Birthday Wedding

You know, it's true what they say.

The older you get, the less you see your birthday coming. It's no longer the frame that you fit your day into. It slowly becomes one of the pieces in the frame of any other day. That frame for me was spent driving to Ohio for a friend's wedding.

Thankfully we fit a joyous birthday picture into that frame.

A couple of friends and I made the trip out to Ashtabula, OH, way up in the northeast corner. On the way we stopped at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame! It was sweet. I saw tons of memorabilia including Michael Jackson's outfit from the Billie Jean video as well as rejection letters written to none other than U2! It was wild. We also saw handwritten lyrics for Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." Oh, and Flava Flav's clock. After all that rock, Lauren rolled down a hill. Rock 'n' Roll? Complete.

Next the three of us checked into our motel (with an "m"). It had that characteristically sketchy look about it: wooded lot, empty parking lot, blinking office sign. Add the rainbow-colored awning lights and the dim office and you're ready to go somewhere death is less imminent. But the room was actually really nice and served its purpose for three days. We dropped off the stuff and headed out for a birthday dinner. I ate a steak, and we shared a lovely conversation with the locals at the table behind us. They invited us to a party! But the party is next week, so we're not going.

Saturday we went all around Ashtabula, Kingsville and other towns to look at covered bridges. Apparently it's the greatest concentration of covered bridges in the world. It's got the longest, and now they're building the shortest (18'). That's what small towns do, I suppose. We saw 7 bridges, and I must say the pictures we took were way more exciting than the actual bridges. Also, Amish pastries.

After the bridges we grabbed a quick bite and headed to the wedding. I had been to the church before; our college choir sang there on our Ohio tour in 2004. It's a small world after all. Between wedding and reception we stopped at a bar (dry reception) to get a drink. The entire time Lauren and I spoke in fake British accents, which caused the bartender to exclaim, "You guys are fun to talk to!" They also accidentally served me an extra pint. I'm not sure why the bartender apologized three times for giving me a free beer, but she did. I drank about half before I was too full to go on.

At the reception we ate a lot of food, and got our dance on. Somehow I ended up in a dance-off with a guy from Ohio, and apparently I won. I did the puppet legs, and a little floor spin, and he gave up. I think I yelled something like, "Chi-town, baby!" It was funny, since they were all from Columbus (C-bus), we were the Chicago crowd, and that's just how it had to be. I've never really been associated as "from" Chicago, so it was crazy to experience that. Good times were had by all.

The next day we left. We stopped on the way back at a Perkins, and also detoured through the south-side of Chicago. It was my first exposure to the area, and it's like a different country. I didn't see a single light-skinned person outside of our car the entire 5 miles or so down the stretch. Once past Pulaski Rd, it was your typical caucasian suburban experience once again. Crazy. People say Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, but words don't do it justice.

And that was the weekend! I thought I'd read some, but I couldn't. That's okay; taking a weekend off makes me want to get back to work.

How was your weekend?

Haircut + Confidence = Sexy

What is it about a good haircut that makes me feel, well, sexy?

Is it the conversation?

Every time I get my haircut there's always conversation. Maybe because, as John says, I'm a conversation whore. That's pretty much entirely true. But usually the stylist (Yes, stylist. I would have it no other way.) asks questions about me to prevent awkward silence, so I just talk about myself. In the words of Chris Hall: "It's like a date that's guaranteed to go well, because it's in her best interest to make it go well." Exactly! So then I think, "Hey, I'm a pretty cool guy. I play music, almost finished my master's degree, am a Puerto Rican who was born in Spain, work in a church and just ran a half-marathon." That is definitely a confidence booster. And confidence = sexy.

Is it the shampoo?

According to the Five Love Languages, I'm a physical touch person. That means the way I feel loved is to be touched. Now, what's more lovely than a lady who listens to you talk about yourself for a while, then vigorously washes your hair with tea tree shampoo that leaves your scalp feeling all tingly, rinsing it with just-hot-enough water? I can't think of anything more lovely, either. Feeling loved boosts confidence. And confidence = sexy.

