If you have had any length of conversation with me in the last six months, you probably know that my life has been very wedding-centric this year. No no no, not my own wedding of course (perhaps some day, although after this year, I am more inclined to elope than ever...). Instead, weddings of dear friends and relatives have been consuming my being for several months now (We won't get into the fact that I am probably too young to know so many people getting married). And, in this conversation with me, it probably would have been mentioned that I have been more than just a spectator for all of these weddings. My titles have included: Personal Assistant to the Bride, Reception Hostess, Set-upper person, Day-of Coordinator, and The Cake Lady.
Upon mentioning that I had volunteered to make a wedding cake for my friends Matt and Damaris, the reaction most normally was "You do wedding cakes?!". And the response: "Uh...I do ONE wedding cake, and it hasn't been done yet, so...talk to me after it's been done."
Well, it's been done. And the answer is. Why, yes, I do wedding cakes. Yesterday was D-day for me. The wedding climax of my year, if you will. And after talking to a lot of people and getting a lot of comments on the cake, I would say that it was a smashing success. And that makes me smile.
Matt and Damaris were amazing to let me make the cake for them. Their attitude was very relaxed, they didn't really care about specifics other than making sure it tasted and looked good. With requirements like that, there wasn't much pressure which made it A LOT of fun. The cake itself was a lemon cake with raspberry in the middle and cream cheese frosting. The design was not the traditional tiered cake, but rather several smaller cakes arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner. It was a design based on their invitations (I really like themes, and bringing things full circle...), but fairly simple. In the end it was beautiful and delicious, and I couldn't have been more excited or happy with it.
I will say that it is quite stressful making cake for 200 people. I had been so wrapped up in making it look good, that it wasn't until I had set them up on the table that I realized people would actually be eating the cake. My cake. That brought a new perspective to the whole thing. Luckily, the amazing ceremony and good company took my mind out of the hyper-ventilating state. And like I said, everyone seemed to like it.
For me, it's the baking and decorating that's the most fun, not the gratification of success. When I bake, I experience an inexplicable peace. Nothing in the world really matters, it's just me in the kitchen, and there's nothing else. All week people were asking me if I was panicking yet. And to be honest, I wasn't. Sure, the extravaganza wasn't completely stress-free, but there was no moment of complete melt-down (except for maybe that moment when we served the first piece, I haven't been that nervous since I got on a plane to fly to Senegal...). Few people interacted with me while I was frosting and decorating, which is probably good because it wasn't the prettiest sight in the world. There I was, in my grungy clothes, hair all askew, covered in frosting and cake crumbs, rocking out to The Fray and Mat Kearney, lost in my own little cake filled world. And having the time of my life.
Weddings are a big deal. So much so, that the people involved most often get so caught up in the details that it ends up being more of a stress-fest than a celebration. The fun gets overshadowed by the worrying and the anxiety. But what's the point if you're so stressed out that you spend all your time waiting for it to be over? I thought that's how I was going to feel about this cake. That it would be so much of a pain in the butt that I would just be wishing for the day to be over with. I was wrong. It's over now, and to be honest I'm kind of bummed. It was so much fun and I'm really glad that it turned out the way I wanted it to.
So thanks to the newly-wed Axelson's for letting me be a part of your celebration. It was an honor to be able to contribute to the fantastic party. Oh and thanks for taking the gamble and offering to be the recipients of my first wedding cake ever.
And thanks to everyone who helped build my confidence by supporting me through this. Having a tendency to self-doubt a lot, it was very nice to know that there were people who had faith in me.
(pictures coming soon.)
12 July 2009
27 April 2009
stunning contrast
In slight continuation of my post yesterday...
While hundreds of us were peacefully rallying at the Capitol building in St Paul this weekend, a stunningly different scene was unfolding in Minneapolis. Riots were breaking out in Dinkytown, not far from the U of MN campus in Minneapolis. Partying that had started Saturday morning around 9, had escalated to full blown riots by evening--street fires, tear gas, overturned cars, bottles flying, etc. Wow.
Talk about contrast.
