Theology on Tap

Ash Wednesday Reflection

2009-02-25T15:11:00.004-05:00

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten journey. In recent years Ash Wednesday has become a particularly challenging, reflective, and yet empowering day for me in the life of the church. In reality the whole season of Lent has grown in meaning each year. Ash Wednesday is a reminder that our earthly lives are finite, that only by the grace of God are we able to carry on in this uncertain life. As I finished the meditation at d365 (a very good online devotional), I had a moment of reflection and tossed my thoughts down…

Through Dust and Ash
2.25.09, 2:58p

Ashes spread out
In a cross
Across, my forehead
From dust we came
To dust we return
The question in life -
"What have we learned?”
Trial and victory
Triumph and tragedy
I have seen it all
I’ve wept for loss
I’ve carried the cross
I’ve faltered and fallen
I’ve stood and repented
I’ve seen the light
Grace, carry me, now
Mercy, cleanse me, now
Let me be made anew
I see the light
From heaven falling down
I see the light
Mercy, cleanse
Steadfast love, renew
Through dust and ash
I see the light

Gamecocks Beat Florida: ESPNews Highlight of the Night

2009-01-22T08:20:00.004-05:00

GREAT finish for the Gamecocks against Florida last night! Since it was a 7pm Wednesday game I was at work, but hey, I'm proud of this team. They're playing hard and fighting till the end every night. A year ago we would've given up with three minutes to go and ended up suffering a 10 point loss. Same players, different team. Thank you, Coach Horn!

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3851026

Oh, and even better that it happened the same night Clemson dropped to 0-54 all-time at Chapel Hill. Gotta love it!

Inauguration Rumination

2009-01-20T19:52:00.016-05:00

I just got off the phone with my Dad, my best friend, a man I often crack jokes about but respect immensely. Dad was born in 1945. He grew up in a racially divided nation, in the South, in Augusta, Georgia.

While I’ve been a fervent supporter of Barack Obama for a long time, Dad’s gone back and forth, not because of race but because of conservative leanings. Trust me, we’ve debated and discussed Barack Obama for hours and hours over the past two and a half years. When Obama declared his run for Presidency, Dad called with excitement to see if I'd heard the news. He wavered toward Hillary, and he defended McCain. Truth be told, we both played devil’s advocate. Dad never spoke a negative word about Barack Obama.

Today Dad told me he’s proud to see “the guy I saw speak in Columbia” become our nation's 44th President. My Dad, a child of the racially divided segregation-era South, has hope in a black President.

When I reflect on my hope for Obama it takes me deep into my family's past and the development of my views on racial diversity, or better yet, harmony.

I began 'following' Obama, for lack of better wording, after his 2004 Democratic Convention speech, the speech that put him on the map. Still, the moment that made me a true supporter came on September 7, 2004 when Alan Keyes said Jesus Christ wouldn’t vote for Obama.

I read the headline and my jaw dropped. How could anyone dream to begin to presume who Christ might possibly vote for in 2004? It was a defining moment in my support for now President Barack Obama.

Reflecting on my past tonight, on my life, I told Dad that my openness was founded in the principles he and my Mom ingrained in me. For example, the two most important songs Mom sang to me as a child were 'Yellow Submarine' and 'Jesus Loves the Little Children'. The former has inspired me to love great music and delve into the Beatles untouchable catalog. The latter laid the foundation for my current theology of inclusion, reconciliation, and God's love for all.

“Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

My Dad, reflecting on his Dad, told me several stories about Granddaddy reaching out to African-Americans in a violently divided South. The story I’d heard several times over was that of Grandaddy on the steps of the Richmond courthouse as a child, learning how to tapdance from the legendary Mr. Bojangles. I heard how Grandaddy and other kids, mostly black, would gather on the steps and watch Bill Robinson's timeless footwork.

The story I'd heard once or twice, but had long forgotten, came from the late 60’s. Granddaddy was working at the Sears and Roebuck store in Augusta as the paint department manager. With segregation in its waning days, the Augusta Sears hired its first black “floor” employee. Sure, Sears had black janitors and mechanics, but up to this point black employees weren’t allowed to interact with customers.

Every department manger but one refused to have Sears first black floor worker in their department. At a time when racial tension was high, James Stuart Peters welcomed a black man into the paint department. After Grandaddy passed away in 1993, that same worker told my dad that his father had made a profound difference in his life.

As Dad retold this story, I broke down in tears (Dad didn't know it).

This is a story that challenges me today, 40 years later. Who knows how Granddaddy would’ve felt about having a black President. Dad says he'd be proud.

Today, on the East side of a Capitol building built by slaves, Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th President of the United States of America. As a supporter, as a reconciler, and as a dreamer, I'm proud to say, "yes we can.... and yes we did!"

Less Rain in Vegas

2009-01-05T13:54:00.002-05:00

Less celebrities are making it rain in Las Vegas strip clubs. When Floyd "Money" Mayweather dries up the cash showers, you know we're in deep. Hurry up Congress, we've got to fix this economic crisis and quick!

Life Cycle

2009-01-03T23:20:00.006-05:00

Saw this picture of a nameless guy in Gaza from the State. Pretty powerful; inspirational. Caused a few words to flow out of my head...

Life Cycle
- Chris Peters 1.3.09 11:18pm

Fire pours from the heavens
Rockets slam into my home
Sister, why aren’t you breathing?
Death has left me here alone
Staring out a windowless frame
Into the apocalypse below
Glass, rubble, broken bodies
The debris of all I know
Anger, violence, death, silence
My life cycle of bitter wars
If I claim God is on my side
How can you claim He’s on yours?

SC Politician Christmas Gifts

2008-12-21T13:48:00.005-05:00

The State's spreading holiday cheer today...

Gov. Mark Sanford: An updated reading of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol.”

“You want unemployment payments? Bah, humbug!

“Money for Detroit? To the poor house with you!”

ha! Good call to stop short of calling Mark "Gov. Scrooge" outright, though.

Politico: The Obama Revolution

2008-11-05T11:46:00.003-05:00

Politico has a fascinating article today that looks ahead to the post-election/inauguration shift in Washington.

The last of their "five big things... that will be different once Obama takes office on Jan. 20, 2009," provides an interesting comment on the continuing postmodern cultural shift in our society. More importantly it gives a comment on how that shift is reflected in the postmodern view of the world. The italicized line is my own emphasis.

The 1960s are over — finally

For two generations, American politics has been dominated by issues and personalities that were shaped by the ideological and cultural conflicts of the Vietnam era.

The rest of the population may have been bored stiff, but the baby boomers continued their remorseless argument, as evidenced by Bush and Kerry partisans quarreling over Swift Boats and National Guard service in 2004.

Obama had not yet reached adolescence in the 1960s. He seems little interested in the cultural conflicts that preoccupy baby boomers. The fact that he admitted to using cocaine was hardly a factor in this election.

And this young president-elect exerted powerful appeal over even younger voters. They favored Obama by 34 percentage points, 66 percent to 32 percent — a trend with huge potential to echo for years to come.

Guns, God and gays will not disappear from our politics. But they are diminished as electoral weapons as the country confronts a new generation of disputes: global warming, mortgage meltdowns and the detention of terrorism suspects, to name a few.

A Watershed Election

2008-11-04T08:46:00.007-05:00

On Election Day 2008 the U.S. economy is in crisis, the Iraq war has passed the 5 1/2 year point, our international influence is on the decline, and we live in a climate of intense partisan division at home. This is a watershed moment in our country's history, and that takes a watershed candidate. That's why I voted for change this morning. That's why I voted for Barack Obama.

Regardless of who you support, go vote!

My Election Morning Predictions...

Electoral Vote
Obama - 349 (wins Fla, Ohio, Va, Mo, Co, Nv, Pa)
McCain - 189 (wins In, NC)

I think you can give or take Missouri for Indiana or NC.

Popular Vote
Obama wins by 7 million votes.

Colin Powell Endorses Obama

2008-10-19T13:58:00.005-04:00

From Meet the Press this morning.

I thought Powell's most powerful statements addressed how we often react or respond to Muslims in America. To me it's been evident in the fear of conservatives who say Obama's a Muslim. He's not, but why should it matter?

Do Fundamentalist Christians (the people I most often hear spouting this rumor) recognize a bias within themselves and realize that Fundamentalists of other faiths have similar biases? Do you fear that which you understand the least, that which you deeply fear you most resemble? I wish someone could enlighten me.

As Powell says, "Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be President?"

The story of the fallen Muslim-American soldier, with a Purple Heart listing and an Islamic Cresent on his grave, was especially poignant.

"We have got to stop polarizing ourselves in this way."
- Colin Powell

I couldn't agree more. We all know people who carry a negative opinion against all Muslims, not just radical Fundamentalists. Those who sneer or snicker when they see a woman wearing a hijab (headscarf) in the grocery store.

None of us are perfect. I've obviously made a statement that may be seen as being negative toward far-right Christians. But, like Moderate Muslims, I see problems with the way the Fundamentalists of my faith carry the message.

As a Christian, called to respond to God and neighbor with a love that triumphs fear, it bothers me when my brothers and sisters in faith stereotype people of other regions, from Islam to Buddhism to Judiasm to Rastafarianism. It's divisve. It's unjust. It's un-Christian. It's simply not right.

State of the Race

2008-10-07T23:30:00.004-04:00

After tonight's debate I'm tempted to say it's over, but it's not Nov. 4 so I'll restrain myself. Tonight McCain clearly failed to come up with a "game-changer" and may have lost the debate in the eyes of undecided independents (see below).

