Random, and Proud of It

To the Faithful Few...

2008-08-08T23:02:00.002-04:00

I've finally done it: I'm moving. I like the options and ease of formatting of Wordpress, so this blog will exist there from now on. This will stay here for those of who you don't check the other one, or for those who just generally don't like switching bookmarks. So, to all you who actually visit, thank you, and hopefully you'll keep reading. http://mauveavenger21.wordpress.com

Vacation, Part 2: Bunk Houses and Boston

2008-08-07T23:31:00.010-04:00

Another great couple days of Shank Family Vacation '08 (SFV08, henceforth). Rainy and cloudy, but great. We started out driving up to Booth Bay Harbor, a quaint little town up the coast a ways from Portland. There were a few shops and stores, but the real appeal was the delicious lobster we had for lunch. With good sweet corn and melted butter. MMMmmmmm. Heavenly. We drove back down to Portland and caught a ferry across the harbor to Peaks Island (pretty much the only way to get there). Another very cool experience, especially in the foggy/misty weather.

Peaks Island had some artillery guns posted on it during World War II, probably something during World War I, and definitely a regiment station for the Civil War. The headquarters for the 8th of Maine is where we stayed last night. The host was a trip. A piece of American history himself, he told us all about the history of the island, why prostitutes are commonly referred to as 'hookers,' and plenty of other random things. He used to train horses and was a professor at Penn State for a while. Probably 16 or 23 other things in his life, too. Anyhow, we ate dinner on the island and found out that the population of the island drops from 4,000 during the summer to 800 in the winter. I guess it gets cold or something.

After spending the night and catching a quick breakfast, we caught the ferry back to Portland. We hung out in the port area of Portland, checking out the shops and various local attractions. It was pretty cool, but some of the shops I wanted to go to were closed until later in the day, and we had things to do. Namely, getting to Boston.

We got here around 1:30, set up camp at our B&B, and headed into downtown. We ate a late lunch at some Italian place, walked around a bunch, rode some elevators up very tall buildings, saw some sights, and eventually ended up in Chinatown. After dinner, mom and dad did their own thing and the boys took the T (Boston's subway) out to Harvard. We walked around the campus, did some more aping of public statues and memorials (something we're making a habit of this time), drank some coffee, and listened to a guy play guitar and harmonica in the street. He was pretty darn good.

Tomorrow we're doing touristy stuff, but as always, trying not to look touristy. Dad and I are going to hit the Sam Adams Brewery, Mom is going to try and find an art museum or something, and I don't know what Daniel and Jared will do. Clam chowder is on the docket, as well as the Freedom Trail. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little sunnier, but it doesn't look good. I do know that tomorrow night we're going to try and see the Blue Man Group. OAR is playing, but the concert is about 40 minutes out of town and we don't have the transportation. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to settle for Blue Man. I love vacation.

Vacation, Part 1: Barber Shops and Christian Science

2008-08-05T21:42:00.008-04:00

Yay for family vacation! Seriously, I love our vacations. Two years ago we went whitewater rafting on the Chatooga River with a little backpacking, last year we did a little more backpacking and spent a few days up at a very nice cabin in the mountains near Boone, and this year, it's even better. Let me give you a little jealousy-inspiring taste of our day.

We got up at the awful hour of 5 this morning (don't be jealous yet) and drove to the airport in Raleigh. From there, we flew to La Guardia, and after a very short layover, on up to Manchester, New Hampshire. The second flight was on this tiny little dual-propeller plane. It was awesome. A little nerve-wracking, considering that the blades were going at 2500 rpm (rough guess) and were about 3 feet from the side of the airplane, but cool nonetheless.

After renting a car, we moseyed on over to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of the coolest places I have ever been. I'm not even kidding. Coffee shops, breweries, used book stores, public art, and all right on the coast. And the weather! After two months of air conditionless South Carolina sticky heat, the cool ocean breeze of New England was a thing out of a dream. We had lunch at The Portsmouth Brewery, and it was delicious. I had a pulled pork sandwich (very tender, and very good) and a Black Cat Stout that complemented the sandwich marvelously.

After hanging out in downtown for about an hour, we drove on up the coast, passing through small towns, stopping to take a picture or two of the Bush's coastal estate (not the picture featured to the left), and finally ending up at The Morrill Mansion. Me and the brothers are in the Morrill Suite. Oh yes. Be jealous.

After getting settled here, me and the brothers went for a walk down Congress St. Nothing spectacular (lots of things were closed by the time we got there), but we're looking forward to hanging out closer to the port tomorrow. The city seems like Maine's Asheville. There's even a local brewery that we might get to take a tour of.... We got to our restaurant (I can't remember the name) and had trouble deciding what to order since everything sounded wonderful. And we were not disappointed. My cod/sausage/potatoes/clams/peppers were delightful, and everything else I sampled was just as good. Oh, and the Nut Brown Ale I had with the meal was another terrific match.

We got out of there about an hour ago, then pretty much came back here. With such an early start to our day, we're all pretty beat. Daniel is taking a bath using the complimentary herbal bath salts (what a girl), and Jared is watching Liar Liar. Needless to say, we're all having a wonderful time on our first day of vacation, and are looking forward to a fantastic week. Tomorrow we'll hit the coast a little more, and tomorrow night take a ferry out to one of the nearby islands to camp for a night. Thankfully, I brought my pipe.

Sunday Hymn - When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

2008-08-03T22:52:00.003-04:00

Well, camp is over, working for Dad is over, and family vacation is about to begin. The book I'm taking along to read on the plane, in the car, and through whatever other means of transportation we may employ, is John Stott's The Cross of Christ. With that in mind, I thought it fitting that this Sunday's hymn be one that focuses on the cross.

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small:
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Sunday Hymn - Rock of Ages

2008-07-27T21:05:00.003-04:00

This was sung in church this morning, and it was a great pre-year preparation for me as I go back to the 'real' world.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, come to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, else I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

Sunday Hymn - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

2008-07-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

This morning, I have the privilege of attending a Sunday morning worship service put on by Camp Hope's two-weekers. Two week is a session of camp for campers that thrive in the camp atmosphere, or those that have been coming forever, and they stay for (you guessed it) two weeks. The upshot of that is that they are all there Sunday morning, an occurrence that doesn't happen the rest of the summer. So, they do a church service.

I was going to do All Creatures of Our God and King this morning, as a reminder that no matter what your mental capacity, everyone is called to worship God: it's our purpose. And honestly, I know of no men of more tender heart than those Hope campers. Their capacity for love is deeply convicting. But, because that song was up here three weeks ago (give or take), here's a similar one.

Praise to the Lord,
The Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord,
Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not see
How all your longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness
And mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Sunday Hymn - O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

2008-07-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

This Saturday was the hardest Saturday of the summer for me. I had one kid this week (because of unknown issues, I can't post his name or picture) that was just... hard to let go. Because of his home situation, he has been in children's home after children's home for the past 5 years. Even though he sees his mother and brothers from time to time, because of the family history, he hasn't been able to live with them. Maybe it's for the better, maybe it's not, but the point is, he doesn't really have a home.

When he left today, we took a long walk from the play area to his car, and he just began to weep. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." he repeated. He hugged each of us (his counselors) fiercely. I told him that "no matter what, that here he is loved and here he has a home." Weeping, he got into the car. And, weeping, we waved him off. I love every one of my campers, but when you get one who you know is going back into a poisonous situation, it makes the parting all the harder. But even though we can't keep them, I'm comforted knowing that there is a God who loves them, no matter what.

O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

Sunday Hymn - Laden With Guilt and Full of Fear

2008-07-06T12:05:00.003-04:00

So, my computer almost got murdered this week. Thankfully, I'm pretty handy with a screwdriver and was able to disassemble, clean, and reassemble it. Definitely killed a TO, and my backspace and enter keys don't work, but it's better than having your laptop shuffle off this mortal court unceremoniously and without means to replace it. Anyway, the point is, it frustrated me more than I expected something like that would have. It reminded me just how hard of a time I have treasuring Christ above all things. This song came to mind, mainly because of the way it focuses on the treasure of Christ and His word, something I definitely need help with.

Laden with guilt and full of fears,
I fly to Thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in Thy written Word
Th volumes of my Father's grace
Does all my griefs assuage
Here I behold my Savior's face
In every page.

This is the field where, hidden, lies
The pearl of price unknown
That merchant is divinely wise
Who makes the pearl his own
Here consecrated water flows
To quench my thirst of sin
Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
No danger dwells within.

This is the judge that ends the strife,
Where wit and reason fail
My guide to everlasting life
Through all this gloomy vale
Oh may Thy counsels, mighty God,
My roving feet command,
Nor I forsake the happy road
That leads to Thy right hand.

Happy Birthday, Jared! (Camp Style)

2008-06-29T11:05:00.000-04:00

HA-ppy Birthday to you!
HA-ppy Birthday to you!
HA-ppy Birthday dear Jared!
HA-ppy Birthday to you!

Jared, it'll be awesome to have all the Shank boys together at camp.

Sunday Hymn - Isaiah 43

2008-06-29T11:00:00.001-04:00

This song is up here for two reasons. One, this week was really, really difficult. There was one camper in particular that I really struggled to love. Also, because I felt like I had to keep such an eye on him, I couldn't love the other 7 campers like I really wanted to. But the other reason that this song is here this week is because the camper that made it all worth it (and that brought tears to my eyes with his fierce hug Friday night) is named Isaiah. Hopefully I'll have more of a chance to talk about him this next week, but we'll see. As for now, enjoy the hymn.

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you,
And the waves will not
Overcome you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are mine.

For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)

When you walk through the fire
You'll not be burned,
And the flames will not
Consume you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are mine.

For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
For I am the Lord your God
I am the Lord your God
I am the Holy One of Israel,
Your Saviour.
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord (Do not fear.)

Sunday Hymn - All Creatures of Our God and King

2008-06-22T09:15:00.003-04:00

As you come down camp road (about a mile), you often see different forms of wildlife. Birds, deer, beavers, and (I'm not kidding) wild turkeys. This morning, I saw something a little different. I walked out of my cabin toward the staff lounge, and saw at least 15 squirrels lining the side of camp road, all fanned out in formation, searching through the grass. As I walked passed, they all turned their heads and looked at me, probably to see if I was a threat, but it felt like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Very bizzare.

Anyway, it reminded me of all the other wildlife I've seen here at camp. And that reminds me of the beautiful sunset we saw on campout last week, and that reminds me of beautiful afternoons on the lake, and on and on and on. And that reminded me of this song.

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening find a voice,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou flowing water pure and clear,
Make music for Thy Lord to hear,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One,

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T11:00:00.002-04:00

Last summer I got to be a 'dad' for 48 campers. It really put into perspective the challenges and responsibility of fatherhood, as well as a clear understanding of the joys and hurts that can come along with it. Punishing a kid is not fun, but it's for their own good: that's a tough balance to strike. Telling a kid that they can't do the one thing they really want to do because it isn't safe for them is hard.

And as good of a counselor as I may have been, I must say that it's got to be because I tried to follow the example of fatherhood that my dad showed me. He wrestled with me, played with me, punished me, cared for me, made up stories for me, and invested in me. He loved and loves me.

Dad, thanks for being a great father. You have pointed me toward Christ, showed me how to serve, and made it a joy to be able to call myself your son. I praise God that He has "given me the heritage of those who fear His name (Psalm 61:5)."

Sunday Hymn - Beneath the Cross of Jesus

2008-06-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

It seems like I say this every week, but this is one of my favorite hymns. There's this way of singing it with a sort of echo/harmony on the men's part that is fantastic. More than that, the words are so profound. I especially like the simplicity of life portrayed in the last line. I long so much for a love for God that makes my sin the most despicable thing to me and the cross of Christ the best news in the world.

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus, my eyes at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart, with tears, two wonders I confess:
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place:
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self, my only shame, my glory, all the cross.

Sunday Hymn - Abide With Me

2008-06-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

This is just a great song. It expresses so well the longing that Christians are to have for Christ to "abide with me."

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:4-11

Abide with me; falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers, fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, abide with me.

Thou on my head, in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious, and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence, every passing hour.
What but Thy grace, can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness
Where is thy sting death? Where grave thy victory?
I triumph still, abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

Searching for Propositions of Truth

2008-06-05T16:16:00.007-04:00

Lots of reading this week. Maybe not the best thing, since I leave for camp tomorrow and haven't started packing yet... but oh well. It'll all get done one way or another. I got a shipment of books that I got with birthday money (thanks Aunt Betty!) when we got back from the lake, and I'm already done with one of them. The other three are The Christian Life, by Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Cross of Christ, by John Stott, and a study book based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. But this isn't about that.

This is about Why We're Not Emergent (by Two Guys Who Should Be), Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck. It's 250 pages, and I read it in four days. Needless to say, I really liked this book. Not only was it intellectually challenging (mainly the chapters by Kevin DeYoung, a reformed pastor), but it was also emotionally stirring (especially the chapters by Ted Kluck). Above all, it was written with a posture of love for others. This does not mean blanket acceptance or tip-toeing hopes. Both authors, out of love, call emergents to account for their words, their actions, and their theology (or conspicuous lack thereof). Emergents will be offended if they pick up this book, just as I was from reading The God Delusion. But there is a profound difference here. I was offended and outraged because Dawkins misrepresented and misread the Bible, and above all, his attitude was one of arrogance: faith in anything (does that include scientific theories?) is incompatible with reason. But with this book, the authors' attitude is one of love, encouraging them to continue in the good things they embrace while seriously thinking about the things they are so quick to reject.

