cardboard stories

went to Austin this past weekend at the last minute and had a great time! nice to get away and kind of the last hurrah for my siblings and I to hang out before my brother moves to Alaska this summer.

Went to The Stone for church and it was great as always! Click on Cardboard stories to see the video they showed.

This is the meaning of the resurrection! Jesus really changes lives!

Cardboard Stories from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.

 

see you at the pump

PRAY AT THE PUMP
 ST. LOUIS (AP) – People are praying for lower gas prices –
literally. Two prayer services were held at St. Louis gas stations
to thank God for lower fuel prices and to ask that they continue to
drop. Participants of the Pray at the Pump movement said they
planned to buy gas, pray and then sing “We Shall Overcome” with a
new verse that goes, “We’ll have lower gas prices.” An activist
from the Washington, D.C. area started the effort, saying if
politicians couldn’t lower gas prices, it was time to ask God to
intervene. The group thinks the prayer is helping, since prices
have started to fall below four dollars a gallon.

ok so that’s hilarious! it’s really not worth getting into a discussion on the theological aspects of this, but still funny.

in other news, I’ve been a very bad blogger lately. I’m going to blame the Texas heat, gas prices, the liberal media and the bad economy on my blogging mindblock.

 

Just for today

so my mom printed this out for me and my family members a few months ago, and i thought i would share!  I think she got it from a Dear Abby column or something.

I’m not a worrier, but there are some decisions coming in the next few months, and I’m getting anxious. A few other unknowns always seem to get thrown into it, so I saw this and thought, “wow I need to re-read this.”

Just for today: I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today: I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

Just for today: I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things I can correct, and accept those I cannot.

Just for today: I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

Just for today: I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I’ll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly and not interrupt when someone else is talking. Just for today, I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.

Just for today: I will do something positive to improve my health. If I’m a smoker, I’ll quit. If I am overweight, I will eat healthfully–if only just for today. And not only that, I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it’s only around the block.

Just for today: I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

in other news, I’ve been going to a moderately small church and i LOVE it! i’ve been working on sundays for the past several months, so it was hard to find some place that was schedule-friendly. Honestly, I’ve had trouble being consistent at church since coming up here. Just being back and forth from the Metroplex, etc.

and after working in Christian media for a few years, then attending large churches, I got a little sick of the whole mega-church concept. They aren’t bad, certainly not, have a lot of godly people, it’s just different strokes, you know?

I’ve also been upber active in churches since about birth or so, and with this job I just don’t have the time or energy to be involved like before. I still love Jesus, it’s just practicality. And…I HATE the guilt trips that sometimes (usually unintentionally) come down from ppl looking for volunteers, trying to get me “plugged in,” etc. It’s been so freeing to worship and not feel guilty about not doing more. And, I think people (including me) are more likely to keep going to a place that doesn’t put ppl in awkward spots like that!

I’m sure soon I’ll be back serving more traditionally. Now it’s nice to take a deep breath.

 

“media” rant

so as a member of the nebulous “media” let me rant a little here:

 I’ve had a few incidents just in the short time I’ve been a journalist where Christians (or people claiming the name at least), ministers included, have called the station, or we’ve done interviews with them etc.   not happy about a story we’ve done.  Or they are trying to “show off” about something.  Or they’re trying to say something but in so many words it comes across as arrogant, as “God’s word to bring to you.”  

Now I’m a Christian.  And I’ve interviewed some WONDERFUL people of faith in several stories.  I’ve gone inside multiple churches and met incredible, godly people.  Honestly, I try to make a point in doing that.

And I know everyone is human.  But to me it just seems like they way a person reacts when they’re not happy about something shows most about a person’s character.  I know people say “I can’t believe ‘the media’” “How dare they ask that,” “they hate God and Christians and George Bush” etc. etc.  And I’m not saying news coverage is always perfect.  This isn’t a post about bias…that’s a different topic.

But you never know who you’re talking to on the other end.  They’re a person on a spiritual journey.  When I hear my colleagues receive a nasty phone call from a “Christian”, I WISH I had taken the call.  When someone has been rude to me or really pompous, I’ve wanted to pull them aside and say, “Look.  You should be glad I’m a Christian.  Because you really would have turned me off to your faith.”  

They will know we are Christians by our love. 

 

not limited to the shelf

I was reading this article today about “God’s shelf life.” The writer suggested most Christians in their 20s put God on the shelf and discover their own beliefs, walk away from the faith, etc. etc. I would guess most people who grew up in the church like I did have done something similar whether it was in college or afterwards.

Her example was that the Wednesday night Bible study is replaced with video games or a pilates class and the WOW 2002 CD is replaced with Arcade Fire.

While I do agree with a lot of what she says, I don’t really understand why someone is less of a Christian or is putting God on the shelf by listening to Arcade Fire and taking pilates. I understand her point, but still. Personally, the Christian life has become more dynamic for me as I’ve stepped out of the Christian subculture some and see how my faith intersects other value systems. And for that matter, basking in the subculture with the Christian lingo, products, and events to me doesn’t really seem like the way Jesus lived out his ministry. Everyone has a different part to play, but still.

Kind of along the same lines, I watched Christiana Amanpour’s piece called God’s Warriors a while back and was totally fascinated. She thoroughly interviewed Muslims, Jews, and Christians…and each person considered themselves “God’s Warrior” in some aspect. I finally understood why Osama bin Laden specifically despises the US so much, and it wasn’t really about Israel.

Anyway, during the Christian part I of course had to examine my own life. I think every Christian is called to be “God’s Warrior” to some extent because of spiritual warfare, but I think people have different tactics in waging “battle.” I think mine has become less overt than say 7-8 years ago, and more against evil practices in the world than people and things, if that makes sense. So I’m going to chronicle my spiritual journey to see how it has changed while God has stayed the same.

I have more thoughts on the church today, but this blog is long enough. Thanks for indulging me.

and…the Arcade Fire is a great band too, btw…