I don't know what happened to Tuesdays with Buechner... well, that's a lie, I do know what happened to it- I ran out of quotes and I haven't had the time (or desire, really) to read another of his books. I have a couple more, but they're like 12 or 13 on the list....
BUT I was reading some stuff by an interesting fellow named Dr. Peter Kreeft. He's a professor of philosophy at Boston College... pretty impressive! He's also a pretty wonderful apologist. I don't know how much of his worldview I share, but I do enjoy this quote:
"The Resurrection sharply distinguishes Jesus from all the other religious founders. The bones of Abraham and Muhammad and Buddha and Confucius and Lao-tzu and Zoroaster are still here on earth. Jesus' tomb is empty. The existential consequences of the resurrection are incomparable. It is the concrete, factual, empirical proof that: life has hope and meaning; 'love is stronger than death'; goodness and power are ultimately allies, not enemies; life wins in the end; God has touched us right where we are and has defeated our last enemy; we are not cosmic orphans, as our modern secular worldview would make us."
good stuff- you can actually read his book for free here (how cool is that??):
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
just call me Mr. Knight
wellp- today was my first day of coaching JV girls bball at my alma mater. Between you and me, I'm very overwhelmed. I really wavered on taking the job, but after seeking the advice and the encouragement of several coach friends that I have, I decided to take the leap. I'm not at total rookie. I've run camps and I've had 3 middle school teams... I figure that strengths are the ability to inspire, my knowledge of the fundamentals, and my willingness to be patient with this young team. But I'm nervous about running a practice. There's so much to coaching that I just feel ill-prepared for. I don't have a lot of plays in my back pocket and I just don't have the knack for drills that the coaches I admire have. I will... all in good time.... Today, we made first cuts today and one girl cried... heartbreaking...
Alas, everyone that I've shared my concerns with have been very supportive and the girls are down right pumped to be on my squad. I hope they're as enthusiastic come January. My biggest thing is maintaining their confidence in me, you know? I hate the thought of people sitting around saying, "He has no idea what he's doing..." ugh.
I feel good about the team, though. We're young, but we have decent size and a lot of speed. We can run the fast break with ease, which is nice and we should out rebound every opponent... so, we'll see... I'm just glad to have something to tackle. This is a big challenge- one that will take a lot of work on my part- lots of research and preparation. Not to mention time management and organization. Most of all, this will require patience and stamina. Its a 22 game season. Every week night is booked until the middle of March. Talk about a marathon. But I'm pumped. Also, I hate losing. Especially if I know we're the better team. Hopefully that will translate into wins. I haven't been on the winning side of many teams in my life, so I have the intense desire to turn that tide. I just really want to prove myself worthy of this position that I'm honored to hold. Winning is only half of it- personal growth from myself and my players is the other important piece...If you had fun, you won... right? :)
As of today we have a perfect season. Here's to keeping the perfection alive...
I'll keep you posted.
The sweetest part so far is the awesome team polo shirt I got. :)
I love team apparel.
gts.
Alas, everyone that I've shared my concerns with have been very supportive and the girls are down right pumped to be on my squad. I hope they're as enthusiastic come January. My biggest thing is maintaining their confidence in me, you know? I hate the thought of people sitting around saying, "He has no idea what he's doing..." ugh.
I feel good about the team, though. We're young, but we have decent size and a lot of speed. We can run the fast break with ease, which is nice and we should out rebound every opponent... so, we'll see... I'm just glad to have something to tackle. This is a big challenge- one that will take a lot of work on my part- lots of research and preparation. Not to mention time management and organization. Most of all, this will require patience and stamina. Its a 22 game season. Every week night is booked until the middle of March. Talk about a marathon. But I'm pumped. Also, I hate losing. Especially if I know we're the better team. Hopefully that will translate into wins. I haven't been on the winning side of many teams in my life, so I have the intense desire to turn that tide. I just really want to prove myself worthy of this position that I'm honored to hold. Winning is only half of it- personal growth from myself and my players is the other important piece...If you had fun, you won... right? :)
As of today we have a perfect season. Here's to keeping the perfection alive...
I'll keep you posted.
The sweetest part so far is the awesome team polo shirt I got. :)
I love team apparel.
gts.
Monday, November 7, 2011
stained.
in recent news, a former skinhead named Bryon Widner has turned his life around. The evidences of his former sins of racism, however, were plastered all over his body in tattoos that clearly indicate his past. His sins are externally visible and he hated it. He would do anything to get rid of them and forgo his former lifestyle. His face, covered in tattoos with racist hate, was his greatest challenge and evidence of who he used to be. He wanted the tattoos gone. He was no longer that man. He even went as far as to consider taking acid and burning his face to beyond recognition to get rid of them. He would do anything.
Well, fortunately he didn't have to burn them off with acid. A kind donor offered to pay the $35,000 repeated tattoo removal surgeries. Bryon underwent 25 extremely painful laser surgeries over a period of 16 months to completely rid himself of his past which haunted his face everywhere he went. The procedures became so painful with burning, blistering, and severe swelling that Bryon had to be put under general anesthetic rather than being kept awake.
