It's Official-
sis just lost her game so we are headed to New Orleans tonight to get on the boat! For those taht havent heard my complaints aobut it the last week- im headed for a cruise through the Carribean into Mexico for the next week. As much as i hate it that she lost- im really excited for the trip. It'll be a nice break from this wonderful Missouri (pronounced Miz-uh-ree)weather. Pictures coming soon-
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
My Candidate for '08
There is a tragic flaw in our precious Constitution, and I don't know what can be done to fix it. This is it: Only nut cases want to be president.
- Kurt Vonnegut
This totally describes my feelings about all the condidates thus far. I am so sick of hearing about it. If I had to choose three people in the world that needed to be assasintaed it would be Britany Spears, Joel Olsteen, and Hillary. Mostly just becase im sick of hearing about them. OK- maybe assasination is a bit strong.
But i digress. This next upcoming election has discouraged me even more in the direction this country is heading. i honestly can not in good conscience cast my vote for any of the candidates. they need a place on the ballot that says "these suk. can i have some more choices?" or at least a box for consciencious objection to the current people, or system for that matter. So what im saying is that if the election took place today, I probably wouldnt vote. Or maybe just write in "JESUS". I think he would be a good president. Not that he ever would have had anything to do with a system like the presidency of the U.S. -dont get me started on that one. Which of course opens up the whole can of worms about how politically involved a Christian should really be with a social experiment like the USA. The whole thing just makes me sick.
Anyway- in speaking of this issue with my dad a few weeks ago, he told me something my great- grandpa said (who by the way was extremely concerned with politics, or so i've heard). He had evedintaly been pretty upset with whatever candidates where running that particular term. so, in disqust he says to my dad, "ya know- on election day this year- i might just go hunting."
That seems to be my reaction this year
And dont give me that crap response, "if you dont vote you can't complain!" What?!? I call BS on that. Im protesting the entire system. So yes i can complain. I cast my vote for Jesus, and his system of life and living. Not some system that lulls us into a false sense of security, a false cultural superiority, a false set of values. No- i think i will choose Jesus' upside down kingdom. His form of abundant life. Not America's
- Kurt Vonnegut
This totally describes my feelings about all the condidates thus far. I am so sick of hearing about it. If I had to choose three people in the world that needed to be assasintaed it would be Britany Spears, Joel Olsteen, and Hillary. Mostly just becase im sick of hearing about them. OK- maybe assasination is a bit strong.
But i digress. This next upcoming election has discouraged me even more in the direction this country is heading. i honestly can not in good conscience cast my vote for any of the candidates. they need a place on the ballot that says "these suk. can i have some more choices?" or at least a box for consciencious objection to the current people, or system for that matter. So what im saying is that if the election took place today, I probably wouldnt vote. Or maybe just write in "JESUS". I think he would be a good president. Not that he ever would have had anything to do with a system like the presidency of the U.S. -dont get me started on that one. Which of course opens up the whole can of worms about how politically involved a Christian should really be with a social experiment like the USA. The whole thing just makes me sick.
Anyway- in speaking of this issue with my dad a few weeks ago, he told me something my great- grandpa said (who by the way was extremely concerned with politics, or so i've heard). He had evedintaly been pretty upset with whatever candidates where running that particular term. so, in disqust he says to my dad, "ya know- on election day this year- i might just go hunting."
That seems to be my reaction this year
And dont give me that crap response, "if you dont vote you can't complain!" What?!? I call BS on that. Im protesting the entire system. So yes i can complain. I cast my vote for Jesus, and his system of life and living. Not some system that lulls us into a false sense of security, a false cultural superiority, a false set of values. No- i think i will choose Jesus' upside down kingdom. His form of abundant life. Not America's
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Longings for familiarity
WHy do we long for the past so much? im at starbucks, doing some homework when suddenly a song comes on that immediatley launches me to a memory of a really happy productive time in my life. suddenly i find myself missing my world then. (The song irronically enough was Bright Eyes "The first day of my life". For some reason this always launches me to my semester off from ozark. I was officially living over on 8th st. but in actually spent all my time at the 511. The group of people are what i miss the most. Chad, Nick, Broc, Kristy, Jake, Krystal, Alexis, Veronica, Sarah, Antonio, and all the others that came in and out of that place so often. I grew a lot that semester.)
