A Smattering of Videos

I'm leaving for a week to Arizona for a mission trip so I'm going to leave you with some quality videos to enjoy in my absence. I'll report back on the success of the trip in a about a week or so. Check back after the 7th. Until then enjoy some quality music from...

...Stevie Ray Vaughn (He was a sick guitarist, man. My favorite by far.) doing Crossfire.



...more Stevie doing Voodoo Chile.



...David Crowder. Ever wonder how a song gets written? Here's a chance to see how a great worship song was created and as a bonus, how you can play it, too. Plus, it's Crowder doing a song acoustic, which is always nice. The song is O Praise Him.



...another one from Crowder doing God of Wrath.



Hope you all have a happy new year! Peace.

shalom, matt

Charlie Brown, part 2

Charlie Brown, part 1

Okay, so the last post was a bit depressing. Here's a couple posts that are well worth your time to watch. Quite possibly my favorite cartoon moment of all time. Does it get any better than Linus telling the Christmas story and then in part 2 everyone singing Hark! the Herald Angels Sing? I love it. Take five minutes and find some peace in this simple but profound message.



shalom, matt

Carnival Rides

Do you ever get tired of yourself? I know that sounds like a ridiculous question to even consider, but I'm kind of to that point. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suicidal or even to the point of self-hatred. I'm just tired of making the same mistakes, over and over, in a never-ending carousel of frustration and disappointment and promises. I want to get off the carousel. It's starting to make me sick. It's ridiculous, really. I gorge myself on crappy, grease-soaked carnival food, hop on a pony for another go-around, and then wonder why I'm staggering away from the ride with the bitter taste of bile and funnel cake in my mouth, looking for the nearest port-o-crapper to vomit behind. Meanwhile, the carny that sold me the food and the ticket to ride is laughing hysterically, while pocketing my money and celebrating his knowledge of the fact that I'll be back again tomorrow night with another fist-full of cash and an insatiable and despised hunger for funnel cakes and carousels.

Know what I mean?

shalom, matt

On Christmas

I love Christmas Eve. It very well could take 1st prize in a favorite-day-of-the-year contest. I think I love it more than Christmas Day itself. I guess I feel a certain connection to the actual Incarnation on Christmas Eve. When the sun goes down and darkness blankets the earth (or half of it anyway) in my mind I am taken back to the defining event in History: God steps into the world. All of the stories of my youth surrounding the Christ event rush back into my mind in vivid detail and color, sight and sound. I'm taken back to my own son's birth, wondering at the similarity, yet vast difference, between Elijah and the birth of Jesus. There is a silence on Christmas Eve, a peace that settles over everyone. For one instant it seems the whole world stops, stands still, and wonders at the miracle of the Incarnation. In that silence I find hope: the hope that I won't always be as I am, that somehow I can be different, that something about that birth changed everything for me and continues to change everything about me. Maybe that's why I love it so much: because deep down, because of the Incarnation, I know I don't have to remain as I am anymore.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

Take time to wonder.

shalom, matt

Spiritual Enlightenment, part 5

The Increase of the Love, Grace, Forgiveness, and Patience Visible in Your Life.

Seems kind of like a no-brainer, right? If you are growing in Christ then it would make sense to assume that these qualities would become more and more evident in the ongoing rhythm of your life. But you’d be surprised how many people claim that they are growing in Christ and yet none of these most basic and important of elements to a discipled life appear anywhere on their radar.

Let’s think about symphonies for a moment. I’m no expert on classical music, though I do enjoy Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, and Bach on occasion. Most symphonies that I’ve heard rarely begin with gusto: every instrument playing at top volume from the very outset. Most start slowly, quietly, easing the listener into what is to become later on a cacophony of sound and sensation. It may begin with a number of measures from the string section, the woodwinds slowly entering into the picture, followed by the brass instruments, maybe a timpani banging softly, driving the rhythm forward and onward toward the eventual crescendo that peels the faces off the audience members in a tidal wave of sound and musical fury.

I think the increase of love, grace, forgiveness and other assorted fruits of the Spirit taking control of our lives is much like a symphony. It’s not going to happen all at once. I think, and perhaps I’m conjecturing a bit too much here, that we would be crushed if the Spirit rushed in and changed every single thing about us the moment we invited Him in to our lives. At the least, it would steal from us our part in walking alongside Christ, learning from Him how to live. As we follow Him we slowly, sometimes almost imperceptibly, learn how to love better, then with that love ingrained in us more and more we learn how to show grace instead of judgment and wrath. We learn to forgive, then to become more patient with those who irritate or wrong us. Day by day, as we follow after Christ we learn to be like Him and His life becomes our life.

When we see these and other elements of a Spirit-led life we can rest and rejoice in the fact that we are being transformed, enlightened in the way of Christ.

shalom, matt

Diet Coke and Mentos

Okay, so I'll post something spiritual later on today, but for now you have to watch this. Very cool usage of Diet Coke and Mentos. Takes the domino effect to the next level. I hate Diet Coke with a passion, so any and all wasting of it I'm all for. Anyway, check back later on for something that has to do with Jesus.

Everyday

I'm in a video-y mood today, thus the three videos I've posted. This one is perhaps my all-time favorite video ever. It's a great song called "Everyday" by the Dave Matthews Band. The video is just great and has a lot to say about the influence one person can have on the way the world works. Enjoy.

Old Cash

This is back in the day. And just so you know, Luther, the guitar player, always is that stiff looking. Who cares. He carries the freaking rhythm like a beast.

Cash

The fact that this man is dead and not making music anymore is enough to make me very, very, very, very sad.

Spiritual Enlightenment, part 4

The Willingness to Engage in Spiritual Exercises Without Knowing How They Will Work or Even What It Would Mean For Them to Work

I am not a patient man. Seriously, if there was a way for me to finish this post faster I would take it. I want to be done with today’s projects yesterday. Ask my wife, my co-workers, my son (though he wouldn’t understand what you were saying) and they’ll all confirm my lack of patience in most things. Now, given, I’ve become more patient as I’ve gracefully and muscularly aged (those push-ups are actually working; my stomach’s a little doughy, but, hey, you can’t win’em all). I think we want things to slow down as we get older. We spend most of our toddler years in a mad dash to the independence of elementary school; we spend those years in hot pursuit of the magical land of Oz that is our teen years; we spend our teen years in a battle to become adults before we are ready to handle all that comes with that territory. By the time we reach adulthood and push into our “mid-life” we are realizing that one-third of our life is gone and we aren’t sure where it went, but we know that now we have grey hair in our beards, a patch of it on our head, and our belly is starting to bulge a bit more than it used to when we look in the mirror. We live in a hurry and it’s killing us. I am a product of a fast food, one-hour photo, get-it-while-it’s-hot-even-though-it’ll-be-obsolete-as-soon-as-you-buy-it culture that demands speed and baptizes it as a virtue of humanity.