In both scenes, you have hundreds of students/young adults gathered under a unified purpose. And yet they were so far removed from each other. The riots of course made front page of the Minnesota Daily (our University newspaper), while the Invisible Children rally made the 3rd page.
What were the riots really about? Students drinking too much and wanting to have "fun"? How does that impact the world, other than giving the University a slightly worse reputation?
What if all of that energy had been put towards something that matters? What if those hundreds had joined our hundreds to make a thousand? Would the child soldiers have made front page news?
What if people actually thought about their actions and made an effort to impact the world positively instead of the alternative?
For more information about the riots visit www.mndaily.com
To see which cities are still waiting to be rescued for the Invisible Children rally visit www.invisiblechildren.com
26 April 2009
kingdom stuff
This morning I woke up on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol (don't worry, I remember vividly how I got there). Curled up in my $12, 40 degree, camouflage, Target sleeping bag, I looked to see if my feet were still there, considering I had lost feeling in them hours before. I peeked my head out, and felt a cold sprinkling of raindrops falling from a gray morning sky. As I sat up, I groggily gazed upon many other sleeping lumps scattered about the grass. "Can we go now?" was the question posed to me by my two companions who had been "sleeping" on either side of me. Looking at my watch and seeing that it was just past 6:00 (surely the buses had to be running by now...), I responded in the positive and we swiftly removed ourselves from damp sleeping bags and blankets, packed up, and headed towards the bus stop.
So why is it that we were sleeping on the Capitol lawn?
We were joining with tens of thousands of people all over the world to raise a voice for abducted children in Uganda and the surrounding area in East Africa. In an attempt to continue a 23 year long war, rebel leader Joseph Kony is abducting children and turning them into soldiers for his army (the Lord's Resistance Army). Children are impressionable and easily influenced, which is exactly why they are the prime targets to be seized and taught the ways of violence, war, and terror. AK-47s are placed in the hands of kids as young as 6 and 7, and they are taught how to use them to the advantage of the LRA. If they don't do as they are told, they are threatened with torture, mutilation, and death. They are kept in place by seeing friends and family members killed or mutilated in front of them. Thousands of children have been abducted. Millions more live in utter fear wondering if they're next.
It's unbelievable and intolerable.
Who's going to rescue them?
Yesterday, I abducted myself along with hundreds of others in St Paul in order to save the abducted. The event was put on by Invisible Children (www.invisiblechildren.com), a non-profit devoted to raising awareness and money to bring an end to the war in Uganda and to free the invisible children. This event took place in 100 cities across the globe-tens of thousands of people pledging not to go home until they were rescued. In order for a city to be rescued, they have to get the media and a mogul to come and rescue them. By mogul, I mean and political or cultural leader, local or national. In St Paul, there were about 500 of us and we were rescued just before 9:00 last night! The Minnesota Daily, Star Tribune, and Channel 5 (KSTP) were our media rescuers, they all came out and covered the story. Our mogul was a representative of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who arrived with a signed letter from Sen. Klobuchar pledging her support of the cause. Later on, as a State Representative House meeting adjourned in the Capitol building, several Reps stopped by to say a few words. They said things like how inspiring it was to see all the energy out on the lawn, and so many "young people" joined together for one cause. The atmosphere was overwhelming.
This is Kingdom stuff. Unifying our voices to speak out against injustice.
Even though we were "rescued", we were still encouraged to spend the night to "stand in solidarity with the child soldiers". Even though we were rescued, they haven't been. Even though we succeeded in making our presence known to the culture defining forces (media and moguls), the kids in Uganda are still being abducted.
Those of us who chose to stay, were choosing to sacrifice our comforts, our time, ourselves for one night. We didn't have to stay. We could have gone home. We could have said "Sweet, we got rescued...see you next time". But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the kids in Uganda don't have the choice. They can't choose to go back to their families, their homes, their lives. They give themselves a death sentence if they do. Every time I woke up last night feeling cold or sore or wet, I tried to tell myself "They don't have a choice, why should I?".
This is Kingdom stuff. Sacrificing time and comfort to try to relate to the experiences of brothers and sisters in less fortunate situations than our own.
