Photo Friday: Sunrise and Music

Good morning friends!

 

I have some more thoughts to continue in the Sabbath series that we'll get to this afternoon. But I wanted to share a moment of worship with you all that I experienced this morning. Sometimes worship creeps up on us. Sometimes it's the absolute last thing we're expecting. I was driving in to school this morning, watching the sun come up over the city across the Liberty Bridge, and this song came up on my iPod and just set the whole tone for the day. 

 

 

Take a moment today to just appreciate God's creation. Even if it's in a traffic saturated commute to work or school. Put on a song that resonates with you, that speaks to beauty, and just enjoy what God has for you. 

 

More to come later today!

Photo Friday: More Questions than Answers

Hello friends,

 

This morning at roughly 9 AM, a gunman walked into the Empire State building and opened fire. Ten people were shot, and two of those (including the gunman) died. This is the 3rd mass shooting to impact the United States in the last two months. And this doesn't even include the unfathomable amount of gun deaths that happen each and every day in our country that don't get the benefit of being covered on CNN. We are as a nation, as literally as we could possibly make it, killing ourselves. 

 

As best as possible, I try to avoid politics on the J-Blog. This could easily find its way towards a discussion on gun control, laws regarding carrying concealed weapons, background checks, or limiting sales of ammunition. This are all important topics, and I have strong views on all of them. But in our political climate today, I am certain that a discussion on any of these issues on the J-Blog would only lead to a food fight where nothing would be accomplished. Don't believe me? Turn on CNN right now and see who's talking. I can't even watch the news where I am right now, I'm just guessing. People will argue and argue and argue and get exactly nowhere. So let's leave that behind for a moment. 

 

Let's instead ask ourselves some questions. What has been the reason behind the most recent uptick in violence in our country? I mean even if you want to discuss the gun control argument, nothing has happened lately to make guns more or less accessible. And yet, it feels like (at least to this blogger) that violence is on the rise around here, with the shootings in Colorado and Wisconsin, and now New York. What gives? 

 

And then we have to ask the question, what are we to do with this in our ministries? What are our students feeling as a result of these attacks? Fear? Sadness? Anger? How do we best respond to them while we may be feeling the exact same things? What does the Bible have to say about these shootings? For that matter, what would Jesus' response be to all of this? Something along the lines of "Those who live by the sword die by the sword?" Or would his words be more harsh? Or would he share how broken his heart was that people living in our society could become so emotionally unbalanced that they feel the need to inflict such violence as a result? 

 

What is our role in all of this? There is so much evil that happens in the world as a direct result of my ignorance (sweatshops, less-than-fair-trade practices, etc) that I wonder if I have a hand in these violent outbursts? People seem more than willing to pass the blame around to everyone from politicians to video games, what if we all carry a share of the blame? What if ignoring that in favor of passing the blame to someone else actually contributes to the problem? What if our political climate, with all the arguing, bickering, negativity, and attacking actually leads to these situations? Maybe not directly obviously, as if some super-pac put the gun in someone's hand, but indirectly. 

 

What if all of this violence, and even the lack of civil discourse in our country, is happening because of a vacuum of hope? What if people are resorting to outlandish arguments and outbursts because they don't see another way forward? What if Christians across the country and political spectrum are called upon in Scripture to bring hope to the world, to bring light into dark places? Would those two ideas mean that we are failing our nation? Would those ideas mean that we are failing our God? How would you begin to inject hope into our situation now? Where would you start? Can we afford to continue living the way things are going? Can we afford any more hopeless situations? 

Photo Friday: Landfall

Top of the morning to ya everybody! 

 

It's going to be a busy day here at the J-Blog. One should count how many days there are in the week before diving into a lengthy series! So keep checking back all day today for updates and new posts. 

 

Today is my last day in the office for the summer season. And even that is a bit of a stretch. We've got a zoo trip in the morning for college students, and then I'll likely spend the rest of my day in the youth rooms trying desperately to get caught up on my summer time cleaning! There is only one emotion running through me right now, and it's a good on to hold on to...

