I spent the afternoon yesterday with a friend of mine who is a wheat farmer. It was quite amazing seeing wheat harvested for the very first time in my life. I hit the road shortly before noon on my way to Omega, about 15 miles west of Kingfisher. It was a quiet drive, nice, with spotted puffy white clouds in the sky. I felt peaceful, at ease, calm.
Pulling up to the wheat field, next to his big semi-truck and trailer, I felt pretty small. I got out of my car and climbed up onto his trailer. He had already dumped one load out of the combine into the trailer, so I immediately figured out that what I had thought was being harvested off of the stalks was not the actual product. (I felt pretty ignorant not even knowing which part of the stalk gets harvested, but he was very gracious in the passing on of his knowledge.) I almost felt like a little kid getting to climb all over this big semi-truck. Jeff was in the field harvesting; I could see him not far away. I'm sure he could see me climbing on his truck like a little kid on a new playground. I have to say, it almost felt like that honestly.
As he pulled the combine up next to the truck and started dumping a new load of grain, I felt the hugeness of the combine, even dwarfing the semi-trailer to some degree. As he finished dumping the grain, he welcomed me to his field, his "payday" as he put it. We jumped in the combine and took off. It was amazing, and quite weird, sitting right above the reel (which I called a sickle blade), surrounded by glass on three sides, one of which looked like you could fall right out of down in to the auger assembly. He made sure to tell me not to lean on the front glass, there was no way he could stop that auger before I entered the shoot. It would not have been healthy.
I felt like a kid in junior high as he began to tell me about the field and the grain and the equipment. I was soaking in this experience, not because it was so exciting, but because it was part of so many people's lives, including my friend Jeff. In fact, it was his life and always had been. It was his dad's life before his. Truth be told, it was exciting in it's own way. Jeff was passing on knowledge to me. He was passing on life to me, and he was passing on love to me. He was taking what he knew and sharing it with a friend. He was sharing his life in a way that he didn't often get to.
Towards the end of the day, we pulled the combine up to the truck to unload one last load to take to the elevator and then hauled it off. When we got back to the field, we just spent a few minutes walking through the field. Jeff reminded me of the story of Jesus and his followers in Luke 6:1"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels." So, Jeff showed me hot to pull off some of the heads of the stalks and grind them in my hand so that I could sift the chaff through my fingers. He then convinced me to try the kernels of wheat, just like Jesus' disciples ate. It was kind of weird at first, but as I tried them and started chewing, I realized that it was really not bad. It was more like a weird texture of wood/nut and tasted like wheat flour and a little nutty as well.
We talked about how cool it was to experience the Bible in this way. Don't get me wrong, this was no eye-opening, WOW, experience, however it was one of those experiences I will never forget, simply because I was able to realize, and walk in and participate in the path of Jesus for but just a glimpse of time.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Spiritual Bulimia
I'm reading a book right now that is really hitting home for me. I mean, I am reading inside of this book about feelings I have had for 4, 5 even 6 years now, but I have never put into words, never thought them through. It is such an awesome feeling. I'm going to quote out of the book here in just a second, but let set this up first. Well... on second thought, I'll talk about it after this quote from the book.
Previous to this quote he is talking about becoming a believer and people telling him what Christians believed, but not teaching him how Christians live.
The Irresistible Revolution, Shane Claiborne, Pg 39
"So as we do in our culture, I thought perhaps I needed to buy more stuff, Christian stuff. Luckily, I found an entire Christian industrial complex ready to help with Christian music, bumper stickers, T0shirts, books, and even candy..... They had lists of bands and the Christian alternatives to them, so I got rid of all my old CDs. (And I must confess, I was a bit disappointed by the Christian counterfeit. Who could compare to Guns N' Roses and Vanilla Ice?) And I bought books, devotionals, T-shirts. I developed a common illness that haunts Western Christianity. I call it spiritual bulimia. Bulimia, of course, is a tragic eating disorder, largely linked to identity and image, where folks consume large amounts of food but vomit it up before it has a chance to digest. I developed the spiritual form of it where I did my devotions, read all the new Christian books and saw the Christian movies, and then vomited information up to friends, small groups, and pastors. But it had never had the chance to digest. I had gorged myself on all the products of the Christian industrial complex but was spiritually starving to death. I was marked by an overconsumptive but malnourished spirituality, suffocated by Christianity but thirsty for God."
