There are times in my life, rare though they be, when I wish I could be more superficial.
Last night was one of those times.
Billy and I had a "discussion" about quality and money and beer.
It all started with the question, "Does God take pleasure in our pleasure?"
After a series of interrogatories, it ended with inner conflict between what I believe and what I've thus far done in accordance with those beliefs.
There are people out there who want to hear music played on $1500 guitars, and they don't consider that there are thousands of Jamaican orphans whose material possessions in their entirety can (and actually have to) fit down the front of their t-shirt.
These are the same people who drink beer without considering that the amount of grain used in the beer that Americans consume in a year, could feed the hungry in India for that same year.
So, does God take pleasure in our pleasure? Maybe a better question is "does God take pleasure in the misery that we're perpetuating for others?"
There are people out there who can ignore this question. To take it further, they ignore the implications that the answer has on their lives. And best yet, they can sleep at night. I sometimes wish I could release my convictions and become one of these people because life seems so much simpler for them.
But I'm not a ditzy blonde. I'm the kind of girl who dies her hair black.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
8 Weeks to Optimal Health -- Week 4
Labels:
Health
Okay...I'm gonna plead guilty on this one, BUT I do have mitigating circumstances. (Ah ha! All those years as a legal secretary paid off, didn't they?)
Week 4 went down the drain a little while back. Last week, I spent a lot of time getting ready for school to begin. We'll be back at the books next week, so look for an update on how that's going soon.
Anyway, I didn't keep up with Google Reader most of that time...or housework...or health.
But the Housewife recently linked to me. So, now I have to get going.
Here's how I did on Week Four:
1) Check on your bed, mattress, and sleeping location. Is [anything] interfering with restful sleep? If so, consider making the changes described.
Okay, I’m trying not to be sarcastic, but this is just funny. Anything interfering? Uh, yeah. It’s called a baby. Changes? Well, none for now. Really, I’ve been sleeping really well lately, except for when Ashlyn wakes up, which is still sometimes 2 times a night. Other times, it’s just once. Billy’s also been helping me out as we trade mornings to get up with her at 6 am.
2) Find out about getting an air filter for your home or bedroom if you live in a polluted area or suffer from ailments that might be worsened by inhaled irritants. I’ve had an air purifier for years now, and I really can tell a difference. Ironically, this week I’d been getting headaches, so I turned it off because I realized that I need to replace the ionizer. I have a call in to my supplier to get one of those ASAP.
3) Eat some more garlic this week, in any form that appeals to you. I'm a fan of fresh garlic, but this week, powdered had to do. I do have some fresh in the fridge, but can you believe I was actually too lazy to use it. Wow! How's that for a spoiled brat? Still, one teaspoon of powder equals a clove of garlic, so we used some of that this week.
4) Replace at least two meals of animal protein with soy protein. Made some yummy TVP tacos. Mmmm-mmmm.
5) Be sure that your multivitamin is providing you with the B-complex group. I haven't used my vitamins for a couple of weeks, and boy! Have I been feeling it. B gives us some much-needed nerve energy. And I've been low on that lately. I'm feeling very worn out, which cause me to go to bed at 7:30 last night.
6) Increase your aerobic walk to 25 minutes, 5 days of the week. Again, I'm claiming that my religion forbids walks in the heat. But it is cooling down some, so hopefully this coming week.
7) Do two days of news fasting this week. I actually feel like I need to watch news more. Someone mentioned something about a bridge collapse somewhere in Minnesota (?), and I had no idea what they were talking about. I have no clue these days about the world around me, so I should probably subscribe to a news feed in Google. Then, I can do a fast from it next week!
8) Continue to practice the breathing exercises you have learned. This week you will add a powerful Relaxing Breath that will improve both mental and physical health. I did this stuff with my daughter a bit this week. She can really get herself worked up sometimes, so I thought it would be good to give her some skills to utilize when she gets overly anxious or nervous. It went well. We used an article from About.com that helps bring it to a kids' level.
Well, there we are! Back at it. See ya next week for Week Five.
Week 4 went down the drain a little while back. Last week, I spent a lot of time getting ready for school to begin. We'll be back at the books next week, so look for an update on how that's going soon.
Anyway, I didn't keep up with Google Reader most of that time...or housework...or health.
But the Housewife recently linked to me. So, now I have to get going.
Here's how I did on Week Four:
1) Check on your bed, mattress, and sleeping location. Is [anything] interfering with restful sleep? If so, consider making the changes described.
Okay, I’m trying not to be sarcastic, but this is just funny. Anything interfering? Uh, yeah. It’s called a baby. Changes? Well, none for now. Really, I’ve been sleeping really well lately, except for when Ashlyn wakes up, which is still sometimes 2 times a night. Other times, it’s just once. Billy’s also been helping me out as we trade mornings to get up with her at 6 am.
2) Find out about getting an air filter for your home or bedroom if you live in a polluted area or suffer from ailments that might be worsened by inhaled irritants. I’ve had an air purifier for years now, and I really can tell a difference. Ironically, this week I’d been getting headaches, so I turned it off because I realized that I need to replace the ionizer. I have a call in to my supplier to get one of those ASAP.
3) Eat some more garlic this week, in any form that appeals to you. I'm a fan of fresh garlic, but this week, powdered had to do. I do have some fresh in the fridge, but can you believe I was actually too lazy to use it. Wow! How's that for a spoiled brat? Still, one teaspoon of powder equals a clove of garlic, so we used some of that this week.
