Thin~Spaces

Going to Glorieta

I’ve never been to an “emergent convention” or formalized gathering apart from a local group of Christ-Followers. Though I’ve read many blogs of people who have. I’ve often found it rather ironic that pockets of the emergent movement would choose to follow the pattern of Evangelical Christianity it tries to distance itself from.

I’m referring to conferences with guest speakers, books for sale and all the other trappings that seem to follow success in consumerist American society. I think back to a post I wrote almost a year ago noting those trends. Yet I’ve decided to attend an emerging gathering.

Cheryl and I are going to Glorieta New Mexico this October to meet some new people and see what is going on in the emergent scene outside of Western Washington. We also have extended family in New Mexico so we will be dropping by to see them as well. I think this will be a time of refreshing and renewal for us.

Who knows, maybe I’ll have more to blog about as I’ve been in a rather dry spell in the last several months. Only time will tell.

Being Like Children?

Thinking of life and being part of a church has brought me to generalize on the following postulates. 

1. Every person we meet has some level of emotional pain in their personality.
2. People seek to avoid situations where they can be hurt again or they become the ones doing the hurting.
3. Living in community with people will always open us up to the possibility of being hurt.
4. Communities consist of wounded people.
5. Community life will be messy.
6. There is no perfect community.
7. Only the Spirit of Christ can heal us and transform our communities.

These are not Axioms per say, they are merely observations from years of experience within Christian communities. Just think of the New Testament itself. A majority of the epistles were occasional and written to specific communities. Unfortunately, the occasions were centered on the messiness of community life and behavior.

I have come to believe that if Christian communities were actually living up the command of Christ to Love one another, we would have a different New Testament or at least one that is much smaller. Yet that is whole point isn't it? We are imperfect and need Christ. Much of the New Testament exists to correct issues within the Christian Community and spur them on to actually live out the message of Christ.

Living in Christian love is very hard when we are being "self protective." We cannot take the risks that love requires if we are trying to protect ourselves from emotional pain. Christ said, "if anyone wishes to see the Kingdom of God they must become as little children." What characterizes a child? A short memory of wrongs? A quickness to forgive? A genuine willingness to risk while loving others?

How often has your young child come home broken hearted and hurt by a friend or close playmate over some little disagreement? Yet several hours later they are playing and carrying on like nothing happened a few hours before. Now as a parent, you may still be mad at little John or Jane for causing your precious child some emotional pain. You may even take measures to protect your child by not letting them play together anymore.

What are we saying when we do this?  "If someone hurts you, pull away from them." What a shame! We adults have become so jaded and broken that we can no longer love freely! And we think this is good and normal.?. Over time we have learned to protect ourselves and be reserved with our love. Then Christ asks us to Love unconditionally. What a paradox!

Yet we do pull away from others and isolate ourselves to avoid being hurt. Is that healthy? Is our overprotective action born of love or fear? Do we need to wonder about it.

Over they years, I've often been asked, "Why is the church so dysfunctional?" Could our dysfunction come from not loving as Christ did? To love as a Child does. To freely give oneself and risk the pain caused by letting others into our lives. Is it any wonder that the church is not living as Christ?

I'd rather risk a little pain and experience life in community. I've spent too many years living the jaded life of a self-protecting adult. My prayer is to love as a Child.

More Trane!

I just received an awesome gift in the mail a few days ago. My father-in-law, Ron, got me a birthday gift from Amazon and had it sent to my house.It came in a large box with a small but wonderful treasure inside. Not a book but music. Inside was the Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings in one boxed set.

Excusing myself from the table, I rushed to the stereo like a child on Christmas morning. I could not wait for dinner to be over before I put the 1st disk in the CD tray and hit the play button. To those of you who know me well, you understand my love for the music of Trane and the sheer delight that this gift of music has brought to me.

Being an Jazz aficionado, I relish the chance to listen the artistry of a master indwelling his instrument in a “live setting” during a densely creative period in his musical development. Listening to the disks, I could only imagine the scene on those nights. These disks will bring me joy for years to come.

Ron ~ Much thanks for such a wonderful gift for my 40th birthday! I love you dad….

I'm 40 Today!

Today is Black Wednesday. I came in to work this morning only to discover that my cubicle has been decorated in honor of my 40th birthday. Painted Black. According to the decorations I’m now officially Over-the-hill. “If you live to be 80, your life is half over.” Unfortunately, I live in a country where youth is worshiped and sought after while age is disregarded.

I’m just glad that I’m not vain. I guess it’s time to have a mid-life crisis or something….Naw. If the gray in my goatee and on my temple is any indication, I’m showing the marks of wisdom. Getting older is not a bad thing. It is simply part of the cycle we all go through.

Missing the Wonder.

Our Labor Day weekend was very restful. It was quite nice to just hang out with friends, talk theology, play games and simply relax. “Ah, the simple life.”

After breakfast Saturday morning I just sat on the couch watching Rachel play with a balloon and mike and I talked theology. It is amazing how much joy a four year old can get from such a simple thing.  She spent the better part of an hour chasing it around the room as she giggled and squealed for joy as it nearly touched the roof when she pushed it upward.

I could only ponder the great loss of wonder and pure joy that permeates the adult world. We rarely become enraptured in things as we have forgotten our sense of wonder at the world around us. Our approach to God is no different. We craft grand theologies, plausible explanations, and rational reasons for faith and then think we know God.

Where is the wonder? Where is the mystery? Where is the rapture? Where is the pure joy of being in God’s presence?

To be like a child … to see the kingdom of God … to experience the wonder of God and experience world about us as God presents it.

Mike and I continued to enjoy our talk of theology, culture, postmodernism and faith. Yet I looked at the Rachel and wondered . . . .

Becoming a Rich Man.

Labor Day weekend is coming. W’hoo! Cheryl and I have the time to visit some friends who live farther away. When I was unemployed, we had the time to visit friends who live farther away from us. I really miss that. But this weekend we can make the 6 hour drive to Tonasket and hang out with Mike & Nancy. 

This summer has been very busy with activity and making new friends. There is just not enough time in the day or days in a month to hang out with everyone I’d like to. That is why I’m glad to for this long weekend. It allows us the time to reconnect with good friends who are rather distant.

Sure I could call them on the phone but I prefer face-to-face communication the best. We usually have way too much to talk about and it is always interesting to see how God continually moves us on somewhat parallel spiritual journeys. (this was not the case in our youth.) Our lives are made richer by the people we know and I desire to be a very rich man.

Speaking of connecting with people, Cheryl and I are planning to be in Glorietta New Mexico this October. We have never been to an “emerging event” before and hope to make some new friends there as well.