Breaking News for My Non-Existant Readers

Derek Webb has a podcast available on iTunes. The first segment doesn't have any music - but he tells the story of how he joined Caedmon's Call...and then some info on his upcoming album ("Mockingbird" I think). I listened to it today (on my computer - not on my ipod because - well - nevermind). Yup.

Less than Love

It's a lonely world
And everybody's grabbing what they can get
and love is wonderful you've heard
You don't know if you've seen it yet
You can't miss it when it comes
Don't settle for less than love

-The Normals

Ipod: 3 Bethany: -5

I am not cool.

I can't figure out how to sync my ipod.

And it makes me mad.

I'm so cool

I just got an ipod.

I think I could fill it up really quickly if I'm not careful.

Guess the Dictator or Sit-Com Character

I found this more than moderately amusing the other day: Guess the Dictator or Sit-Com Character.

The computer successfully guessed most of ours (although it though Lisa Turtle was Topenga).

I love summer.

Road Trip

Took a nerdy road trip this weekend - visited 3 churches in 3 states.
Had a great time though! :)

Didn't experience anything life-altering or mind-blowing - but it is always fun to be somewhere new (or old in the case of LifeSpring) and worship with other people.

Went to Parkview Christian Church in Tinley Park, IL; Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI; and LifeSpring Christian Church in Cincinnati.
Lots of variety - which is, as they say, the spice of life.

I tried to think of deep insights I had - but like I said - this trip wasn't like that.
Favorite things from each place?
Parkview - Singing You are God Alone - and the preacher who was just about his message - and genuine. I love it when Bible people are presented as real people.
Mars Hill - Family worship - lots of squawking babies and singing Hallelu - Praise Ye the Lord, singing all 4 verses of How Great Thou Art and seeing church in the round, SIMPLICITY and HONESTY
LifeSpring - Old friends, a challenging, thought-provoking message that was basically the preacher honestly wrestling with a passage, and a wonderful communion celebration

Actually one of my favorite things about all 3 churches was being able to hear the congregation sing loudly.

It always amazes me when I think about Sunday mornings - how so many people across the city - and across the country - and across the world are gathered together in the name of Jesus (okay, I know time zones can make things tricky...but that's besides the point).
Makes me excited to be a part of the Church.

Nothing to Say

I don't have much to say - but I wanted to be a current blogger...so....

This week's highlights:

• Leading worship for junior high students at camp - playing with my brother is fun!
• Looking forward to a weekend away
• Reading "Walking on Water" - Madeline L'Engle
• Hanging out w/ Melissa in the evenings
• I cleaned my office a bit yesterday
• 2 mix CDs from Josh - my music collection just got LOTS cooler - I love the hidden track on the new Coldplay CD - "Til Kingdom Come" - and I need to listen to more Patty Griffin and Damien Rice

Lowlights:

• My church computer randomly dying this morning
• Trying to jump up and down w/ the junior highers - not my thing
• Heat+humidity=nappy hair

Boring post - but noone reads this yet, so no worries!

Willow Creek Arts Conference

Just got back from 4 full days at the Willow Arts Conference. I thought it might be a good idea to process a bit.

I love going up there - and I know why. I can just take in all these creative things - and have good discussions with other people I'm in ministry with all year long.

Best things:

• The morning with the Nichole Nordeman concert and John Ortburg preaching. They were both very genuine - and very obviously using their gifts to God's glory. John O talked about the book of Job - and being in a spiritual winter. He re-iterated the need to acknowledge pain and suffering in our services. Good stuff...deep stuff.
• Briefly getting the chance to thank Nancy Beach - she's very genuine. I admire that.
• Seeing WC's new auditorium. Awesome. Although I was again thankful that we do not use I-Mag in our services. Noone's face should be that big...but especially mine.
• I love going to the sessions where they show us things they've done in their services or different artsy things. I don't think it's showy - I love seeing it and it makes me think of 1000 other ideas.
• Gene Appel's message Friday morning about costly love. I doubt I can do it justice in an explanation...but realizing that I cannot think more highly of myself than anyone else. Christ died for the world and loves the world.
• Getting a surprise visit from Melissa and Kira. I have great friends.
• Coming back with new ideas and fresh energy.