Ultimately, Bryon's surgeons successfully removed all the tattoos on his face and neck, leaving his face clean and without evidence of his former life. Though the rest of his body remains covered in ink, Bryon is slowly covering up his other racist tattoos as he is able. Check it out:
You can read an extensive article here And check out the promo for the MSNBC special that aired this past summer- you can see some of the pain he had to endure-
This whole story has my mind racing. What a picture of redemption, you know? It reminds me of the real-life version of the powerful Edward Norton movie American History X.
I wonder what it would be like if every time we sinned it was like a facial tattoo. I wonder if- knowing the pain- we'd be like... ok this one's not that bad... I can work with it... but then we'd do something or run our mouths or fall into something terrible and then we'd have to beg and borrow money and hope that it was enough to get rid of that REALLY bad stain... Can you imagine the miserable existence that life would be if we had to go through that pain and torture to remove them? What a world that would be.
And yet, in the spiritual sense deserve to that pain. We deserve to have our sins laid bare for all to see. For our insecurities and shortcomings to be tattooed on our foreheads and knuckles. We should have to go through surgeries and blisters and torment in order to attempt to make them fade. But we couldn't even come close. Even after 25,000 procedures our sins would be just as crimson and numerous and bright. No, when it comes to our hearts, there is no removal by worldly means.
Thanks be to God that our sin is cleaned by the righteousness of Jesus. It wasn't $35,000, nor was it pain-free. It cost Jesus His life by way of a humiliating criminal's death. But for us it was a free gift. Because of God's unimaginable grace and mercy that is beyond our understanding, our sins aren't tattooed on our foreheads for all to see, nor do we have to suffer and grit our teeth in pain in order for them to be removed. No. Jesus blood wiped them clean and removed them as far as the east is from the west.
But oh how we try to be noble and proud and manly. We try so hard to "do the right thing" and make plans for us to rid ourselves of our sin. It seems as if its all to easy-
look at the cross and my sins are gone? no way!
I have to do SOMETHING!
What I did, it caused pain:
Feelings were hurt
Expectations weren't met
Friends were let down
Love wasn't shown
Grace wasn't given
Words cut deep
I have to pay for this!!
God, hurt me! Make me blister like the words I fire off blister the hearts of those I spew anger toward
make me cringe like the people I leave in my wake cringe when i let them down
make me cry like those whom I fail to love cry
I have to do something to atone for this, God... right?
No.
Jesus paid it all.
all to Him I owe-
sin had left a crimson stain
He made it white as snow.
Wow. Not to say there aren't scars. We are sometimes left to deal with the messy situations that we make when we're left to our own designs.
But the sin, the guilt, the aftertaste- all of it was removed from my inmost being when my Savior bled and died.
He took it all.
How silly I must look to God when I try to do my own surgery. When I find the acid of the world in the attempt to remove my own stains. How offensive it must be to the Almighty to hang on to guilt and shame even though He is willing and able to shoulder all of it. How sad it must be for Him to see me limit my view of the creator of the world by holding back and not allowing Him to have everything-
to have...
me.
He does have me. He has me in the grip of His nail-marked hands. And even though I think that I can keep things from Him, I can't. He knows me in the secret, in my quiet place- and even though He sees that- the deep, dark, dungeon of the pits of my soul- He sees the worst yet He STILL loves me.
Even though I deserve a million times the pain that Bryon had to go through to remove his stains, I've been given robe of salvation.
So now, just as Bryon has a whole new lease on his stain-free life, how much more should we, as bought-back children of God live each and every day filled to the brim with inexpressible joy knowing that no one- not even God- can see our stains anymore because we are clothed in the sinless blood of the spotless lamb.
Wow.
it took seeing a skinhead's tattoos for me to realize that.
Lord come quickly.
Well, fortunately he didn't have to burn them off with acid. A kind donor offered to pay the $35,000 repeated tattoo removal surgeries. Bryon underwent 25 extremely painful laser surgeries over a period of 16 months to completely rid himself of his past which haunted his face everywhere he went. The procedures became so painful with burning, blistering, and severe swelling that Bryon had to be put under general anesthetic rather than being kept awake.
Ultimately, Bryon's surgeons successfully removed all the tattoos on his face and neck, leaving his face clean and without evidence of his former life. Though the rest of his body remains covered in ink, Bryon is slowly covering up his other racist tattoos as he is able. Check it out:
This whole story has my mind racing. What a picture of redemption, you know? It reminds me of the real-life version of the powerful Edward Norton movie American History X.
I wonder what it would be like if every time we sinned it was like a facial tattoo. I wonder if- knowing the pain- we'd be like... ok this one's not that bad... I can work with it... but then we'd do something or run our mouths or fall into something terrible and then we'd have to beg and borrow money and hope that it was enough to get rid of that REALLY bad stain... Can you imagine the miserable existence that life would be if we had to go through that pain and torture to remove them? What a world that would be.
And yet, in the spiritual sense deserve to that pain. We deserve to have our sins laid bare for all to see. For our insecurities and shortcomings to be tattooed on our foreheads and knuckles. We should have to go through surgeries and blisters and torment in order to attempt to make them fade. But we couldn't even come close. Even after 25,000 procedures our sins would be just as crimson and numerous and bright. No, when it comes to our hearts, there is no removal by worldly means.