According to Five Thirty Eight, a political prediction site run by a respected statistician (who accurately predicted the NC democratic primary), Obama leads in all major swing states (Ohio +3.1, Florida +3.7, Virginia +6, Colorado +6.7, Missouri +0.9, North Carolina +1.4, Michigan +8.4), and even now leads in Indiana (+0.6)! Hook up Florida, hook up Ohio, either one... it's over.

All this came prior to the debate, which according to CNN, Obama led significantly in polling (54% Obama to 28% McCain among independents), not to mention significant leads in polls on leadership, the economy, foreign policy... it goes on and on.

It's not over until Nov. 4, but in football terms, McCain is nearing 4th and 20 at his own 10. Obama hasn't ended the game yet, but he's consistent and moving ahead. One blocked punt and it's done. Field the punt and all you need is consistency to win the game. The Gamecock in me says you never know, but for now I'm hopeful.

Home from Mississippi

2008-10-04T21:19:00.007-04:00

I clearly failed to keep up my goal of making daily posts while on our church/Presbytery's hurricane relief trip to Gulfport/Pearlington, MS.

The good news is that the time I would've spent blogging was instead spent helping rebuild the Pearlington PDA camp, listening, making life-long friends, driving the bus, leading devotions, connecting with people around our Presbytery, cleaning the Gulfport camp, wandering New Orleans, teaching 5 churches the song "come all you people" in English and Shona, participating in communion, telling my youth group I just left a casino by speakerphone, blistering my hands and feet, and feeling called, blessed, challenged and changed in new ways that I can barely put into words.

I will post a summary of our trip in the next day or two. For now I'll say that this trip was one of the best weeks of my life.

As for football today...

GAMECOCKS WIN! Caught the game on radio while driving from Atlanta to Augusta starting with the 4th & 1 sneak conversion that led to the go-ahead TD. Jason Barnes is a beast. Our D is stacked. Chris Smelley is the man, as I've said all along!

PDA VI - Day 2

2008-09-30T23:54:00.006-04:00

Community... Presbyterians talk about it all the time.

I love the connectivity of the PC(USA). I have friends all across the country and in other countries thanks to this amazing body of faith. Still, where we pride ourselves is often where we have the longest way left to go.

This week five churches from one Presbytery have come together, in the spirit of Christ's love, to make a difference. We're interacting in ways that make our back-home interaction look pretty lame. In other words, we're interacting.

My hope is that these five churches work to share the good news of PDA, the good news of hard work, and the good news of coming together. Through the sharing and living of that good news, good shall come.

A few things I learned or relearned today...

- I am a beast at driving a 15 passenger bus.
- There is a lot of work still to go here.
- As churches, we must step out of our comfort zones and connect in ways we're currently too stubborn, ignorant, or fearful to do.
- Chaos is undeniable. But so is the love of God cutting through that chaos like light through any shadow.
- The "smarter than a 5th grader" board game can put you in your place....

PDA VI - Day 1

2008-09-29T21:46:00.005-04:00

A few things to look for this week... Shorter posts after today, PDA Facts that come my way and Dialogue Questions for any and everyone to answer. There aren't really right/wrong answers here, so I hope anyone reading jumps in!

Day 1...

David Lamotte often talks about how we change the world just by being here, just by our breathing in and our exhaling out. How our actions change the world is, in many ways, up to us.

39 months ago, after watching CNN and seeing people dying on rooftops in New Orleans, I stood in the office hallway at Forest Lake Presbyterian Church and told our interim head pastor, "we need to go there."

I was 23. I had less than two weeks on the job. And he said, "let's do it." I'll never forget that moment. It was God at work in a way that defeats stereotypes (of the interim pastor and newbie youth director) and changes the world by sharing God's love and grace in new ways.

Reflecting three years later, I'm overcome. Who am I to be here? So many hands have scraped, hammered, painted, and caulked over these trips. I've heard unbelievable stories and seen sights I'll never forget.... George and Barbara describing how they were climbing onto their roof just as the surge subsided, the sight of cars resting on houses and houses on cars in the 9th Ward, Dallas's tale of hanging from a tree for hours... it goes on and on.

And here I am in Gulfport, Mississippi after our first day of work of my sixth trip to the Gulf Coast, once again amazed at how God works through disaster to bring steadfastness, brokenness to bring wholeness, and chaos to bring hope.

Today we began the rebuilding of the Pearlington, MS PDA camp where several of us have spent 4 weeks of our lives. The camp was heavily damaged by hurricanes Gustav and Ike (the reason we're staying in Gulfport).

With that I have to say it's an indescribably profound experience to rebuild a place that has changed your life and that has changed the lives of countless others. To God be the glory...

PDA Fact 1: Since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the morning of August 29, 2005, 45,000 volunteers have worked, laughed, cried, slept, communed, and grown in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) Volunteer Villages.

PDA Fact 2: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) could have rebuilt 315 homes destroyed by Katrina/Rita from scratch had they used their funding to rebuild houses as a solo relief organization. By working with Lutheran Disaster Relief, the Red Cross, FEMA, TRAC (Houma, LA), and countless other local and national organizations PDA has contributed to the rebuilding of 3,500 homes.

Dialogue ?: Do these stats say something about how we should intend to "be the church" in the days, months, and years to come?

My Answer: I believe this is just one example that says we must be willing to join hands with the church, synagogue, mosque, and civic organization across the street and around the world to share the infinitely expansive love of God in an intentionally expansive and inclusive way. By joining hands we have more hands with which to reach out.

Buffett on Bailout

2008-09-25T13:29:00.003-04:00

Warren Buffett is one billionaire who gets a lot of my respect since he doesn't come off as your stereotypical greedy billionaire (see Donald Trump). If you don't know much about him, at least check his wiki.

Yesterday on CNBC Buffett weighed in on the economic crisis, bailout plan, and more...

Last week we were at the brink of something that would have made anything that's happened in financial history look pale. We were very, very close to a system that was totally dysfunctional and would have not only gummed up the financial markets, but gummed up the economy in a way that would take us years and years to repair. We've got enough problems to deal with anyway. I'm not saying the Paulson plan eliminates those problems. But it was absolutely, and is absolutely necessary, in my view, to really avoid going over the precipice.

Click Here for the full interview in three parts.

It's Life in Pearlington

2008-09-16T15:55:00.002-04:00

Christian Science Monitor recently ran a really good article on Pearlington, MS.

If you have something, you share it. If you need something, someone offers it. It’s life in Pearlington.

Check it out.

Gustav did cause damage and flooding in both Pearlington and Houma, La, but nothing as bad as the first reports I heard (which led to my last post). Prayers are now with Galveston and the surrounding area.

I have a laundry list of blog posts on the brain, just haven't had much time to put into creating them. Or, more accurately, I haven't taken the time. Hopefully more to come soon.

Hurricane Tracking

2008-09-06T17:55:00.005-04:00

From Gustav to Hanna to Ike, 2008 has been the most interesting Atlantic Hurricane season since 2005. Growing up in Charleston, I've been fascinated with hurricanes since Hugo in 1989. Working with Katrina/Rita recovery has only intensified that fascination. The past few weeks I've been following Atlantic hurricanes closely on the web. Here are a couple sites worth checking out.

Jared W. Smith (out of Charleston)
Hurricane Track

Also, it looks like Ike may hit Louisiana as a category 4. I'll post more on this later, but if these projections are correct it could redefine the region just as much as Katrina.

Gustav Update

2008-09-02T11:59:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty upset right now... I just heard that our friend Bessie in Houma, La may have lost her house and Pearlington, MS is/was under 5 feet of water.

Instead of rebuilding homes in October we may be rebuilding the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Volunteer Village.

We all know the levees held in New Orleans (thank God!) but as the media turns back toward the "real news" of partisan political campaigns, they'll ignore the small towns that need help the most.

Traveling to the Gulf Coast isn't realistic for everyone, but any donations can help...

Consider donating to the Red Cross to help with immediate needs or to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to help with long-term rebuilding.

"Out of Chaos, Hope"

2008-08-31T23:59:00.012-04:00

I first visited New Orleans at the age of 13, and I was enamored. For a number of years the “Big Easy” was one of a handful of major cities that I dreamed of living in once I was older. Growing up in Charleston I saw New Orleans as our seedier, more intriguing, cousin city.

I'll never forget eating jambalaya for the first time. I'll never forget the ingenuity of New Orleans cemeteries and mausoleums. I'll never forget hearing big band jazz at each turn, left and right. I’ll never forget walking past French Quarter gift shops fronting their stashes of pornographic birthday cards and vulgar t-shirts. Thirteen years later I still love that town.

That experience was just part of my intrigue with the town. In New Orleans, humanity’s desires weren’t hidden or hidden from, but were instead woven into the city’s cultural fabric.

At the time, I never would expect to return to New Orleans 11 years later, ten months after Hurricane Katrina flooded 80% of the city. Things change.

In 1995 my dad and I never would’ve considered venturing into the 9th Ward. In June 2006 I found myself standing just north of North Claiborne Avenue at ground zero of man’s inability (in the form of levees) to overcome nature’s power (in the form of a hurricane). Things change.

At the time I witnessed destruction on a truly apocalyptic scale. The 9th Ward looked like Hollywood's most dramatic multi-million dollar portrayals of nuclear holocaust. But, it was indescribably real.

I’ve never been the same.

Pain, turmoil, death, destruction… this is what we face in life. The challenge is rooted in how we respond.

The Good News, a stark contrast in the face of nature’s unpredictability, is that compassion overcomes decimation.

