Facebook Phenomenon

Recently I did a class presentation on the theological implications of Facebook and I've decided to fill y'al in on what I said.

The Facebook explosion seems to be a result of it meeting the intrinsic desires for individualism and community, within our present culture. By providing each member with a profile Facebook is meeting the strong yearning to be a unique individual. Our profile serves as our identity on Facebook, it represents who we are as individuals to the rest of the members.
While the profile serves to meet the longing for individualism, the networks we are integrated into (Friends List, Groups, and the initial network we join) create the framework for our community. The interaction through “walls”, notes, and comments gives the member a sense of being relational. This sense of relationship seems to be what solidifies the sense of community. Facebook serves as a kind of cyber pseudo-community. Rather than being one of the many, we are a vital part of this cyber society.
Individualism and Community are two ideas we find in Scripture as well. Throughout Scripture there seems to be a focus on individual’s and the role they play in the community. People such as Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah are Old Testament examples of this, while Mary, Peter, and Paul seem to be New Testament examples. In I Corinthians 12 Paul writes about the role the individual’s spiritual gifts play in the community of Believers. In the creation account of Genesis 2 God creates the individual, Adam, and in verse 18 we read, “The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." This would be another indication we, as human beings, are intended to be in community. The Hebrew people and the Church in Acts seem to be further biblical examples of God intending for people to be in community.
In recent years the Church has attempted to meet these desires through cell groups. These groups are intended to create fellowship and allow individuals to interact with one another on a more personal basis than what a Sunday morning service would allow. Youth group, men’s breakfasts, and women’s prayer meeting are just a few examples of other ways the Church in the past has, perhaps unintentionally, attempted to meet these needs.
The error the Church has made in addressing these needs, is attempting to meet them through programs. There are certain needs programs cannot meet because a program is purpose oriented. In programs people are not necessarily interacting because they want to, but because the program requires them to. For the individual seeking true community, this would seem to be a cheap supplement.
To meet these desires the Church needs to extend her thinking beyond programs and become genuinely interested in each other. Individuals need to be interacting outside the programs of the Church. People are seeking the type community that happens over a cup of coffee, on road trips, and during a barbeque.

A Long Long Island Lament

Yesterday the hockey world starred at their TVs and computer screens in numbness and shock. The unthinkable happened! Ryan Smyth was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the New York Islanders. For those disconnected from hockey Ryan Smyth was the icon of the Oilers' Franchise. Drafted in 1994 he has never played for any other NHL team. Now, Thursday night he will wear another team's jersey for the first time.

Unable to reach contract agreement and with 20 minutes left till the deadline, Kevin Lowe dealt away Smytty, as most Oilers affectionately call him, for 2 top prospects and 1 first round draft pick. To Oilers' fan this it was like trading Porsche for a 3 Ford tempos.

The whole ordeal reeks of underhandedness. Two months ago it was "leaked" to the media that the Oilers had not yet reached a contract agreement with him, which Smyth was blindsided by in a media conference. When asked about the situation, a stunned Smytty replied, "How did you find out about that?!" Quickly followed by, "We're not focusing on that right now! We're focusing on getting our team into the playoffs!" In the very same manner the media would be the one to tell Smyth he had been traded in the same manner. When a trade is done with class the General Manger or the players agent will tell him, not the media.

As details of how the events unfolded it came out Lowe had this trade in his desk drawer with the papers signed, in case they couldn't reach an agreement. Conversely, it is reported Smyth turned down a deal for 27 million over 5 years , which works out to 5.4 million a year, 100 thousand a year below Smyth's asking price (5.5 million/year). To put this in perspective the Calgary Flames just signed Tanguay, for 5.25 million per year. Tanguay does not have the grit and potentially is not as talented as Smyth, and is definitely not the face of the franchise. The manner in which these events unfolded leave the fans wondering if Lowe ever intended on re-signing Smyth or if he was trying to convince Smyth to play for the Islanders the rest of the season and the Oilers would resign him come July 1st.