Thanks be to God that our sin is cleaned by the righteousness of Jesus. It wasn't $35,000, nor was it pain-free. It cost Jesus His life by way of a humiliating criminal's death. But for us it was a free gift. Because of God's unimaginable grace and mercy that is beyond our understanding, our sins aren't tattooed on our foreheads for all to see, nor do we have to suffer and grit our teeth in pain in order for them to be removed. No. Jesus blood wiped them clean and removed them as far as the east is from the west.
But oh how we try to be noble and proud and manly. We try so hard to "do the right thing" and make plans for us to rid ourselves of our sin. It seems as if its all to easy-
look at the cross and my sins are gone? no way!
I have to do SOMETHING!
What I did, it caused pain:
Feelings were hurt
Expectations weren't met
Friends were let down
Love wasn't shown
Grace wasn't given
Words cut deep
I have to pay for this!!
God, hurt me! Make me blister like the words I fire off blister the hearts of those I spew anger toward
make me cringe like the people I leave in my wake cringe when i let them down
make me cry like those whom I fail to love cry
I have to do something to atone for this, God... right?
No.
Jesus paid it all.
all to Him I owe-
sin had left a crimson stain
He made it white as snow.
Wow. Not to say there aren't scars. We are sometimes left to deal with the messy situations that we make when we're left to our own designs.
But the sin, the guilt, the aftertaste- all of it was removed from my inmost being when my Savior bled and died.
He took it all.
How silly I must look to God when I try to do my own surgery. When I find the acid of the world in the attempt to remove my own stains. How offensive it must be to the Almighty to hang on to guilt and shame even though He is willing and able to shoulder all of it. How sad it must be for Him to see me limit my view of the creator of the world by holding back and not allowing Him to have everything-
to have...
me.
He does have me. He has me in the grip of His nail-marked hands. And even though I think that I can keep things from Him, I can't. He knows me in the secret, in my quiet place- and even though He sees that- the deep, dark, dungeon of the pits of my soul- He sees the worst yet He STILL loves me.
Even though I deserve a million times the pain that Bryon had to go through to remove his stains, I've been given robe of salvation.
So now, just as Bryon has a whole new lease on his stain-free life, how much more should we, as bought-back children of God live each and every day filled to the brim with inexpressible joy knowing that no one- not even God- can see our stains anymore because we are clothed in the sinless blood of the spotless lamb.
Wow.
it took seeing a skinhead's tattoos for me to realize that.
Lord come quickly.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
a little comic relief...
Man, I don't know why this makes me laugh so hard, but I am crying as I watch it. SO dumb... but SO funny.
enjoy. :)
enjoy. :)
Monday, October 24, 2011
Beloved.
I read in the news today that more than 285 Indian girls whose names mean "unwanted" have chosen new names for a fresh start in life. They were given names like "Nakusa" or "Nakushi," which mean "unwanted" in Hindi, because families often go into debt arranging marriages and paying for elaborate dowries. A boy, on the other hand, will one day bring home a bride and dowry. Hindu custom also dictates that only sons can light their parents' funeral pyres.
Activists say the name "unwanted," which is widely given to girls across India, gives them the feeling they are worthless and a burden. "When the child thinks about it, you know, 'My mom, my dad, and all my relatives and society call me unwanted,' she will feel very bad and depressed," said Sudha Kankaria of the organization Save the Girl Child. Some girls chose to name themselves after Bollywood stars such as "Aishwarya" or Hindu goddesses like "Savitri." Some just wanted traditional names with happier meanings, such as "Vaishali," or "prosperous, beautiful and good." (read the full article here)
Wow. Can you imagine being called unwanted each and every day of your life? How terrible! Moreover, can you imagine being a parent, looking at your little baby, and say, "You are Unwanted!"? unbelievable.
But how amazing is it that a girl who went by the moniker Unwanted for a decade is now known as Beautiful or Prosperous or Good? Talk about a new lease on life! To be called Beautiful each and every day must feel good. To be called Good makes us feel good. To be called Prosperous ignites the fire to continue to work hard. There is power in our names.
I couldn't help but think of this in Biblical terms. God has much to say about our names. There are several lists of names throughout scripture. God gave Adam and Eve their names directly, and instructed the parents of Ishmael and Issac, John the Baptist, and Jesus (among others), to give their children their respective names. The names of Jacob's sons are really painful. Leah was quite the unappreciated housewife it seems. A sampling:
She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”“Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.“Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi“I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.“What good fortune!” So she named him Gad. (I like that one!)“How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.“God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.“God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.
The One, who when Samson's dad asked what His name was responded with, "It is beyond understanding" is also in the business of re-naming folks. He gave new names to Abram and Sarai, Jacob, and Saul. But He also gives us new names.
We were never Unwanted, per se, but we were Doomed, Empty, Broken, Lost, Hopeless, Chaotic, Wandering, and Enemy, to name a few. We didn't get to chose our new name, however. This re-branding was all God. He had mercy on us and sent His Son to do what we could never do. He gave hope to Hopeless, brought Enemy into His fold, made straight the path of Wondering and Lost, healed Broken, calmed Chaotic, overfilled Empty, and saved Doomed. By grace through faith we have dropped the undesirable names that Satan himself has given us and instead we have all been given one simple, powerful, mind-blowing, life-altering name by our loving Creator.
