A Facist Corporate Wasteland

So those are the words Cindy Sheehan, the face of the anti-war movement, you know the woman who camped outside President Bush's ranch for months, said about the U.S. as she 'resigned', put up the land for sale and returned home to California. She is quite disillusioned by the politics of the left as well as the right, and particularly that the Democrats have caved on many promises to end the war and bring the troops home. She also used phrases like "war machine" and alluded to the fact that as much as people scream about change, unless a large majority actually get off their butts and do something, it all stays the same.

So I read this very subversive little book called "Colossians Remixed" recently. I am still digesting it. It was quite a challenge to the status quo- and done from a solid Biblical base. I've always been frustrated by the fact that with current religion and politics, I have to choose between being pro-life and anti-gun (because somehow those are in different camps)- or I have to choose between Biblical basis with a focus on personal discipleship or social justice with a focus on changing the world for good. If you want to feed the homeless, clothe the naked, make sure the oppressed and migrant workers have a voice and dignity, then you can't also worship with those who want to spread the great news of God's love, call for personal moral accountability, and actually read the Bible. I have always hated that. So I'm either the social justice person in the evangelical circles or the evangelical in the social justice circles, and there's never been a middle ground....a via media for me. I have seen glimpses (St. Peters Jax comes to mind) and I have longed for more.

So this book actually talks about that type of faith. One that captures the imagination, introduces you to the Savior who changes everything when you follow him, calls you to a new life in community that is more than a passing cocktail party, and challenges you to go out and affect change whenever and wherever you can- from changing your lightbulbs to running a soup kitchen. I've picked up some of this in the stuff I'm hearing out of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I want more- to quote Shane Clairborne (again) "To be a people who stop complaining about the church they've experienced and start living the church they dream of."

How does this relate to Cindy Sheehan? Well, she sees the ways in which corporate greed, materialism, wealth, and let's please not forget the end-all descriptor, comfort, have captivated the American mind, nay even the world. A facist corporate wasteland. I mean, how long until church sanctuaries are "Brought to you by..." I mean it happens now- but just in the form of naming buildings after people. America, and the American church by large amount, have complied to feed this "empire of indifference" and "kingdom of comfort". We fight to "preserve the American Way" of choice and freedom- freedom to go be consumers. Its driving me insane. And, much like Cindy Sheehan, I am ready to 'resign' and just give up. Thanks be to God others are not giving up, and continue to push for a different way of doing politics, church, life.

I guess I need to stop complaining and start building. Now if I can find anybody else that is remotely more interested in that than maintaining the level of comfort to which we have all become accustomed. Then we'll be in...business? I hope not.

New motto by Elvis

I've decided my new motto for dealing with church politics- and it is a quote from an Elvis Costello song Red Shoes... "Oh, I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused."

While I am sure I have probably misquoted him, or taken the line out of context, I still adopt it as my background noise to help me negotiate committee meetings and just general news headlines involving my current denominational affiliation. We can always choose our reaction, even when we can't control our circumstances.

My Symphony

I've been digging this poem- thought I'd share:

"To live content with small means; to seek eloquence rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
To be worthy, not respectable and wealthy, not rich;
To study hard, think quietly talk gently, act frankly;
To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with an open heart;
To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden, and unconscious grow up through the commonplace.
This is to be my symphony."

-William Henry Channing, 1810-1884

Do we wonder why lots of people in the world hate us?

So, I rail on excess consumption a lot. It is starting to bother me more and more. But here is an item that sort of shows my case in point. This is what a God-fearing "Christian" nation spends its extra money on. It is a toss up for me whether I find this more reprehensible or the carpeted pet steps to get your overweight dog into your gas-guzzling SUV to go for a ride. What does 85% of the world think of when they see this use of money? Is this how we represent a "Christian nation" to the world?

The Pet Stroller from Petsmart.

Here is a link to the whole page with the description that includes "For the pet parent who wants their pet to go out and about with them". Whatever happened to a collar, a leash and their God given four legs (or three for my dog, but still!)?? I'm particularly irked by the great mosquito netting, considering the numbers of children who die from malaria each day for lack of such covering. Yikes.

Fibonaccis Number and the Lego Bible

This link goes to a really cool site that talks about Fibonacci's number sequence as evidence of a greater plan. It's got the whole intelligent design thing going for it, but it is also just a cool video representation of a natural phenomenon that I find to be cool.

