Watchmen, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A friend of mine sent this one over. Some pretty cool stop motion work. I'm also really enjoying the guy's voice. Glad it's a guy singing it.
This guy - Joshua Radin - is quickly becoming one of my favorites. This is the song that introduced me to him. A new favorite, off his newest album, is 'Brand New Day' ...just in case you want to check out that one too.
Monday, February 09, 2009
And the Grammy goes to...
I didn't watch the Grammy award presentation yesterday but did go to the website to check out the winners. If you're in the same boat - all you're really concerned about is who won - then check out the list here.
How to Make a Walmart Trip an Adventure
The best part is that my mom sent this to me!
After I retired 6 months ago, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring so I had to amuse myself in some way while my wife did what most women like to do - browse at a leisurely pace.
Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Wal-Mart:
Dear Mrs. Samsel,
Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Samsel are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.
1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.
2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.
4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away. '
5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.
6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.
8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him, he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'
9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used i t as a mirror while he picked his nose.
10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.
11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.
12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.
13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'
14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'
And last, but not least .
15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!'
After I retired 6 months ago, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring so I had to amuse myself in some way while my wife did what most women like to do - browse at a leisurely pace.
Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Wal-Mart:
Dear Mrs. Samsel,
Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Samsel are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.
1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.
2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.
4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away. '
5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.
6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.
8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him, he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'
9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used i t as a mirror while he picked his nose.
10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.
11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.
12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.
13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'
14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'
And last, but not least .
15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!'
Monday, February 02, 2009
Making Room For Solitude - Shirin Taber
Ever feel like someone's been in your head? That's how I felt when I read this article...right down to the working with college student thing...minus the whole toddler, husband thing.
I find myself wishing that a) I could communicate my thoughts on this as clearly and had written the article and b) I could live it better in "real" life.
I find myself wishing that a) I could communicate my thoughts on this as clearly and had written the article and b) I could live it better in "real" life.
Making Room for Solitude
by Shirin Taber
“My life is crazy busy right now,” a friend recently emailed me. Aren’t we all? I thought. Many Americans these days live hectic and frantic lives. We tell ourselves things like, Run. Push harder. Don’t be a loser. We no longer know how to give ourselves the permission to rest or do something for ourselves. In our drive for perfection, we’re working what feels like 24/7 to bring our own lives under absolute control; employment, paying bills, grocery shopping, laundry, 300 emails, home repairs, church, volunteering, a friend in need, in-laws to satisfy, a baby who won’t sleep through the night … Am I describing your world yet? If not, I will be, in the blink of an eye. A child becomes a teenager. The teenager becomes an adult. And the adult has no time for herself. But it wasn’t always this way.
One of the things I treasured about working with students as a university chaplain on three different continents was their capacity to disengage from the real world to do something meaningful for themselves. When I’d visit students in their dorm rooms or college apartments, they’d often have their stash of watercolors, sketching pencils or journals strewn about their living space. It didn’t mean they were taking an art class.
These folks intuitively knew how to unwind and get in touch with life on a different plane. They collected music and literature, spending an entire weekend polishing off a novel or mixing CDs. They took tons of photographs and created digital movies. They baked and experimented with recipes. They made time for museums, film festivals, dance recitals or friends’ theatrical plays. They ordered pizza at midnight, then got up early to see the sunrise before falling back into bed again. Yes, they had responsibilities, term papers and part-time jobs, but they also knew how to put themselves first.
Where is that girl inside of me? I know she’s in there somewhere. I want to find her again, and I hope it’s not too late. I don’t want to be in the middle of a midlife crisis before I give myself the freedom to enjoy life and make time for myself again. I’m not talking about “doing nice things” for myself, like splurging on a new handbag or buying a new stereo system, but about carving out time for myself. Solitude.
For me, solitude is that time when I can close the door and hear my thoughts and the thoughts of God without being distracted. It’s disengaging from the world and letting my mind drift to the magical land of possibilities, the life I truly want to live. I could be reading or taking a walk or soaking in a bathtub, but I am alone, and I feel the love and power of God envelop me. I dream about possibilities and hear God whisper ideas I’ve never considered before. I hear His corrections, His plea to slow down and love the people around me better. The sensation infuses me with life, hope and a sense of expectancy—like a schoolgirl in love. When was the last time you experienced it? I know, you can’t remember.
Why Are We So Tough on Ourselves?
Parents, teachers, coaches and employers may be the culprit. Quiet moments were rarely valued or modeled in our homes or among our peers. Few of us saw our families or friends live out their private lives in a way that communicated it was OK to make time for ourselves, to practice the spiritual discipline of solitude. They want us to buy into the baby-boomer lie that more is better. They want us to be independent and competent, to be financially secure and control our own destinies.
Growing up no one taught us how to grow a garden, how to kick back on the weekends with a warm blanket and good book or play board games as a family by the fire. We were always in the car, going to some event, doing some activity or sitting in front of the television. We heard the emphatic message that “you can do anything”—and that meant doing, not being. So we became demanding and failed to learn one of the greatest lessons in life—that sometimes, doing nothing is the most powerful experience of all.
In order to achieve the level of perfection we believed we had to attain, we needed to be productive. Club sports, youth group, piano lessons, Girl Scouts, homework, volunteering, employment—you name it, we’ve done it. As Judith Warner describes in Perfect Madness (Riverhead Trade), “There can be no distracting personal or avocation detours—[we] must be unrelenting in the pursuit of goals. No one can do anything if it doesn’t involve doing everything and doing it all at an incredibly high level of performance.”
