"Anyone with experience in psychology knows that insight doesn't necessarially lead to transformation. You can know all about yourself, but not be motivated to change anything. Transformation only comes by the power of the Spirit."
~fellow in the computer lab.
Seemed appropriate.
Friday, September 29, 2006
in my email this morning
"Life must be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward."
-Soren Kierkegaard
I'm not often a big fan of quotes out of context, but I like Kierkegaard in general and this snippet hit the spot this morning. Sorry about the lack of promised pictures- they're coming, along with long stories about weddings and sermons, uncles and sisters, bridges and waterfalls. Eventually.
Right now, though, I'm stretched in a bad spot between overtired and overbusy. My apartment is a mess from packing and unpacking and rearranging furniture and Christine taking the last of her stuff, and I can't decide which part of the mess to tackle first. Perhaps ironically, my emotional life looks about the same; several messes, and I can't seem to prioritize them into a cleaning order.
It seems essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.
-My buddy Soren, again.
And, as with my apartment, I focus on the issues that I can do the least about. My clothes are lying in piles, on suitcases and chairs, and I'm wondering if I should paint the walls, or maybe ask the landlady about getting a cat, when what I really need to do is find a dresser. Or maybe not- if I cleaned out the shelves, I might be able to fit my clothes in there. But where would the stuff from the shelves go? In the closet, I suppose, which is also a mess.
I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations - one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it - you will regret both.
-the Kierke-dog
Too much debris, I guess, but it's hard to let it go, particularly when it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with having it. I need blue jeans and I need friends, but they're both a bother to maintain. I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't really want to be without either... but attachment is such a mess, and nonattachment isn't much better.
Listen to the cry of a woman in labor at the hour of giving birth - look at the dying man's struggle at his last extremity, and then tell me whether something that begins and ends thus could be intended for enjoyment.
-Soren the cranky Lutheran
Thanks for the encouragement, Kierkegaard.
-Soren Kierkegaard
I'm not often a big fan of quotes out of context, but I like Kierkegaard in general and this snippet hit the spot this morning. Sorry about the lack of promised pictures- they're coming, along with long stories about weddings and sermons, uncles and sisters, bridges and waterfalls. Eventually.
Right now, though, I'm stretched in a bad spot between overtired and overbusy. My apartment is a mess from packing and unpacking and rearranging furniture and Christine taking the last of her stuff, and I can't decide which part of the mess to tackle first. Perhaps ironically, my emotional life looks about the same; several messes, and I can't seem to prioritize them into a cleaning order.
It seems essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.
-My buddy Soren, again.
And, as with my apartment, I focus on the issues that I can do the least about. My clothes are lying in piles, on suitcases and chairs, and I'm wondering if I should paint the walls, or maybe ask the landlady about getting a cat, when what I really need to do is find a dresser. Or maybe not- if I cleaned out the shelves, I might be able to fit my clothes in there. But where would the stuff from the shelves go? In the closet, I suppose, which is also a mess.
I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations - one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it - you will regret both.
-the Kierke-dog
Too much debris, I guess, but it's hard to let it go, particularly when it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with having it. I need blue jeans and I need friends, but they're both a bother to maintain. I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't really want to be without either... but attachment is such a mess, and nonattachment isn't much better.
Listen to the cry of a woman in labor at the hour of giving birth - look at the dying man's struggle at his last extremity, and then tell me whether something that begins and ends thus could be intended for enjoyment.
-Soren the cranky Lutheran
Thanks for the encouragement, Kierkegaard.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
preliminary wedding cuteness
Ben and Michelle, being cute. More to come, both of the wedding and other varied home stuff.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
pentecostal jokes
What do you get when you cross a Unitarian with a Jehovah's Witness?
When he knocks on your door, he doesn't know why he's there.
I met a neat fellow named Jeff at the Roadhouse last night- his wife was neat, too, but she didn't talk as much and I didn't learn her name. This conversation, like a lot of other good ones I've had there, started with him noticing my lack of Southern drawl. He met a billionare from Lake Placid who was a real nice guy, except that he was a Nazi back in the day.
Me: Sounds like that new pope the Catholics' have got.
Jeff: (Laughs) So, are you Catholic?
Me: Nope, I'm a Pentecostal
Jeff: Whahahahahahaa! (Hides behind the menu to continue laughing.)
Me: ?
After he recovered, he told me a story about his mom, who was a Quaker, responding to an invitation to a Pentecostal revival meeting when he was a kid. He described it as "fun for a while, and then suddenly everybody went nuts."
Me: That sounds like us.
He thought it was pretty neat that he got a Pentecostal waitress who was attending a Quaker school, and we had a longish conversation about some of the differences and similarities between the two camps. When I came back to refill his coffee after giving his order to the kitchen, he asked if he could order a steak instead of a cheeseburger. I said yes and started to explain that his order would take a bit longer, but he cut me off and said that he didn't really want to change his order.
