Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Monday, 27 August 2007
two:
--random Colbert quote I found but can't recollect the context for: "I've already started training sleeping outside Wal-Mart and trampling and old ladies."
(He must have been excited for some new something to come out in les stores...)
--random quote I cribbed from a cartoon that was marginally funny: "My barbecue comes with a little kick. Especially if you insult my cooking."
"Crabby Road" 03/07/06 (c) Hallmark Licensing, Inc.
maxine.com
(He must have been excited for some new something to come out in les stores...)
--random quote I cribbed from a cartoon that was marginally funny: "My barbecue comes with a little kick. Especially if you insult my cooking."
"Crabby Road" 03/07/06 (c) Hallmark Licensing, Inc.
maxine.com
Sunday, 26 August 2007
"Bridling the Beast in Your Body - Part 1"
This morning when I read that the sermon was on James 3 and had the above title I had this kind of I'ma-git-beat internal quake. I was never beat as a child but it's that same feeling. It's like the being-called-to-the-principal's-office impending doom. Impending doom is the one I'm thinking of.
(I was a-scared because I've been cussing a lot lately.. and the weirdest part is that I don't feel guilty or otherwise "bad" about it. I know one of the reasons I don't feel badly is that a friend of mine, who is strong in the Lord, and had a very similar struggle with the cussage to what I had during that first half-year of our walks with God. Straight out of the world into the Kingdom of Light... it's not easy. It's not easy. All I know is this warm, floaty, water bed-ish, womb with free food and room to kick back and then BOOM! somebuddy be pulling me by the head out into cold and noise and bright lights and atmosphere..... It's a big deal. But it's better that I left, of course. Gross analogy. She was at my house the other week and, in anger, she dropped three f-bombs in a period of about 5 minutes. I was shock shock shocked for a while and told myself to hold onto that tongue instead of jumping on the band-wagon real quick like. I don't know what happened between then - last last Friday - and now but I've been.... letting them slip. A friend of mine was caught between a slow right lane-r and a last-minute left turn-er which left her to slam on the breaks and gasp, "F---!" She laughed in shock at herself.. was kinda confused about how it had slipped out and kept driving. I was looking down at the time of the incident, eatin ma salad, but I heard the cuss and felt the lurch so I took my opportunity: "What the f--- is wrong with you, you f---ing f---face?" She gasps and laughs a little more: "You almost made my spill my f---ing salad, you asshole." I did it mostly for comedic value but it is an addictive behavior, I can't lie about that.)
It turns out the Pastor was only preaching on verses 1 and 2: Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more harshly. We all stumble in many ways. If any one is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
The sermon was about the high calling of teaching (or preaching), the high accountability, responsibility and integrity involved. "If you can do anything else," Pastor Sam quoted from someone who was part of his rabbinical training, "then do it. If you CAN'T do anything else, by constraint or calling, then preach the Word of God." It's a big deal.
Further, "If your life doens't match what you're teaching, then forget about teaching," he said to murmurs of agreement from the congregation. It was that corporate, "Mmm," that you hear when someone has said something that's not necessarily profound but is a simple unavoidable truth that you needed to hear once again. It doesn't come around TOO often but it does warm the cockles of my heart to know I'm in a congregation that's (a) listening, (b) teachable and (c) honest/having open outflow of thoughts/reactions. (You're allowed to talk in church. Jesus said so.) Later, emphasizing the same sentiment, Pastor Sam said something to the effect of, If you can't live what you're teaching, "then keep your mouth shut." I remember the last part. It was good.
It's....... it's important, to say the least, to live what you say. Otherwise, your words are worthless, are they not? "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 I mean, I guess that verse was written in a letter to one particular man which means we can't all claim to be "young" in the same way but the principle is a good one. I suppose the implication is that when you are "old", you will be setting an example in those five areas. No? I mean, I think the (optomistic) assumption by Paul is that setting the right example (i.e. having your faith match your deeds) comes naturally with spiritual maturity.
(I was a-scared because I've been cussing a lot lately.. and the weirdest part is that I don't feel guilty or otherwise "bad" about it. I know one of the reasons I don't feel badly is that a friend of mine, who is strong in the Lord, and had a very similar struggle with the cussage to what I had during that first half-year of our walks with God. Straight out of the world into the Kingdom of Light... it's not easy. It's not easy. All I know is this warm, floaty, water bed-ish, womb with free food and room to kick back and then BOOM! somebuddy be pulling me by the head out into cold and noise and bright lights and atmosphere..... It's a big deal. But it's better that I left, of course. Gross analogy. She was at my house the other week and, in anger, she dropped three f-bombs in a period of about 5 minutes. I was shock shock shocked for a while and told myself to hold onto that tongue instead of jumping on the band-wagon real quick like. I don't know what happened between then - last last Friday - and now but I've been.... letting them slip. A friend of mine was caught between a slow right lane-r and a last-minute left turn-er which left her to slam on the breaks and gasp, "F---!" She laughed in shock at herself.. was kinda confused about how it had slipped out and kept driving. I was looking down at the time of the incident, eatin ma salad, but I heard the cuss and felt the lurch so I took my opportunity: "What the f--- is wrong with you, you f---ing f---face?" She gasps and laughs a little more: "You almost made my spill my f---ing salad, you asshole." I did it mostly for comedic value but it is an addictive behavior, I can't lie about that.)
