Maybe One Man's Trash is... Useful?

My theology Professor in college would always use the adjective 'useful.'

It stuck out to me at first, it seemed like an odd choice and I sort of missed how great it was at first. She used this word all the time, mostly in terms of theological ideas, propositions, etc. (after all it was a theology class). But I think it has endless applications.

In the last few years since those classes, I have found myself using this word more often, but about many things outside of theology.
Dictionary.com gives says:

–adjective
1. being of use or service; serving some purpose; advantageous, helpful, or of good effect: a useful member of society.
2. of practical use, as for doing work; producing material results; supplying common needs: the useful arts; useful work.

Some thoughts on this descriptor:



Useful is not a finite statement of right or wrong

Useful is mobile, it takes us somewhere beyond 'here'

Useful is helpful

Useful varies by person and context

Useful is positive

Useful is progressive

Useful is to creatively find purpose and meaning

Useful is practical not merely hypothetical

Useful is not the end, but part of the journey

Useful helps us consider new ideas

Useful is not condemning

Useful helps us learn



Useful. Try it.

First Time Caller

I had my first experience getting on the air on a radio show recently.

A few weeks ago I was listening to 1450 AM, which is the Catholic channel here in the Fort. I have been listening to 1450 more often lately. I find it interesting and truly want to understand more of life and faith from that perspective. I am also finding more and more points of unity between us, but that's another blog. Additionally, lately I am increasingly less interested in hearing Protestants talk about Catholicism, I'd rather hear it from the source, from someone inside. It's not a big deal, it's just that we all have an axe to grind.

This particular show I was listening to that day had two guest hosts, a gentleman and a lady, both former protestants. I found that very intriguing. I guess I don't really know anyone who has converted from Protestantism to Catholicism. That alone drew me into the program more deeply. They were not "cradle Catholics," but could honestly and (hopefully) accurately speak from both perspectives.

It was a 'call-in' show, answering all sorts of questions, and if I remember correctly one of the guest hosts had some book coming out which they were promoting between responding to callers.

After listening to a few callers I noticed that the main guest host, the gentleman, mentioned about three times that he did not recommend Catholics attending Protestant Bible Studies. I paid little attention to this at first. Then after the third time I thought to myself, "This is a Catholic radio show, and given the historical, theological, and practical chasms between us, would this guy ever recommend a Protestant Bible Study?" Then I remembered he and the co host were former Protestants. So I called to find out.

Some producer/screener answered my call and asked where I was listening from and what my question was. So I told her. She said, "That's a great question." I must admit that made me feel good.

So then all of a sudden I am on hold, listening to some random song.

I've never been on the radio before and she didn't give me any indication as to if or when I'd be actually on the radio. But I've listened to enough radio to know that there is some delay and you are supposed to turn down your radio when you are on. Like a trapeze artist I am waiting on hold, listening to the radio for ... well for my own voice I guess, and driving to meet a friend for some coffee (dangerous I know mom, I know).

So I waited.

As I'm listening to the radio I hear the main host say, "And now we go to Jordan in Fort Wayne, Jordan what's your question?"

I turn down the radio quickly, shift from third to fourth, and get into it. I introduce myself and categorized myself spontaneously as a "Generous Protestant." The host says, "Well that's great, we hope in return to be Generous Catholics in return," which I liked very much. I have come to describe myself as this recently mostly in effort to consider myself and the body of Christ as larger (historically and denominationally) than I used to and larger than many believers are comfortable admitting. It is also a step of unity in my ind.

So I asked my question, with no absolute expectations but his response still caught me by surprise. In Brief, he went on to say that in his experience and many others protestant bible studies had been used as Trojan horses to draw in, isolate, 'teach,' and ultimately convert Catholics to Protestantism. He then said if it were a simple bible teaching, open, accepting study than he would advocate it. There were a few other items mentioned between us but this is the sum and substance of my question and our interaction.

I was walking up to Starbucks, already five minutes late, my friend waiting. The host started plugging some product and i was uncertain if my call was over officially, so I just hung up.

After I left Starbucks I had a chance to process more of that conversation:

1) The "Trojan horse" view I mostly ascribed to a generational gap. As a former protestant the guy actually seemed to have some experience with this type of group, ulterior motives galore. Perhaps I hoped this was a generational situation. I wanted to believe that that type of underhanded, sly 'evangelistic' (if you can call it that...) methodology didn't exist today. Moreover, I don't want to believe that the small possibility that some believers had to develop some true community and dig deeper into the Bible and discuss it openly and grow together in faith, hope, and love was squandered on fruitless 'bait and switch' and argumentative apologetics, towards people (who in my opinion) are brothers and sisters, part of the body of Christ.

2) As I thought more, there is certainly a significant divide between these two branches of the faith and I am not convinced that a Protestant radio-host, etc. would be so generous as to recommend a Catholic Bible study. I could be wrong, but I did appreciate his openness. I also don't mean to communicate that this guys opinion would be the opinion of all Catholics on this matter, that's obvious.

3) It made my heart sink a little bit to hear, what I consider to be mostly false assumptions, about Protestant Bible Studies. It made me equally sad to consider somewhat false assumptions that Protestant have about much of the Catholic faith. Its funny, recently I asked my Catholic friend, Dan, if he thought overall that Catholics were more favorable to Jewish people than Protestants. He paused, and said, yeah "I think so." And I think the same might be true for Protestants as well. This makes no sense at all. I don't even really need to get into that do I?

The call was interesting, and fun, and helpful, and thought-provoking, and unifying in my eyes.

