Scribble

UP: Theatrical Trailer (6th of March) (High Definition)

2009-03-20T00:38:00.001-06:00

I love pixar. The dog is my favorite!

Everything's Amazing, Nobody's Happy

2009-02-27T15:46:00.001-07:00

This guy is so right... maybe we need to really get some perspective and realize that perhaps the main reason we are in this recession stuff is because we decided to stop realizing the things that are really valuable in life. Think about how much great stuff has happened in just YOUR lifetime!

A Different Perspective on "Pro-Choice"

2009-02-23T12:14:00.004-07:00

I was just listening to this interview on NPR while driving and thought I would start a discussion here about a comment the author made about the question of "Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life."

Here's the article on NPR's website. It was today's Fresh Air broadcast. You can listen to it through this link.

She said that in light of this new, unwed, single, octuplet mother, with 6 other kids, we have to reconsider the question of "choice" in pregnancy. She said that the question of choice goes beyond abortion and into the question of the right to choose to impregnate a woman, artificially, with multiple embryos. Is this just as bad? Often the Pro-Life argument says that God created life and it is up to Him and only Him to terminate it or not. We are not to play God. I agree that God creates life and we are to honor that gift of life by not ending it. BUT, I wonder, are we playing God just as much so by artificially impregnating people. I have mixed feelings about this, I know the great success and need of this technology for people who want to conceive and can't. And because of deeply personal experience with it (no, I have not been artificially inseminated) believe that impact and importance of it sometimes being OK. But how much so...

The people I know who have had this practice done never sought to have more than one child this way. But they still have frozen embryos, many years later, must ask themselves each year what to do with those embryos, keep paying for them to be frozen, destroy them or give them to someone else. Its a big question for them. If they choose to let them go, does destroying them equal abortion? They don't believe in abortion, so they have to ask themselves, how can they do that, if it equals this. Do they have parental rights to the child if it is implanted in someone else, its their DNA, so shouldn't they have rights? At least that is how we make decisions in courts nowadays, if its your DNA you can be the parent, no matter how much you suck at it.

How does this work? How does this reflect God's gift and plan for life? And why do we call an artificial pregnancy a miracle? And why in the world are we so FASCINATED by all these multiple births?! If it was something that happened through true natural means I would understand, an egg splitting 8 times?! Amazing! But, why are we fascinated by something that happens because we have put eight fully fertilized eggs in a obviously fertile woman and are surprised they all survived?

Now, once the life has begun, why would we consider ending it. Those 8 new children are in need of love, care and compassion. They each have a personality, a purpose and a reason for existence. But my question is, if she never choose to have all these kids this way, would they have still existed? Was this God's plan or is He just working things to His good? WHY DID WE THINK WE COULD CONTROL THEIR CREATION? They are going to have a hard time. They will experience struggles because of the financial situation and family situation of the mother. This wasn't something that just happened, it was something planned and very intentional. She was allowed to have 8 new births with 6 children at home. She allowed these kids to be born into this. This is not alright... in my opinion....

I have a lot of other thoughts on this dealing with the question of adoption and our luxury of the question of abortion in our wealthy western world when 13 year olds, HIV positive girls in the AIDS camps in S. Africa, who are raising their siblings because their parents died of AIDS are being raped, giving birth to these rape children and asking for the morning after pill because they have no idea if they will be raped again or not and can't afford to take care of another kid. How appalling is it that we are having to deal with the question of multiple births and artifical insemination when half way around the world a 13 year old is longing for her childhood but is having to raise her kids. What kind of people are we....

The interview really made me think... what about you?

Why I think Christians should watch the Oscars and the movies celebrated by the Oscars

2009-02-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

So, below is my last response to a line of commenting on a friend's status on Facebook. The interesting thing is that he was watching the Oscars because he likes them... but some of his friends were commenting on his status, one saying something to the effect, that the Oscars were just celebrating a "movie star's" perspective on the world.

While, yes, I agree it really can be and the whole red carpet stuff with the judging of dresses, etc. can really be just a bunch of crap, I feel like for the first time in a while the awards are about honoring the art of truly great story telling and individual's gifts, abilities and tremendous talents at telling those stories, bringing to life the stories of others.

Here is my comment:
"exactly Mark! you can't avoid the oscars and still understand the influencers of mass culture. these are some of the greatest stories being told out there. that doesn't mean that they are all stories that we have to agree with or believe in but they are windows to the human condition and teach us how and where God is leading, asking and encouraging us to deal with His world and each other. i do feel like we have the responsibility as Christ-followers to see all these movies and understand why they are significant so we can be people others trust in to understand the things that they hope for, long for, question and are confused on. only then, when we understand what shapes people and their stories, will they be able to hear the love, word and truth of God. the oscars are a symbol of all of this... at least to me... "

I trust that few of us understand the true work, the deep art of the creative minds that come up with new, innovative and deeply invoking ways to tell stories, stories that connect, stories that share love, life, glory, honor, sorrow, peace, pain, laughter, happiness but most of all truth and hope. But, Jesus Christ did. How many times did he tell a story that was truly something that connected so deep, so very deep to the honesty and reality of our humanity, so much so as to relate to us intimately enough to change our soul's course and change us into all we have been created to be. I almost can see my Lord telling these stories with great animation, smiling as He felt people connecting with the story and hearing it as their own. I can see Him really deeply longing to tell a story with enough quality, connection and conviction that each and everyone would find their way home.

Jesus uses stories to work His way into our hearts and tell us of who He is, what He loves, how come He cares for us and how His heart and HIS condition will connect with and change the world. Just for this very reason we have to, we must know and trust ourselves to understand the joy and importance of story telling. Its our way of connecting with others, of connecting with ourselves, of exploring our hearts and understanding the Human Condition to which Jesus Christ came to exist within, connect with and understand.

As Christ-followers, if we are to trust His work in the world and actively engage in what He is already doing, we cannot exclude Hollywood nor can we exclude the stories or the story telling of the Oscars. We just have to actively choose to trust He will teach us through these stories, teach us to love His people and teach us to understand how He is working through this world and where/how we are to engage with Him.