Earlier in the evening, before we got rescued, a spontaneous prayer circle got started in the middle of the lawn. Invisible Children is not a "Christian Organization", nor was this event a "Christian" thing. Some event participants just decided to stand in a circle, hold hands and pray together. Before they knew it, the group had grown to more than a hundred people. The circle was so big that we could hardly hear prayers from people across the circle from us. Prayers were lifted to God for the child soldiers, for the Ugandan Government, for Joseph Kony, for the event itself, for God to move in us to make a difference, and for our voices to be heard. Even though we didn't know each other, we were joining together as one body, praying to one Lord.
This is Kingdom stuff. Unifying under the name of Christ, crying out to God for the end of unspeakable injustice and oppression, speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves.
It was worth it to wake up cold and wet in the middle of downtown St Paul this morning.
It was worth it to be a part of some serious Kingdom stuff.
Jesus encourages us to further the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth.
And when we do, God works in incredible ways.
Let's keep it up,
for the child soldiers in Uganda,
for the victims of human trafficking,
for the starved and homeless,
for all the injustice that ravages the world we live in.
Let's experience the Kingdom.
So why is it that we were sleeping on the Capitol lawn?
We were joining with tens of thousands of people all over the world to raise a voice for abducted children in Uganda and the surrounding area in East Africa. In an attempt to continue a 23 year long war, rebel leader Joseph Kony is abducting children and turning them into soldiers for his army (the Lord's Resistance Army). Children are impressionable and easily influenced, which is exactly why they are the prime targets to be seized and taught the ways of violence, war, and terror. AK-47s are placed in the hands of kids as young as 6 and 7, and they are taught how to use them to the advantage of the LRA. If they don't do as they are told, they are threatened with torture, mutilation, and death. They are kept in place by seeing friends and family members killed or mutilated in front of them. Thousands of children have been abducted. Millions more live in utter fear wondering if they're next.
It's unbelievable and intolerable.
Who's going to rescue them?
Yesterday, I abducted myself along with hundreds of others in St Paul in order to save the abducted. The event was put on by Invisible Children (www.invisiblechildren.com), a non-profit devoted to raising awareness and money to bring an end to the war in Uganda and to free the invisible children. This event took place in 100 cities across the globe-tens of thousands of people pledging not to go home until they were rescued. In order for a city to be rescued, they have to get the media and a mogul to come and rescue them. By mogul, I mean and political or cultural leader, local or national. In St Paul, there were about 500 of us and we were rescued just before 9:00 last night! The Minnesota Daily, Star Tribune, and Channel 5 (KSTP) were our media rescuers, they all came out and covered the story. Our mogul was a representative of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who arrived with a signed letter from Sen. Klobuchar pledging her support of the cause. Later on, as a State Representative House meeting adjourned in the Capitol building, several Reps stopped by to say a few words. They said things like how inspiring it was to see all the energy out on the lawn, and so many "young people" joined together for one cause. The atmosphere was overwhelming.
This is Kingdom stuff. Unifying our voices to speak out against injustice.
Even though we were "rescued", we were still encouraged to spend the night to "stand in solidarity with the child soldiers". Even though we were rescued, they haven't been. Even though we succeeded in making our presence known to the culture defining forces (media and moguls), the kids in Uganda are still being abducted.
Those of us who chose to stay, were choosing to sacrifice our comforts, our time, ourselves for one night. We didn't have to stay. We could have gone home. We could have said "Sweet, we got rescued...see you next time". But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the kids in Uganda don't have the choice. They can't choose to go back to their families, their homes, their lives. They give themselves a death sentence if they do. Every time I woke up last night feeling cold or sore or wet, I tried to tell myself "They don't have a choice, why should I?".
This is Kingdom stuff. Sacrificing time and comfort to try to relate to the experiences of brothers and sisters in less fortunate situations than our own.
Earlier in the evening, before we got rescued, a spontaneous prayer circle got started in the middle of the lawn. Invisible Children is not a "Christian Organization", nor was this event a "Christian" thing. Some event participants just decided to stand in a circle, hold hands and pray together. Before they knew it, the group had grown to more than a hundred people. The circle was so big that we could hardly hear prayers from people across the circle from us. Prayers were lifted to God for the child soldiers, for the Ugandan Government, for Joseph Kony, for the event itself, for God to move in us to make a difference, and for our voices to be heard. Even though we didn't know each other, we were joining together as one body, praying to one Lord.