We were never Unwanted, per se, but we were Doomed, Empty, Broken, Lost, Hopeless, Chaotic, Wandering, and Enemy, to name a few. We didn't get to chose our new name, however. This re-branding was all God. He had mercy on us and sent His Son to do what we could never do. He gave hope to Hopeless, brought Enemy into His fold, made straight the path of Wondering and Lost, healed Broken, calmed Chaotic, overfilled Empty, and saved Doomed. By grace through faith we have dropped the undesirable names that Satan himself has given us and instead we have all been given one simple, powerful, mind-blowing, life-altering name by our loving Creator.
He calls us, Beloved.
Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of Hosea says that God will, "call nobodies and make them somebodies; I'll call the unloved and make them beloved."
We have a new name! Just like the girls in India are no longer Unwanted, we are no longer Unloved. We are Beloved. I need to be reminded of that so often. I shamefully forget that I am washed in the blood of the Lamb, and God no longer sees my shortcomings, but rather He sees my Savior. I forget that sometimes and I live like Wandering instead of Beloved. Forgive me Lord. Thank you for making me Beloved, not because I earned or deserve it in the least, but because you are love, and you bestowed your love upon me through your perfect Son. Let me never forget my name, Lord. Let me always live as Beloved.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
uprooted
yep its been a while. I don't think there are too many people too upset about that, but since I have this here piece of the interwebs, I might as well use it, aye? It has been a strange several months for me. I've been inundated by a cloud listlessness and confuddledness. I find myself unrooted and waffling... not fun.
I've tried and tried to get to the core of this general discontent, but can't quite put my thumb on it. I think some of it is my goal for the past 11 years has been a BA and now I finally have it... so... now what? I think I lost my person and I still don't know how or why. I think some of it is 7 years in the same spot and the itch to move on wants to be scratched. I think some of it is I lost the ones in whom I could confide and rely on... and I don't exactly know how to begin to replace those losses. I think I made a plan and reality isn't really in line with that plan so I'm a tad bewildered as to what to do and where to go. I think the language change is just so heartbreaking I can't think properly. I think I just don't know, and knowing if half the battle... so if I don't know, half the battle is lost... Oh GI Joe, how you vex me! :) (you probably don't understand, but it made me laugh...)
So I'm putting all my eggs in the grad school basket. Its not just school- no! its a fresh start, a new perspective, a new lofty, nearly impossible goal. New place, new people, new ideas, new energy, new challenges, new opportunities, new community, new world. But man, what if I don't get in? what if i can't figure out what to do with my house? what if its all too much new? these things... these keep me up at 1:39 am.
I know. I know! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. I know, people, I know. And I'm trying... but what does trust look like? Is applying for grad school not trusting God? Is wanting something new relying on my own understanding? Is considering all my options and feeling helpless if this option falls through acknowledging Him? Is feeling loneliness and emptiness being un-Christian? I feel like I don't even know how to trust that I'm trusting well enough... I'm just... I feel like this:
roots up in the air for all to see- exposed and wilting. Sometimes you see trees that are prone to falling over and they have those stakes supporting them... those stakes are missing and I'm left uprooted. But that isn't necessarily bad. This picture is all artsy and the tree is dead... BUT if you uproot a tree, it can be re-planted! Maybe this waffling is to prepare me for a transplant. Maybe this stirring of my soul is to create a desire to grow elsewhere rather than maintain a deep-rooted attachment to a place that I need to move on from. maybe...
I'm fully confident that this will all be clear to me at some point in the not-too-distant-future. The Good Lord has been so good to me and His faithfulness is unfailing. I know this! I just get frazzled when I'm in the cloudiness of my limited, sinful understanding. Its like people of Minnesota who freak out in the dead of winter about the snow and the cold and the dark. They act like they've never been in February before and they think that maybe, for the first time ever it will literally never be sunny and 80 ever again. But sure enough, that springtime sun comes and melts the snow and before you know it they're tan and flip-flopped and that snow is a mere faded memory.
I know the snow will melt, I just get frustrated when my weak heat lamp of a brain fails to do the job. I just gotta wait for the Sun... (mull that metaphor over for a bit... it'll make sense eventually)
As I lay uprooted, its important to keep them well-watered lest they grow dry and die. So I drink all the more deeply from the well of the Living Water-
Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Thank you, Lord for your patience despite my pettiness, for your grace despite my grumbling, and your love despite my listlessness. Make your will my will, oh God. Increase in me and help me decrease so that you will be all the more glorified in my every thought, word, and action. Lord come quickly.
I've tried and tried to get to the core of this general discontent, but can't quite put my thumb on it. I think some of it is my goal for the past 11 years has been a BA and now I finally have it... so... now what? I think I lost my person and I still don't know how or why. I think some of it is 7 years in the same spot and the itch to move on wants to be scratched. I think some of it is I lost the ones in whom I could confide and rely on... and I don't exactly know how to begin to replace those losses. I think I made a plan and reality isn't really in line with that plan so I'm a tad bewildered as to what to do and where to go. I think the language change is just so heartbreaking I can't think properly. I think I just don't know, and knowing if half the battle... so if I don't know, half the battle is lost... Oh GI Joe, how you vex me! :) (you probably don't understand, but it made me laugh...)