This link goes to a website that represents all the Biblical stories, Old and New Testament, with legos. My two first thoughts were "How cool" and "Who has that much time on their hands?"- these were followed by "Okay, maybe some of these stories ought to be left for the over 10 year old crowd"- like the taking of Jericho, complete with the pillage and massacre of all the residents. Fake lego blood is interesting though! There is a little ratings guide with each section, though, with symbols beside each story indicating N(udity) V(iolence) C(ursing) or S(exual Content). Yeah.

washing dishes in a fractured world

So, I have these great ideas for blogs while I wash dishes. I really need to reconfigure the kitchen so I can look out the window while I wash...oh well. By the time I usually get to blogging, though, the ideas are either past, or have jammed themselves inside my head like too many staples in a malfunctioning electric stapler. We'll take a stab at sorting some out though.

I was wanting to reflect on the Virginia Tech shootings. I could rail about the media, and its treatment of the situation; about how the administration is getting unfair heat about the whole 2 hour lapse; I could go on ad naseum about the gun laws (bet that would up my comment count); or reflect on the different ways people respond to these horrible incidents. I am saddened to be sure. Virginia Tech is closely associated with George's family- his grandfather was the first dean of humanities and at different times chair of the English dept. He brought Shakespeare and co. to a Polytechnical school- his daughter became a college professor, as did his grandson. There is a building at Tech named for him. George's mom and his uncles/aunt graduated from Blacksburg High- at least one uncle got a degree there. Both his grandparents are buried in Blackburg, and I've often thought it was one of the neatest mountain college towns I'd ever seen. The idea of it now being associated in most people's minds with a bloodbath is as saddening to me as the events themselves.

One particular moment in the reporting of the incidents and aftermath stands out to me. A reporter was on the campus, reporting live about memorial services and makeshift shrines. In the background someone can be heard yelling on a loudspeaker. Thinking perhaps another incident was underway, the anchor in the studio asks the reporter what is happening- what announcements are being made or broadcast. The reporter quite deftly answers the question by saying that "an evangelist has set up across the quad from us here and is speaking into a megaphone, and that is the source of the noise." Bullhorn guy has shown up in Blacksburg. He probably would consider it a great success that he intruded on the major news carrier's live feed. This was the news outlet that was advertising Deepak Chopra's advice for the grieving, after all (or maybe it was that Deepak was going to be there?). Bullhorn guy has decided that with all this national attention, souls need saving in Blacksburg. Maybe this brush with mortality will scare more people into his brand of Jesus fearing religion. Maybe he thinks this shooter's manifesto is somewhat right in its denunciation of charlatans and rich kids- of hedonists and loose women- perhaps this is a tool of God to get everyone's attention- or better yet, a judgement on the lifestyles of those evil college students. For people who are so scared of going to hell and the being forever subject to the devil, I would think they would be better acquainted with said Evil One and the marks of his work in our world. (Please don't hear me say I think the Devil possessed this boy and made him shoot 60 people- he had some choices- but I do think he was imbued with all the characteristics of one who is tormented by mental illness and has given in to the evil impulses we all have felt as fallen creatures of an earthly existence). I do believe Evil exists, and its purpose is always counter to that of God's and that it was in full force on the campus of Virginia Tech Monday morning. The greater question now becomes how should we respond? Putting aside all the what-ifs and might have beens, where do we go now? I guess I shouldn't be so hard on bullhorn guy since he actually went to the campus to share what he thinks is God's message. But I just finished listening to a sermon about how we, as Christians, we are the message- Jesus was the Logos- the WORD of God- and as his body, his incarnation to the broken world- we are the message- how we love, care and respond- that is what will speak to this situation. If we ask "where is God?" He most often answers by asking "where are you?" (stolen from "New Exodus" sermon series- Rob Bell and Don Golden, June 11, 2006)

Where are we indeed.

