If Only We Thought of this Sooner!

Jeez.

Ashes

Lent starts today.  Traditionally, we are supposed to give something up during Lent typically with an eye on continuing to give it up after Easter, but also to rejoice in taking it up again after Lent, depending.

I don’t know what I’m giving up yet, if anything (I haven’t giving anything up in recent years).

What will you leave behind for 40 days (not counting Sundays)?

Beyond Tolerance

While we’re on the topic, check this out.

Anti-Racial Questions

I read at Daily Kos about comments regarding Senator Obama’s church and “their” theology. The article itself is an interesting read, but it raised a long-standing question for me.

Is Christianity anti-racial? “Anti-racial” changes its feel sometimes depending on who says it (race not withstanding). But it sounds a lot like saying that I’m not Caucasian and this person isn’t African-American and this person isn’t of Asian origin in the eyes of the church. Granted, there is a greater commonality in being children of God, but “anti-racial” suggests to me that diversity can’t exist within unity.

The problem with that is that I’m still Caucasian even as I’m a child of God. It’s part of who I am. If something is anti-racial, does that exclude those parts of me that resulted from me being Caucasian?

Regardless, it seems like we still don’t have a way of talking about race and racial tension/issues even in 2007. Last week’s episode of Friday Night Lights hit the nail on the head with this one, if you ever get a chance to watch it (it may still be on my DVR if folks want to gather).

Sing for your Supper iMix

This last weekend was the once-a-year-or-so Sing for your Supper event at my church.  I have recordings of all of the performances, but got enough positive comments about the music played between acts, before dinner, during dinner, and afterwards that I’ve posted what songs I could as an iMix in iTunes.

This is the first time we’ve done this for Sing for your Supper, to my knowledge.  It should allow people who want to find a song they liked and buy it or purchase the whole set at once, if they want.

You should be able to find the iMix here.

Believe in Mystery

I’ve started listening to NPR podcasts now that I’m walking to work more often. One of them is a weekly deal from the “This I Believe” series (which I love to hear on those rare occasions I listen to NPR in my car).

One from December really struck a chord. Particularly with the season, but also with the timelessness of the message and near-scalding burn it left on my spirit when I realized just how much this man was speaking from my own experience as much as his own.

Click on the “Listen” link when you go here. It’s much better heard than read.

Subscribe to the podcast yourself here.

Visualization of Relief

Take a minute and give a buck. This is the Darfur Wall.  A sort of memorial/donation board.

What I really like about this is that it shows you the difference that you are making in a slight more tangible way.  The number you clicked on lights up very nicely.  While still somber, it’s easier to feel like a small contribution really did go the long way people talk about them going.

MySpace for Churches

This looks interesting.

Adult Children

During the sermon this morning, our pastor asked what we thought it was like or meant to be a child of God. The congregation wrote down answers and was invited to share if they wanted to.

There were some really good responses. Actually, all of them were good. Being a child of God is like…

…having peace.
…being loved.
…being accepted.
…being forgiven.
…being able to serve.

There were many, many others. But I noted something while I was at lunch with my friends. All of them were very adult answers. That is, they were answers an adult would give. They are answers that speak of a life that has had its share of pain and sorrow as well as joy. They weren’t the innocent answers of a child (how could they be?). The response at lunch was telling. My friends replied that of course they were adult answers, there weren’t any children there.

I didn’t have opportunity to reply as the conversation turned on its merry way to other delightful topics. But I felt sad at that fact. They were right, the congregation was full of adults and a baby or two and at least one child, but I doubt there were two present. The rest of the kids were in their own Sunday morning activities having fun and learning in a different way instead of being in the church service.

Then again, they weren’t right. The room was full of children. The sermon spoke to that. These children had simply forgotten a little bit about being children. As if Peter Pan really did grow up.

Being a child of God is indeed about peace and compassion and joy and forgiveness and love. But a child generally doesn’t think in such clear terms. At least, I didn’t when I was a child. I simply knew I was safe at home or with my parents. I didn’t need to describe it, it just was. I took it for granted, no doubt, but that was part of the indescribable nature of the whole thing.

So I thought about my own answer to what it is like to be a child of God, but in the way an adult who is thinking as a child would answer.

Being a child of God is like…

…running through the sprinklers on a summer day.
…ice cream in a sugar cone melting onto your hand.
…skinning your knees in a baseball game.
…trying to swing all the way around the swing set.
…playing freeze tunnel tag, no tag backs, safe zone at the oak tree for five seconds.
…a rainstorm while the sun is still shining on the horizon.
…staying up past your bed time for a fireworks show.
…running, for no reason, in any direction.
…water balloon fights.
…making a sand castle and wondering where the tide takes it.
…being friends with everyone else around your age because that’s just how the world works, isn’t it?

At least, that’s what I think. How about you?

Going Dark

I’m out on Catalina Island this weekend. There may be Wi-Fi some day, but not where I’m going. Not yet (unless there’s something they aren’t telling me). Even if there were, I wouldn’t bring the laptop I don’t have. This is my weekend to relax, rest, do some reading, get in some photography of a beautiful place, and maybe recharge a good bit.  In other words, no blogging from me until Sunday or Monday even if I could.
See you on the flip side. Or there. It’s a small world.