I may tune in more often and call in again.

The uncertainty of a new season

This is certainly a new season for me, for us.
Finally I am done with college, degree in hand.
There's this new little person living at our house, growing and changing, changing our lives for the better.

There's a strong sense of leaving that old season, but there are also things from the old that linger on, a job, a sunday-morning gathering, etc.

So maybe for now we are caught between seasons, one foot in each.

The new one is exciting and we've waited a long time for it, but it also brings change.
I think I like change, but that doesn't mean that it comes easy to me.

My first steps are hesitant and unsure.

Real Life

I have been troubled lately by some common language of people of faith, including my own. we speak often about t he chruch or things that go on in association with the church or 'church-life' and then comparitively we say something like, "...yeah but that's not real life..."

We use this language about college sometimes, "college isn't real life, getting out and getting a job is."

I haven't worked through this too much yet i've just been troubled by it.

The Olympics...who cares...

Here's a great piece i heard on NPR yesterday. It's witty and interesting for those who really get into sports but don't really seem to care about the Olympics and never know why.
peace

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89475422

Violet

The whole thing is nuts!

I mean it, n-u-t-s, NUTS!

For close to 10 months this little person is developing and moving and hiccuping and growing and learning how to exist and it all happens inside another person.

I have witnessed the miracle of life, all 10 months.

As the one without a person growing inside of you, you feel so helpless at times, and all you can do is watch as the events unfold before you. It is truly like a roller coaster.

You see things in your wife that make her even more amazing to you.

You see her patience and care with every step in the icy winter, every thought built around protecting this little one.

You see her sigh from aches and pains but decidedly set her face forward and continue to walk towards the culmination of it all.

You see her courage and bravery in the most intense moments of her life.

Then there is this little person all of a sudden on the outside when hours before it was on the inside.

(Like I said, nuts!)

Then this person is in your arms, you are stunned and dazed and amazed.

For every reason in the world you just sit there and cry.

Really it seems like the only response to it all.

It's hard to remember to breathe.

She's here.

It's so bright she cant really open her eyes yet, but you are dying to see them.

Your love is so much bigger than you thought possible.

You understand God in a new and different way.


And you feel a bit closer to Him, honestly.

Now here in our life, and hopefully in yours, is our little Violet Renee.

'I can see clearly now...' well at least clearer than before

Vision has always been difficult for me. I never felt like I had a very good grasp on it. My friend Eric always seemed to have vision, but it never clicked with me. I was always more of a practical, 'carry out the vision' guy. But we need vision in life at times don't we? Seems like we do.
Recently, I was rapidly approaching a crux of life, graduation. If I ever needed vision, it was now. So some time ago I began to pray for vision, whatever that might mean. Maybe the visions were always there and I needed the eyes to see them. Either way, it had previously escaped me. But recently I began to listen more intently to the voices of people around me, voices I love and respect. Slowly I started to see some things fit together in front of me. I was able to look back down the road that I have traveled and see some purpose to it and something bigger happening. I don't see it all yet, and that's OK, but I think I see enough to keep walking and trusting in what lies beyond what I can see.
To Be a Bridge-this is the foundation of the vision
Connecting, (whatever that is) people, things, ideas, lives, my family.
The challenge with vision is that you can see a bit of where you are going, but you still have to maneuver the path to it.

what else dont we need?

This whole American life can be overwhelming when you begin to step back and consider the smallest details and then begin to see how vast their impact is in life and culture and framework of belief. this website has been helpful in considering some of these things more carefully: http://www.simpleliving.net/main/
It is all a process and part of the journey and I am far from getting a handle on it, but beginning the journey seems to be a start. Also this book, originally a PBS special has provided an environment of new thought and self reflection for me:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affluenza
of course wikipedia is more of a beginning than an end, but it will launch you into these ideas.
enjoy-

Feeling Peace

At least two or three times each winter I need to go on a walk late at night with snow falling and a fresh layer on the ground that not even one set of footprints has impressed on it yet. The yelllowish street lights blazing the trail and glimmering off of the pristine snowy covering.
I need this walk to have the peace of the moment pour in on me. These walks come at different geographical locations, this year it was a stroll down Webster, then Creighton, and Hoagland next, and Woodland back to Webster, then home.
The perfect walks are the ones when the wind is nothing more than a light breeze and the temperature hovers just below freezing. If the wind chill is too low it begins to make me feel hurried, negating the setting of peace.
I need these walks because they are a tangible exemplification of the cleansing of the psychosomatic person before God, the Creator, the Savior.
At times it can be hard to feel forgiveness, it can be difficult to embrace an embodiment of the peace that has been made with God.
These walks remind me how real it is. I can feel the cool of each flake on my skin. These flakes are every bit as real as the peace made with God.
This moment is one of many connections between the physical and the spiritual.
Is it snowing now? Go for a walk. Find Peace. Feel Peace.

Enjoying the Journey

It has become of supreme importance to me in the past few years to enjoy the journey more than just anticipating the destination. Of course this has its practical problems. For some, it can become an escapist narcotic high to ignore the trials of today while looking to the end. If I truly care about enjoying the journey than somehow I must learn to apreciate frustrating and stressful times as well as the good. I must learn to live in the moment and allow myself to truly feel the way that I feel. It means that I must let tears fall and I must let smiles slip and I must let frustration roam. None of these are a lack of control but rather the experience of more control, while I am on this journey I choose to let it happen.

'Count it pure joy my brothers when you experince trials of all kinds'