Carey showed this video to me today... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAB-zJPsJjs ... This video reminded me a lot of Haiti. If there is one thing I got more out of this trip than anything else is to see how people with so little can be so happy and joyous, and I have everything compared to them, but struggle to be happy half the time.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Another Old One
OK, so in the Deity Formerly Known as God, he just made the connection to the fact that we see God as Our Parents – Supersized. He really spent a ton of time talking about how as parents, we are the first images of God for our children (that is kinda a weighty thing to bear). He used many examples of ways that children perceive God from those interactions, and how they can show in lives many years later and in the relationship and understanding of God. What it really said to me was, no wonder this generation is so messed up with all relationships, but God especially. No wonder there are so many atheists and people who won’t give God a real chance, because their image of God never gave them one. His god ran and hid, his god didn’t want any part of his life, so now why would he want to talk to that God?
I know we talk about the family a lot in church and that Satan is attacking the family, but we can’t just point out the attack, we have to defend against it. We have to aid in the rebuilding, we have to step into that place and show God to those who don’t get it from their parents. No wonder this generation gap is so huge. Most of the older generation do not have this perception of a God that abandoned them, they don’t see themselves as these unworthy screwed up beings, because (most of them) were not brought up in that environment. But the recent generations are completely missing out on God (or seeing him every few weekends and on half the holidays) and so their image is warped. But what do they reach out for? They reach out to help others, for love and acceptance of themselves, just as they are. But they are not finding this in the walls of the local church, they are finding this in organizations like TWLOHA and Invisible Children and TOMS and PostSecret and places where they are asked and expected to be honest. Where they are loved and asked to help others. Where they feel needed and fulfilled. Now I think it is a massive load of BS to say that God is not right there with them, that they are not experiencing God. But many are missing it because the do not want to see Him there, they do not want to make that connection, but they are still getting a new image of God. They just need someone/something to make that connection for them, to make their eyes be reopened to this God they had closed their mind to. They are so close, but will go to hell just the same. It is not a massive campaign that we need to start, and some of the movement needs to be that the church needs to be more of these God like things in the world than we are currently being. We need to support those ideas and organizations, then we need to nudge them and say, “That is God!” Or point and whisper, “Did you see it? That is the God I serve!” And, yes maybe at times shout, “Right there, the helping others, the supporting the needy, the mending the broke, the shoulder to cry on, the AUTHOR OF HONESTY, THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIFE. That is God!” (that is shouting like your team just scored a touchdown, not at the people themselves!!!!!) We have to mend people’s images of God that have gotten so thoroughly effed up along the way.
My summary of these differences would be in the conversation between the author and his mother about the author’s 5 years of therapy. “I asked her what she thought of my generation’s fascination with digging in the dirt of our past. Her answer was completely in keeping with the culture she grew up in. ‘I don’t see what good can come of it. I don’t see what the point is of digging up the pain and the problems of my past. How does it help me to point out all the things my father didn’t do right? If you ask me, it’s just another way of scapegoating the responsibility that each of us must bear for our own lives and our own choices.’ I understand where she is coming from, and I couldn’t disagree more. While it’s true that many get stuck in the false liberation of finger-pointing and finding fault in everything their parents did, I believe there is more there, deeper, underneath the surface where the seeds of life take root and begin to grow.” If we are to have the cross generational church, we are going to have to get the older generation to see the importance of this digging and searching and reaching out, and we have to let the older generation guide us past the finger pointing and scapegoating and get us to seeing how this effects us and how we can overcome it. We need the older generation in the church to help be the parents and mentors that some people never got.
Isaac
I know we talk about the family a lot in church and that Satan is attacking the family, but we can’t just point out the attack, we have to defend against it. We have to aid in the rebuilding, we have to step into that place and show God to those who don’t get it from their parents. No wonder this generation gap is so huge. Most of the older generation do not have this perception of a God that abandoned them, they don’t see themselves as these unworthy screwed up beings, because (most of them) were not brought up in that environment. But the recent generations are completely missing out on God (or seeing him every few weekends and on half the holidays) and so their image is warped. But what do they reach out for? They reach out to help others, for love and acceptance of themselves, just as they are. But they are not finding this in the walls of the local church, they are finding this in organizations like TWLOHA and Invisible Children and TOMS and PostSecret and places where they are asked and expected to be honest. Where they are loved and asked to help others. Where they feel needed and fulfilled. Now I think it is a massive load of BS to say that God is not right there with them, that they are not experiencing God. But many are missing it because the do not want to see Him there, they do not want to make that connection, but they are still getting a new image of God. They just need someone/something to make that connection for them, to make their eyes be reopened to this God they had closed their mind to. They are so close, but will go to hell just the same. It is not a massive campaign that we need to start, and some of the movement needs to be that the church needs to be more of these God like things in the world than we are currently being. We need to support those ideas and organizations, then we need to nudge them and say, “That is God!” Or point and whisper, “Did you see it? That is the God I serve!” And, yes maybe at times shout, “Right there, the helping others, the supporting the needy, the mending the broke, the shoulder to cry on, the AUTHOR OF HONESTY, THE TRUTH, THE WAY AND THE LIFE. That is God!” (that is shouting like your team just scored a touchdown, not at the people themselves!!!!!) We have to mend people’s images of God that have gotten so thoroughly effed up along the way.