This is Kingdom stuff. Unifying under the name of Christ, crying out to God for the end of unspeakable injustice and oppression, speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves.
It was worth it to wake up cold and wet in the middle of downtown St Paul this morning.
It was worth it to be a part of some serious Kingdom stuff.
Jesus encourages us to further the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth.
And when we do, God works in incredible ways.
Let's keep it up,
for the child soldiers in Uganda,
for the victims of human trafficking,
for the starved and homeless,
for all the injustice that ravages the world we live in.
Let's experience the Kingdom.
24 February 2009
age of not believing
Last night I was reading a story by Roald Dahl, one of my all time favorite authors. It was called "The Hitchhiker", one of his short stories, found in "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (and six more)". The story is about a man who is driving to London and stops to pick up a hitchhiker. After a conversation, the man realizes that the hitchhiker is being very cryptic about his line of work. Finally, it is revealed that the hitchhiker is a professional pickpocket (or as he calls it "fingersmith"). During the car ride, the pickpocket had stolen several things from the driver including one of his shoelaces.
It is a very simple and well written story, but I found myself trying to figure out how the pickpocket did it. I was envisioning the car, and the two men, and just how he might have feasibly reached down unnoticed and swiped the driver's shoelace.
If I were a young person, I would have accepted it as a cool and fantastical occurrence in a story. As an adult, I was trying to break it down and figure it out. Maybe somethings aren't meant to be figured out. Maybe we just need to let our imaginations go and take pleasure in small little fantastical things like fictional pickpockets stealing shoelaces...
Now that I have the opportunity to work a lot with kids, I've realized that when you grow up the world isn't as fun and magical as it was when you were a kid. I admire the imaginations of little ones and how they don't judge the world or get disillusioned by it. They dream big, nothing is impossible, and anything can be made fun. Why do adults always have to bring the world crashing down? Sometimes I wish I were back at the age of believing, the place in life where armchairs are turned into chariots and stuffed animals come alive to have tea parties. The place where unicorns pull cars to make them move, not engines. The place where magical bubble baths turn chores like washing dishes into fun. The place where books can be read over and over and over again and even though Amelia Bedelia will always screw something up, you're just as thrilled at the end when she bakes some thing delicious and turns everything around. The world is a sad, scary, depressing place when you're a disillusioned adult. We often forget the things that make this life beautiful like imagination, creativity, and just a little bit of silliness.
It is a very simple and well written story, but I found myself trying to figure out how the pickpocket did it. I was envisioning the car, and the two men, and just how he might have feasibly reached down unnoticed and swiped the driver's shoelace.
If I were a young person, I would have accepted it as a cool and fantastical occurrence in a story. As an adult, I was trying to break it down and figure it out. Maybe somethings aren't meant to be figured out. Maybe we just need to let our imaginations go and take pleasure in small little fantastical things like fictional pickpockets stealing shoelaces...
Now that I have the opportunity to work a lot with kids, I've realized that when you grow up the world isn't as fun and magical as it was when you were a kid. I admire the imaginations of little ones and how they don't judge the world or get disillusioned by it. They dream big, nothing is impossible, and anything can be made fun. Why do adults always have to bring the world crashing down? Sometimes I wish I were back at the age of believing, the place in life where armchairs are turned into chariots and stuffed animals come alive to have tea parties. The place where unicorns pull cars to make them move, not engines. The place where magical bubble baths turn chores like washing dishes into fun. The place where books can be read over and over and over again and even though Amelia Bedelia will always screw something up, you're just as thrilled at the end when she bakes some thing delicious and turns everything around. The world is a sad, scary, depressing place when you're a disillusioned adult. We often forget the things that make this life beautiful like imagination, creativity, and just a little bit of silliness.
22 February 2009
where is the Church?
The following has been my soapbox lately.
Where is The Church?
