Thanksgiving!

So I haven't posted in quite a while, so I thought I would write a little something about Thanksgiving. This was always a nice holiday when I would get a day off of school and get to eat too much food. It was a great day. I don't ever remember being very reflective about what I was thankful for though. So with that in mind I thought it seemed fitting to write some words of thanks.

I am thankful for having a wonderful family that supports me through the craziness that is life.

I am thankful for living in the city, despite the high crime rate and old abandoned buildings it really is a nice place to live.

I'm thankful for the being able to express myself using my voice and written words, but I'm sad that so many people are not given this opportunity.

I'm thankful for the idea of church, and a little annoyed at how it is practiced in real life.

I'm thankful for the ideas of those who came before me that make the world a better place and make for some really interesting things to read.

I'm thankful for getting in touch with old friends, and sad that I'm bad about staying in touch with them.

I'm thankful for a triune God who is our perfect example of community.

I'm thankful for farmers, who make my life easier (I don't have a green thumb, thanks mom).

And last but definitely not least, I'm thankful for marrying a wonder woman, and that she love despite all of my shortcomings!

That's all I have for now. What are you thankful for? I hope that you all have a lot to be thankful for.

Shalom,

Mark

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as paraphrased by the Bristol Hill Youth

Love tried to be tolerant, Love tries to be nice.
Love doesn't show off.
It's not jealous, It's not cocky.
Love in not a jerk.
It's not pushy; it's not hateful or snotty.
It doesn't celebrate mess ups but celebrates honesty.
It puts up with your crap, trusts in you, wants good for you, goes through your crap with you.
Love is always there!

There is only one thing that I would change in this paraphrase, and that is the word tries. Love doesn't try, but love is the embodiment of toleration and niceness. Other than that I think that my youth did an excellent job with this passage. I kind of wish I would have used this in my wedding. Anyhoo, I just thought I would share that with everyone.
Cheers,
mark

Artificial Boundaries!

Yesterday in class the professor Claire Smith said something to the extent of who gives anyone the right to create boundaries. She was talking in a global way about boundaries between countries. This has made me think about other boundaries that are made as well. For instance, we make boundaries between you and me in a number of ways. We can not be honest with each other. We could lash out at each other, or any other defense mechanism can create this boundary. We also create boundaries along gender, class and ethnic lines. We assume that because we are different that the other can never really understand. There might be some truth to that. We really can't completely understand another person until we "walk two moons in their moccasins" (Sharon Creech, "Walk Two Moons" its a book check it out). But I do think that we need to let other people into our world by having a dialogue with them. We need to sit down with someone different from ourselves and talk out what goes on it that person's daily life. Honest sharing and empathetic listening will really go a long way in breaking down these artificial barriers. There is a line in a Less Than Jake song that goes, "Everyone here, hates everyone here for doing the same thing that they do." I wonder if in those dialogues we would find this line to be true.

I also want to talk about another kind of boundary line that is drawn in theology that seems completely artificial. This line is between the doctrines. We have all of these fancy names for the doctrines like eschatology (end times), ecclesiology (church), Theological Anthropology (humanity), Soteriology (salvation), Christology (Jesus), and the list goes on and on. Well, I think that these divisions between the doctrines cannot be understood in Christian thought without understanding the others. Systematic Theologians throughout history have tried to take these doctrines and put them into a neat system. I don't see how that can be done. I don't think that this system would be neat at all. The divisions themselves are not neat. Where does who Jesus the Christ is end and salvation begin? How do we understand humanity without understanding both Jesus and God? The lines between these doctrine are too fuzzy to even really call them separate things. Theology has tried to put God in a box to dissect God, but separating all of these doctrines from each other only serves to weaken God. Theology is really about the organic flow that happens between the doctrines. We can separate all we want but there is an equilibrium that is found it doctrinal theology that is not stagnant at all. Equilibrium occurs by a continuous movement of particles in and out of the system, therefore theology is more about the fuzzy lines between the doctrines then it is about the doctrines themselves. We only have doctrines so that we can organize our thoughts easier, but I feel that this organization is keeping people from understand our God, who is an untamed, wild lion of a God (just ask C.S. Lewis in the Narnia books).