Compassion is light in a chaotic world where darkness constantly falls. Compassion has paved the way to the Civil Rights Movement, to Tibetan Buddhists standing for their culture, to Iraqi school children dreaming for a bright future, to consumerist American youth longing to make a positive difference in a broken world.

Tonight, knowing destruction is impending, I pray for New Orleans… I worry for Pearlington… and I cry out for Houma, Gustav's probable ground zero.

No one knows what tomorrow brings. Gustav’s destruction is an unstoppable tragedy, but the compassion that will follow is the embodiment and example of God’s love in the world.

The slogan of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is, “Out of Chaos, Hope.” On Monday and the following days there will be chaos. The Gulf Coast will never forget that chaos, but with and through an indestructible hope, the Gulf Coast will press on.

To God be the glory.

.......

Note: Pearlington, MS is a very small town (post-Katrina pop. ~800) where my church has worked four separate weeks with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). Pearlington was forgotten and utterly isolated by the government following Katrina. My life has been changed, my faith challenged, and my current hopes defined, by my time there. Pearlington is a special place.

Houma, LA is where our church spent a week working with PDA in October 2007. We planned to work in Pearlington again but were blessed to experience the people, culture, and incomparable cajun cuisine of Houma. Tonight Houma and it's five bayous (waterways) are directly in the path of Gustav.

Leroi Moore (1961-2008)

2008-08-20T11:19:00.007-04:00

Last night Leroi Moore passed away. Leroi was saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band. He was so much more as well… arranger, composer, director, cool hand on stage.

As a fan I love the calm presence he brought on stage with his laid-back demeanor and trademark sunglasses. He defined “cool”. I love the additions he brought to so many of my favorite songs. He made them. As a musician I love his complex, off-the-cuff melodic solos. They could melt your face one second and bring you to tears the next. I love the depth he brought to the band. As a lover of the sax, I love his amazing tone. Damn that tone... cool and warm at the same time. Simultaneously smooth and blistering.

They say the show must go on, and last night it did in Los Angeles, a great tribute to a great player.

Music is an indescribably important part of my life. It's a healer, a love, a friend. Some of the best moments in my life of simply experiencing music have come at Dave Matthews Band shows, and Roi provided far too many highlights to count. For the gift that Roi shared with the world, a large part of my world, I'll forever be thankful. And thankfully the music lives on.

Edit (8/21/08): Edited the picture...

"Selling Out" for Jesus

2008-08-05T17:40:00.009-04:00

Working at a church I get a lot of Christian junk mail, and as a youth director I get a lot of junk flyers for expensive beach and ski retreats with “relevant” speakers or junk resource guides for hellfire-centered curriculum. There are quite a few companies who go straight to the recycling bin or trash (e.g. Acquire the Fire, though I will admit I once spent 20 minutes talking to an AtF rep about emerging Presbyterian theology and why I wouldn’t take a group to their events, but that’s a story for another post).

Yesterday, for no reason other than curiosity, I browsed a curriculum guide by InQuest Ministries. Funny finding: NONE of the first 12 “Discipleship” resources referenced a passage from the Gospels or mentioned the life of Jesus in their product descriptions. Jesus references were saved (no pun intended) for mentions of his death. There were, however, at least 7 references to Paul’s writings and/or books that are attributed to Paul. The few descriptions I read focused on battling Satan, “the rules” (totaling 4, which included “don’t date Non-Christians”), Paul calling Christians “super-conquerors”, and lastly a reference to youth “when they sell out for Christ.”

I could lengthily break down each of these topics, but two brief thoughts…

What’s up with a segment of Christianity elevating Paul’s teachings over Christ’s teachings? Shouldn’t Christ’s teachings, life, etc be our greater focus in matters of discipleship? Or is that the more uncomfortable way?

Why would we want young people, or anyone for that matter, to “sell out” for Christ? According to Wikipedia, “Selling out refers to the compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' or other personal gain.”

My observation/opinion is that those who "sell out" for Christ adhere to a theology of personal gain. This materialistic, "me" theology seems to define a large and vocal sector of Christianity in the West, which troubles me.

Brian McLaren discusses his concerns with a self-centered theology in A Generous Orthodoxy. I leave you with this thought from the chapter, Jesus: Savior of What?, “Can’t seeking my personal salvation as the ultimate end become the ultimate consumerism or narcissism? In a self-centered and hell-centered salvation, doesn’t Jesus-like every company and political party-appeal to me on the basis of self-interest so that I can have it all eternally and can do so cheaply, conveniently, easily, and quickly? Doesn’t this sound a bit shabby?” (McLaren, 108)

South Carolina: First in Something Good!

2008-07-23T14:18:00.005-04:00

So apparently SC was the state with the the highest percentage of Presbyterians in it's state population in 2006. Pretty cool considering we're usually first in categories such as illiteracy or percentage of state residents with a confederate flag on their cars...

Link

Workout Playlist

2008-07-14T21:03:00.004-04:00

My last few posts have been theologically and/or politically focused, so here's a pointless one, my current rap-heavy (and alphabetical) workout playlist with All Music or (in the case of Ghostland Observatory) NPR link...

The Coup - We Are the Ones
Daft Punk - Robot Rock
Damian Marley - The Master Has Come Back
Eric B. and Rakim - I Know You Got Soul
Flobots - Same Thing
Ghostland Observatory - Rich Man @ SXSW
GZA - Shadowboxin
Jay-Z - Takeover
Jay-Z - Oh My God
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Kanye West - Stronger ... more Daft Punk props!
LCD Soundsystem - Get Innocuous!
Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Reflector
Outkast - B.O.B.
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name
The Roots - Thought @ Work
Run-D.M.C. - Peter Piper

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

2008-07-07T13:41:00.000-04:00

Won't this song disappear already?

GA Thoughts Pt. 2 (Congrats to BRC!)

2008-06-29T23:06:00.006-04:00

I failed to mention that our new PCUSA Moderator is Bruce Reyes-Chow, a pastor of the emerging Mission Bay congregation in San Francisco. As I told friends in an email last week, "I’ve known Bruce for a few years (through Montreat Youth Conferences) and believe he has the enthusiasm, theological vision, and sense of humor (gasp!) we desperately need in a moderator today."

Bruce's candidacy was fueled by his blog and a huge Facebook group with over 700 members. Simply awesome.

The next two years will be hectic (for lack of a better word) for Bruce, his wife Robin, and their three girls. If you're a praying type of person, please keep them in your thoughts.

GA Thoughts Pt. 1

2008-06-29T22:44:00.002-04:00

This week the General Assembly (GA) of the PCUSA, my life-long denomination, kick-started a process that may lead to the open ordination of practicing GLBT folks. For this to happen, 2/3 of Presbyteries will have to approve a new wording of the (in)famous Book of Order statement known as G-6.0106b. To avoid hearing me hash out the details you may read the “official” article, a conservative response, and a brief progressive response. Or if you're familiar with that upstart website, Google, you can find info through their internet search engine. ;)

Four or five GA’s ago (circa 2002/2003) I would’ve supported this decision, but I would've supported it with a lingering fear of ‘what may come’ for the denomination. Cue visions of a conservative church exodus dancing through my head. I would've been fearful that many churches would leave, and the PCUSA's numbers would continue to decline. I would've reluctantly met grace with mental pettiness.

Today, I face the GA’s decision with hope. Hope for the future of the PC(USA) as Presbyteries discuss the issue and vote to proclaim where God is calling us. Hope for those who oppose the decision to enter a process of discernment about the role of GLBT folks in the church. And, hope for those who agree with the decision to meet opposition with graceful dialogue and a fair-mindedness.

Some will preach and blog of the demise of "true faith" in our denomination. Some of those will leave the denomination. Others will preach and blog of justice, grace, and love triumphing.

I will preach (this Sunday) and blog of hope. Hope for 'what may come' in our denomination and hope for an expanded role for all of God's children in the church.

More to come on this issue in the future, for now I'm exhausted after a fun and long wedding weekend in Asheville.

Michelle Obama in NY Times

2008-06-18T17:38:00.003-04:00

The NY Times has a solid article on Michelle Obama today. It's clear (as if it wasn't before) that she's incredibly passionate and has some strong principles. Two quotes I really liked...

"I looked out at my neighborhood and sort of had an epiphany that I had to bring my skills to bear in the place that made me," she says in the interview. "I wanted to have a career motivated by passion and not just money."

Like Barack she spent her time in the "trenches" in South Chicago, despite an Ivy League degree. In many ways the passion/money issue is a big part of why I'm doing what I do.

And one that requires reading the whole article for context...

"I hate diversity workshops," she says. "Real change comes from having enough comfort to be really honest and say something very uncomfortable."

I think that gives some insight into some of her quotes that have been blown up by the media. In a more direct sense, it challenges those of us who seek change to be willing to face the uncomfortable, especially when the uncomfortable is the face in the mirror.

Preaching Postmodernity (whatever that means...)

2008-06-11T14:56:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm now slated to preach on July 6. For my general anxieties with preaching, go here. The good news is that I've been in the pulpit so much recently that I'm much more comfortable with the whole process...

Honestly, this time I'm pretty excited. I've read and re-read the passages I've selected, Matt: 16-30 (ignoring that the lectionary cuts out v.20-24) and Romans 7:15-25, and have gone through several commentaries. I've even written some thoughts out and could easily 'finish' the sermon in a couple hours. We commission our Montreat crew that morning so I have a great opportunity to talk about my theology of youth ministry, which I haven't really done since my first sermon.

