Last Sunday I was thinking about our church's Living Psalms program that we've been doing this summer. It occurred to me that somebody ought to be the Psalm 117 of the program. That afternoon at lunch I drafted this haiku.
Falling of the rain
On parched summer earth sings of
God's eternal love.
I haven't sent it in to Dave, but I like it.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Luther on the Cross
"This is the love of the cross, born of the cross, which turns in the direction where it does not find good that it may enjoy, but where it may confer good upon the bad and needy person. 'It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:25).' says the Apostle." Martin Luther quoted in Gerhard Forde, On Becoming a Theologian of the Cross.
I love the way that Luther includes the quote from Acts 20. I'd never thought about that statement in that way. Of course it is more blessed to give than to receive because that is the model of what God has done. He didn't seek out worshippers to enhance His life by their gifts but He created so as to give the eternal love of the Trinity. And having created He didn't seek fit receptacles for that love but renewed those who were wholly unfitted by their sin.
I love the way that Luther includes the quote from Acts 20. I'd never thought about that statement in that way. Of course it is more blessed to give than to receive because that is the model of what God has done. He didn't seek out worshippers to enhance His life by their gifts but He created so as to give the eternal love of the Trinity. And having created He didn't seek fit receptacles for that love but renewed those who were wholly unfitted by their sin.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Karitos Worship Poems
I just finished the Karitos 2011 conference tonight. This year during the worship times when we were encouraged to participate in free unguided worship I chose to use the time to write. I'm not a dancer nor a very free ad hoc composer/songwriter/harmonizer, so I chose to do what I could to praise God. I ended up with several rough poems. These are the two that are the most finished.
The Syro-Phoenician Women (written Thursday night and based on Mark 7:24-30)
Was I a dog? Did it matter?
My little girl was locked in the power of evil.
He had the power to set her free.
He was a Jew and I should care what he calls me?
But he wasn't just a Gallilean passing through,
He was the one with the power of life and death.
He was the one who spoke and demons fled.
Was there any name he could call me and I would turn away?
He was my daughter's hope
And He was her salvation!
I'll be his "little dog."
I'll be his swine!
And I will proclaim his power forever.
Body Praise
Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings,
Lord of lords, God Most High,
Without whom nothing was made that was made.
In the freedom of muscle and bone
Ligament and tendon we will praise you.
Will the rocks sing and the trees clap,
Will the mountains and hills break forth
and skip like lambs
And our bodies praise only with the tongue?
Rather with leaping and twirling,
Bowing and throwing hands on high
They will exult in the freedom you give.
They will extol the glory that is yours from all time.
The Syro-Phoenician Women (written Thursday night and based on Mark 7:24-30)
Was I a dog? Did it matter?
My little girl was locked in the power of evil.
He had the power to set her free.
He was a Jew and I should care what he calls me?
But he wasn't just a Gallilean passing through,
He was the one with the power of life and death.
He was the one who spoke and demons fled.
Was there any name he could call me and I would turn away?
He was my daughter's hope
And He was her salvation!
I'll be his "little dog."
I'll be his swine!
And I will proclaim his power forever.
Body Praise
Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings,
Lord of lords, God Most High,
Without whom nothing was made that was made.
In the freedom of muscle and bone
Ligament and tendon we will praise you.
Will the rocks sing and the trees clap,
Will the mountains and hills break forth
and skip like lambs
And our bodies praise only with the tongue?
Rather with leaping and twirling,
Bowing and throwing hands on high
They will exult in the freedom you give.
They will extol the glory that is yours from all time.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Friday, November 19, 2010
What's Been Up
As the previous said posts are M-pendng. Actually, I think y 14 year old self ay have channeled into e for that one. It sees ore iature than usual.
Ah, finally.
After all that I sit here waiting for Madman Mundt with nothing but the cries of fishmongers and a Barton Fink feeling in spades.
Truth be told it's really Glen Kaiser's Blues Heaven that's furnishing the cries. I'm rather disappointed to have found that I don't have any recorded contemporary Christian music that really matches Springsteen and the Sessions Band live in Dublin for exuberance. I need some Rez band.
I saw the new Harry Potter movie tonight. It may be my new favorite. It manages to catch the brooding frustrating feel of the book very well. It streamlines the story well hitting most of the high points and dropping most of the exposition. I'm anxious to be able to see the end of the story and watch the two parts together to see how they work as one story. I also curious how the second part will work out without the emotional layer of Harry's struggle for the truth about Dumbledore unless that quest will be included there. Despite the action and the slight heart attack in Godric's Hollow and pretty much in direct opposition to most of my Potter reading I think my favorite parts were the more character intensive scenes as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then Harry and Hermione, travelled the countryside trying to figure out what to do about the locket and how to find the horcruxes. Plus, Nick Cave and dancing. Some of that was really sweet and tense. I hadn't thought about it this way when I was reading the books, but tonight it reminded me of the Sam and Frodo sections of the Two Towers and Return of the King. Far less action oriented and more focused on the characters and how they keep going. Those were always my least favorite sections of LotR until suddenly they weren't. I can imagine how someone might think these sections of Deathly Hallows are just time filler and draggy, and I've read critics who seem to think so, but they really worked for me. And when it was all done I really wanted a beer, but alas, there was none, nor will be.
