Action

"Everytime the Gospels mention that Jesus was moved with the deepest emotions or felt sorry for people, it led to his doing something--physical or inner healing, delieverance or exorcism, feeding the hungry crowds or praying for others. The Good Samaritan was commended precisely because he acted. The priest and Levite, paragons of Jewish virtue, flunked the test because they didn't do anything. 'Which of these three, in your opinion, was the neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?' The answer came, 'The one who treated him with compassion.' Jesus said to them, 'Then go and do the same.'"
(Brennan Manning)

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:17-18

fresh spinach for lunch

Last Monday I was able to hear a brother from Benin pray in his native language and it was so beautiful I haven't yet found words to describe it.

I look forward to what tonight holds. The Lord never stops moving.

[edit: I forgot to mention this: Yesterday afternoon I gave my new cell phone a good cleaning in the washer. Unless it comes to its senses and dries out only to work good as new, I won't be reachable by cell phone for awhile. I check my email daily, though, so this shouldn't be too much of an annoyance: morethanstars@gmail.com]

Happy MLK Day

And I don't mean milk.

This morning I joined a bunch of strangers (plus Andrea O. and TJ, turns out!) in celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. I met and sat with a wonderful family, the Daniels, and was able to learn about them while hearing some serious business on what we ought to be accomplishing today and everyday in the realm of racial integration by Dr. Emerson from Rice University.

Hawthorne elementary's show choir performed and pretty much picked everyone up, turned them upside down, and sat them on their heads. Mmm, by that I mean, they were outrageously talented with a severe cuteness.

Here's some small pieces of Martin Luther King Jr.'s wisdom pie:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.”

Haha

CCFA

I've got two extra, if anyone's interested.

This morning my prayer book yielded a postworthy one...

"You have quieted those which were in confusion. Praise to your calmness! O Lord make quiet in your chruches; and blend and unite, O Lord, the contentious sects; and still, and rule also the conflicting parties, and may there be at every time one true church, and may her righteous children gather themselves together to confess your graciousness. Praise to your reconciliation, O Lord God."
- St. Ephraem the Syrian, 4th century

"15 plums a day keep the doctor away, honest." -Stevie D

I love 7:30pm and no exhaustion. It's the same joy of discovering you have applesauce in your fridge.

Yesterday I had Jewish Movie Afternoon with Emily Scott. We watched Bee Season and Everything Is Illuminated, and ate matzos. Speaking of which, why is it "matzos" and not "matza?" I realize I could google this in a third of the time it takes me to type this question, but I'm really into constructive feedback from peers.

I feel as though that was an ignorant paragraph.

Have you ever kept a quote by your desk, a jewel pulled out of a rough comic book, perhaps? Three months later, have you ever found out that the quote you found so insightful from a comic was actually not from that comic, but from Nietzsche? I'm going to be forthcoming and admit this happened to me, and I feel deceived.

I make my corrections here:
"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you." -Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, not Watchmen Issue 6, Page 28

17

peering through the tsew
six strong, born of one ylno
always my tnatsnoc

What does that mean?

"I picked one leaf golden brown at my feet
it was a prince several ages ago
why are you golden brown, I asked
life, it said, made me golden brown"
-Brother Padmore

He teaches me on designated days at designated times about literature from Africa. When he's not doing that, he writes poetry, as seen here. Yes, please.

Today in class he was talking about the colonization of African countries, and the Europeans bringing of "christ" to these countries, thereby assigning "christ" the characteristics of the europeans themselves. It made me think of how the term "christian" means so many different things to different people and maybe is about as broad and widely disputed a term as "postcolonial literature" itself.

It reminded me specifically of a sermon I listened to just days ago from March 26 of last year from Jay Pathak at Arvada Vineyard (http://www.arvadavineyard.org/rss2html.php, scroll down to 3/26/06).

In "Is Jesus A Christian?" Jay discusses the term "christian" and how it really holds different meanings for people in different cultures. He traveled to the Middle East to love some people and tell people about Jesus. His friend, who had lived in the Middle East for ten years, suggested that Jay not call himself a "Christian" for fear of it "complicating things." He further explains that the term "christian" is tied up with "ethnic, cultural assumptions." "In the Middle East, you are, by heritage, a religious person," (i.e. if born in a muslim family, one is a muslim, etc.) One's religious identity, then, is as certain as one's race. It is not something one decides, or is in control of (i.e. just as I am white because I was born white, I am also Christian because I was born into a Christian family).

Jay goes on to explain that we cannot rightly say we are not influenced in any way by some facet of "Christian culture" because our culture is predominantly so. So when someone from another country sees MTV or the news, that content is immediately associated with Christianity. The connection between individual and religion broadens to "I am Christian because I was born into a Christian nation"

Perceptions then, of the meanings of such terms as "christian," etc. quickly become muddled.