Maybe before I go any farther I should try and describe the emergent/ing church (apparently there is some difference, but I can't figure out what it is). I say try because this, as the authors say, is harder than "nailing jello to a wall." They reject modernism, yet thoroughly use modern techniques of argument (bulleted lists, from/to's !?). They are all about truth and salvation as journeys (searching), not as events. The phrase "searching for Jesus is cool: finding Him isn't." definitely applies. They're big on universal acceptance and tolerance... except for those who argue for concrete moral limits and conditions for church membership. Frustratingly, they're largely opposed to statements of faith or any concrete doctrine, preferring to deal with "proposition" instead. Most of all, anything they produce somehow gets linked back to a "conversation." Books (the ones on the right side are by emergent authors), blogs, discussion-based sermons, retreats, coffee shops, anything. I think the idea is great (how can we communicate what we believe if we're not in conversation with them?) but it gets old pretty quick. So, not feeling like I've done a very good job, that's the emergent church in a nutshell. They're mostly twenty-somethings (which I am), like indie music (which I love), love coffee and guiness (which I'm crazy about), and love Jesus (obviously, me too).

The books scope is those facets of emergent thought (it's a little bold to call it theology) that throw up red flags in the rest of Christendom, whether reformed, evangelical, fundamentalist, or any combination of those. As a result, aspects of emergent thought that the authors agree with go largely undiscussed (but not unmentioned). Social justice, care for the poor and widows, love as a worthy pursuit, and authenticity in worship are all pieces that I'm crazy about. But they aren't the main points.

In my opinion, the emergent church suffers from an overly "fuzzy" view of Jesus. They are of the "great moral teacher" persuasion, but also with elements of some sort of cosmic therapist mixed in. Sort of a Ghandi meets Dr. Phil. One upshot of this view is that emergents believe that people are inherently good. Jesus came because he wanted to make good people even better. (This might be wrong. I'm not emergent, so I can't speak with any authority about this. Besides, they don't really recognize any central or unifying authority on their beliefs, so technically, I'm just as qualified to speak for them as anyone else.) One aspect of popular thought that I cannot get over is the belief, whether emergent, secular humanist, or anything else under the sun, that people are inherently good. I see people ruined by wealth, seduced by lust, and indifferent to the poor. I see myself struggling with arrogance, getting angry at others for menial things, and indifferent to the poor. I see the state of the world around me. I see the ugliness of my sin. And if I didn't know Christ and the free grace He offers, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

This grace is something that you rarely, if ever, hear about in the emergent church. Their argument is that "the meat of the gospel has to do with justice, compassion, and transformation (186)." Yes those things are there, but that's not the meat of the gospel. The week leading up to and the events following after Jesus' crucifixion are the meat of the gospel. If a call to justice, compassion, and transformation are given without the means of effecting those calls provided, there is no good news at all. Christ came atone for sin and reconcile His people to His Father. Yes, Christ's example is one we should follow, but there is so much more.

Probably my favorite part of this book was DeYoung's epilogue. He issues calls to both emergents and the church in general from the book of Revelation, specifically the letters to the churches. There are seven churches addressed, symbolizing the universal church (the number seven symbolizes completeness). "In other words, the problems in these seven churches are the root problems in all churches. Their strengths are our strengths and their weaknesses are our weaknesses (239)." He encourages the non-emergent church to let their light shine: many congregations believe all the right things, but they make no effort to live a life of love for neighbors. He pleads with the emergent church to not be prey to false teachings. Furthermore, that they understand the difference between love and tolerance. When we ignore someone's sin because we think it is for their own good, that isn't love: it's unfaithfulness. Yes, accept them, welcome them, love them. But the best way to love someone is to remind them of the gospel, whether they are a Christian or not.

In your sin, you are worse off than you could ever imagine. Christ loves you more than you could ever hope. When we trust in the atoning power of His blood, through faith, His blessings are more than we could ever have asked for.

So Close...

2008-06-04T16:14:00.003-04:00

I set up a blog for camp yesterday. I'll be posting on it every once in a while, but hopefully other counselors will take the time to submit posts or pictures as well. The link (which I can't believe was available) is www.yaycamp.blogspot.com.

As for this blog for the rest of the summer, here's what I think is going to go down. Camp stories and pics will obviously go on the other website. But non-campy musings, book updates, and movie reviews will continue here. And hopefully I'll find sometime in the week to do a weekly hymn, even if it's not on Sunday. So there you go.

We leave Friday afternoon, and training starts Sunday. And the next Sunday, campers!

Mowing the Yard

2008-06-02T20:57:00.003-04:00

I've been reading a book by Jerry Bridges called The Discipline of Grace. I'm leading a book study on it next semester, and am trying to get through it and the study guide before the craziness of camp starts (we leave Friday!). I hit it pretty hard this weekend, reading a lot at the cabin and in the car. There have been lots of good things in there, points that get my mind going or that stir my heart in ways other books don't. But I'm still kinda stuck on the title.

In my mind, discipline and grace are two contradictory things. Discipline and grace seem to occupy two completely different spheres of life, and sometimes I think that they are incompatible. I mean, if it's God's grace that is the basis for our justification, the source of our sanctification, and our hope in glorification, where does discipline fit in? The cool thing is that the more I understand the Gospel, the more I "preach it to myself," the less I struggle with this conflict. I am convinced that legalism and over-license both have their source in a misunderstanding of the Gospel.

Legalism says "be good, for that's what God requires." It suggests, some seriously, some unconsciously, that God will not look upon us with favor if we do not earn his love. If we slack off in our quiet times, or our mind wanders during prayer, or anything, then God will look less favorably on us. He will not bless us. And this view is profoundly flawed. It completely ignores the fact that even on our best days, we are still desperately in need of God's grace. Furthermore, it downplays the work of Christ. Legalism, like the doctrine of purgatory, cheapens and reduces Christ's death on the cross to less than complete in redeeming us to the Father.

Over-license, on the other hand, says that "Christ died for sins, so why not live it up?" This too, misunderstands the Gospel. Christ did not just cover our sins. He credited to us His righteousness. He gave us hearts of flesh instead of hearts of stone. He commits to growing us, sanctifying us. United with Christ, we are to die to sin. As Paul says, "How can we who died to sin live in it?" We are to be transformed.

For example, take alcohol. A legalistic view might say "Don't drink, because you might get drunk, and drunkenness is forbidden in scripture." Over-license, on the other hand, would dive right in and enjoy the "blessing" no matter what the outcome. The Gospel says to think about it. Is your drinking going to cause others around you to stumble? (Consider others.) If you're prone to alcoholism, is drinking a good choice for you? (Considering your limitation.) In any case, are you drinking in a self-controlled manner? (Considering our calling.)

So how do we reconcile grace and discipline? Today I mowed the yard (at my parent's house). And, especially after an 8-hour day, I hate mowing the yard. Yet, it was easy for me to do, and I wasn't asked. Honestly, I got about half-way through before I remembered that I genuinely hate mowing. At that point, I got to thinking about why I was doing it, why it was so easy. I was grateful for the mini-vacation this past weekend, eating out sometimes, a place to sleep every night, that sort of thing, but I've been grateful for that for a long time, and it has never motivated me to mow the yard. There is no doubt in my mind that my parents love me. Mowing the yard was not in an effort to earn their love (I know I already have it). Rather, it was an expression of gratitude for that love, and more specifically, for how their love for me is manifested. (It's one thing to have an attitude of love. It's another to do something about it.)

As I kept thinking about it, I asked myself why I didn't do that sort of thing in summers past. It's not that my parents didn't love me, it's that I hadn't grown as a person. This past year I grew a lot in the area of self-discipline (this came with a corresponding struggle with self-righteousness, but that's another issue for another post). As such, I am more ready and free to please my parents AND AT THE SAME TIME HAVE IT BE A JOY TO ME. That is the relationship between discipline and grace. Grace is God's evidence of His love for His children. All of our discipline, all of our quiet times and praying and scripture memorization and mortifying of sin should lead us to find joy in pleasing God. Pursuing spiritual disciplines frees us to give God glory! They aren't restraining: they're liberating.

Praise be to God, who acted, in love, on behalf of His own. Glory to God who has ordained that our greatest purpose should also be our greatest joy. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sunday Hymn - I Sought the Lord

2008-06-01T17:20:00.002-04:00

This is a new one to me. We were up in Virginia this weekend for a cousin's graduation, and this hymn was sung at the Baccalaureate service last night. I think it needs new music, but the words were fantastic. Maybe a new melody for these lyrics will be a mini-project for me.

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me.
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee.

Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold;
I walked and sank not on the storm vexed sea.
'Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold,
As Thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love, but oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee!
For Thou were long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou lovest me.

Aslan ex Machina

2008-05-28T17:03:00.004-04:00

I saw Prince Caspian last weekend as a cap to my birthday evening celebration extravaganza. It was fun, but not that big of a deal because 1) I only turned 22, and 2) it wasn't even on my birthday, and 3) it was just with my family. Not that I don't love my family and everything (I do), but because my birthday falls in those couple weeks between when school ends and summer jobs (only 11 days until camp starts!) start, it's been a long time since I got to celebrate my birthday with friends. Oh well, one of these days.

Oh yeah, minor spoiler alert. Read at your own risk. Unless, of course, you've already seen the movie.

Anyway.... The movie was great. I thought it was a lot better than the first one. Some say that it lacked that 'charm of originality' that all first movies of good series have (Star Wars: A New Hope, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Matrix, you get the picture), but I disagree. The world is different enough to keep that feeling of exploration fresh. Even though the characters are the same, the world is much older: Aslan's How is a major landmark, there is major industrialization due to the presence of the Telmarines, and everything isn't covered in snow. In addition, there are plenty of new characters to keep things fresh (Reepicheep was awesome).

I especially appreciated the way that the writers included spiritual allegories (keeping true to Lewis) but didn't beat the viewer over the head with them. When Lucy first sees Aslan, no one else can. Peter asks why he didn't see the lion, and Lucy's wise reply is, "Maybe you weren't looking for him." And through the rest of the movie, this theme is played out. Peter and Caspian both try to rely on their own strength to overcome Miraz and the other men, and thus, they aren't looking for Aslan or his help. They want the glory for themselves. It is only in their desperation, trapped in the How, that they send Lucy for him.

Once they finally get their act together and look to Aslan (who equals Jesus, by the way) to help, all goes well. When we let Christ fight our battles for us, the victory is sure. Yes the battle is hard, but we have confidence and hope that the victory will be ours. I love the scene in The Return of the King, when Gandalf is looking over the Fields of Pellenor, seeing the terror of Mordor, and he begins to laugh. Yes he is worried about the battle to come, yes he longs for peace, but he also knows the outcome. And that gives him joy. Knowing that Christ has already conquered sin should give us the utmost joy if we trust in Him.

The trees on the battlefield and the Poseidon-like water god at the end were a little 'deus ex machina' for me as far as movies go, but the spiritual parallel makes it more than worth it. Oh, and the Regina Spektor song that rolled during the credits was sweet.

Sunday Hymn - All Must Be Well

2008-05-25T13:41:00.002-04:00

The verses of this song move beautifully from hope for the future to the reality of the present. All will be well, all is well, all must be well.

Through the love of God our Savior,
All will be well.
Free and changeless is His favor,
All is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All is well.
Happy still in God confiding,
Fruitful if in Christ abiding,
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding,
All must be well.

We expect a bright tomorrow,
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All is well.
On our Father's love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
Yes in living or in dying,
All must be well.

Culture: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

2008-05-23T22:10:00.009-04:00

The theme of the conference I went to last week was glorification (check back a couple posts to see what I'm talking about), but one of the most recurrent motifs that I heard throughout the large group meetings and in each of my seminars was the fact that we need to see things as they are meant to be seen. In our sanctification, we need to see our sin for the rebellion that it really is, and as our sense of our sin grows, our sense of grace will grow with it until we see grace as it is meant to be seen. In our glorification, we are to see all of creation as yearning for its renewal, not its destruction. And in pop culture... well, that's what the rest of this post is about.

One of the seminars that I went to was about pop culture. It really just sought to answer the question "How should a Christian engage culture?" I think this is a very relevant question, and one that every Christian must wrestle with at one point or another. The first day we just talked about the most common ways that Christians usually engage with culture. They're pretty straightforward.

The first is absolute and total rejection. Bunker mentality. Bob Jones university comes to mind, as well as gated communities, black sharpie sensors, and honestly, boredom. It is the position that culture has nothing good to offer, and therefore, must be avoided at all costs. Often, it even goes so far as to shun or judge others that do associate with culture. A great example of this attitude is found in Luke 7:36-50, especially in verse 39. Jesus is dining with a highly respected religious leader, and while there, a woman who is a sinner (probably a prostitute) comes in to wash Jesus' feet with her hair. Simon not only is upset about the sinful woman being in his house, he begins to judge Jesus for letting her wash His feet. Furthermore, it is my conviction that this approach leads inexorably to self-righteousness. (Admittedly, it's difficult for me not to be self-righteous because I think that I think the right things, and am therefore a better Christian than others. Or something like that.)