Just love others through story. Love others through trusting that a story will help people connect with one another and create a space for us to discuss what matters most in this world. But with this, we cannot watch a story blindly, nor without an educated heart. An educated heart, trust in humanity and trusts that when given the chance to discuss what is going on in the story good will come to the surface, true love will be seen and a healthy direction for our souls will be seen, heard and hopefully embraced.

Stories link us to God, to each other, to history and to eternity.

The Mother of all Mullets

2009-02-02T18:54:00.001-07:00

Seriously buddy... decide, Joe Dirt or GI Joe... who's it gonna be?!

Ran into this guy today... he doesn't know I took his picture. Think the pic needs a caption... suggestions?

A Psalm for Today: "I will wait..."

2009-02-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Just choose between life and me.
Just choose to be or to leave.
Just choose to glorify or seek your own glory.

Can you choose to wait?
Can you choose to be something you are not?
Can you choose to be glorifying to God always?

Can you choose to hear me?
Can you choose to listen to me?
Can you choose to remove me for me?

Be my glory Lord.
Be my soul.
Be my life.

Be my light.
Be my hope.
Be my direction.

Be my soul purpose in life.
Be my glory and love of and to all of humanity.
Be my soul’s longing, my heart’s waiting, my soul’s longing...my soul’s longing...my soul’s long...

How long must I wait for you to hear me?
How long must I wait patiently to hear your ways and call?
How long must I just wait patiently....for you Lord?

To be patiently waiting for you, though, O, Lord
is to be patiently waiting for all your soul longs for.
To be patiently waiting for you, O, Lord,
is to be patiently waiting for all the hope of the world.
And to be patiently waiting for you, O, Lord
is to be patiently waiting for the call of the soul, the call of the wild heart, the call of all love within me to be fulfilled
with the full and complete knowledge that it will be fulfilled - filled - made whole again, through you....

For this longing, for this hope, for this wholeness...I will wait, always.
For I have known its fulfillment at other times in my life and know that You, O Lord will fulfill your hopes, your dreams and your promises within, through and in spite of me...

I love you and for your Holy wholeness I will wait...

poem written by Becky Pierson 2/2/09 - based on Psalm 13

For further reading, study and prayer on the subject of waiting and struggles with this waiting, read Psalm 13 and 40 and Lamentations 3

DORITOS

2009-02-02T09:45:00.001-07:00

Fav #3

Bridgestone: Potato Heads Super Bowl Commercial 2009

2009-02-02T09:42:00.001-07:00

Second favorite commercial

CareerBuilder.com Official Super Bowl Commercial 2009

2009-02-02T09:39:00.001-07:00

Favorite Superbowl commercial #1...

Shovel your Sidewalks!

2009-01-27T13:53:00.003-07:00

As most of you are being covered with snow and ice, we here in Denver have finished receiving our dumping of about 5-8 inches of snow. This now means that each of us who live in a house in Denver must now shovel our sidewalks. This is not a requirement for your personal walk up to your front door, but it is a ticketable offense if you DO NOT shovel your portion of the city sidewalk. Yes, I said ticketable... you have 24 hours after the snow to get it done.

Well, I thought everyone understood this and would want to avoid the ticket. I know I do! In fact my neighbor has a snowblower and is compassionate enough to do our portion of the city sidewalk for us, as well as a few others on our street. It doesn't take that long, just get the shovel out and push then toss for about ten minutes and you will be finished.

Well, OBVIOUSLY some people in my very active pedestrian neighborhood do not understand this law and have NOT shoveled their city sidewalk yet! Argh! I just went on a short, cold walk to the lunch bistro about 6 blocks away and got covered in snow! I would say only about 35% of the sidewalks were shoveled!

Seriously people?! Come on! I don't like snow soaked jeans that much!

And that's the end of my rant for the day... back to work....

Lost Generation

2009-01-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

I am this generation. I have chosen to reverse it and will. Have you?

A Letter to My Orals Board

2009-01-21T16:47:00.005-07:00

In order to graduate seminary I had to write a 35 page paper on my doctrinal beliefs. This was a very special and beautiful task for me where I could explore everything I had set out to learn and understand about myself, God and my relationship to Him, others and the world. For me this was something I was going to do no matter what but it helped to have it required of me so I would actually get these thoughts organized. Also, whether I or not my professors who sat on my orals board agreed with me or not, this was how God was working in me at that time in my life, culminating everything in the pages I was about to write.

As an effort to express the beauty of this process I wrote this letter to my Orals Board explaining how God was working in me and basically summarizing in the last paragraph the essentials of my theology/doctrinal beliefs. What I believe about predestination, election, women in leadership, etc. all come out of these thoughts and beliefs. I feel it is crucial to understand that these other elements (predestination and so forth) are not always considered the essentials of faith and should be treated with charity and humbleness when discussing them. As John Wesley once said, "In the essentials, unity. In all else, charity."

Here's the letter:

A Letter to My Orals Board

“Everything is theology,” stated Dr. Buschart in my first TH 501 course. Everything we do, how we live, how we act, how we vote, how we eat, what we eat, how we dress, what we buy, why we buy what we buy and so on are all related to our theological understanding of the world around us and our place in that world. There are so many factors that shape our understanding of God, for example, family, friends, faith upbringing (or lack there of), teachers, economic situation, political situation, education, global experience, and so on. Our life experience defines when, where, how and why we come to realize our need of God and restoration to relationship within His Kingdom. I am living proof of this.

I grew up in a deeply devote, compassionate, loving Christian home where I was always encouraged to question my faith so I can grow in understanding of why I believe what I believe. With deep love and Christ-likeness my parents lived out their love for God and people in all they did. I have fond childhood memories of long car trips to Colorado where theological discussion ensued at the urging of a ten-year-old me wondering about the world around her, or dinner table discussions with the whole family on how and why God loves the world.

But it wasn’t just the family where these conversations took place. As I wrote this paper I could hear the echoes of Mrs. Bryant, my 3^rd grade Sunday School teacher, energetically teaching us the story of creation and the Kingdom’s captivating nature. I could see the saints of my home church teaching, by their example, the younger how to live as Kingdom people. I could hear the hymns of my youth resonating their choruses in sanctuary of my soul and realized how profoundly they taught me a foundational theology. This paper is not just the culmination of four years of seminary; it is the culmination of all the Spirit has done in my life, up to now, to reveal the fullness of God.