This is exactly what I feel like I have done until the last couple of months. I feel like I have only regurgitated other peoples beliefs to my friends and families through conversations, etc. I don't feel like I knew what I believed or why. I know that I believed, but I just didn't know on my own terms, I knew, because it made sense. The problem was, I wasn't living my faith. I didn't have a chance to live my faith, I was living the faith of the authors that I was reading, or I was living the faith I was taught in church, or talked about with my friends, not because it was my faith, but simply because that was what Christians did, they regurgitated information to each other and passed it down the line so that everyone can be the good little Christian.
Guess what, I am believing now and living MY faith now, for probably the very first time in my life. There are people who don't get it, there are people who wonder what the heck I am doing, and there are people who are right where I am. I love it. Don't get me wrong, I don't have it figured out by any means, but I have a faith that is coming alive.
Previous to this quote he is talking about becoming a believer and people telling him what Christians believed, but not teaching him how Christians live.
The Irresistible Revolution, Shane Claiborne, Pg 39
"So as we do in our culture, I thought perhaps I needed to buy more stuff, Christian stuff. Luckily, I found an entire Christian industrial complex ready to help with Christian music, bumper stickers, T0shirts, books, and even candy..... They had lists of bands and the Christian alternatives to them, so I got rid of all my old CDs. (And I must confess, I was a bit disappointed by the Christian counterfeit. Who could compare to Guns N' Roses and Vanilla Ice?) And I bought books, devotionals, T-shirts. I developed a common illness that haunts Western Christianity. I call it spiritual bulimia. Bulimia, of course, is a tragic eating disorder, largely linked to identity and image, where folks consume large amounts of food but vomit it up before it has a chance to digest. I developed the spiritual form of it where I did my devotions, read all the new Christian books and saw the Christian movies, and then vomited information up to friends, small groups, and pastors. But it had never had the chance to digest. I had gorged myself on all the products of the Christian industrial complex but was spiritually starving to death. I was marked by an overconsumptive but malnourished spirituality, suffocated by Christianity but thirsty for God."
This is exactly what I feel like I have done until the last couple of months. I feel like I have only regurgitated other peoples beliefs to my friends and families through conversations, etc. I don't feel like I knew what I believed or why. I know that I believed, but I just didn't know on my own terms, I knew, because it made sense. The problem was, I wasn't living my faith. I didn't have a chance to live my faith, I was living the faith of the authors that I was reading, or I was living the faith I was taught in church, or talked about with my friends, not because it was my faith, but simply because that was what Christians did, they regurgitated information to each other and passed it down the line so that everyone can be the good little Christian.
Guess what, I am believing now and living MY faith now, for probably the very first time in my life. There are people who don't get it, there are people who wonder what the heck I am doing, and there are people who are right where I am. I love it. Don't get me wrong, I don't have it figured out by any means, but I have a faith that is coming alive.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
I feel like an artist....kinda!
I started pottery class again tonight. I took classes back in Oct, Nov & December last year and ended up making a lot of our Christmas presents. It worked out well since we participated in Advent Conspiracy. I had always wanted to try it and wasn't sure I really liked it, but then I saw how other people reacted to my pottery, yes MINE. It was a crazy good feeling!
So, why did I wait six months to start going again? I'm not sure. I almost put it off again tonight, because I have so much other stuff I need to do (like find a job), but I went ahead and went. I am so glad I did. When I last went, I was making approximately one item per night, but when I got there this evening, I already knew what I wanted to do and I jumped right on it. I was able to make three things in one night. That's incredible... at least for me. AND, I was happy with every one of them. The spoon rest is a little frufru for me, but I think people will like it.
Anyway, for any of you who are interested, I thought I would post some pics of my pieces I gave away last December. Unfortunately, Becca is working so I'm not sure where to start looking so I'll try to post those at a later date. If you are interested in classes, it's only around $60 for four weeks, and believe me, after that first four weeks, you'll know if you like it. I take classes at Paseo Pottery, down on 30th and Paseo Drive on Tuesday nights. I think he also has classes on Saturdays.
I've decided I'm going to be creating pottery at least once per week, and Rebecca and I are going to start setting up at shows to try to sell our respective art.
I know that surprises some of you that I take pottery classes so what is something that would surprise me about you?
So, why did I wait six months to start going again? I'm not sure. I almost put it off again tonight, because I have so much other stuff I need to do (like find a job), but I went ahead and went. I am so glad I did. When I last went, I was making approximately one item per night, but when I got there this evening, I already knew what I wanted to do and I jumped right on it. I was able to make three things in one night. That's incredible... at least for me. AND, I was happy with every one of them. The spoon rest is a little frufru for me, but I think people will like it.
