...when I re-listened to this last week, that I would post it.
Here's a poor soul that forgot to take the capo off of his guitar before starting the next song.
It starts nice, until it all goes terribly, terribly wrong...
Click here if you dare...
-R
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
ash wednesday
what a funky observance for people to...well...observe...
During the jOURney ash Wednesday service, I read a snippet of Psalm 103. In verse 14 the psalmist mentions that God is aware of our nature and knows that 'we are but dust.' Truth be told, I know that I am but dust. But, God knows it better than I do. God is aware of the extent of my dustiness.
I am aware of my limitations, but God is more aware. I am aware of my shortcomings, but God is MORE aware.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty darn aware of my shortcomings and to think that God is more aware and knows more fully the extent of them. Well, I'll put it this way...I can't believe that God allows me to brush my own teeth.
Still, I (we) have a role to play in God's redemptive purpose in the world. It seems more and more that what I feel is my biggest weakness (shortcomings, limitations, all that jazz) might be my biggest asset. Who wants to relate to someone, or at least try to, that comes across as perfect? Not me. Not anyone I can think of...
It's a pretty amazing thing. God truly has no NEED of me, but God has a deep WANT of me...despite all that extra crap...
...and if you're reading this, the same is true of you...
...all of it...
During the jOURney ash Wednesday service, I read a snippet of Psalm 103. In verse 14 the psalmist mentions that God is aware of our nature and knows that 'we are but dust.' Truth be told, I know that I am but dust. But, God knows it better than I do. God is aware of the extent of my dustiness.
I am aware of my limitations, but God is more aware. I am aware of my shortcomings, but God is MORE aware.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty darn aware of my shortcomings and to think that God is more aware and knows more fully the extent of them. Well, I'll put it this way...I can't believe that God allows me to brush my own teeth.
Still, I (we) have a role to play in God's redemptive purpose in the world. It seems more and more that what I feel is my biggest weakness (shortcomings, limitations, all that jazz) might be my biggest asset. Who wants to relate to someone, or at least try to, that comes across as perfect? Not me. Not anyone I can think of...
It's a pretty amazing thing. God truly has no NEED of me, but God has a deep WANT of me...despite all that extra crap...
...and if you're reading this, the same is true of you...
...all of it...
Friday, February 16, 2007
It's been far too long...
...since I actually blogged any of my own ideas, so here goes...:)
I've been thinking about the fact that God is God and we're not. Not anything terribly profound, but kind of it is. In teenie tiny ways we establish ourselves as God of our lives. We prefer one thing to another at church. We harbor ideas about other people or at least their situations and that begins to govern our behaviors and attitudes. The result is that the line between us and God gets to blurry and that NEVER helps the discernment process. Our desires for the future become idealized in our own minds and if we marinate in them long enough, we trick ourselves into thinking that is indeed what God wants and where God is heading.
Last Sunday at jOURney, I heard myself blurt out something about how things like healing and comfort and the promise of Heaven are the benefits to a life lived with God here and now. That what matters most is that God is God and we treat God that way. It's in our constant attempt to be more like God in our lives and in this world that creates opportunities to see healing happen in our lives and in those around us. As I leaned back into my couch, I know that it was God using my mouth to speak truth into our lives...or at least mine and everyone else was there to hear it.
In a spiritual sense, I am needy, but in an everything else sense, I'm not. I think that's where most people live, but more times than not, the way we talk about God is that God is a supplier of needs that our depravity has created. And that's not an approach that is all that relevant...at least not in the suburban US where I live.
I pray for the day when people will see that living for God and each other is a better way to live and is the secret to the inbreaking rule of God's love (or the Kingdom of God). That God's way is a benefit to all...not just to me. It's not about me, and it was never supposed to be.
I live in 'God is God and I'm not-ville.'
population, 1 (at least)
I've been thinking about the fact that God is God and we're not. Not anything terribly profound, but kind of it is. In teenie tiny ways we establish ourselves as God of our lives. We prefer one thing to another at church. We harbor ideas about other people or at least their situations and that begins to govern our behaviors and attitudes. The result is that the line between us and God gets to blurry and that NEVER helps the discernment process. Our desires for the future become idealized in our own minds and if we marinate in them long enough, we trick ourselves into thinking that is indeed what God wants and where God is heading.
