I'm almost 42 years old and I have done a lot of things in my life. Over the past few years I have even pressed the percieved bounds of my own inhibitions to try some pretty cool stuff. Besides whitewater rafting (which I didn't blink an eye at), I have (seemingly) shaken my fear of flying and heights are no longer the terrifying to me and I now love rollercoasters.
Now I have another life experience to contemplate as I grow older. Another thing that as I was doing it I wonder if I was going to die.
It seemed simple enough, my son and some friends wanted to go see "Three Days Grace" in concert at the Speed Street 600 Festival in downtown Charlotte. I like their music and thought it would be fun. It was, but I had no idea...
It wasn't until we actually arrived at the stage area and we started to make our way towards the stage that the first "pangs" of wonder started to appear in my head. The kids wanted to get close to the stage while the act before Three Days Grace was playing, so we started that way. We ended up about 15 feet away from the stage...CENTER stage. I really started to wonder when my son said to me "we may not be able to stay here". Huh?
What I saw all around me for the next 2 1/2 hours was hard to believe. I knew about this stuff, but never thought I would actually see it up close. I'm honestly shocked that no one was killed or severly injured. When you "surf" the easy part is getting up and getting passed around (I didn't DO this but saw a lot of it) it's when you fall...about 7 feet straight down, usually on your head.
When the band started playing and the crowd behind us started surging (actually, shoving) their way forward I thought we would be crushed. Luckily, between me and few other big guys we held them back long enough for them to loose interest in it.
I've been to a lot of concerts, but this is REALLY loud. It was still fun, very exhilarating and a bit scary at moments. In the end I was soaked in sweat and my ears were ringing for about two days. But I was glad that I went.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Contra!
Our friend, Greg, has told us for months about this thing called "Contra Dancing" and said that he needed to get us to one. Last night we relinquished. I'm glad we did.
OK, I was decidedly tentative about it. I kept asking him how it was different than square dancing (Bluegrass and country music come last on my list of music types right behind opera and ganster rap). However, I've never square danced, either, so I really had no reference point.
Minutes after we got there, they gave a quick workshop for all of first timers (there were more than a few). A few minutes later the band was playing and we were dancing. What a blast!
It was challenging, fun, playful, and social. It makes you dizzy and makes you sweat like crazy. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to explain what it is, you have to see it.
Best of all, it brought my wife and I close together for the evening, laughing and collapsing on each other at the end of each dance so that we wouldn't fall over (from being tired and dizzy).
Fun, fun, fun!
OK, I was decidedly tentative about it. I kept asking him how it was different than square dancing (Bluegrass and country music come last on my list of music types right behind opera and ganster rap). However, I've never square danced, either, so I really had no reference point.
Minutes after we got there, they gave a quick workshop for all of first timers (there were more than a few). A few minutes later the band was playing and we were dancing. What a blast!
It was challenging, fun, playful, and social. It makes you dizzy and makes you sweat like crazy. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to explain what it is, you have to see it.
Best of all, it brought my wife and I close together for the evening, laughing and collapsing on each other at the end of each dance so that we wouldn't fall over (from being tired and dizzy).
Fun, fun, fun!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Lightbulb! (or "Church of Christ Glasses")
In cartoons, when someone has an idea they get a lightbulb over their head shining with inspiration or revelation. That happened to me Sunday morning during Bible class...I just wish I could say that it was inspiration that prompted the light.
In this case, it was revelation...
The teacher (which happens to be one of our evangelists) was leading us in a study of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.
The teacher quickly, (and politely) told me he did not agree with me. He re-read the scripture and just stated that women were supposed to be silent in public worship. He even agreed that the Bible tells us that women prayed and prophesied in the name of the Lord, but that this passage tells them to be quiet in worship.
At this point, if I were a cartoon character, the lightbulb would have appeared over my head.
All of my life, I have used the Bible to prove what I have been taught at Church. Whenever I opened it up I corrupted God's message by reading it through "Church of Christ Glasses". If I could read a passage and prove something that someone had told me in Bible Class or at Church then it must be true! The teacher was just doing the same thing. I shouldn't be upset (even though I was a little) or mad, but try to help him by influencing him over time. I was were he was for a long time.
It comes from years of practice and has been honed to a perfectly tuned machine.
In this case, it was revelation...
The teacher (which happens to be one of our evangelists) was leading us in a study of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.