(When I say "the Church" with a capital 'C', I refer to the institution of the body of Christ, the group of believers that form the institution Church. I don't mean to talk about one specific congregation, building, or even denomination. I mean, everyone, together, on the whole, the institution.)
I am disappointed with the image that the Church (especially in America) has been portraying to the rest of the world, the non-Christ-following world. All I see is flashy worship bands, fancy coffee, and self-help Christianity. I see people going to church because the feel like they should, because they find some sort of self-fulfillment, or because they think it will solve all of their problems. I hear sermons about how Jesus can save YOU, YOU can go to heaven, and God can make YOU feel better. I see churches trying to cater to certain audiences, asking questions like "how do we get THIS group of people to come to church". I see churches care more about getting people in the door than making sure they feel like they belong once they're there. I see church leaders care more about the number of people in their sanctuaries on Sundays than who those people are. I see colorful graphics, flashy videos, and novel-length bulletins advertising this weeks offerings of "church" things to do. I see preachers take political sides and teach political views in their services. I see the Church conform to pop culture.
I don't see the Church care for people like it should. I don't see the Church rising up and dealing with social justice issues like it should. I don't see unity in the Church. I see disfunctionality and division. I see unending battles of politics. I see misused authority. I see individualism, not community. I see greed and selfishness. I see the Church getting so wrapped up in itself that it has lost the vision and purpose of its existence.
In the book of Acts, we are introduced to a group of 1st century believers. These were the people who were around before, during, and after the crucifixion/resurrection/ascension of Jesus Christ. The first couple chapters of Acts describes what life was like in that early Church. It says the believers "were together and had everything in common" (Acts 2:44). They shared everything, had fellowship together, took care of those in need, and served the Lord together. They were living in true community. They loved God and each other, and that's all that really mattered. Everything they did flowed out of that. People catered themselves (their beliefs, and ways of life) to the Church, not the other way around. I desire to experience that in the Church today. True community centered around the belief in Jesus Christ and following His teaching. But I'm just not seeing it.
According to the Barna Group, only 4% of Americans tithed in 2004. Four percent. Money is always a touchy subject in the Church. Churches don't want to have to beg for money, and people don't want to feel pressured to give money. But only 4%? The tithe is something that is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. It has been around forever (well, almost). The basic idea of the tithe is that you acknowledge that everything that you own belongs to God and thus you give Him the first cut. Back in the days of animal sacrifice and stuff, people were supposed to give up the best of their flocks or herds. Actually, if you read through Leviticus and Deuteronomy, there is a really elaborate system of tithing and sacrifice. Now by "giving" it to God, doesn't mean you burn it or something so that you don't have it anymore, it means that you give it to be used in some manner to further the Kingdom of God. Tithes in the Bible were used to take care of Church/Synagogue leaders, the poor, the widowed, and the orphans. The early Church made sure that everyone had enough of what they needed and that no one was left to suffer. Can you imagine the impact the Church could make today if it really used it's resources for the Glory of God? What if all believers tithed, and the Church used that money to further the Kingdom of God? Think of how many people wouldn't have to go hungry anymore, or how many people could be saved from slavery and human trafficking. What if that money used to buy that fancy schmancy projector had been used to buy groceries for that homeless family down the street?
I recently went to a church service, that quickly turned into a pro-life rally. Words were being used as weapons against President Obama and all who supported the right to choose. The pastor got very riled up and was shouting by the end in a very spirited argument for the rights of unborn children. "Amen"s were popping out in different places in the congregation. And I was sinking lower and lower into the pew. All I could think about was what would happen if they found out I was Liberal and had voted for Obama? I was envisioning being run out of the building and being condemned to a life of paganism. It wasn't a very good feeling. Nor was it a feeling I should have been getting from church. I will never step inside that building ever again, if I can help it. I was also thinking of my non-Christian friends who might at some point in their lives be faced with the decision of getting an abortion, and how they were being accused by this pastor of being potential murderers. That hurt too. Jesus did not preach politics. And neither should the Church. Sure, having opinions is fine, but how is the Church using them to further the Kingdom? Is it more Christ-like to lobby the government and protest abortion clinics or to love women into making the right decision? Jesus didn't condemn, so why should we? Why is the Church spending so much time fighting political battles, when they could be changing the world through love? What would happen if the Church stopped alienating and judging gays, lesbians, and women seeking abortions and started loving and trying to support them? When will the Church stop acting so much like Pharisees and more like Jesus? We say we follow Jesus, so why doesn't it look like we do? When will we stop being so self-involved and start being selfless?
