A Community Mind.

Last night I re-watched A Beautiful Mind, one of the films in my "Top 5 Films" list. John Nash is a student at Yale who reforms the dynamics of economic theory proposed by Adam Smith. His underlying principle is that one making a choice must not make a decision for his own benefit but rather make a decision for his own benefit and the benefit of the community. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross initially benefited/benefits the community but not himself. He suffers terribly for the sake of the community. Am I to suffer for the sake of my community or am I to make decisions in line with the Kingdom of God that benefit myself with the hope that a kingdom-approach will ultimately benefit the community (presuming that the community needs realigned with the Kingdom of God)?

ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATION.

Anyone who has read this blog or anyone with whom I have had any form of meaningful dialogue in the month of December knows of my disenchantment with the popular American "celebration of Christmas." My purpose is not to detract from the Messiah celebration event but rather consider the most appropriate and right way to celebrate the coming of God to earth in the form of man. What would Jesus have us do to celebrate his life on earth?

I have tried to maintain the Brueggemannian concept of criticizing the current consciousness but only while energizing toward an alternative consciousness. I would contend that is what Jesus did. He came as a better way; the right way. He challenged the popular religious practice by submerging the sacred (himself) with the secular. He bridged the chasm between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of earth. He was an alternative consciousness. What then, is an alternative way to celebrate the life of Jesus that adheres to the kingdom of God rather than the earthly empire of consumption?

It is problematic to boycott spending and consumption just for the sake of making a statement or raising awareness. What if, however, we pursue the use of our monetary resource in a different manner? To advance beyond the conceptual I am offering some ideas through which Sarah and I have celebrated mostly this year with some experimentation last year:

+ For Kyla's babysitters we purchased beaded necklaces and bracelets through Bead for Life. For every $1.00 spent, $.93 goes directly to a female in Uganda, Africa who hand crafts and paints the items made from recycled paper. Their income then becomes food, medicine, and school fees to aid in the eradication of poverty.

+ For Sarah, Kyla and I gave to Samirtan's Purse in order to feed hungry babies in other countries. The total giving to this program feeds 22 babies for one week. We also gave to help rescue a child from slavery as a child soldier, menial laboror, and other grossly exploitive bondage.

+ We were actively engaged in the food pantry donation projects in Knox and Morrow counties.

+ From our parents we asked that they use the amount of money that they would normally spend on us and seek to give to others and/or donate money to our adoption savings account, enabling us to continue our process for international adoption.

A friend challenged me in a previous post to "prove it" - to prove a type of giving that does not benefit ourselves. I don't know that I necessarily proved anything. My intention is not to say "look what I did" or "I proved it" but rather to offer a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus that glorifies Him and His Kingdom. I trust that Jesus will be the one to prove his love to be real for those effected by our giving. We have not arrived at that fullness of doing what could be done for others or being who we should be for others. There may be better and more effective ways to engange the brokenness of life with people as Jesus did. We look forward to hearing your giving experiences, ideas, and perspectives.

4th Sunday in Advent Reading.

Though my personal readings and reflections are, indeed, very personal and private, I find it timely and necessary to share a portion from yesterday's invocation from "A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants." Please excuse the King James-like Old English. It is a beautiful prayer.

"Bestow upon us, we beseech thee, that most excellent Christmas gift of charity to all, that so the likeness of thy Son may be formed in us."

My personal translation (or, rather, paraphrase) reads:

"We beg you. Give us the greatest gift of all. Give us hearts and minds for giving to all so that we may reflect the very gift given to us: salvation, freedom, liberation, life."

(1) THING (twice).

(1) thing that I like about Christmas: People.

There could be some valuable sociological studies conducted by means of mall observation. When I had the unfortunate displeasure of going to Easton Town Center on December 21, my introverted self found itself tucked away in some corners simply observing people. I am not sure that I can even articulate my thoughts so I will include a few examples and allow you to formulate your own perspective:

A) Two sisters walking side-by-side wearing matching wreath-printed turtle neck shirts under fluffy "Christmas" sweaters.