My summary of these differences would be in the conversation between the author and his mother about the author’s 5 years of therapy. “I asked her what she thought of my generation’s fascination with digging in the dirt of our past. Her answer was completely in keeping with the culture she grew up in. ‘I don’t see what good can come of it. I don’t see what the point is of digging up the pain and the problems of my past. How does it help me to point out all the things my father didn’t do right? If you ask me, it’s just another way of scapegoating the responsibility that each of us must bear for our own lives and our own choices.’ I understand where she is coming from, and I couldn’t disagree more. While it’s true that many get stuck in the false liberation of finger-pointing and finding fault in everything their parents did, I believe there is more there, deeper, underneath the surface where the seeds of life take root and begin to grow.” If we are to have the cross generational church, we are going to have to get the older generation to see the importance of this digging and searching and reaching out, and we have to let the older generation guide us past the finger pointing and scapegoating and get us to seeing how this effects us and how we can overcome it. We need the older generation in the church to help be the parents and mentors that some people never got.
Isaac
How it Started
I will be posting a couple of my email rants that have led to this blog getting started.
PS - I will be leaving for Haiti soon. Please keep our group in prayer.
This post is in reference to Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning:
I know, you see why I had to take that book in chunks. I felt like reading it straight through I would miss so much. It completely blew away my mindset on so many things. It is really so sad that we get so caught up in getting those “exercises” done and we forget the beauty and grace and love that is the whole point in the first place.
I think this happens everywhere. In football we get so caught up on the details and petty things when it is just about the fun and the competition and the joy of athletics. We see all the faults, the screw ups, the wins weren’t good enough to offset the pain of the losses. But the reality is that it is about so much more than that. It is about getting into the lives of these young men, molding them and just being with them, playing a game we love. There is nothing more fun than winning, but when we get caught up in the “exercises” we lose something.
We get upset about learning communities and the other “junk” of teaching and we forget why we do it in the first place. That we love kids and love to see that light come on. And the idea of learning communities and “junk” is to help increase those outcomes instead of just hoops to jump through. But at the same time wouldn’t it be the best and most refreshing learning community to foster discussion about why we teach and the joys of it and to sit and recharge our batteries through the joy and successes and hear the “experienced” teachers talk about why they have done it so long and what keeps them coming back. And for those who have lost their steam, to hear from the young wide-eyed newcomers the passion they are bringing in and maybe steal some of that passion. Now I know this would not go over well with everyone, but if the discussion were honest and POSITIVE, I think many would come out refreshed and invigorated, with a respect for each other and possibly more cooperative attitude instead of a combative attitude.
I feel like I have been dumping on your little email comments lately with these dissertations about things, but I have all of these thoughts and passions that boil up on these topics. And so much of it comes back down to honesty, openness, humility, and trust. In my opinion, that is where America has degraded to an unbelievable extent. We cannot look weak or imperfect, we have to have this face and front of greatness and perfection, (or as soon as we are shown imperfect, we start comparing to others we are “better” than, which breeds conflict and more disguising) when in fact we are all broken and hurt and scared and messed up people who hide in that darkness and we are killing ourselves in there. We are having more and more suicide, depression, cutting, sexual immorality from the darkness that we are sinking into, instead of this marvelous light we are created for.
I have become rather addicted to PostSecret and TWLOHA which are 2 organizations that foster openness and honesty and give people a safe place to get out of the darkness (even if only anonymously and only for a moment) and let that wonderful light into their situation. It breaks my heart to read some of the things on there, but it warms my heart that it is truth and the truth is setting people free. I can see God written all over those sites because HE IS THE TRUTH, and just speaking truth is bringing Him out.