I really like this quote

I am so excited because I believe that there is a bubbling up of new imagination in the church and in people that are rethinking the way we do our careers, rethinking the world together, rethinking what it means to be church and refusing to allow the distorted images of what it means to be church to define us and go, “we’re going to stop complaining about the church that we’ve experienced and become the church that we dream of- let’s figure out how to do it together.” Shane Claiborne, www.thesimpleway.org

For Amber Waves of Grain

Really- I mean seriously- how is it we are importing wheat gluten (tainted with pet-killing crap) from China while we pay MILLIONS to wheat farmers in North America to NOT, I repeat, to not grow any wheat? Why is noone asking this question in a big fat public scream in your face kind of way? Why are we far more concerned that the Bush administration fired 8 lawyers because of political bent, (which is perfectly acceptable thing to do as long as you TELL congress you are going to do it)? I mean, they aren't really in trouble for firing the lawyers, they are in trouble for not following the proper procedure in firing the lawyers and then lying about what they did.

Really- this is more important? This should captivate the national media? Or maybe finally finding out who the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby is the most worthwhile pursuit these days.....Meanwhile, China owns us heart and soul? I mean- its cheaper to import wheat by-products from China while paying people here big money to not grow wheat than it is to just let American farmers grow wheat and sell it to ourselves???? And we are so enslaved to the bargain mentality that as the country of the free and the brave we will go out of our way to buy-one-get-one-free ice cream dishes while we will knowingly underwrite an empire built on the backs of its people who are starving, working with child labor, and throwing out beautiful baby girls to avoid government penalties? Cheap plastic crap at a low price makes this system justified? Sure, that purse looks great with those shoes, but can you really live with yourself knowing what the human cost of you saving a few bucks of your throw-away income is all about? I am mystified, mortified but most of all petrified- as I don't have the slightest idea, besides railing at the wind, of what to do about it, or how to extract myself from this system (as I type on my laptop which was assembled in China!) I know why they call social change campaigns "movements"- because I won't be able to live with myself for long if I just sit still in this place. And please don't tell me to run for office- I'd rather run for the hills.

A few loose ends

I had a couple of more small thoughts on ol' Harry Potter- and an option for a future blog to be named later concerning HP fans and Biblical scholarship (got you curious, don't I?), and then we'll be done with this topic- or else I might get co-opted into on of those online editorial HP sites...

1) Why does Tom, the barman at the Leaky Cauldron, say "Welcome back" to Harry when he and Hagrid show up at the bar for what is in Harry's mind, his first time? Either its a generic "welcome back" to the wizarding world, or this is a comment that Harry has been there before- perhaps in that 24 missing hours between his parent's death and his arrival at 4 Privet Dr.
2) I stay with my theory that the 7th book will return to the 1st book in a lot of ways. Take this bit- A great deal of description is given about Grigott's wizarding bank in Sorcerer's Stone. Especially how an average person would get lost in the maze below ground and die trying to escape. Also, Dumbledore says he has a scar above his left knee that is quite useful, as it is a full map of the London Underground. Since most wizards have no need of public Muggle transportation (the subway Underground) could it be he was referring to a map of Gringotts? I think this is true, since the UK cover of Deathly Hallows shows Harry, Ron and Hermione landing in a treasure trove with a goblin (or maybe a house elf) holding a sword (Griffyndors?) and riding on Harry's back. Why wouldn't Voldemort put at least one treasure (horcrux) in a deeply exclusive vault inside Gringotts? Since the goblins are at best neutral, and have been dark-leaning in the past, it wouldn't be surprising that they wouldn't care if Voldemort used their bank like any other. After all, how did Quirrellmort find his way in there and out when he tried to steal the stone? And with Bill Weasley(and Fleur) as a Gringott's employee there is a way in the door for sure.
3) The US cover of Deathly Hallows bears out at least one of my friend Susan's ideas about the plot (and all points should be given to her for parsing this out of editorials and the like). It seems to show Harry, being chased by the outstretched hand of Voldemort, having passed behind the veil in the atrium in the Dept. of Mysteries. There is an atrium/coliseum around him, with shadowy figures of those who's voices Harry heard before, his loved ones who predeceased him. It appears as if Susan's theory of Harry going through the veil is indeed a good one- now if we can figure out what he has in the little amulet/bag around his neck. Judge for yourself- here is the picture.

OK, that's enough for now. I'm still working on my aforementioned Bible-HP correlation.

Ending Where It Began

I have a confession. I resisted a long time-but I am a Harry Potter fan. I have read all the books, I've seen the movies. I am even contemplating staying up 'til midnight, July 21st so that I can get the last book in the series-The Deathly Hallows. I know. It's a little extreme. There are lots of people in my situation though- and I suspect many of them actually want the book themselves but say they just go to the midnight release so "the kids can get one". I have resisted letting my boys get into Harry Potter because of the dark overtones and violence. I don't think it will affect them as much now- but as it is written for 10-12 year olds in mind, I think I'll wait until they are a little closer to that age.