B) A two-hour line to have a child's picture taken sitting on the lap of an unknown man dressed in a large red suit with fluffy cotton lining and beard.

C) Anxious and self-indulged expression of teenage girls trying to pick out just the right outfit. In a matter of 20 minutes, 15 other girls painstakingly picked out the same exact outfit.

(1) thing that I don't like about Christmas: People.

There are (3) groups of people that drive me crazy during the holiday season:
1) Parents.
a) who buy there children everything that they want.
b) who scream at their children in stores.
c) with strollers.
2) Drivers: Who determines who is able to obtain a Driver's License anway?
3) Teenagers in Starbucks: See upcoming post entitled, "Who invented the Frappucino?"

DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that I fall into category 1C. Sarah and I use a stroller (see pictured) when in public and walking any extended distances. I actually ran into a girl's bag when she stepped out in front of me. Fortunately, the bag was from Hollister so I didn't mind hitting it. Secondly, it was her fault for not yeilding to oncoming traffic. Who determines who is able to obtain a Baby Stroller Driver's License anyway? Rather, who determines who is able to obtain a Teenage Girl Walking in Mall License anyway?


This post is dedicated to LEE YOWELL.

IN RESPONSE: "You hate Christmas."

In my response to a friend's post entitled "Why I like Black Friday" another friend commented, "you hate christmas." I imagined his tone of voice and the comments that may have followed in conversation such as, "I mean... you really hate Christmas" or "I mean... you really hate Christmas. What did Christmas even do to you? Did it punch you in the face? Would it not get off your shed when you asked it to? I mean... you hate Christmas."
I laughed hysterically when I read his comment. I later asked myself, "Do I hate Christmas?" Hate is such a hateful word.
There are some elements of Christmas that I do loathe. Some obvious examples are:

• The paired colors of bright red and kelly green.
• Inflatable snow globes that function as yard ornamentation.
• Strands of lights that burn out on the tacky, artificial evergreen tree that sits in the corner of the room.
• The commercial exploitation of Jesus.

My disenchantment with the popular American celebration of Christmas does not exist because of what it did to me but rather what it does to others. We waste our time, money, and resources to fulfill our desires for high-definition home entertainment, designer clothing, and other personally selected gods and goddesses. Is Jesus really honored by our consumption that pays homage to stuff, devalues simplicity, and oppresses others who do not have the wealth and resources that the rich (as an American I am a part of this class) hoard for themselves.
There are some elements of Christmas that I value:

• Spending more time with family.
• Intense reflection on God coming to earth as a man.
• Reconnecting with friends.
• Giving to those who have need for food and child care.

So to answer the question, "Do you hate Christmas?" I must respond, "No... but my heart breaks at the consumerism that is the supposed celebration of Jesus' life on earth." I imagine if I were a man in Africa dying of AIDS whose wife could not feed herself or our child and I was asked, "Do you hate Christmas?" then I would respond, "It depends on how you celebrate it."

ADVENT CONSPIRACY.

Please visit Advent Conspiracy then post your thoughts.

CNN: Holiday Edition.

"What Would Jesus Really Do...?: Holiday Edition" will be airing on CNN Friday evening, December 21 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

One Question.

I have saved most of my thoughts about consumerism for one week before Christmas. I think that I become too angry and I needed some time for mellowing before attacking an issue that resonates deeply with me. I will begin with one simple question:

Is Jesus honored by our mass purchases?

ARROGANCE AND AUTHORITY II.

Can arrogance be equated with speech or an action that is one's own claim of his/her authority? In other words, is it "the pot calling the kettle black" for someone to tell another that he/she is arrogant?

FLUX.

"All is flux." - Heraclitus.

I don't know what life holds.
I don't possess clear vision of the "road ahead."
I don't know.
And that is GOOD.

