Facial Reactions

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/26/bitter-disgust-brain.html

Here's an interesting study done that shows that people have the same physical reaction to morally and physically disgusting things.

What does it say that our faces react the same way?

Holy, Holy, Holy

It is "holy, holy, holy" that the angels shout -- not "loving, loving, loving."

Certainly he is loving, but it is a dangerous love. The kind that breaks the bow and shatters the spear. Yes, John said "God is love," but he is also perfect and just.

To stand in awe of him is to recognize his holiness in all its glory -- spiky, gentle, strong and sturdy.

check out the funny dance moves!

Check out the new kids movement in the middle. Silly bizilly!

A call for order

“Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.”
Gustave Flaubert

I would adjust this and say:

"Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be loving and original in your work."

Crazy Climbing Catfish!

Discovery Channel finding crazy animals.

These are the kind of animals you want to tell your middle school friends about.

(image from here)

And probably a great animal to include in a wacky list of created animals (which should also include Llamas, platypus, poison dart frogs, sloths, electric eels, and hammerhead sharks).

What do you think?

The Evangelical World is Going to Collapse in the Next Ten Years.

Got the link from Andrew Jones...

Long read, but interesting predictions about the implications of rising secularism in our world.

Master of Molecules

He’s the…
Master of Molecules
Igniter of Fireflies
Designer of Romance
Scooper of Valleys
Stacker of Mountains
Scatterer of Stars
Inventor of Inventors
Flattener of the Plains
Spinner of planets
Former of hearts

He’s the…
Painter of the skies
Planter of Redwoods
Source of beauty
Stretcher of giraffe necks
Sharpener of Shark Teeth

He’s the…
Instigator of Love
Imaginator of Imaginations
Architect of Snowflakes
Hanger of Holly Berries
Thrower of Lightening Bolts
Conductor of Electricity

He’s the…
Originator of airwaves
Organizer of color spectrum
Orderer of the seasons
Shaper of human desires
Constructor of butterfly wings
Infuser of Laughter
Weaver of fields
Author of reality

He's the...
Writer of the song of life
Creator of all things
Composer of roses
Blacksmith of volcanoes

He's the...
Engineer of waterfalls
Poet of the heavens
Playwright of the earth
Maker of protons
Initiator of electrons
Director of ocean currents
Producer of gravity
Manufacturer of coffee beans
Multiplier of cells
Cultivator of scientific laws
Supply of solar energy
Cause of Cheesemaking

Think about consumerism with a look at this video

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Transformed Nonconformists

I'm in Kansas City for two weeks of modules at Nazarene Theological Seminary.

Last night (inaugaration night) we interupted our evening classes to celebrate MLK's birthday with Blue Hills Church of the Nazarene, a congregation made up of mostly African-American's, in an extended chapel service.

What a joy it was to be led by the Blue Hill's choir and worship team. Their passion for God is exhibited in their enthusiastic singing.

What will stick with me is a brief part of the sermon, when the preacher talked about being transformed nonconformists in following the pattern of Christ. He did not really dive into what that meant, but I thought those two words together provide an excellent way of expressing who we are as a community of Christ followers seeking to live up to Paul's call in Romans 12 to not conform to the patterns of the world but be transformed in our minds.

Some good posts from good friends

So my friend Doug who is a part of the Eikon community in Richmond has been on a posting frenzy of late, and in the middle of it all has posted some of his perspective on how younger evangelicals are affecting the evangelical landscape. Quality thoughts on politics and theology...

Check out his thoughts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3

My other friend (I only have two) Brian Hull has put up some insightful thoughts on Youth and Scripture.

Check out his thoughts on how to help today's youth engage and encounter God in scripture:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Good Eats

With my job I get to dine out quite a bit in efforts to connect with and encourage students and youth workers and other peeps. Yesterday I went to a place with Mike Hewitt that I had never heard of. It's a little fine dining restaurant in South York and is called Blue Heron. And I am going back.

If I had to write a brief review this is what I'd say:

Exquisitly Memorable--I can still remember the taste of my smoked salmon sandwich as if I am eating it today. Mmm mmm good.

Metaphors of Sin

(After another long dry spell, I have returned...for help...)

So, I'm doing a series for our weekly youth worship gatherings (Remix) on the narrative of scripture, pulling out the dominant themes and connecting them all in the life of Christ. I'm stealing McLaren's book title "The Story We Find Ourselves In" to help the students make meaning of their own lives in light of the overall narrative arc of scripture.