Pesky, lingering thoughts:

• I don't want to put Willow on a pedastal and try to be just like them - but I also don't want to look at them overly-critical or belittle their ministry. I'm on the outside looking in - and I'm just grateful for their hearts for God and His kingdom. Is that okay?
• Where is the balance in worship between giving glory to God and putting our attention on Him and ministering to people and connecting their lives with God's story? Can we do both, or are we bound to favor one at the expense of the other?
• What does moving worship "forward" really mean? When people are trying to do that, what are they really trying to do?
• One word: copyright. Enough said.
• I HAVE to make some friends outside these church walls. Non-Christian friends, specifically.

Glad to be home. And there's plenty of summer left.

I ::heart:: NY

Tonight at church the group of us who went to Brooklyn last March talked about our trip. Even though it's only been a few months since we've returned - it was amazing to see how talking about the trip and that area stirred up very strong feelings and thoughts. Nostalgic in a way.

I loved visiting Park Slope (Brooklyn neighborhood) - and God did cool things in many of us during that trip.

• I love urban areas - and it always amazes me that God knows ALL of these people as well as He knows me. I always wonder if I could live in an urban area.
• People in Park Slope have really strong perceptions of Christians - primarily political (which I don't think politics is bad - but it's definitely not the central theme of Christianity!!) and close-minded. I know the team out there is trying to break those stereotypes. How do I contribute to those perceptions here - how do I actively work against them?
• As we walked around the neighborhood, prayed for people, served people, and talked with people - my heart and eyes began to see things from a Kingdom perspective. I need to do that here in Springfield - and am glad that we're going to try this summer (www.servantrevolution.com).
• I want to go back there. Maybe this summer.
• God put together a random group of young people to go on this trip - and did really cool things in community.

www.churchofparkslope.org

Now I'm off to play in the LAST "Sound of Music" show at the Muni - por fin. It's been good, but ready to be done.

Worship

I was talking to several people this past week about how my thoughts about worship are constantly being challenged and stretched. It has been confirmed by my friends that I am a dork for reading the Christian Standard on a regular basis. I'm okay with that! This past week's issue had some articles on worship - one in particular was really good: Exploring Biblical Worship by Knofel Staton.

An excerpt:

"God does not want worship that includes him, but intentionally or unintentionally excludes a certain category of people. What is happening on the platform that includes or excludes people in the pews? Whom we exclude in the sanctuary, we will eventually ignore in the streets.

Each congregation is God’s personal vehicle for transporting his Trinitarian nature and interpersonal relationship within the Trinity to others. Every aspect of the early church’s worship in the New Testament enhanced unity amid diversity. Early Christians were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, which stresses unity amid diversity; to fellowship, which is sharing partnership with others in spite of diversity; to breaking of bread, a meal of unity; to prayer for one another; to generosity that crosses economical differences (Acts 2:42-45); and to baptism that incorporates diverse people into God’s new community. "

And then the standard question - HOW DO WE DO THAT?

Unity among diversity. What does it look like when a church is thinking about other peoples' needs before their own? How much unity is possible? This is much deeper than worship styles. Special events where churches and different groups come together are good - but what does it really look like to be unified for the sake of the Kingdom?

Summer Resolution

I am failing at this blogging thing. My goal for the summer is to make this something fun - and perhaps even share it with some people I know...or some people whose blogs I look at. Hmmm...only time shall tell!

For now - movie recommendation: Hotel Rwanda. Not an easy movie to watch, but an important movie.

What will the world be like when I'm 80?

I've been chatting w/ my cousin Tim lately on AOL instant messenger. He's in Iraq - and I'm in my friends' living room on my laptop. If I think about it much it makes my brain hurt! I've not been good about keeping in touch with him until the Christmas season, so I'm grateful for the technology.

My dad likes to play this game with my sisters - it's "what are you older than?" For example, my dad is older than TV, computers, and a bunch of other stuff - hah! I would be older than...remote controls, the internet/email, CDs/DVDs, and a few more things. Mary (my youngest sister - she's 14) says I'm old.