I don’t want to be the kind of person who walks around with a “save the world or else” complex like some of my peers do these days. Instead, I want to be more like those who can embrace their inner child. They naturally turn on the football game, break out a deck of cards or play chess after dinner while the rest of us start loading the dishwasher. Maybe they’re just Type B people and I’m Type A. Possibly, but I think it’s more complicated than that. More often than not, I don’t give myself permission to read a magazine or take a walk because I feel the need to always fix things and don’t give others in my life a chance to help out.
I need to stop wanting my life to look perfect and in control to those around me. Because when I do, I beat myself up for missing the mark of perfection, and I’m left feeling too tired to address my greatest needs. Too tired to read. Too tired to soak in the tub. Too tired to play with my preschooler. Too tired to love my husband. Too tired to write. Too tired to pray. Something has to change.
A couple of times each year my husband finds sanctuary at a local spiritual retreat center. He fasts, plays his guitar, takes a walk, and talks to God. He comes away from that time renewed and believing that he’s heard from God. Sometimes it’s a simple message such as “Love people more,” and other times it’s more dramatic and may require a job change or relocation. He does this because it brings both God and him much joy to commune intimately, without the distractions of the world. Though I don’t like being left at home alone with our young children, I relish my husband’s arrival after a spiritual retreat. He’s glowing, mellow, attentive, and more gentle. He’s the man I married again.
We’ve been married for over a decade, and I have yet to enjoy a personal retreat. Sure, I’ve been on spiritual retreats—but with 50 other women. I have a good time, but I wouldn’t use the word “refreshed” to describe how I feel when I return to home to three wide-eyed children. Frankly, I am wiped out from so much interaction with so many people and so much information. I have just spent forty-eight hours with nearly just as many women … how can that be refreshing? What I need are some serious moments of solitude.
Learning to Let Go
The letters originally penned by Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fénelon, the Archbishop of Cambri, France, during the 17th century call us to let go of our selfishness and insecurity, which drive us to strive incessantly. Fénelon was the spiritual adviser for a small community of believers in the Court of Louis XIV, who sought to live a life of true spirituality amidst a society that was decadently immoral.
Fénelon wrote to his pupils, “Learn to cultivate peace. And you can do this by learning to turn a deaf ear to your own ambitious thoughts. Or haven’t you learned yet that the strivings of the human mind not only impair the health of your body, but also bring dryness to the soul. You can actually consume yourself in too much striving. … Your peace and inner sweetness can be destroyed by a restless mind.”
Have you, like so many these days, become increasingly cynical, overly analytical and suspicious toward people and life in general? Where do we find refreshment for our souls in a desert with no streams? How do we ignite our soul and begin cultivating our imagination? How do we find that quiet space in our lives again to reflect, create, pray, and dream? Keep reading.
First, we must see solitude or silence as a positive experience, not a negative one. Some women may actually be afraid of time alone. As Richard Foster says in Celebration of Discipline (HarperSanFrancisco), “The fear of being left alone petrifies people … our fear of being alone drives us to noise and crowds.” We have, in many ways, become dependent on noise and activity to make us feel alive and purposeful. We become anxious when we have nothing to do.
Unfortunately, we miss the opportunity that solitude offers us for much-needed rest and reflection—the kind of stillness that enriches our world and the quality of our relationships. For example, I feel a greater sense of compassion and desire to be attentive to others after I have spent some time alone. As Thomas Merton says, “It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love [others]. The more solitary I am, the more affection I have for them. It is pure affection and filled with reverence for the solitude of others.”
Solitude requires giving yourself permission to be alone once in a while. This will be harder for some. One of the reasons we resist solitude is that it make us feel useless or empty. We are used to controlling the world around us, and we get anxious when we are not moving all the time. We need to learn how to disengage from the nonstop demands of work, relationships and parenting and allow others to step in for a few moments to take over. It may also require organizing our time better so that we have margins in our schedules to take a breather and re-energize. When we are quiet, we have the opportunity to trust God more.
I often find that when I take 20 minutes out of my day to lie down, read or pray, new and life-giving thoughts fill my mind. Some of my greatest ideas for writing, media and ministry projects have even come to me during five-minute showers. As a mother of young children, sometimes a shower is the only “alone time” I get during the day. But when I can be alone, I hear from God more clearly. I turn over in my mind new ways to approach a problem or obstacle. I sense my shortcomings and remember to apologize to my loved ones.
Will you make time for yourself? It’s as simple as closing the door or taking a walk outdoors. You don’t have to live a frazzled, stressed-out life. You can love and enjoy people more because you make time to love yourself. Solitude awaits you.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
More things about me...
When you're laying around sick, there's only so many things to do. I spent some of my time adding to the list.
26. One of my favorite things to read is a cooking magazine.
27. I tend to be a bit cynical...and sarcastic.
28. I’m 29 years old but am regularily told I don’t look that old. I think it’s because I act like I’m 12 and it averages out somewhere in the middle.
29. I’m 100% Canadian but can’t skate.
30. I do, however, know how to curl…not my hair, the sport.
31. I love being tall. I’ve never wished to be shorter but have often thought another inch or two would be fun and useful.