I think some of the things that interest me about the series include the nice mix of real life teenage angst, a well constructed magical world (that uses lots of Latin spells) and just enough mystery to keep you interested. Trying to figure out a mystery appeals to lots of us- and the fact that there are clues in 7 different books makes it more of like a conspiracy theory- and nothing gets me hooked like a good intrique story. So, I've formulated a little theory of my own.
So there are seven books, and they are circular in nature. Book 4 is in the center- Goblet of Fire is the book where Voldemort regains a physical body, the one he lost in Book 1, and will have something happen to in Book 7- The Quidditch World Cup and the Tri-wizard tournament both are things that only happen every once in while- not every year. It of course has characters and elements from other books- but the whole Barty Crouch story and so forth is pretty stand alone. Book 4 is a pivotal, centering book in the middle of the chain.

Books 3 and 5 (Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix) were all about Sirius Black. His reunion with Harry, his history, his family, and his demise. Lupin is also a major player in these 2 books. Again, other things were at work, but this just focuses on the major themes. Books 2 and 6 are all about Tom Riddle/Voldemort. Chamber of Secrets is all about Hogwarts when Tom Riddle was there, parselmouth, the Big snake and Voldemort trying to regain power through his horcrux. Half Blood Prince spends considerable time focusing on parselmouth, Riddle's history, his family, his big snake and again, his horcruxes (and the destruction thereof).
So that leaves us with Books 1 and 7- Sorcerer's Stone and Deathly Hallows. It will end where it started. Many think that is Godric's Hollow- where Harry's parents were killed and where Voldemort lost his bodily form. I do think Godric's Hollow will be significant- and that Harry will find and/or destroy a Horcrux there. I think Bill and Fleur's wedding will remind Harry of something he saw in a picture of his parents wedding (where Sirius was best man) and something he can find at Godric's Hollow. But mostly, (and this is my big theory here) I think the story will end up on Privet drive. PRIVET Drive? Where nothing magical ever happens? Where the dreaded Dursleys live?

Here's my thoughts- the first book starts on Privet drive, focused on the Dursleys- seeing the magical world through their eyes. Almost all of the major characters have been there at one time or another to pick up Harry- and Dumbledore has admittedly put strong enchantments around the house for Harry's protection. Rowling has already let us know that Petunia will play a significant role in Book 7- and also that Harry having his mother's eyes is important. There is something about the family connection that will play a major role. In the first chapter, there are two important passages I picked out. One is that the Durselys and Potters hadn't met "for several years"- at least since before they had children (as they had never seen Harry). But since Dumbledore knew of the Durselys existence, and location, there must have been some interaction at some point. And I am guessing that it was not so positive since Petunia and Vernon BOTH hated magic and anything to do with it. Vernon also asks Petunia if she'd heard from her sister lately- as if maybe Lily communicated with Petunia every once in awhile- they obviously knew Lily and James had a son- they had a nephew, even if Vernon couldn't remember his name. There had to be communication of some sort (which may explain Vernon's discomfort at the report of owls all over England).

The second passage is right at the end of chapter 1, as Harry goes to sleep on the doorstep of # 4, Rowling describes Privet Drive this way "A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen." So, I think at some point before Harry was born, Lily gave Petunia something significant- a Griffyndor or Ravenclaw relic perhaps, - or something else- because it would be so far out of the magical world- safe from Voldemort's followers and the Dark Lord himself- and Petunia has it squirreled away in some hygenic box deep in a closet. Maybe she gave it as a present when Dudley was born and Petunia regarded it as 'too weird and magical' to have out. As Harry seeks it out- he will find something in the last place he expects it to be- #4 Privet Drive. The other piece that plays into this theory is that Rowling has said someone non-magical in book 7 will accomplish the feat of performing magic late in life- and it will absolutely not be Petunia- but how about Arabella Figg? The squib neighbor of the Dursleys who has revealed herself to Harry and has been watching him for years on Dumbledore's behalf. Will she protect Harry- reveal some spell or apparate- maybe repel the dementors? So, while I don't know what or how- I think I am onto a where- Privet Drive- very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen.

Now, if I can just find where I left my innertube...