It turns out the Pastor was only preaching on verses 1 and 2: Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more harshly. We all stumble in many ways. If any one is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
The sermon was about the high calling of teaching (or preaching), the high accountability, responsibility and integrity involved. "If you can do anything else," Pastor Sam quoted from someone who was part of his rabbinical training, "then do it. If you CAN'T do anything else, by constraint or calling, then preach the Word of God." It's a big deal.
Further, "If your life doens't match what you're teaching, then forget about teaching," he said to murmurs of agreement from the congregation. It was that corporate, "Mmm," that you hear when someone has said something that's not necessarily profound but is a simple unavoidable truth that you needed to hear once again. It doesn't come around TOO often but it does warm the cockles of my heart to know I'm in a congregation that's (a) listening, (b) teachable and (c) honest/having open outflow of thoughts/reactions. (You're allowed to talk in church. Jesus said so.) Later, emphasizing the same sentiment, Pastor Sam said something to the effect of, If you can't live what you're teaching, "then keep your mouth shut." I remember the last part. It was good.
It's....... it's important, to say the least, to live what you say. Otherwise, your words are worthless, are they not? "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 I mean, I guess that verse was written in a letter to one particular man which means we can't all claim to be "young" in the same way but the principle is a good one. I suppose the implication is that when you are "old", you will be setting an example in those five areas. No? I mean, I think the (optomistic) assumption by Paul is that setting the right example (i.e. having your faith match your deeds) comes naturally with spiritual maturity.
Saturday, 25 August 2007
down on the co'nah
Man, I thought I was already happy but meeting my downstairs neighbour just made my day. The fact that he came to the door in his boxers (only) kinda threw me off and I forgot the second part of my purpose for knocking on the door. I wanted the mail but I also wanted to introduce myself cuz it's awkward to live in the same house as someone but to not know them or know their name or recognize them on the street. I'll have to go back some time soon but hey, at least I'll remember his.... face now if I see him again out and about.
Haha... made my day.
Haha... made my day.
things that piss me off (4)
#5 That parents or guardians who rape or sexually molest children under the age of 14 in Ontario get a maximum of five years in prison (the minimum, I think, is 6 months).
["Piss me off" doesn't seem to be an appropriate phrase here... I think it takes away from the weight of the concept. Whether or not I am pissed is completely irrelevant. The fact that adults are encouraged to violate children is not really about me at all. A more appropriate title might be, "things that are wrong."]
#6 When my mom's side of the family attacks my dad's side (or more often, my dad).
I don't understand why they think that low blows are acceptable... I don't understand how you can be so utterly mean (and think that I, or my siblings, would just let it slide).
Worst of all, I don't understand why we do let it slide.
The amount of pain and frustration I feel over this, the extent to which I feel utterly trapped & helpless is so overwhelming that I don't really know how to write or finish this post. I pray for change.
["Piss me off" doesn't seem to be an appropriate phrase here... I think it takes away from the weight of the concept. Whether or not I am pissed is completely irrelevant. The fact that adults are encouraged to violate children is not really about me at all. A more appropriate title might be, "things that are wrong."]
#6 When my mom's side of the family attacks my dad's side (or more often, my dad).
I don't understand why they think that low blows are acceptable... I don't understand how you can be so utterly mean (and think that I, or my siblings, would just let it slide).
Worst of all, I don't understand why we do let it slide.
The amount of pain and frustration I feel over this, the extent to which I feel utterly trapped & helpless is so overwhelming that I don't really know how to write or finish this post. I pray for change.
Friday, 24 August 2007
Why I Wish I Could Be More Like...
...Jonathan Kent, as seen on Smallville (2002-2007).
His son Clark could run 10, 20, 50 farms on his own because of his super strength and speed. He does do a fair share of chores on the family farm and it wouldn't have been able to survive without 10 extra hands if it weren't for him. But Mr Kent, instead of getting greedy or lazy and forcing Clark to do ALL the work or to maximize the output of the land (producing more than a three-person piece of land should be able to), he still runs the farm. He still does his own chores, and works as hard as any other farmer, I'm sure. He has a jack (or whatever that dingle is called that goes under large vehicles and you crank it to lift them up to change a tire or do work underneath) that he uses whenever Clark's not around. I mean, the kid has held tractors and cars/trucks over his head.. in today's episode, he actually threw the tractor about 500 feet in the air and it landed a mile away (but that wasn't quite intentional). I admire that Mr Kent has not abused the amazing resource he has in his own back yard which, I suppose, is a long-winded way of saying he values hard work. It's almost like the equivalent of winning millions in the lottery but not hiring a housekeeper. Something like that.