32. I am my father’s daughter. I’m not just talking genetics.
33. Great wall of China. Hiking. Need I say more?
34. Kids make me smile.
35. Sticky notes have a multitude of uses.
36. I really don’t like talking on the phone and yes I have not one but two cell phones.
37. Johnny Depp IS Captain Jack Sparrow and that is cool if you ask me!
38. I used to do a lot of gardening, canning and preserving with my mom. I miss it.
39. There are a lot of things I would like to do but feel like I can’t because of external limitations.
40. Nothing beats mom’s chicken soup when you’re sick.
41. I’m proud of the fact that my family is German.
42. I don’t drink nearly enough water every day.
43. I feel a bit like a social chameleon. I blend in in a lot of places but don't really belong anywhere.
26. One of my favorite things to read is a cooking magazine.
27. I tend to be a bit cynical...and sarcastic.
28. I’m 29 years old but am regularily told I don’t look that old. I think it’s because I act like I’m 12 and it averages out somewhere in the middle.
29. I’m 100% Canadian but can’t skate.
30. I do, however, know how to curl…not my hair, the sport.
31. I love being tall. I’ve never wished to be shorter but have often thought another inch or two would be fun and useful.
32. I am my father’s daughter. I’m not just talking genetics.
33. Great wall of China. Hiking. Need I say more?
34. Kids make me smile.
35. Sticky notes have a multitude of uses.
36. I really don’t like talking on the phone and yes I have not one but two cell phones.
37. Johnny Depp IS Captain Jack Sparrow and that is cool if you ask me!
38. I used to do a lot of gardening, canning and preserving with my mom. I miss it.
39. There are a lot of things I would like to do but feel like I can’t because of external limitations.
40. Nothing beats mom’s chicken soup when you’re sick.
41. I’m proud of the fact that my family is German.
42. I don’t drink nearly enough water every day.
43. I feel a bit like a social chameleon. I blend in in a lot of places but don't really belong anywhere.
After my '25 Things about Me' post, a friend sent me this link with some really great library photos. I'd be content with almost any one of them.
'Cause we've all wondered what it looks like
I'm especially partial to America Land. Why wouldn't there be an America Land in heaven?!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Top 100 Movies
Rogers always puts their top 100 movies of the year list up on their website. Okay, maybe not always but certainly for the last couple years. The list for 2008 is up. It's a pretty eclectic list of films.
There's a lot on the list I haven't seen...and a lot on the list I won't.
Anyone have any other recommendations from 2008?
There's a lot on the list I haven't seen...and a lot on the list I won't.
Anyone have any other recommendations from 2008?
25 Things About Me
This thing started in my circle of friends on facebook a couple days ago and, while I don't usually get sucked into these things, it's been so much fun reading all the ones so many of my friends have done that I felt like I should. Then, once it was done there, I thought I might as well post it here too. Sorry if you got it in both places.
1. I would live off pizza, chocolate (especially the dark stuff), cheese, wine and coffee if my body would let me. It probably won't so I don't.
2. I love to read. My favorite part of Beauty in the Beast (Disney's version) is when Belle walks into the big library. I want a library like that...with a ladder!
3. My favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning when I'm not working is to curl up on the couch in my jammies, with my coffee and watch cartoons. I don't care if I'm approaching middle age (thanks for the pearl of wisdom, Tasha!).
4. I love playing volleyball and really miss playing right now!
5. The only thing I'm allergic to is celery. I know, retarded. It could be worse. It could be chocolate (see #1).
6. I never feel better after I vomit. I don't know who those crazy people are that do. I'll do ANYTHING to avoid it.
7. One of my favorite things about my job at the pool is the people...patrons, students & staff. I love people. Even stupid people. They may be frustrating but they provide good stories.
8.I love dogs but not cats. I grew up with dogs but haven't had one since I moved to the city. Sad but probably good since some days I can't seem to take care of myself let alone anyone else.
9. My dream vacation would be to Scotland and Ireland to wander castles, absorb history (I love the history!), visit churches, photograph the countryside, hang out in pubs and hear the accents...and that's just for starters. Don't know why but it's always been where I want to go.
10. I love to drive. The car is one of my most relaxing places. It's also one of my most frustrating. Go figure.
11. I'd like to be a race car driver, but maybe just for a day.
12. I thoroughly enjoy breakfast food and could eat it for any meal of the day. Waffles. Pancakes. Eggs. Especially eggs.
13. I'm a night owl. My ideal day would find me starting my day around 9:30 am and finishing around 2 am the next day.
14. I hate the cold. Despise it. I don't care if I grew up in Northern Alberta, I think it sucks...the cold, not northern Alberta.
15. I think summer all year 'round would be a good idea - No, I wouldn't miss snow at Christmas - and have thought of moving somewhere where it's warm all year but don't know where I'd go. And I'd miss my family. Lots. So I'm still here.
16. I love movies. All kinds of them...but I think boy-action-type movies are probably my favorites. The epics like Braveheart and Gladiator, the lighter action movies like Transporter and Mission Impossible and everything in between.
17. Music, music, music makes me happy. Playing, listening, writing. I'm convinced that there is a song for every moment - a soundtrack for life, if you will - and that there are many different genres worth appreciating.
