Wednesday, September 26, 2007
happy half birfday
Roy's half birthday party with friends Macy Joy Shelton and Noel (some spice I can't pronounce) Fillingham. He got a ball and a big boy sippy cup. Life is good at six months.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The radical role of reconciliation...Rom 8:28
About two weeks ago my brother was walking his beagle in their neighborhood when suddenly his dog, Shiner, was attacked by a mutt. This was no stray like the ones lurking behind every trash dumpster in the alleys of Waco. This was a much-loved mutt by an elderly couple from a nice neighborhood. This mutt was estimated to be 125 lbs and did a number on my brother’s beagle. As soon as my brother was able to get his dog’s attacker off, he naturally picked up Shiner who instinctively bit at him and caught him just below the chin. So my frantic brother sprinted back to the house with a bloody chin and dog who had unimaginable damage done to his stomach at that point as far as anyone could tell countless damage to his internal organs.
At first, the conversations were fairly predictable from what I gather. The elderly couple, shocked by their dog’s behavior, apologized repeatedly and preempted any questions about liability with a promise to pay all medical bills. My brother and his family naturally worried were more concerned about their dog’s life and tabled those conversations for the time being.
As things settled down the good news poured in. Shiner is making a good recovery and the elderly couples homeowners insurance is going to cover everything and so my brother doesn’t have to worry about their dog’s medical bills sinking the elderly them.
My brother did have the conversation, not suggesting anything, but rather pointing out that it could have been a child. The mom of the mutt felt so bad about the incident that she became sick and lost sleep. Eventually the mutt’s dad called a vet friend for counsel and the couple made the incredibly difficult and brave decision to have the dog put to sleep.
My brother and his wife felt so bad about this that they took a basket full of goodies to console the couple. During Shiner’s initial recovery and before the couple put their dog down the man and his wife would repeatedly check on the status of Shiner expressing both deep concern and a desire to be accountable.
The miracle, the real miracle is that two families have allowed the situation to be touched by grace and the lens through which they have begun to see each other is not as dog attacker owner and dog attacked owner, but those victimized the messiness of life and those victimized by the messiness of life. Their conversations have continued and they have mourned with each other knocking down the natural barriers that try and build themselves up so we can wallow in self-pity of victimization.
It seems to me that grace was offered and grace was received and then grace was offered and grace was received. And that’s beautiful. And that, I suspect, is exactly how it’s supposed be.
At first, the conversations were fairly predictable from what I gather. The elderly couple, shocked by their dog’s behavior, apologized repeatedly and preempted any questions about liability with a promise to pay all medical bills. My brother and his family naturally worried were more concerned about their dog’s life and tabled those conversations for the time being.
As things settled down the good news poured in. Shiner is making a good recovery and the elderly couples homeowners insurance is going to cover everything and so my brother doesn’t have to worry about their dog’s medical bills sinking the elderly them.
My brother did have the conversation, not suggesting anything, but rather pointing out that it could have been a child. The mom of the mutt felt so bad about the incident that she became sick and lost sleep. Eventually the mutt’s dad called a vet friend for counsel and the couple made the incredibly difficult and brave decision to have the dog put to sleep.
My brother and his wife felt so bad about this that they took a basket full of goodies to console the couple. During Shiner’s initial recovery and before the couple put their dog down the man and his wife would repeatedly check on the status of Shiner expressing both deep concern and a desire to be accountable.
The miracle, the real miracle is that two families have allowed the situation to be touched by grace and the lens through which they have begun to see each other is not as dog attacker owner and dog attacked owner, but those victimized the messiness of life and those victimized by the messiness of life. Their conversations have continued and they have mourned with each other knocking down the natural barriers that try and build themselves up so we can wallow in self-pity of victimization.
It seems to me that grace was offered and grace was received and then grace was offered and grace was received. And that’s beautiful. And that, I suspect, is exactly how it’s supposed be.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Rom 10:17
Anne Lamott is one of those authors who is almost abused around UBC. You hear her name so much that you begin to believe that she has become overpopularized in a culture that prizes itself on finding hidden treasures in a pop culture. That way we can categorize what we are currently into as indie or pomo or emergent or whatever word is currently novel enough that it hasn’t become the vernacular of the larger pomo, indie, emergent crowd and thus useless.
Yesterday I was loading the pictures of Roy onto my computer for yesterdays post and I looked over to my left to the two remaining bookshelves that are filled with books that I deemed not good enough to be seen in my office. The ones I leave at home and tell people that “those are Lindsay’s books.” I was scanning the literature of “not quite good enough for Josh” and froze on Lamott’s book. I don’t think I would have given her a chance if it were not for Craig, who is most definitely her advocate even through all her popularizing. I’ve heard her compared to Miller, or actually Miller compared to her, and to be honest I thought Donald Miller’s book was mildly interesting at best. Yet in spite of all this and as one who has come to respect Craig’s reading suggestions I picked up the book.