Spiritual exercises, or disciplines, stand over and against this cultural attitude of speed and impatience. Spiritual exercises require discipline (hence the clever moniker “disciplines”) and we have an ingrained aversion to anything that takes discipline. Spiritual growth is like marinating steak. Time is essential to a well-marinated steak. You can’t slap the steak into the marinade, pull it right out and expect it to make any difference in the taste of the steak. You have to let it soak into the meat, the longer the better, usually overnight will suffice. And when it comes time to cook the steak, you can’t turn the grill on high and burn the crap out of the steak. You have to slow cook that baby and let the juices seal themselves in properly (I think I just salivated on my computer). Spiritual exercises are like that. You have to take your time with them. You can’t expect immediate “results.” And, a vast majority of the time you can expect no “results.” The point of the disciplines is not to produce an immediate “result.” Why? Because discipleship, spiritual growth, takes time, perseverance and dedication to becoming like the one the disciplines point you towards and help you become. They cannot become an end in and of themselves. They are simply the means by which we make ourselves available to God in Christ to do with what he will.

At times the disciplines feel like a waste of time. This isn’t a bad thing. The saints of old used to talk about a “holy leisure,” literally, wasting time with God. Sometimes, an Christian history confirms this, the times of exercise that seem the least fruitful are the ones that God has used the most, where our growth reaches a new level of understanding, where we perhaps move beyond trying to feel God, trying to succeed in our spiritual life, and simply rest contented in the knowledge that God is moving us to exactly where he wants us.

Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and prolific writer on contemplation, prayer, and the like, said that we need not worry when we are beginners in prayer, because we will never be anything but beginners for the entirety of our lives. Our willingness to engage in these exercises without understanding how they “work” or even what they might help accomplish in us, shows that we have grown in our understanding and faith in God as the Perfector of our faith.

shalom, matt

We're Huge in South America

I'm not sure what to make of this, nor how accurate it is, but on this site I have a meter that registers how many visits we get, length of the average stay, number of page views, etc. Once a week I get a detailed report in my email with all the stats. One thing that this meter tracks is the originating continent, country and even time zone of people who visit. As an aside, I received a couple comments several months ago from a guy who lived in Canada (eh?). So there is some accuracy to these reports. Below is the percentage of visits from various countries.
Now, if that were at all legible you would be able to see that we have visits from Chile, Japan, Israel, France, Canada, and Argentina. Apparently we are huge on four continents. And, like, 7 or 8 time zones all together.

Again, not sure how accurate these things are, but that's pretty interesting if it's true.

shalom, matt

Spiritual Enlightenment, part 3

The Acceptance of Your Small Place in Reality

"He who saves one life has saved the world entire." __Ancient Jewish proverb__

Everyone wants to do something big, right? From our earliest days we want to be someone important, someone with something to contribute to the world. We want to be superheroes, firemen, policemen, and fighter pilots. They’re realities seem far more impressive and they are certainly more visible than what most of us end up doing with our lives. My almost-four-year-old thinks that he is Spiderman. He has the costume to prove it. He is old enough to dream big dreams and desire a grandiose life of deeds for the good of humanity. Very few of us ever get to play the big role that we dreamed about all through our childhood.

But all of us have a part to play in the working out of God’s kingdom come here, now, today.

Here’s the problem with looking for the grandiose task: we miss the everyday, commonplace, run of the mill tasks that make up the warp and woof of life. We are not talking about career choices here, but our day-to-day life tasks that involve our families, friends, communities, and even our enemies. All of us have a part to play, a role that is all our own. It is neither more nor less grand than anyone else’s task. It simply is what it is.

Look, here’s the thing: we are small in the grand scheme of things, a blip on the eternal radar scope. And that is being generous. When you are dealing with the scope of human history and the unending beginning and ending of eternal “time,” it puts your place in this world in perspective. Here’s the rub: you still play an important part, no matter how infinitesimal small it may seem. If you and I can come to grips with our place in reality then it alters how we see our daily routines, daily work, and the daily grind of the ins and outs of life. It all takes on a fantastic new meaning that somehow, in some small way, perhaps unbeknownst to us, changes the world.

shalom, matt

Dude...

This is ridiculous on so many levels. Say what you want about Beck, this takes talent to pull off.

Joseph Arthur Lyrics

From the song You've Been Loved, from the album Redemption's Son...

You don't know how you feel
Are you a dream?
Are you for real?
Cause you don't ever slow down
To find what you lost or lose what you found
No one's saying what you need to hear
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
It's always hard to admit
Most days you feel like you don't exist
Temptation sneaks past your fists
Until the devil won't let you resist
Oblivion is what you want
But you've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved
What you're gonna do with your life?
What you're gonna do with your life?
What you're gonna do with your life?
What you're gonna do with your life?
You've been loved
You've been loved
You've been loved

A Thought About Sanctuary

I thought last night (Wednesday) was excellent. From where I was standing it looked like there was some healing taking place, both during and afterwards as well. This is what we were shooting for when we planned this particular theme. We are thrilled that God moved in the hearts and minds of some of you, our beloved students.

I wanted to share something interesting that one of your fellow students noticed last night. If you will recall on the stage there was a pile of broken stuff: fishing rod, golf club, plate, dying plant, etc. The pieces in and of themselves were irrelevent, but the symbolism was that all of the things up there were broken. We had a lamp laying down on its side with the light on, and the light happen to be shining on all of that broken stuff. Our intention was that the lamp laying on its side represent something broken as well (not a good attempt, but it's all we could think to do). One of our young ladies came up to me last night and said, "Did you notice that the light was on and shining directly on all the broken stuff the way Christ shines on our broken "stuff?" We never intended that to be the message, but she saw it anyway. I was floored when I realized that God had been speaking to people in ways that we had never even considered.

I love when He does that.

shalom, matt

Spiritual Enlightenment, part 2

The Love of Mystery in the Presence of Unanswered Questions

Mystery. We avoid it, like that annoying cousin-in-law during the holidays, the one with the crazy eye, halitosis and a penchant for the awkward and irritating. It terrifies us because it’s, well, it’s just too mysterious for us. We can’t handle it, grip it, or get our arms around it to hug it. And so we let go of it and shun it, keeping it at a reasonably safe distance. Like a deep, impenetrable interstate fog we pull over at the rest area until things clear up, wondering when it will clear—or even if it ever will. Part of us likes mystery, I know, which is why Stephen King has sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 gazillion books in his career. But unlike Stephen King books, which solve themselves in 400 pages (or 1200 if he gets long-winded), life isn’t like a novel, and it can be a lot scarier than any King book (how many of you still fear clowns?).