I would love to see a leadership academy start for kids to learn leadership skills, but also to start to lead and think of ways we can affect the change locally so that it can the affect change globally.
I can’t believe that I am writing all of this to my boss, but I also can’t believe I have a boss I could write all of this to. But again, it comes down to honesty and openness, breaking down barriers and walls, and letting yourself be seen as who you really are. And this is me, for better or for worse.
Isaac Morford
PS – Sorry if I am breaking into your stillness with all of this racket. And I am praying you find that stillness and rest in the glorious light that is the God we serve.
PS - I will be leaving for Haiti soon. Please keep our group in prayer.
This post is in reference to Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning:
I know, you see why I had to take that book in chunks. I felt like reading it straight through I would miss so much. It completely blew away my mindset on so many things. It is really so sad that we get so caught up in getting those “exercises” done and we forget the beauty and grace and love that is the whole point in the first place.
I think this happens everywhere. In football we get so caught up on the details and petty things when it is just about the fun and the competition and the joy of athletics. We see all the faults, the screw ups, the wins weren’t good enough to offset the pain of the losses. But the reality is that it is about so much more than that. It is about getting into the lives of these young men, molding them and just being with them, playing a game we love. There is nothing more fun than winning, but when we get caught up in the “exercises” we lose something.
We get upset about learning communities and the other “junk” of teaching and we forget why we do it in the first place. That we love kids and love to see that light come on. And the idea of learning communities and “junk” is to help increase those outcomes instead of just hoops to jump through. But at the same time wouldn’t it be the best and most refreshing learning community to foster discussion about why we teach and the joys of it and to sit and recharge our batteries through the joy and successes and hear the “experienced” teachers talk about why they have done it so long and what keeps them coming back. And for those who have lost their steam, to hear from the young wide-eyed newcomers the passion they are bringing in and maybe steal some of that passion. Now I know this would not go over well with everyone, but if the discussion were honest and POSITIVE, I think many would come out refreshed and invigorated, with a respect for each other and possibly more cooperative attitude instead of a combative attitude.
I feel like I have been dumping on your little email comments lately with these dissertations about things, but I have all of these thoughts and passions that boil up on these topics. And so much of it comes back down to honesty, openness, humility, and trust. In my opinion, that is where America has degraded to an unbelievable extent. We cannot look weak or imperfect, we have to have this face and front of greatness and perfection, (or as soon as we are shown imperfect, we start comparing to others we are “better” than, which breeds conflict and more disguising) when in fact we are all broken and hurt and scared and messed up people who hide in that darkness and we are killing ourselves in there. We are having more and more suicide, depression, cutting, sexual immorality from the darkness that we are sinking into, instead of this marvelous light we are created for.
I have become rather addicted to PostSecret and TWLOHA which are 2 organizations that foster openness and honesty and give people a safe place to get out of the darkness (even if only anonymously and only for a moment) and let that wonderful light into their situation. It breaks my heart to read some of the things on there, but it warms my heart that it is truth and the truth is setting people free. I can see God written all over those sites because HE IS THE TRUTH, and just speaking truth is bringing Him out.
I would love to see a leadership academy start for kids to learn leadership skills, but also to start to lead and think of ways we can affect the change locally so that it can the affect change globally.
I can’t believe that I am writing all of this to my boss, but I also can’t believe I have a boss I could write all of this to. But again, it comes down to honesty and openness, breaking down barriers and walls, and letting yourself be seen as who you really are. And this is me, for better or for worse.
Isaac Morford
PS – Sorry if I am breaking into your stillness with all of this racket. And I am praying you find that stillness and rest in the glorious light that is the God we serve.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
In the beginning...
Ok, so I have been reading a lot over the last few years (that was new for me) and I have run into tons of thoughts, questions, problems, ideas, opinions, and arguments. These have seemed to come out in spurts of anger, frustration, hope, disillusionment, and love. But they usually hit hard and the most random things set it off. I don't know how often I will post, or what things I will say. If you are reading this, I hope you enjoy it and don't think me any crazier than you already do. I am doing this for myself, not for readers. I love to talk and argue, so feel free to start a conversation, but understand in the end this is about getting my thoughts out somewhere and this seems a little less "feminine" than diaries or journals.
PS - I do not tend to filter these too much, I hope I don't offend, but I'm sure I will at some point. Sorry in advance
PS - I do not tend to filter these too much, I hope I don't offend, but I'm sure I will at some point. Sorry in advance
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