I know having said much had happened definitely implied I was going to tell what has been happening and implied so again in the title of this post. But I'm not going to tell much. There's both too little and too much. On the one hand there's not really been anything dramatic happening. I'm sure if you read back into other long term updates I've written you'll find almost the same elements as what I would say here or variants slight enough as to make no difference. I drive to and from Evanston every day listening to audiobooks and spend my day working. At home I watch t.v. I like, or read, or watch movies. I go to church, I spend time with youth and teach them about the Bible on occasion. I make lots of punnishing jokes and banter with Steve. Occasionally I go out and do something with friends. Occasionally I go walking along the Lake Michigan shore or watch a hundred geese fly overhead while hiking over glacial kames. It's not unheard of that there might be crazy improvisational dancing at a friend's birthday masquerade, or simultaneous prizes for sweetest and spiciest chili (same batch) at some other friends' party. Haikus happen sometimes, and even longer more thoughtful poems spring up and then don't get worked on. Maybe a friend's band releases an ep, maybe I go out for birthday pizza with only one new friend and no old ones. But it's not ever really dramatic except in that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and His mercies never come to an end. Day to day He speaks and calls and warns and blesses and disciplines and convicts and loves and in each moment is doing something as dramatic as creation and as small and quiet as a precise caesura. "God in the tiniest infinite detail."
And now having all gotten all Finked up, I'll try to contain myself and not start any fights at USO dances. And I'll open the package.
Ah, finally.
After all that I sit here waiting for Madman Mundt with nothing but the cries of fishmongers and a Barton Fink feeling in spades.
Truth be told it's really Glen Kaiser's Blues Heaven that's furnishing the cries. I'm rather disappointed to have found that I don't have any recorded contemporary Christian music that really matches Springsteen and the Sessions Band live in Dublin for exuberance. I need some Rez band.
I saw the new Harry Potter movie tonight. It may be my new favorite. It manages to catch the brooding frustrating feel of the book very well. It streamlines the story well hitting most of the high points and dropping most of the exposition. I'm anxious to be able to see the end of the story and watch the two parts together to see how they work as one story. I also curious how the second part will work out without the emotional layer of Harry's struggle for the truth about Dumbledore unless that quest will be included there. Despite the action and the slight heart attack in Godric's Hollow and pretty much in direct opposition to most of my Potter reading I think my favorite parts were the more character intensive scenes as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then Harry and Hermione, travelled the countryside trying to figure out what to do about the locket and how to find the horcruxes. Plus, Nick Cave and dancing. Some of that was really sweet and tense. I hadn't thought about it this way when I was reading the books, but tonight it reminded me of the Sam and Frodo sections of the Two Towers and Return of the King. Far less action oriented and more focused on the characters and how they keep going. Those were always my least favorite sections of LotR until suddenly they weren't. I can imagine how someone might think these sections of Deathly Hallows are just time filler and draggy, and I've read critics who seem to think so, but they really worked for me. And when it was all done I really wanted a beer, but alas, there was none, nor will be.
I know having said much had happened definitely implied I was going to tell what has been happening and implied so again in the title of this post. But I'm not going to tell much. There's both too little and too much. On the one hand there's not really been anything dramatic happening. I'm sure if you read back into other long term updates I've written you'll find almost the same elements as what I would say here or variants slight enough as to make no difference. I drive to and from Evanston every day listening to audiobooks and spend my day working. At home I watch t.v. I like, or read, or watch movies. I go to church, I spend time with youth and teach them about the Bible on occasion. I make lots of punnishing jokes and banter with Steve. Occasionally I go out and do something with friends. Occasionally I go walking along the Lake Michigan shore or watch a hundred geese fly overhead while hiking over glacial kames. It's not unheard of that there might be crazy improvisational dancing at a friend's birthday masquerade, or simultaneous prizes for sweetest and spiciest chili (same batch) at some other friends' party. Haikus happen sometimes, and even longer more thoughtful poems spring up and then don't get worked on. Maybe a friend's band releases an ep, maybe I go out for birthday pizza with only one new friend and no old ones. But it's not ever really dramatic except in that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and His mercies never come to an end. Day to day He speaks and calls and warns and blesses and disciplines and convicts and loves and in each moment is doing something as dramatic as creation and as small and quiet as a precise caesura. "God in the tiniest infinite detail."
And now having all gotten all Finked up, I'll try to contain myself and not start any fights at USO dances. And I'll open the package.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Posting Soon
Watch this space for future developments. I mean it. Just keep staring here until you see something. Then let me know what it was. Much has happened, as how could it not when I give a three month interval. That's like 131,000 or so minutes or a quarter the opening of Rent. Anyway, posts are impending. Keep watching. NO blinking!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Job for Another Year
In case you get your news about me here instead of on Facebook (not any more reliable a source), email, or in person, I was told this morning that I will be able to continue at the Northwestern University Library full time for another year. Huzzah!
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