So I found myself trolling all over MySpace recently. It’s really an amazing thing. To be able to get a little glimpse into other people’s lives- clicking from one profile to another. Way more info than you ever got from a phone book-some of it in the TMI category. I got started because of a young adult I know who does some missionary work. I was trying to see if she had a blog (she seemed a very likely person to have one) and instead I found her MySpace page. She does have a blog there, but as I am not a registered user, I couldn’t access it. She happened to have been a counselor at the camp I was director for. From her site, I started jumping from old counselor to old counselor- it was great. I have been wondering what has become of everyone and where they are. It was exciting to see who was married, had kids, still lived in their hometown, who had albums coming out, who was getting what advanced degree. Still, there were some I happened across that made me wonder- that had me concerned for their health and well being. I mean, sure, who wouldn’t have a few party pictures on their site at 25? But, when that’s all there is….well, it worries me they have no depth, no grounding- and I feel somehow saddened by that. I do remember though that this is a social site and what someone puts up can’t sum up their whole life. Still, you learn a lot from interests, music, pictures, friends and comments put up there.

This little sojourn also makes me nostalgic and missing the time when I thought I could relate to and maybe even influence young people. This is a recurring theme lately- a look back on what I used to do (and who I was) and a look forward at where I’m heading. I don’t see a future that looks anything like the past. That is fine- and I shouldn’t count God out of it, he may put me back in youth ministry yet. For now, though, it has been 5 years since I did any full-time youth ministry, and I think that chapter of my life is closing. It does make me a little sad and longing for what I used to do/be. It seems easier to go back to that rather than coming up with a new direction.

I guess it also touches this thing I have with current culture. As I get older, I have shifted out of the mainstream and am now more in the safe shallows. If life were a water park, I’d be moving from the “Twister Flume Tunnel of Zoom” into more of the “Lazy River” attraction. I know what’s going on in the culture, for the most part, but I just don’t want to engage it. I understand the trends and fads, I just don’t like them. Is it sad I have better relationships with 5 year olds than I do with 15 year olds now? Maybe it is just my own little sliver of fragmented postmodernism that keeps its own self out of synch. But sometimes I do long for one last ride in the cool zone- I mean, I toyed with the idea of starting my own MySpace page- catching up with all those ex-camp people and saying hey- and then I realize that would be a bit pathetic. From what I can tell, MySpace isn’t inhabited by many over 35 year olds; I would be a visitor at best. No, I’ll continue to lurk and catch a glimpse of what life as a 28 year old is like these days, but keep my old self out of the way. But, I do think I will buy the new CD coming out by a few of them…it’s really good!

Prayer

So, I've been thinking about prayer. I know, it'd be a better use of my time to just actually pray. I try to pray each day, to be intentional about some time to talk to God. That doesn't count the random thoughts that fly through my head that might be remotely considered prayers. I still subscribe to the old formula of addressing God, asking a few things, saying Amen. That's not to say I haven't had some really powerful prayer times that involved me sitting on a mountaintop watching a thunderstorm come in, or sitting on a floor in a dark chapel with music and candles around. There have even been really cool times watching my kids that have been filled with the presence of God- and the thankfulness in my heart has felt an awful lot like prayer and praise.

Still, I think there is something about regular prayer that invites routine and dare I say it, structure. Some of my most satisfying prayer times have involved me writing my prayers, much like a letter to God, and then just sitting there for awhile- listening, stopping, being. I try to follow the A.C.T.S. formula of prayer:
A-Adoration (telling God how good he is-and what cool stuff he makes)
C-Confession (those places we screw up; and asking for forgiveness)
T-Thanksgiving (well, you know, being thankful)
S-Supplication (asking for help, guidance, healing, etc)
followed by quiet, listening time. That's what works for me- when I can find the time to do that!