4) Replace at least two meals of animal protein with soy protein. Made some yummy TVP tacos. Mmmm-mmmm.
5) Be sure that your multivitamin is providing you with the B-complex group. I haven't used my vitamins for a couple of weeks, and boy! Have I been feeling it. B gives us some much-needed nerve energy. And I've been low on that lately. I'm feeling very worn out, which cause me to go to bed at 7:30 last night.
6) Increase your aerobic walk to 25 minutes, 5 days of the week. Again, I'm claiming that my religion forbids walks in the heat. But it is cooling down some, so hopefully this coming week.
7) Do two days of news fasting this week. I actually feel like I need to watch news more. Someone mentioned something about a bridge collapse somewhere in Minnesota (?), and I had no idea what they were talking about. I have no clue these days about the world around me, so I should probably subscribe to a news feed in Google. Then, I can do a fast from it next week!
8) Continue to practice the breathing exercises you have learned. This week you will add a powerful Relaxing Breath that will improve both mental and physical health. I did this stuff with my daughter a bit this week. She can really get herself worked up sometimes, so I thought it would be good to give her some skills to utilize when she gets overly anxious or nervous. It went well. We used an article from About.com that helps bring it to a kids' level.
Well, there we are! Back at it. See ya next week for Week Five.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Happy Birthday, Eve-Marie!
Labels:
Family,
Photography
Seven years ago, my older daughter looked like this:
Here's what she looks like these days:
Happy Birthday, Chica!
Here's what she looks like these days:
Happy Birthday, Chica!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bible Journey > Galatians 5:1-12 > Circumcision or Castration?
Labels:
Bible Journey
Freedom is an amazing gift that God gave when Jesus died for us.
But for some reason, it's so freakin' hard to accept. The longer I walk this journey, the more I love my freedom. The more I appreciate the idea of living in relationship with God instead of in religion toward Him.
But on occasion, I'm still tempted to want to follow the rules.
I'm not alone.
In Galatians 5, Paul reminds his brothers that circumcision is no longer necessary. Rather, it is a harmful thing for a new convert to the Dao of Jesus to participate in.
But no matter what Paul preached, he always had people twisting his words. And this point is no different. Some people were claiming that Paul still preached the benefits of circumcision.
His response to such people?
Go castrate yourself.
But for some reason, it's so freakin' hard to accept. The longer I walk this journey, the more I love my freedom. The more I appreciate the idea of living in relationship with God instead of in religion toward Him.
But on occasion, I'm still tempted to want to follow the rules.
I'm not alone.
In Galatians 5, Paul reminds his brothers that circumcision is no longer necessary. Rather, it is a harmful thing for a new convert to the Dao of Jesus to participate in.
But no matter what Paul preached, he always had people twisting his words. And this point is no different. Some people were claiming that Paul still preached the benefits of circumcision.
His response to such people?
Go castrate yourself.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Letting You Do It Instead
Today I went to the introductory session of the Women's Leadership Institute at my church. I'm excited to the rest of the classes I'll be able to attend (which will be affected by how quickly Billy gets a job).
While giving just a brief overview of the courses, Pat (our Women's Ministry Director) reminded us that we all have unique places in God's kingdom work. And she emphatically encouraged some of us by saying...
But for now, I'll let you do it.
While giving just a brief overview of the courses, Pat (our Women's Ministry Director) reminded us that we all have unique places in God's kingdom work. And she emphatically encouraged some of us by saying...
If you have small kids at home, that's where your ministry lies. Someone else can do the greeting. Someone else can do anything around the church. No one else can raise those children.So, I'm encouraged, especially in light of my recent guilt over not serving more. For now, I'm glad to be the one who teaches my children and who raises up new followers of Christ. Soon enough, my baby will be toddling around, and we can go serve together.
But for now, I'll let you do it.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
8 Weeks to Optimal Health -- Week 3
Labels:
Health
Here we are again. Is this boring for anyone else?
1. Find out where to buy organic produce. Make a commitment to buy only organic.
Hey, Dr. Weil...how bout if you make a commitment to pay for my overpriced organic produce? It's available everywhere. It's just also twice as much as the chemical laden variety.
2. If you use an electric blanket, stop. Remove electric clock radios from the immediate vicinity of your bed. Buy a pair of UV-protective sunglasses if you don't have any.
Okay, this is getting increasingly hard to follow since I don't have the book. Why do I need to remove the clock from beside my bed??? I mean, while I'm at it, should I duck every time the microwave is turned on?
3. Make a conscious effort to eat an extra serving of fruits and vegetables with at least one meal this week.
I have definitely been doing this. I even ate *gasp* a salad!
4. Eat fish at least twice this week.
I made some super tasty tuna pitas this week. I ate that same thing for 2 meals.
5. Replace at least on serving of meat with a soy food of your choice.
I didn't know what this meant. Does he mean "meat" as in animal muscle? Or "meat" as in beef, pork, deer, and not poultry? Cause sometimes people don't classify poultry as "meat." Regardless, we didn't eat any "hard-core meat" this week, so I didn't substitute any soy. But when a recipe calls for ground beef, I use TVP. It's a soy product, and oh so good!
6. He introduced the benefits of vitamin E and selenium.
Uh, okay.
7. Start stretching.
Billy and I have been doing the Slim and Limber 15-minute video from Slim in 6 Beach Body series. (No, I don't own the whole series. I'm pretty sure I'd be embarrassed if I did.) We've both seen noticeable improvement in our flexibility, and it's a nice relaxing thing for before bed.