Jeff: I just wanted to know how much it would take to make a Pentecostal snap.
Me: When you see me climb up on a table and start screaming in tounges, then you'll know.
By the time I swung past their table again, Jeff was more apologetic- his wife had warned him to be sure that I was okay with joking about religion. I had to admit to him that the best Pentecostal jokes I've heard have been after Pentecostal services. I went looking for some online, but didn't find much aside from the light bulb jokes and this one about a dog.
I did like this one, though:
"OAK ROAD Bible Believing, Hand Clapping, Foot Stomping, Hemlines-Below-the-Knee, Tie Wearing, Blood Washed, Coffee-And-Donuts-During-Sunday-School Eating, Council of Nicaea Appreciating, Non-Denominational CHURCH
The man leaning on the sign says, "When you don't believe in written creeds, you have to squeeze a lot of doctrine into your name."
Here's another, as if it makes up for my lack of updates:
Top 10 signs that you are in the wrong church:
10. The church bus has gun racks.
9. The church staff consists of senior pastor, associate pastor and sociopastor.
8. The Bible they use is the Dr. Seuss version.
7. There is an ATM in the lobby.
6. The choir wears leather robes.
5. The worship services are B.Y.O.S. (bring your own snake).
4. There's no cover charge but communion is a two-drink minimum.
3. The pastor regularly attends meetings in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
2. The ushers ask, "Smoking or non-smoking?"
1. The Women's Quartet are all married to the pastor.
When he knocks on your door, he doesn't know why he's there.
I met a neat fellow named Jeff at the Roadhouse last night- his wife was neat, too, but she didn't talk as much and I didn't learn her name. This conversation, like a lot of other good ones I've had there, started with him noticing my lack of Southern drawl. He met a billionare from Lake Placid who was a real nice guy, except that he was a Nazi back in the day.
Me: Sounds like that new pope the Catholics' have got.
Jeff: (Laughs) So, are you Catholic?
Me: Nope, I'm a Pentecostal
Jeff: Whahahahahahaa! (Hides behind the menu to continue laughing.)
Me: ?
After he recovered, he told me a story about his mom, who was a Quaker, responding to an invitation to a Pentecostal revival meeting when he was a kid. He described it as "fun for a while, and then suddenly everybody went nuts."
Me: That sounds like us.
He thought it was pretty neat that he got a Pentecostal waitress who was attending a Quaker school, and we had a longish conversation about some of the differences and similarities between the two camps. When I came back to refill his coffee after giving his order to the kitchen, he asked if he could order a steak instead of a cheeseburger. I said yes and started to explain that his order would take a bit longer, but he cut me off and said that he didn't really want to change his order.
Jeff: I just wanted to know how much it would take to make a Pentecostal snap.
Me: When you see me climb up on a table and start screaming in tounges, then you'll know.
By the time I swung past their table again, Jeff was more apologetic- his wife had warned him to be sure that I was okay with joking about religion. I had to admit to him that the best Pentecostal jokes I've heard have been after Pentecostal services. I went looking for some online, but didn't find much aside from the light bulb jokes and this one about a dog.
I did like this one, though:
"OAK ROAD Bible Believing, Hand Clapping, Foot Stomping, Hemlines-Below-the-Knee, Tie Wearing, Blood Washed, Coffee-And-Donuts-During-Sunday-School Eating, Council of Nicaea Appreciating, Non-Denominational CHURCH
The man leaning on the sign says, "When you don't believe in written creeds, you have to squeeze a lot of doctrine into your name."
Here's another, as if it makes up for my lack of updates:
Top 10 signs that you are in the wrong church:
10. The church bus has gun racks.
9. The church staff consists of senior pastor, associate pastor and sociopastor.
8. The Bible they use is the Dr. Seuss version.
7. There is an ATM in the lobby.
6. The choir wears leather robes.
5. The worship services are B.Y.O.S. (bring your own snake).
4. There's no cover charge but communion is a two-drink minimum.
3. The pastor regularly attends meetings in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
2. The ushers ask, "Smoking or non-smoking?"
1. The Women's Quartet are all married to the pastor.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Lebanon
From Christianity Today,
...I was reminded that Muslims and Jews are not just objects of biblical prophecy. They are people for whom Christ died. I recalled my early Christian teaching that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. In God's plan, all people are precious; including Christian, Sunni, and Shiite Arabs in Lebanon as well as their Israeli cousins.
...I was reminded that Muslims and Jews are not just objects of biblical prophecy. They are people for whom Christ died. I recalled my early Christian teaching that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. In God's plan, all people are precious; including Christian, Sunni, and Shiite Arabs in Lebanon as well as their Israeli cousins.
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