A tearful Smyth addressed the media today, and as Oiler fans watched they had flashbacks to 1988 when another icon of the team and an icon of hockey, Wayne Gretzky, was sold to the Los Angeles Kings. Feeling betrayed once again, along with Oiler fans everywhere are wondering if there is any loyalty left in hockey. So often we hear about players having no loyalty to the team and now a player has been betrayed by a team who had his entire loyalty. Gretzky commenting on the trade said: "that's the nature of the game now". If Smyth is not re-signed by the Oilers July 1st, the next signature the Oilers may have is Kevin Lowe's on his forced resignation.

Through the tears Smyth spoke positively and respectfully of Kevin Lowe. Then he promised to do his best to win the cup, as an Islander, so he could bring it back home. This type of class is what will have this fans loyalty cheering for Smytty every game.

Ignorant Grace

If you're part of The Wesleyan Church you most likely heard a sermon on grace and sung some version of Amazing Grace in church this past Sunday. This was a denominational thing stemming from the soon release of the movie Amazing Grace. The movie is about the pivotal role William Willberforce and John Newton (the authour of the first version of the hymn Amazing Grace)played in the abolition of slave trade in Europe, which paved the way for the emancipation of slaves in the US less than half a century later. Those of you who know my passion for the civil war know why I'll be seeing it opening night.

Keeping with the theme of grace I'd like to address what I'll call ignorant grace, the unmerited favor we have no idea we have. Whether you prefer the term common grace or prevennient grace, ignorant grace includes them both.

Ignorant grace comes from a perspective that all humanity is depraved of any ability to do good, without God, and consequently is capable of horrific acts and left to ourselves we would and possibly could be far more depraved than we are. What I'm calling ignorant grace is God's active involvement in the affairs of the world through which he sustains humanity and guides us away from the path of destruction we would dispositionally follow, if it were not for God in his grace luring us away from it. Without God's active involvement, which is unknown to man, it is my belief that our world would have long ago become reminiscent of the 70s and 80s nuclear fallout movies and would lead to the ceasing of life on this planet.

As my msn tag said a few weeks ago: Man has only scrapped the surface of his depravity and merely glimpsed the Glory of God's Grace.

A Bifurcated Blog

It's been....well...A LONG TIME since my last post. I've most likely lost the majority of my readers, but hopefully they will find their way back. This is my first blog since arriving in B.C. and it comes as a result of two rather impacting moments in my life this week, hence the title of the post. One blog divided by two unrelated events, other than they both occurred this past week. For the sake of alliteration we'll call these two events "The Epiphany" and "The Empathy".

The Epiphany
I was at a party this weekend, which has become the tradition since arriving in B.C. annd some where between the lounging in hot tub and the "smores" around the fire I had this epiphanal moment. I realized the true reason I am loving my time in B.C. so much. It is the people I have met and who have adopted me as their own. Sure I'm still an East Coast Boy, and the plush toush of jokes, but I am considered one of them. A community of 20 somethings did not see me as the new guy who had to earn his stripes into their "clique". They simply accepted my UNIQUE personality and made every effort to include, rather than exclude, me.
As beautiful as the B.C. landscape is and as awesome of a program the MTS cap is, I think the luster of B.C. would have been dulled by loneliness if it were not for these friends who welcomed me into their lives.

The Empathy
This past Sunday Heather, another ACTS student from NB, and myself went into Vancouver to attend Jazz Vespers. In order to do so though we had to drive down East Hastings, which is the part of the city you're suppose to avoid. In fact when I was moving out to B.C. a former TWU student told me, "When you get there find out where East Hastings is, and NEVER Go there." Driving to Jazz Vespers we got a since of the reason for this advice. As we progressed along East Hastings the buildings became increasing run down and the amount of people living on the street became more plentiful.
After Jazz Vespers we made our trip down East Hastings, with dusk giving way to night. Seeing the people lining the street at the various shelters hoping to find a place to sleep for the night my heart grew more and more unsettled. At the point in which one might cry, not me though, I turned to Heather and said , "The only reason for me being on this side of car door is the family I was born into and a few life choices". The sobriety of the moment broke my heart as I realized I did not deserve the fortune of my family, nor did those lining the street deserve the misfortune of the streets.