8. Add "Letting Yourself Be Breathed" to your breathwork.
Again, I don't have Weil's book, but I was able to find a description of this online, and frankly, this dude's weird. I mean, if the whole phobia of electronics wasn't enough, this one really takes the cake. He tells you here to lie on your back and let the universe breathe into you. Uh, no thanks. I think I'll breathe for myself.
9. Abstain from news at again one day this week.
Check.
10. Buy more flowers. Find out how to grow some of your own food.
Didn't buy flowers. I need to bring some in from outside before they all die, though.
As for the food...am I just supposed to find out? Cause I already know how, I just haven't yet set out to do it.
Alright...on to week four.
1. Find out where to buy organic produce. Make a commitment to buy only organic.
Hey, Dr. Weil...how bout if you make a commitment to pay for my overpriced organic produce? It's available everywhere. It's just also twice as much as the chemical laden variety.
2. If you use an electric blanket, stop. Remove electric clock radios from the immediate vicinity of your bed. Buy a pair of UV-protective sunglasses if you don't have any.
Okay, this is getting increasingly hard to follow since I don't have the book. Why do I need to remove the clock from beside my bed??? I mean, while I'm at it, should I duck every time the microwave is turned on?
3. Make a conscious effort to eat an extra serving of fruits and vegetables with at least one meal this week.
I have definitely been doing this. I even ate *gasp* a salad!
4. Eat fish at least twice this week.
I made some super tasty tuna pitas this week. I ate that same thing for 2 meals.
5. Replace at least on serving of meat with a soy food of your choice.
I didn't know what this meant. Does he mean "meat" as in animal muscle? Or "meat" as in beef, pork, deer, and not poultry? Cause sometimes people don't classify poultry as "meat." Regardless, we didn't eat any "hard-core meat" this week, so I didn't substitute any soy. But when a recipe calls for ground beef, I use TVP. It's a soy product, and oh so good!
6. He introduced the benefits of vitamin E and selenium.
Uh, okay.
7. Start stretching.
Billy and I have been doing the Slim and Limber 15-minute video from Slim in 6 Beach Body series. (No, I don't own the whole series. I'm pretty sure I'd be embarrassed if I did.) We've both seen noticeable improvement in our flexibility, and it's a nice relaxing thing for before bed.
8. Add "Letting Yourself Be Breathed" to your breathwork.
Again, I don't have Weil's book, but I was able to find a description of this online, and frankly, this dude's weird. I mean, if the whole phobia of electronics wasn't enough, this one really takes the cake. He tells you here to lie on your back and let the universe breathe into you. Uh, no thanks. I think I'll breathe for myself.
9. Abstain from news at again one day this week.
Check.
10. Buy more flowers. Find out how to grow some of your own food.
Didn't buy flowers. I need to bring some in from outside before they all die, though.
As for the food...am I just supposed to find out? Cause I already know how, I just haven't yet set out to do it.
Alright...on to week four.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Love Song for Billy
Last week, Billy posted a Love Song video on his site, so I had to respond in turn. This is a song that I started writing in order to express how happy I was being married to him. It ended up being an apology after a fight. It also happens to be based on 1 Peter 4:8.
the lyrics...
Love covers over us,
Erases the sin,
Eliminates our weaknesses,
Removes from us the pain.
And this love is divine,
But I feel it in your touch.
And when you're close, I believe in God.
Love covers over us,
When we've given up
When we've failed to know what do to,
It's still the only Truth.
And this love is beyond any feeling I have found.
And it keeps me here when I'd rather go.
So, I'm sorry
When my words...
When everything I am is nothing that you deserve.
And I'm sorry
I forget about your love.
For your love is divine,
And I cannot measure up.
But you stay with me,
And I believe.
the lyrics...
Love covers over us,
Erases the sin,
Eliminates our weaknesses,
Removes from us the pain.
And this love is divine,
But I feel it in your touch.
And when you're close, I believe in God.
Love covers over us,
When we've given up
When we've failed to know what do to,
It's still the only Truth.
And this love is beyond any feeling I have found.
And it keeps me here when I'd rather go.
So, I'm sorry
When my words...
When everything I am is nothing that you deserve.
And I'm sorry
I forget about your love.
For your love is divine,
And I cannot measure up.
But you stay with me,
And I believe.
Friday, August 10, 2007
World's Easiest Cookies
I hate baking. But I have found a recipe for cookies that are not only addictive, but also very simple:
Cake Mix Cookies
1 box cake mix -- any flavor
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 cup add-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles, whatever) --optional
Mix ingredients and bake for 10 minutes at 350.
The end.
Cake Mix Cookies
1 box cake mix -- any flavor
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 cup add-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles, whatever) --optional
Mix ingredients and bake for 10 minutes at 350.
The end.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Bible Journey > Colossians 3:10
Labels:
Bible Journey
As I slowly plod through my studies, every so often a verse sticks out and compels me to slow down more and really contemplate (and inevitably thanks God for it). The verse that I've been meditating on a lot this week is Colossians 3:10.
I find that as I listen to sermons, read books, or simply have "church" discussions with Billy, I get down on myself more and more that I'm not living up to the standards of who I should be and what I should be doing as a Christian. Now, I'm not talking about works righteousness. I know that I'm righteous through Christ, but I'm talking about the good works that I was created for.
