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| A few of the kids in my youth group are obsessed with Lost. They talk about it so much that Samantha and I decided to watch the first two seasons. This was about a month ago, or so. After watching the show I have to say that we are decidedly hooked. We finished the second season yesterday and I'm looking forward to watching the third season shows online. My only hope is that the producers of the show know how to land this baby and not let it stretch out into the realm of utter ridiculosity. I think the problem with tv is that a good show can be held captive by its own success and that the story will be made to continue, for economic reasons, past its age of artistic and narrative vitality. Some people don't really like the third season. I guess I'll have to see what I think. In other news, I preached yesterday. It was All Saints Sunday and the texts I preached on were John 11:32-44--the raising of Lazarus--and Revelation 21:1-6--John's eschatological vision of a new heaven and a new earth. From what people have said, it was a good sermon. It was a bear to write, however. The muse, as I like to say, came rather late in the week. And when she did come she wasn't speaking in audibly loud tones. The process of writing the sermon had a lot of starts and stops. Eventually, though, it all came out and, like I said, I think the congregation liked it. I haven't preached a "bad one" yet, at least according to the exit polls. Speaking of exit polls, it's time to vote!!! This area of the world is a rather interesting one when it comes to political demographics. Many folks in my church seem to be rather conservative Republican types while our area/county, taken as a whole, is from what I've heard, mostly Democrat. Since this area has a history of mining--which ended only in the late 70's to early '80's--politics have been heavily influenced by labor unions and their historical associations with the Democratic Party. I have been surprised by the comments of some in the church, who I believed were conservative Republicans, about their lack of faith in G-dub and the Republican majority in congress. This fact seems to echo some of the reporting in the news of the malaise that the President and his party are finding themselves in vis-a-vis "evangelicals." I do find this rather comforting. Perhaps Christian folks are finally waking up to the fact that a president who lies in order to take his country to war, is not a person to be trusted. What a revolution this would be... | | |
| We were gone most of last week and we just returned yesterday. It snowed a couple of inches at the end of last week. We missed the snow and most of it has now melted. We had a good week in Lake Geneva and Chicago. The retreat was pretty good. Pastors are a generally different bunch. Weird might be too strong a word, but different fits the bill pretty well. Not all pastors are different, some are quite normal. I don't know, of course, which camp I, myself, fit in to. That would be up to you to decide, my dear online audience. I'm not sure how to describe the "difference" of which I speak. Some pastors are real goal-oriented, type A personalities. Others are very empathetic, sensitive types. Perhaps what makes pastors different is that they do a rather different sort of job than most people. Dealing with people's junk in a very intimate way probably would make the most sane person a little different. As a young pastor I think that the difference is also one that is generational in nature. Older pastors, even ones that are in their 40's, have a different outlook on the world than those of us who are in their 20's. Those of us who are younger may have different ways of looking at the church. We also, generally, have different priorities for its life and mission. Do I like being a pastor? The answer to this question is yes in the sense that I would rather be doing what I'm doing than anything else. The difficulty of the question, however, is that it is a bit self-centered. I have been called to do this and I can't imagine doing anything else. What does it mean to be called? I have a problem with much of the language that surrounds and permeates the evangelical world. What I mean by this would take an essay to explicate, but suffice it to say that the word "called" often has a connotation that could be, might be, often over-sprititualized. I believe a call can be a supernatural event or a proclivity that obtains within one's personality. I respect the bold-strokes in which the story of Jesus calling the disciples is told. Jesus calls and disciples respond. I think we do a disservice to the text if we over-spiritualize these callings or if we try to add details to the text that aren't there. There is simply the call and the response. Did Peter, James, or John actually want to follow Jesus or were they compelled by the force of his personality? We don't know and we will not find out in this life. The bottom line is that they responded. God called Abram to go to a country that was not his own. Abram packed up his life and went. He followed in faith knowing that this God would show him the way. I like these stories. They speak to me in a very powerful way in my own call here in Iron River. God, in a way, has called me twice; once, long ago, he called me to be a pastor. The second time God called he said, "Go to Iron River, a land that is not your home, and I will show you what I want you to do." Of course, he didn't say that literally...at least I don't think so. Perhaps a "call" is, in a sense, a resolute movement towards an opportunity that presents itself that is done in the faith that God will vindicate the choice that is made. The statement that I have just made, however, is one that reveals a great deal of how I view God and our relationship with him....(am I something of a semi-Pelagian???) In any case I have found myself thinking lately that I want to give the kids in my youth group a hug. I want to tell each one of them how special they are and that they are loved. I want them to know, in whatever small way, that what they will become has not yet been revealed and that their faith in God, however imperfect, will be their own witness to a world of life in a culture of death, pain, and confusion. On a final note, Samantha and I have started watching the first season of Lost on DVD. It's pretty much the sweetest show ever... | | |
| So on Sunday after church we went out to the Lindwall's (a family in our church with two kids in the youth group) place on Chicagon Lake. It's pronounced Chicagoan--like a person from Chicago. Not only did I get to drive a jet-ski, which I've never done before, I also wakeboarded. I got up on my second try. Samantha was a bit more successful and got up on her first try. Pretty sweet huh?