So I'm putting all my eggs in the grad school basket. Its not just school- no! its a fresh start, a new perspective, a new lofty, nearly impossible goal. New place, new people, new ideas, new energy, new challenges, new opportunities, new community, new world. But man, what if I don't get in? what if i can't figure out what to do with my house? what if its all too much new? these things... these keep me up at 1:39 am.
I know. I know! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. I know, people, I know. And I'm trying... but what does trust look like? Is applying for grad school not trusting God? Is wanting something new relying on my own understanding? Is considering all my options and feeling helpless if this option falls through acknowledging Him? Is feeling loneliness and emptiness being un-Christian? I feel like I don't even know how to trust that I'm trusting well enough... I'm just... I feel like this:
I'm fully confident that this will all be clear to me at some point in the not-too-distant-future. The Good Lord has been so good to me and His faithfulness is unfailing. I know this! I just get frazzled when I'm in the cloudiness of my limited, sinful understanding. Its like people of Minnesota who freak out in the dead of winter about the snow and the cold and the dark. They act like they've never been in February before and they think that maybe, for the first time ever it will literally never be sunny and 80 ever again. But sure enough, that springtime sun comes and melts the snow and before you know it they're tan and flip-flopped and that snow is a mere faded memory.
I know the snow will melt, I just get frustrated when my weak heat lamp of a brain fails to do the job. I just gotta wait for the Sun... (mull that metaphor over for a bit... it'll make sense eventually)
As I lay uprooted, its important to keep them well-watered lest they grow dry and die. So I drink all the more deeply from the well of the Living Water-
Isaiah 41:13
For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Thank you, Lord for your patience despite my pettiness, for your grace despite my grumbling, and your love despite my listlessness. Make your will my will, oh God. Increase in me and help me decrease so that you will be all the more glorified in my every thought, word, and action. Lord come quickly.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Spurgeon on Psalm 121
What we as sinful human beings need is help,—help powerful, efficient, constant: we need a very present help in trouble. What a mercy that we have it in our God. Our hope is in the Lord, for our help comes from him. Help is on the road, and will not fail to reach us in due time, for he who sends it to us was never known to be too late. The Lord who created all things is equal to every emergency; heaven and earth are at the disposal of him who made them, therefore let us be very joyful in our infinite helper. He will sooner destroy heaven and earth than permit his people to be destroyed, and the perpetual hills themselves shall bow rather than he shall fail whose ways are everlasting. We are bound to look beyond heaven and earth to him who made them both: it is vain to trust the creatures: it is wise to trust the Creator.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
humph.
I know you all have been waiting on the edge of your seat to find out if I've EVER mastered the art of fried Plantains... (See: here and here)
well... I tried again today- this time the texture was spot on- I had to wait 3 weeks for them to turn totally black- but the flavor was all wrong. Oh plantains, why do you vex me so? Do you turn bitter if you over-ripen? Do you need brown sugar? Why plantains, why? Also, why is the internet totally devoid of plantain information? Seriously. I can find out what shoes Jessica Simpson wore to the Emmy's in 2002 but I can't find out how to properly fry a plantain? just ain't right, man... just ain't right.
Update- The Simpson thing has proven to be just as illusive... it just isn't my day..
well... I tried again today- this time the texture was spot on- I had to wait 3 weeks for them to turn totally black- but the flavor was all wrong. Oh plantains, why do you vex me so? Do you turn bitter if you over-ripen? Do you need brown sugar? Why plantains, why? Also, why is the internet totally devoid of plantain information? Seriously. I can find out what shoes Jessica Simpson wore to the Emmy's in 2002 but I can't find out how to properly fry a plantain? just ain't right, man... just ain't right.
Update- The Simpson thing has proven to be just as illusive... it just isn't my day..
Monday, September 26, 2011
Asleep
My buddy Marc is blowing up right now and that is so awesome, but even more awesome is this song he covers by Keith Green. WOW. I had never heard it until yesterday and now I can't stop listening. good stuff.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesdays with Buechner!!
Today's Buechner quotes are acutally not Buechner at all, but rather Henri Nouwen. Why, you ask? Why not I say! :)
Enjoy!!
“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”
“Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.”
Enjoy!!
“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”
“Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.”
Monday, September 12, 2011
God as a House and a Pilot. Or: Two About a Storm.
I started writing one, and then it turned into two... SO here are two thoughts about storms... un-original as they may be...
I don't know if they still do this, but it used to be that in farm towns students would be given a "storm house" that was close to their school in the event that a blizzard occurs and traps them in town. Rather than having parents risk life and limb to come into town and pick up their children, or getting the buses stuck in the drifts, the kids would simply go to a house nearby and weather the storm safely there. It really is an ingenious idea that arose out of necessity, no doubt as I've seen first hand the blinding misery that blowing snow causes.