I am currently reading This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley, and so many of his words resonate with me. But so many of his ideas only contribute to the guilt that I feel for the amount of money we spend on convenience...the internet, the air conditioning, all the comforts that we take for granted. We spend enough money on our electricity that every month we could buy a goat for a family in India to be able to raise and milk and gain income from.
I'm so far from what I think Christianity lived out is that I often read things like McKinley's book, and rather than feeling inspired, I feel guilty. Why don't I do these things? Why do I talk about service, but use my 6-month-old as an excuse for why I never leave my house?
But Colossians 3:10 was encouraging for me. It reminds me that my newly created self is still in the process of being renewed. That was a comforting thought. The greek word for renewed is in the present participle form, and also importantly in the passive voice. Now what all that grammar lingo (which I absolutely ADORE by the way) means that GOD is at work, right now, in me. And though I have yet to be fully Kingdom-focused, He is constantly renewing me. So, while I'm not yet where I will eventually be, I am on the path, and this faith thing? It isn't a destination.
I find that as I listen to sermons, read books, or simply have "church" discussions with Billy, I get down on myself more and more that I'm not living up to the standards of who I should be and what I should be doing as a Christian. Now, I'm not talking about works righteousness. I know that I'm righteous through Christ, but I'm talking about the good works that I was created for.
I am currently reading This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley, and so many of his words resonate with me. But so many of his ideas only contribute to the guilt that I feel for the amount of money we spend on convenience...the internet, the air conditioning, all the comforts that we take for granted. We spend enough money on our electricity that every month we could buy a goat for a family in India to be able to raise and milk and gain income from.
I'm so far from what I think Christianity lived out is that I often read things like McKinley's book, and rather than feeling inspired, I feel guilty. Why don't I do these things? Why do I talk about service, but use my 6-month-old as an excuse for why I never leave my house?
But Colossians 3:10 was encouraging for me. It reminds me that my newly created self is still in the process of being renewed. That was a comforting thought. The greek word for renewed is in the present participle form, and also importantly in the passive voice. Now what all that grammar lingo (which I absolutely ADORE by the way) means that GOD is at work, right now, in me. And though I have yet to be fully Kingdom-focused, He is constantly renewing me. So, while I'm not yet where I will eventually be, I am on the path, and this faith thing? It isn't a destination.
8 Weeks to Optimal Health -- Week 2
Labels:
Health
Today marks the end of my 2nd week for this 8-week program by Dr. Weil. I had a little less commitment to it than I did the first week. In fact, I don't even know all the things I was supposed to do, except for eat fish. This is mainly due to the fact that our library doesn't carry his book, so I'm relying on the Housewife to be my guide. So, as I read her posts, I'm tagging along, and basically it's hard for me to get online much when the kiddos are taking my attention. Darn kids. (That was not serious...I love my children like crazy, and I'm super blessed to be able to stay at home with them.)
So, for week three, I'll print out her post so I can follow along better, but for now, here's my progress...
1) Again, eat fish at least once this week and broccoli twice. I did the whole salmon thing again. Tried some Salmon Cakes, and they were pretty good in the taste category. Unfortunately, the recipe didn't have enough moisture, so even after I added an extra 2 Tbsp. of mayo (I'm sure that's super healthy), they were still dry. But once I doused them in ranch dressing, they weren't half bad.
Broccoli is easy. We love it around here.
2) Try to increase your consumption of whole grains. Choose whole grain breads or cereals. Does Frosted Mini-Wheats count?
3) Go to a natural-food store and look through the frozen and refrigerated sections to familiarize yourself with the many different products made from soybeans. Select one to try. No thanks. I did the soy stuff in college and never could get a taste for it. Plus any frozen food from a natural store is beyond obnoxious in the price category.
4) Buy some Japanese or Chinese green tea and try it. If you drink coffee or black tea, try to substitute green tea for some or all of your usual beverages. I've been told not to drink teas while breastfeeding. Just in case weirdo herbs give my baby retarded development. So, I stuck with my coffee, but I do use an all natural sweetener called Stevia.
5) Find out where your drinking water comes from and what impurities it might contain. Stop drinking chlorinated water. Get information about a home water-purifying system. In the meantime, drink bottled water. Our water is gross. It's contaminated with all kindsa crap and calcium. So, we have a water softener and we run tap water through old, overused pitcher filters that probably no longer work. I need to change those.
For the record, I do not agree with bottled water. Sure, I like the idea of the cleanliness of the H2O, but the excess plastic waste is not so appealing. I've gone beyond my allotment of plastic usage with baby food containers, so I cannot justify buying bottled water.
6) Start taking one capsule a day of mixed carotenes with breakfast. I ran out of vitamins this week, and have yet to get some more from my dealer.
7) Increase your daily walk to 15 minutes. Daily walks in 95 degree weather do not agree with me. Again, I spent an hour walking around the grocery store, and it also took forever to walk around the lake where Billy got baptized this weekend, so that was my exercise.
8) Visit a park or some other favorite place in nature. Spend as much time as you can there, doing nothing in particular, just feeling the energy of the place. I wish I had read this advice before the week started, cause I would've loved to make this part of my week.
9) Try a one-day "news fast." Do not read, watch, or listen to any new for a day. This is my lifestyle. I probably need to watch news more.
10) Continue with Breath Observation for five minutes a day. Then, for one minute a day, try to experience the breath cycle, beginning with exhalation and ending with inhalation. nope...I have been focusing on my breath as Billy and I prepare for leading youth in worship tonight.