My new anxiety is whether I try to spend time talking about postmodern thought and theology to an unapologetically modernist congregation. Is it worth it to even mention that you're wary of Truth claims and putting God in a box, or is it better to "play it safe" and just talk in broader terms about my youth ministry approach? What about when your theology is shaped by an emerging worldview that many could care less to hear about? What about when that worldview isn't definable, when so many want explicit definitions.... The questions go on and on.

SC: Last in Cigarette Taxes, Last in Governing Competence

2008-05-28T14:55:00.007-04:00

In 2005 Time Magazine named South Carolina's Mark Sanford one of America's worst governors. This week's veto of the Cigarette Tax bill confirmed that assertion in my mind.

Equally pathetic was the legislature's inability to override the veto due to Republican strong-arming that led a number of lawmakers to tuck tail and change their votes.

Why hate on ("vote down" for you older types) a bill raising cigarette taxes? Sanford and Sons didn't like that the revenue was to be used to fund Medicaid and child health care. Some conservatives' primary fear is that children will then grow up with an "entitlement" mentality, all thanks to some socialist expenditures based off revenue from the cigarette tax. Thanks to our legislators' "all for the rich, none for the poor" mentality the SC cigarette tax will remain at a disgraceful dead last $0.07 for another year.

I know "progress" is a dirty word to many in this state, but apparently "common sense" and "decency" have been deemed just as vulgar by our elected officials.

It's not like SC DHEC determined that heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in all "regions" of the state. Oh whoops, looks like I misspoke... Well at least smoking isn't a leading cause of heart disease and cancer. Whoops, I misspoke again and again.

SARCASM WARNING: Some good news, though... Sanford didn't veto this week's bill making indigo blue the state color. A true victory for all indigo blue-enthusiasts like myself!

Believe It or Not: Katrina Recovery Continues...

2008-05-13T21:23:00.015-04:00

On Sunday I'll hop on a very familiar blue-trimmed church bus (I'll probably be driving) and depart for the Gulf Coast. Sunday will mark the start of our fourth Hurricane Katrina relief trip to Pearlington, MS, a small town located on the Mississippi Bayou, and our fifth trip overall.

(Note: Last October's trip was to Houma, LA, a town devastated by 2005's other major Louisiana-bound hurricane, Rita.)

It was nearly two years ago when we first arrived in Pearlington to the sight of head-high debris piles and splintered, moldy homes. Our visit to the Ninth Ward that week was indescribable; a place where the bustling sounds of laughter mixing with Satchmo mixing with Lil Wayne had been drastically replaced with wilderness-like silence. At the time cars were piled on houses and houses, shifted from their foundations, piled on cars. GPS numbers indicated the spots where bodies had been found. Indescribable, indeed.

Today (or when I most recently visited in October) the Gulf Coast is recovering. As cynical as it may sound, the Gulf will never "recover" if "recovery" means a strict return to the way things once were. Chaos, death, destruction. These aren't things anyone "recovers" from. We learn, we grow, we move forward, we even reclaim aspects of whom and what we once were, but we remain forever changed.

Service to others has been a deep-seated passion, a foundational point of my life, for a long time. Many people wax cynical about a lacking human capacity to make positive changes in our world, but after four weeks on the Gulf Coast, and with number five looming, I can honestly say that change has been made and is being made daily in Pearlington and in Houma and in New Orleans. Things will never be as they once were, but change is happening. Thanks be to God.

Side note: As of this morning I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make this trip since I have to return two days early. The good news is that plans occasionally come together perfectly and that this was one of those occasions. To quote Hannibal from the A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together."

I'll be sure to post more reflections, they're already brewing in my head....

YouTube HD (almost)

2008-04-30T00:15:00.014-04:00

So I'm sure you're like me; a kind soul patiently awaiting the unveiling of YouTube HD.

Yes or no, there is an intermediate fix that has been out a couple months. If you add the following text " &fmt=18 " to the end of a youtube video url you'll get a higher quality video.

In other words, open a youtube video, paste &fmt=18 onto the end of the address, and hit refresh. It's internet magic!

I tried it on several videos and it clearly works. Very cool. Here's a live version of one of my favorite songs for proof. Spread the love.

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Wake Up and Live (The Legend Live DVD, 11.25.79)

Low Quality:

High Quality:

Gas-Tax Relief No Holiday

2008-04-28T11:22:00.009-04:00

Just finished reading a solid post at Gristmill on Obama's stance on the gas-tax holiday.

Low energy prices -- kept low with tax breaks, ruined mountaintops, scarred lungs, and now-fracturing ice shelves -- are what enabled suburbia, the "love affair" with the auto, and the hellspawn of SUVs that has begun engulfing China. Only high energy prices -- prices that internalize the grievous costs of energy extraction and combustion via gas taxes and revenue-neutral carbon taxes -- can instill the incentives and propagate the behaviors that will move us and other nations off of oil and off of carbon in the nick of time.

Simply stated, cutting costs isn't going to cut reliance on and/or overconsumption of oil. Gas has hit a point where overall US consumption is predicted to fall in '08 (Business Week). However, it hasn't hit a point where consumption is going to fall so far that our C02 emissions will follow suit.

I'm no saint on this issue as I drive a hand-me-down '95 Jeep Wrangler. Right now I can't afford to buy a new Prius, or even Civic Hybrid. Still I have been looking at the used Civic Hybrid market.

If the auto industry had a real interest in combating climate change, they would find a way to not only make more hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, but (and perhaps of equal importance) they would find ways to make them affordable for middle class and low-income consumers who are the ones that will have their budgets crippled by rising fuel costs. Tax rebates are great, but as more people buy hybrid vehicles those rebates are decreasing. Maybe there's some great "affordable-hybrid" program I don't know about for low-income folks, but it would seem to be in everyone's advantage if the technology was more affordable.

Just my $.02. As for Obama, it's just one more reason I support the man, and a great example of a tangible policy change from "politics as usual!" Only time will tell if he A) gets the opportunity to put that difference into practice and B) follows up on that opportunity...

The Unproductive Weekend Ahead

2008-03-20T10:34:00.004-04:00

Today brings a rollercoaster of emotions for millions across this great nation. Before us is an ebb and flow tide of joy and anger, frustration and relief. A trying and triumphant unofficial national holiday. Break out the cheap beer and leave work early. The NCAA tournament begins today. Not much more can be said.

As far as my primary bracket goes (who really fills out just one?), my picks feel far “too safe” to even dream of having a bracket as successful as last year’s when I unbelievably finished #1606 of the roughly two million entries on ESPN.com. Time will tell.

For now, a question for the ages. Do I do the unthinkable and clandestinely hope that Clemson actually wins two games for the sake of bracket bragging rights, or do I hope that they lose in the first round, you know, because they’re Clemson. *Shudder*

Final 4 Picks
UNC
Kansas
Texas
UCLA (eventual champion)

Lastly, for those of you who have to work while the games are on: http://www.channelsurfing.net/

(In)experience Counts

2008-02-28T23:07:00.008-05:00

Who understands does not preach;
Who preaches does not understand.
- Tao Teh Ching, 56 (Merel Translation)

I've been blessed, perhaps called, to preach several times at the church where I work. Truth be told, this is unusual. I don't hold a MDiv and I'm not currently in seminary. I'm "simply" a youth director who has been given a great opportunity.

I've now preached five times in the last year and a half, surely no Guinness record. The last two times have probably been the toughest. Not because I thought it had all been said before. Not because I had difficult passages (though you try preaching on the slaughter of innocents six days after Christmas). Not because I've had little to no 'proper' training in public speaking. The reason they've been tough is this: somewhere along the line I realized that I have no idea what I'm doing (in some enigmatic, humbling, "place in the world" sense).

Preparing a sermon, for me, requires asking countless questions. Here are a few in no particular order...

"What's the historical and societal context of this passage?"

"How is God speaking to me / the body of Christ / our culture in this passage?"

"What hook can I pull from the text?"

"What personal story might bring the theme home for the listener (any listener)?"

And perhaps the toughest...

"What the hell is my title going to be?!?" My last title search, ending with A Steady Guide for the ______ Journey, nearly drove our office manager to poison my coffee.

Still, bearing your soul and potentially showing your insanity before a large group of people is a challenging prospect. Maybe that's why I haven't fully embraced the concept of blogging.

Ultimately the prep questions shore themselves up through study, prayer, procrastination, preaching to an empty sanctuary (woodshedding, like in the jazz tradition), and one or two mild panic attacks.

Ultimately I stand before 300 people on any given Sunday and share what insight I've gleaned from immersing myself in passages of scripture assigned by the lectionary.

Ultimately two services pass, two nearly identical sermons are given, and many elderly ladies (whose names I still haven't learned after 31 months) tell me that I'm called to be a preacher.

It's a funny thing, but I've come to realize it's not just some great resume-enhancing experience, but a true, bring-you-to-your-knees calling.

One of the best preachers I know once said that preaching can be "humiliating." Truer words have rarely been spoken.

Saturday Night Hoops

2008-02-19T14:52:00.008-05:00

My ‘comeback’ wasn’t a misplaced tease; it’s just taking time to get some decent posts written in the midst of work, my new fascination with sports blogs, and time spent following the primaries. For my first post back, here are some quick basketball-related ramblings…

Saturday night was a good one for basketball. While putting down some mediocre high gravity IPA (Long Hammer from Red Hook Brewery) at Village Idiot, I was treated to an exciting USC win (though I was the only person paying much attention until about 2 minutes to go) and a surprisingly entertaining NBA skills challenge.