I think it would be really fun to have a storm house. All school year you knew the house that you would go to if the storm hits rendering you stranded at school. Maybe you didn't know the people who lived there, but you walked by the place a couple of times- just so you know how to get there. While it would be better if the big one never hit, you knew you had a save place to stay if it did. Never would you have to sleep on a science table or on the wrestling mat. You had a warm house with good food and a comfy bed in which to seek refuge if the weather outside turned frightful. What a comfort that must have been to the families who lived in the outlying areas. Country storms are no joke, and driving in them is an act white-knuckled heroism to be sure. But to know that their kids would be safe in the storm must be a wonderful relief. I really hope some communities still have storm houses, because it is a fantastic idea.
I think of my storm house. When the storms of doubt and disaster hit. The winds of worry and the hail of haughtiness swirl around me. The green skies of heartbreak and the thunder and lightning of jealousy assail. I sometimes run around in the storm- looking for shelter in houses that are full or uninterested: friends who don't care to listen, or inward reflection that only produces more side aches and emptiness. For these kinds of storms, I need only run to my storm house. Proverbs 18:10- "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Only Jesus can take away worry, pride, heartbreak, and sadness. Only Jesus can give comfort to the broken and peace to the restless. Only Jesus took away our sin. Only Jesus gives us Heaven. He is our strong tower- our storm house. When Satan huffs and puffs, he can't even make a dent. We run to Jesus and we are safe. Oh how foolish we must look running around trying to dodge the rain drops and keep our hair pretty in the wind. Why do we venture out on our own? Lord do you get tired of us constantly running away and then back to you?
No. Thanks be to God that He is good and His mercy endures forever. He is our storm house- He tells us to call upon Him in the day of trouble and He will deliver us. He says to come to Him as weak and heavy burdened children because He'll give us rest. He says He's our storm house and when we see the clouds billowing on the horizon we need only seek refuge in His alimighty, all-loving arms.
Thank you Jesus!
When I am alone
When I am alone
Oh, when I am alone
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus
-------------------
Last week I flew threw a storm. I've flown over a storm before and I've been grounded because of a storm, but never have I flown through a storm. But last Monday I did. There was no beverage service and the fasten seat belt sign was never unlit. It was 68 minutes of up and down side to side flying. All I could see was grey out of the window and there was time when rain drops seemed like they would never end. It was pretty unnerving. I would have much rather been sitting in the terminal waiting for it to pass, but nonetheless here I was in the middle of a pretty big Arizona desert storm. I took solace in the fact that the pilots had all the latest technology and instruments at their disposal and if they thought it was safe enough to fly through, then who am I to second guess them? I would say there are fewer moments in the 21st century American's life that require more trust than when one is flying. Think about it. We are in control of almost every aspect of our lives, but when you fly, you buckle up shoot up to 30,000 feet and trust. You trust the plane, the airline company's background checks, the flight school's training, the pilot's diligence, the technology's functionality, the air traffic controller, the security measures, the reliably that the mask will indeed inflate when it is filled with oxygen, and undoubtedly 55 other factors. That's a lot of trust! But millions of people every day make it to their destinations without a single hiccup. Its amazing! The things that we trust have proven time and time again their trustworthiness, so we are silly to second guess them in most instances. Certainly, even in the midst of an hour long storm, I was never in danger. The ride was a bit bumpy, but the pilot had it well in hand. His job was to get me safely to PHX, my job was to sit back, buckle up, keep my tray in the upright/lock position, and trust.
I think you know where this is going...
The storms of life seem bumpy and rough and gray, but the Pilot has it well in hand. God has proven time and time again His trustworthiness, so who are we to doubt the Almighty? What He ordains is always good- so even though the storms come and the winds blow, He is in full control. We are safely wrapped in His nail-marked hands. Our sins are forgiven, Heaven is our inheritance, and the peace that passes all understanding is ours through our Savior Jesus. He gave us His Holy Spirit to get us safely home to Heaven, so we need only trust that He is greater than we. Storms come and go- they flare up and whip and blow- but God is forever. He who calmed the wind and the waves took away our sin and guilt, and He invites us to come as weak and wounded sinners because in Him there's rest.
Hallelujah!
I don't know if they still do this, but it used to be that in farm towns students would be given a "storm house" that was close to their school in the event that a blizzard occurs and traps them in town. Rather than having parents risk life and limb to come into town and pick up their children, or getting the buses stuck in the drifts, the kids would simply go to a house nearby and weather the storm safely there. It really is an ingenious idea that arose out of necessity, no doubt as I've seen first hand the blinding misery that blowing snow causes.
I think it would be really fun to have a storm house. All school year you knew the house that you would go to if the storm hits rendering you stranded at school. Maybe you didn't know the people who lived there, but you walked by the place a couple of times- just so you know how to get there. While it would be better if the big one never hit, you knew you had a save place to stay if it did. Never would you have to sleep on a science table or on the wrestling mat. You had a warm house with good food and a comfy bed in which to seek refuge if the weather outside turned frightful. What a comfort that must have been to the families who lived in the outlying areas. Country storms are no joke, and driving in them is an act white-knuckled heroism to be sure. But to know that their kids would be safe in the storm must be a wonderful relief. I really hope some communities still have storm houses, because it is a fantastic idea.