With each word written, read, studied, discussed, I feel my soul realize what it could be and will be one day at the final resurrection. I feel I have come to realize more about the world around me, begun to see things from a new perspective because of a deeper understanding of God. When I engage today in the ancient words or practices of the Church I they have a new meaning, yet retain their old meaning, giving me a new depth of life. For me its like the moment you get your breath back after you have had the wind knocked out of you, you suddenly realize you have life again!

It is this renewed life that has given me cause to write this “letter” at the beginning of my paper. I came to seminary destroyed after ten years of committed, full-time professional ministry (plus a lifetime of being a pastor’s kid) climaxing with a very ugly church fight that lead to two hate letters being sent to me (in the name of Christ). Angry, broken and confused I came to Denver to heal, to rediscover who God had made me to be, to engage in theological questions again and to find restoration to my call into ministry that I had received so many years ago. I was looking for life again. Now, nearing the close of this chapter, I can confidently say that I have found that life again and this paper is a reflection of that life.

Therefore, I have made some adjustments to the “traditional” order of this paper. I have come to realize through my experience that each theological belief I have has begot the next and therefore wanted to express that in the order of my paper. I believe revelation begets a belief in God, which is Triune. God the Father created all the world, creating Humans to reflect His image and engage in relationship with Him and one another. However, because of sin we have been separated from this relationship and therefore are in need of Christ the Reconciler to come to restore us to right relationship and give us the way to live as Kingdom people. To guide and transform us into Kingdom people, Christ has asked the Father to send us the Spirit. The Spirit moves us to repentance, salvation and sanctification and is the very life of the Church. As we live as Kingdom people we engage with the Angels in worship of God, yet there are Demons seeking to keep us separated from the Father but they will be banished forever in the last days. It is this order that I seek to reflect in my paper.

What's a Motto? Nothing, what's a motto with you?

2009-01-20T22:00:00.003-07:00

Ha, ha... that's a line from the Lion King! But seriously folks....

In the wonderful spirit of today, Inauguration Day, and the challenge before us to live and be the change and hope we want to see in the world, I thought I would provide a link to one of my favorite blogs to watch called "Strange Maps" and its entry for January 17, 2009.

The purpose of this blog is to share with everyone a collection of fun, cool, odd and crazy maps of all sorts from all over. People submit maps, explain their origin and the guy who hosts the page posts them and gives a background story as well as a link to the original location of the map (if applicable). I like to check it out for fun and interesting views on history. Often the maps are older and we can see how certain people saw their world and their future based on how they drew their maps. For example: this one made by Yugoslavia during the Cold War depicting a collapsing US or this one mapping the shipping cycle of a package around the world to make a portrait of a man or this one showing in a really cool way where news tends to break in the US or this one: the first GPS invented in the 1920s, you have to check it out!

So, today while looking at the blog, I found t his map of all the state mottos and their explanations. Now, how cool is that! If you understand a motto to often symbolize your marching orders well then look at your state and see what are yours! Its kind of fun. For all you Oklahomans out there - do you agree with our motto? I know my dad's grandfather sure did! Dad probably would too!

Not empty words

2009-01-20T10:11:00.004-07:00

Over the last few months I have heard people say that Obama is just a great talker, a great orator - there is nothing to him other than a bunch of talk. But today, as I listen to this man speak about our country, I hear him teaching me my story.

I hear him telling me who I am as an American.

I hear him telling MY STORY.

It was my great-grandfather who packed up everything he had into a small bag and crossed the Atlantic from Lebanon to come here to be the best and fullest human being he could be. It was my grandfather who taught me the values and dreams of his father and how those impact who we are and how we live. It was my grandfather who taught my mother to love God, others and country, who then taught me to love the same. It was my father who taught me to tell others that they are valued, that they are crucial and that together we can work for a better world. And it was his father, grandfather and so on that taught him these values.

"We know that our patchwork heritage is a strength and not a weakness." - states Obama today.

This is my family. This is my world. My world is one of patchwork. My family is blended. I am Arab, English, German and Scottish. I am a child of two parents who love through difficulties and joys, who know that family and love outweigh anger and frustration, selfishness is not a healthy value. It is these values, this hope and life and choices that change me.

Today he has told me my story and he has challenged us to change the world. It is our responsibility to change the world. He challenged me, nay all of us, to truly take on the mantel of citizenship and change the world with lives lived on these values of American Citizenship - values of responsibility, equality, value, love and hope-filled freedom.

Obama has reminded us who we are as Citizens of these United States.

He isn't just saying empty words. No, he is not just saying empty words.

He is challenging us to be the change we hope to see in this world. He is challenging us to truly, truly, TRULY live out these values of hope, virtue and equality.

When we do truly LIVE these values we will be the beckon of hope we should be for the world.

We can be a better people. These are not just empty words.

Millions of people volunteered yesterday on the national day of service because it was the right thing to do as citizens.

1000s of volunteers had to be turned away because there were too many.

1000s who had never volunteered before but did because Obama challenged us to have now chosen to volunteer regularly.

These are not empty words.

Can you be changed by words? If they speak to the true values and love of humanity.

Can you change the world with words? If you trust that words express truth, self and justice and that words are greater than guns.

When words are spoken with truth, especially with the truth of God and His love and value of humanity, they will impact and begin the change in the world.

God SPOKE the world into existence. The WORD became flesh and dealt among us. The WORD was with God and is God. Those are not empty words. The world was been challenged and changed by The Word and will always be challenged, changed and restored by His WORD.

When words speak to the truth and wholeness of humanity things will change.

"Our spirit is stronger and can out last you..." - says Obama to the terrorists who promise to destroy our world, our buildings our way of life. You can take away our things, but you cannot take away our values, our hearts, our souls and our spirit.

These are not empty words.

I will fulfill my challenge from God to be His glorious, loving Word in this world and I will take up the mantel of American Citizenship to live a life of peace and mercy. I will follow my call as a Citizen of the Kingdom to love justice, seek mercy and walk humbly with my God....

...say Amen? AMEN!

Martin Luther King, Jr.: I Have a Dream

2009-01-20T09:47:00.001-07:00

Today the truth of this speech is finally coming to a physical reality. No longer is this just lofty talk, but we are taking steps to make this a promised truth.

