Thursday, December 22, 2005
Finally Saw Narnia
Well, yesterday Dru and I and Jake and Jeremy and Mitch...yeah I think that's it, all went to see Narnia. It was great. I agree with Dustin that there were a few cheesy cgi mishaps but overall it was a great movie. Oh, one more thing, I wish they would have made Aslan a little more "terrifying." He seemed a bit too cuddly for me. Lewis describes the children as being "terrified and exhilerated" all in the same instance. I could of used a little more for the section that Lucy and Susanne ride on his back. I imagined that part much better than the film. Ok...I will stop being a critic now.
I thought it was great that they released around Christmas time. I know that Disney only cares about revenues, but it was a good reminder for me that Christ's birth is all about his death and resurrection. What a beautiful thing. I will be looking forward to The Magician's Nephew and the creation of the world. That's section of the book is shere poetry. Beautiful.
Next up: King Kong (How is that for an advent flick?)
Adam
I thought it was great that they released around Christmas time. I know that Disney only cares about revenues, but it was a good reminder for me that Christ's birth is all about his death and resurrection. What a beautiful thing. I will be looking forward to The Magician's Nephew and the creation of the world. That's section of the book is shere poetry. Beautiful.
Next up: King Kong (How is that for an advent flick?)
Adam
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
VIsit With Danny and Myspace
Thought y'all might be interested in the fact that I had lunch with a country music star. Just kidding. I really did have an opportunity to catch up with Danny Rader this past Saturday. Jake road down to KC with me and we meat up with Danny at the Beaumont. We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. It was great to see him. I always enjoy those breef visits. The discussion ranged from R.C. Sprouls the NFL. (For those who don't know, R.C. Sprouls is a Presbyterian Theologian. Calvin...predestination...all that good stuff.)
Anyway, if you are curious who this guy is, you can check out my previous post. I know that he also has a myspace account so maybe you can find him on there. In fact you can link to him through my myspace which can be found under the heading Caldwell.
Merry Christmas to all. Mom, Dad, Leah, Dustin, Dru and I are both looking forward to seeing you all.
Later,
Adam
Anyway, if you are curious who this guy is, you can check out my previous post. I know that he also has a myspace account so maybe you can find him on there. In fact you can link to him through my myspace which can be found under the heading Caldwell.
Merry Christmas to all. Mom, Dad, Leah, Dustin, Dru and I are both looking forward to seeing you all.
Later,
Adam
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Slacker Says Thanks
I just want to say sorry for the lack of posts. I just go ahead and use the advent excuse even though it's not really a legitimate excuse for me. Here goes, "advent has got me really busy!"
Now that that's out of the way. I also want to say thank you to my church and fellow staff. Particularly for Mitch and Jamie and the friendships that have formed with them. Yesterday I had a great time praying with Mitch in our prayer chapel. It was nice. Have you ever been in a situation where it was just awkward or difficult to pray with someone else? This was not one of those times. It was so easy to communicate with Mitch and Christ all at the same time. I don't take those moments lightly and I just wanted to reflect on it with you guys.
Relationships are messy and beautiful all at the same time. So I thank those of you who have given me the priviledge to get to know you. I cherish the 'slacker' conversations that we have on a regular basis and I credit many of those conversations for the spiritual growth that I have experienced this past year and a half. I look forward to many more.
Grace and Peace,
Adam
Now that that's out of the way. I also want to say thank you to my church and fellow staff. Particularly for Mitch and Jamie and the friendships that have formed with them. Yesterday I had a great time praying with Mitch in our prayer chapel. It was nice. Have you ever been in a situation where it was just awkward or difficult to pray with someone else? This was not one of those times. It was so easy to communicate with Mitch and Christ all at the same time. I don't take those moments lightly and I just wanted to reflect on it with you guys.
Relationships are messy and beautiful all at the same time. So I thank those of you who have given me the priviledge to get to know you. I cherish the 'slacker' conversations that we have on a regular basis and I credit many of those conversations for the spiritual growth that I have experienced this past year and a half. I look forward to many more.
Grace and Peace,
Adam
Friday, December 09, 2005
Image Bearers
We are all image bearers. I gues that begs the question, "What image do you bear?"
I'v had idolatry on the brain for quite some time now. I don't know if it's becaue we are discussing it in our Young Adult Sunday school class, or if it's because I sat outside in the freezing cold waiting to get an XBox 360. None the less, idolatry has been on my brain for quite some time. Here is what I've come up with through avid reading.
According to Psalm 115, we become the idols that we create. We become, deaf, dumb, blind, and without any senses. We are, for all practical reasons, dead. When we choose idolatry, the "light" of Christ is snuffed out. Unfortunately we live in an age where idolatry is running rampant. I'm not just talking about things. I'm talking about fertility, national or ethnic identity, security, scientific analysis, technological power or even economic growth. Think about it, capitalism breeds idolatry. Production and consumption. Even we as individuals become commodities that can be bought and sold. No matter what it is that we bear, other than the image of Christ, will bring death.