A more common approach, or at least one that we're all more familiar with, is assimilation. Ark mentality, as this great article calls it. It recognizes that culture has things to offer, but is still wary of the influence it can have. So, it copies it. Instead of John Grisham and Michael Crichton, they have Frank Peretti. Instead of Weezer, Reliant K. Instead of Punk'd, Prank 3:16. Instead of Ninja Turtles (are they still around?), Bibleman. You get the picture. A copy of genre, musical style, whatever, so that Christians can safely enjoy all the products of pop culture. What's so bad about that? Three things come to mind for me.

First, if we're to love other people (Christians and non-Christians), we must have some ground to relate to them on. This pretty effectively kills that chance. Second, most of the time the copies are unsatisfying compared to the original. It's like looking at a picture of the Mona Lisa instead of the masterpiece itself (I haven't actually seen the Mona Lisa, I'm just guessing). The music lacks heart, or Christian elements seem forced in. The message seems to come across, ultimately, as "Come be a Christian! We party just as hard as anyone else! But for Jesus!" And I'm sorry, that just sounds corny. Finally, the biggest problem I see with this approach is that it takes self-denial out of the 'Christian job description' completely. Jesus plainly states that "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)" How are we to do that if all of our desires can be safely indulged?

The last strategy that Christians fall into is immersion. It sets no boundaries. Like assimilation, it recognizes that culture does have good things to give us, but unlike it, it doesn't seek to filter it. And again, self-denial is removed from the equation. Another problem with this method is that the Christian life begins to be completely separated from the secular. The two worlds cannot be justified. Drunkenness is incompatible with temperance and self-control. As much as I don't like to admit it, there are songs out there that I don't need to listen to because they don't build anyone up. This is a problem because Christ seeks to restore and renew us. To make us whole.

So how are we supposed to see things? How is a Christian supposed to rightly interact with pop culture? I think it involves seeing ourselves and the world as they were meant to be seen. Without Christ, we're on the same page before God as our non-Christian neighbors. Without Christ, the world has no hope of redemption. That means that there is nothing on this world that is perfectly good. The problem of sin is pervasive, and the hope for restoration is universal. Creation yearns to be restored.

With that in mind, I think it is possible and beneficial to engage culture (again, keeping an eye out for those things that are not beneficial or uplifting). We learn things about others, and about ourselves. We see elements of truth in the Qu'ran, the Bhagavad Gita, Harry Potter, Star Wars, music, movies, literature, everything! Not perfect Truth, but certainly not useless. For example, I've been listening to Radiohead's Creep pretty much on repeat as I've been writing this. And truthfully, I think it's a more honest, more heartfelt expression of our human predicament than any pop Christian song I've heard. "I wish I was special." "I'm a creep." "What am I doing here? I don't belong here." This song gives credit to Augustine's confession to God that "Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee."

Thankfully, God has not just given us culture. Through Christ, He gives us Himself. We can learn about our neighbors, we can enjoy different expressions of truth that we see all over the world, but ultimately we must return to the Word to nourish and refresh us. We must seek communion with Christ who can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. And if we really love those around us, culture can be a meeting ground, a medium through which to invite them to do the same.

Why, Duncan, Titus

2008-05-22T10:50:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm sick. That's unfortunate, because it means that I can't work today (since until camp starts, I'm working as a contractor's assistant), which means that I'm not earning any money. One good thing about it, though, is that it gives me a chance to catch up on a few things: do some desk work, start preparing for the Bible Study I'm leading next semester, and toss a post or two up here. And, on the bright side, at least I wasn't sick on my birthday (yesterday) and hopefully this gets my 'summer cold' out of the way before camp. All the same, though, stuffy noses and itchy eyes are no walk in the park.

I finished The River Why last week. The book is in my lap in that picture (and no, I'm not the 'long-haired, freaky people:' that's my campus minister). One thing is for sure, that I missed a lot of references, allusions, etc, when I read this my senior year of high school. References to the Tao Te Ching, the Mahabharata, the Qu'ran, and more all flew over my head then, but this time through I was able to pick them out. One of the character's names is Arjuna, for pete's sake! (Granted, he is a slingshot-wielding kid instead of a half-god archer.)

Another thing that stood out to me, especially after reading a lot of David James Duncan's other books, is the fact that I think Titus is, to a large extent, based off of himself. His 'universalist mysticism' (I might have just made that up) and his knowledge of wisdom literature and cultural epics from all over the place are the biggest indicators to me, but also I think the love of fishing, and maybe even the semi-sentience of animals are part of him as well. With that observation, though, I was a little surprised by one of Titus's conversations with Gus.

Gus has just been on this devastating emotional roller coaster, and Titus invites him back to Portland to philosophize for consolation (and enjoy some adult beverages as well). They get to talking and thinking, Titus quoting wisdom literature that Gus is sure to not have known, and eventually they get to this thing called a 'soul pole.' I won't talk about exactly what it is, since I think you ought to read the book for yourself, but for those who have, this'll help them know where to look. Anyway, Gus wants to 'find his soul pole.' So Titus, being the guru he is, leads Gus in what I can describe only as 'the sinner's prayer' for mystics.

You know what I mean: at rallies and conventions, a speaker gives the gospel message and then invites whoever feels God working in their hearts to say a prayer with them. It's a 'repeat after me' kinda thing. Now I'm not saying that people can't be saved through that, but I think that more often than not, people don't really understand the gospel when they say that prayer. Either because they've only heard one side of it and therefore aren't really sure of what it means for them (and they feel pressured to say it), or because this is their 17th time saying it, and they don't understand that Christ payed once for our sins, and once we are washed clean in His blood, we are justified. It doesn't take multiple washings. It doesn't take us 'rededicating our rededications.' It takes Christ.

The reason I think this is strange, is because David James Duncan is passionately against the whole right-wing, evangelical, institutionalized way of religion, yet he uses one of their central techniques at a pivotal moment in his protagonist's life. I don't know, maybe I'm making mountains out of mole-hills, but I think that's a big deal. This book was written something like 25 years ago, so maybe he hadn't fully fleshed out what he thought about mega-churches by then. Or maybe, in spite of all the problems he sees with them, he thinks the guiding hand of a sincere mentor in a sincere disciple's life can turn even that into a positive thing. I don't know. What do you think?

Sunday Hymn - Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

2008-05-18T16:34:00.003-04:00

The theme of the conference that I was at last week was 'glorification.' It is the completion of sanctification, the redemption of the world. It is the end of the struggle over sin. It is God making His dwelling place with His people. It is marked by constant praise, restored relationships, and all of creation finally fulfilling that purpose for which it was made: the glorification of God. This hymn expresses all that beautifully, and at the close, aids the worshiper in expressing the longing for that rest.

Ten thousand times ten thousand
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng
Up the steeps of light.
'Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid.

O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships
Up where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of thine elect,
Then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of Nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Shoe in the Heaven Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come.

Happy Birthday Momma!

2008-05-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Mooommmmmmm!
Happy Birthday to you!

RUF SC '08

2008-05-11T22:13:00.004-04:00

I leave early tomorrow morning for Panama City, Florida, for a week at the beach with some of the coolest people in the world. No, it's not the Deleteheads, nor the annual meeting of the International Society of Nutella Lovers. It's Reform University Fellowship's Summer Conference 2008, better known as RUF SC '08. My guess is that, with speakers and seminars and the beach and friends and volleyball tournaments and sandcastle building competitions and more, that I won't find the time to post anything up here. But I would imagine that I'll have plenty of good food for thought when I get back.

Sunday Hymn - Pensive, Doubting, Fearful Heart

2008-05-11T15:31:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day! To all you moms out there, from all us kids who turned out better than you thought we could (what with our nose-picking, food-smearing, diaper-wrecking, brother-hitting, lamp-breaking, general ruckus-making past), thanks for putting up with us for 18 years. Obviously cards and flowers and presents and breakfast in bed are a far cry from the amount that you've given us, but with a debt we couldn't hope to repay, we're just trying to say thanks, and we love you.

On a different note, this Mother's Day, we're having a little family song in church tonight. My mom will be singing (her voice is beautiful), my youngest brother, Jared, will be on djimbe, and I will be pickin' and grinnin' on the mandolin. If only Daniel had some talent.... Oh well. This is the song we'll be playing/singing. It's unusual in the sense that it's from God's viewpoint, singing to His children, but the words are utterly fantastic.

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says;
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise.
Yes, He speaks and speaks to thee,
May He help thee to believe;
Then thou presently will see,
Thou has little cause to grieve.

Fear thou not, nor be ashamed;
All thy sorrows soon shall end,
I, who heaven and earth have framed,
Am thy Husband and thy Friend;
I, the High and Holy One,
Israel's God, by all adored,
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord.

For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain;
But my mercies I'll renew;
Thou shall soon rejoice again;
Though I seem to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease;
'Tis but for a moment's space,
Ending in eternal peace.

Though afflicted, tempest tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
Do not think thou can be lost,
Thou art graven on my heart;
All thy wastes I will repair;
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew;
And in thee it shall appear
What the God of love can do.

Obsession

2008-05-10T08:23:00.003-04:00

Well, school has been done for almost a week. More, if you consider that my last final was ridiculously easy. I'm at home for another couple days, and then it's off to Florida for RUF Summer Conference. And then back home for a few days, then off to Austin for a wedding. Then back home for a few days, then off to Virginia for a weekend at the lake. Then back home for a few days, then camp! But in spite of all the summer preparations, packing up and moving from Raleigh, and working for Dad the past three days, I have been able to get some reading done.

David James Duncan is definitely in my top five of favorite authors. God Laughs and Plays, a collection of his essays, articles, and speeches (maybe?) was wonderful. Lots of good quotes, lots of good thoughts. And most importantly, even though it is clear that he is passionate about what he believes, he doesn't cram it down your throat or become overly preachy. He is well-versed in the art of rhetoric.

River Teeth was highly enjoyable. I still remember the beach trip where I read the whole thing on the way, and then went back and reread my favorite short stories over the course of the week. In fact, just the other day I was having coffee with a friend, and somehow conversation turned to children's books, and I made the comment that Are You My Mother? always reminds me of the first story in that collection (I can't remember what it's called, but it's about that childhood experience we all have of grabbing the wrong 'mom's' hand or mistaking a stranger for Daddy). Coincidentally, she's the one that recommended The Master and Margarita, and out of gratitude for me actually reading it, she's supposed to be working on The Brothers K this summer.

The Brothers K was ... fantastic. Outstanding. Phenomenal. (Great segue, huh?) Baseball, Russian Literature, Hindu metaphysics, Vietnam, draft-dodgers, and so much more. I highly recommend it. (It's fiction, by the way.)

But I digress. The book I'm currently working on is The River Why. It's 'about' fishing. But not really. It's about Augustine 'Gus' Orviston, the son of a father who is a fly-fishing legend and a mother who is a staunch, unwavering, 'plunker': a bait fisher...woman. He is highly accomplished at both. His little brother, Bill-Bob (his mother names him that mainly to irk his father), in stark contrast to the rest of the family, doesn't care for fishing at all. So fishing is the medium through which Gus evaluates his relationship with his father and mother, their relationship with each other, and most importantly (I think) the medium he must shed and leave behind in order to relate to and love his brother.

One of the things that's struck me on this reading (I read it 4 years ago, my senior year of high school) is what obsession does to a person. With Gus, it's fishing. It starts out as a passion, but quickly turns against him. He hears water even when he's sleeping. He talks to, and weeps over, his pet fish. But most importantly, he looses the ability to talk to people about anything but fishing. That's what obsession does to people: it makes them so preoccupied with one thing that anything else (even good things) loose their flavor.

Darwin complained about this late in his life. As a younger man, he enjoyed the arts, especially good literature. But as he looked back, after much of his research on natural selection, he realized that he had lost all love for Shakespeare. Poetry became dry and boring. And, I would guess, in all of his conversations with others, natural selection, if not the topic, was at the front of his mind. I think to some extent, this can happen with anyone. Hyper-Calvinists, environmentalists, overly-politically minded people, people that get drawn into sports or their jobs, anyone.

The worst kind of obsession, I think, is self-obsession. Pride. I know that you've met someone who wants to talk about nothing but themselves. It gets old fast. Not only is it annoying, I firmly believe that it is idolatry. It's putting yourself before God.

But for most faults, there is a positive side. If we're obsessed with the right things, if our preoccupations are in the right place, they can be for the benefit of others. If service for others is at the front of our minds, even if it's not the center of our conversation, it will flavor our interactions. As always, love for God and love for others should take first place. If it does, our obsession turns to infatuation. What better place to be?

The Devil Went Down to Moscow

2008-05-05T17:14:00.003-04:00

I finished a book Saturday! Just in time for me to start a new one for the summer. Just for you curious readers out there, the books I have on my list for the summer are The River Why by David James Duncan, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and maybe some short stories by Graham Greene in between. And that's just the fiction!

Anyway, the book I've been reading for the past couple months was... interesting. I'm sure I'm missing something about it: some social context, some other literary allusion, or something. All the same, I enjoyed it. Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita is set in Moscow during Stalin's reign. How it was able to be published (mid 1960's) without heavy censure is a mystery to me.

