final two or three songs was the most worshipful experience I've had in years. It captured the whole season for me.
Again, musically it was the best worship I've had since I've been back in America. Lyrically, it was better than all but about ten sermons I've ever heard in my life. On the whole, nothing quite measures up to Handel's Messiah as a Christmas masterpiece, but this is a fine entry for the 21st century.
If it comes to your neck of the woods, I highly recommend checking it out and only hope that I haven't created too high an expectation in your mind.
More later ... for now, I've got to go home and eat some dinner.
Blogworthy Weekend, Act 1 (acts 2 and 3 should be along soon after)...
Saturday night Naomi and I went to a concert called "Behold the Lamb" that's done by Andrew Peterson, with help from Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Jill Phillips, Gabe Scott, Andy G-something-or-other and Eric Peters. That lineup was enough to get us to drop $10 a person on tickets -- we didn't need to know what the concert was all about. If you don't know these artists, I highly recommend you check them out -- google them, look 'em up in I-Tunes or wherever else you get music.
Anyway... it was, quite simply, the best concert I've ever been to. It had a little bit of everything, and everything was done really, really well.
Andy P. started with one of his songs and then introduced the other musicians and explained what would be happening that night. Then five of the artists -- Derek, Sandra, Andy G., Jill and Eric Peters -- each had a chance to do two songs -- each did one and then they went through the lineup again.
I knew what I would get with Derek -- he's always tight. I had heard at least one Sandra song (Derek has done a few she's written -- they're husband and wife) and I knew of Jill Phillips, but had never really listened carefully to either of them. They were both revelations. Very strong singers with well-written, pleasant songs. Sandra has enough country in her (particularly on a song called "Chattanooga") that when Derek joined her on her second song it seemed very much like he was playing Johnny to her June Carter Cash. Andy G., who happens to be married to Jill Phillips (are they trying to breed talented musicians?) was the big winner of that part though with his offering of a song about Andrew Osenga's toe.
Yes, you read that right. Andy played a song about a toe. Not just any toe though. Andrew Osenga's toe. Andrew Osenga has appeared in this blog before -- he's the guy who replaced Derek Webb in Caedmon's Call. He's also the guy I met in Denver on my way from the rental car place to the airport terminal. About a month after that chance encounter he cut his toe off in a lawnmowing accident. Well Andy G seems to find inspiration in odd places and wrote a riotously funny song about Andrew Osenga's toe: it's last meal was roast beef; it wanted to go off to market too; it left in a helicopter ... you get the picture.
Now, 48 hours later it seems rather macabre to laugh about another guy's misfortune, but I'm sorry -- it was THAT funny. I've gotta get a copy somehow. If only I could remember Andy G's last name!
With apologies to Eric Peters, who was good, but not as good as the other four, we now move on to the second half of the show.
Oh ... my ... goodness.
So the second half was the "Behold the Lamb". Andrew Peterson (there are too many Andrews in this story) explained that he wanted to do a Christmas album, but not with covers of the traditional (read: overdone) songs. He wanted to do new material. So he did. Then he invited some friends along to help make it awesome. So Andrew wrote the songs using his clever, whimsical lyrics (he does one song about the lineage of Jesus that is amazingly good considering that the lyrics are really weird names connected by "begat") and folks like Derek, Sandra, Jill and others provide harmonies and background vocals.
He also works in, at various points, plenty of violin parts, drums, a dobro and a hammered dulcimer, creating this rich blend of sounds and also showing off the incredible collection of talent on the stage. One such highlight ... Gabe Scott and John the violin guy (playing mandolin instead) on an acoustic version of "O Come O Come Emanuel". It was just worshipful seeing talented people use those talents and do it to honor Him.
The whole thing was ... whatever the aural version of a spectacle is ... an auracle? It was something to behold, except via listening and not beholding. You get the idea.
Lyrically, it was exceptional in that he begins, not with Mary, but with Moses. He goes all the way back into the Old Testament and spends at least the first four songs dealing with the history of Israel and the prophecies that set the stage for the birth of Christ. Understanding that this context is so important he makes sure we get it before moving on to the events captured especially well in Luke and Matthew.
When we do get there, and spent the latter half of the concert exploring that, there's a well of worship ready to spring forth. I haven't had such a hard time sitting since I was a fidgety 12 year old. I wanted to leap onto my feet hands outstretched and sing with them: "glory to God!" Listening to and interacting with the final two or three songs was the most worshipful experience I've had in years. It captured the whole season for me.
Again, musically it was the best worship I've had since I've been back in America. Lyrically, it was better than all but about ten sermons I've ever heard in my life. On the whole, nothing quite measures up to Handel's Messiah as a Christmas masterpiece, but this is a fine entry for the 21st century.
If it comes to your neck of the woods, I highly recommend checking it out and only hope that I haven't created too high an expectation in your mind.
More later ... for now, I've got to go home and eat some dinner.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
My Family ... Thanksgiving 2006
Top row: sister-in-law Ann, brother David, Naomi and me. Bottom row: my niece Katie, Dad, Mom and my nephew Matthew.
Aren't they cute!
Monday, December 04, 2006
Superlatives, vol. 2
Current faves...
Album: Sufjan Stevens, "Come On Feel The Illinoise". Diverse, odd, infectious, brilliant.
Song: "Casimir Pulaski Day" from the above album. Doesn't end tidily like most songs by Christians do. This one stops with the author still struggling and asking questions, which is where I live a good portion of my life too.
Movie: "Hotel Rwanda". Powerful and convicting. Why didn't we do anything? I was only 18 at the time, but there will be another Rwanda in my lifetime and I wonder if I'll be ready to respond. Perhaps Darfur is it, right now.
Album: Sufjan Stevens, "Come On Feel The Illinoise". Diverse, odd, infectious, brilliant.
Song: "Casimir Pulaski Day" from the above album. Doesn't end tidily like most songs by Christians do. This one stops with the author still struggling and asking questions, which is where I live a good portion of my life too.
Movie: "Hotel Rwanda". Powerful and convicting. Why didn't we do anything? I was only 18 at the time, but there will be another Rwanda in my lifetime and I wonder if I'll be ready to respond. Perhaps Darfur is it, right now.
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