Understanding Today...

2009-01-12T19:13:00.003-07:00

So, yesterday I sent out this e-mail below updating everyone on my e-mail list and my facebook list on what is happening in my life and where I am at with things and my walk with God. What has been absolutely love-filled and beautiful is who has responded and how many of my friends and family have responded with love, encouragement and hopeful advice. Friends who I haven't heard from in a long time, sorority sisters who have always been there to lean on and who have proven to me that they will now and forever be there for my support and encouragement, family members who glorify the reasons we love each other with every comment made (even from my brother over texting!!).

I love how God has, to His glory, helped to keep me focused and on track to His glorious plan for this life (not just mine, but all those who surround me, I come in contact with and those I will never know). He has reminded me just who I am and who He is through the words of love and encouragement from my friends and family. Perhaps the harder part of this stage of the journey is the unsureness, the confusion on how God is working and who He is calling me to be right now in this moment of feeling lost.

Its also hard because I have felt like my church community has changed/fallen apart. You see while Denver is a very special and wonderful town, it can also be a very transient place where people come and go and where people seek to find themselves and then once they have they leave. There has also been a lot of changes in my original church community here in Denver causing a lot of the people who I called community to leave the church and all of us end up scattering to the wind. That has been hard on me... I really don't have a church community here.

So, having all these people love on me and help me find His strength again has been a tremendous help this week. As my friend told me today: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28

Here is the update e-mail for your viewing pleasure:

Well, some of you might be wondering what is happening with me right now and some of you might be very aware but haven’t heard the latest update so this is a brief e-mail to fill you in.

Just a quick recap:

Graduated seminary in May 2007
May 2007, took steps to start a congregation with some friends, eventually, for healthy reasons, they backed out and I was left alone to continue the development.
August 2007, began working for Leadership Nexus as the Emerging Church consultant and conference planner. Developed an Emerging Church for the Existing Church Conference here in Denver in April 2008. It was well attended and began to drum up exciting support for the cause of Christ through the Emerging Church movement.
After a few months realized that it wasn’t the right situation or circumstances for the church plant and watched this first stab at church planting fold.
End of July 2008 came to realize through the great push of the Holy Spirit that I was struggling greatly with not having a congregation to serve, lead and develop.
August 2008 began to actively seek out church, parachurch or missions organization employment.
September 2008 began actively interviewing for a few positions in Colorado and Kansas.
Mid September 2008 - Economy Crashed - most of the organizations I was interviewing with went on a hiring freeze which meant no more interviews.
October 2008 - sent my resume out to 50+ UMC church leaders all over the country asking for help with my job search, resulting in about 5 opportunities with churches or UMC conferences wanting to create a job in order to hire me. However, the economy wasn’t getting any better so nothing was (and still isn’t) moving to fast.
November 2008 attended Leadership Nexus’s Traditional Worship Conference, got an interview out of the event, but nothing has happened with the job yet.
December 2008 spoke with Dad at The Great Emergence event based on Phyllis Tickle’s book by the same title.
After The Great Emergence event Dad and I realized there was still a great need for Emergent/Existing Church conferences and began to plan ways to develop another series of conferences on the subject. Part of this plan has been the hiring of me as a contract position. to develop the conferences for Leadership Nexus.
Interviewed for Conference Youth Director job in Tennessee, really wanted it, didn't get it. Long story - but my thinking was the interview was just a formality, they already knew who they were going to hire before they started anyone's interviews.
January 2008 - still looking for job.
Between now and mid February plan on making trips to Tennessee and Cincinnati to work on developing these Emerging/Existing Conferences.

So, that is the recap.

I am still struggling with my job search. Most places are very carefully looking for positions and anything that they can put on another person’s plate rather than hire someone new they will do - its the economy, economy, economy...

Yes, I am looking for a job just about anywhere in the US and even over seas. What am I willing to do? Well, call me and we can talk about that. Basically a Youth Director position for 40 kids is not what I am looking for - I am over qualified. But a Christian Education Director, an Associate Pastor, etc. - that might be something else.

I am also living in a set of circumstances based on an income that is not happening now and so I am having to look at other options.

I am still working at the restaurant as my only stable source of income, but that isn’t that much either right now - did I mention the economy?! Where I used to make 100-125 on a 5 hour shift I am now lucky to make 80-90. So, I don't really know how I will make ends meet at the end of each month. Working to find a job is a full time job, as well as waiting tables, so I am burning the candle at both ends and am becoming emotionally and spiritually exhausted - only one of those jobs pays.... It is also hard because while I know who I am and what my purpose in life is, I struggle greatly with the fact that I am not really accomplishing it right now. For this reason I am quite grateful for the contract work with Leadership Nexus because it gives me the chance to work through my purpose, however, its still just temporary.

So, here are my current options I am looking at to help reduce my costs during this transition time since nothing is materializing quickly:

1) Find a job as some sort of part-time resident manager with a small apartment complex that will give me free rent. Cornerstone Apartments in Denver does something like this, but I just don't know if they have any positions open.

2) Put all my stuff in storage and live out of suitcases, bouncing from friend to friend house until I can get a job.

3) Find some sort of free housing option. This is the bulk of my expenses right now, I have paid off most of my other bills - Thank you LORD!

4) Start playing the Lottery or go to Blackhawk to gamble and see how that goes!

5) Sell my plasma, blood, hair, teeth...ok maybe not teeth

What else?

1) I am seriously considering just moving to Cincinnati, Ohio and taking up a job there some where. Why? Well, don't all of you want to move there too?!?!? OK, OK... It's mainly because there are some really cool people (friends of mine) there who are doing some great things with emerging church development and have called me and told me they would love for me to more there to help them. There is a Pappadeaux there and some other possible job options.

2) I have come to realize that I have a marketable workshop that I can share with churches and leadership teams on understanding current culture and how God has been moving throughout Generations. I worked on this and taught it at the Creative Conference Leadership Nexus hosted in Orlando this last week and it was well received. Its all about understanding the generations in our congregations, how they think (generally), how they act, how to work with them, how they respond to the church and how to connect with the Postmodern culture we live in. I would like to work this up and start doing weekend retreats and training events all over the country.

