Peace, Love, and Chocolate Silk

Moving Out

2006-03-19T11:17:00.000-06:00

After a long attempt to apply Kubrick's K2 template to Blogger with no success, I have decided to move to WordPress.

katrinawillis.wordpress.com

Please change your links! Thanks!

Burger King Kids Club

2006-03-11T16:05:00.000-06:00

Unity or Conformity?

When did it become the popular thing for Christians to seek community with people all across the board? Don’t get me wrong: I think it is very important for people to strive to connect with people cross-culturally. (Even down to the culture specificities of neighbors living on the same street-)

Is it true that followers of Christ find comfort in having their “baseball card” collection of people in their circle of acquaintance that are different from them? Does one find some sort of satisfaction and some major victory when we connect with them?

I love those commissioned, multicultural, “Burger King Kids Club” murals that have to display the exact percent of the correct demographic for the city.

Five white kids- three boys and two girls.
Three Hispanic kids: two boys and a girl.
One African-American female and one African-American male.
One short, middle-aged American-Indian male.
One tall German mother with glasses, blonde hair and a newborn, no whip.

Before you know it, you’ve got to incorporate the people in wheelchairs and the cancer patients, or it’s a TOTAL FAILURE. Heaven forbid the designers forget the promotional kid holding the french fries or Sifu, the karate master.

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones... For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
-Jesus the Christ, Matthew 18:10

Pneumatology: Dream On

2006-03-09T09:47:00.000-06:00

When Mark and I were in Indianapolis over Christmas, his mom showed us these short concept clips (10 minutes each), produced by a small nonprofit called Nooma.

The name NOOMA is an English phonetic spelling of the Greek word pneuma, which is commonly translated to “spirit” or “breath”. Pneumatology refers to the study of spiritual beings, particularly the interactions between humans and God.

I like these fresh expressions and fluid seed presentations, and I am looking forward to more releases. I also like their readily available resources. On the site, one can download (for free), discussion booklets, with some very insightful and well-thought-out questions. There is no doubt in my mind about the current positive impact (and the potential comprehensive influence) these films continue to have on North America.

www.nooma.com

----------------------------------------

On a fairly related note, my dream job would incorporate something very similar to what the Nooma folks are after. I’m interested in good-looking (aesthetically pleasing, beautiful, "artistic") nonprofit work specifically relating to people in a real authentic way.

Inhale... Exhale... Inhale...

2006-03-03T11:23:00.000-06:00

That's It. I'm calling the hotline.

2006-03-02T21:59:00.000-06:00

I don't usually call people names. But my husband is one PARANOID NUT CASE tonight. He is playing in this game called Assassins. I don't know all of the rules, but I do know that he's been carrying around a small, palm-sized water pistol and a variety of other water weapons on his person. And he's walking quickly and more observant than ever before. He's really jumpy. I could probably play some pretty hilarious jokes on him right now, but that would probably throw him into a spin of insecurity. And that would be downright cruel. Funny, but cruel.

Anyway- I'm looking forward to the moment where someone attacks him with the water hose. Any takers?

A Greater Capacity for Joy

2006-03-02T12:03:00.000-06:00

Following up from my earlier post about Norris, she spoke in the evening after the lunch event. She asked questions like, "Why do we substitute diamonds for Jesus?" in direct response to Zales' marketing efforts: "A Diamond is Forever."

She repeated these comments citing a variety of marketing campaigns, such as the Miracle Bra. Can we hear about a real miracle for once?

So as I was watching the weather on TV before work the next morning, the weather man made a Visa plug. The latest, apparently, is: "Life is Visa."

HELLO?!

God, please squish our hearts in your hand a little more and let some joy spring out!

This press release speaks eloquently to Norris' Monday evening speaking appointment.

Kathleen Norris Press Release

Another one bites the dust

2006-03-01T20:27:00.000-06:00

On this Ash Wednesday of 2006, a gentle reminder spoke, “from dust we were created, and to dust we shall return.” The mystery of Christ emerges on days like today… and yesterday. We realize how finite we are and how infinite God continues to be.

We thank him for his peace and we strive to love him more as he loves us. “And God breathed into the dust…” Jesus was born in a dusty barn space. Everyone was looking for a king, riding on a stallion. The king was the unexpected: a dusty baby.

Communally, during this season of lent, many practice fasting. This discipline, often absent from the average “Christian” allows Jesus to define himself in us.