We start asking questions from the time we are old enough to begin speaking. My son is the consummate question-asker. It can be trying at the very least and downright annoying when you’re tired and want some peace and quiet. The first question learned is nearly always, “Why?” Why did you do that, Daddy? Why is that person doing that? Why did Spongebob say that? We are born wanting to understand, to solve the unsolvable, to jump into the Magic Mystery Machine with Scooby and the gang and peel the mask off Old Man Jenkins. We discover that he isn’t a goulish demon after all, but the crabby, white-haired owner of the closed down amusement park. He’s not as scary as he seemed in the dark.

God is cloaked in mystery. The Voice that spoke into the void and created all that is; the Voice that told Abram to pack up and head out of town; the Voice that spoke from the bush that would not be consumed to the shepherd with the staff; the Voice who spoke to Israel from within the cloud and fire of Sinai: this God is nothing if not mysterious. He has to be, doesn’t He? If we could explain Him, solve Him, define Him, then He would cease to be God, or at least the all-powerful “version” that we know. He would be a lesser, weaker, dime-store-front-window deity who wouldn’t be able to change our socks, much less our lives (not that our God is in the business of changing socks but stay with me on the metaphor, will ya?).

Mystery is not the evil monster in the closet. When we begin to understand that mystery is a natural, beautiful part of our existence and our spiritual journey we can come to the place where we embrace and seek it out. It becomes one of the great joys in our life, to pursue the enigma that surrounds the Holy One of Creation.

Job wanted answers to the mystery. Job didn’t get answers to the mystery. Job was blessed in the midst of the mystery. What if we saw mystery as a blessing in and of itself? What if we were content to simply ask questions, whether the answers came or not? We know we are growing in our faith and knowledge of God when we are content with not knowing something about God, when we enter the Magic Mystery Machine and are simply content with driving around inside of it. Sometimes you unmask Old Man Jenkins, but we must become satisfied with entering into the mystery itself.

shalom, matt

part 1 of this series of posts can be found here.

My New Bike

Rick walked into my office today before he left and said that he had something in his office for me (and one for Patrick), made by a guy from India. I walked in there and was floored by this. It's made out of metal and wood (the grips and the seat are the wood part). It's so detailed it's ridiculous. How cool is it. I put the Gatorade bottle next to it for scale. Pretty amazing. I'll try and get some actual pictures with my camera of the detail sometime next week maybe.

You're jealous, I know.

shalom, matt

Spiritual Enlightenment, part 1

For the next couple weeks I'm going to periodically share with you a few signs of spiritual enlightenment (defined as: illumination; to furnish knowledge to; to give spiritual insight to). In other words, some signs that you may be growing in your knowledge and understanding of your spiritual self. The signs that I'm going to share are not original to me, but they do accurately describe ways in which I've grown. Here below is part 1 of a 5 part series on spiritual enlightenment.
___________________

The Embracing of Paradox
Since we are in the mode of defining stuff, let me share with you Webster's definition of paradox.

1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion
2 a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises
3 : one (as a person, situation, or action) having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases

Definition two is by far the most accessible and comprehensible definition of the three. Take two things that seem in contradiction to each other or don't make any sense put alongside of each other, but at the same time they remain both completely true: this is a paradox.

Life is full of paradox. I realized this truth more clearly at the funeral for an eight year old girl in our church. Joy and pain, faith and doubt existed arm-in-arm, in every tear that was spilled on every cheek. The joy of knowing that the wholeness of heaven was bestowed on one so young; the pain of living here and now, living out the remainder of days without her. The faith of a family, clinging tightly to the God who makes all-things whole and complete in his time; the doubt of "why us, Lord?" the unanswered cries of "why not?" still ringing loudly. In Darby's death she found the fullest life imaginable. Joy and pain. Faith and doubt. Life in death.

Jesus spoke in paradox. A lot. Examples? Dr. Luke, if you will please enlighten us with your record of Jesus:

Luke 9:48--For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest.
Luke 9:24--For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for
me will save it.
Luke 22:46--The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

The least is actually the greatest. Want to save your life? Lose it. If you lose your life you'll save it. The greatest must become like the youngest ( "like children" in an earlier gospel story). Rulers must act like servants. Paradox everywhere.

Christmas is coming. Christmas is a celebration of the greatest of all paradoxes. God becomes human, enters history and forever alters it and us. God in a manger. God. Man. Godman. A divine being, "making himself nothing" (Philippians 2:7), "taking on flesh and moving into the neighborhood" (John 1:14). Fully human, fully divine. (Don't even get me started on trying to explain it. It can't be done.)

Paradox bothers us. It goes against our proclivity for the scientific method and reason. Paradox takes common sense, turns it upside down and laughs at it, like the 90-pound wuss everyone picked on in school (read: me). How can two seemingly opposite things be true? I don't know, and I suppose if I did know then it would cease being a paradox, wouldn't it? Instead of trying to explain or solve paradox we need to learn to embrace it, dive into it, roll around in it. You can accept that some things about life and our spiritual journeys don't make sense, even seem to contradict each other, or you can try to avoid it all and miss out on the excitement of wandering into the "cloud of unknowing" that surrounds the Holy One of Creation, and being filled with the excitement and terror that comes from our encounters with Him.

shalom, matt

Clip Art Post

Over the last several years I've been collecting a series of clip art from a blog that I frequent. The clip art is amazing. I thought I would share some of my favorites with you. You can find them at my eSnips site.

Happy Thanksgiving!

shalom, matt

On Death

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I don't cry. Some even go so far as to suppose that I am actually a soul-less robot, devoid of emotion and feeling, mechanical in all that I do. I went to the visitation yesterday for an eight year old girl who died this week because of heart condition.

Eight.

I cried.

Maybe it's because I have my own child that I grieve more for those who lose one of their children. I didn't cry when my papaw passed away. I was sad. I just didn't have any tears I guess. But yesterday I cried.

I think part of me was sad for the family--certainly not sad for Darby, given that she is far better now in the arms of God--and I mourn their loss because she will be missed. But I think part of me was mourning for all children who suffer. The very notion of a child suffering is repugnant to me and makes me physically ache all over. I just hurt. I've been to Riley Children's Hospital a number of times and have had to almost numb myself to the pain in that place. Children with heart conditions, varying forms of cancer, mysterious illnesses that no one can figure out, injuries that no one should have to endure.