Is it the haircut?

I admit, when I walk out to my car I check my style in the car window before getting in. And, you know what? The autumn breeze on a freshly shortened 'do is glorious. As I unlock my car I imagine every lady on Roosevelt Road turning their heads. I'm sure it's gonna cause an accident one day. Looking sexy makes you feel sexy. Feeling sexy boosts confidence. And confidence = sexy.

Thankfully, a haircut is just that, nothing more or less. It has its ways to inspire confidence, sure. But nothing grows confidence like taking life by the horns and working to become the man I've finally realized I can and should be.

That's sexy.

Gungor

I had something substantial to say, but my brain's tired.

So instead, you should check out Gungor, a creative and inspiring band. Seriously. I'm inspired.

Thanks to Madison at Through Eyes Wide Open for your post!

Let Me Tell You How to Die

I may have lied a little.

Today I lifted a comment from a conversation in an online class. After posting it on my Facebook I got several responses from excited to upset, all undeserved.

My bad.

See, we were talking about organizations and churches, and I was posing a question: When is it time to let one die? As the conversation went back and forth, a classmate said, "No one's out there writing a book called Let Me Tell You How to Die."

Funny!

My status immediately became "...is co-writing a book called 'Let Me Tell You How to Die'".

Some friends were ecstatic! Some were appalled. Some expressed their liking it with a dainty click of a thumbs-up.

Turns out people take my status seriously. But that makes me wonder...

Why didn't anyone respond to "...wants someone to bring him cookies."?

David Crowder Band - SMS [Shine]

I saw this video on Amber from Hope, Coffee, Melody's Facebook.

Enjoy!

Silent Fly

I couldn't hear it make a sound.

Under the light of my desk lamp, between it and my open bible, I saw a fly. Not a housefly, but some sort of flying insect. It was tiny and brown, with quick little wings. It flew rather well. The lone light in the room beckoned it, and as the fly would meet the siren, it would quickly bounce away; the landing was too hot to handle.

I saw the fly. Oddly, I couldn't hear the fly. I listened close. I even leaned in. I heard the passing cars on the street below, through a closed window. I heard my roommates down the hall, through a closed door. I heard the air conditioner blow, through an open vent. But I couldn't hear the fly. I could see it right in front of me, but I couldn't believe I couldn't hear it. It was strange.

Psalm 119 silently watched as I watched the silent fly. Eventually, my attention returned to the task at hand - reading Scripture. I would read a few verses, then, again, there's that fly. I would watch it float.

Read a verse.

Watch the fly.

Read.

Watch.

Verse.

Fly.

Listen.

How often do I read Scripture, but not hear it? The whole point of (devotionally) reading the Bible is to hear God speak through it. So, do I hear anything?

I started to think that, like the fly, the whispers of God can be drowned out by cars, roommates, air conditioning and a million other things. It takes a certain discipline to listen, and to hear through the noise what God might wish to say in that moment.

I didn't have any special revelation from Psalm 119, though I did enjoy meditating on it. This morning I was lying on my floor, as is my prayer custom every once in a while, listening for the whisper of God. I was challenged with the word I preached a few weeks ago, that Christ bids us to come and die. That calling can be for anyone, at any point. It could be for me. That's a scary thought.

I heard the words spoken to Paul echo in my memory, "I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Those aren't comforting words. But if Jesus wasn't spared the terror, why should his disciples expect any different? As one smart guy once said, "Jesus lived in the tension of the confidence in his calling, and the terror of where that would take him." Again, why should his disciples expect any different?

I figure there's an easy way to avoid that end: I could stop listening for God. But then like Peter I think, "Where else would I go? Only you have the words of eternal life." Ironically, life and death are bedfellows in kingdom economics.

Where will this crazy thing called faith take me? Only God knows. Is it scary? A little bit. But it's scary to think I could live an entire life not walking into the works I've been prepared in advance to do. I don't want to live like that. I want to listen to the whisper to ensure I take each step I need to take.