DISCLAIMER: In an effort to recover from my previous post's usage of modernistic bulleted notes I am defining flux as continuous, fluid movement as opposed to the modern science notions involving measured rates of movement, strength of a force, or a refining substance. Though all may be applicable my original thought processed the existential movement through life.

DISCLAIMER II: I do not necessarily embrace all the thought of the pre-Socratic, Ionian philosopher Heraclitus nor do I necessarily dismiss all his propositions.

ARROGANCE and AUTHORITY.

Can an arrogant person admit his/her own arrogance? If so, then isn't his/her own admittance arrogant because he/she views himself/herself as authoritative enough to make that decision?

Clarity and Mystery.

Apparently, I have been reading too much. I had to get glasses for reading, writing, and blogging due to a slight stigma, farsightedness, and ocular fatigue. It is relieving to have greater clarity when I read. At times I think that I would like greater clarity of thought, perspicuity in communication, and lucidity of vision but am trying to embrace the fatigue that accompanies the beauty of the unknown and unseen mystery of the kingdom of God.

JUXTAPOSITION / TOUR / CONSUMPTION / SUBSEQUENT.

This post is to provide a perspective of the direction that my blog will progress for an undetermined amount of time. The next several posts will include thoughts and questions on:

• giving and the juxtaposed consumerism of the supposed celebration of Jesus entering earth in the form of man.
• the neo-lecture given by Rob Bell as introduced in the post below entitled "THE GODS ARE NOT ANGRY TOUR."
• philosophical wonderings that consume much of my mind.
• life experiences and the subsequent production of community, journey, and revelation of truth.

Please excuse the effect that modernism has had on me as revealed by my use of bullets in the above list.

The Gods Aren't Angry Tour.

On Saturday, December 2, I took the Oakwood Hall staff to Cleveland, OH to see and hear a neo-lecture given by Rob Bell, teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI. I purchased our tickets in June which resulted in row 5 seating in the Allen Theater located in the Playhouse Square Center theater district. The teaching was part of "The gods Aren't Angry Tour." Bell traveled to 22 cities in the U.S. to deliver his message in theaters and concert halls. The net proceeds of the ticket cost of $15.00 each were given to the Turame microfinance project in Berundi, Africa, a country "adopted" by the Mars Hill community.
We departed Mount Vernon without directions to the theater knowing only that we were headed toward Cleveland. In order to arrive we had to stop to interact with people to ask for directions. I thought this would be a challenging, enjoyable, and/or even frustrating journey but proved to be anti-climatic when we by chance took the correct exit and landed only a few blocks from the theater district.
My desire was to avoid any popular chain restaurants and find a high-quality local establishment for food. We skipped over Starbucks to go to a local coffee shop as we waited availability of table for seven. An Italian place called Acapella's was not able to accommodate us in time for the teaching so we dined at Otto Moser's Restaurant. We finished just in time to be about ten minutes early to our seats in the theater. Then it began...

American Gladiators.

American Gladiators was one of my favorite shows on Saturday mornings when I was a child. Nitro, Viper, Storm, Electra, and others took on the "contenders" in a series of physically challenging competitions. Though I am a reader of Henri Nouwen, who does not advocate competition, I must appeal to the game-like, simulated-competition entertainment that is the returning American Gladiators. The show returns to NBC on January 6 with a special program this Wednesday evening. I'm sure I will have some upcoming posts comparing and/or contrasting the television show to real gladiator battles about which we read in history books or watch in cinematographically enhanced films starring Russell Crowe. Alas, I have my calendar marked for some American Gladiator viewage.

True.

"Be true to yourself." What does that even mean?

Peace.

