"Do Not Worry About Tomorrow..."

The twisted hypocrisy of the statement really hit me today; as I led a small group of high school guys, I gave this verse out when the issue of anxiety came up. Matthew 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I was given this same verse as advice quite recently, and in the same conversation told that I need to have the 2014-2015 school year planned out for the church calendar.

whaaat?

and it clicked; that same kid that I told that to is going to go home and be told to work on something that will pay off in 4 years when he graduates, to go on to a college because they prioritized a sport/music/theater in hopes of scholarships and placement.

and it doesn't work. not for me, and not for these kids.

So, Christians, how do we rectify this paradox? How do we teach the Biblical words of Jesus to "Seek first the Kingdom of God" without then turning around and encouraging them to push their faith to the side while they prioritize some way of paying for college? Have we forgotten how that verse ends? "...and all these other things will be provided to you."

I seem to have forgotten them. I either deal with crisis after crisis as they appear while not having much of a vision for the future, or I plan out the long run and have sleepless nights as I consider that situations may have changed so much by then that it is all moot planning and I have to do crisis control again.

So my prayer, my request, my petition to God is that I will learn His way - not man's - of living in the present of His gifts of Grace, Life, and Abundance. and that I can pass this on to the young men and women who are within my sphere of influence, to the Glory of God and His salvation.

It's One Thing For Me, But For You...?

I realized something about grace today.

I'm not good at wanting it for others.

As a Christian, who relies on Grace for - well, everything - I'd think that this wouldn't be the case. I know that by Grace alone we are saved from eternal torment, and you'd think that I'd want that for everyone. I know that I verbalize my hope for all persons to come to the saving knowledge of Christ and the act of living faith.

And I'm ok with mercy and forgiveness. Mercy is not dishing out what has been [negatively] deserved. Much like a stay of execution; allowing to live what was sentenced to death. But Grace...

a statistic makes the point on-line

I realized this issue this morning as I responded to an article (well, more of an image) that a facebook friend posted via Upworthy about minimum wage and it's costs. I spent several minutes crafting and posting my reply about how raising minimum wage will not really solve the problems of those making it, and will actually increase those at a poverty level as cost-of-living increases, and ultimately will cost citizens and government more. I have quite an opinion on this issue, as someone who worked for minimum wage for a good decade in food services.

And thus I realized my hesitancy to grant grace to others.

You see, when you make minimum wage, you can earn raises, and that precious 50 cents an hour above the nationally and state required minimum is something I was always proud of; always earning the highest possible raise. And then the powers that be would raise the minimum wage, either to what I had just spent years earning, or sometimes even higher. Which would mean that the just-hired-last-week employee would be making just as much as my 3-years-of-toil had gotten me.

And that just plain chapped  my hide.

Add to that insult the increased cost of living, (and it wasn't that they were as "rich" as I was, but that I was now as "poor" as the entry level folk) and you ended up with a bunch of unhappy employees all around. So it never occurred to me that this was something I should wish for others to have. They needed to work just as hard as I had to be compensated the same.

Enter God speaking to me in my whining and somewhat selfish attitude.

denarius with Tiberius' likeness

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard workers. The gist of the tale is that workers hired at different times of the day all get paid the same wage, no matter how long they had worked. And that really ticked off those who had gotten there at dawn to work the fields. When they saw the folk who had only worked an hour get a full day's wage, they assumed they would get more (even though they had agreed to that same amount). But when it came their turn to get paid, it was the same denarius that the latecomers had received.

Cordon Bleu is still my favorite

And the new girl at Arby's was getting paid the same hourly wage as those of us who had put in several years. Suddenly, I find myself in the story, and it's in the role of the

complaining party.

I believe in Heaven; not levels of heaven, not my-mansion-is-bigger-than-yours heaven, but a place in the presence of the Lord God Almighty where our cares, pains, mourning, petty arguing, and other grit are gone in the experience of an inconceivable [to our finite minds] deity.

And I'm a big believer in death-bed conversions, where (for example's sake) a convicted mass murderer gets the same saving Grace from Christ Jesus as someone who has called Him "master" since the age of 3. It's just the nature of grace; receiving something [positive] when there is absolutely no deserving of it.

So, all politics aside, what is the problem with someone with less experience getting the same wages that I get as someone who has worked for 20+ years? I mean, away from all the accusations of Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism, why am I so upset that someone gets more? Shouldn't I be happy for them?

This is where I think the stereotype of upset-looking Christians comes from, at least surrounding this issue. I should celebrate that someone is getting more than they signed up for (or the same as I signed up for).

share your joy

Referencing Jesus' teachings in the Bible again, there was a widow who lost a 10th of her lifesavings, "and when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke15:8-10)

That's a picture of Grace that I don't want to forget!