I don't want to spoil it, but I can say a few things about it. Basically, it's about the chaos that ensues when Satan and a few demons come to Moscow. They set-up shop in a recently deceased author's apartment, and proceed to haunt, terrorize, confuse, and disorient... Moscow. Their focus is on the literary community, and it's because of this that I think Satan and his retinue must represent the communist regime of the early 1900's.

The other plot of the book is the events surrounding Christ's crucifixion. Special detail is given to Pontius Pilate and his Inquisition of Christ before the crucifixion, a conversation with Matthew Levi about the book he is writing (presumably our Gospel of Matthew), and his involvement in the murder of Judas. This narrative is written by one of the authors that get sent to a mental institution after their interaction with Moscow's visitors.

The two story lines are mixed together with little apparent overlap. However, there is one parallel I see between the two stories. In the whole book, Caesar and Stalin are conspicuously absent. Their presence is undeniable: in Moscow, there is a general fear of the political machine that controls the country. In the same way, the strong hand of Caesar seems to always be on Pilate's mind. Their goals of cultural unity and civil peace at the cost of individuality and freedom seem to go hand in hand.

Again, I highly enjoyed this book. It was at times profound, hilarious, confusing, and absurd. But, as I said, I feel like I'm missing something. Maybe this one just takes a little time to sink in.

Sunday Hymn - Before the Throne of God Above

2008-05-04T13:00:00.002-04:00

It's been a great week. I had some exams, some homework, but mostly just some relaxing and good bonding time with people I won't see over the summer. We hung out on the front porch the last two nights (the weather has been beautiful this week), had a fire in the backyard earlier this week, and have really enjoyed the 'exam week chill.' I've had good times of reading and contemplation, conversation and fellowship. Again, it's been a great week.
This song is, for me, a great culmination to a great week. As good as my week has been, the good news of the Gospel makes it even better. Christ is risen: this is not just a happy ending to the Easter story, but a radical new beginning.

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great, unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Sunday Hymn - Come, Ye Sinners

2008-04-27T16:30:00.002-04:00

Two of the most common accusations I hear against Christianity are that it is a religion of guilt and that it is an exclusive religion. This song, I think, addressed both of those points. "Come, ye sinners" is not an accusation of those outside the church: it is an invitation to the world. Christianity recognizes that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." All who are saved are saved by grace alone, and therefore, because no one contributes to their salvation, all are on equal footing. Admittedly, this is frustrating for me. I confess that I want, more than almost anything in the world, to be able to contribute to the work of Christ. My pride gets in the way and it takes all of my effort (and I'd suspect more than a little bit of grace) to humble myself, throw my hands up and fall on my knees in worship, and praise God that the work is His.

As to the accusation of the fact that Christianity is a religion of guilt, you kinda have to hear the song. The tone is joyful, not mourning. This great salvation is free! "Without money, without money, come to Jesus Christ and buy" is the call. Our sins are a reality, but when we participate in Christ's death, we are a new creation, no longer enslaved to sin. Finally, even us sinners, are free to pursue righteousness. We become slaves of God.

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus, ready, stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come, and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry 'til you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requires
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! The Incarnate God ascended;
Pleads the merit of His blood.
Venture on Him; venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus,
Can do helpless sinners good.

The God Delusion, Part 5: Survey

2008-04-26T14:16:00.002-04:00

As promised, here's a quick overview of The God Delusion with basic chapter descriptions and some basic opinions of mine that result. I'm done with the book, by the way. Maybe there will be another post, but I kinda doubt it. The last few chapters don't really rub me the wrong way like some of the others did. As I said for the first post about this book, I'd much rather talk to people individually about this, rather than send these posts out to everybody (and consequently, nobody). Tim Keller's The Reason for God is next on my list. It should be a refreshing read after this one.

Chapter 1: A Deeply Religious Non-Believer
The t-shirt issue/topic was in this chapter. Basically, it's just his introduction to the book. He points out some of his observations that go into the book (irrationality of treating religion and more 'gingerly' than other topics) and defines some terms that he uses throughout the book. Nothing too controversial here.

Chapter 2: The God Hypothesis
This chapter starts out as a laundry list of basic world-views: Polytheism, Monotheism, and Agnosticism. He points out basic characteristics of each, and some initial impressions that he has of them. He talks about the religious views of America's founding fathers, as well as other notable scientists. Probably most relevant to me, is that this chapter started me realizing that this book wasn't quite written in opposition to my beliefs. Overall, this chapter is a little scattered.

Chapter 3: Arguments for God's Existence
This is a meaty chapter, and a good one to read if you're interested in seeing what others offer as proof for God's existence. He doesn't pull the 'straw man' tactic too much (setting up an argument in such a way that it is easy to dispute, often by simply misrepresenting what it claims), and does a good job of surveying the teleological argument, ontological argument, argument from scripture, as well as other proofs that are offered. One point I appreciated from this chapter was the fact that we must distinguish between what we'd like to be true and what is true (hence, the title of the book). Obviously I disagree with him in the implications of this statement. To me, it means that we must take a serious look at scripture before we claim divine approval of our actions. In addition, it means that we take seriously the things is prescribes (I'm thinking of Sabbath rest: the present we don't want).

Chapter 4: Why There Almost Certainly is No God
This is Dawkins's forte: evolution and natural selection. Most frustrating for me through this chapter was his repeated frustration with people who misrepresent the theory (ie, claiming randomness, statistical impossibility, etc), followed by his own misrepresentation of Biblically sound beliefs. Most often, it's the suggestion that if we're having difficulty scientifically explaining something, that we throw up our hands, chalk it up to God's mystery, and move on. Rather, it is my conviction that we are to use all of our intellectual powers to investigate and appreciate creation so that we might, with an increasingly great sense of awe, worship God.

Chapter 5: The Roots of Religion
Here, Dawkins tries to explain why we have religion using evolutionary theory. I think that it's a pretty weak argument, not to mention disappointing in the way it treats human creativity. Whether you view humanity as made in the image of God or the way that secular humanists do, this view of religion negates the imagination that is inherent to humanity.

Chapter 6: The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?
This chapter tried to explain why we are 'good' in evolutionary terms. It works to some extent, but there are some pretty big gaps. He talks about Kant a little, as well as some Bentham and Mill, but trying to explain ethics has always been a difficult pursuit (whether you include God or not) and I don't see this argument holding too much weight with philosophers in the future.

Chapter 7: The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist
This is the chapter that angered me the most, and is easily the most densely 'margin noted' section of the book. I already put up one post about it, and could put up many more explaining why I don't agree with this chapter at all. In addition to his misunderstanding of Biblical history and morality, Dawkins offers an argument for why Hitler and Stalin are not proof that Atheism leads to immorality. I'd agree with that, as well as his comments about the tragedy of the fact that religion leads some people to commit heinous crimes in the name of God (bombing abortion clinics, segregation, etc).

Chapter 8: What's Wrong With Religion? Why Be So Hostile?
Homosexuality and abortion are in his sights here, and as usual, he only deals with them to the extent that mainstream evangelical Christianity deals with them. The biggest disagreement I have here is his claim that Christians teach that faith in inherently good, and the more illogical the belief, the more admirable the faith is. I firmly believe that we are to employ both reason and faith in pursuit of truth (and that everyone does it to varying degrees of success).

Chapter 9: Childhood, Abuse, and the Escape From Religion
In this chapter, Dawkins bemoans the practice of labeling children as members of a particular religion. He says that they should be taught how to think, not what to think. Educated, not indoctrinated. I agree that children should be taught how to think, but I'm still undecided on the whole 'Christian children' thing. I need to put more thought into that, specifically in understanding God's covenant promises as applying to 'you and your children.'

Chapter 10: A Much Needed Gap?
I really liked this chapter. Dawkins details how we are creatures of Middle World: there are things too small or too vast for us to comprehend. There are sounds too low or too high for us to hear. There are waves too long or to narrow for us to view. But. With advances in science, the window through which we view the world has been thrown open wider and wider. His conclusion is that we toss the unnecessary, limiting belief in God out the window in light of our own achievements. Mine is that we fall on our knees and worship God for the beauty and majesty and mystery of His creation.

Total Randomness

2008-04-24T21:53:00.004-04:00

Thankfully, this week has been much more relaxed than last week. Instead of three tests, normal reading and homework levels, and a major project (our final report was 50 pages long), all I've had this week is a short group presentation and three canceled classes. Needless to say, I'm in a much better mood. Exams are next week (and a little the week after), but I exempt one, some are papers, and others are non-comprehensive, so I'm not stressing too much.

As I was paging back through my blog, I realized that people may have completely the wrong impression of me. Hymns and The God Delusion are not the only two things I think about or spend time on. There is so much more to this blogger than what is involved here on these posts. So, to give you a little taste, a little window into the complex labyrinth that is Andrew Shank, here are some of my other pursuits.

My favorite website of all time is the hilarious, ridiculous, classic, and infamous (?) HomeStar Runner. Specifically, the Strong Bad e-mails slay me. Some of the best are Virus, Kids' Book, and from way way back, Guitar. Marzipan's answering machine is worth checking out, as well as the numerous toons, shorts, and music videos. So much of my humor comes from this website. Seriously (sewiouswy), if you're planning on spending any length of time in my presence, familiarize yourself with this glorious website.

I play the guitar. Much of the time I spend playing is spent in worship (leading at RUF, back-up at church, and privately in my room), but I do enjoy finger-picking every once and again. Iron and Wine is one of my new favorite bands, and quite a few of their songs are very playable. Check out some of their music: it's on the chill side, and great for falling asleep to on a warm Spring afternoon. Not that it's boring. It just puts you in that kind of mood. I play a Takamine G10, and it sounds just as beautiful as it looks.

The house that we started over Spring Break (check this out, if you need a refresher) is coming along quite nicely. (I told you this would be random.) There have been lots of teams working on it, and it's looking great. Fuller progress is on Lagniappe's website (check-out the side bar for a link), but here's a update all the same. Also, one of the graduating RUFers is going to be interning there this summer. Yay Allison! Good luck, and drink plenty of water.

In addition to my philosophizing, harmonizing, and time-wasting on HSR, I am also a nerd. I am well versed in both Middle-Earth and Star Wars lore. I am a fan of 'dorky board games' such as Risk, Go, and the less-well-known, Settlers of Catan and A Game of Thrones (the last is also a book series I thoroughly enjoy). Real-time strategy games (RTS for short) are awesome, my favorite being Starcraft. Along those lines, I have been very excited about the pending release of Starcraft II: I've waited for almost 10 years, and it's finally come.

I feel like that's enough for now. I did do some good reading in The God Delusion this week (lots of free time, remember?), so there might be an update on that in the next couple days. There is one thing in this post that, to many of you, will be conspicuous by its absence: Camp. That's right, with a capital 'C'. I'm missing it and looking forward to it, but I know that plenty of my posts this summer will deal with days and people at camp, so I'll save that topic for a time when I can do it more justice.

Sunday Songs - Bonus Track

2008-04-20T18:16:00.002-04:00

It's Little Brudder's birthday today, and thought a little birthday song was in order (he's only turning 20, so it's not really that big of a deal). Next year, though. Next year.

For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!

Which nobody can deny,
Which nobody can deny,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!

Happy Birthday Dan.

Sunday Hymn - Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine

2008-04-20T13:26:00.002-04:00

This hymn (yet another golden oldie) popped into my head this morning during communion. As I was praying, praising God for the blessing of His son and that, through the blood of Christ, I can approach the throne in worship, the line "Born of his spirit, washed in his blood" stuck in my head. From there, I was able to remember the whole first verse, but couldn't remember anything beyond the refrain. As I looked the song up and read the words, I was overwhelmed that the rest of this hymn deals with precisely what I've been learning all semester: rest. Christ offers us His peace and rest. That doesn't mean we won't still struggle with sin (we are fallen, after all) or struggle with doubt in times of trouble. But Christ offers us His peace and rest. It is eternal, and it is offered to us now. It is "a foretaste of glory divine."

One other note about this song. The third line of the last verse says "watching and waiting." I believe that these are keys to finding peace and rest, joy and life, in Christ. These are hard for us to do in this age of instant messaging, microwaves, and overnight shipping. Patience is a lost virtue. I am convinced that the disillusionment many feel with life in Christ is due to the fact that they are not willing to wait on the Lord.

God, give me patience and trust that I might wait on You and find rest in reliance on Your promises.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his spirit, washed in his blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long

God Delusion, Part 4: Morality

2008-04-14T22:20:00.004-04:00

This is going to be, without a doubt, the most stressful week of my semester. I had one test today, have two more this week, my normal reading and homework levels, a major project due, two papers to write for next week, and two presentations to prepare for next week. Thankfully, after that, all I have to worry about is exams. So, here at the outset of this week, I wanted to make sure I took time to do something that relaxes me: reading and writing. The reading part, as you'll see, didn't relax me so much. Hopefully the writing part can help a little.

In talking about Richard Dawkins's book, I've touched on the 'sensitivity' with which we treat religion and why I think it's the case, the problem of Nominal Christianity and the dangers that come with it, and most recently, the fact that this book addresses notions of Christianity that I have problems with just as much as Dawkins does. In this, I haven't really gotten past the first couple chapters of the book, and I'm facing a problem. I'm well into the 7th chapter (275ish) and haven't really written on anything past page 50. I've either got a lot of catching up to do or a lot of stuff to leave behind. What I think I'm going to do is have a post dedicated just to what each chapter addresses and a couple key points or issues I see. That will get me caught up to where I am in the book and allow me to continue my 'rabbit trail' analysis of the book that has characterized my posts so far.