Last night I went to sleep at 1:00 a.m. which is about 2 hours earlier than my usual schedule the last few weeks. I'm not really sure how I've functioned on the little rest that I have had. After sleeping for about one hour I awoke fully alert and unable to fall back asleep. I had originally fallen asleep with feelings of tension, anger, anxiety, and fearfulness. Upon awaking everything... seemed... well.
I had the fullest sense of peace.
Peace is not something that may be constrained to that absence of violence or hatred.
Peace is the idea that everything is in it's right place.
Peace is a reflection of proper Christian community.
Peace is the fullness of the presence of God.
I laid awake in prayer, in the fullness of the presence of God, for one whole hour experiencing the dynamic interplay of the transcendent YHWH entering the realm of my broken humanity and displaying his immanence. For once my mind was kept still. The usual philosophical thoughts and theological reflections that keep me questioning through the late hours of the night were captured by the grandeur of God's presence. At one point I got out of bed and went into Kyla's room to pray for her. I COULD NOT PRAY. At least I could not pray certain things. As I tried to pray for her as opposed the blessing that I usually pray over her I realized that anything that I would ask would be only a worry rather than a prayer. I have taught against the very idea of "worrying our prayers" and realized that I had been practicing that myself. All that needed said to my daughter was "peace be with you."
When the clock turned to 3:00 a.m. I asked God for rest. As if someone were actually speaking into my mind, the only thought I could think was, "Why do you need rest when you have peace?"

Lee Redeemed.

Please visit Lee Yowell's blog for his post about the "Dark Side of Black Friday." He redeems his sarcastic "Top 5" list with a well stated post on the brokenness of humanity.

IN RESPONSE: part 5 (v).

"1. People Watching. The thing is if you are a student of human nature and/or enjoy sociology at any level, then you would find this entire experience to be well worth it. For me, I’d probably go even if I didn’t buy a single thing. It’s that much fun."

I suggest that next year one goes and does not buy a single thing. There is an incredible sense of freedom to be experienced when one dismisses that commercial exploitation of Jesus and expresses the love of Jesus to others who are in genuine need of our monetary wealth and overall possession of resources. It is joyful. It is hopeful. It is peace. Not that I have already obtained this, but I press on against my desires for more that oppress my neighbors.

IN RESPONSE: part 4 (iv).

2. Hearing people waiting outside a Target store at 4:30am, in late November calling other shoppers crazy. (They were talking about folks that had been camping outside of a Best Buy since midnight.)

I would have liked to hear that as well so that I could blank stare at them for a solid 5 minutes creating an incredible sense of uncomfortability and/or awkwardness. Were you one of the people in line at 4:30 a.m. who is now talking about the crazy people?

IN RESPONSE: part 3 (iii).

3. Waiting in line and making new friends. When waiting in line for so long with other people you just end up chatting and sharing stories. One of the ladies in front of me, while waiting in line at Target, made a Starbucks run at 5am and surprised me with a cup of delicious hot chocolate. I was very appreciative and was able to return the favor around 5:30am, when they held my place in line and I ran to a nearby McDonalds to use the restroom. I returned with a bag of hash browns and we all enjoyed an early breakfast snack.

OK, waiting in line to make friends on Black Friday is as good as putting a coffee shop in every church gathering place's lobby, vestibule, narthex, atrium, foyer, etc. Must we make such excuses to form relationship? I am all for relationship and even while standing in line, however, I do not find successful justification for consumption here. Now the rest of the story is wonderful except for the fact that I throw up in my mouth at the thought of McDonalds. And who buys hot chocolate from Starbucks?

IN RESPONSE: part 2 (ii).

"4. Watching the sheer carnage as people try to charge the doors, in front of those persons who had been waiting for hours in line. That’s just darn good entertainment. Oh the humanity!"

"Darn good entertainment." Yes, once again unarguable. But I have to wonder why people wait for hours in line. Do they realize that if they worked for the hours that they stood in line that would have made enough money to purchase all there items at full price? Oh, the humanity!

IN RESPONSE: "Why I Like Black Friday."