So, yeah...the inner slacker has come to the forefront. I'm hoping to be a little better at this in the coming week. We shall see.
So, for week three, I'll print out her post so I can follow along better, but for now, here's my progress...
1) Again, eat fish at least once this week and broccoli twice. I did the whole salmon thing again. Tried some Salmon Cakes, and they were pretty good in the taste category. Unfortunately, the recipe didn't have enough moisture, so even after I added an extra 2 Tbsp. of mayo (I'm sure that's super healthy), they were still dry. But once I doused them in ranch dressing, they weren't half bad.
Broccoli is easy. We love it around here.
2) Try to increase your consumption of whole grains. Choose whole grain breads or cereals. Does Frosted Mini-Wheats count?
3) Go to a natural-food store and look through the frozen and refrigerated sections to familiarize yourself with the many different products made from soybeans. Select one to try. No thanks. I did the soy stuff in college and never could get a taste for it. Plus any frozen food from a natural store is beyond obnoxious in the price category.
4) Buy some Japanese or Chinese green tea and try it. If you drink coffee or black tea, try to substitute green tea for some or all of your usual beverages. I've been told not to drink teas while breastfeeding. Just in case weirdo herbs give my baby retarded development. So, I stuck with my coffee, but I do use an all natural sweetener called Stevia.
5) Find out where your drinking water comes from and what impurities it might contain. Stop drinking chlorinated water. Get information about a home water-purifying system. In the meantime, drink bottled water. Our water is gross. It's contaminated with all kindsa crap and calcium. So, we have a water softener and we run tap water through old, overused pitcher filters that probably no longer work. I need to change those.
For the record, I do not agree with bottled water. Sure, I like the idea of the cleanliness of the H2O, but the excess plastic waste is not so appealing. I've gone beyond my allotment of plastic usage with baby food containers, so I cannot justify buying bottled water.
6) Start taking one capsule a day of mixed carotenes with breakfast. I ran out of vitamins this week, and have yet to get some more from my dealer.
7) Increase your daily walk to 15 minutes. Daily walks in 95 degree weather do not agree with me. Again, I spent an hour walking around the grocery store, and it also took forever to walk around the lake where Billy got baptized this weekend, so that was my exercise.
8) Visit a park or some other favorite place in nature. Spend as much time as you can there, doing nothing in particular, just feeling the energy of the place. I wish I had read this advice before the week started, cause I would've loved to make this part of my week.
9) Try a one-day "news fast." Do not read, watch, or listen to any new for a day. This is my lifestyle. I probably need to watch news more.
10) Continue with Breath Observation for five minutes a day. Then, for one minute a day, try to experience the breath cycle, beginning with exhalation and ending with inhalation. nope...I have been focusing on my breath as Billy and I prepare for leading youth in worship tonight.
So, yeah...the inner slacker has come to the forefront. I'm hoping to be a little better at this in the coming week. We shall see.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Book Review: Listening to the Beliefs of the Emerging Church
Labels:
Media
I just recently finished a great book called Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches.There was a ton of great information in the book, but it was also the format that was just as intriguing as the beliefs that were discussed. One of the big deals of the emerging church in the post-modern world is to have a continuing conversation about God. Rob Bell talks about this in Velvet Elvis, and the idea is manifested in the pages of Listening to the Beliefs.
Each contributor has a chapter to discuss his or her beliefs on God, and then each other contributor responds. This is about as close to a conversation as you can get in print, although I imagine this one will continue at conferences such as Emergence 2007, where 4 of the 5 authors will be featured along with a couple of other names in the emerging church leadership.
Another thing that I liked about the format was that each contributor wrote the chapter in his or her own style without much direction. At times, it seemed like some of them didn't get the memo about what the chapter was supposed to be about (which was apparently their beliefs on the Trinity, the atonement, and the Scripture). If a reader approaches the book with a need to come away with solid understanding of all the beliefs, then it may prove to be an annoying read. But the reason I liked this was that it really gave a feel for the individual's personality and highlighted the diversity among emerging church leaders. Mark Driscoll wrote his chapter as a well-structured argumentation. Dan Kimball wove his beliefs into the story of his own spiritual journey, and Karen Ward's chapter was patterned more like a myspace blog than a book chapter. I found each of them to be captivating and compelling.
The content in each chapter was just as diverse as the styles in which they were written. One of the warnings against the emerging church (and a warning that 3 of the 5 authors [Driscoll, John Burke, and Kimball] themselves bring up) is that as it moves with cultural relevance, it must not water down the truth of God in exchange for a post-modern pluralistic social gospel. I felt like Driscoll, Burke, and Kimball were all pretty solid. The exception to that being that Burke believes in an old Earth. Doug Pagitt was probably where my questioning on sound doctrine came in.