As many issues and trails as i was facing at the time- it was still one of the best times of my life. Why is it that we often find ourselves longing to relive our past? Or even as i have often realized of myself, and something that others have told me- that we sometimes wish to live in a different era. What would it have been like to live during the time of Jesus- right there next to him following him areound Israel. Or during the time of Ceaser, Napolean, there fighting against the holocaust, being active during the writing of history- and somehow being able to be more fully alive then than we are now. Maybe the reason we long for thee past is that it is safe. If we were able to go back to that time with the knowledge we have now we would know that everything was going to be ok- and that the moment we were living in would seem more special since we would realize how short that period of time really is.
Maybe the reason we arnet fully alive now, like those who shaped our world before us were, is that we dont realize the gravity of what is at stake in the here and now. Or that we dont realize how special and good the period of life that we are living in really is. Very soon change will come again and leave us remeniscing of this current stage of life we are experiencing. Longing for were we are now. longing to converse wth the people and relationships we now have and are close to. However this age of improtance that is the here and now never leaves us. This current age follows every moment. It always has been and always will be. The most important time in your life and in history is the present. This is an ever true reality. As it has been said 'it is up to every generation to find its own revolution', something worth fighting for, and to grow ciilization and more specifically our own life into something closer to what we long for, what it should be.
Maybe this is the difference between those that move this world, that change lives, affecet people for the good and bring about the kingdom of God. Maybe it is that they are willing to live fully in the here and now- not in the ever progressing past, or wishing and reminiscing about it, wishing to change something in it. maybe they have wrestled with, have come to terms with, and understand the emenance of their own impending death. The world does not need you to ask her what it needs particularly, because it needs you simply to live fully. Because that is what changes the world. People who are experincing abundant life.
Frankl (someone i often refer too) says "Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first." That kind of sums it up.
In a similar statement Frankl says,
"Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. "
The world and life is now asking you and me- What now?
As many issues and trails as i was facing at the time- it was still one of the best times of my life. Why is it that we often find ourselves longing to relive our past? Or even as i have often realized of myself, and something that others have told me- that we sometimes wish to live in a different era. What would it have been like to live during the time of Jesus- right there next to him following him areound Israel. Or during the time of Ceaser, Napolean, there fighting against the holocaust, being active during the writing of history- and somehow being able to be more fully alive then than we are now. Maybe the reason we long for thee past is that it is safe. If we were able to go back to that time with the knowledge we have now we would know that everything was going to be ok- and that the moment we were living in would seem more special since we would realize how short that period of time really is.
Maybe the reason we arnet fully alive now, like those who shaped our world before us were, is that we dont realize the gravity of what is at stake in the here and now. Or that we dont realize how special and good the period of life that we are living in really is. Very soon change will come again and leave us remeniscing of this current stage of life we are experiencing. Longing for were we are now. longing to converse wth the people and relationships we now have and are close to. However this age of improtance that is the here and now never leaves us. This current age follows every moment. It always has been and always will be. The most important time in your life and in history is the present. This is an ever true reality. As it has been said 'it is up to every generation to find its own revolution', something worth fighting for, and to grow ciilization and more specifically our own life into something closer to what we long for, what it should be.
Maybe this is the difference between those that move this world, that change lives, affecet people for the good and bring about the kingdom of God. Maybe it is that they are willing to live fully in the here and now- not in the ever progressing past, or wishing and reminiscing about it, wishing to change something in it. maybe they have wrestled with, have come to terms with, and understand the emenance of their own impending death. The world does not need you to ask her what it needs particularly, because it needs you simply to live fully. Because that is what changes the world. People who are experincing abundant life.
Frankl (someone i often refer too) says "Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first." That kind of sums it up.
In a similar statement Frankl says,
"Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. "
The world and life is now asking you and me- What now?
CODY!
Cody Vanvactor is finally comin back! And hes gonna be livin with me and Chad! Im really excited about it- he's been in A-frikin-ghanistan for way to long. It'll be really good to have him back. That top picture is Chad Cody Jeremy and I at Sams Throne
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