His son Clark could run 10, 20, 50 farms on his own because of his super strength and speed. He does do a fair share of chores on the family farm and it wouldn't have been able to survive without 10 extra hands if it weren't for him. But Mr Kent, instead of getting greedy or lazy and forcing Clark to do ALL the work or to maximize the output of the land (producing more than a three-person piece of land should be able to), he still runs the farm. He still does his own chores, and works as hard as any other farmer, I'm sure. He has a jack (or whatever that dingle is called that goes under large vehicles and you crank it to lift them up to change a tire or do work underneath) that he uses whenever Clark's not around. I mean, the kid has held tractors and cars/trucks over his head.. in today's episode, he actually threw the tractor about 500 feet in the air and it landed a mile away (but that wasn't quite intentional). I admire that Mr Kent has not abused the amazing resource he has in his own back yard which, I suppose, is a long-winded way of saying he values hard work. It's almost like the equivalent of winning millions in the lottery but not hiring a housekeeper. Something like that.
Thursday, 23 August 2007
For the first time,
I was the ugly friend. And it hurt. It was rude and blatant and WOW do I still feel bad about it, nine hours later.
Also for the first time, I went to an aeroport without getting on or off an aeroplane. It's such a weird feeling to be in that place but have NO pressure on you. I definitely felt like a nobody. I wasn't in the system. No one was expecting me to pick something up or be somewhere. I was free to move about, to come and go as I pleased (in certain areas, of course) and I only had one bag. I didn't need i.d., I didn't have any magical papers I couldn't lose, on pain of death...it was great. My and my one little backpack and one little friend. Cool beans.
Also for the first time, I went to an aeroport without getting on or off an aeroplane. It's such a weird feeling to be in that place but have NO pressure on you. I definitely felt like a nobody. I wasn't in the system. No one was expecting me to pick something up or be somewhere. I was free to move about, to come and go as I pleased (in certain areas, of course) and I only had one bag. I didn't need i.d., I didn't have any magical papers I couldn't lose, on pain of death...it was great. My and my one little backpack and one little friend. Cool beans.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
"Can I have...
... a chai latte... but with soy milk?"
"And did you want water in that or no?"
"Uh, no, no: no water, thank you."
Usually I have to ask for no water (and repeat myself). I was impressed that the option was now being presented. I guess more and more peeps are into it.
My sister turned me on to chai lattes some time last year (I think it was early in the year, the end of 2005's winter) and they've really changed my hot beverage-drinking life. I only started taking tea around 2005 and it was chai only. I can't remember whatever made me say yes to the first cup but I did and I'm glad. The stuff tasted like the sweetest, most palpable, close-to-hot-apple-cider-est kind of drink I could have. I choose it because going out "for coffee" and refusing any kind of hot drink is crazy. I mean I don't mind doing it but it's...well it can be socially awkward, in some weird way.
I used to get chai lattes cuz they tasted good, and then because I would have them with my sister and THEN because they were a nice treat, and then because they worked well as a comfort food, then just when I liked them, then because I enjoyed them with another friend, then because they reminded me of home (this was when I was in Scotland) and now it's just a whenever-whenever thing. They're expensive but they're a real delicious piece of lovliness now since I've tried to cut back. I get them at opportune times.. .it seems that it's a great way to make a nice meeting or a good hang-out time even better. I'm reminded of a scene from Six Degrees of Separation (1993) starring Will Smith, Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing. Will Smith's character, Paul, had just spend the night in the Kittredge's spare bedroom and in the morning, Ouisa (Channing) went to wake him but found him instead of sleeping, in the middle of having sex. She was shocked and appalled and made a big deal, etc. etc., called her husband in and they rained on Paul for bringing riff-raff into their place after they have been so nice to him. They began accusing him of being dirty or cheap or something.. I wish I had a quote to back it up but you understand that they were insulted and felt they had been taken advantage of. When Paul was finally given a chance to explain himself, he said, "I had such a great time last night -" (the three of them had stayed up late talking, getting to know each other, being entertained by Paul's brilliance and showmanship) " - that I just wanted to add sex to it. Haven't you ever done that?" She said no and had a little moment. My point is that if I'm hanging out with a good friend and having a good talk, feeling cozy and settled/stable, probably in a soft chair I would be simply ecstatic if I could be sipping a chai latte, too.
Hmmmmmm.. so, after at least one year, I had the BEST cup of my LIFE just the other day; Sunday, to be exact. I mean, when it's a good latte, I have this mmmmm moment after the first sip where my eyes close and the world goes away for just a second. I can't help smiling and looking like an idiot. It just tastes too good.