3) I am still willing to start a church and would like to find some parent organization to support this. If you have any ideas let me know.

4) I am planning on getting ordained in the UMC. However, this process is long and difficult to transfer until you are about a year in so I am waiting until I know where I will be to start the process.

What is happening with the 5 churches I mentioned in the beginning? I don't know, I am in the process of finding out. If you have any suggestions let me know.

So, there it is.... please be praying for me. I am at a loss. I don't know how this will all turn out. God's careful control is going on here, but its still difficult. Any help you can give, prayer, encouragement, anything... will be well appreciated. I live only to His glory and will always call Him Lord whether I ever have work again. God is good, all the time....

Love always,

Becky

My notes from the Great Emergence

2008-12-09T10:48:00.003-07:00

Here are of my notes from the Great Emergence Event in Memphis. These are just cut and pasted in, no editing done so if they don't make sense, I'm sorry. I will possibly post more reflections later, however, I need to get to work on some projects for my dad so I will get back to blogging later.

Session One

Image of the Rummage Sale -

There is a playfulness to a Rummage Sale.

When you are going through things for a rummage sale you often find treasures you forgot about and they become renewed treasures again.

The Church in First World Christianity: Latin Christianity

This is really the church in the Latin language, the Latin tradition.

This is in opposition to Greek Christianity (Middle Eastern) and Coptic Christianity (Asian Christianity).

This does not really have much to do with the 2/3 world experience.

This is also going on in the Islam and Jewish world as well.

This is something going on politically, economically and in religion, the religion being dealt with here is Christianity and we aren’t sure how this Christianity will emerge/change.

Now that we are at our Rummage Sale we are not sure what people will call the version of Christianity that will emerge from this time. We are just trying to figure this out. We are truly reflecting our considerations of the world as Gen Xers in our religion.

Our generation will hold at least seven different jobs in our lifetimes. We will also live further away from our roots than ever before.

Emergenomics are one of the great impacts on the world today.

The traditional family is a fig newton of James Dobson’s imagination. We follow a God who tells us to leave our family for Him.

There is no such thing as a fact apart from those who are perceiving that fact.

Religion is a social construct.

Religion gives human society a

Water Proof Casing = Story - this tells us who we are

Mesh Net = the Consensual Illusion - this is how we perceive things work, right or wrong, based on whatever the common agreement is

Strand One = Spirituality -

Strand Two = Corporeality - all the Aspects of the World that points to the existence of an institution

Strand Three = Morality

Every 500 years there will be a break in the casing and the net and we will begin to play with the three strands. We will FIRST play with the issue of Spirituality (I am spiritual but not religious), second, Corporeality (priest scandals, child molesters, etc.) and finally Morality (abortion, Terri Shivo).

Hinge Times in History

Great Reformation = rise of Protestantism

Great Schism = drum out Greek Christianity

Fall of Rome = drum out Coptic Christianity

Shift to the Common Era = birth of Christ

Babylonian Captivity = fall of the Jewish state

Where will the blood shed be within our new reformation - the Great Emergence? Will there be a new faith that fights against the old faith or will it be something that fights against Islam? I think that perhaps this latter thought will be the idea of where the blood shed will come from. Has the bloodshed already occurred? Ireland?

The only thing that can’t die here is what the Kingdom of God longs to be within us.

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Session Two

Sola Scriptura - Scriptura Sola = the need for universal literacy

27,600 different and distinct Protestant groups recognized by the IRS.

Inherently in Protestantism is inherently divisive.

1851 begins the change towards the Great Emergence

The Threats to Sola Scripture -

1852 - Field Theory began with Faraday’s paper

Matter, Electricity = Electro Magnetism

1859 - Darwin’s Origin of the Species

Was a very unhappy person

He thought he was going to glorify God by showing the world the patterns that God works by.

What was heard was not these patterns but rather that we came from monkeys which mean that God was a monkey

1855-65 - “the Recent Unpleasantness” (Civil War)

There was a religious issue at the core of the slavery issue and churches split.

The real issue here was on sola scriptura because if you believed this then slavery was of God.

1917 - 21 - Women’s Movement

1945 - Divorce becomes more realistic

1969 - Ordaining Women (UMC - 1956?)

Currently our issue is Homosexuality - she says it is a Corporeality issue and not a Morality issue.

1989 - The Power of Myth - by Bill Moyers (on PBS) and Joseph Campbell

Comparative religions

If what they said was said in a pulpit they would have been called heretics, but being said on your TV with you listening on your couch, this changes things.

1905 - Albert Einstien wrote 3 papers = gives us micro physics

First - Light = Light travels in bundles

Second - brownian motion = when you put something on a still body of water and that thing begins to move the question of WHY comes about, Einstien says that the thing

Third - theory of special relativity = there is no such thing as absolute space or absolute time, this leads to the principle of uncertainty which brings about the fact statement from earlier.

Now you can not know where an object is and how fast it is traveling at the same time.

Forth - bending of time = created space travel and the walking on the moon, time can be slowed and potentially turned back

The brain appears to work on quantum physics.

This gives light to The Quest for the Historical Jesus by Albert Schweitzer (1905) and then the Jesus Seminar.

1942 and 1949 - new discoveries of other documents of scriptures

1935, 37, 38 - Bill Wilson - beginning of Alcohol Anonymous

This meant you stopped going to the church and the addicted helping the addicted.

The rebirth of the small group movement.

They spoke of a generic God.

How do you lead a full life was a thrust of the blue book

1939 - we sent off all our war equipment to Japan and then the returned it on Dec. 7, 1941. Now all we have to send off to war is the young men.

1941 - Rise of Rosie the Riveter because we wanted to bring him back home.

Women now have no third good place and women were getting bored because of the industrialization of the kitchen. And so the women got involved in the church = the heyday of protestantism in America.

Little girls watched their mothers work and now wanted to be empowered.

1963 - Birth Control Pill was available which meant the woman could now control the income and control her life. It leveled the playing field.

Now the nature of the world becomes to conquer the world verses protect the home. Now parents went out to conquer the world, kids were sent to daycare and all came home exhausted. This also created generations that were Biblically Illiterate because they no longer were taught these values with mom and dad at home.