“I love Jesus; it’s Christians I can’t stand.” - Neil Cole, Organic Church

Ultimately, transformation is the product of the Gospel. This is not boastful, but it is with the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2) that we are able to truly commune with God for others. From dust we were created, and to dust we shall return.

Incarnational Language

2006-02-27T14:46:00.000-06:00

This morning, Kathleen Norris, the noted author and poet of Dakota, Amazing Grace, the Virgin of Bennington, and The Cloister Walk, gave a special faculty presentation on campus entitled "The Grace and Challenge of Incarnational Language." She made some interesting points about how most of the language we encounter is counter-incarnational, and made the plea for honesty in language.

The first thing that struck me was her appearance. Of course, that is
all one can notice until she opens her mouth. Nevertheless, the
change of appearance (from the Agent's promotional picture) was fitting for her plea for honest words. She contends that Incarnational language is not the language of marketing. It is not the language of the salesperson. Incarnational language is
language that tells it like it is - the good and the bad.

Tonight she will speak in Hart Auditorium, inspired by Merton's work.
The title, "To say you love God, is like saying 'Eat Your Wheaties.'"

Artists, writers, God-lovers, and curious hearts will undoubtedly
enjoy her words.

Pad Thai, Trina Style

2006-02-25T20:36:00.000-06:00

Finally, what you’ve all been waiting for: the recipe for Pad Thai Noodles ala Katrina.

Yield: 5-7 normal servings or 3 hungry men servings
Number of hands needed: minimum 2, 4-6 ideal
Approx. time needed: 1 hour

Grocery list:
1 pkg rice stick (or rice pasta – linguine thickness, try Notta Pasta or thick Chao Ching)
1 7 oz. bottle Pad Thai sauce (I use Caravelle from Thailand, sold in HEB stores –less than $2)
1 pkg cello bean sprouts (or two man-sized handfuls)
6+ scallions
1 bunch fresh cilantro
4 limes
Choose a meat/wannabe meat (or a combo): chicken, shrimp, tofu (optional)
2 T peanut butter (optional)
1 c crushed peanuts or cashews (optional)

Boil rice stick until soft, approx. 5 min. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in pan on medium heat. Add 1/2 bottle Pad Thai sauce to pan, followed by the softened rice stick and mix together. Stir in cello bean sprouts. Reduce heat and continue to stir noodles (otherwise they will become like a brick… house –yikes!)

In a separate pan, cook eggs on medium heat, stirring continually. Mix the cooked eggs into the noodle mixture and add more sauce. Melt the peanut butter on the side of the pan and stir. On the side, cook the meat (optional) as follows:

For shrimp: devein, peel (all but tail), sprinkle w/ olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and broil for 3-4 minutes until opaque
For chicken: use 2 breasts, cube into 1/2” pieces and cook through until opaque
For tofu: grill and cube

Thinly slice scallions (or cut them into long cylinders - your choice), cut limes into wedges, de-stem the cilantro, and crush peanuts or cashews.
Add cooked meat, the remainder of the sauce, the scallions and the cilantro to noodle mixture. Squirt with lime. Serve with lime wedges, crushed nuts and cilantro. Enjoy!

Yeah, yeah, right. Give up the dream, kid.

2006-02-23T06:38:00.000-06:00

Acts 11 - The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Northing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So if God gave them this same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles a changed heart unto life.”

I wish more Jesus following communities would welcome their brothers with this sort of concern, a dialogue, and praise. We must learn to really listen to God for each other like these guys.

C'mon. You can quit it.

2006-02-22T21:31:00.000-06:00

So often we focus on the fault. Ultimately, the point is for change or life transformation. We want the best. We see a weed, and we want to pull it up… Especially when this pertains to our Christian spiritual transformation (and the argument becomes weighty when every aspect of our lives relates our every thought and action to the spiritual responsibilities.)

Why do we try so hard to change others? It’s hard enough to change our self!

Why do we try to add to the weight of others? They cannot even handle what they’re carrying!

Mark 11 –

12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went {to see} if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening. 15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17 And He {began} to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard {this,} and {began} seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening came, they would go out of the city. 20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots {up.} 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered." 22 And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be {granted} him. 24 Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be {granted} you. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."

Forgiveness would be impossible without the junk. Acknowledge and deal with the junk. Faithfully Forgive, Forgive, Forgive. Then God will heal, heal, heal.