It's hard to nail down exactly what struck me as off because sound bites from his chapter all sound okay. It was more of a feel from both his chapter and his responses to others' chapters that caused me to think that he was a bit too open-minded for my taste. He seemed to approach theology from the starting point of experience, instead of starting at the Truth we know and integrating our experience into it to find a more complete picture. To finish the discussion, Karen Ward and her community wrote a great chapter that makes me want to re-form my church to emulate hers. I felt like she kind of suggested that they do church the right way, so that kind of attitude wasn't as cool as I'd like. But her main response to others' chapters was to emphasize the unity, and that was cool.This information was all framed by an introduction and conclusion by Robert Webber. It was nice to have his information there because it really put the currently emerging church into perspective over the course of 2000 years, and especially in terms of the modern church that we're moving away from. He explained why the modern church grew into its place, which was helpful information for those who are disenchanted with it to hear about. To know why something happened in the first place can help us to understand more and condemn less. After reading his intro, I felt like I could better appreciate some of the people and methods that have been at the forefront of the recent church. Do changes still need to be made? Yes. Our culture continues to change, and our church is a living organism that will need to change. But at least we can understand the purpose that modernism and the church in the modern context served, and we can realize that culture is a progression, and we would not have the same ideas now about where the church should go if we hadn't seen it be where it was.
This book is a great tool to learn about both of those issues.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
8 Weeks to Optimal Health
Labels:
Health
So, yesterday, I went to our fancy-schmancy library that cost WAY TOO MUCH money to build, and not nearly enough money to stock. I went in search of the book to change my life --Dr. Weil's 8 Weeks to Optimal Health. Alas, they had it not.
I was looking for it because my friend over at Musing of a Housewife was talking about her quest for better health and the new program she was trying from this book. I told her I'd tag along. I thought it was lame for me just to read her posts and copy without the benefit of the good doctor's explanation, but as our library is crap, that's just what I'll do.
So, week's one's assignments, according to the Housewife:
Clean out cabinets from all foods with artificial sweetener and artificial coloring.
I was happy to find that I didn't actually have that much in my cupboards to begin with. So, I cleared out a few canned items that I probably wouldn't have used anyway, since they've been sitting there for about a year.
These are gross things like Vienna Sausage that I got from the church food pantry because they were about to expire. That was last summer. I also had some things like those bright yellow peppers. Talk about artificial coloring. I was going to take them all to a food pantry, but I've always thought it was pretty mean to take things to a food pantry that I wouldn't eat myself. So, I just threw this junk all away. I did NOT throw away my Ritz Bitz cheese sandwiches or the last package of fruit snacks. I ate these, as a last rite.
Use olive oil.
I bought some extra light flavor because I don't actually like olive oil. Plus, I can use it in Ashlyn's formula when I need to give her a bottle. It's really good for her.
Eat broccoli and salmon.
I hate salmon. My skin actually crawls at the thought of eating any fish but fishsticks. Still, I was willing to try it with a cranberry compote. Especially for the sake of not wussing out in my post here. I went ahead and got the broccoli in too. It actually turned out to be okay. Not great, but okay. The rice with cranberries mixed in, though, was amazing.
Use Dr. Weil's recommended supplements.
I thought this was cool. He has a Vitamin Advisor right on his site. Unfortunately, he wouldn't give me recommendations because I'm breast feeding. So, I'm just sticking to my normal Shaklee supplementation.
Walk 10-15 minutes 5 times a week. I went grocery shopping yesterday for an hour. And tonight I made a point of taking a walk around the 'hood with Ashlyn (I should get extra pointsa for pushing around 15 pounds, I think) while Billy and Eve rode bikes.
Take 5 minutes a day to breathe and meditate.
This is something that is nice for me. Housewife said that it bores her, but I could probably spend all day doing nothing but breathing. Today, it was especially nice to lay down to nurse Ashlyn and get some quiet prayer time in.
Get some live flowers for your home.
I will do this...really. I have a whole rose garden outside. It is actually a source of stress, because I never have time to weed it. But TOMORROW I will go cut some pretty flowers for my house. I'll even post about it just to be accountable.
I was looking for it because my friend over at Musing of a Housewife was talking about her quest for better health and the new program she was trying from this book. I told her I'd tag along. I thought it was lame for me just to read her posts and copy without the benefit of the good doctor's explanation, but as our library is crap, that's just what I'll do.
So, week's one's assignments, according to the Housewife:
Clean out cabinets from all foods with artificial sweetener and artificial coloring.
I was happy to find that I didn't actually have that much in my cupboards to begin with. So, I cleared out a few canned items that I probably wouldn't have used anyway, since they've been sitting there for about a year.
These are gross things like Vienna Sausage that I got from the church food pantry because they were about to expire. That was last summer. I also had some things like those bright yellow peppers. Talk about artificial coloring. I was going to take them all to a food pantry, but I've always thought it was pretty mean to take things to a food pantry that I wouldn't eat myself. So, I just threw this junk all away. I did NOT throw away my Ritz Bitz cheese sandwiches or the last package of fruit snacks. I ate these, as a last rite.Use olive oil.
I bought some extra light flavor because I don't actually like olive oil. Plus, I can use it in Ashlyn's formula when I need to give her a bottle. It's really good for her.
Eat broccoli and salmon.
I hate salmon. My skin actually crawls at the thought of eating any fish but fishsticks. Still, I was willing to try it with a cranberry compote. Especially for the sake of not wussing out in my post here. I went ahead and got the broccoli in too. It actually turned out to be okay. Not great, but okay. The rice with cranberries mixed in, though, was amazing.
Use Dr. Weil's recommended supplements.
I thought this was cool. He has a Vitamin Advisor right on his site. Unfortunately, he wouldn't give me recommendations because I'm breast feeding. So, I'm just sticking to my normal Shaklee supplementation.
Walk 10-15 minutes 5 times a week. I went grocery shopping yesterday for an hour. And tonight I made a point of taking a walk around the 'hood with Ashlyn (I should get extra pointsa for pushing around 15 pounds, I think) while Billy and Eve rode bikes.
