So how many times have you heard a public speaker (especially in church) use the expression "...feels like getting picked last for the kick-ball team"?
I'm assuming that the answer is "quite often, though I wasn't keeping track."*
And two things occurr to me every time I hear it.
1) Why is it always kickball? They assume that every child in America plays kickball with a fiery passion that that makes it a staple in his/her early development. There were many other games (even in those days) and many of them involved me being picked last. I am OFTEN times picked last for basketball because a dwarf with stomach cramps every time I get near the ball and I have a tendency to chuck it the minute it touches me hands like it's a hot potato.** But no one ever mentions basketball, because people assume that it is not as scarring of an experience to be picked last for basketball. That, or they assume that no child in America was ever bad enough to be picked last for basketball. Mathematically it doesn't make sense, I know, but I haven't heard anyone else admit to being picked last for basketball.
2) There are a LOT of people who have never been picked last for kickball. Even I have never been picked last for kickball because basically the only skill required in kickball is running for short distances in a straight line. And there are usually about fifteen or so kids playing on a team, cause you always play in Gym class. So if you look like at least the 29th fastest kid out of 30 (or in other words, the top 97%) you probably aren't going to get picked last that day.
And so how is Lebron James supposed to feel when the pastor talks about that kid getting picked last? Lebron has no clue. It's never happened to him. You might as well say "yeah it's like when your house blows up." Most people don't know what this is like.
I understand that everyone could IMAGINE what it is like to be picked last but I just wanted to draw attention to the fact that perhaps this comparison isn't quite universal as you might think. and if I've offended anyone who got picked last for kickball, I'm sorry, but if you want to get even you can challenge me to a game of basketball.
*That's a good response, and honest, thank you.
**This is not because I am trying to pad my stats, but because every second I have the ball I feel like I just forgot my lines on stage during a 4th grade Christmas pageant and the sooner I can either dish it to a friend or hear the familiar rattle of the ball bouncing off the rim (if I'm lucky) the sooner the attention will be back on the athletes.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Trees
Thanks to the lovely Cortney Korshak I have been introduced to the writings of Shane Claybore. This is the kind of guy I normally do not like. He's like Rob Bell on Pot. He probably travelles the world sampling delicious coffees from distant lands and strokes his gotee while writing about them in a beat up journal that he slips into a leather "man-purse," and if he doesn't have a Macbook I will become a vegitarian.*
But his words have shaken something in me that I find startling. I have been told by catchy book titles that my God is both too small and too safe. And I agree with the truth of these statements. And throughout the last four years my God (or more specifically my image thereof) has grown considerably in size and in scope.
But what I've realized that I have mostly learned about this growing God from people like me and with professors like me, and from churches like mine, and from books that people like me write and read. I just realized that my God is a white american evangelical God.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. But I've relized that my image of God has just grown into a larger version of itself. All the change in my perception of God has been quantitative and not qualitative. It's like I planted a tree in my back-yard and I'm just waiting for it to grow. First it was a little pine tree, and some day it will be a big pine tree, but it was always a pine tree.
Well I don't think I really have that good of a handle on it. I bet God is a tree, and I bet he has pine branches, but he's probably also a spruce, a maple, a palm, an oak, and he might even grow exotic fruit.** I want to understand more of God than just the bits of him I've gotten here at Taylor. I would NEVER speak out against Taylor but I'm growing in the realization that this is just one place, just one piece of the puzzle, just one branch, and I want to see more of the tree.
*Just kidding folks, I would never do that
**I had a mango the other day, it was delicious but stringy
But his words have shaken something in me that I find startling. I have been told by catchy book titles that my God is both too small and too safe. And I agree with the truth of these statements. And throughout the last four years my God (or more specifically my image thereof) has grown considerably in size and in scope.
But what I've realized that I have mostly learned about this growing God from people like me and with professors like me, and from churches like mine, and from books that people like me write and read. I just realized that my God is a white american evangelical God.
Not that there is anything wrong with that. But I've relized that my image of God has just grown into a larger version of itself. All the change in my perception of God has been quantitative and not qualitative. It's like I planted a tree in my back-yard and I'm just waiting for it to grow. First it was a little pine tree, and some day it will be a big pine tree, but it was always a pine tree.
Well I don't think I really have that good of a handle on it. I bet God is a tree, and I bet he has pine branches, but he's probably also a spruce, a maple, a palm, an oak, and he might even grow exotic fruit.** I want to understand more of God than just the bits of him I've gotten here at Taylor. I would NEVER speak out against Taylor but I'm growing in the realization that this is just one place, just one piece of the puzzle, just one branch, and I want to see more of the tree.
*Just kidding folks, I would never do that
**I had a mango the other day, it was delicious but stringy
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ligtning Rods II
And now the glove is on the other foot.