"I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.He read the scripture and then asked for comments. A man behind me said something to the effect of; women were new at this. They had not been able to participate in worship and Paul was instructing them on how to conduct themselves as they did it. I added that Paul, throughout his ministry, was a major advocate of freeing women of spirtual bondage. I also added that women of that time could be married or sell themselves, those were their options. They were not allowed to even speak to men in public. Women, unlike men, did not have experience in public worship, Paul was telling women the same thing that men of that time already knew.
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing–if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.
The teacher quickly, (and politely) told me he did not agree with me. He re-read the scripture and just stated that women were supposed to be silent in public worship. He even agreed that the Bible tells us that women prayed and prophesied in the name of the Lord, but that this passage tells them to be quiet in worship.
At this point, if I were a cartoon character, the lightbulb would have appeared over my head.
All of my life, I have used the Bible to prove what I have been taught at Church. Whenever I opened it up I corrupted God's message by reading it through "Church of Christ Glasses". If I could read a passage and prove something that someone had told me in Bible Class or at Church then it must be true! The teacher was just doing the same thing. I shouldn't be upset (even though I was a little) or mad, but try to help him by influencing him over time. I was were he was for a long time.
It comes from years of practice and has been honed to a perfectly tuned machine.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Hump Day...
"Hump Day" is bittersweet. It's the middle of the week and it's either half over or there's half left, depending on your mood or the week. As a Church of Christ "lifer" (that's not a great term, but descriptive nonetheless) I am used to going to Bible Study on Wednesday evenings.
Now, in the bible, you won't find any reference to Wednesday evening Bible Studies. However, in Acts 2:46, we read that "Every day they [the early Christians] continued to meet together in the temple courts." Wednesday night Bible Studies have always been an opportunity to get a charge during the week to prepare yourself the rest of it.
However, over the last 5 years or so, I have come to just about dread them.
Why? There are a number of reasons, but it comes down to the fact that they just don't charge me up anymore.
To start with, just about every congregation I have been to attempts some sort of "devotional" before or after the Bible classes. This sounds like a good idea, but it ends up being so devoid of emotion and praise that it's depressing and embarassing. Everything is by rote and our minds are no where near where they should be. We walk through these cursory devotionals like zombies.
Inevitably, there is some diatribe of announcements and prayer requests. The really interesting part of this habit is that the people that attend on Wednesdays, are typically the "core members" (those that you see the most and try to be at the building when the "doors are open"). They already know 95% of these announcements because they are up to their necks in these events. We are "preaching to the choir", so these announcements become even more repetitive and boring than normal.
When we finally get to class, the problems are just starting.
The participants (especially kids and teenagers) are so distracted and tired that studying anything with the slightest bit of meat in it is frustrating at best. When I was teaching middle-schoolers I used to ask them for "20 minutes". What that meant is that I only expected 20 minutes of their attention, more than that was just not going to happen. I stopped trying to prepare lessons with any level of complication, they just couldn't (or wouldn't) handle it.
Even if you have a group of people that really want to study and dig into God's word, you get about 30 good minutes, by the time everyone has entered the classroom and is good and ready to get started. There are almost always more announcements and then chit-chatting and more prayer requests and then...
Lately, I have had to just about drag myself to Wednesday Bible study.
I wonder if we should just make it a social event with a decent devotional. Atleast, people could do what they really want to do (talk and relax) and we could come away refreshed and ready for the rest of the week...what an idea!
Now, in the bible, you won't find any reference to Wednesday evening Bible Studies. However, in Acts 2:46, we read that "Every day they [the early Christians] continued to meet together in the temple courts." Wednesday night Bible Studies have always been an opportunity to get a charge during the week to prepare yourself the rest of it.
However, over the last 5 years or so, I have come to just about dread them.
Why? There are a number of reasons, but it comes down to the fact that they just don't charge me up anymore.
To start with, just about every congregation I have been to attempts some sort of "devotional" before or after the Bible classes. This sounds like a good idea, but it ends up being so devoid of emotion and praise that it's depressing and embarassing. Everything is by rote and our minds are no where near where they should be. We walk through these cursory devotionals like zombies.
Inevitably, there is some diatribe of announcements and prayer requests. The really interesting part of this habit is that the people that attend on Wednesdays, are typically the "core members" (those that you see the most and try to be at the building when the "doors are open"). They already know 95% of these announcements because they are up to their necks in these events. We are "preaching to the choir", so these announcements become even more repetitive and boring than normal.
When we finally get to class, the problems are just starting.
The participants (especially kids and teenagers) are so distracted and tired that studying anything with the slightest bit of meat in it is frustrating at best. When I was teaching middle-schoolers I used to ask them for "20 minutes". What that meant is that I only expected 20 minutes of their attention, more than that was just not going to happen. I stopped trying to prepare lessons with any level of complication, they just couldn't (or wouldn't) handle it.
