Love and Respect NOW. » 2009

Archive for August, 2009

26 Aug 09

We no longer search for the news, the news finds us.

How many of you fast forwarded part of this and/or multi-tasked while it was playing?

Questions:
1) What are the implications of this on our generation? Our children?
2) How many of you fast forwarded part of this and/or multi-tasked while it was playing?

Posted: August 26th, 2009 under blogging, facebook, generation, social networking, twitter.
Comments: 1

20 Aug 09

Breaking up with Jesus.

How does the language Christians use affect how you see Christ?

“Some worship music is like spiritual masturbation for women.”

“Did she just say…”
“Yeah, I think she did.”

My friend Matty and I were thrown off guard during a lunch-time lecture at Regent College a couple summers ago, when a woman who seemed far too old to be using such language did just that.

Her point made sense.

She went on to explain that songs that say things like “I am so in love with you Jesus” could

a) be uncomfortable for men.
b) create God into an imaginary lover.

I get it. I see how this kind of thing evolves.

“God won’t let you down.”
“God will fulfill all of your longings and desires.”
“God is the only man you need.”
“You are the bride of heaven.”

Ok, in balance these things can apply, but I fear that

a) again, not very appealing for men.
b) it only encompasses one side of God.

If I idealize God as my lover and caretaker and the one who will never hurt me, isn’t that a lot safer than trusting a human to also be my lover and caretaker on earth? And what if this “lover” of a God asks me to do something hard, like go through cancer or lose a child, or stick it out in a job I hate? What then? Has my lover failed me?

Christ says for us to take up our cross and follow him. If I have created God as my lover to have only feelings of love and security then I have simply reduced Christ to the perfect MAN and not a King. Will I break up with him when unexpected and unexplained suffering comes to me in this broken world?

Question: How does the language Christians use affect how you see Christ? (I know I made some general assumptions based on my opinion and what some men and women have said to me.)

And on a final note: Please try to keep all gag reflexes to a minimum when you observe this photo that I came across. Holy GQ Jesus. Is he caressing the small of her back? That is just weird.

Posted: August 20th, 2009 under Jesus as boyfriend, men's view of Jesus, relationships, worship music.
Comments: 11

13 Aug 09

Five Weddings and a Funeral

Are we prepared to live, work and die for something that we may not see results from? Do we even take the time to try and discover our passions?

I have five weddings in two months and I feel like my carnie size feet are disliking the stiletto-heel time they are facing. I need a foot rub…and a boyfriend to do it for free. I’m taking applications.

Boyfriend or not, there is a lot going on at a wedding ceremony, which can leave little time for reflection. It can be especially hard for me when I am so busy stuffing my face with mini-crab cakes and lil’ smokies.

(note: of the two weddings so far there have not been lil’ smokies. This is leaving Lindsay, Katie and Michelle responsible to make my dreams come true. Once you read this ladies, you are responsible…for my happiness.)

Lil’ smokies left the brain momentarily last weekend during a reading given at my friend Justin and Trisha’s wedding. This was the last half of the reading:

…This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
Knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
Between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.
-The Prayer of Oscar Romero

After the ceremony, I ran into my college professor Dr. Dunn. As we were catching up and reminiscing about how I was her absolute favorite student of all time*, she mentioned that she had come from a funeral earlier in the day. Later, it struck me as one of those weird dichotomies of life.

There are two main times in a person’s life where those who know them will gather. Wedding and Funeral. I thought about this when I re-read The Prayer of Oscar Romero. (Who by the way, was an Archbishop of El Salvador and assassinated while saying mass. Pleasant.)

My thought: A wedding is an exciting celebration of life and love. Will my funeral have the same elements?

Justin and Trisha married each other because of their deep love for one another, but also their mutual desire to live life working for social justice. Sometimes when people look at all the strengths Justin and Trisha have as a team, it can be overwhelming. It’s easy to assume that people like Justin and Trisha were just given gifts that we don’t have, so therefore we don’t need to take responsibility.

For me, Romero’s prayer was so energizing because it lifted a weight from my shoulders, yet induced responsibility. My favorite line was, “we can not do everything, and there is a sense of liberation.”

I have no idea what part I will play in the world’s future. It could be planting, watering or harvesting. But I want to always remember, that I am going to die. That thought can some days cause me to shut down and not care about anyone or anything, and other days make me feel like I have to do and be everything. When I want to take action I can be overwhelmed with all the problems in the world, I can complain about the mistakes of past generations and leaders and I can live in fear of what my children will face. But what will that do if I do nothing?

Romero reminded me that I am only one person, but I can be yeast, “enabling us to do something, and to do it well.” Trying to be a messiah and save everything and everyone is a long shot, and arrogant at that. But I do believe I am called to plant, water or harvest. The reality is that the results of my passion may not come to fruition in my lifetime, but what is my life if I don’t love something enough to die for it.

Question: Are we prepared to live, work and die for something that we may not see results from? Do we even take the time to try and discover our passions?

*creative license.

Posted: August 13th, 2009 under God, calling, death, gifts, marriage, responsibility, serving, social justice.
Comments: 1