This is not that post. Tonight, I need to write about what I just read (and if you'll remember, did not at all relax me). Chapter 7 is titled 'The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist.' What I've read so far is an extremely selective, obviously biased bird's-eye-view of the Old Testament and an argument for why it does not serve as a model for our moral behavior. Dawkins suggests that the two ways scripture could be seen as a guide for moral behavior are as a list of explicit rules (such as the Ten Commandments) or pointing to examples, role models (Jesus, David, etc), of how to live a good life. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable statement. The Bible does have some rules and commandments in it, and it does have lots of stories about men and women that we can draw inspiration from. But, there is a problem with both of these conceptions of morality from scripture.

First, the role model category. Here is Dawkins's introduction to the patriarch, Abraham: "Lot's uncle Abraham was the founding father of all three 'great' monotheistic religions. His patriarchal status renders him only somewhat less likely than God to be taken as a role model. But what modern moralist would wish to follow him? (274)" At this point, I almost threw the book across the room. The very statement that Richard Dawkins intends to discredit Abraham is actually one of the fundamental points of covenant theology! He's right there, he's so close to the truth, and he can't see it! To me, this was the height of the book's misdirected, misleading arguments.

What do I mean that this is the starting point of covenant theology? Covenant theology looks at the Bible as the pattern of God's faithfulness to His chosen people (I touched on this a little bit yesterday with the Sunday hymn). One of the key points of this view of scripture is that we contribute nothing to our salvation. God is the one who initiates the plan of redemption in the wake of the fall, who passes through the animal halves in the covenant ceremony with Abraham (who actually sleeps through the whole thing), who calls His people out of Egypt, who sends Christ, and who will call His own out of the world. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to those in Christ, there is a pattern of covenant promises that God makes and keeps with His people.

With this view, it is no surprise that modern moralists would not want to emulate Abraham. Indeed, he was not chosen for this purpose. Rather, he was chosen by God precisely because there was no one else through whom God's grace would be seen more. Why did God call Paul to minister to the early church? Because there was no one else through whom God's transforming grace could be seen more. Why did he chose Israel? Because he knew there would be no nation more fickle, more wavering than them, and that thus, his faithfulness might be even more apparent. With an understanding of covenant theology, the Old Testament is transformed from a storybook of role models (who are undeniably screwed up) to a beautiful display of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises to His people regardless of their moral laxity. So we see that Dawkins's assessment of Biblical morality being based on role-model emulation is negated. These stories do not exhort us to be like the Biblical heroes: they call us to see God more clearly in the way He acts in spite of these heroes.

In addition, the legalistic notion of morality falls with this covenant theology. From the beginning, the Old Testament laws were not meant for a people to earn their election as God's chosen. God made the covenant with Abraham long before Moses received the law on Mount Siani. Instead, the law was given as a model for Israel's response to this miracle of election. Because the Law is reactionary, it is not inappropriate for us to talk about the spirit of the law. As Christ says, loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbor as ourselves is a fulfillment of all the law. When we understand the law as a guide to sanctification rather than our earning of salvation, it is clear that morality is not dictated through scripture by a list of rules.

Morality, for the Christian, should not be our efforts to earn salvation or to make ourselves look more like Biblical heroes such as David or Abraham or Moses. Rather, our morality, our striving for right, is to always be a reaction to God's glory as displayed in our salvation.

As I said at the beginning, this statement, this representation of the Old Testament, enraged me. And it's not the only one in this chapter. I've tried to stay away from encouraging you (whoever you are) to encourage others to read this blog, but I'm going to make a minor exception here. If you know someone who is reading this book, Christian or not, please talk to them about it. Whether that means reading it yourself, pointing them to other Christians who have read it, or pointing them my direction, make sure they talk to someone about this book. There are very real misrepresentations of scripture, especially in this chapter, and it would be a great tragedy if Dawkins's misunderstanding of scripture led others to reject its truth.

And on a lighter not, since we're talking about morality and virtue, here's one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips (it and The Far Side are my two favorite comics).

Sunday Hymn - Great is Thy Faithfulness

2008-04-13T13:21:00.001-04:00

This is another gem I remember from my days as a wee lad. I had the privilege of hearing it in church last Sunday, and it has been stuck in my head all week. Not at all a bad thing. It is a wonderful reminder of the fact that God is constant. The heavens give witness to the track record that God has of His great faithfulness. He keeps His promises to His people, regardless of their actions and unfaithfulness (see Hosea). As Sinclair Ferguson points out in his terrific book, A Heart for God, the cross is the ultimate testament of this faithfulness. "When you look at the Cross, what do you see? You see God's awesome faithfulness. Nothing - not even the instinct to spare His own Son - will turn Him back from keeping His word. For God promised Abraham that He would keep His word to him, to bring blessing and salvation to mankind through him, even if it meant being 'cut off' - as indeed it did. (1985 edition, pg 71)"

But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Worship and Prayer

2008-04-09T23:08:00.005-04:00

Prayer is not something that my generation takes seriously very often. God gets addressed relentlessly as "daddy," "dude," or "home boy." Reverence is far from consideration, as is a posture of humility and submission. Our prayer is full of us requesting things from God and rarely contains just adoration and praise. We don't thank God for the things He has done: we only ask Him to act in the future. I know that I'm definitely guilty of this from time to time.

One of the means of grace that reorients my prayer life is worship. The hymns that I'm such a fan of (like those that get posted on Sundays) are, in a very real sense, prayers and confessions. They affirm truths from scripture, rejoice in the blessings of salvation, and seek to give glory to God. But more than just the words we sing, worship is a posture before God. It recognizes that He has done great things for us, and as a result, we come to Him in humility and gratitude.

One of my high school graduation gifts was a book called Valley of Vision. I highly recommend it. It is a collection of Puritan prayers on topics as general as sin and prayer or as specific as the love of Christ and God as the source of all good. They serve as a great example to me of how prayer serves as affirmation and thanksgiving, not just supplication or confession. One of my favorites is a prayer on worship. For me, it captures, better than I could ever say it, the posture and aim of worship. Enjoy.

Worship

Glorious God,
It is the flame of my life to worship thee, the crown and glory of my soul to adore thee, heavenly pleasure to approach thee.
Give me power by thy Spirit to help me worship now, that I may forget the world, be brought into fullness of life, be refreshed, comforted, blessed.
Give me knowledge of thy goodness that I might not be over-awed by thy greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God, that I might not be terrified, but be drawn near with filial love, with holy boldness;
He is my mediator, brother interpreter, branch, daysman, Lamb; him I glorify, in him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none, but what thou hast given I return, content to feel that everything is mine when it is thine, and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to thee.
Let me live wholly to my Saviour, free from distractions, from carking care, from hindrances to the pursuit of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus - give me a new sense of it, continue to pardon me by it, may I come every day to the fountain, and every day be washed anew, that I may worship thee always in spirit and truth.

Sunday Hymn - O Day of Rest and Gladness

2008-04-06T16:37:00.002-04:00

O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright:
On Thee, the high and lowly,
Through ages joined in tune,
Sing holy, holy, holy,
To the great God Triune.

On Thee, at the creation,
The light first had its birth;
On Thee, for our salvation,
Christ rose from depths of earth;
On Thee, our Lord, victorious,
The Spirit sent from heav'n,
And thus on Thee most glorious,
A triple light was giv'n.

Thou art a port protected
From storms that round us rise;
A garden intersected
With streams of paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain
In life's dry dreary sand;
From Thee, like Pisgah's mountain,
We view our promised land.

Today on weary nations
The heav'nly manna falls;
To holy convocations
The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing,
With soul-refreshing streams.

New graces ever gaining
From this, our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining
To spirits of the blessed.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father, and to Son;
The church her voice upraises
To Thee, blessed Three in One.

God Delusion, Part 3: Audience

2008-04-05T14:00:00.003-04:00

As I get further and further into The God Delusion, I become more and more convinced that this book is not addressed to me. Dawkins attacks Christian beliefs without specifically addressing Christians, yet I get the sense that he hopes Christians will read this book. Because of the way he structures his arguments and the way he characterizes Christians, I can only conclude that this book is written to non-Christians with the hope of shoring up their beliefs and giving them questions to challenge Christians with. There are portions, however, where he gets so caught up in his arguments that I suspect he is thinking "if only Christians would read this, they'd see how ridiculous their beliefs are and turn away from the church in a heartbeat." But whether we're talking about his audience in voice (non-Christians) or his audience in hope (Christians who won't read it), I still don't think the book is addressed to me.

Doesn't that statement contradict itself? The book is either addressed to non-Christians or Christians. You have to be one of those, right? Those two groups are both mutually exclusive (can't belong to both) and population encompassing (everyone falls into one of those categories). But the 'brand' of Christianity that Dawkins is addressing is not my own. Sure, there are some things that apply to me: miracles, virgin birth, the effectiveness of prayer, morality, etc. But these interactions are more of the 'bump into' sort rather than the 'rush headlong at full speed' type. Overall, the details of Christianity that Dawkins deals with are not characteristic of what I believe.

Dawkins has mainstream Christianity in his sights: bumper stickers and Pat Robertson, Christian legislation groups and elementary school t-shirts, Joel Osteenian Christianity (pray for a parking space pg. 84) and Watchtower Publications. These are the sources Dawkins draws upon for the Christian viewpoints that he is addressing (I say this rather than arguing or debating because this brand of Christianity is frustratingly resistant to conversation and discussion). Nowhere in the 250 pages that I've read so far does he deal with the kind of Christianity that I support and embrace. John Calvin, John Stott, John Piper, J. I. Packer, Tim Keller, Jerry Bridges, and so many more of my favorite authors and theologians are never even mentioned. And believe me, it's not for lack of material from these writers. John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion is enormous, not to mention the many commentaries that Stott has published, the books that the rest of them write, or the sermons they preach.

What is the difference? If he's attacking Christianity, aren't I included in that even if I don't necessarily agree with everything that others preach? I would suggest that there is a fundamental difference between Reformed Christianity (what I embrace) and the mainstream Christianity that is the source of so much antagonism (purposefully ambiguous: they both give and receive plenty). If that difference were something like the nature of communion or the practice of speaking in tongues, that would not merit the gap I see between the two. But, as I am convinced, the rift starts at square one, and thus, when you get to details of belief and practice, the rift has grown wider than the Grand Canyon.

The difference I see is this: Reformed Christianity (and this is not to say that all who call themselves reformed do this, or that none who don't see themselves as reformed don't) starts with God's glory. Soli deo gloria. God is seen as glorious, holy, righteous, just, merciful, loving, good, and so much more (see J. I. Packer's wonderful book, Knowing God). Our life, our culture, our relationships, everything, are therefore to be interpreted in light of the fact that God is (YHWH) and that we are made in His image. It comes with the conviction that He is at work on behalf of His people, the true children of Abraham (those who are children of faith). That God is faithful to His Word and His covenant promises.

I'm not trying to say that other kinds of Christianity aren't concerned with God's glory, just that they don't start there. Social justice, evangelism, marriage counseling, etc, are all good and worthy pursuits, but if they don't stem from an appreciation of God, they are headed in the wrong direction. Moreover, we tend to misconstrue the gospel if we start with ourselves. Works as an overflowing of gratitude will lead to legalism, grace will lead to indulgence. But when our sights are set on God, our deviations from our course are easily corrected.

Once again, I haven't really talked about The God Delusion (if you really wanna know what's in it, read it for yourself). And honestly, I don't feel like I explained myself real well here. I feel like I was elitist and snobbish. I fear that someone will read it and think that, because they aren't 'reformed', I think they aren't really a Christian. That's not at all the case. But, this is my explanation of the discrepancy I see between Dawkins's targeted Christianity and mine, and I think that it holds real weight. If God is all that He claims to be, where else can we start?

O Day of Rest and Gladness

2008-04-03T12:55:00.002-04:00

God is continuously teaching us, whether we realize it or not. It could be the importance of repentance, the rest He offers us, how to effectively battle sin, or, as I recently talked to a friend about, the fact that God wants all of us all the time, not just our half-hearted worship on Sunday morning and a Thursday afternoon Bible study. If we don't take time to reflect on where we've been and what God has taught us, we miss an opportunity to give Him praise. We'll still have grown, we'll still have been taught and guided by Him, but if our chief end is to glorify God, we'll have missed a blessing.

With that in mind, I've been looking back over this semester this past week. Without a doubt, God has been and continues to teach me the importance of the Sabbath. And that it lies both in fellowship with the body and an opportunity for us to experience the rest that Christ promises us.

First, what has come for me is the importance of being part of the body of Christ. For the past four years I've been very active in RUF (Reform University Fellowship), but haven't really committed myself to the church. I mean, when I'm here I go, but I would go with other RUF people, sit with RUF people, and then leave with RUF people. This semester, though, I've started helping to play music on Sunday mornings. I don't lead, but I do play back-up guitar. Anyway, because the whole worship band isn't RUF people, it's gotten me connected to the church in new and different ways. I know people beyond my own peer group, and because those connections are there, it gives more opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and growth.