Even if you have a group of people that really want to study and dig into God's word, you get about 30 good minutes, by the time everyone has entered the classroom and is good and ready to get started. There are almost always more announcements and then chit-chatting and more prayer requests and then...
Lately, I have had to just about drag myself to Wednesday Bible study.
I wonder if we should just make it a social event with a decent devotional. Atleast, people could do what they really want to do (talk and relax) and we could come away refreshed and ready for the rest of the week...what an idea!
Friday, February 11, 2005
Amazed, Stunned, Awe-struck
I believe in the power of prayer, just when I start to forget why, God reminds me of his awesome power, understanding and love.
Lately, I have had to travel quite a bit, which is unusual for me. In some ways it has been good for me, but in many other ways it has complicated my life. Over the last few weeks I have been working on a "travel schedule" so that everyone at work knows when to expect me and, more importantly, my family will know when I'll be out of town.
After I was done, the schedule looked tight...very tight. I had to squeeze all that I could out of it and still in the end I felt guilty that I would not be at the client location enough and more importantly that I would be away from home more than I wanted to be.
To make matters worse...
This week, the client that I am working with just won two large accounts that will more than double their workload. This fired off alarms in my head. How am I going to squeeze some more time away from home when I'm already gone enough?!? I had reserved myself to the ominous reality that I would have to revise my schedule again to spend more time away from home, but how?
Last night on the plane I spent some extra time praying to God before the flight took off (I always pray before each takeoff). Among my normal pleadings for a good flight and to take care of Stacy and the boys I asked God to show me what to do. Not just guide me in the right direction, but to pick me up and carry me to my next destination to take my hand and drag me so that I could make all of this work. I told him that I didn't have any good answers.
He did.
Today, due to a "knee jerk reaction" from someone some levels above my head here at work, my scheduled travel was terminated. Just like that. There are some stupid reasons behind it and someone really isn't thinking. It was really a fluke, a vice-president saw me up there a few days ago and thought that my time would be better spent down here.
At first this made me quite angry. But, after I had some time to cool down and while I was driving to lunch, it hit me in the face...
I asked for this! I ASKED FOR THIS! How on earth could I have forgotten so quickly?...I asked for this!
I asked God to grab my hand and get me out of this...and that is exactly what he did. There is no other explanation for it. He listened to my cry and he reached down and snatched me out of the situation I had ended up in.
I stand here completely and utterly amazed, stunned and awe-struck...once again.
Jonah 2:1,5-7
"In my distress I called to the LORD ,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry...
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.
When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD ,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. "
Lately, I have had to travel quite a bit, which is unusual for me. In some ways it has been good for me, but in many other ways it has complicated my life. Over the last few weeks I have been working on a "travel schedule" so that everyone at work knows when to expect me and, more importantly, my family will know when I'll be out of town.
After I was done, the schedule looked tight...very tight. I had to squeeze all that I could out of it and still in the end I felt guilty that I would not be at the client location enough and more importantly that I would be away from home more than I wanted to be.
To make matters worse...
This week, the client that I am working with just won two large accounts that will more than double their workload. This fired off alarms in my head. How am I going to squeeze some more time away from home when I'm already gone enough?!? I had reserved myself to the ominous reality that I would have to revise my schedule again to spend more time away from home, but how?
Last night on the plane I spent some extra time praying to God before the flight took off (I always pray before each takeoff). Among my normal pleadings for a good flight and to take care of Stacy and the boys I asked God to show me what to do. Not just guide me in the right direction, but to pick me up and carry me to my next destination to take my hand and drag me so that I could make all of this work. I told him that I didn't have any good answers.
He did.
Today, due to a "knee jerk reaction" from someone some levels above my head here at work, my scheduled travel was terminated. Just like that. There are some stupid reasons behind it and someone really isn't thinking. It was really a fluke, a vice-president saw me up there a few days ago and thought that my time would be better spent down here.
At first this made me quite angry. But, after I had some time to cool down and while I was driving to lunch, it hit me in the face...
I asked for this! I ASKED FOR THIS! How on earth could I have forgotten so quickly?...I asked for this!
I asked God to grab my hand and get me out of this...and that is exactly what he did. There is no other explanation for it. He listened to my cry and he reached down and snatched me out of the situation I had ended up in.
I stand here completely and utterly amazed, stunned and awe-struck...once again.
Jonah 2:1,5-7
"In my distress I called to the LORD ,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry...
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.
When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD ,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. "
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