via dodosmusic.net
Dodos' latest album, No Color, comes out in a few days. March 15 to be exact. But you can go listen to it at Hype Machine right now... It's good!
humble thyself and question it all
Wrote this while reflecting on the class I'm currently finishing up at Fuller:
Stand bare before wisdom and truth
Bathe in a history deeper than yours
For the voices of the corpses still ring out
The path is weathered and worn
Yet still worthy to treadThis way is not learned in solitude
Link arms as the seasons demand and desire
Show the signs to those who follow
Never leave them behindLet the future be a balm to the wounds of the past
Young men, see what is not yet
Old men, remember what is to come
Humble thyself and question it all
Listen to the answers
And live them without fail
essence and limit of prayer
“Jesus told his disciples not only how they should pray, but what they should pray. … The Lord’s Prayer is the essence of prayer. The essence and limit of all the disciples’ praying may be found in it. here again, Jesus does not abandon his disciples to uncertainty. Instead, with the Lord’s Prayer he leads them to complete clarity in prayer.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p. 155 I mentioned recently that our community, which meets on Sunday nights, had been meditating on, and praying, the Lord’s Prayer. It felt as though we all were able to begin praying the Lord’s Prayer at new depths, with a more sincere conviction. As we finished this series of conversations and started to prepare for our Lenten conversations, several mentioned that we should document what we collected throughout. I’ve been meaning to do that for a couple weeks. So, without further ado, here you go, Hawthornistas: Each week, we looked at a different section of the Lord’s Prayer. We divided this into 5 dialogues:
- “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,”
- “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
- “Give us today our daily bread.”
- “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
- “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
- Journey Inward: What does this say about how I relate to God?
- Journey Together: What does this say about how I relate to this community?
- Journey Outward: What does this say about how I relate to the world?
- Eugene Peterson’s The Message
- Ken Oster’s Jesus Manifesto
- William Barclay’s New Testament translation
- New Zealand Prayer Book
- Paige’s version
Would I Die Tonight For My Beliefs?
Not sure why, but I'm deeply struck by the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti today. Bhatti was a Pakistani Christian and politician. Al Jazeera has posted a video interview in which Bhatti shares his fearless convictions about his faith, for justice and for the marginalized. Incredible. We just don't hear many voices like this in the West much anymore.
Would I die for my beliefs? Would you?
Could we really know this of ourselves in such a context as the West? Still, I'm reminded of one of San Diego's legendary hardcore bands, who were also Christians, No Innocent Victim. And I am reminded of their crushing song, "My Beliefs." And I pray that my convictions would be so rugged.
the difference between "full" and "busy"
temporary shelter VI - endings and beginnings
After I put my kids to bed this evening, I automatically began to think about making preparations to spend the night at First Presbyterian Church tomorrow night. For the last month and a half, I've spent at least one night a week staying over night at the church for our temporary shelter project. Yet, as soon as the thought entered my mind, I realized that this would not happen this week.
On Sunday morning, our guests that have been with us for the last six weeks slept in (certainly glad to have avoided the storm that blew in over the weekend). Then they enjoyed breakfast brought in by volunteers, joined First Pres' for worship, joined Ladle Fellowship for our weekly Sunday lunch and then left the campus. And for the first time in six weeks, they would not plan to return that evening.
It's been a rich journey, even if brief. Yet, there is the question, What did we accomplish? It's hard to sum up all we learned and experienced. Some of what I drafted for a report to the church's elders included these points:
Three of our guests became members of FPC during the project. One guest is now moving into permanent housing. One into temporary housing. Four applied for assisted housing. One guest is now employed in a full time job. One has interviews lined up. Four guests are currently taking college-level classes. Each have made personal progress. For some, it has simply been learning to trust others once again. For others, the chance to receive a good night's rest has given them the courage to pursue work, education and housing once again.To be honest, we can't take all the credit for these steps. The people that are taking them deserve the credit. It has to be incredibly difficult to take these steps considering their situation. Still, it does show what a little help can do for a person. What is more, it shows what friendships can do. Just as much as a warm place to sleep, I have to think that relationships of love and trust made some of these positive steps possible.
Today, I sat in a City Council meeting and watched these officials approve steps to provide a permanent intake facility in downtown San Diego. To be certain, providing the services that will be offered in this location is a huge step in a (mostly) positive direction. But I have to imagine that if a group of 50 volunteers could see such progress in only a few weeks with a small group of people, than there is even more that could happen over the long haul.
What have I learned from this experience? I'm not sure if it's something I learned as much as it was something confirmed inside of me. And this is that our wealth and poverty is defined in great ways by the quality of our relationships. Most people on the streets need healthy and accountable relationships with friends. This one thing can make a world of difference.
I am richer for the friends I developed through this experience. I am certainly glad to be able to have more rest throughout the week. But I already miss the community I experienced every Wednesday night. I have moments where the "bleeding heart" in me wishes and wants to do more. Yet, I think I am doing the right thing; developing relationships, committing to be honest, asking the hard questions, giving honest answers, not doing for someone what they can do for themselves and doing the hard work of being a friend to be a person in a hard season. If more of us did just that... well, I do think things would change in San Diego.
Go make a new friend today Or, simply recommit to those in your life in a hard time. Don't take all the steps for them. Just be their biggest fan. You both will be richer for it.
Street Art seen in South Park
Someone's putting up a stenciled mushroom around the neighborhood. My kids love it--reminds them of Alice In Wonderland. Not sure I like it though but told my kids I'd post it on their behalf.
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