I have been very critical up to this point, but like I said, this has been my soapbox. Now even though the Church has been disappointing, and I have lost faith in its ability to live up to its potential, that's not to say there aren't good things happening. I am extremely honored to have been born into a family of missionaries, people who have served and are serving the Lord all around the world. I have also been honored to have met (and been involved in) a great deal of other church and non-profit ministries around the country. Good things are happening. A lot of very admirable people are doing everything they can to further the Kingdom and share the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Most of these things happen under the radar, out of view of the public eye. But that's kind of how Jesus rolled. Countless times in the Gospels, Jesus tells people not to tell others about the miracles He performed or whatever. So I would like to acknowledge and applaud everything that believers are doing to serve God. But I can't help but question how much is actually being done when I hear about all the suffering that's going on in the world. Is it enough? Is what the Church doing enough? I don't think so. And I can only hope and pray that it will grow out of this self-help-individual-based Christianity phase and into a true-loving-community based Christianity.
When will we stop drawing lines and join together to rock this world for Jesus? The Church has so much potential to impact this sucky-hurting-suffering world in a supernatural way. Are we going to live up to that potential?
Where is The Church?
(When I say "the Church" with a capital 'C', I refer to the institution of the body of Christ, the group of believers that form the institution Church. I don't mean to talk about one specific congregation, building, or even denomination. I mean, everyone, together, on the whole, the institution.)
I am disappointed with the image that the Church (especially in America) has been portraying to the rest of the world, the non-Christ-following world. All I see is flashy worship bands, fancy coffee, and self-help Christianity. I see people going to church because the feel like they should, because they find some sort of self-fulfillment, or because they think it will solve all of their problems. I hear sermons about how Jesus can save YOU, YOU can go to heaven, and God can make YOU feel better. I see churches trying to cater to certain audiences, asking questions like "how do we get THIS group of people to come to church". I see churches care more about getting people in the door than making sure they feel like they belong once they're there. I see church leaders care more about the number of people in their sanctuaries on Sundays than who those people are. I see colorful graphics, flashy videos, and novel-length bulletins advertising this weeks offerings of "church" things to do. I see preachers take political sides and teach political views in their services. I see the Church conform to pop culture.
I don't see the Church care for people like it should. I don't see the Church rising up and dealing with social justice issues like it should. I don't see unity in the Church. I see disfunctionality and division. I see unending battles of politics. I see misused authority. I see individualism, not community. I see greed and selfishness. I see the Church getting so wrapped up in itself that it has lost the vision and purpose of its existence.
In the book of Acts, we are introduced to a group of 1st century believers. These were the people who were around before, during, and after the crucifixion/resurrection/ascension of Jesus Christ. The first couple chapters of Acts describes what life was like in that early Church. It says the believers "were together and had everything in common" (Acts 2:44). They shared everything, had fellowship together, took care of those in need, and served the Lord together. They were living in true community. They loved God and each other, and that's all that really mattered. Everything they did flowed out of that. People catered themselves (their beliefs, and ways of life) to the Church, not the other way around. I desire to experience that in the Church today. True community centered around the belief in Jesus Christ and following His teaching. But I'm just not seeing it.
According to the Barna Group, only 4% of Americans tithed in 2004. Four percent. Money is always a touchy subject in the Church. Churches don't want to have to beg for money, and people don't want to feel pressured to give money. But only 4%? The tithe is something that is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. It has been around forever (well, almost). The basic idea of the tithe is that you acknowledge that everything that you own belongs to God and thus you give Him the first cut. Back in the days of animal sacrifice and stuff, people were supposed to give up the best of their flocks or herds. Actually, if you read through Leviticus and Deuteronomy, there is a really elaborate system of tithing and sacrifice. Now by "giving" it to God, doesn't mean you burn it or something so that you don't have it anymore, it means that you give it to be used in some manner to further the Kingdom of God. Tithes in the Bible were used to take care of Church/Synagogue leaders, the poor, the widowed, and the orphans. The early Church made sure that everyone had enough of what they needed and that no one was left to suffer. Can you imagine the impact the Church could make today if it really used it's resources for the Glory of God? What if all believers tithed, and the Church used that money to further the Kingdom of God? Think of how many people wouldn't have to go hungry anymore, or how many people could be saved from slavery and human trafficking. What if that money used to buy that fancy schmancy projector had been used to buy groceries for that homeless family down the street?