But THIS time, on that fateful Sunday, I had brought the latte for a friend, in exchange for her letting me use her printer. I rode 20 minutes on the bicycle with that Grande on the handlebars. She insisted that we split the latte which meant that I wasn't expecting this sucker.. it just kinda descended upon me. (It tasted so much better that way!) So my friend was in the middle of talking to me when I took the first sip and I don't even remember what she said because I faded out, going, "MMMMmmmmmmmmm," much louder than I had planned and my head dropped back, my eyes closed and I felt the liquid rolling around in my mouth, being splashed about by the tongue. I mean it was a good long 10 seconds before I stopped mmm-ing and opened my eyes. I didn't even realize I hadn't swallowed before I realized my friend was having a wide-eyed, "Oh-kaaaaayyyyy..." moment in reaction to my weirdness. Man it was so good.
The point
After I came back to Earth, I said to myself, "THIS is how good I want conversation with my husband to be." This is it. I want it to be so good that I can't get enough of it. So good that I feel ridiculously elated at first contact. ..I've often said the same thing about good food..that I want talking to him to be like finding myself unable to put down the fork or look up or breathe. Yep.
"And did you want water in that or no?"
"Uh, no, no: no water, thank you."
Usually I have to ask for no water (and repeat myself). I was impressed that the option was now being presented. I guess more and more peeps are into it.
My sister turned me on to chai lattes some time last year (I think it was early in the year, the end of 2005's winter) and they've really changed my hot beverage-drinking life. I only started taking tea around 2005 and it was chai only. I can't remember whatever made me say yes to the first cup but I did and I'm glad. The stuff tasted like the sweetest, most palpable, close-to-hot-apple-cider-est kind of drink I could have. I choose it because going out "for coffee" and refusing any kind of hot drink is crazy. I mean I don't mind doing it but it's...well it can be socially awkward, in some weird way.
I used to get chai lattes cuz they tasted good, and then because I would have them with my sister and THEN because they were a nice treat, and then because they worked well as a comfort food, then just when I liked them, then because I enjoyed them with another friend, then because they reminded me of home (this was when I was in Scotland) and now it's just a whenever-whenever thing. They're expensive but they're a real delicious piece of lovliness now since I've tried to cut back. I get them at opportune times.. .it seems that it's a great way to make a nice meeting or a good hang-out time even better. I'm reminded of a scene from Six Degrees of Separation (1993) starring Will Smith, Donald Sutherland and Stockard Channing. Will Smith's character, Paul, had just spend the night in the Kittredge's spare bedroom and in the morning, Ouisa (Channing) went to wake him but found him instead of sleeping, in the middle of having sex. She was shocked and appalled and made a big deal, etc. etc., called her husband in and they rained on Paul for bringing riff-raff into their place after they have been so nice to him. They began accusing him of being dirty or cheap or something.. I wish I had a quote to back it up but you understand that they were insulted and felt they had been taken advantage of. When Paul was finally given a chance to explain himself, he said, "I had such a great time last night -" (the three of them had stayed up late talking, getting to know each other, being entertained by Paul's brilliance and showmanship) " - that I just wanted to add sex to it. Haven't you ever done that?" She said no and had a little moment. My point is that if I'm hanging out with a good friend and having a good talk, feeling cozy and settled/stable, probably in a soft chair I would be simply ecstatic if I could be sipping a chai latte, too.
Hmmmmmm.. so, after at least one year, I had the BEST cup of my LIFE just the other day; Sunday, to be exact. I mean, when it's a good latte, I have this mmmmm moment after the first sip where my eyes close and the world goes away for just a second. I can't help smiling and looking like an idiot. It just tastes too good.
But THIS time, on that fateful Sunday, I had brought the latte for a friend, in exchange for her letting me use her printer. I rode 20 minutes on the bicycle with that Grande on the handlebars. She insisted that we split the latte which meant that I wasn't expecting this sucker.. it just kinda descended upon me. (It tasted so much better that way!) So my friend was in the middle of talking to me when I took the first sip and I don't even remember what she said because I faded out, going, "MMMMmmmmmmmmm," much louder than I had planned and my head dropped back, my eyes closed and I felt the liquid rolling around in my mouth, being splashed about by the tongue. I mean it was a good long 10 seconds before I stopped mmm-ing and opened my eyes. I didn't even realize I hadn't swallowed before I realized my friend was having a wide-eyed, "Oh-kaaaaayyyyy..." moment in reaction to my weirdness. Man it was so good.
The point
After I came back to Earth, I said to myself, "THIS is how good I want conversation with my husband to be." This is it. I want it to be so good that I can't get enough of it. So good that I feel ridiculously elated at first contact. ..I've often said the same thing about good food..that I want talking to him to be like finding myself unable to put down the fork or look up or breathe. Yep.
Monday, 20 August 2007
...all of me...
So..... does God answer prayer because we ask or because He is good?