I got some new golf clubs yesterday. They're pretty awesome. I've been golfing a lot. I'm preaching on Sunday. Sermon text is Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 20-23. I just finished writing the sermon. Sweet. | | |
| For the past number of weeks running we have been invited over to different people's houses for dinner. A number of people in the church had said when we first moved here that once we had "settled in" they would have us over. Needless to say we've settled in and, consequently, have been eating a lot of awesomely tasty meals. Last night, though, took the cake. We ate ribs. The couple, Randy and Nancy Schauwecker, who's house we were at, are really awesome folks and they make their own barbecue sauce. The sauce was ridiculously good and I ate almost two whole racks of ribs. Mmmmm...ribs.
Life is good. August is drawing on and their is a faint hint of a chill in the air that was not there before. The nights are getting cooler; down into the low 50's and 40's. I really wonder what it will be like to experience a winter here. Chicago is one thing and Lord knows it can get cold there and a bit snowy. Up here, however, winter is a totally different animal altogether. Thankfully snow is a few months away.
On a totally frivolous note, Samantha and I purchased Dance Dance Revolution. We played it a week ago at our house when we had the youth group over. It was a ton of fun so we bought it. We thought it might be something physical to do when the winter comes.
On a less frivolous note, I went fishing last Friday on my day off. I went out to Hagerman Lake and used a camp boat. I didn't catch anything though I did have a bite or two. It was quite relaxing. Maybe next time I'll be able to bring home some dinner and prove my "great hunter status" to Samantha. | | |
| I thought I would be writing a bit more on this thing than I have so far. I haven't been terribly busy and it's not for a want of things to talk about...I just haven't written. Oh well. So here we are in the month of August. The temperature has finally moderated in this part of the world. It has been quite comfortable during the day and cool at night--good sleeping weather. Our tomatoes are growing like crazy and so are the beans. My only worry is that the weather will turn too cold in the next few weeks and that some of the tomatoes will wither on the vine. We shall see.
CHIC was a fantastic time. It was particularly special in that Zach was able to be with us for a couple of days. The attention that his "appearance" received was very special for him and gave him great encouragement, I think, as he went into surgery. The Covenant is a special place and I am grateful to Marty Burger and many others for their work in getting Zach to CHIC. We're having a CHIC reunion/youth group night at our house. We're having a bit of dinner and fellowship and whatnot. It should be fun.
Moving here has been wonderful and difficult. Lately, though, it has been more difficult. My mind is working around the fact that I have left my "city by the lake"--my longtime home and the place where my soul came of age--and have moved to this new place which is my new home and the place where my soul will grow all the more. There have been many times, as of late, where my heart has twisted a bit when I have thought about Chicago and all of my friends that are there. I'm trying to keep my head up but it is hard at times. My heart feels heavy and paralyzed be some unnamed fear. I struggle on, however, holding to hope and knowing that all of this will pass and that much of my difficulty is simply that which naturally results from any major change in one's life. On the bright side, I did buy a fishing license yesterday. | | |
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