What works for you? What is your best time of day-place you pray? Tips? Feedback? LL

TiVo stands for Television InadVertantly Operated

Or maybe some other catchy acronym to describe how since we hooked up TiVo it has become a possessed self regulatory independent electronic beast in our bonus room. Disclaimer: We received TiVo and a year's service as a Christmas present from George's brother. While we like the idea, its not a gadget we were dying to get, but since everyone seems to love it enough to use it as a verb, we thought we'd try it out. It started innocently enough- set it up one night when the kids were out...nothing says loving like sharing a booklet of technological instructons. Then came the experiments to make sure it worked- TiVoing a few kids shows, a series we might like to watch (which explains why its been cancelled) and the like. All is well. What we want Dvr'ed is getting recorded.
The odd part comes when we start looking over our "Now playing" list and seeing all these random programs being recorded. Nickolodeon shows, Disney shows, Full House on Nick at Night, NFL today in March. I mean the list is long- two 'pages' of shows recorded in just two days. The one show that we designated with a "Season pass" (so it will record the episode each week) is working fine, although it can't seem to figure out when they pulled the show and put a cop drama in its place. Somehow, when we ask it to record one show,and one show only, it does so, but then starts acting of its own free will. Its this weird HAL/2001 thing- "I think Dave liked this show, so I'll record another just like it." The weirdest part is I can't find ANY setting to turn this function off (and I have looked at every option in every menu). It appears to be operating on its own. So, until we figure it out, we'll just have to keep deleting the random Dora the explorer shows, the Tanner family love fests of Full House and random Anime features from cartoon network. At least it hasn't started accessing Lifetime, celebrity poker shows, C-span, or some porn channel--Yet. Small favors. Anyone have any ideas?

What if?

There's a link and piece of this missing- but it was for a cool article about a Christian organization that rebuilt mosques in Serbia.

If we're such a "Christian Nation"...

I mean, would we be hurting, maiming and taking over in countries that don't want us- can you see why the rest of the world hates "Christians" if they equate US foreign policy with God's agenda? I mean- the average Muslim, who's never heard the gospel and knows the name of Jesus about the same as most Christians know the name of Jeremiah, if this person's first interactions with a "Christian nation" are having your town bombed, having soldiers come in and take away half your neighbors and relatives (and then guard them with such respectful guards as we had at Abu Graib)- who wants any part of that? And when some lucky middle easterner gets the chance to come to the US and say, study- do they not marvel at a culture that spends more on pet products each year than their home country brings in as a GDP? Can you imagine coming from a place where everyone struggles to have enough to eat, or have clean water and access to health care, only to come here and see an ad for carpeted doggie stairs so your overweight dog can crawl into your kingsize bed and watch "Desparate Housewives" with you?? Do we really wonder why they hate us?
So here comes the over simplified, rosy eyed dreamer in me (I'm giving you fair warning here). What if....
-instead of spending millions on bombs and ammunition, we spent those same millions to give everyone clean drinking water and access to electricity?
-instead of increasing troop numbers, we increased work teams that could rebuild a foreign country much like we've been rebuilding the Gulf Coast the past year and a half.
-instead of insisting on a particular type of government we actually let the people decide what they want- even if we don't like it.
-instead of just saying we're a Christian nation and continuing to export raunchy Hollywood films, TV, cigarettes and alcohol as well as army troops, instead we prayed for our enemies, sent them food and water and materials for shelter and the technology they need to catch up with us.
What if that was the way we showed God's love to this world? Am I dewy eyed enough to think there wouldn't be corruption- sure there would be- and I imagine people would still want to kill us for a little while anyway- until they figured out what we were about. I mean, I haven't heard too many stories of Red Cross workers getting shot up while handing out blankets. (Yes, I'm sure it happens- but then, it happened in New Orleans too). I imagine that if we did something that radical it would cause some major chaos-and would be so hard to do-I get that. And I have heard all the arguments for a strong military presence and deterrents and all that jazz. It's just that while I understand all of that stuff- it just doesn't seem to be working- and I'm ready for a new way of doing things- so I'll keep dreaming, and praying that God will send us some help in making his dream into our dream- and making his dream a reality.
"I asked God to make the world a better place. He responded by saying "Let's start with you."

Whatever happened to Pebbles, anyway?

Interesting article in USA Today about todays 18-25 years olds and their life's goals.