Do you remember when Israel asked for a king? God told Samuel that it was not Sameul they were rejecting, no, it was God himself. By buying into the lie that we need things or that we need more than Christ can give us, we are rejecting God. We are saying, just as the Israelites, that we want to be just like everyone else and be ruled by a king. (Not THE KING)
I leave you with the warning of God delivered by Samuel:
"This is what the king who will rule over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fileds and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth fo your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys her will take for his own use. He wil take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become slaves. When that day comes you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day."
1 Samuel 8:10b-18
Adam
I'v had idolatry on the brain for quite some time now. I don't know if it's becaue we are discussing it in our Young Adult Sunday school class, or if it's because I sat outside in the freezing cold waiting to get an XBox 360. None the less, idolatry has been on my brain for quite some time. Here is what I've come up with through avid reading.
According to Psalm 115, we become the idols that we create. We become, deaf, dumb, blind, and without any senses. We are, for all practical reasons, dead. When we choose idolatry, the "light" of Christ is snuffed out. Unfortunately we live in an age where idolatry is running rampant. I'm not just talking about things. I'm talking about fertility, national or ethnic identity, security, scientific analysis, technological power or even economic growth. Think about it, capitalism breeds idolatry. Production and consumption. Even we as individuals become commodities that can be bought and sold. No matter what it is that we bear, other than the image of Christ, will bring death.
Do you remember when Israel asked for a king? God told Samuel that it was not Sameul they were rejecting, no, it was God himself. By buying into the lie that we need things or that we need more than Christ can give us, we are rejecting God. We are saying, just as the Israelites, that we want to be just like everyone else and be ruled by a king. (Not THE KING)
I leave you with the warning of God delivered by Samuel:
"This is what the king who will rule over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fileds and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth fo your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys her will take for his own use. He wil take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become slaves. When that day comes you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day."
1 Samuel 8:10b-18
Adam
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Danny's A Country Music Star(Well Side Kick)
Just want to let you all know that I am friends with someone who is famous. You can see his music video here:
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/aldean_jason/artist.jhtml
It's the Jason Aldean video called Why. Danny Rader is the lead guitarist with the long blond hair and the long sleeve green shirt. He gets a couple of close up shots. I particularly like the one where he throws his hair back and looks very serious and contemplative all at the same time.
Danny...You know that I am not a big country fan, but it's great to see you doing your thing man. I know that Leah is proud. Hope to see you when you come to KC.
Adam
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/aldean_jason/artist.jhtml
It's the Jason Aldean video called Why. Danny Rader is the lead guitarist with the long blond hair and the long sleeve green shirt. He gets a couple of close up shots. I particularly like the one where he throws his hair back and looks very serious and contemplative all at the same time.
Danny...You know that I am not a big country fan, but it's great to see you doing your thing man. I know that Leah is proud. Hope to see you when you come to KC.
Adam
New Blog List
If you haven't noticed. I just added a new blog list to the site. It is a list of other Methodist Bloggers across the country. This list includes people from all across the spectrum. Liberal/Conservative, Republican/Democrat, Predestination/Free Will, so on and so forth.
Check out the other sites. You might find something interesting.
Adam
Check out the other sites. You might find something interesting.
Adam
Thursday, December 01, 2005
The Church that is Emerging
I would like to include a link to a blog that my uncle wrote:
http://goodbrownie.blogspot.com/2005/12/emerging-church.html
If you are interested in what the emerging church is then this blog will help. I admit that I loosely align myself with this "movement." I say loosely because I agree with many of the authors who fly this flag, particularly Brian McLaren, but I am afraid that it is becoming a fad more than a conversation as it was meant to be. To me emergence is not about candles and couches, but about good theology and right, missional living. It's the idea that I'm tired of living a lie. I'm tired of seperating my faith from my daily life. I'm trying, not to apply, but to imply the man called Christ to every pore of my being. I'm trying to innovate a new way to be a christian in a new world.
If you have time to listen go here I URGE you to do so:
http://www.faithfulpractices.org/Emergent/McLarenLecture.mp3
Please don't take this lightly. The world is changing. This stuff matters. Wake Up!
http://goodbrownie.blogspot.com/2005/12/emerging-church.html
If you are interested in what the emerging church is then this blog will help. I admit that I loosely align myself with this "movement." I say loosely because I agree with many of the authors who fly this flag, particularly Brian McLaren, but I am afraid that it is becoming a fad more than a conversation as it was meant to be. To me emergence is not about candles and couches, but about good theology and right, missional living. It's the idea that I'm tired of living a lie. I'm tired of seperating my faith from my daily life. I'm trying, not to apply, but to imply the man called Christ to every pore of my being. I'm trying to innovate a new way to be a christian in a new world.
If you have time to listen go here I URGE you to do so:
http://www.faithfulpractices.org/Emergent/McLarenLecture.mp3
Please don't take this lightly. The world is changing. This stuff matters. Wake Up!
