So it's been a while

Besides using the contraction it's for "it has":

Christmas this year was interesting and a bit stressful as my Grandmother had a full knee replacement. My mother ate Christmas dinner while riding the back seat of the car if that says anything.

But continuing on the "it's been a while" theme, I highly recommend time to time digging out those old things from yesteryear and letting them bless you in a new kind of way. In my case I mean Christian Rock from my childhood (aka Petra, Steven Curtis Chapman, etc.). Besides my love for the eighties rock groove, I had little idea of the impact these songs were having on me at the young tender age of 5, 6 and so on.

My favorite has to Petra's "He Came, He Saw, He Conquered." I think as a child the rockin' groove made me fall in love with it, however now 20 years later I can't help but love the theology in this eighties synth loving Rock tune...rather Christ loving Rock tune. All I can say is that this song lifts up and magnifies Christ and glorifies Him. Thank you Momma for buying me all those cassettes of Petra, it truly had more of an effect than you or I dreampt of.

It is has been a while for you, take a journey down the road of yesteryear. Especially at the beginning of this new year, look back recent and far and thank the Lord for where He has brought you from. Thank Him for the hard times, good times, 80's Christian Rock, VBS songs, and the places He has yet to take us. Let us be faithful.

Near the end

I am nearing the end of my test week...Thank the Lord!! Seriously. As much as test weeks are absolutely terrible/miserable/maddening/etc. it never fails that God is faithful. Faithful to a person that deserves it not. I wish I could say I have relied like I want to...am I the only one who stresses, worries and fears...I hope not, I'm pretty sure I'm not.

He loves me in and with the hardness of hard times. What may be meant evil for me He never failing turns to good.

He is faithful when I am doubtful, non-trusting and small faithed.

Now go read Psalm 103...how good and loving is our God.

5 down, 1 to go,
Christopher

Another out there type of thought

Ok bear with me. The following post may have "emergent church" overtones...it is not meant to...I don't want it to. It is more on the celebration of Christ' Birth, Death, and Resurrection, also our life now hidden in Him. Also the celebration of His creativeness and mind boggling awesomeness at filling this world with 1000's of cultures with their own often strange yet beautiful quirks...excluding wrong religious beliefs. (Those aren't beautiful...just sad.)

The following video is made possible by Stride Gum (not a promotional blurb, just giving credit and story, where credit and storyline are due). It is this guy named Matt who has been dancing this jig all over the world...paid by Stride Gum. He has been to over 80 countries in the past 2 years to film all of this. And you are wondering "Where are you going with this?" Rightly so:

I tend to be a Home Missions person. I really do have a heart for the people who are in my immediate surrounding. I often times feel like it is the popular thing to do to go off to some country to do missions when we really need them right here as well. However, after watching this video it blew me away the thought that God wants these people to know Him. God wants all these people to love Him, to have a reason to rejoice, to truly have a reason to dance a jig. I was also just blown away with the thought that many from these peoples will be in heaven, but many more need to know. Right here in our hometowns, far away half way around the world too. So here is to missions far and near, to our Lord for His amazing grace, to the Lord for his beauty spread out through the earth, and to our Hope and Home with the countless grains of sand...the many Saints.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8
---Hope this wasn't too emergent. I also suggest looking up "Where the Hell is Matt on YouTube and watching it in HD...much better

One to lean on

For this past semester a main stay and rock for me has been Lamentations 3:22-23:

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning."

In my own feelings of discouragement, guilt, and worthlessness (not saying that any of these are correct, good, or right...quite the opposite) this has been a constant buttress for my faith and knowing that God loves me. These three sentences have such weight...like the weight of eternity and glory in 20 english words. I hope that it hits you like a palate of bricks...me as well.

I ask for your prayers in a project that a friend and I are undertaking for some friends this Christmas in order that they may see and believe and those already believers to be strengthened and encouraged. Pray for my class. In the future I will explain fully, but not just yet. It could be awesome, please pray for Jacob and I as we take this on. Grant, since I see you are the only follower to this blog I ask that you would.

I am now about to go listen to an ethics lecture on treating Choctaw patients. I hope you have an excellent day.

Journeying along with you,
Christopher

One more for the day

Here is a quote from a 100 year old lady in Minnesota that I have found quite encouraging and true. I hope it helps you through the day/week/year/lifetime:

Trust Him when dark days assail thee,
Trust Him when your faith is small,
Trust Him when to only trust Him,
Is the hardest thing of all.

Does not your Heavenly Father care...

Today was one of those days where you fight discouragement from the moment you crawl out of bed. I so wanted to be cheery and rejoicing...I was trying, but it was a fight. So, I got in the car and drove to church as I am prone to do on Sunday.