The reason this is interesting is the voice given to this generation concerning its ambitions and aspirations. I guess my bitter Gen-xity comes out here. I am a Gen xer, who speaks fluent boomer (and silent gen, I might add) as well as a smattering of Gen Y. The ironic thing to me in this article is not so much the overwhelming numbers of 18-25 year olds who want to strike it rich and be famous, but the fact that this is a major article. In the mid 80's, I have no doubt this was the general idea with the college student of the day- I mean, just look at the Top 40 for pete's sake- "I want to be rich (I want money, lots and lots of money)" "Do you want to ride in my mercedes boy" "I've got the brains, you've got the looks, lets make lots of money" "Money, money changes everything" "Material world and I am a material girl". It was the greed decade, remember? But who gets the credit for that? THE BOOMERS! It's the whole "Wall Street" thing (you know, the movie with Michael Douglas) instead of "Risky Business" (Tom Cruise is technically a boomer, but he played a teenager in the 80's- which would make him Gen X). The ME generation and their 30-something Yuppie-ville got all the hype for being materialistic and fame driven. And now, the Gen-Yers get the moniker on them- (funny enough that they are their parents' children). And so, Gen X slides by, unnoticed and ignored, marginalized at best as a latte drinking, clove cigarette smoking bunch of communist wannabes- when I have no doubt that we all wanted fame and fortune just as much as these college kids today.

Hey, wait a minute. We are vindicated in the silence of the media. I should just shut-up, because we come out looking good! In fact, if we could dig up articles from the 90's, when the second half of Gen X was in college (when they started realizing they existed) you'd see these glowing reports of how giving and service oriented we were as young people. So, here we are, this huge population bubble (contrary to popular belief, Gen X is as big if not bigger than the boomers. Its just that birth rates went down (at the same time as Roe V Wade was passed, go figure)- it doesn't factor in immigration) waiting to change the world, and whining about it along the way. But maybe we'll actually do one better than our parents, and see someone from our cohort in the White House one day. Until then- I guess we'll just make money, invest it in socially responsible equity funds and hit the Starbucks for a latte while we blog.

I love it when this happens

I love it when I'm stewing over several things- money, wealth, power- what is this "Emerging church" thing, how do I behave as a follower of Christ in a culture basted in money and power- and along comes a quote that sums it up for me nicely. Here it is, by none other than one of my fav. people- Rob Bell


“How do comfortable Christians in the suburbs join the God of the oppressed? Is it even possible? I live in a city where one in five people live in poverty and on 28th Street they just opened a new Hummer dealership... I need this seminar because I need to know what following Jesus looks like in an empire where so few have so much and so many have so little.” -Rob Bell

I hear John Williams "Empire Strikes back" playing in my head....

...And a Happy New Year?

From the internet- gotta love it~


"Please accept with no obligation implied, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion or secular traditions of all.
And a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling,and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Britain great, (not to imply thatBritain is necessarily greater than any other countryor is the only “Britain” in the Western Hemisphere),and without regard to the race, creed, color, age,physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable provided there is no alteration to the original. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishesfor her/himself or others, is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expectedwithin the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, which ever comes first, and warranty is limited to repair of this wish or issuance of a replacement wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."

Let it snow....somewhere else

Okay- the snow is at about 16 inches and still falling here in Santa Fe. We're hoping it stops so that they can plow the roads and start flying out of Albuquerque again. Since our flight isn't scheduled until 2:20- then we have to make a connection in Dallas- if the airport hasn't been torn up by tornadoes. Its beautiful snow fall and all, but it does have its drawbacks- like closing down the airport. Here's a picture of the boys that made the Los Alamos Monitor...world wide publication that it is...Ok- hopefully we'll make it back for New Years!

monblogomy

I've decided I might just be a one blog women. Trying to keep two sites up to date seems ambitious, especially this time of year- Yeah. All of this navel gazing is fun and all- but I also have those more temporal needs of figuring out what the heck I'm getting everyone for Christmas- better get to it for Santa waits for no man!

Here is a fascinating link concerning Christian community and living out the gospel. This is a group in the San Francisco Bay area- so take that with a grain of salt (all in all, I admit that San Franciscans strike me as braver than the average American in their unwavering ability to be individuals- that is not always the easiest task). They are not limited to the Bay, however- they are looking to branch out. We could start a chapter here. What captivates me about this site is the idea of "What if we actually put together a group of people and lived as close to the Gospel as we could. What if we transplanted a first century Christian home church/community to 2006 and made it work?" Somehow, that really gets me amped- its a radical and crazy idea- one that just might work! I'm going to find out some more before I get too enamored with the idea- but just think- let's stop just talking and playing the Church and just get on with being the Church. The simplicity principle here is just blowing me away. Check out the Jesus Dojo section, and what an "Apprentice" of Jesus believes. Radical. Cool. Worth a thought.