I've decided that my present petittion will be that God will show me all of what is meant by "new life". Like a big... dissertation(?). A treatise? I want to understand the concept and be able to walk through it, turn it upside-down, write it in French and explain it with chalk drawings. That is, I really want to get it. That's what I'm interested in right now.
I've decided that my present petittion will be that God will show me all of what is meant by "new life". Like a big... dissertation(?). A treatise? I want to understand the concept and be able to walk through it, turn it upside-down, write it in French and explain it with chalk drawings. That is, I really want to get it. That's what I'm interested in right now.
Saturday, 18 August 2007
I'm back! :)
I'm back and I'm smiling. I'm back and I'm happy about that.
Oh, I had this blog post mostly mapped out dans ma tete, as I rode the Greyhound bus, starting with the title and an opening line, expecing it to flow from there...
I realized I was "back" in that moment when a friend of mine started talking about how the Catholic church was "appealing" and "sexy" and perhaps that it "made perfect sense." It fits neatly into one's life; going to church one day per week, saying the right prayers to the right saints, taking a little piece of bread - it's a party! And the way he said it I was like, you're describing it perfectly and I'm hearting what you're saying, shooting precisely through my heart. I watched him talk with my hand over my mouth, shaking my head slowly and involuntarily as he spoke. The longer he continued, the more disgusted I became and I thought, Hey...This is more like me. You know, nothing but the spirit could provoke such an intense, gutteral reaction in me.
I had an excellent Guelph-to-Toronto Greyhound ride today where I steeped in Galatians 1 and 2 which I think really helped prime me for the hangout times of the later afternoon and evening. It was weird... the guy next to me made some polite/general convo comment to me as SOON as I sat down and I was cool with that cuz he was nice enough but then I made some stupid comments, knowing other people in the very near vicinity were listening and I needed to take myself away from the outside world. If I had had a book with me it would have been perfect. I didn't have a book with me so I asked my friend for her pink-and-orange book, hoping she had the same Bible she did when I last saw her. (What a wuss I am! Unwilling to ask for the Bibs by its name...)
I dropped into Galatians and it was cool. I thought I was going to waft through all five (six?) chapters, feeling mildly good that I had at least touched the Bibs that day and getting a hint of a feeling that "I should do this more". But it wasn't like that. I was stopped in my tracks quite a few times (2 or 3, I guess) and that was good. I took the time to process, I read and re-read and when I had gleaned* all I thought I could from the text and tried to work out answers to my questions all by my lonesome, I posed a few to my travelmate. She gave me some decent insight but I still wasn't satisfied, likely for two reasons, (1) that I don't think I asked the question properly and (2) that I was more excited about asking than I was about getting an answer that I kinda compromised my reception in a way.
When I saw the other peeps we had dinner and coffee with (between 6 and 11 pm) my questions seemed like they wanted to be revisited, especially because this one particular friend I have not seen in a while (but he has not changed) and I was reminded of how he's a wellspring of Biblical knowledge (and passion!). So I thought to myself, HEY, I could ask him some questions about Galatians, more specifically Galatians 2:19 which had been my greatest hang-up of the passage. I ended up in a conversation with he and with another friend who offers great Biblical insight that I don't have and we had a nice conversation.
Something else made sense to me today. Well... I dunno. This friend of mine, he inspires me. He speaks about God, Christ, the Bible as if he simply cannot get enough of them. He helped me (today) to reaffirm the concept that, with God, the more we know of Him, the more we want to know Him. I remarked this to my other friend...you know, that this principle is pretty much the most crap set-up possibly for a human being. And it's something that makes people who really sink into it very honorable and blessed. I admire his dedication, or whatever you call it. It seems he's sure he needs to know more and is content to spend his life chasing hard after infinity. I told this one friend my theory about the other one and she enthusiastically agreed (agreed with the proposal, that is). I threw in, "I gotta figure out a way to ask him."
Moments pass, people change seats and I see an opening. I start with the classic. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why do you believe?..."(I would have loved to leave it there because I was trying to avoid any parameters)"... in God?"
"That's an excellent question."
"In as few words as possible -- keep it concise."
"I can say it in three words." [Tapping a successive finger on the chair's arm with each syllable] "I can't not."
"Hmmmm," I mutter, nodding.
There was some elaboration, inspiration and contemplation then the partner question.
"Why do you pursue God?"
It was something like the same answer, that He's the only thing worth pursuing and that nothing else makes sense without Him. Also that everything that is good, (permissible, enjoyable) has value only BECAUSE of Him. Or only WHEN He's in it.
This still didn't give me the information I was hoping to get. So I asked instead, "When you think about your life or your pursuits, do you view everyday activities fitting in to that larger pursuit of God or do you find yourself constantly struggling to to not sit on a mountain top to be just you and a Bible?" He assured me that, no, he loves the everyday....