I'm not even going to attempt to explain why things are this way. All explanations I've heard (and used) fall short every time I try to draw a definitive conclusion. I guess at the end of the day I have to keep coming back to the hope of something better, that somehow God is in control of all that we see and experience and that whatever it is He is doing in allowing these types of things to happen, He knows what He is doing. And I always hold on to the hope of "Someday" in heaven. I have to hold on to that. If I don't then death takes control and becomes the final say in life and Jesus' resurrection becomes a meaningless event.

Death does not win. It is only the beginning...

shalom, matt

From Kethuvim

Good article from my brother over on his blog at Kethuvim. The post is on doubt.

Occasionally, he has something worthwhile to say and he didn't even steal it from me. Amazing.

shalom, matt

Thoughts on the Daily Office

I was reading in Habakkuk (a book we all frequent I'm sure) today, chapter 3, verse 17-18, and thinking of the recent events of this weekend. Let me share the passage with you first, and then I'll share my thoughts on it.

Though the fig tree does not bud/and there are no grapes on the vines,/though the olive crop fails/and the fields produce no food,/though there are no sheep in the pen/and no cattle in the stalls,/yet I will rejoice in the LORD,/I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Yet. Yet. Faith in God's sovereign control is best described by this word yet. Habakkuk is crying out over the destruction that he is witnessing all around him. Desolation. Barrenness. Ruin. He looks at it in all of its raw reality, all of its naked destruction, and can proclaim loudly "yet."

Maybe faith is more simple than we thought. Maybe faith is being able to look at the circumstances of life--the cancer, the heartache, the confusion, the betrayal, the pain, the death--look them right in the eye and scream out at the top of you lungs, "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior," believing that he can and does still save those who cry out to him.

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 9)

Given the events of the previous weekend, a number of things happening that I would have never foreseen occurring, my message from last week seems rather apropos (look it up if you have to) and timely. Jesus tells us to love, forgive and do good to those that hurt us, hate us, persecute us, mistreat us, and curse us. In the context of the recent events I'm discovering how difficult it is to actually live that out for people who are in a given situation that would require them to live this teaching out. I struggle, wondering if I am up to living this teaching out, fighting against my own flesh and bitter hatred--"the beast in me" according to Johnny Cash--to rise above the evil and overcome it with good. I don't know if I could. I really don't. This bothers me. More than you can know. Because every part of me desires to live the life of Jesus in every way possible. Right here. Right now. Today. If I'm ever faced with situations like some of my brothers and sisters in Christ have been faced with recently, I hope God will strengthen me to stand up against the evil and defuse it with good, with love, with life, with light.

shalom, matt

Audio Message Posted (finally)

Sorry it took so long again. It takes a while to edit those messages down and get them uploaded. Throw in email issues sending it to Michael and it makes you want to burn your computer into a heap of ash and microchips. You can find the audio message here.

shalom, matt

Lesson Notes Posted on eSnips

I posted the notes yesterday but forgot to link it here. My bad. You can find lesson 9 notes here.

shalom, matt

p.s. I'll get the audio edited and posted as soon as I can. Sorry for any delay.

Great Picture

This picture makes me laugh. Could either of them seem more uncomfortable? Is she shying away from him? I know pictures only capture a half-second reaction to something and can make anything seem awkward, but this capture is just funny. It's a picture, in case you didn't know, of Bush with the Speaker-to-be, Democrat Nancy Pelosi. They had a little get together to talk about bi-partisanship (isn't that what both parties always talk about after a mid-term election?), working together, and probably a host of other things.

This picture is just screaming for a funny caption underneath of it. Any ideas?

On a rather serious note, I'd like to think that both parties mean what they say when they talk about working together, but I'm not naive enough to think that it might actually happen. One can always hope that power hungry politicians could for once put away their thirst for more power and actually work to benefit the country and the world. One can only hope...

shalom, matt

In the Sun

This is an amazing song by Joseph Arthur called In the Sun. This is a cover by Coldplay with Michael Stipe from REM. I saw this on t.v. and it blew my doors off. Amazing song and a great cover.

How Easily We Learn

I was recently interviewing the mostly-intelligible three year old that resides at my address, taking up lots of space with his Hot Wheels, Thomas the Tank Engine trains, and books that he demands be read to him upon request, about whether or not he had been given a Spider-man children's vitamin by his mother earlier in the morning. The aforementioned three year old usually asks for one, because, let's be honest, those things are like candy and he's a fan of all things sweet and unhealthy for you (as am I). I was partial to the Flintstones vitamins as a child. I probably even snuck an extra one on occasion, giving myself a dose of vitamins that would keep a horse energized for all three races of the Triple Crown. Now, I knew full-well that my wife had given him one, because I (a) saw her do it and (b) heard him munching it loudly, as only a three year old with no chewing manners can munch something. I asked him, "Did you already have a vitamin today?" To which he replied, without missing a beat or cracking a smile or flinching in any way, "No."

How quickly we learn to lie through our soon-to-fall-out teeth! Where did he learn to lie like that? It's not like in the midst of imparting wisdom to him I accidentally told him that lying was okay and then showed him how to do it properly. I may not be father of the year, but give me some credit. Now, I know that my son intended no harm by it, and, to be honest, those things are kind of yummy so I might do the same thing in his place. I just find it interesting that lying came so easily to a three year old. As fallen people we seem to be born with an innate ability to learn how to scheme and lie to get what we want, whether it be power and control, a promotion at work, climb above someone on the social scale, be accepted into a group of classmates we had been hitherto excluded from, or simply get another Spider-man vitamin. We just know that the only way to get what we want is scheme to take it. We can't imagine another way.

We are in a constant fight with our own sinful nature, seeking to live a better way that trusts fully in God and has no need to rise above others but instead puts others above ourselves. Let us take the low road, putting others above us, loving them as ourselves. I think we'll find that in God's economy and kingdom this is actually the high road after all.

shalom, matt

Something Funny About Beatdowns

The longer this video goes the funnier it gets.

http://www.sermonspice.com/search/evangelism%20linebacker

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 8)

So my brother and I were talking about last night's lesson and he said when he taught it he used an analogy with them that he thought he would regret, but that I think really puts the idea of cleansing the inside first into perspective for us. To just review briefly we talked last night about how outward appearances and acts don't amount to much if your heart--the inside of the cup--is filthy dirty. My brother said this: If you take a turd and dress it up in a tuxedo, it's still a turd. It may be a well-dressed turd, but it's still a turd. If you even scrub the turd, it's still a turd. You have to throw out the turd. That's the key.

Now, folks, I'll be real honest with you. I can understand that kind of logic. You see, very simply put, there is something in our nature that Christ must despose of before we can begin to live rightly the kingdom of God, the Bible calls it our sin-nature. When we say "yes" to Jesus he comes in and throws out the "turd," so to speak and replaces it with his own nature, which allows us the means and ability to say "yes" to and live out his way of life.