What is the other benefit to being "Mr Integrity?" Simple, the ability to speak into other's lives. Many of us would like to mind our own business and let other people live their lives without our interference. Now it's true that we don't control other people and in the end we are only responsible for our own lives and our own actions. We don't have responsibility for anyone else.
However we do have responsibility TO others to help them recognize the sins in their lives. You might think "well yes that all well and good if they've asked for you help, but if they haven't it's none of your business." Sorry, that's wrong.
Like it or not when you join the body of Christ it is with the inference that you want everyone else's help. And whether or not you think you've asked for it you have. So don't think other people don't have the right to tell you how to live...cause they do.
Now that means "within reason" and pertaining to certain things, I'm not suggesting that every facet of our personal lives are up for discussion, but you get the idea. The main problem is that people get really huffy when you have the nerve to help them out. And then maybe they think "well how would YOU like it if I nit-picked your life?" There's only one way to deal with this sort of situation--Let them.
And when you mess up, and you will, those people you've corrected will be right in your face, excited to catch you in the act. They will say "I thought you didn't do that sort of stuff Mr. Integrity." And you'll say "I'm sorry, thanks for reminding me."
Don't be surprised of the other person stops resenting you and you both sin less. It happens.
What is the other benefit to being "Mr Integrity?" Simple, the ability to speak into other's lives. Many of us would like to mind our own business and let other people live their lives without our interference. Now it's true that we don't control other people and in the end we are only responsible for our own lives and our own actions. We don't have responsibility for anyone else.
However we do have responsibility TO others to help them recognize the sins in their lives. You might think "well yes that all well and good if they've asked for you help, but if they haven't it's none of your business." Sorry, that's wrong.
Like it or not when you join the body of Christ it is with the inference that you want everyone else's help. And whether or not you think you've asked for it you have. So don't think other people don't have the right to tell you how to live...cause they do.
Now that means "within reason" and pertaining to certain things, I'm not suggesting that every facet of our personal lives are up for discussion, but you get the idea. The main problem is that people get really huffy when you have the nerve to help them out. And then maybe they think "well how would YOU like it if I nit-picked your life?" There's only one way to deal with this sort of situation--Let them.
And when you mess up, and you will, those people you've corrected will be right in your face, excited to catch you in the act. They will say "I thought you didn't do that sort of stuff Mr. Integrity." And you'll say "I'm sorry, thanks for reminding me."
Don't be surprised of the other person stops resenting you and you both sin less. It happens.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Thoughts on devotions
So one of the things I have NEVER been good at is doing my devotionals on a daily basis. Part of the reason is that for a long time I think I've had a skewed understanding of why we do them or what we are trying to accomplish.
It's also discouraging because like so many things in life the effects aren't immediately noticeable. In some ways spending time with God and in the Word is like a stream eroding the rock that is our stubborn hearts and sinful tendencies. And when you have to be intentional about something like that it's difficult.
But recently I've had a thought on the topic I'd like to share. I realized that doing your devotions can be a lot like working out. The results portion is obvious, work hard, notice no change, nine-months later look back and see you have changed a lot. Unless you slack on your work-outs and don't go to they gym half the time. In which case you look back after nine months and see no change and wonder why it's not working.
But I think that comparison has been drawn before. I had a new thought though because I'm back on the treadmill. And I put in a few good miles one day thinking "I am going to run a freaking marathon some day" The NEXT day I ran a mile and a half and decided I should walk my tubby pathetic body into oncoming traffic and save myself the effort of having a heart attack.
What was the difference? I hadn't eaten enough maybe, I didn't sleep much, dehydration. I'm not sure. But the point is that some-days you have good work-outs and you have bad workouts, but that doesn't mean that how healthy you are actually fluctuates dramatically from day to day.
And some days we have "bad devoes" Which for me means sitting in front of my Bible for 25 minutes thinking about the Ohio State Buckeyes, and then feeling guilty that my "quiet time" was quiet, but not worshipful. But it's important to stick to the workout regimens. Because even the days we don't feel good working out still benefits us.
It's also discouraging because like so many things in life the effects aren't immediately noticeable. In some ways spending time with God and in the Word is like a stream eroding the rock that is our stubborn hearts and sinful tendencies. And when you have to be intentional about something like that it's difficult.
But recently I've had a thought on the topic I'd like to share. I realized that doing your devotions can be a lot like working out. The results portion is obvious, work hard, notice no change, nine-months later look back and see you have changed a lot. Unless you slack on your work-outs and don't go to they gym half the time. In which case you look back after nine months and see no change and wonder why it's not working.
But I think that comparison has been drawn before. I had a new thought though because I'm back on the treadmill. And I put in a few good miles one day thinking "I am going to run a freaking marathon some day" The NEXT day I ran a mile and a half and decided I should walk my tubby pathetic body into oncoming traffic and save myself the effort of having a heart attack.