The day marked for celebration of the birth of Jesus is nearing. Comments are frequently made about the origination of the holiday being pagan. I would argue that which was pagan and made religious has largely become pagan again. The "celebration" that we now call Christmas has become the commercial exploitation of God coming into the brokenness of humanity. I will continue to add some posts on the repulsivity of consumerism. For the next 5 posts I am responding to a post of a friend noting "The Top 5 Reasons why I like Black Friday."

"5. A 3-way-tie. The fifth place spot is a hodgepodge of three things that I couldn’t cut out. They are being awake at 3am, getting 50 to 70 percent off, and hanging out with a pair of identical twin ladies in their mid-40’s that were proudly wearing reindeer antlers on their head that light up and play music. Basically, I love being up when so many others are sleeping, its just like you got the whole place to yourself. As for the savings, paying a lot less for something I’d be buying anyway always helps. The ladies with the affinity for their holiday head gear, well…I guess you had to be there."

What should be marked as #7, "being awake at 3:00 a.m." does not have to involve being at a store to spend one's money. I am usually awake at 3:00 a.m. either in dialogue with residents of Oakwood Hall or reading and writing for my master of arts program.

What should be marked as #6, "getting 50-70% off" is extremely problematic. Here, the marketers of all thins retail and commercial have perfected the art and science of making one think that he/she needs something. One will think, "If I can get 50-70% off then why shouldn't I buy it? I'm saving 50-70% of the original price." One then forgets that he/she is, indeed, spending. Though the spending may be half the amount it is still monetary spending on a product that you may not be buying anyway. I have to wonder that if a "sale" didn't exist if one would still maintain that "I'd be buying that anyway." The possibility exists that there are many things that are desired as opposed to needed that would not be purchased "anyway" if we were not tempted by the marketed "sale." Aside from the monetary issue, is shopping really the most valuable use of one's time? Please refer to comment on #7 above.

As for the "identical twin ladies in their mid-40’s that were proudly wearing reindeer antlers..." I simply cannot argue with that.

With Kyla.

A Gathering of Worship.

For the first Sunday of Advent, Sarah, Kyla, and I attended a service at The Church of the Holy Spirit on the campus of Kenyon College. The order of service was conducted as a drama described by the metaphor of "act" and "scene." It was a beautiful display to engage heart, mind, and body in the whole narrative of God with his people.
It has been some time since I have heard the amount of Scripture read during a religious service as was read today. I felt deeply and thoughtfully engaged even when providing intermittent attention and care for Kyla. Have other gatherings lost the appreciation and use of the holy Scripture?
During the recessional, a small child walked/climbed/crawled up in the front of the nave and into the arms of the rector. She held him in her arms with a smile as the music continued to finalize the service. Immediately following the service refreshments were served in the center of the cruciform nave. Again, children were everywhere. Ultimately the ended up crawling under the alter and the pulpit, two liturgical elements highly regarded for their symbolism. There is great beauty in the presence and activity of the children. They are allowed to be children and they are allowed to engage in worship. They are not frowned upon. They are accepted. They are loved. The community of Harcourt Parish is a wonderful place of intergenerational community. While there are children everywhere, there are those in their 20s, 30s, and on into 80s or 90s. Many worship gatherings that I have attended recenctly have been constrained to college students with 30-40 year old pastors. Have those gatherings lost the value of interacting with multiple generations and accepting all that each generation has to offer in service? The older their wisdom and experience? The younger their energy and untaintedness?
Many Catholic churches deny the service of the Eucharist to those who are not "catholic." Statements were clear in this Episcopal gathering that all who have been baptized are welcome to receive the elements of the bread and wine. Sarah and I (carrying Kyla) went forward to be offered the body and blood of Christ. As we knelt and prayed and partook of the bread and wine, the rector placed her hand on Kyla's head and gave her a blessing of grace and mercy and a filling with the presence of God. In addition to the blessing, during the time of Peace, as congregants specifically approached Sarah and I, they looked at Kyla and smiled and offered her peace as well.
It was beautiful.
I am extremely thankful for our experience today.