Stop dressing up the turd and throw it out.

shalom, matt

p.s. My apologies for the crudeness of the post, but I figure if Ezekiel can be crude to get the point across then I can, too.

Picture Post

I posted a few more pics on eSnips if anyone cares. I posted some more random photos that I've altered using the free Picasa program off of Google (if you don't have it yet, you are a moron and should go download it right now...that is, if you take digital photos at all).

I also posted the photos from our "knitting night" from a couple weeks ago.

You can find the altered pics here.

You can find the knitting pictures here.

shalom, matt

Lesson 8 Posted on eSnips

Lesson eight in the series is posted on eSnips. You can find it and all the other lessons by clicking on this link...right...about...here.

shalom, matt

Thoughts I'm Thinking In My Thinker

1. Stiff necks suck. I've had one for several days now and it's rather annoying...and painful. I look like a freaking robot turning my head to the side.

2. Community goes beyond something that we get to participate in; it is something that is absolutely necessary for our survival as disciples. You can't live without it.

3. Too many people try to live without it.

4. They won't survive.

5. I just cut the remaining black out of my hair (actually the blond at "Great Clips" cut it) and discovered that patch of gray that looks like a bird pooped in my hair has grown. It's like my body heard that I'd turned thirty and wanted everyone else to know it as well.

6. I'm not sure that I care about gray hair.

7. My son, who is currently moonlighting as Spider-man for Halloween, becomes funnier every day he is alive.

8. I'm looking forward to being in Arizona again. It feels like home.

9. I'm learning more and more what it means to live the kingdom life...and am starting to succeed in living it out.

shalom, matt

And One For All You Acoustic Hacks...

...which includes me and everyone I know. Justin King is ridiculous. Came across this clip several years ago and just found it again. Insane. No one should be this good.

(By the way, I know these have nothing to do with the kingdom, but I thought it would be a nice break from all the kingdom talk around here. Just a little entertainment for you.)

Proving That All Other Bass Players Are Hacks...

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Victor Wooten. Take 5 minutes and have your face rocked off by this mind melting version of Amazing Grace. Insane.

And Furthermore...(Other Thoughts on Lesson 7)

If we are to be light to the world, instead of purveyors of darkness, something has to change in our way of living. We can't continue to live the same way. I've noticed a rather alarming trend recently that frankly has started bothering me. It seems like the language and attitudes and, um, gestures have gotten out of control and have been less than light-producing and glory-reflecting. I really began noticing it a couple weeks ago, but just shrugged it off. Then this past week things have just seemed to escalate to out-of-control proportions. Look, I'm not a prude. I understand that some joking and jesting and poking fun is part of any relationship. That's not what I'm talking about. But when our first response is to make fun of someone, something they've said or done, to exclaim, "Your mom" when someone says something to us, then we've got problems.

There seems to me to be an attitude abounding right now that runs counter to that of someone who is seeking the kingdom life, which is a life walked "in the light." Things have gone beyond joking at this point and entered into a very dangerous realm where new people to our community of faith won't see love and grace. They'll see and hear bitter, mean-spirited attitudes, talk and actions. This is not the way of the kingdom. Time and again the Bible warns to guard our tongues carefully, what we say and think. How we talk and act and treat one another is an indicator of what is in our hearts.

What's in your heart?

shalom, matt

Audio Message Posted on Myspace

The new message, number 7 in the series, is posted at the kingdom project. Download it now.

shalom, matt

Lesson Posted on eSnips

I'm on top of things today. Got done earlier with the lesson so I'll post it now for you early birds who like to look ahead. You can find it here.

shalom, matt

Audio Lesson Posted on Myspace

The new lesson, lesson 6 in the series, is now posted on Myspace. Sorry it took so long. Sometimes there are glitches in the emailing department that delay the posts. Anyway, you can find lessons 3 through 6 at www.myspace.com/thekingdomproject. Lesson 3 will disappear forever this week, so download it now.

Check out the video section as well for a fun announcement video we made for church. It's a giggly good time.

shalom, matt

Lesson 6 Posted on eSnips

I just posted lesson 6 on my eSnips site. You can find the lesson notes from last nights message here.

shalom, matt

Missing the Point

Read this article before reading any further.

600,000. I don't care what your politics are, who you voted for, would've voted for, or will vote for: that figure (or any of the other figures given, all of them in the tens of thousands or more) should sadden you and make you stand up and take notice that something about our pre-emptive strike policy isn't right. We claim to have "set the Iraqis free," yet we have neglected to notice, or worse, have turned a blind eye to, the human toil that so-called "freedom" has cost the people of Iraq. Do we realize that they are not the enemy? To illustrate how badly we miss the significance of this figure take note of the argument in the article. The discussion didn't center so much around the cost the Iraqi people have paid, but instead centered around whether this was a political move to swing votes in the election coming up Nov. 7. Way to miss the point by focusing on your stupid political agenda.

Look, I'm not pushing any agendas or political parties here. I'm about the kingdom of God, nothing more. But, until America stops living in a self-important, self-centered bubble of isolationism, realizes that they are not superior to the world, and that non-Americans are human beings made in the image of God, nothing will ever change and we will continue obliterating lives and calling it a political ploy to win votes.

My question is this: what should the church's response be to such a thing as this?

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 5)

So I've been painting for a family in our church while they are out of town. To be more specific I've been painting all the doors in their house. There are a lot of doors. More than one would think by just looking at the fairly modest-sized house (not to be confused with modest-sized mouse, or Modest Mouse). Like I said before, I've been painting, mostly in the evenings, but I spent all day today (my day off) painting. I've really been struggling to find a good work flow and it's been frustrating trying to feel like I'm accomplishing anything. After about an hour of frustration today, I finally got into a good flow, treating each door with the same pattern of painting and thusly establishing a good rhythm to my work.

I would start with a brush, painting the detail work first: the inlays, the edges by the floor, all the places my mini-roller would get very well. I then turned to the roller, starting at the top or bottom and working my way north or south, depending on my starting point. I would finish off the inlay panels and touch up anything that looked too thin.

I knocked out several doors today in a fairly short amount of time (I'm nowhere near done, mind you, but it was something). It came down to rhythm. Once I established a good rhythm, the work flowed naturally, more easily. It was still hard work and demanded care and time, but it flowed toward a consistent conclusion.