I think of my storm house. When the storms of doubt and disaster hit. The winds of worry and the hail of haughtiness swirl around me. The green skies of heartbreak and the thunder and lightning of jealousy assail. I sometimes run around in the storm- looking for shelter in houses that are full or uninterested: friends who don't care to listen, or inward reflection that only produces more side aches and emptiness. For these kinds of storms, I need only run to my storm house. Proverbs 18:10- "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Only Jesus can take away worry, pride, heartbreak, and sadness. Only Jesus can give comfort to the broken and peace to the restless. Only Jesus took away our sin. Only Jesus gives us Heaven. He is our strong tower- our storm house. When Satan huffs and puffs, he can't even make a dent. We run to Jesus and we are safe. Oh how foolish we must look running around trying to dodge the rain drops and keep our hair pretty in the wind. Why do we venture out on our own? Lord do you get tired of us constantly running away and then back to you?
No. Thanks be to God that He is good and His mercy endures forever. He is our storm house- He tells us to call upon Him in the day of trouble and He will deliver us. He says to come to Him as weak and heavy burdened children because He'll give us rest. He says He's our storm house and when we see the clouds billowing on the horizon we need only seek refuge in His alimighty, all-loving arms.
Thank you Jesus!
When I am alone
When I am alone
Oh, when I am alone
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus
-------------------
Last week I flew threw a storm. I've flown over a storm before and I've been grounded because of a storm, but never have I flown through a storm. But last Monday I did. There was no beverage service and the fasten seat belt sign was never unlit. It was 68 minutes of up and down side to side flying. All I could see was grey out of the window and there was time when rain drops seemed like they would never end. It was pretty unnerving. I would have much rather been sitting in the terminal waiting for it to pass, but nonetheless here I was in the middle of a pretty big Arizona desert storm. I took solace in the fact that the pilots had all the latest technology and instruments at their disposal and if they thought it was safe enough to fly through, then who am I to second guess them? I would say there are fewer moments in the 21st century American's life that require more trust than when one is flying. Think about it. We are in control of almost every aspect of our lives, but when you fly, you buckle up shoot up to 30,000 feet and trust. You trust the plane, the airline company's background checks, the flight school's training, the pilot's diligence, the technology's functionality, the air traffic controller, the security measures, the reliably that the mask will indeed inflate when it is filled with oxygen, and undoubtedly 55 other factors. That's a lot of trust! But millions of people every day make it to their destinations without a single hiccup. Its amazing! The things that we trust have proven time and time again their trustworthiness, so we are silly to second guess them in most instances. Certainly, even in the midst of an hour long storm, I was never in danger. The ride was a bit bumpy, but the pilot had it well in hand. His job was to get me safely to PHX, my job was to sit back, buckle up, keep my tray in the upright/lock position, and trust.
I think you know where this is going...
The storms of life seem bumpy and rough and gray, but the Pilot has it well in hand. God has proven time and time again His trustworthiness, so who are we to doubt the Almighty? What He ordains is always good- so even though the storms come and the winds blow, He is in full control. We are safely wrapped in His nail-marked hands. Our sins are forgiven, Heaven is our inheritance, and the peace that passes all understanding is ours through our Savior Jesus. He gave us His Holy Spirit to get us safely home to Heaven, so we need only trust that He is greater than we. Storms come and go- they flare up and whip and blow- but God is forever. He who calmed the wind and the waves took away our sin and guilt, and He invites us to come as weak and wounded sinners because in Him there's rest.
Hallelujah!
booked it
I finished a book recently that was very wonderful. It's called Ragman and it's by Walt Wangerin. It is a collection of stories and hymns a prayers that are really powerful. If you have a second, check out this chapter- one of my favorites- called "Killing in the Little Cuts".
Very good stuff. http://tinyurl.com/littlecuts
OH bummer! I just realized that the last 2 pages of the story aren't included in that link... grr. Well, buy the book. It's a dollar on Amazon. You won't regret it. When I have some time, I'll type out and then react to this story- because I think its really important- the whole "its not about me" mentality... and its a struggle because you're inviting people to use you as a doormat if you are only concerned with others and neglect yourself and your own feelings... anyway, more on that later.
Very good stuff. http://tinyurl.com/littlecuts
OH bummer! I just realized that the last 2 pages of the story aren't included in that link... grr. Well, buy the book. It's a dollar on Amazon. You won't regret it. When I have some time, I'll type out and then react to this story- because I think its really important- the whole "its not about me" mentality... and its a struggle because you're inviting people to use you as a doormat if you are only concerned with others and neglect yourself and your own feelings... anyway, more on that later.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
daily bread
Today I made some lovely whole wheat-honey-agave nectar bread. It was my first try, and it turned out ducky, just ducky! Even after I put in Baking Soda instead of yeast... I got my jars mixed up... oops... It still worked- in fact it is quite tasty and delicious. Thanks $20 Ebay breadmaker! We're going to be good friends, I can tell.
Its pretty cool to be able to create every aspect of my diet and know exactly what I'm consuming... well, I'm not sure what baking soda is... and I have no clue how it differs from baking powder, but I know that I unintentionally ate 1 1/4 tablespoons of one of them, and that's something... right? Oh, also, one of them makes volcanoes when combined with vinegar and red food coloring... that's awesome.