Walter Rauschenbusch was the first to write about the coming change in Christianity

Paul Tillich and Wolhart Pannenberg followed and all were pointing to her chart on the four equal parts.

Pannenburg’s Quadrents:

Liturgical

Social Justice (Panneberg called them Mainlines)

Renewalists - Azusa Street Revival -

Conservatives - basically fundamental evangelicals

Then these quadrants begin to merge and they discover the Ancient-Future Church. And we move beyond just talking about God with people from other quadrants and begin to move towards serving along side of others from other quadrants and we begin to mesh our faith.

This creates a Rose - the New Rose

The Rose was a symbol of the Reformation and this is coming back again.

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Session Three

Our Concern here is with the religion coming out of the Great Emergence.

9-11 is perhaps our more defining moment for our generation.

Out at the edge of the quadrants will come those who are completely ANTI emerging relationships. And within these traditions there are those people who feel like they have a divine calling to stop the change and movements.

Emerging Church seems to be doing its theology in entertainment.

The corner people are an important because they help keep us balanced and help us stay on a healthy track. The corners have the leaves for the rose. They are still a part of the rose and they are crucial the God and His forward movement of this movement.

Eddie Gibbs and Rodger Bolger at Fuller Seminary, article on Established and Emerging relationships

Concentric Circles Towards Emergence:

Traditionalist - those in established Christianity who really have no idea what emergence is right now. Tend to point at this as a generational thing that people will grow out of it.

Re-traditionalist - Diane Butler Bass has done a study on people who don’t want to be called emergent Christian but don’t want to be called Emergent Christians.

These people are very techno understanding, etc. BUT aren’t emergent in thinking and such.

Progressives - Phoenix Affirmation by Eric -------

Diane Butler Bass would rather call them the Generatives

They are some of the first people to begin to ask the questions of the emergence:

The nature of a theology of religion - how do I deal with my fellow citizens in a country that is increasingly religiously diverse? How do I hold true to my faith and not create divisiveness?

Progressives are ACTIVELY seeking out these questions.

Hyphenateds - this is the edge of the pond.

The church in Jerusalem was the mother of the fresh expression of the church in Antioch.

We must accept the fact that we have a father and mother church and respect this and love them.

What is the Authority?

During the Reformation we lost the church as a community center in exchange for the individual self and only what we need as an individual.

This is why I keep waiting tables - they teach me see God. Because they find themselves in the Gospel story.

Reasons I Love Tulsa Architecture

2008-12-09T08:55:00.013-07:00

I think architecture has some tremendous impacts on our development. Some might say that what we are surrounded by visually tells something of what kind of culture we were raised in and/or care about now. Perhaps this is true for you, perhaps not, I don't know. But I do know that its something real for me.

For example, my absolute favorite interior design style is a combination of the 1950s and 60s Mod with a slight present day flare. I have come to realize that this is actually influence greatly by my grandmother's taste in interior design (and this wasn't some throw-back-musty-old-left-over style, no it was up-to-date cool) and the getting to play with my mom's old toys while I was visiting her house. Because I loved being at my grandparent's house and felt so safe, secure and loved there, I believe that is one of the reasons the design style I was surrounded by there has become a favorite of mine. (I also totally dig all the goofy gadgets that came out of the mass automation of the 1950s)

So, if you follow this logic out - perhaps my reason for loving Art Deco architecture and 1950s ranch home style - with the beautiful rock brick work - is because these are the two major style influences in Tulsa. Tulsa was first settled by the Creek Indians in 1830 during the Trail of Tears. (A side note: When the Creeks finally settled here they chose a tree just a little ways away from the Arkansas River as a central meeting place and deposited the ashes from their last fires in their native Alabama. This tree became known as the Council Oak Tree and was established as where the tribe would gather to create law and order in their new land. Today this tree still stands and is a symbol to Tulsans of our history and our future in seeking to work together to make the best of our circumstances.)

Tulsa was later established as a incorporated city in 1898 by the influx of Western expansion into Indian Territory. Around the same time Oklahoma became a state (1907), the first oil pool was drilled (1901) and the largest discovery called the Glen Pool found in 1905. This lead to a huge oil boom, putting us on the map for decades to come as the "Oil Capital of the World" and garnering international influence on the culture, architecture and lifestyles of Tulsans. Tulsa exploded in population by 700% in just 20 years and as a result became one of the largest concentrations in the US of the very popular Art Deco style architecture of the 1920s and 30s (South Beach in Maimi is first). Some of the primary designers during this time, and who all have buildings in Tulsa, were: Frank Lloyd Wright, Bruce Goff, Francis Barry Bryne and many others. (Go here or here to get some looks at the buildings we have)

I love this style of architecture and I truly believe that this is because it was all over the place in Tulsa as a result of our first heyday in the 1920s. The second heyday was after WW II and the boom of the 1950s in Modern design. Perhaps my favorite part of this is this style of rock/brick work (look at the fireplace). So, I just thought I would show you some of my favorite pieces of architecture in Tulsa. Below are just a few pictures, I will show you more after I take pictures at Christmas. I believe God speaks to us through design and that buildings are our form of public art. So, know that this style of architecture has an influence on my spiritual walk as well.

Enjoy...

Boston Avenue United Methodist Church are these first few and the second ones are the house Frank Lloyd Wright designed. I can't seem to get these to lay out like I want, but I think you get the idea.

Observations on the Way Home

2008-12-07T10:37:00.003-07:00

1) I-40 is FULL of truckers who like to drive their Semi's really, really fast and I don't like it! Can't wait to get to I-70!

2) Somewhere between Little Rock and Oklahoma there is a really stinky pig or chicken farm that should be far, far, far away from the highway. Yuck...

3) Sunsets on the plains are beautiful and completely fill the entire sky with colors more brillent than any possible creation of man.

4) Cracker Barrel secretly controls the south with mind control drugs in its food. This is why you see them about every 5 miles on the highway.

5) Conway, AR. does not have a bars in their resturaunts, none at all! Where do all the sinners hang out?

6) I really like living up north on I-70 - no truckers or stinky farms on that highway.

7) I should stop blogging and get on the road because its getting late and I have an 11 hour drive ahead of me.

