I am busy arranging my office, well.

So, I got into reading Civil War diaries and letters a few months ago. I even have an RSS feed to daily entries back in those days: http://dotcw.com/. Yesterday's entry is actually the type of journals I like to read. They make me think of a time when life moved slower and people were able to do certain things well, focusing at times on just one thing, rather than multitasking.

Here is the entry from the diary of Luman Harris Tenney:
3rd (of January). Received a letter from Fannie. Was busy with wood until dark.

I am not a multitasker, just ask my wife. So, as I finish arranging my office today, I am focusing on doing things one at a time and doing them well. Although Mr. Tenney was "busy" with wood, I get the sense that he focused on what he was doing and did it well and efficiently.

I am busy arranging my office, well. I like Tenney's post too, because it could actually be a Tweet. I wonder if anyone posts Civil War entries as Tweets. I would follow those peeps!

Today, I have had a profound sense of my senses.

We recently moved to Monroe, LA. Along with this, my body and all of its senses have remembered the vast geographical location of Monroe (or more accurately, specific places within Monroe that I have been) and have begun to create new associations with my surroundings.

I awoke early startled and thinking, "Where am I?" We moved our bed to better suit the space last night, so my body noticed the sun peaking through the blinds this morning. It alerted me that to my left was something it had not remembered being there when I previously awake. I was worried as to where I was, almost in the sense that I thought I had been abducted and made to sleep in a foreign place.

My body also noticed the smell of West Monroe the other day. It had rained, so the paper mill emitted a foul smell, which I associate with a bad broccoli smell. I knew before we moved here that I would remember it from when I would drive through West Monroe to get to Pecanland Mall.

I looked up directions for the DMV yesterday to go change my driver's license. I mentally remembered the location as being just past where I previously went to get to the airport.

My nearly 11th month old daughter has even experience these similar body relocations! I simply find it amazing how God has wired our bodies to sense differences within our physical world, even to the slightest degree. Sophie's room is almost the same size, set up the same way, and curtains blocked out the same. However, her body knows, as well as mine and Missy's, that we are elsewhere.

Intergenerational Ministry

I am working on creating an intergenerational curriculum that will be used in a small group setting (more on this in later posts). All of this is coming about from the calling and vision that the Lord has given to me for intergenerational ministry (IM) in and through me. One of the convictions that I have is that this work needs to be going on already through me.

I need to live into a culture that seeks to connect with people from any generation, including any walk of life, ethnicity, race, age, gender, culture, sexual orientation, social status, etc. This is at least what I have thought of so far as being the focus in doing IM. There is more to it of course, but I stopped for a moment to reflect on this "mission statement" of IM, thinking about the usage of "from."

What follows may simply be me looking too far into something: Of course people come "from" somewhere, something, someplace, and some particular people. I am not questioning the assumed background of people. What I am pondering is the presumption that people will come "to" a relationship and culture with me "from" who they already are and where they currently are.

I believe that IM is a going out "to" people who are not in the same generation as me, regardless of what generation I am in. I believe that it is living out a culture within myself to others that connects with them in relationship to where they are at now. What do you think?

Another thing is that no matter what generation I am in, I am responsible for this going out to people of other generations. I think that it is hard for younger generations to reach out to and engage with older ones. It may also be hard for older generations to reach out, especially if there is are unspoken expectations for the older generation to do so and to lead in this. I believe that no matter who we are or where we are coming from or going, if we want to properly participate in IM, we need to be the ones initiating and fostering the culture of connecting with others unlike us. What do you think?

Seeds

So, I have recently been reflecting on generational ministry and how I can more fully live into what God is doing through others and me. My discipleship class has helped me to wrestle with my vocation, what it looks like, what it could look like, how will I teach others about the kingdom of God in such a way that their learning can become greater actualized.

The Lord has been speaking to me a lot lately about this and other things, but I wanted to share most importantly how he has shown me the significance of seeing all believers and non-believers as being on a spiritual journey where we are all being healed and made perfect. I myself had to again come to grips yesterday that I am not perfect nor will ever be; God alone is perfect and holy. This has opened the door for me to accept grace and practice the grace of God through my faith. Seeing myself and others soberly on a journey towards healing has also helped me to see people in a new light. I have been praying to see people as God sees them and to love them as He does also. Praise God, he has and is faithfully answering my prayers. I could ramble on, but I want to keep this post brief.