In the midst of the noise, I want to hear the sound.

Adding Value

Ever feel like you could be doing more?

Not in a day-to-day sense. I'm sure many of us feel like we could be involved more, serving more, loving more. Then again, we may want to do less. And sleep more. After 5 hours, I'd like to sleep more.

Oh yeah.

A long-time friend got me thinking. She has had one blog for a long time. It began as a personal blog with all sorts of vulnerability and life lessons. It was fun for me to read because (a) we're friends, and (b) she's a great writer. Over time she added in book reviews and more writing along that line, which is awesome because she's great at that stuff, and it's what she loves.

What's great for her is those reviews have drawn a whole new crowd. Of course, I don't read them much. So, to accommodate all her fans, she's now divided her blogs into personal and professional.

I've thought about doing the same thing, mostly because I want to challenge myself to write on topic, as well as contribute to a larger body of knowledge and experience in a valuable way.

What would I write on?

I would likely make it worship related. Part of me wants to add in all sorts of reflections on Christian life. But then that blog is already like my current blog. Hmph. I guess the difference (he mentally processes as he types) is the thrust of the blog would be worship: Sunday sets, ideas, problems, issues, theology, liturgy, etc. Now there are already a bunch of those out there, so what would my niche be? What would make me different? That's always the marketing thought.

But, as The Golden Circle teaches us, starting with Why is much more effective than What. So, why would I do this to begin with? What's my foundational belief?

Ideally, here's where I would say, "I believe I have a unique contribution to the world." As a person, I think that's true. As a blogger? I'm not sure.

Here's where you, my readers, help me out. Have you noticed anything that makes my writing/topics markedly different than anyone else's? A perspective I have that I should exploit? Is there anything you think I should focus on or toward? What are my strengths you think I should play up? Anything I should cut out?

This could be a good thing for all of us.

Thank Offering?

God, the Hero

That's what my duct tape bible has penned next to Psalm 116. The psalm reminds me of an epic comic book. I can see it all happening in vivid inks and graphic squares. It makes me wonder what the melody to this one was, since all the Psalms are just lyrics of songs. It was probably epic. Like the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Toward the end, I came across this little gem: "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you..." (v17) There's nothing particularly unique about this as far as the Psalms or the Old Testament are concerned. But it made me think, "Is there a modern-day equivalent for a thank offering?" I mean, God's done pretty amazing things in my life, and if there's a way I can say "Thanks!" other than just saying it, I'm down with that.

Leviticus 7:11-15 details the traditional thank offering:

"These are the regulations for the fellowship offering a person may present to the LORD :

"If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil. Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings. The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning."

Alright! Bread! Now, this might seem like a ridiculous thank offering, but there are tons of people coming to the priests to sacrifice animals, and many of these offerings (that aren't totally burned up) are the payment to the priests. So, if I were roasting lambs and cows all day, I'd love some bread. Kinda rounds out the ol' food pyramid, which was invented in Egypt, where the Israelites came out of. That's where they got the idea. (Is that two heretical comments in two days?) And it just seems smart not to save the meat till morning. It's not like they were packing ice chests. Good call, God.

That's the thank offering. Bread. So, then I'm thinking, what's an acceptable thank offering? Should it be a sacrifice? It looks like fellowship offerings can come from surplus. Should it be to a minister or ministry? Can it go to a food pantry? Or to a family in need? I think the words from the prophet Micah simplify the question:

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8

I'm not sure it matters exactly what the offering is, as long as it fits in these requirements.

Tomorrow I'll get up after too few hours of sleep in order to paint a house with my church and Habitat for Humanity. Then I'll come back across town to shower and make it to work by 11:30 A.M. I guess I never thought that might be a thank offering.

How do you say thanks?

On the Other Side of Scripture

Instead of learning it, I'm teaching it.