Last Sunday at jOURney, I heard myself blurt out something about how things like healing and comfort and the promise of Heaven are the benefits to a life lived with God here and now. That what matters most is that God is God and we treat God that way. It's in our constant attempt to be more like God in our lives and in this world that creates opportunities to see healing happen in our lives and in those around us. As I leaned back into my couch, I know that it was God using my mouth to speak truth into our lives...or at least mine and everyone else was there to hear it.
In a spiritual sense, I am needy, but in an everything else sense, I'm not. I think that's where most people live, but more times than not, the way we talk about God is that God is a supplier of needs that our depravity has created. And that's not an approach that is all that relevant...at least not in the suburban US where I live.
I pray for the day when people will see that living for God and each other is a better way to live and is the secret to the inbreaking rule of God's love (or the Kingdom of God). That God's way is a benefit to all...not just to me. It's not about me, and it was never supposed to be.
I live in 'God is God and I'm not-ville.'
population, 1 (at least)
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
THE really big favor...
I thought this was pretty funny...
"yeah, well, obviously that's the downside"--freakin' priceless...
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
if only...
I could ever approach the perspective of this guy:
Prayer Regarding Critics and Enemies by Serbian Orthodox Bishop
By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian bishop who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.
Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.
They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].
Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.
Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.
Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.
Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
So that my fleeing will have no return; So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.
Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.
It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.
For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Prayer Regarding Critics and Enemies by Serbian Orthodox Bishop
By Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic, Serbian bishop who spoke out against Naziism, was arrested, and taken to Dachau.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them. Enemies have driven me into your embrace more than friends have. Friends have bound me to earth; enemies have loosed me from earth and have demolished all my aspirations in the world.
Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an extraneous inhabitant of the world.
Just as a hunted animal finds safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by enemies, found the safest sanctuary, having ensconced myself beneath Your tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless and do not curse them.
They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world. They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish myself. They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments. They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself. They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with arrogance. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish. Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as though I were a [fly].
Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into the background.
Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me with an iron hand.
Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully, they have wakened me from sleep.
Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil life, they have demolished it and driven me out.
Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have stretched out my hands to the hem of your garment.
Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even more bitterly against me:
So that my fleeing will have no return; So that all my hope in men may be scattered like cobwebs; So that absolute serenity may begin to reign in my soul; So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins: arrogance and anger;
So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven; Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self-deception, which has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.
Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a person has no enemies in the world except himself. One hates his enemies only when he fails to realize that they are not enemies, but cruel friends.
It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies. Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies. A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son blesses them, for he understands.
For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life. Therefore he freely steps among them and prays to God for them. Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
out of the cold
hello friends...
posting from San Diego, CA and am very happy to be doing so after a FREAKIN' long travel day thanks to Mommie Natura. Our flight from Columbus to Chicago to SD was supposed to be in the 4-5 hours of flight time range...yeah, weather made the whole trip take close to 25 hours. Been a LONG time since I've been awake for 25 hours straight. (Trevor and Lori, you're my heroes)
I'm on the edge of what will be a wild ride of a week. God spoke very loudly last time I was here, and I think He might again. Pray that I'll have the guts to follow through with His words. Listening's not very often the problem; I just tend to chicken out sometimes.
I've already snagged a few books that I'm looking forward to reading and utilizing for study. Even though my travel company is great and the weather here is better, I miss being around my family (both church and home). I plan to put a running list of my book aquisitions and the like on my facebook if you want to keep up. (and make suggestions, Trevor...all the Zondervan stuff is 50% off!!)
I hope to blog more as the week continues with updates, ramblings, and reactions to both speakers and seminars alike.
miss you all...
-rc
posting from San Diego, CA and am very happy to be doing so after a FREAKIN' long travel day thanks to Mommie Natura. Our flight from Columbus to Chicago to SD was supposed to be in the 4-5 hours of flight time range...yeah, weather made the whole trip take close to 25 hours. Been a LONG time since I've been awake for 25 hours straight. (Trevor and Lori, you're my heroes)
I'm on the edge of what will be a wild ride of a week. God spoke very loudly last time I was here, and I think He might again. Pray that I'll have the guts to follow through with His words. Listening's not very often the problem; I just tend to chicken out sometimes.