First off, the Gamecocks improved to 12-12 (4-6) with a win over not-so-mighty Alabama. My observations …

1) Devan Downey is a BEAST. I love this kid’s style and ability. Simply off the charts. No matter what Dave Odom foolishly said after our beatdown at the hands of UGA, Downey is easily the best PG in the SEC this year.

2) Mike Holmes apparently fought his way out of Odom’s doghouse and had a very respectable 10pts, 8 rebs. I’ve been pulling hard for Holmes all year and really hope to see him succeed. I think he has the potential to be a solid C/PF for several years to come. Hopefully the internet rumors about Mike potentially transferring to Winthrop are unfounded and very, very misguided.

3) A .500 or better season would be a huge asset in our coaching search. I can’t figure this team out on the court (win @ Ole Miss, bend over @ UGA, play hard to win vs. Bama), still I’ll cheer them on while saying nightly prayers for Anthony Grant of VCU to ride into town on a Garnet and Black horse later this spring…

On to the NBA (I STILL love this game…)

I’ve always really liked Dwight Howard as a baller. I like him even more after the dunk contest. His first dunk was incredible, assuming you can get past the miss in the first 50 seconds of this clip:
My only complaint was that his second dunk scored a “perfect” 50 as well. There’s no way. Can it even be considered a dunk? He threw the ball through the hoop and was nowhere near touching the rim w/ his hands. I’ve followed basketball all my life, and I just can’t justify calling that a dunk. Entertaining? Yes. Still, I’m not sure if wearing the superman cape on a very impressive non-dunk should get you a 50. Judge for yourself…

Either way the dunk contest was much more entertaining than other recent dunk contests I recall. Still, for me none will compare to the 2000 contest where Vince Carter redefined what the contest meant. That’s not a knock on some of the great contests of the 80’s…

Too bad he couldn’t get over the “next Jordan” hype that trailed him out of UNC.

Until next time (and hopefully more thought),

Chris

I'm baaaaack....

2008-01-21T18:44:00.000-05:00

After nearly two years of neglecting the blogger within me, I've decided to give this a go again. I'm not sure if anyone has interest at this point, but I figured if anything it will be a place to save some stories and thoughts for future sermons and songs. Enjoy THE RETURN...

FEMA: The ineptitude continues...

2006-06-11T15:13:00.000-04:00

One underlying theme that kept cropping up during my week on the Gulf Coast was the ineptitude of FEMA and the federal government to respond to the ravaged region. Not only do people complain about the lacking response in the immediate aftermath, but the problems continuing today, nearly 10 months later.

Today you can drive through Pearlington, MS and see debris piles where houses once stood with FEMA trailers parked outside, PVC pipe rooted into the ground. What’s scary is that you can also see debris piles where houses once stood with no trailer, but with tents.

Have you ever lived in a tent for 9 months? Probably not.

Have you ever slept in one for a night?

Tents are great for backpacking trips along the Appalachian Trail, but not for life along the Mississippi Delta.

Today you can drive into New Orleans, head down to the University of New Orleans Lakeview campus near Elysian Fields and see a grass field with uninhabited FEMA trailers with a good foot of weeds growing around them. From what I understand they “don’t have the keys” to move them. From what I understand there are multiple “trailer parks” like this around the region.

Why? Well, a big reason is that FEMA claims you can’t put these trailers in flood prone areas. I can see the logic (my stepmom works as Zoning Administrator in a rural SC county). Still, sometimes care for humanity should trump logic and law.

I could go on and on about similar stories I heard. Many folks in Pearlington applied for trailers 5 or more times in the first few weeks after the storm only to get them months later due to red tape. "Merry Christmas!" Here are a few quotes (as best as I could remember them) to help me sum up this first Katrina recovery-related post.

The first is from Jan, a woman in Pearlington whose house was destroyed by the 25 foot flood waters that surged through the town, which hadn’t flooded in the previous 100 years, “If they could go to Iraq and set up camps so quickly… why did it take so long for them to help us?”

The second is from George, with whom our church's team spent four days working with on repairing his and his wife’s home that flooded two feet into the second floor… “I was in Vietnam, and I remember detailed plans for the Army to drop relief supplies into rice fields for the citizens, and I remember those drops. You can’t tell me they wouldn’t have been able to do the same for those poor folks at the Convention Center.”

I struggle a lot with the concept of patriotism. I love many things about my country, but I question much of what goes on in its name. Jan and George are patriots, as is the woman outside the New Orleans Convention Center caught on camera saying “We Are American” (Dyson, Come Hell or High Water p.13). Patriots are people who place faith in their government’s ability to respond and protect them in certain life or death situations such as natural disasters or war. The same can be said for a local government. The police and fire departments are established to protect and to serve. Sadly, our government didn’t come near fulfilling those expectations following Hurricane Katrina. Time will only tell as to what happens following the next disaster…

Hugo and Katrina Go Dancing

2006-06-02T15:05:00.000-04:00

Life is a funny thing. Sometimes you try to escape hard times by laughing at the memories, only to have the reality boil to the surface of your consciousness years later. Tomorrow I leave for Pearlington, MS, a small town (pop. 1684) dead in the path of Hurricane Katrina. In fact, this hamlet with no mayor and a ravaged volunteer fire department was the exact location of Katrina's third landfall.

By Sunday night I'll be brought back to my childhood, not the location, but devastation. While incomparable, I'll never forget the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, which brought it's 160 mph winds through my hometown of Mount Pleasant, SC.

I'll never forget being huddled with my parents in the dingy bathroom of a highway-side motel in Manning, SC screaming, "Daddy pray louder," hoping our cries for God to save us would drown out the commotion and the sound of the roof peeling from above our heads.

I'll never get the day-long drive home (normally 1 and 1/2 hours) where Mom and I waited in the car while my dad and others bore chainsaws to clear the road ahead.

I'll never forget communing at Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston the day after we returned, praying and listening to the sound of the building falling in around us. I'll always cherish the picture of the impromptu and unsafe worship service in the next day's newspaper.

Being out of school for a month in October isn't as fun as it sounds, even when you're 7. Living without water or electricity for weeks isn't either, especially when the neighborhood behind you has its power restored over a week before you do (still a little bitter about that one)! Being mandated by a national guard curfew to stay in your home after nightfall is the antithesis of liberation...

However, the "save the meat" cookouts with neighbors under the brightest of starry nights, family gatherings at Mimi's house, smiling volunteers, and simple thankfulness for being alive are some of the most amazing experiences of my life.

We were lucky. We didn't lose our home (only our backyard fence). Our young cat, Buffy, had survived the storm (and amazingly is still going at the age of 18 today).

These are the memories I will take with me to Mississippi. They don't compare to the stories I'll hear or the devastation I'll witness 10 months after Katrina danced her waltz of destruction across the Delta. I say it often... we should learn from our experiences and allow them to inform all that we encounter throughout life. Hopefully my experiences of hurricanes and uncertainty will allow me to empathize with the people we meet. Hopefully they will help me to be a leader to our work team (though I'm the second youngest of 7 going). Once I return I'll try to chronicle some of what I have sees and experienced here.

Some links related to this post...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearlington,_MS
http://operationeden.blogspot.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Hugo
http://www.secondpresbyterianchurch.org/content.asp?catID=10052

Failing Bracketology

2006-03-13T15:23:00.000-05:00

Christmas…

New Years...

Fall's first USC football game...

DMB in Charlotte...

March Madness…

They only come once a year. Few events on the calendar get me as excited to be alive as the NCAA Basketball Tournament. By the end few, if any, are more frustrating.

Can ‘Nova make the Final Four with a banged up Allen Ray (not to be confused with former UConn guard and current Supersonic Ray Allen)?

Can Winthrop really upset Tennessee? Which, I would guess is probably less likely since it's this year's ‘safe’ big upset pick.

Is Michael Wilbon out of his mind or pure genius for picking LSU as a Final Four team?

Bracketology: the science I just can't master.

I’ve been a diligent student for a good 14 years now, dedicating much more effort to acing this week's yearly final than any final exam during my actual college career.

Every year it’s the same… I complete my bracket(s), correct them, change them, and suffer insomnia due to the life-altering questions they inspire.

“Will Wichita State suffer an ‘upset’ at the hands Seton Hall?”

The next few days I’ll listen to ESPN Radio religiously, praying to the God of Andy Katz that I might get a scoop on the insurmountable strength of some mid-major’s veteran backcourt. Because we all know the teams with good guards have an advantage…

In the end my analysis is futile. By Friday night I’ll join millions of frustrated hoops fans who can't understand why the ditzy Administrative Assistant is beating them in their office pool. Left floundering in 413,089th place in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge I'll look back at my brackets and lament the fact that my Monday morning "pre-obsession" bracket was the most accurate. So it goes.

Stressful

Time-consuming

Self-defeating

March Madness, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Brought to you by: the Coalition for Every Blog in America to Include a Post on March Madness

Miller's High Life

2006-02-08T13:10:00.000-05:00

It's been a while, but I haven't had much to say...

I have to admit, I’ve been pulled onto the US Ski Team bandwagon hook, line, and sinker. And it’s not for the reasons you might expect.

Why would a kid who grew up on the beaches of Charleston do such a thing?

Well, I love skiing, and I do it fairly well. I started at the age of four, the same age at which I was learning to read.

More than many things in life, I love hitting the snow (as I will this weekend) and reaching the bottom of a black diamond with the biggest smile I can manage plastered on my face. The ‘perfect’ run from my standpoint, even if I fell flat on my face. Thankfully that whole "falling" thing doesn’t happen often for me. The older I get, the more it hurts, so I try to avoid it.