And so you know what? While it bothers me in the whole political-economic sphere of things about increasing minimum wage, if it happens, I'm going to be happy for those who have more. And I'll consider ways in which to adjust to inflation that comes as a result. And I'll work with others to find avenues in which we can fight the shrinking of the middle class. And I'll take the continued criticism of my more liberal friends and the added disparagement of my more conservative friends (politically minded references in both cases).

It's grace, and that is one ting that I have absolutely no foundation to stand and argue against.

Because I need it every minute, of every hour, of every day.

And, thanks be to God, it's there every moment.

Power. Glory. Music... God?

So today I received an email entitled "A NIGHT YOUR YOUTH WON'T FORGET!" as a part of a Youth Ministry promotion, so I opened up the email and saw this:

Is it just me or is there something missing here? Shouldn't there be some mention of encountering God? Some mention of our Lord, Jesus Christ? How about a filling of the Spirit?  This just looks like a rock concert promo, ala Pink Floyd.

"It must be in the fine print," I thought to myself, and scrolled down.

"...high-energy, interactive movie theater event..." That's not it.

"...a fuse of music, comedy, and inspirational messages..." Eh, maybe.

"...a moment where young people and those who believe in them fill theaters..." Huh? Believe in young people? I thought this was about believing in God?

"...Empower young people to overcome their fears they face regarding peer pressure..." Um... a high school assembly speaker?

"...Platinum-selling recording artists, encouraging  message, brand new song, TV personality, and hilarious speaker..." Am I missing something?

I knew I had come to the end of the email when I saw this:

I may be old-fashioned, but I truly believe that Youth Ministry (and all-ages Worship for that matter) needs to point to and focus on God, not a dramatic show of lights, sound, comedy, and motivation. These things are fun, and I'm sure will pack in a few thousand folk, but what are we offering; a product or a person? a show or a savior? glamour or God? a rock star or the Rock?

Years ago I stopped subscribing to a "Youth Ministry Tool" that provided free CDs of the newest Christian bands (which I had a hard time understanding why they were called "Christian" much of the time) and merchandising ads to hand out at youth group so that kids could buy the newest t-shirt or poster of their favorite intensely angry-looking band (seriously, no wonder folk outside the church think we're angry. what would happen if a Christian recording artist actually smiled? the 2nd coming? I could live with that).

This comic came across my computer screen today as well:

 and it made me think that this sort of Arena Event is kinda like this:

and just why would I encourage teens - young people who are looking for substance, for truth, for meaning, for acceptance, for a foundation to set their lives on, for love - to replace the Way, Truth, and Life found in Jesus for Power, Glory, and Music?

So I won't. and I hope that other youth workers, parents, and teens will instead grow in their local communities; maybe listening to a couple of learning middle schoolers play guitar in a living room as they sing a song of worship together, maybe standing in a field during a thunderstorm and witnessing the awesome grandeur of God in the sky, maybe just sitting in the car talking about how their day kinda sucked and listening to one another...
...and maybe, just maybe, a relationship with Jesus built in the everyday hustle, struggle, and boredom of their lives, the relying on His Spirit when things are hard, offering up a prayer to Him, and trying to figure it all out as they reconcile their faith with everything else that is thrown at them in 30-foot-tall technicolor, widescreen HD, surround sound, fog machines, and laser lights.
A relationship that my youth won't forget...

Yeah, I think I like that better. I think God will too.

patio heat...

Not that this is anything epic, but Stuart - a student from church - and I built a little patio in my back yard. Where there was once about 5 tufts of grass and a whole lot of dirt, there is now a level* place for table and chairs to relax and entertain... not many, but a couple could fit.

Oh, the heat; well it's been over 100 this week. Turns out eastern Washington IS hot during the summer. Last year was just a fluke. Too hot for the new patio ironically.

*well, more level than it was prior anyway.

2013: The Beginning

Well, whether Mayan, "Christian", Rev. Camping, or just random, we all survived the many apocali predicted.

I have been quite lazy in the upkeep of this little blog... I think I'll blame Facebook for no longer connecting blogger to my page there. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

Anyway, to catch up: I've been in Walla Walla for over a year now, and am quite content here. It's not hard to call it home, even though I do miss many friends and family over in the Portland area. Luckily, it's pretty close by and I get to visit several times a year...
...heck, folk can visit me quite easily too - like my folks who come up, stay at WildHorse, and hang out with me!

Taco Tuesdays @ Wahi

Ministry/Work continues to be the focal point of my life, working and playing with teens and their families, and sharing the Truth of Jesus with them and their friends. I've become known as "taco guy" at the local High School - I declared Tuesdays in November and December to be Taco Tuesdays and brought 30 or so tacos to the students from youth group and others. Pretty fun!

Sarah and I have been dating for six months now... oh, did I not mention her before? I guess not. 'gotta admit that we deflected folk for quite a while successfully on that! Ah, what a wonderful time we are having together!

Bryson Sessions

This past week I was able to play drums for a student's EP recording project, so that was good to be back behind the kit. Unfortunately they're back in storage once again... *sigh* Hopefully again soon...