I parked in my normal area of the normal parking lot I use, grabbed Bible and proceeded to exit car, when I noticed what I was walking on. It was a wonderful sea full of multitudinous colors of leaves. (The picture does about 9% of the justice of what really it looked like) My first feeling was "Wow, incredible...incredible that I get to walk on this." Shortly this I was reminded of this truth:

"See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28b-30 NIV)

It hit me like a brick. Why do I worry, or fear, or not trust? He has clothed this tree in leaves to provide a carpet for my footsteps and yet not one of these leaves touches the ground without His knowing. How much more does he care about me and my every footstep, feeling, heartbeat, and heartache? He knows all my heart holds and all that assails me and cares for me. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (Romans 8:35 NIV)

I hope that have an excellent day and as the advent season is soon upon us join me in praying that the mystery and joy of the incarnation of Jesus Christ in human form will rock your world as never before. Also that we would shine Jesus to others especially during this time of year.

Christopher

Overhaul requested

If any of y'all (all 3 people that probably look at this...if that) know how to make this thing look better/cooler let me know.

Christopher

And do check out www.twentytwowords.com

Late Night Music

I am just sitting here after studying letting the iTunes shuffle option do its work. Some days are just hard, mixed with awesomeness and not seeing Jesus right and consequent discouragement...no it should not be, but it often is. So I am sitting here letting the music flow and I love music, it hits me like few things can. It hit me that Gods love for us is as (and infinitely more) complex, beautiful and wonderful than this music that surrounds me. How great the Father's love for us.


This probably made no sense, but thats okay...
Christopher

Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, and Primary Neoplasms

Last night I was studying cadiopathology out of Robbins Basic Pathology and as I was nearing the end of my long stint in this book and read the following sentence:

"Primary cardiac tumors are uncommon; in addition, most primary cardiac tumors are also (thankfully) benign."

Before I go on, I make no claim to know the religious persuasion of any of the authors or editors of this book, other than it is a highly regarded scholarly text...which usually means that it is written in an objective, scientific, somewhat Darwinian style, with often little reference or inference to a higher power. You probably need to re-read that quote up there now after this disclaimer.

I read through it first off with out a hitch and then that word in the parenthesis sat funny with me. Thankfully...seriously, did I just read thankfully, a more literary word than a scientific word in a pathology text book. I mean this word has strong gut emotions. It is tied into the soul. So I thought, heck yeah I would be thankful that a tumor is benign. But who would I be thankful to? As a believer I immediately say: God!! If I had just gotten a pathology report back that says benign, I would start praying and saying thank you as soon as I could come to my senses. But what struck me as odd is not this, because those of us who are believers have a Being to be thankful to. Thankfully if not to God (or rather in the absence of God) make no sense. And this is what I am getting at.

As I said earlier, thankfulness is tied into the soul. We all express (or want to express) some measure of thankfulness at the happening of fortuitous events. I dare say even gang members and criminals express (albeit skewed) happiness at a "benefiting event". But I am getting of topic. If there were no one to thank, from a Darwinian stand, what good would it do to be thankful. If there were no God, why are our souls so insistent on expressing gratitude when faced with a horrible outcome turned favorable. There is no reason, it would be counter productive. It would be thanking an idea of luck, or fortune, or happen stance...of which none of these can respond and say "You are welcome." Kind of like thanking your dinning room table for the bountiful blessing of food sitting upon it.

Even for our fallen selves(believer and non believer alike) I think that thankfulness is rooted deep in our human nature. All of us (believer and non believer) are made...and made for a purpose. Even in the nonbeliever I think that there is a remnant of this Original Man (aka Adam) left in us that wants to thank someone (aka God) for the fortuitous, good, and blessed events of our life. It is back to our original purpose to love and to worship God. Our souls long for a Being to give adoration to. How sad it is indeed when this is given to "the fates" and "chance". When people are thankful and know not why.

Thanksgiving is coming up. Let us not be meager in our thankfulness and knowing who our blessedness comes from...whatever be our situation. Let us fill our hearts full of the joy that comes from knowing that we are beloved children and that as we thank God for his pleasures and joys (or pains and sufferings) upon this earth, that we will be filled even more with the heartfelt pleasure of knowing Him and that He is good.

This was my meager attempt at apologetics and evidence of the Lord upon being thankful. I hope it made sense. Please someone who is more capable in these ways take this and run with it. As I often say the disconnect from the brain to the fingers/mouth are often quite evident. And thank you to all 2 people who read this. Haha...back to studying.

22

Following Abraham Piper's blog model here is my 22:

I know not where all this path may lead,
but it is the way of getting there that is half the point.