The rhythm of the kingdom, once established in our life, will produce a more natural flow to our life. It will still be difficult, demanding at times, and will require much effort, but, as Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is life." It's far easier to find a rhythm than trying to just paint willy-nilly and expect to get anything done.

shalom, matt

Audio Lesson Posted on Myspace

Check out the Kingdom Project on Myspace for the new lesson just posted today called "Someone Find the Rhythm."

shalom, matt

Lesson 5 Posted on eSnips

I just posted the lesson for Wednesday, October 4 on eSnips. Here's the direct link to it. I know I'm posting these prematurely, but I figure two scenarios are possible: 1) No one checks this blog until after Wednesday; 2) You read them early and are ahead of the thought process so tonight will make more sense to you. Remember to check out the audio for the lessons on www.myspace.com/thekingdomproject

shalom, matt

Community

I've really come to believe recently that community may be the most important aspect of our discipleship under Jesus. For years I was told to read my Bible, pray, journal, etc., as these things would draw me to God and help me be a better Christian. No one really spoke of community. It was present, but it was never talked about as something necessary to our discipleship, at least, not to my recollection. More and more, though, I've come to see that community is essential to our discipeship because it is where we experience the risen Christ most accutely. The Bible, prayer, etc. are all important and necessary as part of our discipleship, but in true Christian community I believe we experience the risen Christ most powerfully and completely.

My three and a half year old loves the kids in my ministry, from the junior high through the college age. There are a number of them who have baby-sat him, who regularly come by to visit us and end up playing with him, and who stay with us and have become part of the family (almost like an older sibling for him). The students really care about him, interact with him, treat him as important. I don't think it's just because they feel like they should. I think they want to, because it's who they are at the core of their being: caring, loving, communally-oriented. Nothing could please me more than to have my son grow up as part of a true Christian community. They are actively helping raise my son, showing him what it means to live as Jesus on earth. What else could a parent ask for?

Below is a picture of Donald reading Curious George to my son, Elijah. It's just one example of the kind of love the students have for my son, and one example of why I love Christian community so much.

shalom, matt

I Mobile Blog. Do You?

Me and my nephew, Ezra, being all emo and stuff.

I'm cool. He drools. We rule.

shalom, matt

(I learned how to mobile blog using my new cell phone. I'm only several years behind the rest of the world. Better late than never.)

From Kethuvim

My brother wrote a decent article on enthusiasm at his blog. Although he doesn't know anything about football apparently, the article itself is pretty good. You can find it here.

There was no lesson this week so I posted the Oath for the Kingdom that we read together at Sanctuary. You can find it just below this post.

shalom, matt

An Oath for the Kingdom

On this day, in the presence of those who stand beside me and in the presence of God Almighty, I pledge myself to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. I attest to the truth that this world is not as it should be. I believe in a better way; a way spoken of by Christ; a way lived out in the miracle of the Incarnation. I believe that by living in this way I partner with the Creator of the universe in restoring a broken earth, in mending broken hearts, and in reclaiming all things to beauty and holiness. I believe that this brings into fullness an abundant life of joy and wholeness and a completeness in my being.

For this reason I pledge to take on the life of a revolutionary; to live differently than the masses; to love passionately and without restraint; to live for those I love, rather than for myself; to put aside my own comforts and desires and to serve those around me.

Through Christ and the power of His Spirit at work in me I pledge to bind my life to this way, and in so doing, reincarnate in my own flesh and bone the life of the Word-Made-Flesh-Among-Us—Jesus who is called the Christ.

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 4)

Am I really ready to touch the untouchables in our community? Do I really realize the cost, the emotional commitment and inevitable heartache, the time commitment and disappointments? I've been re-reading The Irresistible Revolution (see links for Amazon link to the book) and just finished the chapter about his trip to India. Everything in me screams out, "I want to go to India. I want to visit the sick and dying, the lepers and the diseased." But something within me creeps up underneath all of that and whispers that I'm not ready to handle that kind of pain and loss. I push back but can't seem to quiet that voice. Is it God telling me I'm not to that point in my faith yet? Is it "the other one" trying to prevent the inevitable step of faith into the unknown realm of Incarnational love and compassion and "doing greater things than even [Jesus has] done?" For now, I don't know. I know what I want: I want the kingdom to become reality in my life, a reality that spreads naturally from me into the "least of these," those that Jesus went to with the message of kingdom. I want to go there.

Where are you in the transformation?

shalom, matt

Lesson 4 Posted on eSnips

I posted lesson 4 notes for Wednesday's lesson. You can find them here.

shalom, matt

Pics, Pics and More Pics

I just posted a butt-load of pics from a couple different events we've had. You can find them at my eSnips page in the link section. Or, for those of you like me, who are too lazy to do that I'll be nice and post the links below for your direct access.

The first set is from the Boats, Bluegrass and BBQ Festival, which is a fundraiser for Wellspring, the homeless shelter in town that we work with.

The second set is from the Farmhouse Retreat we just had this past weekend.

shalom, matt

Audio is Up

If there was any doubt as to why I like Michael Baysinger that has been summarily erased from the face of the earth. Michael has graciously created a site for the audio messages I'm teaching on Wednesday nights. You can find the audio at www.myspace.com/thekingdomproject

Thanks, Michael. You may just get moved to first on the myspace friends list.

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 3)

So, I've been thinking some more about this idea that we are becoming the kind of people who can realistically define themselves as Love. We are made in the image of God, and as we said on Wednesday night, His image, according to 1 John 4:18 is Love. This is how he defines himself. We see this played out in the life of Jesus on earth. He perfectly incarnates all that a human is supposed to be, namely, the untainted love-image of God. This is what we are striving to becoming. This is the goal we are reaching for.

As Christians we are good at doing loving "things": mission trips, service projects, handing out bottles of water, serving in church, teaching, praying for others, etc. These are all good. However, I have to ask the question of all of us: are we doing these because we should as Christians or are we doing these things because we are Love? Do these things flow out of our Being, our "us-ness," the core that makes us who we really are? Do they flow out of the Love incarnated in us? Or are we doing these things out of a sense of "ought-ness." "I ought to go on this trip because I'm a Christian?" "I ought to love me neighbor because I'm a Christian." Do you see the difference? Perhaps it's a fine line, too fine maybe to really distinguish the difference. And, regardless, the task is getting done, right? However, if we are trying to be changed into the Incarnation of Jesus on earth, if we are striving to live our life like He would live it if He were us, then what we do, say, and think must flow out of our being. In order for this to happen we need to be transformed by the indwelling Spirit, be changed into the kind of people whose being--whose "us-ness"--can be defined as Love.

This is the image we were created in and what we will one day become completely and totally.

shalom, matt

Lesson 3 Posted on eSnips

You can find lesson three in our kingdom series here on eSnips.