18. I sometimes don't think that I'm a very good "girl." I don't do pink, I'm not really sure what to do with makeup or a curling iron, I prefer beer to fruity drinks, I would take just about any kind of movie over a girly chick flick, I shop when necessary (unless it's a book store), perfume makes my nose itch, I love sports - playing or watching, gossip makes me cringe and I hate to cry.
19. I pride myself on being self sufficient but would love to have someone to take care of me.
20. I would love to publish a book one day. When I figure out what it's going to be about I'll let you know.
21. I'm a big nerd. I love school and am looking forward to going back. I thrive off learning, researching and writing.
22. I don't really like living in the city. I would love to have an acreage with horses, a greenhouse and a house with a wrap around veranda.
23. I would like to use my photography to fund my ministry...maybe I would have my own photo studio one day or, if I'm really dreaming, shoot for national geographic.
24. I love every minute I get to spend walking life with people and helping them realize what it is that God really thinks of them, what he's created them for, and what this life is about.
25. I'm passionate about the church and want to be a part of a movement that breaks the stereotype of the judgmental, hypocritical Christian. I want to be part of a radical movement of church, one that is working hard to figure out what it means to live and love like Jesus, that leads the way in every area of life, is conscious of being concerned about what's really important in life instead of picking on stupid things and is as attractive to those around them the way that Jesus was & is to those those around him.
I didn't think that I'd be able to come up with 25 things - I'm really not as interesting as I try to lead people to believe - but now that I'm done, I might have to add to the list later. You know, include all those things that I missed. Stay tuned.
1. I would live off pizza, chocolate (especially the dark stuff), cheese, wine and coffee if my body would let me. It probably won't so I don't.
2. I love to read. My favorite part of Beauty in the Beast (Disney's version) is when Belle walks into the big library. I want a library like that...with a ladder!
3. My favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning when I'm not working is to curl up on the couch in my jammies, with my coffee and watch cartoons. I don't care if I'm approaching middle age (thanks for the pearl of wisdom, Tasha!).
4. I love playing volleyball and really miss playing right now!
5. The only thing I'm allergic to is celery. I know, retarded. It could be worse. It could be chocolate (see #1).
6. I never feel better after I vomit. I don't know who those crazy people are that do. I'll do ANYTHING to avoid it.
7. One of my favorite things about my job at the pool is the people...patrons, students & staff. I love people. Even stupid people. They may be frustrating but they provide good stories.
8.I love dogs but not cats. I grew up with dogs but haven't had one since I moved to the city. Sad but probably good since some days I can't seem to take care of myself let alone anyone else.
9. My dream vacation would be to Scotland and Ireland to wander castles, absorb history (I love the history!), visit churches, photograph the countryside, hang out in pubs and hear the accents...and that's just for starters. Don't know why but it's always been where I want to go.
10. I love to drive. The car is one of my most relaxing places. It's also one of my most frustrating. Go figure.
11. I'd like to be a race car driver, but maybe just for a day.
12. I thoroughly enjoy breakfast food and could eat it for any meal of the day. Waffles. Pancakes. Eggs. Especially eggs.
13. I'm a night owl. My ideal day would find me starting my day around 9:30 am and finishing around 2 am the next day.
14. I hate the cold. Despise it. I don't care if I grew up in Northern Alberta, I think it sucks...the cold, not northern Alberta.
15. I think summer all year 'round would be a good idea - No, I wouldn't miss snow at Christmas - and have thought of moving somewhere where it's warm all year but don't know where I'd go. And I'd miss my family. Lots. So I'm still here.
16. I love movies. All kinds of them...but I think boy-action-type movies are probably my favorites. The epics like Braveheart and Gladiator, the lighter action movies like Transporter and Mission Impossible and everything in between.
17. Music, music, music makes me happy. Playing, listening, writing. I'm convinced that there is a song for every moment - a soundtrack for life, if you will - and that there are many different genres worth appreciating.
18. I sometimes don't think that I'm a very good "girl." I don't do pink, I'm not really sure what to do with makeup or a curling iron, I prefer beer to fruity drinks, I would take just about any kind of movie over a girly chick flick, I shop when necessary (unless it's a book store), perfume makes my nose itch, I love sports - playing or watching, gossip makes me cringe and I hate to cry.
19. I pride myself on being self sufficient but would love to have someone to take care of me.
20. I would love to publish a book one day. When I figure out what it's going to be about I'll let you know.
21. I'm a big nerd. I love school and am looking forward to going back. I thrive off learning, researching and writing.
22. I don't really like living in the city. I would love to have an acreage with horses, a greenhouse and a house with a wrap around veranda.
23. I would like to use my photography to fund my ministry...maybe I would have my own photo studio one day or, if I'm really dreaming, shoot for national geographic.
24. I love every minute I get to spend walking life with people and helping them realize what it is that God really thinks of them, what he's created them for, and what this life is about.
25. I'm passionate about the church and want to be a part of a movement that breaks the stereotype of the judgmental, hypocritical Christian. I want to be part of a radical movement of church, one that is working hard to figure out what it means to live and love like Jesus, that leads the way in every area of life, is conscious of being concerned about what's really important in life instead of picking on stupid things and is as attractive to those around them the way that Jesus was & is to those those around him.
I didn't think that I'd be able to come up with 25 things - I'm really not as interesting as I try to lead people to believe - but now that I'm done, I might have to add to the list later. You know, include all those things that I missed. Stay tuned.