2006-02-20T16:32:00.000-06:00

Poster #2
the one that got away
ACU Lectureship Spring 2006

2006-02-16T17:11:00.000-06:00

Poster #1
ACU February Lectureship 2006
I WAS BLIND NOW I SEE
Shore Art Gallery
Sunday evening, February 19
following the keynote

Critically Acclaimed

2006-02-12T00:11:00.000-06:00

Isn’t that what we all want to be? The main confusion for man falls into the category of whose acclaim are we seeking.

Humans exert much energy in search of gaining the pleasing approval of others. But why settle for fast food, when you can eat a grand feast? Have you all ready sought the approval of the greatest Other? Put your feet up, for your heavenly father has all ready prepared a place for you at his table; he’s gone there to prepare a place for you. You’ve just got to call him to work out the reservation, right?

Does intimate community exist without critical acclaim? Tonight, Karen asked Mark and me what we see as ‘deep community.’ There are only two examples of this in my life that I have experienced for a period of two to four years each, and both are closer to deep community than any other church experience I’ve found.

The more recent of the two examples remains the Art department within ACU. God actively nurtured those relationships, and we didn’t always see it. We all had a load to carry, and we all needed each other to succeed. We all needed a second set of objective eyes to glance at our individual paintings. We all needed another’s studio spaces to go to for inspiration, relaxation, and collaboration. We watched each other fail miserably; we watched each other succeed and produce great works. We dedicated our time toward a common goal, and we dialogued about the journey. Constructive, honest criticism was present, confession and mystery dwelt simultaneously, and we expected each other to be fully present – and obviously so, since this circled around assessment ending in a degree.

The older example of deep community comes from my high school days, and I can safely attribute my initial conversion points to a group called “The Happening.” I was uniquely positioned to intersect with my peers in a setting where they were able to share their faith, and to this day, nothing compares to the massive impact of this influence on my faith. I have been looking for that strong influence ever since. Peers who I had sat with day in and day out in classes told me of the grace of Christ and his great gifts. They asked my parents and close friends to write me notes, and they each took the time to encourage me specifically. (This was especially powerful considering the persecution and hardship of my family’s situation.) They genuinely cared for my well-being, and they were deeply concerned about my faith and Christian spiritual transformation. I had this great cloud of witnesses around me for the final two years of high school. Ultimately, my choice to attend a Christian university was my minimum standard; I couldn’t lose my REAL family. I was desperate.

The Week in Quotables from Mark and friends

2006-02-11T11:58:00.000-06:00

“So on Library Thing dot com, I’ve found someone who has thirty-one of the books I have. *insert boyish, expectant grin here*”
-Mark on Librarything.com

“What? How is a website going to tell you how your life’s like, anyway?”
-Mark on the self-assessment from the poweroffullengagement.com

“There isn’t enough space and there aren’t enough services in the church buildings in Abilene to support the people of this city if there were mass conversion.”
-Trey on house church planting movements

"If it's a girl, her middle name might be Galadreal."
-Phil on his unborn child, God bless the little soul

“What is the site’s name? I love anything merging religion and parody…”
-Randy on the holyobserver.com

“I didn’t know that Chinese food had fajitas!”
-David Todd on MooShu chicken

“I’m going to order a brownie!!!”
-Trey at Texas Roadhouse

"Thank God for Amazon.com! It's a communicative masterpiece!"
-Me on the Amazon Wishlist system

Lovely.

2006-02-09T14:54:00.000-06:00

I've been picking through Mark's book stack lately, and I'm almost finished with The Power of Full Engagement. It's practical and has some good thought provoking conversation starters. Even though this book has somewhat of a "fad-ish" universalist spin, it surely confronts us about whether or not our values line up with our actions. I like that. Illustrated above are my self-perceived percentages from poweroffullengagement.com's free assessment. Hello wakeup call. I think this is very on target, and if you want a further explanation on this, just ask. Excuse me, while I go engage mentally now, in The Power of Appreciative Inquiry.

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

2006-02-09T14:52:00.000-06:00

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Humbly, I come to you, for I know you satisfy
Give me your strength
Thee will I cherish
Thee will I honor
Thou my soul’s glory, joy, and crown

Fair are the meadows
Fairer still the woodlands
Jesus is fairer
Jesus is purer
Who makes the woeful heart to sing?
I sing cause of you
Maker of Faith and Love
Believe
Believe

Boiling Cabbage Down Boy, Boiling Cabbage Down

2006-01-29T20:30:00.000-06:00

The lyrics: odd. The sounds: strumming. The gender: male.
There is a bluegrass band in the living room. And I like it.