There you go something practical and abstract for your reading please.

Peace,
Mark

A Person's a person no matter how legal!

Although the title of this blog may be copyright infringement, I'm going to do it anyway. For those of you who don't know this is a play off of the moral of "Horton Hears a Who" by Dr. Seuss. If you don't know the book go out and read it today, it's amazing.

I just got out of a chapel service that was about multicultural experiences. It was a pretty good chapel service although I struggled to sing some of the hymns because musically they were beyond me. Really the services centered around a couple of words: Do Not Be Afraid. The hot button issue obviously is immigration. Our sermon was really more of a poem with a great performance by Andy Bryan. This poem was pretty abstract in that it was a series of words more than anything else followed by I don't know. That was followed by do not be afraid. Then, he listed a new series of words and the pattern was continued. I don't think I explained it well, but it was thought provoking.

There were a couple of words that Andy said that made me really think. One of those words was naturalization. Obviously, this means the process of becoming a "naturalized" citizen of the US. I don't think I like that word very much. It is like saying that it is unnatural to be a non-citizen of the United States. I'm sure that is not the intent of the word, but that's what I think of. To me the word means to make natural, who the hell are we to make something or someone natural. Doesn't that fall more into the God realm of creation, not the human realm of creation.

He also listed the words personhood and neighbor more than once. If we are naturalizing people then wouldn't that mean that we are making them a person more fully. We are helping them to be what they are meant be because before that they were not natural. But according to Horton a person is person no matter how small. A person is a neighbor no matter how far. A person is a person no matter how legal. A person is a person no matter how religious. A person is a person no matter how tall. A person is a person no matter how short. A person is a person no matter how black. A person is a person no matter how white. A person is a person no matter how brown. A person is a person no matter how Asian. A person is a person no matter how mean. A person is a person not matter how nice. A person is a person!

I know that that last one is a very cheap definition of personhood, but coupled with all of the rest of my statements I think it makes sense. A person is a neighbor no matter how far. We are called to love our neighbor at least Christians and Jews are. I can't really speak for many other religions. A person is to be loved no matter how legal. Love is about getting to know people and embracing them no matter how different their views are from ours. I know that I struggle with this but as many angels have said throughout our canon of scripture DO NOT BE AFRAID. Do not be afraid to reach out to your neighbor (no matter how far away), and get to know them. What the worst that will happen? They will not reach back to you, and you are left with an ackward conversation. Maybe it could get worse, but that shouldn't keep you from loving them.

I feel like this is getting a little too long, and way too preachy for me. But I wanted to share with all two of my readers what this service made me think about. I hope that it makes you think as well.

Peace
mark

Dreams

It was pointed out to me that it has been more than a month since I had posted on here. So at the request of Ron here is a new post.

Last night I had dream that wasn't at all life changing, but still made me realize something. This dream (it's rare that I remember these things) was basically about me buy a car without even consulting my wife. I don't think that the car was a real model or anything, but I really enjoyed test driving it so I bought it. My wife on the other hand was no where to be found it this dream. Suddenly in the dream I realized what I had done. I woke from the dream trying to figure out how to tell Christie, who controls the finances in the house, that I had indeed bought a new car.

The thing that I realized is that my wife and I are coming increasingly closer to needing to buy a new car. My 1996 Grand Caravan is in bad shape, and I don't know if it is going to hold up much longer. This is nothing surprising or new. But we can't afford to do this anytime soon, yet I am feeling the impending doom of the lovely "Green Bean." That's all I have to say about my literal dream from last night.

I do have another dream that I would like to make public to all of you who might not know yet (I'm not sure that anyone that actually reads this blog doesn't know this already). I would really like to get a Ph.D and teach at a Seminary. I have been toying with this idea for quite awhile now, but recently I have felt less attracted to the local parish and more attracted to abstract thought and expression. This really came about because I read "The Courage to Be" by Paul Tillich this summer, and thought about how much I would like to teach this. My dream is to write and teach something that can make a difference to many people in ministry and people who are interested in Theology. I would really like to make a difference, not by doing ministry in the local church, but by doing ministry with the people who are called to lead the local church.