Change
I've got mixed emotions about change. Not the silver and copper kind that weighs down your pants pocket but can actually amount to something if you're willing to spend some time to sort through it but life change. Actually, you know, perhaps that's not that bad an analogy.
Big life change has the ability to weigh a person down but, if you're willing, can certainly be used for something good.
I feel like I've had a lot of change in my life in the last year or so. It's been good (such a nondescript word, isn't it!?), rewarding, formative and exciting but challenging, exhausting and draining.
A few things I've learned about change:
1. It's better with the support of community. Much like anything else in life, I don't think we're meant to tackle major life change alone.
2. There is an aspect of change that always forces us to encounter the unknown.
3. Encountering the unknown reminds us that there are things we're not in control of. For some of us, that's a completely freeing thought. For others, completely frightening.
4. It requires trust. Trust that when I'm not in control, God is. Trust that it's okay for me not to be in control. Trust that there are others around me who will support me and pick up the pieces if and when I can't.
5. External change forces internal change.
6. Internal change forces external change.
7. We learn things through major change that we couldn't have learned any other way.
8. Change doesn't always equal suffering or challenge but it does always equal a move out of your comfort zone which equals being stretched.
9. Change can be completely exhilarating when walked with a sense of anticipation.
10. Change is easier to approach with anticipation when you've had a good night's sleep...or chocolate.
Big life change has the ability to weigh a person down but, if you're willing, can certainly be used for something good.
I feel like I've had a lot of change in my life in the last year or so. It's been good (such a nondescript word, isn't it!?), rewarding, formative and exciting but challenging, exhausting and draining.
A few things I've learned about change:
1. It's better with the support of community. Much like anything else in life, I don't think we're meant to tackle major life change alone.
2. There is an aspect of change that always forces us to encounter the unknown.
3. Encountering the unknown reminds us that there are things we're not in control of. For some of us, that's a completely freeing thought. For others, completely frightening.
4. It requires trust. Trust that when I'm not in control, God is. Trust that it's okay for me not to be in control. Trust that there are others around me who will support me and pick up the pieces if and when I can't.
5. External change forces internal change.
6. Internal change forces external change.
7. We learn things through major change that we couldn't have learned any other way.
8. Change doesn't always equal suffering or challenge but it does always equal a move out of your comfort zone which equals being stretched.
9. Change can be completely exhilarating when walked with a sense of anticipation.
10. Change is easier to approach with anticipation when you've had a good night's sleep...or chocolate.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Church is people...
...People who have committed themselves to being a certain way in the world. To try to brand that is to risk commodifying something intimate, sacred and holy. A church is not a center for religious goods and services, where people pay a fee and receive a product in return. A church is not an organization that surveys its demographic to find out what the market is demanding at this particular moment and then adjusts its strategy to meet that consumer niche...
...It's about our death. It's our willingness to join the world in its suffering, it's our participation in the new humanity, it's our weakness calling out to others in their weakness...
...What does it look like for us to break ourselves open and pour ourselves out for the healing of these people in this time in this place?...
...It's written in the letter to the Hebrews that they shouldn't give up meeting together because they should "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
The phrase "good deeds" comes from the Hebrew word mitzvot, which refers to actions taken to heal and repair the world. It's a concept rich with significance in the Jewish tradition. For the writer of Hebrews, the church gathers so that the body will spur one another on to live a particular way day in and day out.
These gatherings aren't the end; they're the beginning. They're the start. They put things in perspective, they remind, they provoke, they comfort, they inspire, they challenge, but ultimately they are about the Eucharist. About these people in this place at this time being equipped to be a Eucharist*.
From "Jesus Wants to Save Christians," by Rob Bell, pages 159-161.
The Eucharist is ultimately about what we do out there, in the flow of everyday life.
When the goal of a church is to get people into church services and then teach them how to invite people to come to church services, so that they in turn will bring others to more church services -
that's attendance at church services.
And church is not ultimately about attending large gatherings.
Church is people.
People who live a certain way in the world.
People who have authority in the world, but authority that comes from breaking themselves open and pouring themselves out so that the world will be healed."
*Rob Bell defines Eucharist this way: "God has made peace with the world through the Eucharist, the good gift of Jesus. And so Christians take part in a ritual, a meal, a reminder of Passover, called the Eucharist - also called communion or the lord's Supper or Mass - as a way of remembering and returning to who God is and what God has done in Christ.
But the Eucharist, as it is with any ritual, is about something far more significant than the ritual itself...
...The church is a living Eucharist, because followers of Christ are living Eucharists.
A Christian is a living Eucharist, allowing her body to be broken and her blood to be poured out for the healing of the world...
...Because in the Eucharist, in Jesus' body and blood, everything has been reconciled to God. Paul calls this the "new humanity."
The Eucharist is about new humanity (page 151-154).
Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America this past week. The whole world watched with bated breath as he was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, taking up the mantle of leadership of the most influential country in the world. Newspaper headlines threw around words like "hope," "courage," "future," and "revolutionary" to describe Obama's leadership. Young and old, black and white, rich or poor are all looking to Obama to bring them the change, the hope, that this world needs.
This world needs hope.
It needs change.
It needs peace.
It needs courage.
It needs revolution, equitable resource sharing, economic stimulation and environmental reforms.