I recently went to a church service, that quickly turned into a pro-life rally. Words were being used as weapons against President Obama and all who supported the right to choose. The pastor got very riled up and was shouting by the end in a very spirited argument for the rights of unborn children. "Amen"s were popping out in different places in the congregation. And I was sinking lower and lower into the pew. All I could think about was what would happen if they found out I was Liberal and had voted for Obama? I was envisioning being run out of the building and being condemned to a life of paganism. It wasn't a very good feeling. Nor was it a feeling I should have been getting from church. I will never step inside that building ever again, if I can help it. I was also thinking of my non-Christian friends who might at some point in their lives be faced with the decision of getting an abortion, and how they were being accused by this pastor of being potential murderers. That hurt too. Jesus did not preach politics. And neither should the Church. Sure, having opinions is fine, but how is the Church using them to further the Kingdom? Is it more Christ-like to lobby the government and protest abortion clinics or to love women into making the right decision? Jesus didn't condemn, so why should we? Why is the Church spending so much time fighting political battles, when they could be changing the world through love? What would happen if the Church stopped alienating and judging gays, lesbians, and women seeking abortions and started loving and trying to support them? When will the Church stop acting so much like Pharisees and more like Jesus? We say we follow Jesus, so why doesn't it look like we do? When will we stop being so self-involved and start being selfless?
I have been very critical up to this point, but like I said, this has been my soapbox. Now even though the Church has been disappointing, and I have lost faith in its ability to live up to its potential, that's not to say there aren't good things happening. I am extremely honored to have been born into a family of missionaries, people who have served and are serving the Lord all around the world. I have also been honored to have met (and been involved in) a great deal of other church and non-profit ministries around the country. Good things are happening. A lot of very admirable people are doing everything they can to further the Kingdom and share the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Most of these things happen under the radar, out of view of the public eye. But that's kind of how Jesus rolled. Countless times in the Gospels, Jesus tells people not to tell others about the miracles He performed or whatever. So I would like to acknowledge and applaud everything that believers are doing to serve God. But I can't help but question how much is actually being done when I hear about all the suffering that's going on in the world. Is it enough? Is what the Church doing enough? I don't think so. And I can only hope and pray that it will grow out of this self-help-individual-based Christianity phase and into a true-loving-community based Christianity.
When will we stop drawing lines and join together to rock this world for Jesus? The Church has so much potential to impact this sucky-hurting-suffering world in a supernatural way. Are we going to live up to that potential?
09 February 2009
here i go again
Dear readers,
No you are not going crazy, yes, I did indeed start a new blog. Wow, I never really thought of myself as the "blogging" type, and yet here I am starting numero 3. I guess I just have a lot of thoughts that are in my head that need some sort of outlet. And as fate would have it, there are people in this world who enjoy reading things that I write.
Thus, I present you with "if amy ran the world."
I seem to be at an intersection of my life, where the world is kind of a confusing place. I find myself questioning the way things work, and questioning the world in general. Why are things the way they are? How can they be better? What's up with all the issues we have with social justice? Why is religion such a touchy subject? Why does the world suck sometimes? So here I am to provide an outflow of my thoughts about life and the world in general.
I do have some viewer discretion advisements:
1. What will be contained in this blog will most likely be MY OPINIONS about things. I am well aware that my opinions are not always very sound or correct, but they are mine, so I must own up to them. And please be aware that I do not mean to offend anyone with my words. We all have opinions and that is why the world is full of disagreements. But honestly, how boring would life be if we agreed all the time? That being said, I do welcome and respect others' opinions, and hope that you will likewise respect my opinions.