This is my dream. What's yours? Please be as fanciful as you want.

peace
mark

Waiting

Well, it hasn't been a full month yet, but I thought I would blog while I wait. Wait for what I hear you ask. Well, I'm waiting for first of all Christie to finish reading the newest installment of Harry Potter, so that I can dig into it. I'm trying to be patient, but I have never been great at that. So while I wait, I thought I would write a little something.

My sister sent me an email that was stressing how hard it is to lose weight that was supposed to be funny. I found it both sad and alarming all at once. The email painted a picture of God creating health food, and Satan repeatedly out smarting God with junk food. In the end God creates bypass surgery, and Satan makes HMO's. God is thwarted again.

This email was sad to me because it made sound hopeless that anyone could stay fit because of junk food, sugar, white flour, TV, and crappy insurace. The only thing in that I might say is remotely satanic is insurance (maybe TV, I really hate TV). It is sad to me to think that people might concede whether jokingly or not that being healthy and fit is hopeless. I mean if Satan is outsmarting God then man it must really be hopeless. It is not hopeless people, and I don't think that Satan and God are battling over salad and chocolate. Don't put this problem into another realm of existence. The problem is that we choose to watch TV, and over indulge in the food we like. I'm just as guilty of it as anyone is. Most of this stuff is okay in moderation. Eat a little chocolate with dessert, cut down on the portions you eat, have a piece of fruit for God's sake. I know it is hard to change eating habits, but don't even jokingly try to push this off on a higher power. You have the ability to eat healthier, watch less TV, and get off of your ass and do something.

Now that was the sad part. I was alarmed by the Theology in it. I know that it was a joke but I think this is actually a common problem people have. God and Satan are the subject of the email. In the email, I noticed that God and Satan seemed to be on equal footing. To me it sounded like two dieties, one good, one bad. This is not the teaching of Christianity. No no no. God created Satan remember. God created everything, which means that God is bigger stronger and the only diety, thusly called God. Satan is actually a word that means adversary. It doesn't mean the epitome of evil. "Satan" is anyone who does work against God. I'm trying to disprove the whole Satan thing. I'm just trying to let you guys know what I think. I think that we too often associate things that are our responsibility with Satan. We choose to do that good things and the bad things that we do. This is my belief. Whether God and/or Satan is acting trying to influence us doesn't matter because we are making the choice. And trust me we all choose poorly from time to time. Please whatever you do, DO NOT make Satan another God!

I know this is an over-reaction to this email, but still I feel that these were things that some people really needed to hear. I'm sure that hardly anyone who reads this need to hear it but I thought it worked for a quick rant.

Mark

It's been a Month

Staying true to my pattern, I decided to post. I don't really have a lot to blog about, so I guess I will just update you on this summer thus far. As I said before i am working at the camp part time and church the other part of my time. Both are going pretty well. When we have camps going on I get to take the campers underground in complete darkness, while we climb through tight places. It's great fun. In case you don't understand I get to take the campers caving, which believe it or not I really enjoy. And I having lost a camper yet.

Anyhoozlebee, Summer is going great. I have read some pretty good books (many at the suggestion of my wife). I'm really into Greek mythology right now because of a series of books that Christie had me read called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It's awesome because Percy finds out that he is the son of a Greek god, which made me want to remember the Greek mythology I learned in High School. Since it is a little fuzzy, I'm reading the Ilyad and the Oddesy to catch up on it.

To end this, I thought I would let the world know my laptop is no more. It died in a tragic cereal accident. It is a little sad, but it was only a computer. It's nothing important just a thing, but it was really convenient to have around. Umm...I guess that's all for me.

Peace, Love and eat your veggies,
Mark

Summering It Up!

 Apparently, I spend something like a month away from blogging then I post like three posts.  Then, I'm gone for another week.  There may be some kind of cycle to this.  If anyone can find a pattern to this, or can make an algorithm out of it then I will be quite impressed.  Maybe this is too complex of a system for that. 