Its pretty cool to be able to create every aspect of my diet and know exactly what I'm consuming... well, I'm not sure what baking soda is... and I have no clue how it differs from baking powder, but I know that I unintentionally ate 1 1/4 tablespoons of one of them, and that's something... right? Oh, also, one of them makes volcanoes when combined with vinegar and red food coloring... that's awesome.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tuesdays with Buechner!!!!
"Turn around and believe that the good news that we are loved is better
than we ever dared hope, and that to believe in that good news, to live
out of it and toward it, to be in love with that good news, is of all
glad things in this world the gladdest thing of all.
Amen, and come Lord Jesus."
"If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in."
Amen, and come Lord Jesus."
"If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in."
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Need to Breathe
Think you need a day of rest? You're right
Article by: ELECTA DRAPER , Denver Post
Article by: ELECTA DRAPER , Denver Post
The brain is a machine that needs downtime.
Americans have become so averse to being unproductive that many have trouble waiting in line, riding in an elevator or stopping at a traffic light without simultaneously reading, texting or talking into some device.
Psychologists, ministers, scientists and even politicians are urging revival of the ancient concept of Sabbath -- a sanctuary in time. And it's not just for the religious.
Wayne Muller, therapist and minister, works with chronically stressed people who know they need to slow their pace -- clergy, doctors, educators, social workers, parents and so on -- but they find it so difficult to step back from their work that they desperately seek permission to rest.
Muller points out that no less an authority on people than God gave permission for an entire day of rest every week. "It's not just permission, it's a commandment."
It's the commandment people most frequently blow off, Muller said, but it's the one that scripture explicitly refers to more than the other nine commandments combined.
Religion aside, psychologists and neurobiologists are learning that, if the Sabbath didn't exist, it would be more necessary than ever to invent it.
A constant flow of information and a perpetually busy state interfere with our ability to think and make decisions, scientists say.
Angelika Dimoka, director of the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University, studies how the brain processes information. Her research has found that, as the flow of information increases, activity increases in the region of the brain responsible for decisions and control of emotions -- but only up to a point.
Flood the brain with too much information, and activity in this region suddenly drops off. This center for smart thinking not only doesn't increase its performance, it checks out.
Boulder, Colo., psychologist Joan Borysenko works with busy executives who fear taking time off each day or week will break their stride in their high-achieving lives.
"A lot of people I know can't take a full day off. They are anxious the whole time. Their minds are racing," said Borysenko, author of "Fried: Why You Burn Out and How to Revive."
But when people take time to quiet down the left brain, to forget about to-do lists and to unplug from more input, she said, solutions often percolate up from the subconscious.
"The history of creativity is filled with stories like this," Borysenko said. "A few days of not thinking about a problem, then the answer simply appears."
Original Link: http://www.startribune.com/nation/129241828.html
Americans have become so averse to being unproductive that many have trouble waiting in line, riding in an elevator or stopping at a traffic light without simultaneously reading, texting or talking into some device.
Psychologists, ministers, scientists and even politicians are urging revival of the ancient concept of Sabbath -- a sanctuary in time. And it's not just for the religious.
Wayne Muller, therapist and minister, works with chronically stressed people who know they need to slow their pace -- clergy, doctors, educators, social workers, parents and so on -- but they find it so difficult to step back from their work that they desperately seek permission to rest.
Muller points out that no less an authority on people than God gave permission for an entire day of rest every week. "It's not just permission, it's a commandment."
It's the commandment people most frequently blow off, Muller said, but it's the one that scripture explicitly refers to more than the other nine commandments combined.
Religion aside, psychologists and neurobiologists are learning that, if the Sabbath didn't exist, it would be more necessary than ever to invent it.
A constant flow of information and a perpetually busy state interfere with our ability to think and make decisions, scientists say.
Angelika Dimoka, director of the Center for Neural Decision Making at Temple University, studies how the brain processes information. Her research has found that, as the flow of information increases, activity increases in the region of the brain responsible for decisions and control of emotions -- but only up to a point.
Flood the brain with too much information, and activity in this region suddenly drops off. This center for smart thinking not only doesn't increase its performance, it checks out.
Boulder, Colo., psychologist Joan Borysenko works with busy executives who fear taking time off each day or week will break their stride in their high-achieving lives.
"A lot of people I know can't take a full day off. They are anxious the whole time. Their minds are racing," said Borysenko, author of "Fried: Why You Burn Out and How to Revive."
But when people take time to quiet down the left brain, to forget about to-do lists and to unplug from more input, she said, solutions often percolate up from the subconscious.
"The history of creativity is filled with stories like this," Borysenko said. "A few days of not thinking about a problem, then the answer simply appears."
Original Link: http://www.startribune.com/nation/129241828.html
Thursday, September 1, 2011
1 You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain. Ps 139.
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain. Ps 139.
The "too lofty for me to attain"...
Some things are meant to be a wonder and not fully understood or grasped. It's just too lofty - too impossible for the created to understand. How limited the Creator would be if His creation fully understood His ways.
It is fun though - to ponder and discuss... Maybe that is partly what pulls us closer to God - because, like small children, we don't understand, but we trust as He navigates us through life as we, as his dearly loved kiddos trotting along side Him, cling to His finger because His hand is too big for ours to fit around...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)