Well, I guess that's all you get for now. I hope to get back on here from time to time and catch up, share thoughts, or work through the insomnia that sometimes infests my mind.

A Hot Cup of Coffee...

This morning I found myself up early enough to drink my coffee hot. For some reason that sounds more intense to me than it probably does to you. But as I heated water for the French Press, I grabbed an old notebook from college; my Spiritual Formation class notes and journal. You see, when I took this class, I kept a running journal of my thoughts, attitudes, growth, stagnancy, and even what I was learning. And I see that I haven’t really kept up on that.

I forgot how much I enjoyed that journaling. How much that helped focus my day. And even prior to that class – and after – I had a somewhat active blog on MySpace (remember that? Before it sucked?) where I shared many of my thoughts about spirituality, Christianity, personal issues, and thoughts on the world. I still like to read many of them, and remember that many of my sermons/lessons came out of those when I kept it somewhat regularly.  So that might be what happens here.

See, when I started this blog I thought it was going to be more about sharing epic and amusing tales of life, as I presented my wit to you. Yeah, that didn’t really go so well. A couple funny stories and a few updates on life in Walla Walla just didn’t do much. So now maybe I will return to this whole journaling thing via blog; in a way that I’m ok sharing it with folk, whether they buy in to what I’m saying or not. So I guess I’m making this blog into something for me, as opposed to for others. Gotta admit, I’m feeling a bit selfish by that though.

***********

“We cannot achieve spiritual growth through sheer grit and will power.”

I read that in the book Soul Feast several years back and thought it important enough to write in a journal… I even wrote that I wanted to put it on the wall of my office. It’s amazing how much I think I can get done on my own power and strength… and then I step back and look at how little power and strength I have. It’s right in the face of all the sports propaganda that tells athletes to push and grind and overcome because they are weak if they don’t; to embrace hate of self and others in order to persist and become better than everyone else. But you know what? All that gets you is a target on your back, a fleeting glimpse of “glory”, and then – when you can no longer continue at that pace – your life is empty.

Now, I am not an athlete in the least; I don’t do competition of the body well. (heck, I’m not very good at competition of the mind either!) So this might anger a heck of a lot of people. But it’s true about spiritual growth; we can only do so much. The rest is in the hands of God. And that’s a scary thing for most of us, to rely on someone other than ourselves – especially someone we can’t see or touch in the 1^st degree. I admit to a fair amount of micromanagement of anything within mere sight of my purview at work. I am cynical about the idea of someone else getting [whatever it is] done properly. I want my own hands, mind, mouth to do whatever it is that needs to be done… and that’s not how it works with God.

And yet I yearn for God to fix me. To strafe away the chaff of uselessness that I spend so much time on. I found another entry in my old journal that reads, “Lord, I yearn for you with all that I am, for without you I am empty and alone.”

I recently had a series of conversations with a young woman about what we do when we feel alone. Sometimes we do things to rid ourselves of the loneliness – if only for an evening – that will hurt not only ourselves, but those we love. Loneliness often causes us to act when we should wait. We don’t like waiting; not for the newest technology, the next season of a TV series, or for God to finish His work in us. Like Veruca Salt, we want it now, regardless of the work it might take to get [whatever it is], or that it might be in our worst possible interests to get [whatever it is] now.

And it’s not that we’re supposed to be miserable and ok with that. It’s that we consider ourselves only complete when [whatever it is] happens or is with us. And that’s why we so need God. Why we so need to understand the whole “waiting” thing; and not where we just sit on our butts waiting, but as we enter into the process of becoming whole. 

God doesn't lightning bolt us; he molds us, and sometimes that molding kinda sucks.

I found a bit under the heading “What does it mean to be spiritually formed?” and here it is for you:

“The visual: Hands molding a pot on a spinning wheel. Knowledge, practice, materials, patience, and time… all of these are needed. Also, it can be messy- it started by beating the clay to make it softer, then adding water. This is a process, completely changing the raw material to the finished, useable product. ‘You are the potter, I am the clay… mold me and make me; this is what I pray…’

Does God get His hands dirty in the process of forming us?”

Catching Up...

Truthfully, I just haven't gotten around to updating here much. I do alot... and then other times I waste time.
For example, just got done with a Mother's Day Lunch Fundraiser with the Youth for their Mission Trip this summer. Lots of planning, organizing, promoting, selling, serving, etc. Quite a success though! The Students did wonderfully, people enjoyed themselves, the food was great, and the string quartet sounded perfect.

Then I've also watched 100 episodes of 30Rock on Netflix, along with countless episodes of Doctor Who. Wasting time is just so easy.

Anyway, I thought I'd pop on here and mention that my facebook, the church's facebook, and the church's website all tend to be pretty up to date on my everyday life.

So there's that. Oh, and this epic picture of Hannah as an Aztec Fire Goddess in her school play. Yes, she is that awesome.