My Favorite Part of the Oscars

I was really pleased to see ‘Once’ win the Oscar for Best Original Song.  Have a listen!

Mice are Gross

I had my first close encounter with New York vermin (if you don’t count pigeons) today.  We had a mouse in the office.  Yuck!

I Love My Mother

Today I received a care package that warmed my heart.  My mom knows me so well.  While other daughters and sons are getting, well, whatever normal children get from their parents in the mail, I received 25 pounds of my theological library (and a can of cocktail peanuts).  Most of my books are in the bonus room of my parents home, so it’s like friends coming to visit whenever I get a few more. 

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth

The daily lectionary text for February 5th

Genesis 1:20-2:4a |  Psalm 8  |  Mark 7:1-13

Discussions about these first chapters in Genesis often focus on the literalness of the text, or humanity’s domain over the earth.  The world is a physical place for us, measurable and predictable and functional. Technology has given us access to medicine, industry, wealth and weapons. We are cut adrift from the rest of the world. We are regulated by human rules and traditions.  We are washed painfully clean, removing any sign of createdness on us and look down on the parents that created us in their love. The loss of this for Christian communities means that we cease to see God at work in the world, we cease to see God’s creativity radically and continuously shaping history and the world.

We need to see the joy of creation. Birds flying, sea monsters swimming, the water and land is teeming with new life - every species with its unique song to sing to the glory of God. We need to be concerned with the nature of the world as created by God. We need to open our eyes to the theophany of creation.  I’m write this from a place that is totally overrun by humanity; even Central Park is a romanticized version of the natural landscape.

We are part of a New Creation that breaks through slowly taking hold in our minds and hearts.  It is a new world where we love our enemies, and do good without expecting something in return because it is who we were created to be. It is a new world because the threat of death does not force us to hoard wealth and resources while those around us starve, were they elderly are honored, where nothing in creation is treated as if it wasn’t made specially by God. In our new world we know our beginning and we know our end, and the center of the universe is a crucified Lord. 

Just When I Thought I Could Forget about Irenaeus

I was in the Barnes & Noble in Union Square, one of the biggest bookstores in the city, looking around the religion sections when I was surprised to discover  “Gnosis” was printed out under about three shelves of material. Most of it was about varying forms of Christian or Jewish gnosis (the Greek word for knowledge).  Its meaning is pretty broad, but basically begins in Plato’s ideas about knowledge in religious or philosophical contexts.  We’ve lost some original knowledge and can’t act or live correct until gaining the ‘right’ knowledge again.

I part of me thinks that this is the natural progression from our desire to rationalize God, to propose things not from our own testimonies but from if-then statements. We can’t simultaneously treat the Bible like a modern text book and an ancient holy book – those are two vastly different things. What grounds us as Christians is the belief in the power of a story, a common narrative, not homogeneity of knowledge.  Faith is the basic to the response of the Gospel, not gnosis, made available to the few.   

(Irenaeus was second century Church Father who wrote Against Heresies) 

Lost is Back!

Lost continues to be simultaneously one of the best and most frustrating shows on television (I don’t watch much else accept for The Office and Project Runway, so the depth of field in that statement is pretty limited).  I have no idea what is going on on that island!  Flash forward three episodes and the back another AND introduce new characters when I don’t even know who the Others really are!!!  All I can say is they better be going somewhere with this, I’ve invested so much time and emotional energy.  

News Flash: Moving Will Make You Homesick

Yeah, I know it’s not revelatory, but I thought I’d share I’m hitting the homesick stage of moving.   It’s snowy and rainy and that’s probably contributing desire to be further south.  

Also (and probably more so), as much as I like meeting new people,  it’s hard to keep creating history and depth in relationships.   At Forefront the staff is reading a book on leadership and it talks about moving up through certain stages of leadership. The first is position, people follow you because they are supposed to, and the next is relational, people follow you because they like and respect you.  Reading that fairly obvious statement was an ‘oh yeah, that’s why this is so hard’ moment for me.  You can’t really spiritually lead people who don’t know or trust you.  I’ve been wondering why certain people see me in such different ways, and obviously it has as much to do with them as me, but so much of it is time spent with them, how much we have invested in each other.

My Ode to Ministry Team Leaders

So it’s not really an ode, I’m sticking to prose but I do love our ministry team leaders!  They do a great job helping people use their gifts and talents for the kingdom.  I just got out of a meeting with them and this is what I shared (and will pass on to you too).

The vision for the ministry teams at Forefront is to create a welcoming atmosphere where people can connect to God and each other.  They are spiritual leaders in a similar way to life group leaders by leading people in one of the vital areas of their Christian faith – service.  One of the best ways to find Christ in both others and ourselves is through serving.  We may not always feel or think we are doing something important, but remember that God is at work in our work.

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

I Survived Driving in New York!

I’ve been driving for 11 years now, but I was nervous as a 15 year-old with their learner’s yesterday driving in the city.  You all will be happy to know we both were fine (me and the church’s old van packed with band equipment). 

Happy Day After Mardi Gras (a.k.a. Ash Wednesday)

This morning on the train I looked up from my book and saw someone with ash on their forehand.  It was then I realized that it was Ash Wednesday, I’ve gotten so out of liturgical rhythm here.  I went to a service at noon, at a church near the Forefront office, and now I too have ash on my forehead.  It was so comforting to smell the incense and hear the familiar texts and songs.  It was also comforting to be remind that I am dust and to dust I shall return.  We all need to be reminded that there’s a time limit to everything.  Life here on earth is an amazing gift, and we struggle to use it well, how much less do we seem to understand the eternal life we’ve been given through Christ.   

For Lent I’m going to put away my books and ipod on the train and pray.  Pray for the people in the train, the people at Forefront, my friends and family and the church scattered throughout the world. This isn’t going to be easy for me but the Holy Spirit is continually using Thomas Merton to convict me about my prayer life.