Last week we got to visit my Nana in Wisconsin - she'll turn 97 this month. When I realize that she was my age in the 1930s - working as a nurse in Chicago during the Great Depression - it blows my mind to think about how much change she's seen in her life.

So what will life be like if/when I'm in my 80's? As Tim would say, "I have NO idea."

Insomnia

So I've always been a night owl (runs in my family)...and at this point I've effectively established a WAY too late bedtime.

But, it doesn't help that HGTV has back to back episodes of House Hunters on at 1am.

Suzanne Whang, rock on!

Christmas commercials

On the way to Lincoln this morning, I heard 3 radio commercials with Christmas gift ideas:

#1 - Season passes to Knight's Action Park - not so funny if you've never been there, but if you have you'll understand why it is doubtful ANYone would want this.
#2 - Lotto tickets - no joke. The funny thing was that the commercial presented it as the best thing to happen to people who are bad at buying gifts. Or you could throw your money away.
#3 - Mercedes/Benz - who gets a CAR for Christmas?!?

I thought about how this could make for an example of America's consumerization of Christmas...or how people don't give meaningful gifts to the people they love...but I just thought it was funny.

Oh happy day!

And we took Wake Forest to school tonight.

Man, I love college basketball....

and I love my team.

Nice work, Illini....keep it up!

Procrastination

I know myself...and so I'm not surprised I got here. Another week of late nights and trying to catch up with a mountain of work that was never meant to be done in a small amount of time. I used to say I work well under pressure - but judging from my emotional state of mind, I'm not sure that's true! (Thanks to my friends for putting up with me this week - yikes)

So here's to another week - another fresh start to get ahead and be disciplined...so help me, God.

2 New CDs....highly recommended

I was in a dry music phase for a while....but fortunately in the last 2 weeks I've been enjoying 2 REALLY exceptionally fabulous CDs. I know no one reads my blog, but I feel the need to say this anyway!

Share the Well - Caedmon's Call - I always buy their CDs on release day. They never disappoint, but with this album they've done something really cool. The band wrote and recorded this in India, Ecuador, and Brazil. To read more about the concept, see their website. I have thought about writing a full review sometime - but will just say that my current favorite songs are: "Mother India," "Wings of the Morning," "Dalit Hymn," and "Bombay Rain." If I get to see them in concert on Nov. 5th I will be SUPER excited.

Behold the Lamb of God - Andrew Peterson (His Christmas Album) - I bought this without hearing any of it because I'd heard so much about the project, and I know I like Andrew Peterson's writing and musical style. What's great about this is it's the whole story of Christ's coming chronologically, but done in a very fresh way. I've been playing it non-stop in my office since I got it last Monday. If I had more money, I would buy 20 copies and give them to lots of people - because I think lots of people would like it and it's THAT good. Too many Christmas albums are weird covers of carols and then a few random original songs. I'll definitely be adding this album to my all time favorite Christmas albums. I just hope I'm not tired of it by December! I'll also link to AP's page in case anyone's interested.

(By the way - I just got Wifi in my apartment, so from now on I should be able to post from somewhere OTHER than Panera!)

And I like to go to Boston in the fall

Fall is by far my favorite season. I love everything about it...the weather, the leaves, the colors, the smells, the food, Illinois football games, fall retreats, etc. etc. This week is the first time it's really felt like fall, and I am soaking it in! I've been driving with my windows down, having Chai ('cause it tastes like pumpkin), and trying to figure out when I can go to some type of fall festival.

About a year ago, Melissa and I went to Boston - and I've been thinking about it a lot recently. It was only for a long weekend - but we both decided it was one of our favorite places. Here in Springfield, our sense of history is pretty contained to a few places Abe Lincoln used to hang out. In Boston, you can walk around the Old North end, and you feel like you've traveled back in time. You can be downtown, yet see buildings that are older than the Declaration of Independence. I don't know that I'll ever live outside of central Illinois (and don't get me wrong - it has served me well for 23-ish years), but if I did, I want to be close to Boston.

Melissa at Harvard 

I know it's sideways, but I'm still learning :)