I made my way through the first 55 pages and I can I say it is some of the most refreshing reading I’ve done in a while. Anne did a lot of things for me in these first 55 pages, but let me share this. I’ve been reading some books on atheism to get ready for a sermon and of particular interest to me has been the evolution discussion. Last night I watched a show on National Geographic called “Before the Dinosaurs,” in which they explore history over the last 450 million years. Taking in the emotional detachment of the prehistoric animals and their non-relational behavior I can’t help to feel that evolutionary history seems a bit crass and impersonal. And even if they didn’t get it completely right, there is still this reality in which the animal kingdom can be absolutely brutal to each other even within the last 6,000 years and often humans seem to be the epitome of this behavior. And so I begin to wonder and ask how things are to be processed if one maintains the worldview that there is no God. As one who can be overwhelmed and begin to change perspective when immersed in too much anyone thing I felt a lifeline thrown to me by Lamott.
She writes
“I didn’t go to the flea market the week of my abortion. I stayed home, and smoked dope and got drunk, and tried to write a little, and went for slow walks along the salt marsh with Pammy. On the seventh night, though, very drunk and just about to take a sleeping pill, I discovered that I was bleeding heavily. It did not stop over the next hour. I was going through a pad every fifteen minutes, and I thought I should call a doctor or Pammy, but I was so disgusted that I had gotten so drunk one week after an abortion that I just couldn’t wake someone up and ask for help. I kept on changing Kotex, and I got very sober very quickly. Several hours later, the blood stopped flowing, and I got in bed, shaky and sad and too wild to have another drink or take a sleeping pill. I had a cigarette and turned off the light. After a while, as I lay there, I became aware of someone with me, hunkered down in the corner, and I just assumed it was my father, whose presence I had felt over the years when I was frightened and alone. The feeling was so strong that I actually turned on the light for a moment to make sure no one was there—of course, there wasn’t. But after a while, in the dark again, I knew beyond any doubt that it was Jesus. I felt him as surely as I feel my dog lying nearby as I write this.”
Traveling Mercies p 49
Anne reminds me that this chaos and crass behavior is exactly what Jesus intends to redeem through recapitulated behavior.
Grace for today
Yesterday I was loading the pictures of Roy onto my computer for yesterdays post and I looked over to my left to the two remaining bookshelves that are filled with books that I deemed not good enough to be seen in my office. The ones I leave at home and tell people that “those are Lindsay’s books.” I was scanning the literature of “not quite good enough for Josh” and froze on Lamott’s book. I don’t think I would have given her a chance if it were not for Craig, who is most definitely her advocate even through all her popularizing. I’ve heard her compared to Miller, or actually Miller compared to her, and to be honest I thought Donald Miller’s book was mildly interesting at best. Yet in spite of all this and as one who has come to respect Craig’s reading suggestions I picked up the book.
I made my way through the first 55 pages and I can I say it is some of the most refreshing reading I’ve done in a while. Anne did a lot of things for me in these first 55 pages, but let me share this. I’ve been reading some books on atheism to get ready for a sermon and of particular interest to me has been the evolution discussion. Last night I watched a show on National Geographic called “Before the Dinosaurs,” in which they explore history over the last 450 million years. Taking in the emotional detachment of the prehistoric animals and their non-relational behavior I can’t help to feel that evolutionary history seems a bit crass and impersonal. And even if they didn’t get it completely right, there is still this reality in which the animal kingdom can be absolutely brutal to each other even within the last 6,000 years and often humans seem to be the epitome of this behavior. And so I begin to wonder and ask how things are to be processed if one maintains the worldview that there is no God. As one who can be overwhelmed and begin to change perspective when immersed in too much anyone thing I felt a lifeline thrown to me by Lamott.
She writes
“I didn’t go to the flea market the week of my abortion. I stayed home, and smoked dope and got drunk, and tried to write a little, and went for slow walks along the salt marsh with Pammy. On the seventh night, though, very drunk and just about to take a sleeping pill, I discovered that I was bleeding heavily. It did not stop over the next hour. I was going through a pad every fifteen minutes, and I thought I should call a doctor or Pammy, but I was so disgusted that I had gotten so drunk one week after an abortion that I just couldn’t wake someone up and ask for help. I kept on changing Kotex, and I got very sober very quickly. Several hours later, the blood stopped flowing, and I got in bed, shaky and sad and too wild to have another drink or take a sleeping pill. I had a cigarette and turned off the light. After a while, as I lay there, I became aware of someone with me, hunkered down in the corner, and I just assumed it was my father, whose presence I had felt over the years when I was frightened and alone. The feeling was so strong that I actually turned on the light for a moment to make sure no one was there—of course, there wasn’t. But after a while, in the dark again, I knew beyond any doubt that it was Jesus. I felt him as surely as I feel my dog lying nearby as I write this.”