If you're in a similar situation (ie, in college and attending a church regularly but don't consider it your home church or even feel connected), I would encourage you first to look for ways to serve the body. Nursery on Sunday mornings, participating in set-up or take-down (if needed), or, as some of State's RUFers have done, offering child care for couples going to small groups. If nothing else, these things will put you in situations where it is more comfortable and natural to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation.

If you're in a similar situation (ie, in a church that has college students but you don't really know them), I would encourage you to ask a college student to lunch on Sunday after church or to have dinner with you some night. Free food is a great way to get college students to do ... anything, really. If you're going to watch the game, invite some students over to enjoy it in a place other than their dorm room. Interactions don't have to be to impact or teach: just hanging out is more than enough.

The church is to give glory to God, take care of and support the members of its body, and to be Christ's witness to the world. In my understanding, the first and third purposes are improved as we work toward the second. That is, as we come together as a body, not just a collection of individuals, we are more able to glorify God by our witness to each other and we are more able to point those outside the body to Christ by living out life in Christ.

The other factor of the Sabbath is the rest that Christ promises us. As I heard the other night, "Our grandfathers' generation called it 'the Sabbath', our fathers' generation called it 'Sunday', and we call it 'the weekend'." And that's very true. In my whole time at school I have not made any effort whatsoever to participate in the blessings of Sabbath rest beyond worship on Sunday morning. Homework gets pushed to Sunday night, laundry gets put off until the afternoon, and the day that's supposed to be for us to rest, experience Christ, and to fellowship with other believers ends up being one of the most stressful days of the week.

God made the Sabbath for man, and when we neglect it (as I am very guilty of) we effectively say that we don't want the gift He offers us. In light of this realization, I've taken some very real steps to ensure that I am able to rest on Sunday (and I would encourage you to do the same). Managing my time during the week so that Sunday afternoon doesn't have to be spent on homework has been a growing consideration. In addition, a renewed sense of the fact that I am not to work on the Sabbath has been impressed on me. I don't have a constant job this semester due to my course load, but I have been searching for and doing odd jobs such as moving and yard work. It's been challenging (and costly) at times, but making sure the only work I do on Sunday is works of mercy has been a blessing.

As I'm wrapping this up, I realize that it might come off as prideful and 'copy me.' That's not even close to what I'm trying to say. Here's my point: look at the words of Christ. Look at His promises. Look at the way that the Bible instructs us to live in response to the work of Christ. And do something about it.

Sunday Hymn - Grace Greater than Our Sin

2008-03-30T17:26:00.002-04:00

As I was driving back from Windy Gap today (yay Men's Retreat!) I listened to one of John Piper's sermons on Romans. Among a lot of other things that he talked about, one of his main points was that we are not debtors to God because of His grace. We are in debt to God for attempting to steal for ourselves the glory that belongs to Him. But we offend God and nullify grace if we attempt to repay God for it. It is a gift: freely given, freely received. This is another hymn I remember from way back when.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today!

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Wonder

2008-03-24T15:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday (Easter) in church, one of the main points of the sermon I heard was that we need to wonder at the mystery of the resurrection. All of our scientific research and material pursuits have not led us to be able, at all, to explain the miracle that occurred on that first Easter: that Jesus Christ, a man who was dead, was risen from the grave. Not only that, He appeared to others, nearly 600, as proof of His resurrection. In fact, all of our scientific reasoning has only served to decrease our wonder and amazement at this most miraculous, most glorious of events. We reduce the resurrection to a myth, and in the process, take away all of the mythic splendor and otherworldliness that accompanies the historical event. The resurrection cannot be seen as a myth: it is no explanation of why things are the way they are, no abstract statement of an apparent truth. No, the resurrection must be seen as an unexpected, unimaginable, miracle. Any other conception of it steals the mystery, the amazement, the wonder.

One of my favorite authors, David James Duncan, has a few things to say about wonder in his most recent book, 'God Laughs and Plays.' It is not a Christian book, but it does make some very powerful, very convicting observations about the state of Christianity and the church in our world. (His fiction is fantastic. The River Why and The Brothers K are two of my favorite books.) Here is what he has to say:

"Wonder is my second favorite condition to be in, after love - and I sometimes wonder whether there's even a difference: maybe love is just wonder aimed at a beloved. Wonder is like grace, in that it's not a condition we grasp: wonder grasps us. (Contrast this with the statement from the Time article that says 'sin is what separates us from grace.') We do have the freedom to elude wonder's grasp. We have the freedom to do all sorts of stupid things. By deploying cynicism, rationalism, fear, arrogance, judgmentalism, we can evade wonder nonstop, all our lives. I'm not too fond of that gnarly old word, sin, but the deliberate evasion of wonder does bring it to mind. It may not be biblically sinful to evade wonder. But it is artistically and spiritually sinful.

Like grace, wonder defies rational analysis. Discursive thought can bring nothing to an object of wonder. Thought at best just circumambulates the object, the way a devout pilgrip circles Golgotha, the Bo Tree, Wounded Knee, the Kabbah. Wonder is not an obligatory element in the search for truth. We can seek truth without wonder's assistance - but seek is all we can do: there will be no finding. Until wonder descends, unlocks us, turns us slack-jawed as a plastic shepherd, truth is unable to enter. Wonder may be the aura of truth, the halo of it. Or something even closer. Wonder may be the caress of truth, touching our very skin (pg 8, 2006 edition)."

Sunday Hymn - Low in the Grave He Lay

2008-03-23T19:43:00.002-04:00

Other than the fact that I can hear this song being sung at the Mennonite church I grew up in, all that needs to be said is:

He is risen!
He is risen, indeed!

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior;
Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep its Prey, Jesus my Savior,
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes,
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

God Delusion, Part 2: Hot Potato

2008-03-20T09:57:00.006-04:00

I'm not really sure how to do this. I have a lot to say about Dawkins's book, but there isn't any easy was to organize everything I have to say, at least in my mind. The chapters are too long to be addressed in a single post, and the subsections are too short and too numerous to merit a post each. I'm going to have to do some trimming. With that, and if you are reading the book, understand that just because something doesn't show up here, that doesn't mean I agree with it or have nothing to say about it. I just think that some things are more important to address than others. Here goes.

Chapter One is called 'A Deeply Religious Non-Believer.' It's basically the introduction for the book. Dawkins describes his own view point and addresses how he is going to treat and address religion. "I shall not go out of my way to offend, but nor shall I don kid gloves to handle religion any more gently than I would handle anything else" is his concluding statement. His observation is that religious sentiments, unlike political leanings or musical preference, aren't touched by anything short of a '39 1/2 foot pole.' And he's right: unless we're talking about Christianity, religious commentary and criticism is a thing unheard of and frowned upon.

One of my problems with Dawkins, not just in this chapter but in the rest of the book (as far as I've read), is that he will often make some social observation but spend no time or ink trying to figure out why it is true. Example: avoidance of religion. Let me offer my own solution to this observation. Religion deals with the infinite and the sublime. The afterlife, true reality, the nature of our soul, redemption, and eternity are all at stake when we discuss religion. But with politics? Of what import is the running of a country in comparison to 'forever and ever?' Music and arts? What does it matter which music you like best in comparison with the claim that God has made it possible for us to worship Him forever? Religion is avoided because eternity is at stake, not because of some unexplainable sense of respect for the worldviews of others.

Why, then, has it become socially acceptable to poke fun at and ridicule Christians? I would argue that, as a whole, the American Church has lost the focus of the Gospel. Christianity, for many, means 'Your Best Life Now' or simply what you do on Sunday mornings. The Gospel is interpreted in light of our lives, not the other way around. Because the message of the Gospel has been diluted to human terms rather than marveled at because of it's divine nature, there is less at stake. Eternity is no longer the focus: retirement is. Furthermore, we flaunt our religiosity without any thought to whether or not that expression is morally right or beneficial. Dawkins provides an example of this, but it's given in light of the relationship of church and state, freedom of religion, not in the context of Christians being Bible-thumpers or intolerant social critics (just in case someone accuses me of taking his example out of context).

"... In 2004 James Nixon, a twelve-year-old boy in Ohio, won the right in court to wear a T-shirt to school bearing the words 'Homosexuality is a sin, Islam is a lie, abortion is murder. Some issues are just black and white!' The school told him not to wear the T-shirt - and the boy's parents sued the school. (45, Mariner Books edition, 2008)" Putting aside the claims made by the shirt, what is the attitude of the shirt itself? Love doesn't even come close, even though Christ's second commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. In this world of gated communities and country clubs, it's understandable that neighbor has taken on a meaning more like 'someone living near you, who just so happens to look like you talk like you and think like you.' But what does Christ mean by neighbor? Well, he illustrates by a story. The parable of the Good Samaritan is what follows (Luke 11:25-37). The injured man (probably understood to be Jewish by those listening) isn't helped by his brothers, but by a foreigner: a half-breed (that's what the Samaritans were: half-Jews). It is clear that this 'half-breed' is the man's neighbor. What does that mean for us? Our neighbors are who ever we come into contact with.

Next, I want to look at the statement 'Some issues are just black and white.' Again, ignoring the claims of the shirt, what is the attitude? Inviting doesn't even come close. This pushes away anyone with dissenting views by refusing to listen, effectively killing any possibility of relationships with non-believers. And with all due respect to Crusades and altar calls, in my opinion, real conversion and real growth happens through relationships. When others see our love and our good deeds, it should cause them to glorify our Father in heaven (1 Peter 2:12) If we're not even in relationships with non-believers because we give off such an air of arrogance and unflinching dedication to what we believe, how can we hope to obey Christ when he tells us to 'go and make disciples of all the nations? (Matthew 28:19)'

These two issues are related (and more than just by the T-shirt). If we truly love others and desire the best for them, we will, in our relationships with them, act in such a way to point them to Christ. Whether or not they eventually gaze on the face of Christ rests in our Father's hands, but the call to us is to at least give them an opportunity to see it. This does not, by any means, suggest that we befriend non-believers in order to save them: there's nothing worse than feeling like a project. But rather, because we live our lives in love and service, others are attracted to the Gospel. God uses the church, collectively and individually, as broken and fickle as it is, not only to encourage the community of believers, but to reach out and impact the community that surrounds it.

New Sins for a New Society

2008-03-16T14:45:00.004-04:00

What's this!? Two posts in one day! That's crazy talk! Preposterous! Well you better believe it, sister.

It rained yesterday: an unusual occurrence here in Raleigh over the past 3 months or so. In order to further enjoy the precipitation (and a little bit of humidity), I took my newly arrived edition of Time Magazine out to the front porch, plopped down in a camp chair, and set to reading. Articles about the governor of New York who recently resigned due to exposure of involvement in a prostitution ring, the decline of the movie star, and the 'reinvention' of Jesus as a Jew (you mean he isn't white!?) all drew my attention. But the one that was the most thought provoking was the final essay in the magazine.

Titled 'The New Road to Hell,' the essay comments on the Vatican's new additions (unofficially, I think) to the list of the seven deadly sins. According to the Pope, "We are losing the notion of sin." Their (the Papacy and some Catholic officials) solution is to, in a sense, broaden the list of sins which must be confessed. To sins like lust, pride, and gluttony are added a laundry list of social sins: " "You offend God not only by stealing, blaspheming or coveting your neighbor's wife" but also by polluting, cloning, taking drugs, promoting social injustice or becoming obscenely rich." (Double quotes are Gianfranco Girotti's, #2 official over confessions and penitence)

As Gibbs, the author points out, "...sin is the saboteur that keeps us from grace, separates us from God. The new list is about what separates us from one another." She suggests that this broadening of the spectrum of sin will ultimately "make sin smaller, not bigger or more relevant."

I agree with her, but for different reasons. It is not the "abstraction" of formerly intimate failings, as Gibbs suggests, that will make sin diminish in severity. Rather, it is the object of our sin that will result in this decline. Joseph, in his defense against Potiphar's Wife, says "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Gen 39:9) David, in confessing his sin with Bathsheba, declares to God "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." (Psalm 51:4) Paul, on the road to Damascus, is questioned by Christ (who, by this point, has ascended), who says "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" and "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." (Acts 9:4 & 5) Clearly, the understanding of sin in the Old and New Testaments is that sin is always against God.

This poses a problem. Sin is only as bad or serious as the one sinned against. (I'm pretty sure somebody else said that, but I can't for the life of me remember who.) The problem with the new list of sins is that it switches the victim of our sin from God to men. When that happens, the severity of our sin lessens infinitely: men aren't so great, so what's the big deal if we offend a couple? But if we maintain a right view of sin, that it is always against God, the seriousness of our sin and our plight remains. God is infinite, and therefore we, in our sins, are infinitely in need of grace. The glory of the cross is that our infinite God came to Earth in human form (for only a man could pay for the sins of man) to pay the infinite cost of our sin. The triumph of the resurrection is that this infinite God credited to us His own infinite righteousness, allowing us to come before Him in prayer, supplication, and praise.