Some are well practiced with their instrument. Others are new at it. And I like it!

The windows are wide open. It’s dark outside. People can see everything, and they feel comfortable just sticking their head in to say, “Hi!” I know and I love that things are changing.
I can’t help but wonder about the possibilities.

Country roads take me home!

Stand the Test of

2006-01-18T05:13:00.000-06:00

The world and its desires pass away, but the Word endures forever.

Since God gives us spiritual eyesight, since we are to build up our treasures in heaven, since the world and its desires pass away, we must discipline ourselves to exercise our spiritual Word muscles. This is the greatest preparation.

For such a time as this...

2006-01-14T09:38:00.000-06:00

For such a time as this, I would venture to say that any substantial true growth must acknowledge and embrace the eminent challenges at hand. Ease almost never spurs others onto growth – and Christian Spiritual formation is void without some level of challenge.

“A challenging task is motivating…”
-Chuck Bonwell, Ph.D

Now, the key to motivation is an appropriate challenge. We must not compare ourselves to others, but as iron sharpens iron, we are to learn from one another and compete with only ourselves.

We must always be prepared, and we must practice regularly and encourage others to do the same.

and for his pleasure all creation sings

2006-01-01T23:30:00.000-06:00

IN THE BEGINNING God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.

As we find ourselves in the light of the new year, I remember how many times I have found myself (and find myself) reading the first sixteen chapters of Genesis. To some extent, I think we all hit a bump somewhere along the road where we read our Bibles like a broken record player. We start in Genesis, don't make it very far, and then we decide to try again... all over again.

After some inconsistent attempts from the end of the summer until now, Mark and I have decided to commit to set amount of Scripture consumption each day.

This year I'm starting two new approaches. For Mark and me, this is our second year of marriage together, so we're going to read together through the Bible in a year (on top of other scheduled readings.) I'm taking on somewhat of a challenge, for I hope to read the Bible in 90 days a few times this year as well. Whoever came up with this concept to print the Bible for twelve pages of reading per day remains great in my mind. I haven't consumed this much scripture since I was taking literature of the Bible classes, and I can all ready notice a significant amount of personal and relational transformation. By the way, you can find this Bible on Amazon.com or in other local bookstores... it's an NIV version, literally called Read the Bible in 90 Days.

I never really realized what a personality Abraham had throughout his life. The more I read the history, it feels like I'm hopping on the most familiar bike for a stroll down a changing street. Another observation about Genesis... I have found that writing out what I'm reading or drawing and charting really emphasizes events in my mind.

A good example of this from the start is found in the creation patterns of the days.

Days 1, 2, and 3 correspond with days 4,5, and 6. The pattern is creation and then the filling of creation.
Day 7 is separate.

How have you structured your reading -? Do you even keep a structure?

Flying Corks

2005-12-31T16:02:00.000-06:00

GLORIOUS!

Are you making any New Year's resolutions?

I am dedicating myself to reworking my Marketing Plan for the illustration. Most people make serious physical New Year's resolutions, but I want to make some serious Spiritual and visible resolutions. Each year seems like a new challenge; I wonder what God has in store for us this go around!

Like A Bean Sprout

2005-12-15T16:38:00.000-06:00

I have been changing my mind about my job since I could speak. Why “big adult people” like to ask the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” makes me laugh.

I wonder sometimes how much we get ourselves into trouble with excessive planning. In first grade, I wanted to be a scientist. I was so excited that I asked for a microscope for Christmas, and I would look at specimen on slides all day long. By the second grade, I wanted to BE Murphy Brown. Journalism was my calling. I was in.

That lasted for a short amount of time. Then I decided that I wanted to become a teacher. I am still trying to shake that one. As indebted as I am to all of the teachers in my life, I have learned that I can do more harm than good when I teach sometimes, so I do not teach all of the time.

For a while, I wanted to be a musician or an athlete. I did not care which one. That Christmas I received four electronic keyboards – all in the same day.

The year that Mom and Dad allowed me to burn candles was the year that I announced that, I was going to become an Aroma therapist/Holistic Medicine Practitioner. That one still tugs at my strings to this day. I did many reports in high school on the hypothalamus and how scents trigger the brain.