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 2)

Why did we talk about Essenes, Pharisees, Zealots, Sadducees, Herod and Caesar and a bunch of other things that don't seem to have much connection to my world today? Well, first off, because I'm the teacher, that's why? And second (with a lot less arrogance), I want you to understand that the kingdom we are talking about right now is based in a real time, in a real place, with real people, dealing with many of the same issues that you are dealing with, and that Jesus' message to them continues to be equally valid in our day. These groups that we talked about exist today, particularly in our church culture. There are some, much like the Essenes, who insist on initiating the kingdom of God through prayer, and fasting, and withdrawal from everything that wreaks of the world. They pull away from the world and its pain and corruption.

There are some who, like the Pharisees, insist on laying down an unending list of rules and "don't-do-ems" in order to purify ourselves from the corruption of the world. While we should be careful what we allow to influence us, following Jesus was not about keeping a list of rules; it was about finding and living life to its fullest measure. We are free in Christ, not bound by rule after rule after rule.

On the flip side of the coin, the Sadducees just sold out to Rome and the pagan culture. This is the opposite side of the Pharisee coin. Culture is too powerful and we should just make the best of it, try to do some good stuff along the way. That's not how God's kingdom enters the world.

Jesus came with a different way. Be in the world, celebrate God where you find him there, awaken humanity to the God image within them, proclaim that the kingdom way is available through me, live differently than the world. Show them that this way is the best way of living. This is the way that I've shown you. If you love people then show them my way.

May we live, show, love, and awaken the world.

shalom, matt

Lesson 2 Posted on eSnips

You can find my notes from lesson 2 of our series on the kingdom here. If you have further thoughts on our discussion I'd love to hear them.

shalom, matt

Transformation

Take 5 minutes and watch this. Guy took a picture of himself everyday for 6 years and then collaged them together in a time lapse video. Very cool to watch him transform over the course of 6 years.

shalom, matt

Incarnation Anyone?

Many of us don't care how articulate someone is if they don't incarnate the message they preach, if we can't hear their words past the noise of their lives. __Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution__

The Word become flesh and dwelt among us. __St. John the Apostle, The Gospel According to John__

Ever wonder why people don't want much to do with the church? We tend to write them off as just not wanting anything to do with Jesus: they're too materialistic, self-involved, success-driven, etc. (funny, that sounds like some Christians I know). However, I'm not sure people have such a problem with Jesus. Many people if you ask them about Jesus will tell you something about how great he was, how they admire his teachings, etc. They have a lot of respect for Jesus, and given an understanding of what he desires to give us and receive from us, they might even be willing to follow the Way. Jesus isn't the problem.

People have a problem with the Church. Now, this isn't any specific church, but the church as in the people that call themselves Christians. People don't see much difference in the lives of so-called Christians and their own life. There isn't much difference to write home about, so to speak. The early church was characterized by the fact that people knew there was a difference in the lives of Jesus' early followers. The difference being seen in what they valued, what they did with their possessions and wealth, how they treated the poor and oppressed, how they loved their neighbor and each other and how there were no needy among them. Outward action was the proof of the inward change that they were claiming Christ can and does make in people's lives. There is such a massive disconnect in what we claim and how we live out that claim. We don't, to quote from above, "incarnate the message" that we preach. This is not just an outward morality. This is a definitive change in motivations, value systems, thoughts, words and deeds.

Jesus came as the incarnation, the in-fleshment, of God's message, His Way of living life in harmony with Himself and each other and with all creation. He perfectly incarnated God's Word, God's message, God's Way of living, God's Truth, God's Life, everything about God that He desires us to be. I don't believe John 1:14 was just intended to talk about Jesus. I believe that on a deeper level it is saying that WE are to in-flesh, incarnate, the Word of God, the message of how to live in harmony with God and with all that is.

It matters how we spend our money, how we talk about our neighbors, how we love God and each other. It matters what we place value in, what we give our time and energies to, how we treat the Taco Bell employees, how we act in class, in the hallways, and in our homes. It matters because you and I are trying our dangdest to incarnate the Word of God.

May you and I put on the Word of God as our flesh.

shalom, matt

A Further Thought...

I was reading As a Driven Leaf and came across a line that made me stop and consider things, especially as it pertains to our last post. I won't bore you with the quote itself, or the setup thereof.

From a distance, Jesus' Way looks very attractive, very do-able, very worthwhile. It is safe and easy, just by going to church, reading your Bible, praying and the like, you can achieve some level of holiness and perhaps a certain level of Jesus-ness. Religion achieves this nicely by boxing God into doctrine, systematic theologies, and bulletted, Power Point presentations. It is a safe Jesus, one who's claws have been removed. He is the Lamb. He is our buddy, our pal, our amigo. We like this Jesus because he doesn't make any demands on our life other than attending some random spiritual activities and classes. We go home satisfied that we have done our duty for Jesus.

However, the closer we get to the picture painted for us in Scripture, the closer we get to understanding how involved this life really is, and the louder the Voice becomes in our hearts--telling us that something is not right with the world that we see, that there is another world that is possible and that we have some part to play--the less attractive, less glamorous, more difficult to live out His Way becomes. Reading our Bibles, prayer, etc. are not the end-all of our spirituality. The intent was for every action, every thought and word, to be in line with the Way. The wild, untamable Jesus of the Gospels is not our buddy. He is nothing less than God with flesh and bone, Creator and Sustainer, Alpha and Omega. He is the Lion that tears our old selves off of us, gently, yet not without pain and loss. This Jesus says outrageous things like, "Die to live," and "If you want to be first in the kingdom become a slave to everyone," and "Love your enemies and pray for those who hate and persecute you." This Jesus is dangerous to our way of life, to our family vacations, sports and band commitments, pursuit of wealth and success, and what mom and dad want us to be when we grow up. This is the Jesus that took death by the throat and kicked it into nothingness by rising from the grave.

This Jesus terrifies me. But he is the only Jesus that has been or ever will be. May we stop keeping Jesus at a distance and simply admiring him. May we follow and be covered in the dust of our Rabbi.

shalom, matt

And Furthermore... (Other Thoughts on Lesson 1)

I mentioned during our lesson Wednesday night how the Body of Christ is made up of a lot of people who admire Jesus, but fewer and fewer people who are interested in being followers of Jesus. I'd like to chase down that thought for just a minute.