So what then shall I say? The point of the matter is that much of this conversation and other conversations with these two made me feel like my old self. I was passionate and eager to talk about Christ. I had realizations and moments of breathlessness, joy to be with other believers, and back-of-the-head plans to make sure I always had questions to ask.
The coolest thing I stripped from Galatians was from that 2:19 which says, "We died through the law to the law so that we may live unto God." Man, that stuff trips me out because I don't understand the concept of living or dying to something or someone. And the fact that us dying to the law was mentioned in TWO ways, one after another let me to believe each had a distinct, if not cumulative meaning. I was thinking that if we died through the law, it meant that the law found us guilty and we died because of that. And dying, to the law means we some how "fall away" from it. In death, we are separated from the law, almost freed from it. (I'm hesitant to use that verb unless God is the one doing the freeing.) So I asked my three aforementioned people: does this passage mean the law has been satisfied? To me that makes sense because the law can be satisfied by only one of two things, perfection or death. Either, you keep the law to the letter and it's been ...fulfilled, for lack of a better word, OR you break the law, and it is satisfied in your destruction. (You're no longer being considered by the law; being judged or having reason to be affiliated with it at all.) So here's the crazy part: Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings and Wonderful Counsellor...my Hero, He confronted the law with both perfection and death so the law imploded. It just couldn't deal. .. and I'm so proud of Him. Hahah way to do exactly what no one else could... exactly what's impossible. (I'm more than happy to reap the benefits, too and to brag about it.)
*Gleaning I have hitherto understood as being the process of taking all that you can from something. My mental image is something like an invasive combing; a passing through and extracting all beneficial pieces. But then I heard a more accurate description somewheres, that gleaning (I think originally pertaining to harvest) describes the process of picking up the leftover bits and pieces AFTER the main reaping has taken place. It's like scavenging and it's for the poor. Gleaning, in this case, smacks of humility. It's taking all that you can find - on your hands and knees, after everyone else has gone home - and using the crap bits that no one else wants to sustain you for another day. That's humility. Your most repulsive table scraps are my banquet.
Oh, I had this blog post mostly mapped out dans ma tete, as I rode the Greyhound bus, starting with the title and an opening line, expecing it to flow from there...
I realized I was "back" in that moment when a friend of mine started talking about how the Catholic church was "appealing" and "sexy" and perhaps that it "made perfect sense." It fits neatly into one's life; going to church one day per week, saying the right prayers to the right saints, taking a little piece of bread - it's a party! And the way he said it I was like, you're describing it perfectly and I'm hearting what you're saying, shooting precisely through my heart. I watched him talk with my hand over my mouth, shaking my head slowly and involuntarily as he spoke. The longer he continued, the more disgusted I became and I thought, Hey...This is more like me. You know, nothing but the spirit could provoke such an intense, gutteral reaction in me.
I had an excellent Guelph-to-Toronto Greyhound ride today where I steeped in Galatians 1 and 2 which I think really helped prime me for the hangout times of the later afternoon and evening. It was weird... the guy next to me made some polite/general convo comment to me as SOON as I sat down and I was cool with that cuz he was nice enough but then I made some stupid comments, knowing other people in the very near vicinity were listening and I needed to take myself away from the outside world. If I had had a book with me it would have been perfect. I didn't have a book with me so I asked my friend for her pink-and-orange book, hoping she had the same Bible she did when I last saw her. (What a wuss I am! Unwilling to ask for the Bibs by its name...)
I dropped into Galatians and it was cool. I thought I was going to waft through all five (six?) chapters, feeling mildly good that I had at least touched the Bibs that day and getting a hint of a feeling that "I should do this more". But it wasn't like that. I was stopped in my tracks quite a few times (2 or 3, I guess) and that was good. I took the time to process, I read and re-read and when I had gleaned* all I thought I could from the text and tried to work out answers to my questions all by my lonesome, I posed a few to my travelmate. She gave me some decent insight but I still wasn't satisfied, likely for two reasons, (1) that I don't think I asked the question properly and (2) that I was more excited about asking than I was about getting an answer that I kinda compromised my reception in a way.
When I saw the other peeps we had dinner and coffee with (between 6 and 11 pm) my questions seemed like they wanted to be revisited, especially because this one particular friend I have not seen in a while (but he has not changed) and I was reminded of how he's a wellspring of Biblical knowledge (and passion!). So I thought to myself, HEY, I could ask him some questions about Galatians, more specifically Galatians 2:19 which had been my greatest hang-up of the passage. I ended up in a conversation with he and with another friend who offers great Biblical insight that I don't have and we had a nice conversation.