So I finished the semester a few weeks ago, and I am totally summering it up.  That's right, I'm summering it up.   It's a real thing.  This summer I am working as a general laborer at Little Grassy United Methodist Camp, and I'm still working as the youth director at Grace UMC in Carbondale.  The camp is kicking my bottom because I am quite out of shape, and I have to do very physical work out there.  Mostly I weed-eat, or weed-whack (I don't know which way is more accurate, I guess weed-whack).  Youth stuff is still youth stuff.

So really summering it up for me means working.  Hopefully I can squeeze in a round of golf sometime, or something.  Also, I'm playing softball once a week with my Church.  Church league softball is awesome because we claim to be non-competitive, but we totally are.  We just can't take a short stop out to break up a double play (sadness).  I really don't know how else to play, but I'm trying to play without hurting myself or other people. 

One more thing, if anyone would like to buy me a present then go onto amazon.com and look through my wishlist I set up there.  I think you can search for me by name or something.  Well cats, I gotta fly.  I hope ya'll have fun summering it up. 

Peace

Streetlight Manifesto

I recently ventured out and bought a couple of CDs by this band, and let me tell you they are great.  The two that I have are "Everything Goes Numb" and "Keasby Nights."  The band is a fourth wave ska band if that is a real thing.   They have a bit of punk feel to them especially in the lead singers voice, which is a characteristic of the third wave of ska.  What I really like about them is that they use various tempos in each song.  These guys are awesome, and it seems to me that they are trying hard to do their own thing and not let deadlines and record companies get in the way of their music.  So if you get a chance check them out. 

I really don't have a whole lot to say, I just wanted to let you guys know about this band.  Oh, and if you are offended by "bad" language, or you would be listening to music with small children this is not the band for you.  They definitely use profanity in their songs, but I don't mind that as much as others might.  Umm...well this is a very superficial post, but I hope you check Streetlight out and enjoy them as much as I do.  If you don't like them, then you have no taste in music whatsoever. 

Peace

Mark

A month away

I'm not really sure why but I seemed to have taken a month off from writing in this blog. Not that too many people really read this stupid thing, but still I've been away from it for a month with no explanation. I haven't been that busy, and it's not like things haven't happened which I could write about. It seems that I'm lazy. That's right I said it. I'm lazy, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Is laziness a disease or something? Why did I just say I'm not getting any better? Why is it so socially unexceptable to not want to contribute to this screwed up world more than you have to? Of course this blog isn't exactly contributing to the world now is it?

Anyhoo, I think I'm back and maybe I'll actually start writing in this thing again. I'm going to try to be more selective with my laziness.

Peace, Love and eat your veggies,

Mark

A Poem

Here is a poem that I wrote last fall during a hebrew bible class (old testament). We were talking about one of the prophets and this just kind of came out of me. It is loosely based off of a passage, but I'm not really sure which one. Maybe you know.

A Cry for Humanity
My laments fall on deaf ears.
My message is not understood.
My people listen but do not hear.
They nod along but do not understand.

How do I find success in failure?
Where do I see light in darkness?
We shut out God, and fill ourselves with stuff.
We are not satisfied, so we buy more.

My people are not people but stuff.
My people are defined by cars.
They are defined by wars.
Where stuff cannot satisfy maybe death can.

Soon my people will be no more.
Soon my land will not exist.
Soon there will be desolate cities.
Soon there will be peace.

It's a little dark but it is the only poem that I have written that I don't think completely sucks. I don't really write a lot of poetry, so that could be part of it. The only time that I have ever really written poetry is during class when I was supposed to be paying attention. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoyed it.