-C.

Jealousy of Others Ministries

As I start to try to think of how to write this in cohesive words, I'll start by saying that this is coming from my own experiences of jealousy and covetousness, no I'm not perfect although that's coming one day beyond this current life. I desist...

Why do we covet or get jealous of others ministries? I know for me a lot of the time it is "What they are getting to do is sooo cool." (ie: David Crowder Band, Leeland, etc.) It also is in a truly respectful and wanting to be as fruitful as they are the "Look how they lead others to Jesus!" Then it goes sour with anger and jealousy. Why is this so? It should not be so.

Let me pose question number 2: "When one member of the body benefits, do not all?" If I adorn my torso with a cool shirt are my hands any less benefited, or rockin' shoes for my feet are my arms any less blessed? If David Crowder and Leeland are leading others to Christ and helping other Christians be faithful, should we not rejoice greatly?? Should not our joy increase as well. If John Piper or Bob Kauflin inspires others to be more God centered, should be not rejoice that this is occuring? Are not we all benefiting from these ministers being blessed and the peoples being blessed?

I think that God has placed us in strategic places for His purposes. As I would love to travel the country and play music God knows this is no place for me (as much as that hurts to say it), and as much as I love to point others to Jesus, He knows that I am not gifted to be a pastor, writer, and speaker (at the this point in life at least). But again, are we not all members of the same body, members all working for the same goal? How can I be jealous or envious if Christ is central...or rather why do we let ourselves become jealous or envious if Christ is central? Should we not pray for and encourage those who are more prominent than us so that they may be more effective? In the end, while we are being jealous, who are we missing that we have been strategically placed to reach and to minister to?

This is not to say that you should not desire to do great things, or wish for your church to grow, or desire to be a more erudite leader. But it is in a way to say, don't miss the small things, for even one life led to Christ is worth my entire life (wishing it be multitudes). It is to say don't neglect the personal growth in your church for numerical growth in your church. It is to say don't miss your current ministry by always focusing on the future ministry.

As always, I am sure one day I may look back on this with a sense of "Oh my, I was young and green." But I hope that this spurs you on to be the minister you were called to be, whatever that looks like. And to pray for and love those who are prominent, for if they benefit we all do. We are the body of Christ, let us not break out in an autoimmune disease.

Nakedness

Yes, the name of the blog is different...I named my current journal "Journey," as I was in one of those dark nights of the soul type times. Silly me thought "Oh this journey will soon come to an end and I will be at the same place for the rest of my life." (Or something about that kind of.) The more I have grown the more and more I realize that this journal and this time was only the fledgling toddler steps to a much greater, harder, and life long journey. Who would have thought...or rather why didn't I know it? But that is the short story of why the name change. Though this still be the place for me to hang all of these hats in my head, it is about the journey as well. Now to the real post:

The following is an excerpt from my journal entitled nakedness:

July 11th 2007,

Maybe I'm the only one who thinks of Jesus actually being naked on the cross. I don't know, but I have to ask the question: Among the horrid brutality of crucifixion and the humility of being nailed up stark naked, is there not an awesome beauty to be seen?
Here is the Son of God (God in flesh) stripped naked for the world to see. Nakedness is most often reserved for intimacy with those we are closest with, wife and husband. Here is the bridegroom of the church laying it out, bearing it all (in both senses of the word). Nakedness screaming out "I love you, I love you!" both to the Father and to us. Trasparent, overt, naked and unashamed love. (Note Genesis when Adam and Eve felt shame when they knew sin...Christ loved perfectly, yet "He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf that in Him we may become the righteousness of God.") Brutal yes, fierce yes, naked yes. But as much as evil was plotted, Righteousness, Love, and Hope were even more brutally, fiercely and nakedly exposed. Beautiful nakedness, that Jesus would stay there stretched out and exposed to proclaim His love and save my soul.
------

So there it is.
Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the thrown of God.
Have a great one,
Christopher

Let it be so

After much internal debate and advice I have decided to give this a go. I promise no regularity (although I will try to be as regular as possible). So thus the rationale:

I often have thoughts late at night, in the shower, tending my flowers, cutting my finger in the middle of a gravel road, and other places where I see tiny bits or great overwhelmingnesses of God's love for us. Then I ponder and file them away somewhere in the hippocampus (or if thoroughly affecting the frontal cortex) for what would seem like no use but my own. However, I often feel the burning inside to share these things, yet I often doubt my own ability to make sense given my propensity to use sounds, hand gestures, and facial expressions...which don't translate well into the writen word. But none the less, this is my attempt to give all of these hats flying around in my brain and place to catch a hook. Maybe you can take one with you.

I hope this turns out well.