You'd think after reading the Bible pretty consistently for 10 years or so, I could do this pretty well. Turns out, it's really difficult. There's an overarching theme, main characters, subplots, twists and resolution. It's like any other story. On the other hand, it's huge and overwhelming, and if I spout off at the mouth about what I think any "green light" means, I fail at more than eleventh grade English.

Last year was the year of the fail. Much of these past six months have been intentional efforts to grow. The half-marathon was part of that. I'm also mentoring a couple students. My most difficult project lately has been specifically Bible-related.

I meet with two guys each week, and our intention began as "learning the Bible." Now it's moved into "learning to use the Bible for devotional study." But I'm trying to intertwine the two.

Today we'll look at narrative. Using stories from Genesis we'll look at characters and plot, and ask some questions.

Who do I relate to in this story?

Have I experienced anything like this?

What does this story reveal about God?

About God's relationship to us?

What's my response?

My hope is to teach a man to fish, so to speak. That reminds me of the old saying, "Build a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day; light a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

We'll start with narratives, then go into law (not sure what to do with that yet), history (differs from narrative?), poetic/wisdom books, prophecy, Gospel, epistle, and maybe apocalyptic. It'll be a great growing experience for me. I'm doing challenging things I've never done, and that's a serious step-up in my life.

If you have any helpful resources or ideas, please share!

If you're interested in my study guide/notes, comment with your email and I'll send you copies.

Encountering Jesus in Worship

Growing up changes things.

Or maybe it's growing up American. I'm not sure, because I've never grown up anything else. Maybe if I grew up African, South American, Japanese or French I wouldn't have exchanged creativity for efficiency and process.

I used to breathe worship. My last couple years in high school and two in community college prepared the way for three years of undergrad as a Worship Arts major. I knew all the scriptures about worship, fear of the Lord, reverence and awe, music, obedience and so on. I read books about it. I played songs that did it. I was a passionate worshiper.

Growing up changes things.

After years of acquiring skill, I became incredibly proficient at crafting services, designing worship sets, and praying for maximum impact. My education was a great investment; it sharpened my skills in incredible ways. But as it is with many things, especially art, working on technique can sneakily slide you from art to science. Mastering "how" gives you a better "what." But somewhere along the line, you forget "why."

I picked up my first worship book in three years or so, The Worship Architect by Constance Cherry. Hearing her lecture this past Monday confirmed I'm not the only one asking questions about participation in worship. She laid out the typical Sunday service church model, where the leaders perform, the Holy Spirit prompts and the congregation is the audience, which makes worship a commodity subject to likes and dislikes, preferences and so on. The fundamental question became, How do we flip this paradigm?

Growing up changes things.

I wasn't looking at theories and cultural structures 10 years ago when I started all this. I was playing guitar and singing songs, not really sure what I was doing. I had energy and vigor for those tasks; they were new and fresh.

Today, I'm looking at the entire system. The whole thing is set up wrong, or at least not best. It's obviously "working," so I'm not saying let's trash what we have. However, if we think the stereotypical Sunday singing/sermon should be standard, we're missing out, because then "how" to make the best service becomes the focus, and "what" songs, themes and sermons will be explored flows from that.

Somewhere along the line you forget the "why." Why do we gather? What are we even doing here? Is this a pep rally, a support group, a club meeting? Paraphrasing Dr. Cherry, "The church tries to keep up with culture in respect to media and technology, but we'll never keep up. The only thing we have to offer the world is the presence of the risen Christ."

Suddenly, the task transforms. Instead of seeing how I can make the best service, I start with "Why are we gathering?" The answer, to encounter Jesus, directs my next question, "How will we do that?" In the context of Sunday, it's by gathering together. Finally, "What will we do when we're together?" That's a question asked best in each context, knowing the needs and gifts of the community. Can a sermon and music be a part of that? Absolutely. But if those are the focus, and not encountering the risen Jesus, we'll have a great adventure in missing the point.

Growing up changes things.

In a good way.

For more on the "Why, How, What" order, The Golden Circle.