While Obama represents a change of the guard in the Oval Office and a change in American values and, yes, can be a part of the solution, he is not THE solution. While the election of a new president brings a breath of hope to the world, he is not THE hope for the world.
The only true hope for the world that I can see is a church - and by this, I mean the universal church, all followers of Jesus together - that lives the way that Rob Bell describes in his book (can I point out that this is a remarkably similar description to the church as described in Scripture? Ironic, isn't it?). A group of people living a different way.
A church that lives to heal,
to bring peace,
to provide for the needs - physical, emotional and spiritual - of others,
to love,
to share hope,
to give,
to bring reconciliation and unity,
to bring freedom where there once was condemnation, and
to be honest in weakness and in strength.
A church that does this together, as one body, poured out and broken so that the whole world can live fully alive in hope and in peace in spite of the grief, sorrow, weaknesses and inefficiencies of this world.
A church that exists for this and like this is a church I want to be a part of...both "C" church - the universal body of believers - and "c" church - my own church family here in Calgary.
As a church leader in a local congregation, this changes how I lead. It changes my expectations of myself and my congregation. It changes the way I program. I want to encourage my community of believers to become that church. I want the times that we come together be times of encouragement and celebration so that we can go out into the world again and live differently. I want our gatherings to be a stop on the journey, not the destination. I want us to be the church, the new humanity, the Eucharist.
Even more importantly, it changes the way that I, as a follower of Jesus, live. I recognize that the only way that I can lead that way is if I live that way. I'm pretty open about the fact that my faith in Jesus is a big part of my life. I find it amusing how people react to that. Often it's with surprise. Some people even comment on how "normal" I am, usually adding that I'm far less judgemental, legalistic and hypocritical than they expect. That's part of the picture but I want to be more. I want to be known for being caring, accepting and generous. I want to be loving. I want to stand up for the one who no one stands up for. I want to be the one who can bring peaceful resolution to conflict. I want to be the one willing to sacrifice for the sake of others' healing. I want to be content and joyful, kind and patient in such a way that others are positively affected by my presence. I want to convey a vision of something bigger and better than this world can ever offer. I want to be someone who gives people a picture of Jesus that is compelling and exciting and attractive, just as it should be.
I'm not there yet. I, however, have hope that the God who can change the world is capable of changing me. I'm looking forward to it.
...People who have committed themselves to being a certain way in the world. To try to brand that is to risk commodifying something intimate, sacred and holy. A church is not a center for religious goods and services, where people pay a fee and receive a product in return. A church is not an organization that surveys its demographic to find out what the market is demanding at this particular moment and then adjusts its strategy to meet that consumer niche...
...It's about our death. It's our willingness to join the world in its suffering, it's our participation in the new humanity, it's our weakness calling out to others in their weakness...
...What does it look like for us to break ourselves open and pour ourselves out for the healing of these people in this time in this place?...
...It's written in the letter to the Hebrews that they shouldn't give up meeting together because they should "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
The phrase "good deeds" comes from the Hebrew word mitzvot, which refers to actions taken to heal and repair the world. It's a concept rich with significance in the Jewish tradition. For the writer of Hebrews, the church gathers so that the body will spur one another on to live a particular way day in and day out.
These gatherings aren't the end; they're the beginning. They're the start. They put things in perspective, they remind, they provoke, they comfort, they inspire, they challenge, but ultimately they are about the Eucharist. About these people in this place at this time being equipped to be a Eucharist*.
From "Jesus Wants to Save Christians," by Rob Bell, pages 159-161.
The Eucharist is ultimately about what we do out there, in the flow of everyday life.
When the goal of a church is to get people into church services and then teach them how to invite people to come to church services, so that they in turn will bring others to more church services -
that's attendance at church services.
And church is not ultimately about attending large gatherings.
Church is people.
People who live a certain way in the world.
People who have authority in the world, but authority that comes from breaking themselves open and pouring themselves out so that the world will be healed."
*Rob Bell defines Eucharist this way: "God has made peace with the world through the Eucharist, the good gift of Jesus. And so Christians take part in a ritual, a meal, a reminder of Passover, called the Eucharist - also called communion or the lord's Supper or Mass - as a way of remembering and returning to who God is and what God has done in Christ.
But the Eucharist, as it is with any ritual, is about something far more significant than the ritual itself...
...The church is a living Eucharist, because followers of Christ are living Eucharists.
A Christian is a living Eucharist, allowing her body to be broken and her blood to be poured out for the healing of the world...
...Because in the Eucharist, in Jesus' body and blood, everything has been reconciled to God. Paul calls this the "new humanity."
The Eucharist is about new humanity (page 151-154).
Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America this past week. The whole world watched with bated breath as he was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, taking up the mantle of leadership of the most influential country in the world. Newspaper headlines threw around words like "hope," "courage," "future," and "revolutionary" to describe Obama's leadership. Young and old, black and white, rich or poor are all looking to Obama to bring them the change, the hope, that this world needs.
This world needs hope.
It needs change.
It needs peace.
It needs courage.
It needs revolution, equitable resource sharing, economic stimulation and environmental reforms.
While Obama represents a change of the guard in the Oval Office and a change in American values and, yes, can be a part of the solution, he is not THE solution. While the election of a new president brings a breath of hope to the world, he is not THE hope for the world.
