being named

(from Blood Diamond. If you haven't seen it, you need to)

Poll of the Day!

This evening, a friend confessed to me that they didn't really like Lawrence (which I am proud to call home), citing that it is 'full of either college students or pretentious adults.'

My immediate reaction: 'so, which am I?'

They then proceeded to back-peddle saying that me (and my friends, of course) occupy a whole 3rd category.


But, the question must be asked: which do I better represent, a college student or a pretentious adult? Votes please.

Also, 10 points for guessing which friend made the comment (2 hints: she lives in Kansas City).

Wisdom from a Shipwreck

As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughed at among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only, but even everybody else; from whence I have since often observed how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, viz., that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; nor ashamed for the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only can make make them be esteemed wise men (emphasis mine).

~ Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

Merry Christmas!!

The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.
You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:2-7

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous; the lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Merry Consumermas Pt. 2 (the slightly funny, moderately offensive one)

[Below is a portion of an email I sent to my good friend, Cindy, requesting Christmas ideas for the family. I apologize in advance for crossing any boundaries or cultural expectations.

Please note my inaccurate understanding of the month Jesus was born... I bring up a controversy and don't even get the facts right! It just goes to show that I don't take nearly as much time researching the factual basis of my emails (0 minutes) as I do with my blogs (5 minutes)]

Cindy,
Despite the anti-consumer movements of the Advent Conspiracy and others, I have decided that Christmas gifts are of absolute importance.


My reasons being:

1. Jesus wasn't even born in December. It was more like early spring, say March. Therefore, it is completely legitimate that we celebrate Consumerism (my suggestion: a rename to Consumermas) December 25th, and then have a huge throw-down for Jesus, March 8th (or 10th or 29th… really it doesn't matter. We're going ballpark here). Jesus Celebration will include: Pinatas filled with Pixie Sticks and miniature Bibles supplied by the Gideons (Sugar-rush Bible Study… better than crack!). For the evangelistic amongst us I would recommend: $20 bills & fake $20 Gospel Tracts. Trust me… they'll take the tracts home with them. ...

And so my friends, I wish you a Merry Consumermas, hoping that somewhere behind the towers of packages, multiple Holiday parties a week, and general stress of the season, that you find joy, simplicity, and the dream that a helpless baby born in the backwoods will make peace, love and freedom reign.

Merry Consumermas Pt.1 (the serious one)

Last Sunday, some Manhattan friends randomly gave me a call to let me know they were hitting up Liberty Hall to watch the documentary, What Would Jesus Buy?

But really, with a description like this, how can you not go see it?

Through retail interventions, corporate exorcisms, and some good old-fashioned preaching, Reverend Billy reminds us that we have lost the true meaning of Christmas. What Would Jesus Buy? is a journey into the heart of America – from exorcising the demons at the Wal-Mart headquarters to taking over the center stage at the Mall of America and then ultimately heading to the Promised Land … Disneyland.

Seriously.

It's worth your time. Don't let the Shopocalypse hold you down.