Merry Christmas - or as the little boy on the hallmark commercial says..."Picka-picka-pocka..."

Living on Tulsa Time

2008-12-07T09:55:00.004-07:00

So, I made my first leg of my drive home last night. I am at my parent's house in Tulsa. Its always nice to be here, 1) because for some reason I ALWAYS sleep deeply here, I guess that has something to do with feeling safe and comforted and all that, 2) because when I get up in the morning my father always has coffee ready to go, ummm..., 3) I don't feel like I have to worry about anything with my parents around, and most of all, 4) I love my mom and dad and family dearly and I mean dearly and love spending time with them.

I have been away from Denver for nearly two weeks now. Its kind of strange to have been away so long. I really love my city but there has been little opportunities there lately to help me get "traction" (as Sally M. says) for my ministry so I have mixed feelings about it all. I guess I feel like if I had a spiritual community I was shepherding, loving, leading and caring for there would be something different going on for me in Denver. But as things are this isn't the case for me and so when I come home to the place where I found myself again I feel lost.

Perhaps that's the key for this city here, that I feel lost.

And Tim said that OK.

This past week I participated in a series of presentations at The Great Emergence Event in Memphis, TN. Dad and I, as Leadership Nexus, were one of the presenters along with some of the great thinkers and leaders is searching for the Truth of Christ in this postmodern (post-everything) world. People like Sally Morgenthaler, Tim Keel, Karen Ward, Nannette Sawyer, J. Brent Bill, Joseph Myers, Will and Lisa Samson, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Sara Mills, and many others were our fellow presenters.

Tim Keel's presentation focused on the impact spiritually, mentally, emotionally and biologically of being lost on any given person. He helped us see how when we admit that we are lost or feel lost that we are in a place where we really need to be and that one of two things happen. One, we either go crazy and stay lost forever, or two, we look for solutions to our new circumstances, are challenged by them, are changed and transformed and grow into a new version of ourselves. He talked about how God uses lost-ness to transform us, change us and challenge us to be more like the true self, the original image He intends for us.

God is glorified in our lost-ness. I know in reality while I am unsure of the lost-ness I feel right now, I trust, know and am assured that the Truth of God, the One True God, revealed to me in Jesus Christ and present in our world today through the Holy Spirit, is truly and deeply present in my lost-ness. I know, clearly know, that HE IS TRANSFORMING ME SPIRITUALLY right now and that He will change me, transform me more into His likeness with each passing and surrendered day.

It is spiritually clear to me that I am relearning to trust myself, trust others and trust my God to lead me through these changes in life. Trust myself is the biggest thing here because as I apply for jobs. I am scared that I will get trapped in the self-denial that had developed in my previous jobs (not self denial as in opposite of selfishness but rather self denial as in not allowing my true self to be seen or known) rather than allowing my true self to be seen and known and exist as a reflection of God's love, glory and faith in humanity.

I know this is what He is teaching me in this time of lost-ness and trust that He love will lead me through. The thing is I know I will have to leave this island of hope, this mountain of healing, this safety of the valley I have been in while living in Colorado, in order to move through this time and get free from my being a Lostie.

Love....

Great Emeregence

2008-12-04T21:56:00.003-07:00

Here is what I am doing this weekend:

The Great Emergence National Event

I am at the Great Emergence Event in Memphis, TN and will be making a presentation with my Dad on our reactions to Phyllis Tickle's book The Great Emergence.

Leadership Nexus, Dad's consulting group, has a table set up at the event and is giving information out about some of our future events. We are also speaking as Leadership Nexus.

Its been really a cool couple of days so far. BUT I know I am in the South again because everything here is FRIED and covered with sweet tea. Its crazy! Last night I went to this "home-cooking" restaurant I was recommended and thought I would order the special, a choice of meat with three vegetables. I thought, "Great! I really want some fresh veggies right now...um, broccoli!" So, I look at the meet selections and quickly survey that my choices are basically, fried, deep fried or double fried...and then I see at the end of the list, grilled chicken. So, I ordered that. Next came my veggie choice. I was so happy to eat plenty of good veggies. I begin to survey the list and notice that there isn't steamed broccoli anywhere on there. I thought, "Oh, well, I'll get green beans..." No, again! "Ok, how about corn on the cob?" No, again! Then I notice that there are ONLY fried vegetables or "casseroled" vegetables or starchy vegetables like mashed potatoes. Have you ever had corn casserole? And there was NO salad ANYWHERE! I was very disappointed.

Oh, golly - how can we over come the obesity epidemic if this is all we serve?!

OK, so let me explain...

2008-12-04T21:31:00.002-07:00

Hello all! So, some of you are probably wondering how come I haven't posted in such a really long time. And I mean REALLY LONG TIME....

Well, there were a number of reasons but perhaps the greatest one was the fact that I quickly learned in my job interviewing that the interviewers were looking me up on google and reading my blog before interviewing/talking to me. And well, I wasn't sure what I felt about that. While I was glad they were reading my blog, I wasn't sure if I was comfortable with the passing of judgment on me pre talking with me. So, I had to deal with that and come to some understanding of that for myself. Here was my process:

First, I thought - "I didn't give them the blog address so how dare they look at it." But then I realized that wasn't why I wrote the blog, to hid it from people. In fact, I write this blog so that I can allow my self - my sometimes confused, sometimes seeking, sometimes confident, sometimes ranting, but hopefully all the time TRUE, REAL, AUTHENTIC self - this SELF to be revealed and open to the whole world. I guess I just didn't realize how much of the world its open too.... and that I guess scared/brought a realization to me.

That realization was this: do I really trust the "whole world" (since its the World Wide Web) to read and respect my vulnerable soul? or do I think that all this will only be read by all the people I know and trust? and is that really the way I would like to keep it?

My answer to this realization/question was yes, if I would really like to share my heart and soul on the web, I really do want to trust the whole world to read it with respect and proper judgment, just as I seek to do with other people's blogs. And if I can't handle the globe reading things then I shouldn't post. I want people to read my thoughts, rants, etc. I feel I have something to say and the only way to know if its anything worth saying is if people are listening.