2. Between the influence of public school and my family, I have been taught to think critically. This means that I might be a little critical of things every now and then. If you know me at all, you know that I tend to be a very optimistic/idealistic person. This, however, does not mean that I don't have some qualms with the world in which we live. It just means that sometimes I don't completely acknowledge reality and would rather spend my time dreaming of how the world should/could be. So if I say things that sound like I have my head in the clouds, I probably do, so just leave me there for a while before you bring me crashing back down to the real world.
3. I love Jesus. That being said, a lot of how I view the world is from a religious/spiritual/"christian" perspective. A lot of what I think about on a daily basis has to do with God. Therefore, a safe assumption would be that a lot of what I write about will probably have a lot to do with God.
4. I don't really have issues with bringing up and discussing controversial issues. I would much rather spend my time engaging in conversations about the controversial than hiding from them. I am not afraid of heated discussions, and am happy to be able to voice my perspective any time. I do not believe that discussions of this nature are inherently hostile, and that they can be quite productive if the participants are themselves not hostile, but approach it with intelligence and good points.
Whew, now that I got those out of my system, you have been sufficiently forewarned of the content of this blog.
I hope you find interest in the things I have to say, but if not, that's cool. I'm just someone trying to figure out what I believe about this world, and feel the need to articulate it. If you've read down this far, I do appreciate your attention and truly hope that whatever I post on here will challenge you as much as it will have challenged me.
p.s. I very well may be jumping into the deep end by starting this blog, but hey, why not?
No you are not going crazy, yes, I did indeed start a new blog. Wow, I never really thought of myself as the "blogging" type, and yet here I am starting numero 3. I guess I just have a lot of thoughts that are in my head that need some sort of outlet. And as fate would have it, there are people in this world who enjoy reading things that I write.
Thus, I present you with "if amy ran the world."
I seem to be at an intersection of my life, where the world is kind of a confusing place. I find myself questioning the way things work, and questioning the world in general. Why are things the way they are? How can they be better? What's up with all the issues we have with social justice? Why is religion such a touchy subject? Why does the world suck sometimes? So here I am to provide an outflow of my thoughts about life and the world in general.
I do have some viewer discretion advisements:
1. What will be contained in this blog will most likely be MY OPINIONS about things. I am well aware that my opinions are not always very sound or correct, but they are mine, so I must own up to them. And please be aware that I do not mean to offend anyone with my words. We all have opinions and that is why the world is full of disagreements. But honestly, how boring would life be if we agreed all the time? That being said, I do welcome and respect others' opinions, and hope that you will likewise respect my opinions.
2. Between the influence of public school and my family, I have been taught to think critically. This means that I might be a little critical of things every now and then. If you know me at all, you know that I tend to be a very optimistic/idealistic person. This, however, does not mean that I don't have some qualms with the world in which we live. It just means that sometimes I don't completely acknowledge reality and would rather spend my time dreaming of how the world should/could be. So if I say things that sound like I have my head in the clouds, I probably do, so just leave me there for a while before you bring me crashing back down to the real world.
3. I love Jesus. That being said, a lot of how I view the world is from a religious/spiritual/"christian" perspective. A lot of what I think about on a daily basis has to do with God. Therefore, a safe assumption would be that a lot of what I write about will probably have a lot to do with God.
4. I don't really have issues with bringing up and discussing controversial issues. I would much rather spend my time engaging in conversations about the controversial than hiding from them. I am not afraid of heated discussions, and am happy to be able to voice my perspective any time. I do not believe that discussions of this nature are inherently hostile, and that they can be quite productive if the participants are themselves not hostile, but approach it with intelligence and good points.
Whew, now that I got those out of my system, you have been sufficiently forewarned of the content of this blog.
I hope you find interest in the things I have to say, but if not, that's cool. I'm just someone trying to figure out what I believe about this world, and feel the need to articulate it. If you've read down this far, I do appreciate your attention and truly hope that whatever I post on here will challenge you as much as it will have challenged me.
p.s. I very well may be jumping into the deep end by starting this blog, but hey, why not?
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