Something else made sense to me today. Well... I dunno. This friend of mine, he inspires me. He speaks about God, Christ, the Bible as if he simply cannot get enough of them. He helped me (today) to reaffirm the concept that, with God, the more we know of Him, the more we want to know Him. I remarked this to my other friend...you know, that this principle is pretty much the most crap set-up possibly for a human being. And it's something that makes people who really sink into it very honorable and blessed. I admire his dedication, or whatever you call it. It seems he's sure he needs to know more and is content to spend his life chasing hard after infinity. I told this one friend my theory about the other one and she enthusiastically agreed (agreed with the proposal, that is). I threw in, "I gotta figure out a way to ask him."
Moments pass, people change seats and I see an opening. I start with the classic. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Why do you believe?..."(I would have loved to leave it there because I was trying to avoid any parameters)"... in God?"
"That's an excellent question."
"In as few words as possible -- keep it concise."
"I can say it in three words." [Tapping a successive finger on the chair's arm with each syllable] "I can't not."
"Hmmmm," I mutter, nodding.
There was some elaboration, inspiration and contemplation then the partner question.
"Why do you pursue God?"
It was something like the same answer, that He's the only thing worth pursuing and that nothing else makes sense without Him. Also that everything that is good, (permissible, enjoyable) has value only BECAUSE of Him. Or only WHEN He's in it.
This still didn't give me the information I was hoping to get. So I asked instead, "When you think about your life or your pursuits, do you view everyday activities fitting in to that larger pursuit of God or do you find yourself constantly struggling to to not sit on a mountain top to be just you and a Bible?" He assured me that, no, he loves the everyday....
So what then shall I say? The point of the matter is that much of this conversation and other conversations with these two made me feel like my old self. I was passionate and eager to talk about Christ. I had realizations and moments of breathlessness, joy to be with other believers, and back-of-the-head plans to make sure I always had questions to ask.
The coolest thing I stripped from Galatians was from that 2:19 which says, "We died through the law to the law so that we may live unto God." Man, that stuff trips me out because I don't understand the concept of living or dying to something or someone. And the fact that us dying to the law was mentioned in TWO ways, one after another let me to believe each had a distinct, if not cumulative meaning. I was thinking that if we died through the law, it meant that the law found us guilty and we died because of that. And dying, to the law means we some how "fall away" from it. In death, we are separated from the law, almost freed from it. (I'm hesitant to use that verb unless God is the one doing the freeing.) So I asked my three aforementioned people: does this passage mean the law has been satisfied? To me that makes sense because the law can be satisfied by only one of two things, perfection or death. Either, you keep the law to the letter and it's been ...fulfilled, for lack of a better word, OR you break the law, and it is satisfied in your destruction. (You're no longer being considered by the law; being judged or having reason to be affiliated with it at all.) So here's the crazy part: Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings and Wonderful Counsellor...my Hero, He confronted the law with both perfection and death so the law imploded. It just couldn't deal. .. and I'm so proud of Him. Hahah way to do exactly what no one else could... exactly what's impossible. (I'm more than happy to reap the benefits, too and to brag about it.)
*Gleaning I have hitherto understood as being the process of taking all that you can from something. My mental image is something like an invasive combing; a passing through and extracting all beneficial pieces. But then I heard a more accurate description somewheres, that gleaning (I think originally pertaining to harvest) describes the process of picking up the leftover bits and pieces AFTER the main reaping has taken place. It's like scavenging and it's for the poor. Gleaning, in this case, smacks of humility. It's taking all that you can find - on your hands and knees, after everyone else has gone home - and using the crap bits that no one else wants to sustain you for another day. That's humility. Your most repulsive table scraps are my banquet.
Thursday, 16 August 2007
"Rush Hour 3" [12/08/07]
bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.
(There were just a handful of un-nauseating moments but other than that, see above.)
This sucka was painfully unorginal (far more than you could reasonably expect a threequel to be) and not overly creative. My brother's friend had joked to him that this 3rd would be just clips of the 1st and 2nd spliced together and it turns out he was decently correct. My feeling was that the film was 25-30 minutes of fights, crumply jokes, slight mystery, booby women, singing and slapstick comedy. I did enjoy Jackie Chan's singing a lot because all I could think of was the fact that he was operatically trained as a child and that he's really cute in a weird way when he smiles. I don't even know what it is. It's like an excited child or something.
2/10
(There were just a handful of un-nauseating moments but other than that, see above.)
This sucka was painfully unorginal (far more than you could reasonably expect a threequel to be) and not overly creative. My brother's friend had joked to him that this 3rd would be just clips of the 1st and 2nd spliced together and it turns out he was decently correct. My feeling was that the film was 25-30 minutes of fights, crumply jokes, slight mystery, booby women, singing and slapstick comedy. I did enjoy Jackie Chan's singing a lot because all I could think of was the fact that he was operatically trained as a child and that he's really cute in a weird way when he smiles. I don't even know what it is. It's like an excited child or something.
2/10
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
...is more than enough for...
My bro-dude and I were in St. Jacobs on .... Monday, visiting with the grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousin and afer lunch, the aunt sent us away with the cousin to gallivant about the town.