Anyway, for any of you who are interested, I thought I would post some pics of my pieces I gave away last December. Unfortunately, Becca is working so I'm not sure where to start looking so I'll try to post those at a later date. If you are interested in classes, it's only around $60 for four weeks, and believe me, after that first four weeks, you'll know if you like it. I take classes at Paseo Pottery, down on 30th and Paseo Drive on Tuesday nights. I think he also has classes on Saturdays.
I've decided I'm going to be creating pottery at least once per week, and Rebecca and I are going to start setting up at shows to try to sell our respective art.
I know that surprises some of you that I take pottery classes so what is something that would surprise me about you?
Monday, May 26, 2008
Loving as God Loves!
I heard Andy Stanley talking about Ephesians 5:21 recently so I started reflecting and studying a little around that verse and had some thoughts that I would like to share. NIV, Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Andy talks about this verse in the context of marriage in his video study iMarriage. He talks about this, not as so many have preached in the past, but in the sense of submission to each other in reverence and awe of Christ. So, I don't submit to my wife because she has done something to deserve it, or because she has earned it, I submit to my wife because of my love for Christ and because he has told me to do this in order to love HIM. Not to love my wife, but to love Him, I should submit myself to my wife. Likewise, the wife should submit to her husband, not out of respect for him, but out of respect for the Lord. Again, not because he did the dishes for you and the laundry and fixed dinner. Or not even because he does a great job at supporting the family and protecting them and providing for them, but simply because of our love for Christ.
WOW, talk about mind blowing. Seriously, have any of you thought like this before? Have you lived like this before? Do you live like that now? Would your spouse agree? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty convicted of it. I am ignorant no longer, so now I have become responsible as it says in The Message, Ephesians 4:21 My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22 Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life. OK, so no more ignorance means a changed life; knowledge transformed into actions. I am responsible for changing what I am no longer ignorant about.
Oh, I know, this really sucks, I'm not liking where I'm headed here, but I'm truckin' on anyway. In further study I come across even more great stuff, and it applies even outside of marriage. Possibly even before it applies to marriage, because if we are applying it in general terms, then it will automatically apply to our marriages. You need to use your imagination here, what would this look like in our lives if this was who we were. It is who we are supposed to be. We know that, the Bible is telling us that, so now, ignorance is no more an excuse.
Listen to Paul in The Message, Ephesians 4:32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that......
Read that again, just stop right here and go back and read that last paragraph and ask God to speak to you through it............
I don't love like that. I'm not sure I know how to love like that. In fact, I know I don't, only Christ through me can love like that. Christ has to be loving through us in that fashion all the days of our lives. We can't just be intentional about doing that every once in a while. It has to be who we are. Can that ever happen? Paul seems to think so, and I bet there are a few people in History besides Jesus that we can look to and see that. What if we are all capable of that kind of love? What kind of transformation can take place in my world, not just my life, but in my world, if I now act on the instruction I have received.
I am no longer ignorant, Lord, teach me to love like you!
WOW, talk about mind blowing. Seriously, have any of you thought like this before? Have you lived like this before? Do you live like that now? Would your spouse agree? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty convicted of it. I am ignorant no longer, so now I have become responsible as it says in The Message, Ephesians 4:21 My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22 Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life. OK, so no more ignorance means a changed life; knowledge transformed into actions. I am responsible for changing what I am no longer ignorant about.
Oh, I know, this really sucks, I'm not liking where I'm headed here, but I'm truckin' on anyway. In further study I come across even more great stuff, and it applies even outside of marriage. Possibly even before it applies to marriage, because if we are applying it in general terms, then it will automatically apply to our marriages. You need to use your imagination here, what would this look like in our lives if this was who we were. It is who we are supposed to be. We know that, the Bible is telling us that, so now, ignorance is no more an excuse.
Listen to Paul in The Message, Ephesians 4:32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that......
Read that again, just stop right here and go back and read that last paragraph and ask God to speak to you through it............
I don't love like that. I'm not sure I know how to love like that. In fact, I know I don't, only Christ through me can love like that. Christ has to be loving through us in that fashion all the days of our lives. We can't just be intentional about doing that every once in a while. It has to be who we are. Can that ever happen? Paul seems to think so, and I bet there are a few people in History besides Jesus that we can look to and see that. What if we are all capable of that kind of love? What kind of transformation can take place in my world, not just my life, but in my world, if I now act on the instruction I have received.
I am no longer ignorant, Lord, teach me to love like you!
Brooke Fraser
This is a beautiful young lady I discovered this morning. Her songs have really touched me so I thought I would share a couple of links with you. I will definitely be getting the album. This first video is the first song I listened to; the second one is the title track from her latest album that releases in the USA tomorrow, May 27th, 2008.
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