So aside from extremists in any subculture or religion who don't follow the same path as those in direct obedience to Holy texts or whatever rule governs that particular body, we now have even more different interpretations of these labels because of the cultural barriers prohibiting most from accurate truths regarding them.

So by labeling myself a Christian, I am unknowingly connecting myself to whatever my audience has experienced of American culture, which is... not ideal, and not precise (and maybe horrifying?)

This is, of course, merely in regards to those outside the culture of the United States. Similar things can be said within our culture of the misrepresentation and abuse of the term "christian." But, alas, it is too late for me. I am already unaware of the clarity of this post, so I am resigning to my closing eyelids.

Good-night.

Matthew 6:25-34

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Good Sense

Yesterday started out at New China with some of my favorite girls. Turns out I love New China. I get what all that hype awhile back was about. We thrifted and found some wool, and then Sonya stuck a socket into my cigerette lighter and made things in my car flash. I was intrigued, and wanted to start my own fire, so I stuck it in for longer. I just love blowing fuses so much that I couldn't resist. Meanwhile, effort for putting a new fuse in my car was put forth with the help of some loved ones (to operate my radio which now does not work) but failed. Any suggestions?

If you want to hear a story with a good ending, read this: Once I bought a beautiful old copy of Anna Karenina from Half-Price Books. I started reading it and loved it and realized it was only volume one. I resolved to buy a complete copy of the book, because unless I found the exact same old beautiful edition second volume than I would perhaps lose text. Yesterday I went to Reedman's Used Books, and found the same edition second volume! It was meant to be. I don't even care if I need a third volume, because I know that if I found the second I will find the third. Wonderful.

I went to Third Hand Bikes, well, tried. They are closed on Saturdays for about a month because they are working on getting a larger space. The girl and guy there were great. More importantly, it would probably be a good idea to start the same thing in my basement. It's so large and empty, it's practically begging to be a bike co-op.

Though I hear you need to work those things out with your landlord...

Next thing on my list: Getting a metal brush to attach to my dad's drill so I can get some rust off my Schwinn.

I'd like to live on campus next year.

Inspiring

http://www1.matesofstate.com/vid/gj-goods.mov

geology rocks

I start school again today, and I forgot to get a trapper keeper. Silly.

"More like in action news" - Boa vs. Python

It's the first day of January 2007, which really just means it's the day after yesterday and I will always forget to write 07 upon periodical check-in. Also, a beginning like Spring maybe. Martin Luther King Jr. day is soon!

This morning my phone rang and I was alerted that my brother was mere minutes away from evacuating the Young premesis, so I drove hours (seconds) to wish him well and observe his highly comical and lovable self drive away with a car full of clean laundry and ties. I'm proud of him.

My G key isn't working particularly well today. Kind of like my ileum, which assured me of its unhappiness as I woke. It's a sick day, but that doesn't mean I can't dance to Mates of State.

On Saturday I was able to hang out with the posse downtown, and Timothy and Ginny gave me a strawberry candle! They arrived while I was behind the van, so once I navigated my way through a circle of friends, I was able to greet them with hugs and updates. They gave me updates in return, and the lovely scented candle. Given the choice between strawberry and vanilla at the dollar store, Ginny decided I was more of a strawberry girl, and I've never been so touched by a gift before. They renewed their vows recently, and Ginny's giant plastic ring is beautiful.

I also finally got to meet Fox's girlfriend, Yolanda! Fox showed her my christmas card, which prompted the meeting I suppose, and she is so sweet.

The CCP (a sort of community patrol, I'm not clear on what the acronym stands for) prayed with us at Broad! They have been showing up lately and observing before taking off when most of our friends scatter, but this past Saturday they stayed, so we invited them to pray and they joined us, holding hands and all. I got skippy about it because it was exciting, so Don jumped around with me.

I really feel as though big things are in store for Timmy. I hope I can update soon with news of a divine turnaround. The waves are getting bigger, perhaps they will crash any day now.

Meanwhile "The Night of the Living Dead," from 1968 is a must-see.

My friend Gregg from TCS mentioned to me a class he took last year, called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, while I was baling once, and a couple weeks ago told me they were offering it again this year. I forgot about it until I walked out of service on Sunday and over to the Global Missions table, where a pamphlet for that class stood colorful and waiting to be taken. I looked at it in the parking lot, called my mom to tell her I was taking it, and later drove to the Vineyard to turn in my application. Speakers from all over the nation are going to talk about God's plans for all nations, cultures, missions, etc. I'm so excited about it, because I'm taking the personal enrichment route, meaning I will be totally open to sit and absorb and not worry about assignments and projects to tack on to my already busy schedule. I can't wait to learn. Check it out: www.perspectivescolumbus.org While I was there I took a paper discussing the homeless camps, because Hillbilly's shining jovial face graced the front.

"Bless these tangled veins, none of which will grow the same."