Sunday Hymn - How Great Thou Art

2008-03-16T13:34:00.002-04:00

Spring is starting to show. Thunderstorms, beautiful days that are warm but not yet hot, and singing birds all herald the rebirth and beauty that is more and more evident each day. As I'm daily reminded of the beauty of creation, whether biking to campus or spending an afternoon reading at the J.C. Raulston Arboretum, I am moved more and more toward praise and admiration of its Creator. It is remarkable to me that people can see the beauty of creation, the diversity of plants and animals, the intricacies of life itself, and deny that there is something, someone behind it all. God certainly declares Himself in His creation, and if we miss the face of the Father in the beauty of the earth, we miss the beauty of the earth.

O! Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the fields and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And there proclaim: 'My God how great Thou art!'

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Finally, What We Actually Did!

2008-03-14T12:35:00.010-04:00

Here's the week in quick review. Now in HD!

Monday morning, bright and early, we got our breakfast, our assignment, and our tools: 18 shovels, 4 post hole diggers, 2 pick axes, 2 wheelbarrows, and 1 sledgehammer. After laying out the lot and picking where the house was actually going to go, our boss-man (also named Andrew) set us to digging. After a morning of digging a trench, a back hoe showed up with a two foot auger attached, and while we were away for lunch, he drilled 'pilots' for all of our holes. After lunch, more trenches were dug, some by hand, some by back hoe, a pump and water tank were temporarily rerouted, mud was thrown, moved, and some people got to know the holes quite well. We left with a profound sense of accomplishment: all the holes were ready to carve out to size (from a 2-foot diameter to 2.5 x 2.5 x 4), and we were working well as a team.

Then Monday night happened. The torrential rain that came through, as one might expect, turned our lovely foundation into a mud slick dotted with rain filled holes. But, we took to it. Wheelbarrowing was more like gliding and drifting, post hole diggers were wielded like spears, and everyone left much more in touch with 'terra firma' than when we got there. Some did arts and crafts (tying rebar 'sculptures' that looked like some twisted antenna from Alpha Centauri), and they were ridiculed at great length by us 'real workers.' After much manpower, mud, and mockery, we packed up for the day, leaving footprints of mud wherever we stepped.

Wednesday was a waiting game. We touched up some holes and took care of some odds and ends, and by 10:00, we were all set to wait until about 11:00, maybe 11:30 for the concrete to arrive and for us to fill the holes, skip lunch, and be done with the day around 2:00. As it turns out, 2:00 is about when the concrete arrived. So for almost 4 hours, the attitude on the work site resembled a siesta with a profound identity crisis. People napped in wheelbarrows, on platters of 16" block, or just on the ground. Frisbees came out, bearded gnomes were chased around the site, and sighs abounded. Initially, at any sound even closely resembling a concrete mixer, all heads would perk up and turn toward the sound, making the muddy construction site resemble the African plains (we looked like meerkats, is what I'm saying). But, as the hours passed, we no longer expended the effort to even turn our heads. Finally the truck arrived, the concrete got poured, and we went back to the church.

That night we went to a local seafood joint for dinner. I don't remember the name, but it was awesome. They had craw fish for $2.99 a pound, and we went to town on those bad boys. It was awesome. That's all I have to say about that.

Thursday was bittersweet. The concrete had set up, so we spent the day mixing mortar, raising columns of 16" block, and ultimately tidying up the site for the next crew. By the end of the day, each of the 28 columns was ready to have concrete poured in and around it, and according to our site boss, we did, in four days, the amount of work that usually takes three weeks. A point of pride? Maybe. I think our numbers probably had something to do with it, not to mention the fact that Josh Clark was a hero at pushing a loaded wheelbarrow through mud, John Miller got good experience as a Construction Management major, and Jacob Hall is a natural at laying block.

I just checked the blog from Lagniappe Church, and University of South Carolina students poured concrete into the columns recently (they look a little higher than when we finished them, but i guess that's what the group after us did). In the unlikely event that any of them ever see this, I just want to say that we're glad to have been able to participate in the restoration of the gulf with others. Even if we never meet on the site, or at all (summer conference?), it is our efforts together that impact lives. Columns can't be built without a foundation, and even the best foundation (ours, I'm sure, is not) is wasted unless someone else comes to build on it.

Above all, even though my tendency is toward pride in the work NC State did in the gulf, I must remind myself that God is the one at work. In us, through us, and overwhelmingly in spite of us. If God does not bless the work of our hands, of Spring Break trips to the Gulf Coast, of Lagniappe Church, of anything, then it will, in spite of all apparent success or prosperity, fall astronomically short of our own goals. But, if we approach work with reliance on God and deference to His plan, we can rejoice in the fact that our infinite God chooses to bless sinners in a fallen world through other sinners. How great is our God!

That seems like enough for now. The ride back is a story in itself, but hopefully it'll show up here before too long.

Bay St. Louis, But Not Really

2008-03-10T18:57:00.005-04:00

As I promised, here's a little report on our time in Bay St. Louis. Well, report yes. Little, we'll see.

Sunday, after church, our group went to New Orleans for the afternoon. One thing that really struck me there was the extent of the poverty there, and the accepted, almost institutional nature of it. When we got off the highway to go to the French Quarter, there was literally a village of tents underneath the freeway. Among the pillars supporting the eight lanes of highway were an overwhelming number of tents crammed together. It was such a strange picture of the prosperity that New Orleans experiences (you don't have eight lanes of highway for nothing) blended with the abject poverty that is simultaneously ignored and accepted. As we drove toward the French Quarter, we saw some of the nicest hotels and malls that I have ever seen, and it killed me that people live and 'thrive' in that environment without even glancing at the homelessness and hunger that surrounds them. It reminds me of the sign that we keep in our house, in a strange way.

We have this road sign that we encourage visitors to The Estate to sign. At first, I was proud of the sign, and as I came out of my room I would look at it, inspect the names, and when new guests came, encourage them to sign immediately. But, as the semester went on and new faces were less frequent, the sign just blended into the house. It's definitely a part of the house, and when people come over for the first time they invariably ask about it, but it's not something that I, as a resident, notice anymore. My guess is that the same thing happened in New Orleans. I heard a little kid (maybe with a family of other tourists, but also maybe one who lives there) ask his parents why a man was sleeping on the sidewalk, and the mother hurried him along. You can see signs of poverty and need everywhere. But. It's almost like that poverty has become part of the city that is no longer noticed by those who live there. Newcomers notice it, but don't have the permanence or means to do anything about it. It is a terrible, ignored, and accepted reality.

Contrasting this, I saw the nicest church I've ever seen (and got to go in). It is the Catholic church that is in the French Quarter, standing at the far end of a park, facing the water. It truly is a beautiful building. I went inside, took some pictures, asked about its history from one of the many tour guides there, and admired its stain glass windows and ceiling murals. But what I couldn't understand was why I neither heard nor saw any evidence of that church's work at restoration. I saw nothing about involvement in the community, efforts toward rebuilding after Katrina, or even an alms box for the poor. Now, it may be that I missed those things, but it seems to me that it a trend of the church in America to avoid its call to participate in bringing people back to God. In serving and loving. In redemption. We experience such wealth, such prosperity. And yet, we are so attached to what we have deemed 'security' (our bank account and possessions), so lacking in trust that God will provide, and so concerned with other's view of us that we kill ourselves working at jobs that we hate so that we can buy things that no one needs (an enormous house, mountains of clothes, wide-screen plasma televisions, $75,000 cars) for our enjoyment and self-glorification. Why do we ignore the greatest commandments of Christ: love the Lord your God with all you heart, and love your neighbor as yourself? How is love manifested in 'keeping up with the Joneses'? How is our pursuit of our own comfort, our own advancement in social status, loving the Lord?

I'm not advocating that we don't at all enjoy the blessings that Christ gives us. There is a very real sense in which love toward others can mean simply opening your home to others and allowing them to share in the blessings that you are given. But I think that Christians, individually, and the church, as a whole, need to take a long, serious look at how and to what extent others are loved (they'll know we are Christians by our love), blessed (in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed), and ultimately brought closer to Christ to participate in the glorification of God (What is the chief end of man?) because of their existence. What other purpose does the church exist for?

Obviously this has not touched at all on Mississippi. Maybe I'll get around to it next time.

Sunday Hymn - From the Depths of Woe

2008-03-09T14:24:00.002-04:00

As I wrote last week (during the storm), it was hard for me to put myself on the same level of deprivation and need for salvation as those we helped in Mississippi (and everyone there we didn't help). But as this hymn reminds me, it is from the depths of woe that Christ rescues us from, no matter what we have to bring to the table. As I was reminded in church this morning, whether or not I actually held the nails, 'it was my sin that held Him there.' Humanity's worst expression of sin is also the most glorious redemption we could imagine. I love how this song moves from the depravity of our state to the glorious grace that is offered to us.

From the depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?
O who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy
And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in my own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience
I wait for it with patience.

What though I wait the live-long night,
And 'til the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth;
Do thus, O ye of Israel's seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait 'til God appeareth
And wait 'til God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our upmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow
From all their sin and sorrow.

For Further Reading...

2008-03-06T20:39:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, my brother is in Guatemela for another month and a half or so (he's been there about a month). You may not know, however, that he has a blog that he updates from time to time with the work that is being done there and his thoughts and observations about the impact God is having on the community and others through and in spite of him. And I don't think it's too far to say that he's an excellent writer. So. If you're up for some more Shank musings, shuffle on over to www.lifeinguate.blogspot.com and poke around.

Meanwhile, back in the states...

We finished up our last day of work about two hours ago, ate, cleaned the kitchen, finished our 'where yat sign', and showered (we had a lovely Christmas carol sing-a-long). It's been fun, hot, sweaty, dirty, and exhausting, but, as some of us were reflecting earlier, I can't imagine a better Spring Break. With that said, expect pictures and stories within the next couple days, and hopefully progress pictures over the next weeks and months as the work continues. But, there's a concert here tonight and we have a 14 hour drive in front of us tomorrow, so it'll have to wait until later.

Writing the Storm Out

2008-03-04T01:08:00.002-05:00

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Psalm 89:14

Here's a little context: it's midnight, I'm tired, and the lights are out in the bunkhouse. Unfortunately, I was awoken by a full-blown stuffy nose about half an hour ago and realized that I was in dire need of not only a Kleenex, but a toilet. Sadly, neither of those were present in the bunkhouse, so I had to come into the main building. While here, the rain started. Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm a man's man: I'm not scared of getting wet or rained on or anything like that. This is a completely different story. The rainfall is torrential. It's amazing to watch, but frustrating that it stands between me and the prospects of a dry bed.

So here I am, at midnight, wanting to go to bed, but not willing to pass through the Red Sea to get there. While I wait out the storm, I figured a little update wouldn't be a bad thing (I'm in Bay St. Louis, MS, in case you didn't read the previous post).

We are digging a foundation (if you've ever dug a foundation, you'll know why this torrential rainfall ... unsettles me). I came expecting to build a roof or frame a house or fearing to paint. But the thought never crossed my mind that we would be put to work digging. Yet, as we work on the foundation, I realize that we are working on everything else. These people need homes that will last, and that only comes with a foundation that will stand. I'm sure everyone has heard a sermon on the wise man and the fool who each built a house, so I won't go into that here. I do want to talk about foundations, just in a different vein.

Go back and read the verse at the top again. It says that righteousness and justice are the foundations of God's throne. If our lives rest on God, His reign rests on righteousness and justice. Not ironically, these are two aspects of God's character that are most often questioned. How can a just God allow good people to suffer? How can a righteous God allow natural disasters like Katrina or tragedies like 9-11 to occur? Especially here, in the receding but very much lingering wake of the storm, God's justice is a sore subject. Where was justice in the destruction of thousands of homes, of businesses, of infrastructure? In fact, where was God at all?

These questions come from a faulty assumption that we don't deserve tragedy in our lives. That we somehow are exempt from suffering. In addition, there is a lack of trust in the plan of God. Yes the storm was painful, yes the damage and destruction was awful. But. Even now, just a few years afterward, rebuilding is evident. New homes, better than the ones that existed, are going up. Community exists, both in the church and in the streets, that was absent before. People's sinfulness and screwed up lives were revealed for what they really were, and restoration can happen.

One of the greatest challenges for me coming here is identifying with those whose lives are a mess. But I've been reminded (mostly through LPC's little devotion guide) that my life is just as much of a mess as theirs. Without Christ, I have no hope of pulling the pieces together and getting or keeping things in order. Without Christ, I cannot be restored to a right relationship with God. What a blessing it is for me to participate in a physical restoration that points to, with flashing lights and ringing bells, the greater restoration that Christ calls us to.

Sunday Hymn - Not What My Hands Have Done

2008-03-02T07:44:00.004-05:00

I rolled into Lagniappe Presbyterian Church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi yesterday around 4:30 with 16 other NC State students and our campus minister. We're here until Friday morning, and will be doing some kind of work: painting, roofing, general construction, demolition, something. As I was thinking and praying last night, I was struck with and reminded of the truth that there is absolutely nothing I can do to earn my salvation, increase God's love for me, or curry favor with Him. And I gotta tell you, that's good news. If it were up to me, I would fail miserably. Another glorious truth I was reminded of is that, in Christ, I can do nothing to make God love me less.