Broken 4 U

Over the past year I have come to read I Corinthians 11 23-26 in a totally different manner. These 3 verses are an exert of Paul correcting the Corinthians on sacrement of communion. In verse 24 Paul quotes Jesus as saying, "this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." It is this phrase I have come to see in a new light.

I've always thought this quote was referring exclusively to the ripping and tearing of Christ's flesh as he endured the crucifixion. Then one night as I was taking communion I began to think about who "Christ's body" is. Every where's else, that I can think of, in Scripture when we read about "The Body of Christ" it is a reference to The Church.

So without trying to read something into Scripture that isn't there I think Christ was referring to two things in this sentence.
1. I would agree Jesus is referring to the shredding and tearing of his flesh that occured in the crucifixion.
2. I would like to suggest when Jesus referred to "my body" in this passage he was also referring to The Church.

The first reason I would suggest this is for the previous mentioned reason of everywhere else "The body of Christ" refers to The Church. The next reason would be context. In chapter 11 Paul has been correcting the Corinthians about proper worship and in the next chapter goes into the proper use of spiritual gifts and how they are for the edifying of "The body", referring to The Church.

So what are the implications if I am right that Jesus was referring to the church in this passage.
Well, if I am right (and I think I am or I wouldn't be writting this post) then we need to consider how different Translations translate the this verse.

The NIV translates this sentence as, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." which would mean we, The Church, are for each other.

NLT translates the sentence as, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.". This would mean we are given to each other.

KJV records the sentence "this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." .

I think the KJV translated this sentence the most accurate (I'll tell you if I'm right after I finish my Greek classes). I lean toward the word "broken" being the most accurate because Paul makes a point prior to this of saying Jesus broke the bread. So if we are Christ's body what does it mean for us to be "broken for you"?

I would like to suggest the deeper point Jesus was trying to drive home is when God breaks us(gets us to that place of "whatever you want Lord") it isn't soley for our personally "betterment", but it is for the edifying or betterment of the whole body.

In other words, the sanctification of the individual is for the rest of us too.

The 1 Percent

My current read is Ten Rules of Youth Ministry and why Oneighty breaks them all. In his introduction Blaine Bartel brings to light a shocking stat. Between 1910 and 1946 approximately 65% of the teens were reached for Christ. This time span is known as the Builder Generation and they are the first generation of teens to experience youth ministry.

Now fast forward to the 1977 to 1994 era. This is known as the Bridger Generation and they are the most current completed generation. In this generation only 4% have been reached for Christ.

Looking at this we can quickly do the math and see the 61% differnence between the beginning and the end of the 20th century. The obvious question is, "what happened?". I don't wanna ask the obvisous question though. Simply because "What happened?!" forces us to look back instead of forward. My question is "How do we make it 5%?" I wanna know how in this current generation we can improve 1%.

In the Bridger Generation 96% of the teens were not reached for Christ. Our ultimate goal needs to be to reach these 96%, however this is done 1% at a time. So how do we get our first 1%?

Hi Emily

At Beulah this year I met a teen who I seem to meet over and over again, Emily. Apparently I always seem to think she is someone else. She told me she reads my blog so I'm using my blog to say "Hi" and hopefully make up for thinking she was someone else.

While I was at Beulah my nephew asked me a tough question. We were talking about my move out west and my teenage nephew looked up at me and asked. "Uncle Dave , how come you always have to move so far away?"

I had to step back and think, "What does take me to so many distant places?". What makes me wanna travel to Virginia, Zambia, and soon British Columbia? Why aren't I content to just live in the same house I grew up, while ministering at my home church or to go to Nova Scotia for my Masters?

Mark Buchanan's book The Holy Wild helped me answer this question for myself. He also wrote Your God's too Safe and both of these books are very John Eldredgish in their subject and approach. The book is a pretty good read. It didn't revelotionize the way I see God or my relationship with him, but it did help strengthed both. Now to how this book helped me answer my nephew's question.