As I geared up for college, I had taken many language courses and many science courses. However, I had just come back from Japan and that changed my perspective on many things. Would I work in the Japanese embassy? Would I teach Japanese classes?

Then I found that my ultimate goal was to grow into being a missionary in Japan. I would teach English, write bilingual children’s books, and tell everyone about God’s love and truth.

I am still on track… minus the Japan, and minus the bilingual parts. (This is another story all together, entitled Disillusioned.)

I am working toward illustrating Children’s books and I am excited about all of the possibilities. I have been designing some things here at work (mostly graphic design), and I have been able to do some illustration here and there.

I am most excited about all of the possibilities for life wherever God takes us. Who knows what I will be when I grow up. As long as God keeps growing me - up.

Entertaining Angels?

2005-12-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

Peace to you in the Grace and Love of our precious Jesus Christ, and thanks be to the Father of all Love and Life, the creator of heaven and earth and heart and mind.

Timpy and I went to Girls’ Lunch downtown together today. (A bunch of girlfriends get together once a week to eat lunch together. It's always something interesting. NO MALES ALLOWED!) After we finished, we headed to the Java, to buy a cup of coffee for the afternoon. As we were staring at the menu, this tall, older man walked in front of us in the line. He apologized, and told us to go ahead (like he didn’t see us originally or something), and then he came up closer to us and started talking.

“Wish me a Merry Christmas, would ya?” he asked.
In unison, we said, “Merry Christmas!”
He grabbed Timpy’s hand, stared at her ring, and asked, “You’re married? Looks like someone LIKES you a lot! What is his name?”
“Jacob,” Timpy replied.
“Oh, Jacob. I know him. He’s a tall guy.”
With a smile, Timpy replied, “Yeah, he’s got a bunch of sons.”
Then he turned to me and said, “You married?”
“Yeah.”
“What’s his name?”
“Mark.”
“Ah, Mark. God Bless you two.”

Then he turned to pay for his milk and cookie, and we continued to stare at the menu. As we approached the counter and ordered, he announced that he would be paying for our coffee this afternoon.

So, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a little plastic bag, filled with coins.
At first, I was a little concerned that he did not have enough to pay for the purchase.

However, he did pay for it. It took him ten minutes, but he finally counted out ten dollars in coins, right at the cash register. The line forming behind him was quite impatient with his slow way of payment, but he insisted on paying, and he only brought coins along.

He never said his name. He did mumble something about being a minister, but I have never seen him before today, so I wonder about him.

I also saw a new friend who ended up in our house this last weekend (because he had no money and had run out of gas in front of our house... and then we saw him at the HOPE building the next night for other reasons...) I saw that he was standing on Pine as we were leaving lunch, so we greeted each other again.

God continues to amaze me when he connects people together. The craziest combinations and reactions work together in God.

Talk about Divine Appointments.

ROCK the nation

2005-12-13T17:36:00.000-06:00

post·modern·ism: 1. a blurring of distinguished boundaries found in modern ideas 2. an emphasis on fragmentation 3. a movement defined in literature, art, and the humanities characterizing stylistic features from 1970's onward 4. moral relativism 5. live life eclectically 5.tolerance is king (even if it's a lie) 6. believe everything (aka believe nothing)

The moral contours of the nation remain postmodern in nature.
The west values the individual over the group, and America remains the best example of this, from the Corporate Life to the House Wife.

With businesses like Best Buy converting their corporate buildings into a network of home-based working executives, with large churches from Hurricane devastation choosing not to rebuild, but to meet in homes, with University life becoming completely available online, we enter the zone of the individual.

With the internet and email available around the clock, men try to trump God's natural boundaries of time. We create artificial light to stay awake, just a few more hours. Wendy's stays open past midnight; Denny's stays open around the clock, just to feed the need to feed.

Health problems are rampant. The individual sinks deeper and deeper into the darkness and privacy of their bedroom, to only find it lit by a computer monitor or a TV screen.

One makes a powerful statement when they choose to unite with a group of diverse individuals, face to face, in the flesh. Not to tolerate them, but to know them fully, to love them as themselves. The sheer concept of faithful community continues to fight up stream against the current of the individual self.

Sometimes I wonder if the Church is the group who taught everyone else to be soooo tolerant in the first place.

Find precious Jesus and He'll make sure that you're secure - when everything seems to be built on sand... He will ROCK the nation. A cord of many is not easily broken, and the Gates of Hell will not overcome it!