On a side note, some friends were trying to talk me into wearing a helmet this weekend, but to be honest, if I go out skiing you can rest assured I was having the time of my life.

When I get to the Alps I’ll wear a helmet.

Moving on…

I respect athletes (hell, people in any profession) who push themselves not to fulfill the expectations of others, but simply for the great feeling they get from doing what they do. It’s why I love my job, and at times am frustrated by it.

Bode Miller does just that and it’s why he’s one of the best, if not the best, skier in the world right now.

I respect people in the vein of Miller who eschew conforming to the standards others have set for them and do what they do because a stirring in their soul, perhaps God, calls them to it. People who strive to live life on their own terms, doing what they love and pursuing it with all their heart. It’s the type of life I strive to live. It’s that mindset that pushes me to play guitar, write, and work toward my current goal of running a marathon.

Lastly, I’m on the bandwagon because several members of the women’s team are near my age and incredibly attractive (example - Julia Mancuso). An attractive woman who can ski well is immediately a medal winner in my book.

I’m honestly looking forward to the Olympics. I always do. This year’s team could be ‘the’ team to oust the dominance of the Austrians. Miller could be the first American male to stand on the medal podium after every race.

The Olympics and the 2006 ski team are good for a nation where there is a bitter divide between ‘right’ and ‘left’. Starting this weekend I for one will gladly turn on the television and alleviate my mind of frequent criticisms of our government, our current leadership, and their policies. Starting this weekend I’ll gladly put aside cynicism to focus on the many aspects of life in our nation of which we all should be proud. And, in the spirit of sport and the Olympic tradition, if not for our hot skiers, I’ll join the chorus of, “USA, USA, USA”.

Westward Road, or "How I Found Grace"

2006-01-12T12:57:00.000-05:00

I've decided (maybe) to put more of my creative writing on here and rant less. This was basically a stream of consciousness thrown onto paper with some minor editing afterward. Take it as you may.

1.12.05 12:16pm

In these days of war and peace
I become reconciliation
Running through valleys
Between chains and liberation
And dear if you ever
See my tired face again
Know we had some damn good times
But I finally grew into a man
Once this mountain called me
No friend or foe could bid me stay
Along heavenward trails
I understood the meaning of grace
If by chance you meet me
Along some westward road
Will you pass by or greet me?
With a slap or with a smile?
I can't help but carry onward
From this city beside our creek
I sought long for a perfect love
Yet we never find the things we seek
And if this life gets you weary
Crying out to leave it soon
Remember my philosophy
About lazy afternoons,
If we live for the deadlines
And someone else’s expectations
We'll lose sight of what matters
And become our own rejection
Last night I woke suddenly
To a sound above my head
Was it the sound of ancient laughter?
Did she overcome her dread?
If you ever see the moonlight
Cascade through cypress trees
Will you sleep naked in the glade,
Or will you fear being free?
When the woods around us burned
I thought it was the end
But the stream became our savior
In ways we'll never comprehend
And when mother left us waiting
She should've know we'd break the vase
All children work in mischief
While adults just run the race
I thought my time here was over
If not I'll continue on
Until my guitar returns to earth
And I unlearn her favorite song
Losing track within the railcar
We fell into a daze
While the world around us hastened
Casting others into its maze
Son, will you be my Judas,
Or will you set me free?
Will you desert me with your dry lips,
Or will you let me be?
One day we'll find answers
Along some cragged mountaintop
Where we escaped from the nonsense
And unearthed our worth and stock
All great things have been said before
Still I’ve always felt it’s true
Whatever’s reaped from the soul
Is the truth that makes you new

Some inspired reflections...

2006-01-03T01:15:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Rumi and the Tao Teh Ching...

A lover of the soul knows the questions the lover of only flesh may never see.

What drives my neighbor to grow?
Why does my sister fear?
Why do we ignore the Great Wisdom residing in each of us and instead cherish disunity?
What does my beloved see in me?

One day all questions will come to pass.
Is that day today?

Hope for the future but live for the moment.

Why is humankind scared to die?
Why is its greater fear living?

The Great Commission is truly to love, not to convert.
If only we could see that truth, then peace would thrive.

A lover of the soul asks questions and seeks, yet the Great Paradox accepted is this:
If there is Truth, why are there no answers to my inquiries?

So the soul-minded meditates, prays, and prostrates all life-practices before the Great Unknown.
This mystery penetrates the heart of all who dare to love.
It satisfies.
It terrorizes.
It captivates.
It frees.
It is all things in one and fills the nothing-void within us all.

One day we will see.
But today, let us live each moment attentively and let us do so with love.

1/2/06 1:37am (revised 1/3/05 6:19p)

Images of Jesus

2005-12-28T01:58:00.000-05:00

Blond haired, blue eyed? Dreadlocked?

Stern-faced? Welcoming?

Revolutionary? Hippie?

Images are powerful. An image can elicit an array of emotions, depending greatly on who you are and where you're coming from. The same can be said for images of Jesus.

Why did a church receive death threats several years ago when they cast a black man as Jesus in a Passion Play? (http://lubbockonline.com/news/032197/black.htm)

Why are people surprised, yet often pleased when they first see 'Jesus Laughing'? (Above... a favorite I have up in my office). Why does it challenge their perceptions?

Why am I, a white, middle-class American male, bothered by images of anglo-Jesus? You know, the kind in your kid's Sunday School class.

There's no right or wrong answer (is there ever?). I believe our perceptions of Christ are largely shaped by our faith journey (no matter the tradition) and experiences.

For the white evangelical in America... Christ is most comfortably seen as white. For the oppressed of the inner city, an image of Jesus crucified next to the Sears Tower brings Christ home. Redeemer. Liberator.

We'll never have a definitive or 'true' image of Christ, and I think that's a good thing. Any image of Christ that brings hope to the weak and challenges the strong to reach out in charity is worthwhile.

Rant inspired by...

http://www.rejesus.co.uk/expressions/faces_jesus/index.html

Striving for... something

2005-12-21T00:17:00.000-05:00

In life I believe we are called to be in tune with the present moment. We are called to strive for our best in all endeavors, as imperfect as our ‘best’ may be. I do so when I strap on my guitar, when I put pen to paper, and when my feet hit the pavement for a run at Canal Park.

I’m admittedly a bit of a perfectionist. When I find something I care about, I pursue it almost to a fault (except guitar… that’s paid off). At times I think I’ll be remembered as a modern-day Icarus, someone who pushed the limits of his abilities, despite knowing the consequences, until plunging from the sky. I've taken my share of falls thus far.

I long for greatness, however broken and lacking my ‘best’ efforts may be. No one is perfect. If we were we’d have no need for God. Still, I believe we are all made in the image of God. We may be broken and fragile, but we all have our moments of greatness, perhaps even moments of perfection.

In the grand scheme of things we are not called to seek some infallible existence (note to self). If we do we’ll languish in a life of disappointment. Perhaps I’ve read too much Buddhist philosophy, but I believe more and more that being in-tune with the present moment is of primary importance to one’s happiness.

Greatness is to be measured not by our output, but our in-put: what we give of ourselves and how it changes who we are and, perhaps more importantly, how it changes the world around us.

We are called to be awe-full, to be filled with awe by the moments in which our feeble efforts and perfection go dancing. It is in these uncommon instances where we fully taste the splendor of life and see the face of God, the God who calls us to be in-tune with every moment, living life to the full for the uplift of this maddening world we live in.

Things keeping me from posting....

2005-12-08T17:40:00.000-05:00

I haven’t posted anything in a while, so here’s a lame and generic list of things I’m enjoying right now…

Wilco – Kicking Television – Ok, I saw Wilco a couple times at 96 Wavefest back in the mid-90’s. I remember nothing about the performances. What I do know is that their recently released 2-disc live album is nothing short of incredible. Surprisingly the genius of their recent studio albums works in a live setting.

Free gym at Eastminster Presbyterian –As Ron Burgundy says, “The only way to bag a classy lady is to give her two tickets to the gun show.” Free gym = free muscles. 2 weeks and I'm already seeing results.

Sufjan Stevens – Say Yes! To Michigan – The first Sufjan album I ‘discovered’ online (aka illegally downloaded) about a year and half ago. If you like laid-back, acoustic-driven indie music without the pretentiousness (a rarity!) and with intelligence… Sufjan’s your man.

Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks – Trendy? Yes. Masculine? No. Do I care? Not really. These things are like drinking heaven out of a recycled cup. So good it almost makes me forget that I’m exploiting third world farmers every time I waste, err spend, $4 on one.

Bob Marley & the Wailers – Live at the Roxy – 23-minute Get Up, Stand Up / War / No More Trouble jam is worth the purchase itself. Definitely a good stocking stuffer for your dreadlocked loved ones.

Credo – William Sloan Coffin – Fascinating book of quotations from one of the world’s most renowned social activists and ministers. I haven’t gotten too far into this book (each quote takes some sinking in), but so far it’s been a very refreshing read. Great pick for the socially conscious Christian on your Christmas list.

Honorable Mentions:

NCAA March Madness ’06 for PS2
Tao Te Ching
Peace is Every Step – Thich Nhat Hanh
The Genesee Diary – Henri Nouwen
Sidney Rice TD's
John Coltrane – Live at the Village Vanguard (Master Takes)… if anyone wants to give me a Christmas gift you can pick up the boxset!
Steve Spurrier’s mystique

Keys to a Win Saturday

2005-11-17T11:36:00.000-05:00

Well, I wasn't going to post until after the Clemson game to avoid a jinx, but after some intense stat sheet studying here are some keys to a Gamecock win.