The only true hope for the world that I can see is a church - and by this, I mean the universal church, all followers of Jesus together - that lives the way that Rob Bell describes in his book (can I point out that this is a remarkably similar description to the church as described in Scripture? Ironic, isn't it?). A group of people living a different way.
A church that lives to heal,
to bring peace,
to provide for the needs - physical, emotional and spiritual - of others,
to love,
to share hope,
to give,
to bring reconciliation and unity,
to bring freedom where there once was condemnation, and
to be honest in weakness and in strength.
A church that does this together, as one body, poured out and broken so that the whole world can live fully alive in hope and in peace in spite of the grief, sorrow, weaknesses and inefficiencies of this world.
A church that exists for this and like this is a church I want to be a part of...both "C" church - the universal body of believers - and "c" church - my own church family here in Calgary.
As a church leader in a local congregation, this changes how I lead. It changes my expectations of myself and my congregation. It changes the way I program. I want to encourage my community of believers to become that church. I want the times that we come together be times of encouragement and celebration so that we can go out into the world again and live differently. I want our gatherings to be a stop on the journey, not the destination. I want us to be the church, the new humanity, the Eucharist.
Even more importantly, it changes the way that I, as a follower of Jesus, live. I recognize that the only way that I can lead that way is if I live that way. I'm pretty open about the fact that my faith in Jesus is a big part of my life. I find it amusing how people react to that. Often it's with surprise. Some people even comment on how "normal" I am, usually adding that I'm far less judgemental, legalistic and hypocritical than they expect. That's part of the picture but I want to be more. I want to be known for being caring, accepting and generous. I want to be loving. I want to stand up for the one who no one stands up for. I want to be the one who can bring peaceful resolution to conflict. I want to be the one willing to sacrifice for the sake of others' healing. I want to be content and joyful, kind and patient in such a way that others are positively affected by my presence. I want to convey a vision of something bigger and better than this world can ever offer. I want to be someone who gives people a picture of Jesus that is compelling and exciting and attractive, just as it should be.
I'm not there yet. I, however, have hope that the God who can change the world is capable of changing me. I'm looking forward to it.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
National Film Board
In hopes of increasing awareness surrounding the Canadian film industry, the National Film Board announced yesterday that they will have more than 700 films hosted on their website for free viewing.
There will be English and French language films available. Shorts. Award nominees. Award winners. Well known films and hidden treasures. I'm guessing there will also be some crap. But isn't that the way it is with all of life? You take the good with the bad?
It will all be Canadian.
That's the thing I like. It's Canadian. The fact that they're hosting it for free will help raise awareness not only of the fact that there is a Canadian film industry but that there is quality film, quality art, coming out of Canada. There are directors and producers, actors and locations featured in films that have played around the world. But we don't know about them. We can't tell the difference between them and their American counterparts.
Currently there are over 700 titles available on the site. Within the next month or so they want to add another 100. After that, they are hoping to add another 10-20 films each month.
I'm looking forward to checking out what's there.
I'm proud to be Canadian.
Sam Roberts
I went and saw Sam Roberts play at the Jubilee on Monday night. The guy is great - one of my favorites - and I'm pleased to say that he's one of those musicians. You know the kind, the ones who actually sound even better live than in their recordings.
He's a song writer extraordinaire. A talented musician. An entertainer. Humble. Thankful to be doing something he loves (professional athletes take note), to be getting paid for it. A little bit in awe of the fact that people actually show up to listen to his music. Kind of eccentric (seriously, you should hear him interview. He doesn't even use the internet. At all. Take that. But he's a musician. Really, all the good ones are a little bit, um, different). Very well thought out. Yes, Sam Roberts is Canadian rock n' roll and it makes me proud.
Seriously, though. I think one of the things that impresses me about him is his song writing. That is a serious skill. One I wish I had. He has the ability to turn serious, life changing topics into music that speaks without depressing. He tells a story. He makes a point. It's not cotton candy fluff but it's not dark and dreary either.
Can I just point out that song writing is hard? Even nursery rhyme, cheese-ball lyrics are hard to write. Well, maybe they're not that hard but that's sure how I'm feeling lately. Part of it is expressing what you feel deep inside in a way that people can relate to. And then I get a little frustrated that it is, in some way, about other people. Putting it to music isn't all that easy either. The rhythms, patterns and organization of the lyrics must be put together in such a way that it works with the music. They are intrinsically connected. They must be. It's a part of the writing process. It could be that there's so many other seemingly brilliant writers out there to compare my own attempts to. Maybe it's just that I don't feel like I have much to say from my own life but still want to share some sort of commentary on the world around me that I don't really understand. Why? Why are things the way they are? And then I wonder, has it all been done before? Could I really write something new and interesting that could, like any other good art, affect someone else around me in a real and meaningful way?
I've told people 100 times about 100 different things that if they want to get anywhere with something that perhaps they just need to start. Perhaps.
Anyway, back to Sam Roberts. Another thing I love about him is that he surrounds himself with other great musicians. The guy's got a great band behind him. The guy who used to be his lead guitar player is now his keyboard player. He plays tasteful and artistic lines that really add to what everyone else is playing and it's attainable too. With a little practice, I think I could play a lot of what he does. I came away feeling a little bit inspired about the possibilities for my own playing. I like to be inspired.
Yes, Sam Roberts sure taught them kids how to dance the rock n' roll!