Take 5 minutes a day to breathe and meditate.
This is something that is nice for me. Housewife said that it bores her, but I could probably spend all day doing nothing but breathing. Today, it was especially nice to lay down to nurse Ashlyn and get some quiet prayer time in.
Get some live flowers for your home.
I will do this...really. I have a whole rose garden outside. It is actually a source of stress, because I never have time to weed it. But TOMORROW I will go cut some pretty flowers for my house. I'll even post about it just to be accountable.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
From the Mouth of Babes
The other day, I took the girls to Lic's Ice Cream Shop because Eve had won a coupon for a free kiddie cup.
While we were there a song came on the radio and Eve sang along. I asked her how she knew it and she said it was on the radio in her room.
So, I asked if she's heard it a lot.
Her response: Yeah! (read: duh!) They always play the same songs!
True, true...very true.
While we were there a song came on the radio and Eve sang along. I asked her how she knew it and she said it was on the radio in her room.
So, I asked if she's heard it a lot.
Her response: Yeah! (read: duh!) They always play the same songs!
True, true...very true.
HOT!
Is it wrong to get turned on in church?
Last night was Billy's first time leading worship at CFC. Fortunately, we got a chance to see him before the service and he could ask me to sit in a different spot than we normally do. This way, we could see each other while he was on stage, which was nice because in my selfishness, I really want to be able to worship with him in our service. And even though I was super happy that he has found the time, energy and passion to join the worship team, I didn't really want to miss out on having that joint time together. So, this way, we worshiped together, even though we were apart.
I have to say, though, that while I was worshiping God, I was also thinking about how totally HOT! my husband is. Made me really super proud to see that shiny band around his finger.
I think that other girls will be seeing him right about now (he's at church for the Sunday morning services) and be disappointed when they see that ring. And I'll be the girl they're all jealous of cause I get to hold his hand walking down the hallway...
And I get to go home with him at the end of the service.
Last night was Billy's first time leading worship at CFC. Fortunately, we got a chance to see him before the service and he could ask me to sit in a different spot than we normally do. This way, we could see each other while he was on stage, which was nice because in my selfishness, I really want to be able to worship with him in our service. And even though I was super happy that he has found the time, energy and passion to join the worship team, I didn't really want to miss out on having that joint time together. So, this way, we worshiped together, even though we were apart.
I have to say, though, that while I was worshiping God, I was also thinking about how totally HOT! my husband is. Made me really super proud to see that shiny band around his finger.
I think that other girls will be seeing him right about now (he's at church for the Sunday morning services) and be disappointed when they see that ring. And I'll be the girl they're all jealous of cause I get to hold his hand walking down the hallway...
And I get to go home with him at the end of the service.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Praise the Sweet Lord Jesus
Labels:
Family
Ashlyn's had a hard time with the whole sleeping thing ever since the Michigan disaster.
Tonight, I thought, was bound to be the same. After being an incredibly agreeable girl all evening, though, Ashlyn laid happily on Eve's bed as I tucked the latter in. I then carried Ashlyn to her room, swaddled her and proceeded to try nursing. No cooperation. So, I gave up on that, and tried rocking with her pacifier. No thank you, she argued.
So, I said, "Oh, yeah? Then you can just be by yourself for a while." I laid her down in her crib, and her an hour later haven't heard a peep from her.
I'm going to bed!
Tonight, I thought, was bound to be the same. After being an incredibly agreeable girl all evening, though, Ashlyn laid happily on Eve's bed as I tucked the latter in. I then carried Ashlyn to her room, swaddled her and proceeded to try nursing. No cooperation. So, I gave up on that, and tried rocking with her pacifier. No thank you, she argued.
So, I said, "Oh, yeah? Then you can just be by yourself for a while." I laid her down in her crib, and her an hour later haven't heard a peep from her.
I'm going to bed!
He-e-e-e-e-re We Go....
Labels:
Ministry
Every time I've been on a roller coaster, there's always been someone that hears the click of the mechanism unlocking the cars from the start gate and feels the need to announce to those around: "Heeeeeeeeeeere we go!" My mom is that person. It's quite endearing. So much so that I've become one of those people, too, out of habit.
There's an amusement park in Pennsylvania called Kennywood. It's a small, local-type deal outside of Pittsburgh. My family went to it when I was around 5th or 6th grade, as we were visiting the town where my mom grew up.
Kennywood has an ancient wooden rollercoaster that's built into the side of a huge hill. It was jittery as the train rushed over it, and honestly, it was a bit scary, but in that adrenaline-pumping, I-can't-get-enough sort of way. Ultimately, it was exciting.
But the thing that I remember most about that particular coaster was that the Thunderbolt was where I realized my mom was "that person."
But this isn't about my mom being "that person." It's really about the emotional and spiritual roller coasters that we ride throughout our lives. I'll be the first to say I'm on one now. With a 6 month old baby, I never know when sleep will elude me or when I'll be well-rested. Likewise, I never know if I'll be happy to be a mom or depressed to the point of drastic measures. And unfortunately, where my mood goes, my faith follows.
And I was wondering today why I'm scared of those roller coasters. This isn't the excited kind of scared. This is the fear-ridden kind. Why am I afraid to be sad? Why am I afraid to be hurt? Why am I afraid to be passionate?
When I married Billy, I vowed to him before God and our witnesses that I would join him in the adventure that God ordained for us. That adventure will include a coaster, and I don't want to be too afraid to enjoy it.