I wanted to share this interesting story that I found in a book that I am reading for class:

"A woman dreamed she walked into a brand-new shop in the marketplace and, to her surprise, found God behind the counter.
'What do you sell here?' she asked.
'Everything your heart desires,' said God.
Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, the woman decided to ask for the best things a human could wish for.
'I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear,' she said. Then as an afterthought, she added, 'Not just for me. For everyone on earth.'
God smiled. 'I think you've got me wrong, my dear,' God said. 'We don't sell fruits here. Only seeds.'" - Anthony de Mello

This story also reminds me of the clip in Bruce Almighty where God speaks of not just giving us patience, peace, etc. but giving us opportunities to exercise them. I am thankful that I don't have my faith all figured out, or my vocation, or life. My story is still being written. I am blessed to get to see my story being written into the story of God though. I pray that the grace of God would continue to find you and me and that we would see, through our faith, the God invisible.

All You Need are Gloves!

So, I was singing the Beatles song "All You Need is Love" yesterday and thought of a great parody for it. Now, I know that the original is the best, but this parody is quite humorous to me. It is entitled "All You Need are Gloves" and it is about a bell choir of sorts. Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Gloves, gloves, gloves.
Gloves, gloves, gloves.
Gloves, gloves, gloves.

Well you can play any song that’s been done.
You can even ring songs that are to be sung.
When you play in our bell choir play with honor and not shame.
It's easy.

We use the best made bells for a reason.
Well they could be played in any season.
English handbells are capable of producing great overtones.
So easy.

All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves, gloves.
We provide the bells.

All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves, gloves.
Gloves are all you need.

You don’t need to tune it; it’s been done.
Just ring that bell boy and have some fun!
Carpel Tunnel is the least of all your worries here.
It's easy.

All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves.
All you need are gloves, gloves.
Gloves are all you need.

All you need are gloves (all together, now!)
All you need are gloves. (everybody!)
All you need are gloves, gloves.
Gloves are all you need (We provide the bells).

Expectant

Today is a great day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in Him.

I was praying this morning and was at a weird situation in my relationship with God. I have been desiring for Him to speak to me, to grow me, to change me, but I have not received an answer, I trust that I am growing in the Lord (though I don't "feel" it), and I know of the things that God has done in my life, how He has transformed my being (even though I want so badly to continue to be transformed now and am not experiencing that change in my being). Things have been good in my life lately. I am at peace with God and man, however, I sense that there is more.

I left God's alter knowing nothing else as more important than who God is. I can boast of this and this alone for God is. He is the God "I am". He is the God known for doing great things, for following through with His words; He is the only god, a God who is about action, whose actions speak louder than His words because He speaks and "things" happen. You see, in prayer this morning I told God how I feel, what I think, what I would like to see happen in my relationship with Him and others, however, I came to the realization that I want for Him to do His will in my life and the life of others.

God, what He is up to, what He is doing, who He is, is the most important thing to me. He did more than to just speak me into creation, He formed me Himself! He has been available to me my whole life, even the times when I have been deaf and blind. I affirm that His son, Jesus Christ, is most certainly alive. I share in Jesus' death today in the hope that one day I will also share in his resurrection. I pray for the coming more of His Kingdom, which will have no end. I am expectant in the day when faith and hope will disappear and only love will abound. Today, I have faith in God, our Father, His son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I live today with the hope of being fully restored in my relationship to and with God. I want to see Him face-to-face. I expect to delight in God forever.

My hope is also that everyone can experience who God really is and delight in Him forever. The grace and peace of Christ be with you all.

Interesting Creatures, Ressurection, and Both

Thanks to a conversation that I had with my good friend Prince Erik about two weeks ago, two interactions with good friends of mine today, and recent pondering, I have come to a sober realization about all humans, which is just another aspect of our being that makes us exceptionally interesting creatures and is this:

No matter how much Truth people speak into our lives, we see inside and outside of ourselves, or we might know yet not fully know about ourselves, others, life, etc., we ourselves must accept and choose to believe in the Truth. And this is a hard reality to face, but it is here. And some might ask, "What is truth?" I wonder, "Will we accept the truth as the truth does us?" More specifically, do we accept Jesus as he accepts us? Questions: Is Truth objective or subjective or both? and What does Jesus mean when he says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."? and What is truth? (Literally and specifically to when Pilate asked Jesus this in John 18)

Nevertheless, I believe in Truth. I also believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God. For some reason this truth and the reality of this was on my heart and mind today. I wondered what it was like for Jesus to take on the sins of the world, to descend into hell, and most amazingly, for God to raise Jesus from the dead by his power and glory. I know this but I want to better fully know this truth that I believe: Jesus Christ is risen!

Lastly, I wonder what it will be like when God resurrects me, us. What do I even believe about this? Am I resurrected already or do I continue to humble myself in the light of who God is, looking to the hope of my resurrection with Christ? I think I know, but I want to know more. Jesus I want to know you more. Thank you for revealing yourself to me and to your people. May your Spirit of truth come alive more fully in us, I pray. Amen.

Please tell me what you think, believe, or don't about these questions. I like asking open-ended questions and knowing that I do not know everything and not even a lot. Please share with me what you know or have learned or what you might want to know.