Defense
Make Whitehurst throw as many (or more) interceptions as TD’s. INT/TD ratio has always been make or break with this kid (all 35 years he's started at CU). If possible keep him below 60% on completions. 65% max.

If the INT's don't materialize, keep them under 150 yds rushing on the day.

Bonus fact: Ko needs 13 tackles to hit 100 for the season.

Offense
Mitchell needs more TD’s than INT’s. In the 2 games he started and USC lost, his INT/TD ratio was 1/2 (UGA) and 1/1 (Bama). In every win but Florida, he's thrown 2 TD's or more... We don’t even need 200 yds passing, but we must win the turnover battle to win. It's a fundamental truth in football and it weighs heavily in this game.

Freshman receivers (Rice and McKinley) need to produce. Arkansas is the only game in the 5-game win streak where Rice caught for less than 100. In that game McKinley picked up the slack. If Rice stays below the century mark McKinley must step up.

Keep up red zone production. We're 4th in the SEC for red zone scoring and first for TD percentage. Spurrier doesn't let up inside the 20 and he won't start on Saturday.

This one’s going to be closer than some USC fans think. I know a number of 'us' are so confident of a win our heads are nearing explosion level. Don’t expect redemption for 63-17, at least not for another year or two.

Perhaps I’ve learned a lesson from years past, but anything can happen in this one. Perhaps I still have “Lou-syndrome”. Our team isn’t that talented. Our team is young and they’re overachieving. Clemson’s better than their record indicates. Carolina isn’t as good as theirs.

Perhaps, however, this USC team has two key ingredients for success others have lacked: heart and character. The Gamecocks are taking it one game at a time and they’re playing to win. To paraphrase Spurrier, this isn’t a stats team, it’s a results team (so ignore my points above). Perhaps the opposite has been Clemson’s problem under Bowden. Maybe that’s why I’m confident that if and when it comes down to coaching, the Spur will always stand victorious.

This team's hungry for a win Saturday, especially the seniors. Bowl game? Check. Tennessee? Check. Florida? Check. Clemson? ___. This team, unlike previous USC teams under previous coaches, will not lie down and accept defeat if the going gets tough. As our fight song says, “that’s when the Cocks get going.” This year those words are finally ringing true. History says the first team to score in this one wins. Hell, history says the Gamecocks are bound to lose, but they call it “history” for a reason. Just ask fans in Gainesville and Knoxville.

Last week my predicted score was 3 points off. Let's hope I'm that close again.

Final – Cocks 24, Farmboys 20

Tao Teh Christ?

2005-11-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

The Western mindset engrains in us a habitual lifestyle of busyness and of competition. We fight for the best parking spot, we watch TV or surf the net to pass time, and we choose our vocation to make the most money, not to procure genuine happiness.

In his assessment of man’s love for God in The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm asserts that such a mentality comes from an Aristotelian or ‘Western’ logic that focuses on finding answers. In Western society man’s highest gain becomes the act of gaining itself.

This leads, in my analysis, to conflict as opposed to resolution, to anger as opposed to understanding, to conformity as opposed to individuality. Still, I embrace this mindset in many ways in my life. We all do. I’m always seeking to “know” God or to find absolutes in my own life-journey. Deep down I wonder if the absolutes we Westerners boldly affirm are shaped more by our experiences and our culture than they are by some graspable truth undergirding creation.

Diametrically opposed to this mindset is that of paradoxical or ‘Eastern’ logic which, in brief, would claim that the greatest knowledge one can know is that we cannot fully ‘know’. In the Christian’s quest for knowledge of God this would result in the conclusion that our limited minds cannot fully wrap around God’s reality.

The trouble I have, as I desire to bridge the logic gap in my life, is that paradoxical logic seemingly comes into contention with the belief we Christians have that we can “know” God through Christ. Or do we? Can we "know" God through Christ, or do we get snapshots of divinity (albeit perfect and true)?

I look at Christ’s teachings and in many ways see Eastern philosophy at work. Christ is one who calls us to look within ourselves through prayer and meditation so that we may act rightly toward others. He himself did this. Christ is one who calls us to shed our possessions and follow an ascetic path (read Merton’s No Man is An Island). If you seek to live out the essence of discipleship I think/hope you’ll find some agreement here.

Ultimately the call of God (in my life) isn’t to understand the inner-workings of the Trinity but to focus on living rightly. In other words, being (in the silent presence of God) leads us to doing (justice, kindness, love). Is that not Christ’s teaching in a nutshell? To ‘be’ in the moment so that we may get to work ‘doing’ God’s will?

Now that I’ve opened Pandora’s Box, I’ll leave it at that.

The only conclusion anyone can get out of this post is that I’ll probably never make it through the ordination process.

Going Bowling

2005-11-06T20:38:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what's happened over the past few weeks here in Columbia, but as Steve Spurrier mentioned yesterday, "the guys are playing like winners." At 6-3 with two games left, they are winners. I'll admit, following the Vandy game I was preparing myself mentally to see this team finish 4-7. Two games later, we're going bowling. We can win the next two, the only question lingering is, 'will we?' Some thoughts on the rest of the season...

0 wins - Independence
1 win - Peach
2 wins - Outback

Florida's in town next. I'll be in Black Mountain for work (4th year in a row for the UF game). Don't worry, I'll be watching with the Shandon folks while my advisors are delegated the task of ensuring the spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being of 15 middle school youth.

On to the game... After UF slipped past Vandy in overtime I think there's no question this is a game we can win. Talent-wise the Gators have a solid advantage, but when it comes to heart there are few teams, if any, flying higher than the 'Cocks this November. No doubt Spurrier will be preparing some interesting things this week. This is not a game he wants to lose. It should be close. It will be exciting. I, for one, can't wait!

No matter what happens, the following week will bring Spurrier's induction into the USC/Clemson rivalry. Walking outside Death Valley about an hour after 'the Brawl', I told a Clemson-fan buddy of mine that "if," and at that time it was still a case of "if," we landed Spurrier as our coach, "(they'd) better enjoy the winning while (they) can." I stand by that statement.

Now, I'm not saying we'll beat UF and/or Clemson this year. What I am saying is that the first strokes of a masterpiece are hitting the canvas in Columbia weeks before Turkey Day '05, much earlier than many would've predicted. With all the off-field turmoil, media bashing, and general taunting our program has suffered in the last 12 months it's little short (kind of like an Arkansas 4th down) of a football miracle that the Gamecocks are sitting at 6-3.

Other highlights: First win at UT, second since joining the SEC in 1992. First win at Arkansas since 1997. 3 losses; to the current #3 (Alabama), #9 (Georgia), and #17 (Auburn) rated teams in the Coaches Poll. Passing records are falling and falling fast. Impact players are YOUNG. The team is playing like a team every down, every week.

Lou Holtz talked long and often about needing a culture change. Well, with Steve Spurrier in the Cockpit, the lip service has ended and the culture is changing before our eyes. Teams, coaches, and fans of other programs feel it. The Iron Fans feel it. The Gamecocks and coaches know it. It may take a miracle to win both of the next two, but as Coach has said for two weeks now, "God is smiling on the Gamecocks." Let's hope the smile persists.

Final record: 7-4

See you in Atlanta!

The Place of Disconnect

2005-11-02T20:38:00.000-05:00

11.2.05 3:19pm

I spill my desires
Through the cracks of an open mind
Onto soiled streets of need
Down into the basins of sanity
‘Fear not,’ I preach
Consumed by the search for God
I fade slowly
Overcome by the demands of the day
Slipping into contemplation
I meditate on the All in All
I meditate on Allah,
Freeing my soul from worldly repute
In the place of disconnect
Competition is no more
Veneration no longer a need
Charity transcends it all
In the place of disconnect
Christ resides
Vishnu comforts
God speaks beyond religion and creed
In meditation
‘To be’ is ‘to live’
In meditation
God reveals the path.

More on 16-15...

2005-10-30T22:15:00.000-05:00

"God is smiling on the Gamecocks" - Spurrier

Thought this was an interesting quote. Does God really have a hand in intercollegiate athletics? If so, the Gamecocks are clearly God's chosen ones. Joe Morrison was our Moses (do the research). Since being set free around '84 we've wandered through a desert of mediocrity with glimpses of manna from the sky (2 Outback Bowls). If last night was a glimpse of what's ahead, I sure can't wait to reach the Promised Land!

Work with me here, it's humor, not blasphemy!

16-15... 'Nuff Said

2005-10-30T01:10:00.000-05:00

Just your average UT fans on a night with Spurrier in town....

Spurrier - 8
Fulmer - 3

"Steve Spurrier owns Phil Fulmer" - Mark May

"You know that commercial where they say, 'Sit, Ubu, sit?' That's Steve Spurrier talking to Phil Fulmer" - Lee Corso

Tennessee, you've been owned!

Two Underrated Songwriters (and an album you should own by each of them)

2005-10-27T17:10:00.000-04:00

Ben Harper (and the Innocent Criminals) – Fight For Your Mind

Few artists today carry a message as powerful as Ben Harper’s. You can’t go wrong with any Innocent Criminal album, but this one probably takes the cake as far as songwriting is concerned. From the stripped-down roots opener ‘Oppression' to the string-laden ‘Power of the Gospel’, this disc is focused, earthy, and most importantly, truthful. On Fight For Your Mind, Ben writes from the heart and touches the roots of human experience like few can do.