I've already snagged a few books that I'm looking forward to reading and utilizing for study. Even though my travel company is great and the weather here is better, I miss being around my family (both church and home). I plan to put a running list of my book aquisitions and the like on my facebook if you want to keep up. (and make suggestions, Trevor...all the Zondervan stuff is 50% off!!)
I hope to blog more as the week continues with updates, ramblings, and reactions to both speakers and seminars alike.
miss you all...
-rc
Thursday, February 01, 2007
I think that Billy Joel said it best...
when he said that he doesn't know why 'he goes to extremes.'
Today, I find myself living in the middle. Probably where you are as well. In recent days, I have been acquainted with a certain musician whose name will get NO AIRTIME on this blog. He's bought into the lie that God prioritizies sin; I'll give you a guess on what town he's pitched his tent in...yup, Homosexualville. He's even written a song (thankfully banned from myspace, youtube, and others) creatively titled, "God Hates a Fag."
As you might imagine, he's received plenty of 'criticism' concerning this song, and frankly the ministry that goes along with it. As a response, he then posted a video (in which he says "Jesus loves you, but God hates you...that's just the Bible"-- has he read the New Testament at all?) on youtube that fires back at his critics, chastizing them being rude about comments about his weight. His reply? He excitedly tells folks that "he's proud to have already lost 120 pounds and can dunk a basketball."
Uhh, no he can't...I've seen the guy..but that's beside the point...
Put that up against the documentary I saw on TLC last night. It was about the amish school shooting. It was gut wrenching. It contained news and images I'll never be able to un-hear or un-see. Parts of it were about how the shooter allowed all the adults and children to leave the school except for the little girls, bound their arms and legs with plastic ties and began to execute them.
And the the voice of an Amish gentlemen interviewed for the documentary is another thing that I'll never be able to un-hear. "It was a terrible thing that Charles did. It hurts a lot, but we can't forget that Charles' family is dealing with a loss as well. So, we pray for our families along with the family that lost a husband and father."
And then 75 people from the local Amish communities came to the shooter's funeral in an act of forgiveness and support of his widow and two children...
I teared up last night, and I might again today thinking about it...
May we all be so bold as to clam up and DO what God asks.
"God has shown you, O people, what is good and what the He requires of you. Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly." --Micah 6:8
Today, I find myself living in the middle. Probably where you are as well. In recent days, I have been acquainted with a certain musician whose name will get NO AIRTIME on this blog. He's bought into the lie that God prioritizies sin; I'll give you a guess on what town he's pitched his tent in...yup, Homosexualville. He's even written a song (thankfully banned from myspace, youtube, and others) creatively titled, "God Hates a Fag."
As you might imagine, he's received plenty of 'criticism' concerning this song, and frankly the ministry that goes along with it. As a response, he then posted a video (in which he says "Jesus loves you, but God hates you...that's just the Bible"-- has he read the New Testament at all?) on youtube that fires back at his critics, chastizing them being rude about comments about his weight. His reply? He excitedly tells folks that "he's proud to have already lost 120 pounds and can dunk a basketball."
Uhh, no he can't...I've seen the guy..but that's beside the point...
Put that up against the documentary I saw on TLC last night. It was about the amish school shooting. It was gut wrenching. It contained news and images I'll never be able to un-hear or un-see. Parts of it were about how the shooter allowed all the adults and children to leave the school except for the little girls, bound their arms and legs with plastic ties and began to execute them.
And the the voice of an Amish gentlemen interviewed for the documentary is another thing that I'll never be able to un-hear. "It was a terrible thing that Charles did. It hurts a lot, but we can't forget that Charles' family is dealing with a loss as well. So, we pray for our families along with the family that lost a husband and father."
And then 75 people from the local Amish communities came to the shooter's funeral in an act of forgiveness and support of his widow and two children...
I teared up last night, and I might again today thinking about it...
May we all be so bold as to clam up and DO what God asks.
"God has shown you, O people, what is good and what the He requires of you. Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly." --Micah 6:8
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