I woke up this morning still thinking about this truth, and realized that it applies to our trip here as well. If God does not bless this trip, we could all give our best effort and all the details could go right, and we will be a hindrance to the Gospel. But thankfully, joyfully, God is at work. The details could all go haywire, we could feel totally ineffective, and if God has His hand in it, His purposes will be accomplished. I think the hymn I've picked this morning expresses that truth beautifully: praising God for His work in our salvation, recognizing that our works are not to be viewed as work deserving of payment, but rather an overflowing of love and joy that manifests itself as service and love toward others.

Also, if you want to check out the church's website, here's a link: LPC.

Not what my hands have done
Can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
Can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers,
And sighs and tears
Can bear my awful load.

Thy work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin
Thy blood alone O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
Thy love to me O God,
Not mine, O Lord, to Thee
Can rid me of
This dark unrest,
And set my spirit free!

Thy grace alone, O God,
To me can pardon speak;
Thy power alone O Son of God,
Can this sore bondage break.
No other work, save Thine,
No other blood will do,
No strength save that,
Which is divine,
Can bear me safely through.

I bless the Christ of God;
I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart,
I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt,
I bury in His tomb
My unbelief,
And all my fear,
Each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace,
I trust His truth and might
He calls me His, I call Him mine,
My God, my joy, my light
’Tis He Who saveth me,
And freely pardon gives
I love because
He loveth me,
I live because He lives!

God Delusion, Part 1: Nominal Christians

2008-02-28T19:46:00.005-05:00

I love to read. To those who know me well, this will come as no surprise. I actually have trouble reading just one book at a time. For example, I am currently reading C. S. Lewis's Perelandra, Sinclair Ferguson's Heart For God, and Richard Dawkins's The God Delusion. It's this last book that this post (and probably more than just a few to follow) is about.

Quick summary: it's pretty much the Atheist Manifesto of this decade (published 2006). It's been wildly popular, especially with college-age religious studies majors and anti-right wing (as opposed to just left-wing) journalists, lobbyists, and more. Dawkins first gives his own view of religion and where he stands, then explains the God Hypothesis, focusing on the theistic view, then he gives some arguments for the existence of God, and from what it looks like, the rest of the book is about why those arguments are wrong.

Obviously I'm not reading this book because I like having my particular viewpoints reinforced. There are reasons, though. First and foremost, I think that our beliefs and convictions are better described as leanings and tendencies until they are strengthened by opposition. When we have to defend our views against someone who disagrees with them, we are forced to truly think about and critique what we claim to believe. Does it make sense? Are our beliefs reasonable, or are we buying into what our itching ears love to hear? By looking at this educated, well written attack on religion (which he usually identifies as Christianity), I am forced to articulate, in my head and the margins if nothing else, my own educated, reasoned defense.

A secondary reason that I'm reading this book is that so many people I know are reading it, mostly non-Christians. I want to be able to have an informed discussion with people about the book and its claims on God, Jesus, the Bible, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Atheism, Darwin, Creationism, Einstein, and everything else that he talks about. In a similar vein, there are plenty of nominal Christians out there who read a reasoned attack such as The God Delusion, and because it sounds good to them (it is a well-written book) and because they aren't practiced at reading critically and identifying some of the faulty, unmentioned, underlying assumptions that his arguments are based on, they try and fit the book into their worldview.

Obviously, this jump from Christianity to Atheism (two wildly incompatible worldviews) seems extreme. But, you'll notice, I used the qualifier of "nominal." By that I mean a person who calls themselves a Christian, but lacks firm belief in the basic tenets of Christianity. This begins, in my opinion, with an underlying assumption that the goal of Christianity is to make us into nice, unoffensive people who never cause arguments or ruffle other's feathers. Because of this spreading mentality, more and more people are willing to accept small compromises in the ethos of Christianity in order to avoid a dispute. These Christians lack the courage to say or believe something that culture disagrees with: in short, they think more of the opinions of men than of God. More and more compromises leads to a blend of so many conflicting statements and ideas in a belief structure that it loses any semblance of structure it may have had.

At this point, it is possible to fit anything into a worldview. Thus, Atheism and Christianity become compatible. It sounds like an oxymoron to me, but there are people out there who seriously call themselves Christian Atheists and see nothing wrong with that identification. John Shelby Spong's secular humanism blended with Christian morality (and what I see as Zen Buddhism) combines with Joel Osteen's health and wealth gospel that perverts the promises of scripture and Richard Dawkins's conception of a 'deeply religious non-believer' ("Spiritual, not religious" is an increasingly common self-identification these days) to produce a worldview that sounds great to the non-Christian and retains enough of a Christian terminology and morality (at least in the non-offensive areas) to come off as truly Christian but is completely devoid of the heart of Christianity. Nominal Christians.

I've kinda strayed a little, but that's how these things go. As I read the book I'll post my thoughts and reactions and the rabbit trails that come off of those. If you're up to it, go get the book and read it too. $15 in paperback. Admittedly, it's kind of a selfish request: it's one thing for me to read and wrestle with this stuff on my own, but I covet conversations about this kind of thing. Again, it's only after we've examined, defended, and expressed our beliefs that they truly hold weight for us.

Sunday Hymn - The King of Love My Shepherd Is

2008-02-24T13:08:00.002-05:00

This is a less familiar song, and the melody is a little... different, but the words are some of my favorite. I'm working on (for my own personal pleasure) a more singable melody so that I can enjoy the lyrics and the music, and through that, worship God more fully. I think so often we forget that that is the point of worship. We get caught up in what makes us feel worshipful, what we are doing for God, and forget that our focus should be on God and what He has done and is doing and will do. We change, and if our worship is based on our feelings and thoughts, it will be as effective as a gnat standing up to a charging elephant. But if our worship is God-centered, we are able to simultaneously give thanks to our great God, proclaim the truth to others, and remind ourselves of that same truth.

PS. There are some words in here you probably don't know. Be responsible: look them up.

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

When to Say When

2008-02-20T18:41:00.004-05:00

Pleasure is something that our culture is very concerned with. And whether for better or for worse, that concern imposes itself on all of us. The advertising that surrounds us, the materialism that goes unquestioned, and casual way people look at debt all contribute to and derive from our longing for pleasure. Yet, this obsession with and longing for pleasure is... assumed. We feel like we have a right to pleasure, satisfaction, and personal, usually instant, gratification. Like somehow we've earned it.

C. S. Lewis is the one who started me thinking down this track. I just finished the first of his Space Trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet. In it, Ransom (the protagonist, and a human) is taken against his will to another planet. There, after escaping his captors, he meets a new species of intelligent life. As he learns their language, he begins to investigate the philosophy of this new race. Speaking with Hyoi (the alien friend he first meets), Ransom finds an unusual, and in my opinion, refreshing, view of pleasure. The conversation goes like this:

"But why? Would he want his dinner all day or want to sleep after he had slept? I do not understand." (Hyoi)
"But a dinner comes every day. This love, you say, comes only once while the hross (the alien race) lives?"
"But it takes his whole life. When he is young, he has to look for his mate; and then he has to court her; then he begets young; then he rears them; then he remembers all this, and boils it inside him and makes it into poems and wisdom."
"But the pleasure he must be content only to remember?"
"This is like saying 'My food I must be content to eat.' "
"I do not understand."
"A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking as if the pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing."

I can think of no better example of this than the joy that, as Christians, we are to find in our salvation. It happens at one instant in life, and in that instant, when a soul recognizes the corruption within the flesh, joy at our justification before God in spite of our sin should drive the new Christian to tears of joy. (Side note: It is amazing to me that there are those out there who deny that we live in a fallen world and that we are a species in need of a savior. I can understand that people see and seek salvation in different things, but in a world
where evil is a reality, where murder, rape, abuse, and more are so prevalent that we are seldom moved by report of them, and where death reigns, it is foolishness and a senseless denial of the reality of our condition to suggest that our highest calling is to be nice to people.) This salvation happens once. Christ's work is enough to make us right before God. But our joy in this salvation is made complete as we are sanctified. As we look back and see how we have grown in character, love for Christ, and love for others, we are to be thankful for the work of Christ in our lives and, as in that moment of conversion, overwhelmed with joy. The moment of pleasure ends, and the enjoyment of it continues forever.

This is also illustrated in the second book of the series (I started it this morning), Perelandra. Ransom arrives on a different planet, and within he first few hours, is faced with the challenge of finding food. He finds what a 'gourd' and drinks from it: the pleasure can only be described as other-worldly. Here is Lewis' narrative of what happens after Ransom finishes the first gourd:

"As he let the empty gourd fall from his hand and was about to pluck a second one, it came into his head that he was now neither hungry nor thirsty. And yet to repeat a pleasure so intense and almost so spiritual seemed an obvious thing to do. His reason, or what we commonly take to be reason in our own world, was all in favor of tasting this miracle again; the childlike innocence of fruit, the labours he had undergone, the uncertainty of the future, all seemed to commend the action. Yet something seemed to oppose this 'reason.' It is difficult to suppose that this opposition came from desire, for what desire would turn from so much deliciousness? But for whatever cause, it appeared to him better not to taste it again. Perhaps the experience had been so complete that repetition would be a vulgarity - like asking to hear the same symphony twice in a day."

I don't think that Lewis is saying pleasure is bad. The Father sends the Son to earth because it was His joy to save us. The problem comes when pleasure becomes our god. When our trust in God's provision over our lives becomes so weak that we obsess to the point of distracting anxiety, there is a problem. When, as a car commercial suggests, we have trouble settling for anything less than the 'best', there is a problem. When meditation on the work of the Son and the gift of the Spirit and the plan of the Father does not move us to overwhelming joy, even laughter, it should be a hint to us that we are seeking our joy in something other than the face of the Father. We need to learn to be content in the blessings God has given us, finding joy in the Giver and not the gifts.

Sunday Hymn - In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross

2008-02-18T01:31:00.003-05:00

I've found that it is easy for me to get comfortable with what I know and what works for me. Whether it be what I read, the way I operate from day to day, or the meals I cook, familiarity often wins over a new option. This weekend I especially thought about this truth in respect to worship. I have, over the past 3 1/2 years, become familiar with the hymns that we sing at RUF and in church. And there is nothing wrong with that: the songs are deep, the attitude is not self-focused, and the lyrics are taken from scripture, the depths of which are only matched by the vastness of the Spirit.
This is a new song that we sang (and I had the privilege of playing) in church this morning. Like the hymns I've grown so close to, it has depth and speaks truth. God sings over us. God is more than enough for us. Christ is worthy to receive all of our honor and praise. I love this song.
Unfortunately, had our pastor not been the one to pick this, it probably would have gone unnoticed by me. Even if I had heard it, I probably would have listened first to the style of music, not taken time to actually hear the truths that are being proclaimed. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, and this is more a reminder to me than an accusation for anyone else, we should never get too comfortable with the songs, and more generally the patterns, of our lives: God is at work. His truth doesn't change, but there are new ways that it can be expressed. This, I think, is one of them:

In the shadow of the glorious cross,
Compelled by grace to cast my lot,
I'll discard the loss and bear your name:
Forsaking all for your own fame.

Your hymn of grace sung over me,
Abounding forth in glorious streams,
My thirst is quenched by you my Lord,
Sustained am I, redeemed, restored.
Sustained am I, redeemed, restored.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

When death's dark shadow's at my feet,
When I am plagued by unbelief,
You place my hands into your side:
By precious blood identified.
By precious blood identified.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

These crowns I've clenched with fisted hands,
I cast them down before the throne
Of Christ my God, the worthy lamb,
Christ crucified, the great I AM.
Christ crucified, the great I AM.
Christ crucified, the great I AM.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The Left Foot

2008-02-11T19:52:00.000-05:00

So, we're supposed to start things off on the right foot, right? Well, I don't know what the right foot is, at least not for this little slice of cyber-space, but I'm guessing that it isn't what follows. Some might ridicule me for making the inaugural posting on this site one of such unimportant drivel as what will follow, but I stand by my decision. (In all fairness, I'm saying it's the left foot.) For those of you that are still reading (why?), hang onto your hats.

Not 15 minutes ago, I was in my living room, playing my housemate in the greatest game ever invented. By humans. It goes by a little name of Super Smash Brothers. And yes, the 64 edition. I don't need those hyped up GameCube graphics. 64-bit puts food on the table. Anyway. I am Samus. Not 'I play as Samus' or 'I'm really good as Samus.' No no, I am Samus. And my housemate plays Fox. We're playing at the Donkey Kong place (you know, the one with the barrel on the bottom) and he is winning. Computer Jigglypuff was gone ages ago, and Computer Donkey Kong is hanging on by a thread. I pick up the Home Run Bat, and Housemate Fox falls into the barrel. At the bottom right of the platform, CDK is standing at the bottom of the ramp, and I, glorious Samus, am up the slope from him.

I tap towards + A. The anticipation builds. A shining star appears at the sweet spot on the Home Run Bat. A tingle runs down my spine. Donkey Kong raises his hands in the air for a gorilla-style ground-beating. Breath catches in my throat. The barrel (containing Housemate Fox) squishes in anticipation of firing as it slides to the right. I begin to swing forward. DK's hands are at eye level. Fox's head appears from the barrel.

Time slows down.

I connect! Donkey Kong's arms never reach the ground. Fox never gets a chance to land. All that is left on our 8-foot diagonal projection screen is Samus, magnificently performing the perfect follow through, two diminishing trails of smoke leading off the screen and into the heavens. I, Samus, rock.