 

Anticipation.

 

I am so very excited for what is coming our way over the course of this next school year. I'm excited for the new faces that are going to come through our doors. I'm excited to see the growth in the students we've known for years. I'm excited to experience the stories that are going to make me laugh to tears. I'm excited to be present with these students who drink deeply from the well of Christian grace. I'm just really excited.

 

It's like a storm that you're able to see in the distance. It's coming, and it's going to be powerful. 

 

I know some people for whom this coming storm is just that, a big scary ominous storm. I know some people who would like to be done with youth ministry. I know some people who look forward to everything I look forward to the same way you look forward to a root canal. But a bit of encouragement to you: God can still use you. There are still things for you to say, ideas for you to share, dreams for you to spread. That same God can be your strength, can bring you rest when you need it, and inspire you to spread his Gospel message. 

 

And so today I invite you to pray with me. If you look forward to the coming year, then let's pray for the students that we're going to interact with each week. And while we're at it, let's pray for those who are burnt out and in need of God's grace to run this wacky race called youth ministry. 

 

More updates as the day goes on! Stay tuned!

Photo Friday: Vacation

Good morning friends!

I've had some big plans for the series at the J-Blog over the years, but I almost never seem to be able to keep up with them. Hopefully, this new schedule I'm working on will help to keep me on track. So here's how this one works:

At the end of each week, I'm going to find a photograph either that I've taken, or I'll do what I almost always do and steal from Google, that represents what we've learned this week here at the J-Blog. It might be a serious photo, goofy photo, or even the occasional photo caption contest. Who knows. But the main idea is that each Friday's blog post will center around a photograph of some sort. 

Like this one above! Last night, my aunt Beth arrived at the beach house to begin her vacation along with us. If there's been a theme in Sarah and my life this last week, it is that we have the single best family in the world (though we mean no disrespect to your uncle Tom or aunt Suzy). Some people actively avoid their family because they're annoying or distressing or something like that. Sarah and I seek our family out. They're good people.

After Beth shared THE BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD with us, we went on a quick bike ride along the beach, and then ended up at the bay at a restaurant on the beach. We sat around having conversation and watching the sea gulls dive bomb the fish in the bay. You can see Manhattan from a distance across the bay, and so we just sat and watched the birds and relaxed. And while we were sitting there, I took this picture of my toes in the sand. 

Vacation is such an important thing. I've grown concerned over our cultures need to DO more, to work longer hours, to make more money, to have nicer things, to use our business as a merit badge of accomplishment. And just because I've grown concerned over these things doesn't mean I haven't played right into their hands and done the exact same thing myself. I am too busy. I work too much. I am away from my wife for long periods of time in the summer. And so every now and again, the rest button must be pushed. Relaxation must be allowed to take a hold of me. 

We got to the beach house on Sunday after I was the guest preacher at Hillcrest Church. This photograph was taken on Thursday evening. I truly believe friends that it took me all four days to recover and begin to relax. It took all four days to shake the dust off, to allow myself to let things go and to just BE. This moment with my toes in the sand represents the end of the struggle, of allowing myself to vacation, and frankly to listen to what God had to say to me: 

"Six days you will gather, but one the seventh day, on the Sabbath, there will not be any." [Exodus 16:26]

Sabbath is important. Rest is important. Vacation is important. It gives everything that isn't Sabbath meaning, and purpose, and context. And yet all too often we (or at least I) feel guilty for taking the time off. Perhaps if we did a better job of recognizing that our breaks and Sabbaths aren't for us, they're for God. He designed us flawlessly, and he designed us to need rest. 

So perhaps you aren't near an area where you can dig your toes in the sand. That's ok. As we head into the weekend, make sure to take some time for a Sabbath. Make sure to rest, relax, and shake the dust off your feet of the work week before. But if you are near an area with ample toe digging sand, there's truly nothing better!

See you Monday!

J