Of course, one may argue that there are multiple "arcs" within scripture, or that there are some competing views on which arc is correct (and true?). I'm using some stuff that Chris Folmsbee helped me understand at NYWC. The first three weeks are pretty basic: creation, fall, covenant. Each week we'll lay out who God is and who we are in light of that movement of the narrative, concluding with a creative/contemplative/active response.

Gravity and Sin
So as I'm preparing for the week on the fall I'm trying to think of different metaphors for brokenness and sin. I've played the dark theme quite a few times so I do not want to use that one again. As I was thinking of sin and the brokenness that it brings (both corporatly and individually) and how binding that brokenness is. Then I started wondering if gravity would be a good metaphor. Note that I am not talking about grativity in the sense of seriousness (like this book) but about the scientific law that keeps my chair on the ground.

What do you think?
Is this a good metaphor? Does it lack something? Every metaphor will obviously emphasis a few sides of what it is representing and underemphasize other sides. What does it underemphasize?

What metaphors have you found to be helpful for your own understanding of sin?

Not posting much lately...here's a blackboard post

So...I've been absent from blogging. Way too much typing for school to put any extra thoughts out here. So I've just posted something I just posted to blackboard for an assignment where I was supposed to talk briefly about missio Dei, sanctification/holiness, suffering, faith, and the death of Christ according to 1 Thessalonians. So here's my brief reply.

The missio dei is God’s loving action of bringing redemption and reconciliation to a world separated from his life and love. Jesus lived this in his “cruciform pattern of activity” revealing the love and holiness of God in his actions and teachings and invited others to follow him in this pattern (Johnson Holy, Holiness, NT). Those who choose to “have faith in”/”be faithful to” Jesus in holiness of life, choose to be separate from the ways of the world and therefore also choose to partake in similar sufferings as Jesus did, which Paul seems to imply that he had taught the Thessalonians about while present with them (1 Thess. 3:3-4).

What is fascinating is that Paul implies that his followers were destined for suffering (3:3-4) and that it was God’s will that they should be sanctified (4:3). For Paul, both are integral in following Christ. Christians are set apart for a life like Christ, who died as result of his pattern of living. Paul also seems concerned that their sufferings might cause the Thessalonian Christians to lose their faith (3:5). He also prays that they would be strengthened in holiness (3:13). In this we see that faith and holiness are lovingly given by God and willingly lived out by his followers.

check out www.ted.com for vids that will make you say, "hmmm"

kansas is far

Cadence and Eden!

Papa and his two favorite pasttimes...
Cadence and I on our Island of Hope (also a love seat of sand)
Look at all that sand on her face...she really gets into this beach thing.

Cadence washing dishes with Da (Cambodian for Grandpa and easy to say for Cade!)
Eden with Yay (Cambodian for Grandma and again...easy to say for Cadence)
Eden and Nana! Eden's getting festive at Allie's wedding rehearsal dinner!
Show the love...Cadence loves to do this...

The girls at the beach. Cade loved the waves and the sand and the wind and the sand and the waves and sand and the wind and the waves...

So, this blog, because of pure busyness has turned into more of a picture posting place (when it is used) more than anything else. We'll see what comes of this...in the meantime, enjoy the pictures, as we surely have been enjoying the ones in them.

The Sisters!

Well, Cadence has taken to Eden quite well as this video shows. I hope you can view it and see the sisterly love!

And if you're not familiar with my family, that's Grandma Fiegl (Aubrey's mama) holding Eden. She's blessed us with her help this whole week. Now, I know why some societies keep their families together on the same property. She's been so so so great to have with us!

And the Jeremy in the background is our summer intern. Wow, he's awesome! He's stepped up in the time when I am off with the family and I'm quite thankful for his presence here this summer!

And now for a little Cadence

More Eden Pictures

Happy Grandma!
Introducing big sister Cadence to little sister Eden
tiny hands
Papa holding Eden while Cade plays "this little piggy"
Happy mama!

Things are progressing well. We should be able to go home on Monday (that's tomorrow). Aubrey is feeling better, which is very very good!

Introducing Eden Jubilee

Eden Jubilee was born via C-section at 11:57 AM on May 30.

She weighed in at 7 lbs and 14.1 oz.

She's 19 inches tall.

She and mommy are doing well and recovering from 17 hours of labor and an extended surgery.

Oh the joy and jubilation!