Why can I say, "Heeeeeeeeeeere we go" on the man-made ride, but not on the adventure that God is guiding me in? Why are amusement parks' rides exciting, but life's roller coasters paralyzing?
There's an amusement park in Pennsylvania called Kennywood. It's a small, local-type deal outside of Pittsburgh. My family went to it when I was around 5th or 6th grade, as we were visiting the town where my mom grew up.
Kennywood has an ancient wooden rollercoaster that's built into the side of a huge hill. It was jittery as the train rushed over it, and honestly, it was a bit scary, but in that adrenaline-pumping, I-can't-get-enough sort of way. Ultimately, it was exciting.
But the thing that I remember most about that particular coaster was that the Thunderbolt was where I realized my mom was "that person."
But this isn't about my mom being "that person." It's really about the emotional and spiritual roller coasters that we ride throughout our lives. I'll be the first to say I'm on one now. With a 6 month old baby, I never know when sleep will elude me or when I'll be well-rested. Likewise, I never know if I'll be happy to be a mom or depressed to the point of drastic measures. And unfortunately, where my mood goes, my faith follows.
And I was wondering today why I'm scared of those roller coasters. This isn't the excited kind of scared. This is the fear-ridden kind. Why am I afraid to be sad? Why am I afraid to be hurt? Why am I afraid to be passionate?
When I married Billy, I vowed to him before God and our witnesses that I would join him in the adventure that God ordained for us. That adventure will include a coaster, and I don't want to be too afraid to enjoy it.
Why can I say, "Heeeeeeeeeeere we go" on the man-made ride, but not on the adventure that God is guiding me in? Why are amusement parks' rides exciting, but life's roller coasters paralyzing?
Bible Journey > Paul's Passion
Labels:
Bible Journey
I went back to Romans 19 today. This Bible study this is the place where my token ADD rears its head.
I was reading of the riot in Ephesus that the idol makers started. I found it interesting that they were mad first that their trade would fail if Christianity overtook Artemis-worship, and then...oh, yeah...Artemis will be degraded. It was more their impending loss of work than their belief in the worship that they were concerned about. How many parallels can we make on that today?
But what really stuck out to me was a couple verses into the account where it talks about Gauis and Aristarchus, two of Paul's companions. My Bible had a couple of cross-references notes and I have a growing fascination regarding who traveled with Paul when, so I checked into some other verses where these men are named.
Long story medium length...it struck me that everywhere Paul went, he seemed to drop someone off and pick someone else up. This speaks strongly of the passion for Christ that is in him and his disciples.
I'm on an upward climb, I think, back toward passion for God. It's been a while since I've felt like Christ's love compelled me the way it did for Paul and his friends. I think one of the things that's exciting to me is to see how community affects this passion.
There are a couple of women in my life right now that have played a big role in getting this momentum going again. One of the is Kara, and the other is Elaine. I am beyond grateful and forever indebted to both of them for their encouragement and love and, above all, their understanding.
It makes me excited to press on and find out some day...who will my passion encourage?
I was reading of the riot in Ephesus that the idol makers started. I found it interesting that they were mad first that their trade would fail if Christianity overtook Artemis-worship, and then...oh, yeah...Artemis will be degraded. It was more their impending loss of work than their belief in the worship that they were concerned about. How many parallels can we make on that today?
But what really stuck out to me was a couple verses into the account where it talks about Gauis and Aristarchus, two of Paul's companions. My Bible had a couple of cross-references notes and I have a growing fascination regarding who traveled with Paul when, so I checked into some other verses where these men are named.
Long story medium length...it struck me that everywhere Paul went, he seemed to drop someone off and pick someone else up. This speaks strongly of the passion for Christ that is in him and his disciples.
I'm on an upward climb, I think, back toward passion for God. It's been a while since I've felt like Christ's love compelled me the way it did for Paul and his friends. I think one of the things that's exciting to me is to see how community affects this passion.
There are a couple of women in my life right now that have played a big role in getting this momentum going again. One of the is Kara, and the other is Elaine. I am beyond grateful and forever indebted to both of them for their encouragement and love and, above all, their understanding.
It makes me excited to press on and find out some day...who will my passion encourage?
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Bible Journey > Colossians 2:2
Labels:
Bible Journey
When I'm not studying for my adventure with Kara, I've been looking at confidence in God. As part of that, my friend Elaine suggested that I read Colossians 3 often. But I wanted to do so in context, so I started at the beginning of the book. This was a month ago.
Tonight, I started at the end of chapter 1 and looked into chapter 2 just a bit.
I stopped when I got to verse 2. Yeah...I'm truckin along.
It was encouraging to read this verse and helped me to gain a little passion back for serving others. After New Life, I felt like people at church weren't worth it. Elaine is helping me to learn that most people will not be interested in truly knowing God, but there will always be a faithful few that want to learn and grow and serve.
So, for them, I cling to Colossians 2:2, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself"
Tonight, I started at the end of chapter 1 and looked into chapter 2 just a bit.
I stopped when I got to verse 2. Yeah...I'm truckin along.
It was encouraging to read this verse and helped me to gain a little passion back for serving others. After New Life, I felt like people at church weren't worth it. Elaine is helping me to learn that most people will not be interested in truly knowing God, but there will always be a faithful few that want to learn and grow and serve.
So, for them, I cling to Colossians 2:2, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself"
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