Swirling
There are so many thoughts swirling around in my head but they just don't seem to know how to get out. I want to blog, to write - I feel like I should almost apologize that I haven't - but I'm not quite sure where to begin. Or where to find the time.
I'm working on it.
I'm working on it.
Current Read
A Spot of Bother, Mark Haddon
He's the same guy that wrote "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," a book which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Shaking Things Up
Something shifted tremendously in how people followed God after Jesus walked our planet. Although the roots of the Christian faith are in Judaism, the way that modern Christians keep Sabbath, or don't, looks quite different from the way ancient Jews did. Jesus said he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. But really, that fulfillment changed a lot about how people lived out their faith. Even when Jesus walked the earth, people were aware that he was shaking things up. The gospel writers often tell us that people marveled at Jesus' teaching because he spoke with "authority."
Commenting on the rabbinic tradition and this idea of authority, pastor and author Rob Bell writes, "Different rabbis had different sets of rules, which were really different lists of what they forbade and what they permitted. A rabbi's set of rules and lists, which was really that rabbi's interpretation of how to live the Torah, was called that rabbi's yoke. When you followed a certain rabbi, you were following him because you believed that rabbi's set of interpretations were the closest to what God intended through the Scriptures. And when you followed that rabbi, you were taking up that rabbi's yoke."
Bell continues, "Most rabbis taught the yoke of a rabbi who had come before them. … Every once in a while, a rabbi would come along who was teaching a new yoke, a new way of interpreting the Torah. This was rare and extraordinary. … Now imagine if a rabbi who had a new perspective on the Torah was coming to town. This rabbi who was making new interpretations of the Torah was said to have authority. The Hebrew word for 'authority' is shmikah. This might not even happen in your lifetime. You would hike for miles to hear him. A rabbi who taught with shmikah would say things like, 'You have heard it said …, but I tell you …' What he was saying is, 'You have heard people interpret that verse this way, but I tell you that this is what God really means in that verse.'"
So Jesus offered this new yoke, which he claimed is easy. But in a way, it seems harder. He often began with "you've heard it said" and cited the Old Testament law. Then he followed with "but I say to you." For example, he said, "You've heard it said, 'Don't commit adultery.' But I say, 'If you look at a woman with lust, you've already slept with her'" (Matt. 5:27–28, my paraphrase). And, "You've heard it said, 'Don't murder.' But if you call someone a fool or hate them, you've killed them" (Matt. 5:21–22).
His teaching encouraged people to hold to a higher standard than mere legalism but also helped them to realize that keeping the law perfectly is an impossible proposition. Examining ourselves in light of the spirit of the law, rather than the letter, points us to our desperate need for grace. Jesus exhorted his listeners to examine their hearts, their attitudes, as well as their actions. He challenged his listeners to bring outward practice and inner reality into alignment. This again directed his most attentive listeners toward grace, not more careful legalism.
Here's what I've noticed, though. Jesus never used the "you've heard it said, but I say to you" formula to discuss Sabbath. He didn't, for example, say, "You've heard it said, 'Keep the Sabbath holy.' But I say …" And he definitely never said, "You've heard it said, 'Keep the Sabbath on the seventh day,' but I tell you, 'Switch it to the first day.'" Why is that? Did he say it and it somehow just didn't get written down? Was his teaching on Sabbath edited out of the biblical record?
Jesus did criticize the Pharisees for piling rules onto the people, burdening them with lists of what they couldn't do, not just on Sabbath but in regard to all sorts of regulations and man-made traditions. He accused them of valuing their traditions over the law, saying, "You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition," and quoted Isaiah 29:3 to condemn them (see Matt. 15:1–20).
He handed out insults to Pharisees and scribes alike, saying, "You experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them" (Luke 11:46).
While he didn't use his "you've heard it said, but I say" formula to teach about Sabbath, he did find all sorts of teachable moments to instruct his followers, and his critics, about Sabbath. Usually this happened when he defended his choices to heal people, cast out demons, or engage in other questionable activities on the Sabbath. Not surprisingly, he focused on aligning our hearts with our actions.
He did say, "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath." And he claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath. But what does that mean? Does it set us free only from the ceremonial aspects of the law, or from the law entirely?
The thing Jesus seemed to get in trouble for most was breaking the Sabbath, at least in the eyes of the legalists of his day. They watched him closely, seemingly in hopes he would slip up and break the rules, although he hardly seemed interested in hiding his actions from them. In fact, he tried over and over to teach them about the heart of Sabbath, asking, "Don't you on the Sabbath untie your donkey and let him have a drink, or pull your sheep out of a pit?" to point out that compassion is never against God's rules (see Luke 13:15; Matt. 12:11).
Norman Wirzba writes, "Jesus does not obliterate Sabbath teaching but reframes it so that we can see once again, with renewed emphasis, what creation's ultimate meaning is."
Jesus came to die for us, but also to live for us, to show us how to live. He modeled spiritual practices like solitude, prayer, and compassion. If you are someone's disciple, you try to emulate them, try to live as they would. And Jesus kept Sabbath. Not in the way his culture expected, perhaps. He exercised great freedom. If we are his disciples, we will take on his yoke. We will live in this life-giving rhythm of work and rest. Jesus kept Sabbath in a new way, a way that shook things up. As his disciples, we can keep Sabbath too. And apparently we're free to shake things up as well.
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