Traveling Mercies p 49
Anne reminds me that this chaos and crass behavior is exactly what Jesus intends to redeem through recapitulated behavior.
Grace for today
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Col 1:24
Every once in a while someone will ask me, “so how is it different being a dad?” The question has almost become cliché. Though most people who ask it are well-intentioned, hearing it so often, often elicits bland responses from me. This is not because my son is not the most wonderful thing in the world, and the mere thought of him doesn’t tickle something deep within me, but…well familiarity breeds contempt.
Craig has this good friend Jason. I had the privilege of meeting with both Craig and Jason a few times before he made his newest permanent resident in Dallas. For whatever reason Jason is the kind of guy who you just want to answer meaningfully. Recently Jason, whom I don’t even really know that well, posed this question to me. I’ve been thinking about it since then and here is how I would now respond.
The one way in which I really feel the experience of being a father acutely is when a story like the one I just heard makes the news. Hannah Mack, a six year old from Navarro Hills was sexually assaulted and hung in her garage yesterday morning. My son Roy has given me a new way of hearing tragedies like these. They aren’t merely another story. Somehow, scenarios that share features of commonality to our stories strike a deeper chord within us.
My sister-in-law recently e-mailed extended family with the news that after her friends took their 9 month old daughter to the E.R. because she was repeatedly banging her head to suggest that it hurt, learned the worst…that she has a form of blood leukemia. If she survives these next couple months then she begins years of difficult treatment.
I feel an intense burden to pray for families with children in these scenarios. This has not always been the case. In the past I would offer a few sentiments of semi-authentic sympathy throw up a quick prayer and move on to the pleasures of life.
I find myself thinking and praying about this girl often. I guess it’s because if this were true of Roy I would want the whole world to be praying. There’s grace in the participation in others sufferings. I pray God continues to give me means of empathy as powerful as my son.
Grace in sympathy
Craig has this good friend Jason. I had the privilege of meeting with both Craig and Jason a few times before he made his newest permanent resident in Dallas. For whatever reason Jason is the kind of guy who you just want to answer meaningfully. Recently Jason, whom I don’t even really know that well, posed this question to me. I’ve been thinking about it since then and here is how I would now respond.
The one way in which I really feel the experience of being a father acutely is when a story like the one I just heard makes the news. Hannah Mack, a six year old from Navarro Hills was sexually assaulted and hung in her garage yesterday morning. My son Roy has given me a new way of hearing tragedies like these. They aren’t merely another story. Somehow, scenarios that share features of commonality to our stories strike a deeper chord within us.
My sister-in-law recently e-mailed extended family with the news that after her friends took their 9 month old daughter to the E.R. because she was repeatedly banging her head to suggest that it hurt, learned the worst…that she has a form of blood leukemia. If she survives these next couple months then she begins years of difficult treatment.
I feel an intense burden to pray for families with children in these scenarios. This has not always been the case. In the past I would offer a few sentiments of semi-authentic sympathy throw up a quick prayer and move on to the pleasures of life.
I find myself thinking and praying about this girl often. I guess it’s because if this were true of Roy I would want the whole world to be praying. There’s grace in the participation in others sufferings. I pray God continues to give me means of empathy as powerful as my son.
Grace in sympathy
Monday, September 10, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Friday, September 07, 2007
Kyle Lake Foundation Golf Tournament: Waco
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Evan Almighty
Yesterday Lindsay and I utilized our Labor Day off to go the dollar theatre. We went, in spite of all the negative reviews, to Evan Almighty. I try to be wary of mining movies for theological themes, but my resistance is fairly weak. The movie of course more readily lends itself to the theological themes because it is about a Bible story.
I don’t feel alone on my island of finding theological nuggets of truth in film because Roger Olson commented that he was pleasantly surprised by Bruce Almighty, this comment in reference to the overt theological Arminian tenet that the omnipotent God of the universe has decided the one thing he won’t do on a regular basis is manipulate libertarianly defined human freedom.
I found something in the movie yesterday that I thought was noteworthy. I’ve been reading Kyle’s book on prayer so this especially caught my ear.
The wife of Evan, who for the time being had abandoned him due to his commitment to participating in the faithfulness of God, is confronted by God played by Morgan Freeman in a conversation about prayer.
God reports that “When someone prays for courage I don’t give them courage, I give them the opportunity to be courageous. And when someone prays for patience I don’t give them the patience, I give them the opportunity to be patient. And when someone asks for their family to grow close together, I don’t make them close. I give them the chance to grow closer together.”
I guess what this got me thinking about is the intricate interplay between what want God to do for us and what we need to do for ourselves.
Many parts of life seem painful and we pray for them to go away…and understandably so I think. But we thrive on even desire bit of drama and or opposition in our lives. This is what makes them exciting and challenging worth participating in. This seems to be a bit of a conundrum to me.
Grace for the obstacles be they exciting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