So, I guess the hesitation/struggle I had with people reading my blog before interviewing me was the fact that I felt a concern that they were passing judgment on me and my fitness for a job based only on what was written here. I felt like I would like people to interview me first and then read later. However, that wasn't the reality of what could happen here. I had to come to an understanding within myself that who I am is who I am either on the web or on the phone. Either way people still won't see the full me - that can't come across in an interview or a scan through my blog.

So, I ask you if your are reading this, or just a blog reader in general, remember to take this as just a part, just a small something that reflects the journey and process of a person's heart, soul, emotions, etc. All that you get to see is a glimpse of the writer - understand that and take the time to really get to know them. If you aren't able to talk with them or develop a long relationship with them then please, be careful in how you pass judgment, know that you are only seeing one element of the whole self and ask God in His glory to give you grace and understanding in your reading.

So that's my two cents....

And now perhaps I will spend my time blogging all the things I have thought about blogging over the last couple of months...

I am devastated by a man's failure to control his anger

2008-10-14T13:17:00.002-06:00

Sunday night while watching the news I learned of the tragic shooting death of a 2 year old in an up and coming Downtown Denver neighborhood. I knew the neighborhood well, even have some friends who live there. Its a neighborhood much like mine (if you know where I live), nice and new redesigned historical homes, young bohemian families moving in, lots of comfortable community with your neighbors. When I heard of the death I was saddened simply because the place was like my neighborhood and hoped no one I knew was near by, but would be asking them what they knew about it. Little did I know, the victim would be the son of a friend of mine.

When I got to work Monday morning I noticed a melancholy mood permeating the management staff, by the end of our pre-shift meeting I knew why. Thomas Crookham, on of our weekend servers was the father of the 2 year old shot. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe it. I knew Tom, not real well, but I still knew him. He was a cool guy. Real quiet but also really, really nice and comfortable with others. How could this happen to him?!

He and his wife were getting back together after filing for divorce but never finalizing. They were slowly reconciling and this past Sunday morning attended Mass together as a family, Mom, Angela, Tom and their son, Noah. During their separation Angela had dated some, including her friend, Earl, who had moved into the basement duplex of her house to help her with rent (Tom had moved out). When Tom and Angela had decided to make things work, Angela asked Earl to move out, but he hadn't yet. When Earl discovered Tom at the house after Mass Sunday morning he became furious and began arguing with Tom. Soon Earl brandished a gun. Tom told Angela to run, then grabbed Noah and fled himself. Two shots were fired in the house and then while Tom was running down the street with Noah in his arms, Earl aimed at Tom. The bullet hit him in the hand with which he was holding Noah. The bullet went through his hand and into his son's chest, taking his life.

The brokenness and anger and devastation here is almost unconceivable. I can only make attempts at imagining the sheer emotional devastation Tom and Angela are feeling. I can no longer understand why someone who seems perfectly normal would lash out in rage over something like a girl breaking up with him. The shooter keeps saying in the article in the Denver Post that he didn't mean to hurt anyone. Didn't mean to hurt anyone?! What part of shooting a gun doesn't intend to hurt someone?! Anger and violence never mix. When they do, this kind of thing can happen. The resolution to anger can not result in violence, it never accomplishes anything.

This is my prayer:

"Holy, Glorious Lord, please, be with us, be with the Crookhams. They need your strength, guidance and protection. Carry them through. Holy Father, today I see once again how we are in such desperate need of you and how brokenness when left unhealed can create devastation personally and publicly. I have come only closer to comprehending how you will work in us, if we let you, to become who we were created to be but have chosen not to be. When we choose to reject you we choose to reject ourselves, our whole and true selves. God to your glory be wholly here within this tragedy and help other people see how WHOLE you are and how you will help them heal from their brokenness if they will let you. Love Tom and Angela with all you have. I love you Father."

Update

2008-10-14T00:07:00.003-06:00

OK, so I haven't posted in a while because I have been so busy looking for a job. Why am I looking for a job you might ask? Well, that's just the question, simply because I feel called to care for and serve the community of Christ with all I have and with all I am. I've tried some new methods recently but just haven't seemed to have find my place yet. So, I'm looking. And looking. And looking.

And its been a long process.

In my previous post, I mentioned that I would be doing a face to face interview with a congregation in the KC area. I have since been to that interview and all though I was interested in the job, things just didn't pan out. I felt like there was something unique about the job but just something missing. I was willing to make things work, however, the congregation must have felt it too and shut down the process before I could. I was kind of bummed simply because there wasn't really a good reason given to me for why they shut the process down, but yet relieved because we weren't going to have to deal with some potential conflicts.

So, I'm back on the prowl. While interviewing with the KC church I have also been interviewing with World Vision and have started the process with a number of churches around the country. Today I was contacted by pastors in both St. Louis and Indiana who had seen my resume and said they were looking for someone like me to fill a void, so that is exciting. I have a phone conversation with Indiana tomorrow morning and am hoping to set something up with St. Louis soon. (BTW, these are all UMC churches)

I am also hoping for an interview with the Tennessee Annual Conference as the Conference Youth and Young Adult Director, have my resume in at Ginghamsburg UMC and a UMC church outside of Atlanta. So, I am working diligently - so just keep praying for me.

The main thing with this is the looking forward to not having to pick up more shifts to make money so I can pay bills. To be honest, it can be emotionally draining to job search all day long and then shift over into serving tables, when do I get to stop this crazy roller coaster?! Trust me, this is nothing I advice for anyone to have to do.

"Jane, get me off this crazy thing!!!"

Happy Birthday Karen

2008-09-25T10:33:00.003-06:00

My dear friend Karen Sloan is having a Birthday today and as a gift I am sharing the link to her relaunched website with you.

http://karensloan.net/

She is an emerging church leader and author of "Flirting with Monasticism." (Book review here.) She was also one of our speakers at the "Emerging Church for the Existing Church" Conference we had in April 2008. (the flyer has been taken down from the website or else I would link it for you.)

BTW, if you are curious about the emerging church, wondering what church will look like in a postmodern context and/or concerned about how your established church will work through this changing world - contact me, lets talk. We might be able to provide some opportunities for dialogue, connections and networking to help navigate these waters. If you are looking for another Conference like the one mentioned above, let me know, depending on interest depends on how soon we will make that happen again.