Express yourself Folks,

Mark

Out of Body experiences

I feel like I have been ripped from my body. I don't feel like I am really anywhere. It is just that my body is there. I don't have any idea where I am half the time. It is as if I just exist. I don't feel sad or mad or anything. I just feel disconnected. I haven't felt myself lately. This could be because I'm a man from two cities. Driving back and forth to school every week is exhausting, and that is why I don't really feel like I'm anywhere. I almost feel like I am watching myself but is vaguely through my own eyes. I barely feel like I have a control of what is going on around me, not like I ever have. Life is passing by, and I am floating above it not really engaging with it but also not really disengaged. I am there in it but only my body. I am in the middle of an out of body experience. Drifting from place to place. Noticing very little while learning very much. I feel like I must be missing something that helps me to engage with the world around me. I don't have that slight arrogance that I once had. I don't have the feeling that I can realistically change and handle the things that are going on around me. I am still confident that everything will work out well for me and my family, but I don't know that I will have much to do with it.
Maybe this is me realizing that I have to get out of the way and let God do the work. I need to stop just reacting to circumstances and start allowing God to work through me in these circumstances. There are a lot of things that are going to happen of which I have very little control. But there are also things over which I have a lot of control. I need to engage with what's going on around me, coming down out of the clouds, and stop just responding after something happens. But instead reacting and preparing before they happen. I need to look at how things are going and start to engage with the things and change the way I look at them, or change the way things are going to work out. I don't know if any of this makes sense. This is more of a journal entry than anything else, but feel free to leave some comments.

Come down from on high and mingle with the people,

Mark

Snootiness and the poor perceptions

So today my wife and I went to the jewelry store to get her engagement ring fixed (it has a bent prong). We walked in and it was a little busy, which is okay considering that it is Saturday. So we waited at the counter looking at over-priced jewelry hoping someone would acknowledge our presence. Instead, the workers kept walking by us pretending that we didn't even exist. This is quite a blow to my self-esteem. I looked around and noticed that the people who some years under their belt were getting treated well. Also, those who were dressed nicely were getting some help. But Christie and I who are young and don't really like to dress up to go to a freaking mall get the shaft. We get to sit their and be ignored by snooty people who assume that we don't have any money are going to be a complete waste of their time. We don't have a lot of money, but we were willing to spend some money to get this ring fixed. After twenty or thirty minutes of being completely ignored we left. It would have been different if they would have just said as they walked by that someone would be with us in a minute, but no they wouldn't even look at us. It was frickin ridiculous.

I think that people need to be aware that everyone is worth some time and attention. No matter how they look, every person is valuable and should be recognized as such. I hate when people assume they know so much about a person because of the way they look. For instance, my brother told me a story of getting treated poorly while trying to buy a suit. The people working seemed to think that he wasn't worth the time because he wouldn't be able to afford the suit. Paul, my brother, is a doctor and because he wasn't dressed nicely in designer clothes he didn't get treated well. This is total bollocks. People always say that you can't judge a book by it's cover. I think that you can an idea of the book from the cover, but you really don't know it until you read it. People are the same way. Until you talk to someone and get to know who they are a little bit, you can't accurately judge much about them. Except maybe the priority that person puts on fashion. So don't go judging people by the car they drive or the shoes that they wear. Because whether they drive a Jaguar or a run down van they could be really cool people. Talk to people and they might surprise you!!

Stay open kids,
mark

I feel old

On New Year's Eve, I decided to have a lock-in for my middle school youth. I had a good group come in, and we had some fun. The problem is that they made me play soccer and basketball, which I'm all for. The problem is that when we do this in the same night I am sore for the next three days. I'm still a little sore from this night of playing. I remember a time when I would have done that, and got up the next day ready to play some more. Growing older sucks. Maybe I should spend some time at the gym and get into shape, but I really don't know if I'm dedicated enough for that. I know that if I go to the gym that I'm going to over do it, and end too sore the next day to go again. This is because I'm not dedicated enough for this. It was a lot easier in high school when I had coaches yelling at me, and some of the working out was disguised in a game. That's what I really like. Make my exercise hide in something that I really like doing. It's like hiding a pill in a patient's muffin so that they will actually take their medicine. I need to hide my exercise in the muffin of a sweet sweet sport then I will actually do it...

Who am I kidding?! I won't even do that for more than like a week. I'm too lazy.

later peeps,

Mark