Their first idea was to buy a chair with the $20 we were given and smash it but, when the cheapest one we could find was $19.94, we opted for two Frisbees instead. We played with that for 45 minutes or so, we also tried the mentos-in-soda experiment that flopped miserably and then we wandered into this toy store where my brother bought five huge & nasty rings because he likes to collect dirty gangsta bling.
Then we ended up in another souvenir-y shop where he found a bucket full of walking sticks with strange characters carved into the tops. After that he found some dirty big tiger/zebra/leopard (I don't know!) print cowboy hat in which he posed ...
And later he found some graebus sunglasses and put it all on together.
When he found this walking stick with the horse carved on top, he bellowed in the mean gangsta voice, "NEIGH, bitch!" My cousin, of course, is given over to crazy laughter. I was more shocked than anything. Although it seems simple, I can only think, Who comes up with that?!
This is cousin Rob, a.k.a. Blim, a fun little guy, all the way from Lewes in the UK, fifteen years old. He was being mauled by a bear whose size was only surpassed by his creepiness in terms of monstrousness.
Clark Kent is a bad liar.
Tom Welling as Clark Kent is a bad liar and he's a profuse liar. That must be good acting to act like you're lying. I mean everything you say as an actor is a lie so this is just letting the audience in on the hoax.
Michael Rosenbaum is a good actor, I think. Well, this Lex Luthor role is a good one for him, considerably better than the other two I've seen him in.
The writing on this show, Smallville is kinda horrible.
Michael Rosenbaum is a good actor, I think. Well, this Lex Luthor role is a good one for him, considerably better than the other two I've seen him in.
The writing on this show, Smallville is kinda horrible.
Monday, 13 August 2007
"The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007) [08/08/07]
I wish I didn't have to write this but I've set some kind of routine up for myself that I'd like to continue with.
I don't want to write this foremost because I feel that I would only ruin the film by talking about it (it's that good).
Secondly, I would produce an inadequate review because I have not seen The Bourne Identity (which affects how I viewed the Supremacy and in turn the Ultimatum). Yes. I need that grounding. It'd be the same with The Lord of the Rings (it was written as a serial story). It would be different with Austin Powers and Ace Ventura but..you know, even with those two, an inside joke can make a huge difference. It's almost like watching the Simpsons Movie without having ever seen the television show. I wouldn't recommend it. I digress.
I don't like action films but THIS one made me appreciate battle, hand-to-hand combat, drive, adrenaline, and mostly the man-vs.-world complex on a whole new level. I still can't figure Matt Damon for an action star, mostly because I think he is an excellent comedian. Honestly, I feel like they're two different peoples, the one I'd see in the Bourne movies and the one in Ocean's 11 (12 & 13), or even Good Will Hunting. Good Will Hunting, actually, is somewhere in the middle of those two. Even the interviews I have seen and read on Matt Damon throw me off. He's a complicated little man. I think he's cool.
What I hadn't noticed about the second of the Bournes, which I assume was in the other two, was that the filming was documentary style. Well, more like Blair Witch Project style but less nauseating. The camera didn't sit still which I assume the director chose to do to emphasize a sense of urgency and perhaps to help us identify with the main character who also can never sit still because he is constantly being hunted.
The film was so well made that I don't even have more detailed observations than that. It's hard to dissect perfection. ... So I liked it.
9.5/10
I don't want to write this foremost because I feel that I would only ruin the film by talking about it (it's that good).
Secondly, I would produce an inadequate review because I have not seen The Bourne Identity (which affects how I viewed the Supremacy and in turn the Ultimatum). Yes. I need that grounding. It'd be the same with The Lord of the Rings (it was written as a serial story). It would be different with Austin Powers and Ace Ventura but..you know, even with those two, an inside joke can make a huge difference. It's almost like watching the Simpsons Movie without having ever seen the television show. I wouldn't recommend it. I digress.
I don't like action films but THIS one made me appreciate battle, hand-to-hand combat, drive, adrenaline, and mostly the man-vs.-world complex on a whole new level. I still can't figure Matt Damon for an action star, mostly because I think he is an excellent comedian. Honestly, I feel like they're two different peoples, the one I'd see in the Bourne movies and the one in Ocean's 11 (12 & 13), or even Good Will Hunting. Good Will Hunting, actually, is somewhere in the middle of those two. Even the interviews I have seen and read on Matt Damon throw me off. He's a complicated little man. I think he's cool.
What I hadn't noticed about the second of the Bournes, which I assume was in the other two, was that the filming was documentary style. Well, more like Blair Witch Project style but less nauseating. The camera didn't sit still which I assume the director chose to do to emphasize a sense of urgency and perhaps to help us identify with the main character who also can never sit still because he is constantly being hunted.
The film was so well made that I don't even have more detailed observations than that. It's hard to dissect perfection. ... So I liked it.
9.5/10
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