A series of semi-connected Stories and Pictures
So, we finally have all of our papers together to apply for our visas! (I think!) So we have an appointment in downtown L.A. at 10:30am PST. Pray that we really do have all of the right papers and that we’ve filled things out right. And while you’re thinking of us, pray we get there on time too! It’s a bit of a drive and in LA traffic!
Radical Living in a Comfortable World A Blog by Seth Barnes
I just found Seth Barnes’ blog and I have to say…it’s some great stuff. I like the straight-forwardness and the depth of what he writes about. He goes after some good internal development stuff…it’s worth a read.
I have to be honest…I am giddy about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus tomorrow. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I’ve (mostly) finished reading NT Wright’s book “Surprised by Hope” and it truly has given me great hope. I feel like the curtain on God’s huge agenda of love, hope, and restoration has been pulled back and I am seeing for the first time how significant the resurrection of Jesus is to all of creation. This both magnifies and diminished the personal aspect of this truth. I feel small in all that God is doing, there is so much bigger of a story going on than me. But I feel like so significant to know that all along God has intended to make me new, give me hope, a future, and many chances to taste His unconditional love.
The resurrection of Jesus is the initiating act of God bringing the whole of His creation back to Himself. It’s because of Jesus’ resurrection all of the created order has changed trajectory for all of eternity. It’s because of Jesus’ resurrection we, along with everything God has made, are given opportunity to transfer the work of God and become co-re-creators with Him. It’s because of the resurrection of Jesus we have already defeated death, the effect of sin, and we are able to live in hope of whatever it is God has for us.
When Jesus died on that cross I believe that it was as if all of creation had the wind knocked out of it. The One in whom all things were given life, hung lifeless. But when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, a new breath, hope, and expectation of all that is to come was birthed inside every created thing…It’s with this new breath in my lungs, hope in my heart, and expectation in my life that I lay in bed writing…not being able to go to sleep. I’ve never been brought to tears by a new toy on Christmas morning (well, maybe), but thinking about what it is that we are really celebrating in the morning both breaks me and builds me. I’m moved to tears with gratitude and hope. The anticipation of Santa and his reindeer doesn’t hold a candle to looking towards the God who makes all things new.
May God’s grace, life, hope, love, and peace hit you like a ton of bricks as you reflect on the resurrection of Jesus and the mission of re-creation we are gifted to join Him on.
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Manchester | Footballer puts wind up referee
This is just too funny not to post…A soccer player in England was given a yellow card for ‘unsporting behaviour’, which is another way of saying that he farted while the opposing team was taking a penalty shot. The ensuing shot was missed…but because of the ‘distraction’ another shot was awarded and made. Neither the fart or the missed, then made, penalty kick effected the outcome of the game. But it did help effect the wallet of the club that was fined 90 pounds for the three yellow cards it was given during the match. Apparently, this referee doesn’t take kindly to crop-dusting the pitch. (link has additional content that is not really ‘proper’…as if this post is.)
I’m not even going to try and make this into an analogy for anything…it makes enough noise on it’s own.
MacHeist » Forums » MacHeist 3 Charity Breakdown
Mike G told me about MacHeist and I was stoked to get some great software for an amazing price…but I’m even more stoked to see that they gave just shy of 1 million dollars to charity due the sale of this bundle. You can click the above link and see the breakdown of who the beneficiaries of this are.
What can we learn from this? What is your immediate reaction to hear of a software company’s radical generosity? It inspires me to think creatively about how to do good and be a blessing to others…thought I’d share it…
I came across this image while doing a search for an image of the book “The Freedom of God by James Daane” (I still didn’t find the image…I might have to scan my cover for my online library)
Anyway…It was too random and I don’t know quite know the what the creator was trying to convey. But honestly, I just thought that monkeys were awesome. I love the pensive one that looks like he’s editing his new post. And I love the laughing one…He must be reading Letters from Kamp Krusty.
This morning we woke up at 6am. Normally when I’m getting up that early on a Sunday it’s because I’m heading off to a church service. Today we were heading off to a Cheerleading competition that my little niece Avery was in. I have to be honest, I was skeptical about going. I’m a boy (in case you didn’t know) and I grew up going to baseball, soccer, and softball tournaments. Manly stuff. Where men and women were yelling things like, “Be more aggressive Johnny” or “Keep your eye the ball Billy!” or “Good Eye”. Things that under normal circumstances one probably wouldn’t say…well, I guess it depends on your job. If your an optometrist…I digress.
Like I was saying, this cheerleading thing was way out of my scope of normal. Dads wearing pink. Mom’s applying masses of makeup. Normal people blowing horns, shaking noisemakers, and cheering like we were vikings getting ready to go to war. Except this was for 4-8 year old junior cheerleaders!
After about 45 minutes my culture shock began to wear off. I think it was in part because I asked God to help me with it. I was beginning to get bugged by all the hooplah, and I just didn’t get it. On top of that, the ‘good Christian’ was feeling a bit of guilt for not being at a church service on Palm Sunday. So I prayed. I asked God to help me see this with Kingdom eyes…and they were opened.
Instead of seeing little girls way too done up for their age (except my niece, who looked beautiful!) I was seeing little girls who were being esteemed and valued. And it wasn’t just the ‘perfect’ ones or the ones that we would say did a good job. They even did the ultimate American thing: Gave every girl a ‘first-place’ trophy. The quasi-European in me balked big time at this. This is just not realistic in the real world. But in a bizarre, Kingdom way, it’s perfectly normal to believe that all are going to be given first place trophies some day. I guess when you ask for Kingdom eyes…things jump out.
So Jesus was entering into Jerusalem. A king riding on a donkey. Bringing both judgment, yet hope for those who would join His way. Creation was just days away from Jesus initiating the beginning of the re-creation of all things. Love, beauty, laughter, joy, celebration are all significant qualities of the Kingdom that I follow Jesus into. And I choose to join this new creation (and be a new creation) that he put into effect on that Palm Sunday years ago. Today, I cheered for little girls in red glittery outfits as if my voice and laughter could somehow, in someway, be Kingdom-music to their ears. To be a pre-cursor to the Kingdom music that they’ll hear from Jesus himself when they all, I pray, meet Him.
So, here’s to Palm Sunday, and cheering for the little ones in whom we see the Kingdom!
***Oh…and photo credit has to go to Jen…who is a great photographer!
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