I heard one time a teacher put it this way: “Can you imagine what the Church could do if Christians started acting like disciples?” You see the thing is this: we like Jesus’ teachings. We think they are swell ideas for everyone to follow. We particularly like the ones that don’t require much sacrifice on our part. Jesus says, “Don’t murder” and we respond, “Yes, Lord, I can do that.” Jesus says, “But you shouldn’t hate either or you’re guilty of murder” and we respond, “Well, you see, the thing is this: there is this one guy…” When Jesus starts making demands on our lives we quickly find out those who admire Jesus and those who follow Jesus. There has to be a better way. Nothing short of outright all-ness will do--the willingness to give up anything, turn over any attitude, dismantle any part of our lives that doesn't fit the Way. This is not to be mistaken for some idyllic moral perfectionism or utopia. I’m not naïve. I understand that it is hard. I don’t always get it right. Too often I am simply an admirer of Jesus and his Way. But we far too often ignore or interpret aside some of Jesus’ more difficult teachings. If we are to get serious about following Him, we must be willing to sacrifice, to go, to follow wherever he may lead us into whatever place he may want us. Will we follow or will we admire?

Ghandi once said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” May this never be said of me. May this never be said of you. May this never be said of Us.

shalom, matt

Lesson 1 Posted on eSnips

It took me longer to post it than I would have liked, but our Internet was down at work, so, you know...

You can find my notes from lesson one here.

I was going to post the audio from the lesson as well, but someone shut the microphone off after I tested it so I recorded 50 minutes of dead air. Sorry. Next time around I'll have audio to post somewhere on the internet. I'll let you know where when the time comes.

shalom, matt

Kingdom Series

I'm going to be making attempts at posting stuff that is Kingdom related on this blog more than I do, given that title of the blog and its subsequent web address. In an effort to do that I'm going to post to my eSnips site my lesson outlines from each Wednesday. You can look for them on Thursday mornings. I'll post them as quickly as possible. The reasons for this are two fold: 1) For those who don't go to my church but read this blog, it'll give you an idea of what we're talking about and where some of the blog subject matter comes from, hopefully putting you on more of an even footing, get us speaking the same language; 2) For those who have to endure my teaching, it'll be a chance to sit down with what I speak to you and actually think through it more deeply. It's hard to listen to someone speak and take it all in. Hopefully this will allow you the chance to catch some things that you wouldn't normally catch. Anyway, the link to the eSnips sight is in the links section (go figure, eh?).

shalom, matt

On Weakness

Some good thoughts on weakness over at Kethuvim, my brother's blog. You can find the article here. Well worth the read. I'm interested to hear thoughts on it because it is a very crucial topic.

shalom, matt

New Picture Site

The one downside of getting rid of my older blog and switching to a free one was my inability to post pictures here with any great regularity or ease. I have found a solution. Check out the link titled "Matt's Picture Site". I posted pictures from CIY this past July if you want to check them out. Whenever we have an event I'll be posting the pictures from that event on my esnips picture site. You shouldn't have to sign up to view the pics, just click the link and find the folder you want to look at. That is all.

shalom, matt

Everyone is Kung-Fu Fighting

Is it just me or does the entire world seem to be on a downward spiral of increasing anger. It's something I've noticed recently.

A couple weeks ago I was at Target in Greenwood and I noticed in the check-out lane next to us a woman was irate because, from what I could gather, her check had either been rejected or it required an I.D. check or something. She threatened and fumed to the clerk working the register that she would never come back to Target again. I was thinking to myself, "Do you really think it's this poor girls fault that the machine rejected your check? Do you think threatening her will accomplish anything, as if she has some direct link to the CEO of Target, or the bank that rejected the check?"

I've noticed an inordinate number of people at Walmart recently just talking hatefully to their kids. Parents are name-calling, and spitting venomous words at 2 year olds who won't stop crying. Now, being the parent of such a child I understand the frustration level, and I am guilty more than I care to think about of the same type of parenting (or lack of), but there seems to be no more happy people anymore. Everyone seems to be out to fight someone else, verbally or physically.

I read an article today on CNN.com that sparked this article. Read the article here and take note of the final lines spoken by the director of the hospital.

Panayotis Spatharakis, director of the Heraklion Hospital, told the Daily Mirror: "We asked him why he did it and he told us he was very drunk and could not exactly remember what happened.

"I feel that once he recovers and understands what he has done he should commit suicide."

The Daily Mirror reported that Hogan's plight after the plunge brought little sympathy from angry locals who surrounded his stretcher to scream abuse.

Someone explain to me what good it's going to do for him to kill himself. So we would rather put the family through more grief just so we can feel vindicated by the injustice done to these children and their mother. Is this really the best way to live? Is this all there is on earth anymore? Are we destined to live lives of anger and frustration and vindictiveness?

I believe in a better way.

It isn't an easy way. It takes effort. I struggle to make it a reality in my life. I get angry to often. I live in a sometimes constant state of anger and bitterness. I don't like it. I'm tired of it. May we live a life of love, where hurts are healed; a life of grace, where the best in humanity is sought out; a life of hope, that somewhere buried underneath our flesh is a soul aching to awaken from slumber and step into the light of the Kingdom.

shalom, matt

Tiny Babies and Why Life Stops

I was at the hospital today for a delivery, an occasion that is normally ripe with joy and celebration, elation and triumph, where heaven meets earth in a collision of beauty and life. I have witnessed the birth of my own child, celebrated with friends and family at the birth of their children.

This delivery was different.

I was sitting at church watching one of the NOOMA dvd's, featuring the teachings of Rob Bell. This particular NOOMA was called Matthew, and it deals with the issue of suffering through loss and the grief and other heart-rending feelings that come with a tragic loss of some kind. I got about 2 minutes into it when I was asked to make a hospital run to Indy. The info I received did not bode well. I was told that the pregnancy had been troubled from the beginning and that the baby wasn't expected to live through the delivery. It dawned on me as I was leaving the parking lot that the issues raised in the NOOMA I had been watching may come to pass in less than an hour.

I arrived at the hospital. I didn't even know the family. One of the cousins of the couple delivering is part of our church. I waited alone for several minutes before I recognized someone. I was very unsure of everything. What do you say to a couple who has just lost a baby, to a family suffering a tragic loss? How do you recover a day of intended joy and all-too-powerfully realized agony? How do you bring light into the dark void of pain? As I sat and contemplated the worst I realized something about how deep the fall of man goes: not even infants-in-womb are exempt from the agony caused by a world full of beloved people who have an insatiable desire for fruit. The fall is deep; the wounds of earth many and increasing. The fracturing of Life has reached into the most innocent and beautiful of creations, stealing the breath of life, the steady beating of a heart, disfiguring faces of cherubs in flesh, and hanging Death on the doorknobs of nurseries that may never be occupied. Grief is an all-too-familiar companion.

"Behold, I am making all things new..."

shalom, matt

Final note: Chloe was born and has too my knowledge continued a fight for life. She has a heart murmer, undeveloped lungs, kidney problems, and a cleft pallet. Please pray for her and her parents, Matt and Krista.

Post Script (8/17/06): I just found out that the baby did not make it. My day is officially ruined.