What was the difference? I hadn't eaten enough maybe, I didn't sleep much, dehydration. I'm not sure. But the point is that some-days you have good work-outs and you have bad workouts, but that doesn't mean that how healthy you are actually fluctuates dramatically from day to day.
And some days we have "bad devoes" Which for me means sitting in front of my Bible for 25 minutes thinking about the Ohio State Buckeyes, and then feeling guilty that my "quiet time" was quiet, but not worshipful. But it's important to stick to the workout regimens. Because even the days we don't feel good working out still benefits us.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
God's favorite topic
So recently I've come across an idea that has a lot of different implications. I'm not sure exactly which direction I want to take it from here, but I'll just start it out and maybe you'll spend some time thinking about it yourself.
I have a good friend, some people call him "Yoder" but for the sake of annonymity we'll just call him "Travis." Well anyway, this guy loves talking about other people. (But I don't really mean this in the gossip sense, he actually likes talking TO the people he is talking about.) And no matter what you think you are going to be talking about when you hang out with him, you're going to be talking about yourself.
And I think that that's good on his part. There's a lot of honesty and self examination that goes on in my heart in front of his jolly bearded countenance. And it occurs to me that what do you think you would talk about if you went out on a coffee date with God?
First, he would tell you that you could go anywhere you wanted as long as it wasn't starbucks, and then you would sit down and have a good talk. And the conversation would invariably be about you. It might involve other people, places or things, but probably only in relation to you, because you are only accountable for you.
I can imagine myself going on and on about the escapades of friends and foes alike and what I thought needed to happen in their lives and then God saying "That's interesting Steve but don't worry, I'm going to take care of that. Right now I'm here to talk about you."
If I really believed this how would it affect my prayer life, the way I want to control others, or the way I worry about things that aren't my business? This isn't to say that I shouldn't care about others, but it does mean that I should trust that God is taking care of them, and when they talk, the aren't talking about me.
I have a good friend, some people call him "Yoder" but for the sake of annonymity we'll just call him "Travis." Well anyway, this guy loves talking about other people. (But I don't really mean this in the gossip sense, he actually likes talking TO the people he is talking about.) And no matter what you think you are going to be talking about when you hang out with him, you're going to be talking about yourself.
And I think that that's good on his part. There's a lot of honesty and self examination that goes on in my heart in front of his jolly bearded countenance. And it occurs to me that what do you think you would talk about if you went out on a coffee date with God?
First, he would tell you that you could go anywhere you wanted as long as it wasn't starbucks, and then you would sit down and have a good talk. And the conversation would invariably be about you. It might involve other people, places or things, but probably only in relation to you, because you are only accountable for you.
I can imagine myself going on and on about the escapades of friends and foes alike and what I thought needed to happen in their lives and then God saying "That's interesting Steve but don't worry, I'm going to take care of that. Right now I'm here to talk about you."
If I really believed this how would it affect my prayer life, the way I want to control others, or the way I worry about things that aren't my business? This isn't to say that I shouldn't care about others, but it does mean that I should trust that God is taking care of them, and when they talk, the aren't talking about me.
Friday, January 2, 2009
2009
Hello faithful blog-readers,
Sorry that I've been gone for so long, it's been a busy few weeks for a vacation. I've been back and forth between Upland, Cleveland, and Berlin. I've spent a lot of time with the lovely Cortney Michelle Korshak, my baby niece Alyce, and with a little card game I like to call "Lost Cities."*
Anyway, I had a lot of thoughts over the break but of course, forgot to write them down. My break from work and academia was also a break from concentrated thought. However, I bet for many of you it was also a break from checking my blog. Anyway, I'll be back soon in full swing.
In the mean-time I'll just say this. God was faithful to me in 2008. There were definitely times where I didn't see how this could be true, but that just continues to show that his ways are above mine. I hope that all of you can look back on your 2008 an feel the same way. I wish you all well in the next year.
*This game is freaking awesome
Sorry that I've been gone for so long, it's been a busy few weeks for a vacation. I've been back and forth between Upland, Cleveland, and Berlin. I've spent a lot of time with the lovely Cortney Michelle Korshak, my baby niece Alyce, and with a little card game I like to call "Lost Cities."*
Anyway, I had a lot of thoughts over the break but of course, forgot to write them down. My break from work and academia was also a break from concentrated thought. However, I bet for many of you it was also a break from checking my blog. Anyway, I'll be back soon in full swing.
In the mean-time I'll just say this. God was faithful to me in 2008. There were definitely times where I didn't see how this could be true, but that just continues to show that his ways are above mine. I hope that all of you can look back on your 2008 an feel the same way. I wish you all well in the next year.
*This game is freaking awesome
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