Bill Withers – Live at Carnegie Hall

I’ve been saying for years that Withers is the most underrated songwriter of the 20th century and this album hammers that opinion home.

Live at Carnegie Hall proves two things:

1) the man is a genius
2) his band was outstanding live

Anthems such as ‘Lean on Me’, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ and ‘Use Me’ mix well with lesser-knowns such as the soulful protest song ‘I Can’t Write Left-Handed’ and the funky urban masterpiece ‘World Keeps Going Around’. Bill’s music speaks candidly and poignantly about life, love, and justice. A must for not only soul/funk/r&b fans, but for any real music fan.

Life Lessons from an Amusement Park

2005-10-16T18:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of an all-expense paid trip to Carowinds theme park in Charlotte, NC. My sole duty: to oversee the health, happiness, and well-being of 14 middle and high school youth.

In all the trip was not only a great bonding experience for myself and the youth, but a trip on which I learned several lessons.

First Lesson: You'll Never Know What You're Missing Out On If You Don't Take Chances

After riding a double-loop rollercoaster one 7th grader decided he'd skip the ensuing dangers of 'The Hurler' in favor of a Rugrats ride where you dump water on unsuspecting folks below. His companion: yours truly. While the ride was surprisingly fun (and wet), I was weary I'd be passing up thrill rides for Nickelodeon characters the rest of the day.

With some good-natured peer pressure he agreed to take on the Top Gun rollercoaster, "with 6 stomach-twisting inversions," after lunch (of all times) and loved it. I loved it. We all loved it.

After a number of 'level 4' thrill rides, he told me he never thought he'd be able to ride the rides he did that day and that if he hadn't he never would've known how much fun they could be.

A good lesson for us all.

Second Lesson: There's No Reason To Fear If You Have Faith (as well as some extra cash from your parents)

Following a life-changing 60mph, 153-foot bungee drop one 9th grader exclaimed, "That was awesome! The next time someone asks what I'm afraid of I'll tell them, 'nothing'."

The reason: he had fun. Why did he have fun? He had faith. In bungee ropes. In his harness. In God. Sure, he'd spent his dinner money on a 30-second bungee jump, but the lesson learned was well worth $12.

The next time I'm afraid... of rejection, of losing out, of failing, of falling, of being human... I need to remind myself to trust that there's something a little stronger, a little greater, than myself. Something that just might keep me from going 'splat' on the ground below.

Final Lesson: Ultimately our lives aren't determined by what we do or don't do but by how we learn from the ups and downs of each day we're lucky enough to face. Sure, we'll falter. Sometimes we may even hit the ground. But even if the strength we have is simply inside, there is something greater than ourselves that helps us up, brushes off our knees, and keeps us taking chances time and time again. It keeps us striving. It keeps us loving. I couldn't want it any other way.

Always Reforming in a Postmodern Ethos: The Paradox of Our Calling

2005-10-16T14:53:00.000-04:00

“To criticize a church for being big is to imply disbelief in Christ's commission.... A church gets big because its spirit is big.... Nobody ever started a business without hoping that someday, if he or she worked hard enough, it would be a big success. That is the American dream, isn't it?” – Pamphlet from Roswell Street Baptist Church in Atlanta

http://hirr.hartsem.edu/bookshelf/thumma_article2.html

Reading this quote while researching ‘megachurches,’ my brain was thrown into a frenzy, questions and thoughts bouncing around my head like lightening in a jar. The thought that stands out to me the most centers on the culturalization of religion in America, which leads to a church diminished.

From my experiences, culturalized 'megachurches' feel as though they’re impoverished of two crucial spritual elements: tradition and the sacred. Hence why many worship services now resemble rock concerts.

Another type of loss can be seen in the diminishing of the traditional mainline church and a fluctuation of people to such culturalized churches. I am reminded of this at least once a week when I pass by Shandon Baptist’s massive “worship center,” currently under construction. I’m reminded when I think of the faces that left the congregation I grew up in for the upstart Seacoast Church (where “less tradition, more gimmicks” should be the motto).

As a Presbyterian, I’m a spokesman for being the church, “always reforming.” Still, there’s a paradox out there lurking like a wolf under Grandma’s bedclothes. If we give in to it we’re next week’s breakfast, if we ignore it we’re eaten alive on the spot. There is no one answer as to how we approach this paradox. We’re still learning. The great challenge for the mainline church today is in how we respond to the needs of people in a postmodern ethos without compromising our traditions and without compromising our faithfulness to God.

Briefly back to Shandon’s new sanctuary. Their website notes that the “building fund” slogan is “God’s Purpose, On Purpose. Building for Eternity”. This raises another question. How do we really know what God’s purpose for anything is? Some might say we could head down to Lifeway and pick up Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life for the answers. Tradition, on the other hand, teaches us that the answer comes through discernment: prayer, scripture, and engaging the community.

Is God’s purpose for the church to resemble the “American dream?" I sincerely hope not. Is God’s purpose for us to buy the fanciest sound equipment, build the largest building, tout the highest attendance, and wield a seven figure budget? I have my doubts, but it’s not entirely out of the question.

As a young, idealistic Presbyterian, God’s purpose as I see it is for God’s people to engage a hurting world with love. Admittedly how we do so is up for interpretation. Is our love for God and others shown through these materialistic needs of the church and her people? Or are we so wrapped up in the capitalist ideal of ‘bigger is better’ that we risk sacrificing our integrity to self-serving idols?

I include my own church in the mix of idolaters: my denomination, all three congregations for which I’ve worked, and every church I’ve step foot in or come into contact with. I also include myself. Any self-professing “Christian” who doesn’t needs to take a long look in the mirror.

In the end I’m willing to question the ideals of the Presbyterian Church alongside any other church. I don’t fear wondering whether or not we’re conforming too much to society or if we’re trying too hard to bury our heads (usually in the name of guess what… tradition). In the end we both succeed and fail to answer God’s call. In the end we’re both wrong and right.

The question the church, any church, must ask is if it’s trying to please people (not to mention itself) or if the church honestly desires to heal the suffering, strengthen the weak, free the oppressed, and, consequently, change the world. Once we can begin coming to terms with that ideal we’ll find ourselves on the narrow path Christ implores us to live.

God only knows...

2005-10-12T13:29:00.000-04:00

At times I wonder what the hell’s wrong with the world. Evil? Yes. But what is evil? We all have our presuppositions. They all vary, and of course, like every other issue, we’re all “right” and those who disagree are “wrong”.

Truth be told, we’re broken people, fallen people, confused people, people seeking some answer to the questions filling our heads. We’re all on a journey. We all have a destination and only God knows where it all ends. We fear our brokenness. We fear vulnerability, so we hide our inner imperfections.

‘How are you?’ we say. ‘Fine’ or ‘good’, the reply. Why not say, ‘I’m having a shitty day. I worked longer than I wanted, my girlfriend and I had an argument, and I just want to sit down with a cold bourbon, some John Lee Hooker on the stereo and forget everything but the moment I’m living in.’

How hard is that? How hard is it for us to be honest, to be vulnerable? That, God knows, is just the tip of an iceberg that leads to loneliness, suicide, rejection, fear, racism, sexism, the death of Matthew Shepard, 9-11, Abu Ghraib, Darfur, DR Congo… the list goes on.

Is there a solution? Sure, but I haven’t quite figured it all out. I work in the business of solutions. I work in the business of explaining all the chaos we face. I work in the church.

Still, I question and debate. I doubt and I wonder where God is or isn’t at work in a confusing, broken, and hurting world. Is there a hand in everything or were our fore-fathers right? Did God make the world and take a hands-off approach? Short answer, in my truly unprofessional opinion, yes and no. God doesn’t create poverty. We do. God doesn’t punish “lost souls” with Katrina, or earthquakes, or war. If anything we punish ourselves by making God (or Satan) the scapegoat for both our evils and for the chaotic, natural events of our world.

What do I know? Maybe I’m right, maybe I’m wrong. Only truth I can take solace in is the truth that God knows. And for that reason, I needn’t fear honesty, vulnerability, and reconciliation. For in these things is love. And if there’s anything I do believe, it’s that God is love.

PS - thanks to Eric for the inspiration.

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

2005-08-01T15:12:00.000-04:00

Well, I saw perhaps the most awe-inspiring concert of my life last night despite the always terrible crowds at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals tore the roof off and are pouring everything they have into their performances on this tour. Great to see perhaps my two favorite songs, Jah Work and How Many Miles Must We March (the new reggae version) back-to-back.

I hadn't seen Ben & the IC's in over 4 years, which was before they added a keyboardist and second guitarist. The music sounds so full these days. It was also great to see Ben's old friend Tom Freund sit in on a few songs. Pleasure and Pain felt like they could be playing in Ben's family's record store 13 years ago (despite the idiots screaming). This band's a great example of what's good in the watered down music industry of today. I may have missed church yesterday morning to pick up the tickets in NC, but I was lucky enough to attend a musical revival last night!

Here's to hoping they tour the US again next year!

http://www.benharper.net/?page=concert&sub_page=setlist&id=2197

First Post

2005-07-24T02:07:00.000-04:00

It looks like I've taken the plunge and created a blog. We'll see how this goes....

I just got back from two great weeks at Montreat. I had the opportunity to assist in recreation leadership for 1,000+ high school kids per week with the added bonus of playing lead guitar with the music leader. The kids were awesome and really made us feel like rock stars with their enthusiasm.

All in all it was a phenomenal two weeks spent with a great bunch of people in a beautiful place. I'm too tired do the experience justice so I'll leave it at that for now.