Here and Now...and Yet To Come

The time is drawing nigh for Adam Mustoe's graduation from CMU (or CMC as I like to call it). As a triumphant exit from adolescence Mustoe has been planning a trip to California to view one of his favorite game shows of all time, The Price is Right. I have been invited, but since I have already taken the necessary steps into adulthood, alas, I can not go. I wish them well on their journey.

You might want to check out the shirts they are planning to wear during the show here. Mustoe good luck in your endeavor and may you find what you are looking for.

Dru and I took the plunge last Tuesday and bought our second vehicle. I was torn. Part of me understands the necessity of the situation. Part of me didn't want to purchase a new vehicle at all. Dru and I will be moving during July of this year. I am headed to Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Both of us were blessed by our parents with vehicles for college. They served us well. Unfortunately, they were 95's that were on the fritz. Last summer we purchased a Nissan Sentra and Tuesday night we purchased a Chevy Malibu Maxx. Having two reliable cars is now comforting, and it is good to know that we now have a vehicle for "family" purposes. (Please in no way read into that at this juncture in time. Thank you!) It's a nice vehicle. We are truly blessed at this point in our life.

The picture is close to exactly what we bought minus the spoiler. Same color. The hatch back is nice. You decide whether you like it or not. We are able to own that we now have a "station wagon." That's ok. We like it.

Dad, here is to your retirement fund. Cheers!

I had the opportunity to be in dialogue with two of my fellow youth pastors in town yesterday. Admittedly, it was a tough spot for my one of my friends to be in. Two of us pretty much agreed with one another and would take turns defending our perspective while the other friend had to defend his perspective by himself. For that I applaud him. The conversation was all over the place, but here were some of the topics:

National Security
Foreign Policy
Media
Our Christian Response to the World

I have been in prayer for this conversation since it ended. Not that God would somehow change my friends mind so that I could then say I won the argument, but because I fear there are many of us who call ourselves Christian's who don't truly believe the story. "Well, what do you mean by that Adam?" you might ask. Good question I will tell you. We as Christians like to make statements in church that we don't truly believe will work in the "real" world. "Turn the other cheek" and "love your neighbor" is fine to say while sitting in a pew but putting it into action in "real" life situations is another story. Would this mentality apply to our foreign policy? As Christians, we must say an emphatic YES.

My friend made the statement, "We are going to have to fight them somewhere. Would you rather it be here at home or over there? We should take the war to them." Of course this was followed by a hard, "no one WANTS to go to war, but that's just a part of life. It's bound to happen." Why? Perhaps I am to optimistic in my thinking that the Gospel story has the power to change lives and in doing so change the world. The above statements were not saying, "Treat others as you would want to be treated." They were saying, "Get them before they get us." That's NOT love.

The Kingdom is at hand. I've heard that somewhere. Jesus told us that if we so choose we can begin to live in the Kingdom of God today. Our duty is to help usher that kingdom in. (I don't mean by starting or perpetuating conflicts in the Middle East to "fulfill prophecy" thus making it possible for Jesus' return.) It is to teach one another what true love is. Not just a spousal relationship kind of love, but love of neighbor.

Radical love is love of peace not aggression. It is a love of sheaving the sword and healing the ear. It is a love of three nails driven in our hands and feet and a spear pierced in our sides. That is radical love.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Do you believe the story? When Christ says that there is a better way to live life, a more abundant life that awaits us, do you believe it?

I realize I am a bit late with this news, but I didn't find out about it until this past Sunday. Not living in Ohio can do that to a guy. Here is the article. There is quite an uproar over the entire issue. I have to say that I am not too stoked about it myself. I have always liked the grey stripe on the jersey. Yes the pants will be grey I suppose. I don't know...you decide here.

You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451. Chalcedon compliant 75% Modalism 50% Pelagianism 50% Nestorianism 42% Monophysitism 33% Monarchianism 33% Adoptionist 8% Donatism 8% Apollanarian 0% Albigensianism 0% Arianism 0% Docetism 0% Socinianism 0% Gnosticism 0% Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com

Well, if this doesn't confuse then I don't know what will. Perhaps this gives us an interesting insight to the validity of these tests. Here is what I scored on "What theologian are you?"

You scored as Jonathan Edwards. You're the original hellfire-and brimstone preacher and you take God's justice very seriously. You are passionate about preaching and an accomplished theologian. John Calvin 67% Jonathan Edwards 67% Anselm 60% Friedrich Schleiermacher 60% Karl Barth 47% Martin Luther 40% J?Moltmann 40% Charles Finney 33% Augustine 33% Paul Tillich 27% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

After reading John's most recent post on Locust and Honey, I decided to take the test myself. Here are my results...I guess it's official. I'm Emergent, but honestly, I still wouldn't label myself as such. The quiz is interesting to say the least. I don't know that all of the questions are that easily answerable. Check it out for yourself.

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 82% Neo orthodox 61% Classical Liberal 57% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 54% Roman Catholic 54% Reformed Evangelical 43% Modern Liberal 39% Charismatic/Pentecostal 36% Fundamentalist 29% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

Buckle your seat belts. This could get messy. More has been set in motion...Is nuclear war immanent? I suppose only time will tell. I just fear that that time is drawing closer and closer.

Upset with Brokeback Mountain? Try the Christian edition.

Phil Mickelson has won the Masters for the second time. Check it out.

Do you want to watch the Masters?

I don't consider myself to be an avid gamer by any stretch of the imagination. I play about once every two weeks if that. (Strap in Halo and I'll take you to town though.) Keeping that in mind...I like video games. As a child the only video game system I had was the original NES system. It wasn't until college that I made the ginormous leap to the XBox. I will never forget my roots though. (In fact the original NES system is sitting in our apartment.) I said all of that to tell that this is my ode to Super Mario Bro. which is one of the greatest video games of all time. Enjoy!!

The Dalai Lama has some interesting things to say. Should we ignore him because we don't consider him to be "saved"? Truth, no matter where it is found, is still truth.

To be honest, I am becoming way more political than I ever thought I would. Sorry for that, I'll cut it out.

Once again Inder Comar gives us some insightful thoughts on our present political situation using the book of Samuel. Here it is. I still think we have time to stop this "rolling machine", but we better get active. Here is a taste if you don't want to read the whole post.

"The sad fact is that Americans today prefer the illusion of freedom to genuine freedom. American Idol, iPods, and every other product of delusional consumerism are far more attractive to modern citizens of the United States than the tough challenges associated with the reclaiming of liberty. A slave will hardly feel the weight of her chains if she never chooses to explore the limits of her life, and it is sad that the descendants of 200 years of republican government remain content to purchase consumer fantasies even while their chains grow heavier, their liberties are stripped from them, and their Earth is plundered into a catatonic hell-hole of environmental disaster.

"We want a king," the people exclaim. By doing nothing, we forsake the protections of Law and the blessings of Liberty in favor of the continued myopia of consumerism, a vile tincture which matches the waters of Lethe in its capacity for stupor and conformity. The November Congressional election is a mere eight months away -- if we continue to let terrorism scare us into submission, and if we continue to stand idly by as President Bush ascends each step into absolute power, by then, surely, we will know how deep the fall and painful the collapse of the republic of the United States of America."

Hmmmm...makes you wonder.

Thanks to Mustoe you can check this article out. Funny that they want us to leave our "own worlds" to go to a dark theatre and have no interaction with other human beings. No they want us to interact with fictional characters on the silver screen. And again...where is the community?