One week, seven days, 168 hours... well it's been a little over a week since the Forge class of 2009 graduated. I spent the first week at home in Ellinwood and it was a drastice change. I went from living with fifteen people and doing everything together to living with four people with four different schedules. It was kind of lonely in the day time with everyone at work, but I got to get somethings done that I needed to get done (including make yummy granola!). I also watched my first post-forge movie which was the Disney/Pixar classic, Cars. For those who don't know, we decided that throughout the duration of the Forge to not watch movies or TV, except as assigned by Matt (which wasn't that often). Anyway, the movie was heart-warming, but I haven't watched another movie since then.
As I've been reflecting on the past eight months, a few things come to mind. First was how much I learned about my own selfishness. The first 2/3 of the Forge was really difficult for me, and I really struggled with becoming a part of the community. I was very inward-focused. Matt, the Forge director, really challenged me at the beginning of the second semester to reach out to my Forge family and see if things changed. It's hard to describe what happened once I began to try. I know that I didn't do it on my own, but I also know that I had to try in order for the change to begin. God works in funny ways, I guess. One of the mysteries of the Kingdom is that when you reach out to others and sacrifice to meet their needs, somehow yours are met as well, but if you seek only to meet yours, then they remain unmet. It's the only way that community can work. In 1 Peter 1 it says, "[now] that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart, for you have been born again." That was the command I clung to last semester and I think it really sums it up well. I am to love the people God's placed in my circle of influence because that's who I am. I have been born again, I am a child of God, a disciple of Christ, and my identity is now one who loves.
That's all I've got for now! I hope the sun's shining wherever you are.
"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." (Psalm 126:3)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Possibly a Bribe
Hello again! I've finished the second video just now. During our visit to Bethlehem, we were able to visit the Church of the Nativity where we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Our guide got us front-row seats to an Eastern Orthodox mass in room where the Christ-child was supposed to have been born. Usually the room would be closed off to visitors until after the mass, but we got in. Who knows? Anyway, check out the video!
In the front of the room, where the priests are is the supposed spot. I was closer to the back of the room, but it was a great vantage point to capture all of the beautiful paintings hanging on the walls. It's dark, so it's hard to see the tapestries also lining the walls, but part of that may have been all of the carbon build-up from candles over the years.
In the front of the room, where the priests are is the supposed spot. I was closer to the back of the room, but it was a great vantage point to capture all of the beautiful paintings hanging on the walls. It's dark, so it's hard to see the tapestries also lining the walls, but part of that may have been all of the carbon build-up from candles over the years.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
OMG, Galilee!
Good Morning!
I've snazzied up some of the short video clips I took while in Israel. The first is of the sea of Galilee from the vantage point of Susita, a city of the Decapolis on the east shore of the sea.
I've snazzied up some of the short video clips I took while in Israel. The first is of the sea of Galilee from the vantage point of Susita, a city of the Decapolis on the east shore of the sea.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Israel
We're back! We got home on Thursday and have been recovering from jet lag the last few days. This trip was unlike any I have ever taken in my life. Not because of the culture, landscape, or food, but because God showed up. I've never been on a "vacation" that brought me closer to the Lord before. We have two tour guides, one American and one Israeli. The Israeli tour guide taught us a lot of Jewish history, while our American guide led us through scripture as we hiked to each site.
Out of all of our lessons, the one that stuck with me was from Romans 11. Paul is writing to the gentiles, reminding them that they are "grafted in." We have Jewish roots, and the early church would have understood this. In my life, I know I have disregarded much of my roots as a follower of the one true God. I saw that my Jewish brothers and sisters hold scripture (aka. the text) in very high regard. When they pray, they pray scripture because how could man's words be better than God's? Also, everyone reads the same passage of scripture and memorizes the same "portion" each day. How cool would it be if when we ran into another Christian at the grocery store we could talk about "the portion" (which is what the Jews call it). Personally, it reminded me to be grateful for our loving Father who graciously grafted us into his family.
"17But if(S) some of the branches were broken off, and you,(T) although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you(U) stand fast through faith. So(V) do not become proud, but(W) fear. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you,(X) provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise(Y) you too will be cut off. 23And(Z) even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree." (Romans 11:17-24)
The picture of an olive tree is also cool. The life is in the roots. A branch will only bear fruit for so long, then you cut it off down to the roots and a new shoot will come back. Those are the culture olive trees and they bear a lot of fruit. Wild olive trees (more like bushes) hardly bear any fruit. However, you can graft a wild branch into a cultivated tree and it will bear fruit just like the natural branches. It's a really cool picture of what God does with us (gentiles), grafting us into his family (the Jews). We're his adopted children, but just as much children as those that came before us.
That's all I have for now. Be sure to check out the pictures I've posted on facebook. The following are links to the three albums!
"The Best of the Lands" http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256957&id=17023332&l=35f5516dc8
"A BIG Day"
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256972&id=17023332&l=395a37f93d
"Grafted In"
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256976&id=17023332&l=c983d03b59
Out of all of our lessons, the one that stuck with me was from Romans 11. Paul is writing to the gentiles, reminding them that they are "grafted in." We have Jewish roots, and the early church would have understood this. In my life, I know I have disregarded much of my roots as a follower of the one true God. I saw that my Jewish brothers and sisters hold scripture (aka. the text) in very high regard. When they pray, they pray scripture because how could man's words be better than God's? Also, everyone reads the same passage of scripture and memorizes the same "portion" each day. How cool would it be if when we ran into another Christian at the grocery store we could talk about "the portion" (which is what the Jews call it). Personally, it reminded me to be grateful for our loving Father who graciously grafted us into his family.
"17But if(S) some of the branches were broken off, and you,(T) although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you(U) stand fast through faith. So(V) do not become proud, but(W) fear. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you,(X) provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise(Y) you too will be cut off. 23And(Z) even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree." (Romans 11:17-24)
The picture of an olive tree is also cool. The life is in the roots. A branch will only bear fruit for so long, then you cut it off down to the roots and a new shoot will come back. Those are the culture olive trees and they bear a lot of fruit. Wild olive trees (more like bushes) hardly bear any fruit. However, you can graft a wild branch into a cultivated tree and it will bear fruit just like the natural branches. It's a really cool picture of what God does with us (gentiles), grafting us into his family (the Jews). We're his adopted children, but just as much children as those that came before us.
That's all I have for now. Be sure to check out the pictures I've posted on facebook. The following are links to the three albums!
"The Best of the Lands" http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256957&id=17023332&l=35f5516dc8
"A BIG Day"
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256972&id=17023332&l=395a37f93d
"Grafted In"
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2256976&id=17023332&l=c983d03b59
Monday, March 2, 2009
"Get Krunk"...the Forge
Well the Forge is still going on, and actually coming to a close. With two months left, we're preparing to go to Israel in two weeks, working hard to complete assignments, and having a lot of fun together. Here are just a few photos of projects, speakers, dance parties and birthday gatherings. Check back at the end of March for a full report of the Holy Land!
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