In the final chapter of his book Buchanan uses Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit as an illustration. Buchanan writes about how Bilbo's mother was a Took and his father was a Baggins. The Baggins were homebodies who played life safe, while the Tooks were adventurous. Bilbo struggles with being a homebody Baggins and an Adventurous Took and ultimately follows his Took nature and has the adventure of a life time.

Buchanan uses this to ilustrate how we all have a Baggins and Took persuasion inside us. This isn't an illusion to a dual-nature of good or evil, more so how we all have a desire to play it safe and to live the risk taking adventurous life. Most of us have found our place on the Baggins-Took spectrum, without realizing it. I have found my place on the spectrum with the Tooks. I love to try new things and if no one's done it before I'm more likely to do it. However, my Baggins forces me to look before I leap .These risks or adventures are only taken after thinking it over and trying to look at all thepossible scenarios,

In life we tend to embrace the Took or the Baggins in ourselves, on which side of the Spectrum do you find yourself?

Saving Superman

After 5 rewrites the 5th installment of the Superman Series was released last week. I consider myself a Big Superman fan. I don't have the pjs anymore and I stopped trying to fly off my roof, but Superman is still my favorite super hero.

In Superman Returns they attempt to resurrect the man of steel's legacy. I use the term "resurrect" because throughout the movie they insult our intelligence and continually slap us in the face with these "Christ Parallels". You think he's Jesus, WE GET IT!!!

Maybe they should have gone with a 6th rewrite, because all I found, besides the excessive and over the top Christ parallels, is a drug out plot and small pockets of actions. It's almost as if the directors changed midway through. The characters are re-introduced in interesting ways. Great rising action. The movie's goin' along nicely. Then there is a lack of any REAL climax and the movie dribbles off to the credits.

Along with a rewrite they should have done some recasting. Brandon Routh?! Come on now!!! Just because he looks like Christopher Reeves doesn't mean he can be Superman. Why not go with guys who have proven themselves as Superman on TV. Dean Cain isn't too busy these days. I'd even take Tom Welling over Brandon Routh (yuck). Kate Bosworth did well to keep the Lois Lane character consistent. I feel bad for James Marsden, who I have a feeling may have gotten himself written out of X-men (Scott Summers) so he could play this role of Richard White, Lois' boyfriend. James seems to do a great job playing the jealous boyfriend. Kevin Spacey played and excellent Lex Luther. His villainous humor along with Sam Huntington's portrayal of Jimmy Olsen made the movie endurable. There is also a scene where 1 of Lex's henchmen & Lois' son, Jason, play chopsticks, that brought some good laughs too. You can definitely say the movie was a good laugh.

Kryptonite is yet to kill Superman, but Bryan Singer & Michael Dougherty (screenplay), Dan Harris (director), and Brandon Routh (Superman) sure have him on life support. The sequel for Superman Returns schedule for release in 2009 has allot to overcome to return Superman to its place of prominence

Definition of Suck

In October we sat down with our teens and the parents to decided whether we had the finances to continue planning to attend Logos5. We decided the the finances were not there so we began pursuing Creation Fest as an alternative. Over the next few months we stepped up our fund raising and very successfully raised the money to go.

Sunday we had our final meeting with the teens and parents, where we went over the final things they would need and to field and final concerns. With everything in place we met tonight to load up the vehicles and get all the final paperwork. We had just finished packing the vehicles when we found out Creation NorthEast 2006 had been canceled do to large amounts of rain over the past 48 hours and the anticipated rain over the next week.

This was gonna be the biggest thing the youth had done in almost ten years. You could have cut yourself a big old piece of disappointment in the room after the news hit. So now we have to figure out how we're gonna make it up to the teens.

The Definition of Suck: When after 8 months of planning it all falls apart in 8 seconds.

Big News & Big Trips

The big news in my life is I'm moving across the country. From Coast to Coast. In 60 days I'll be flying to British Columbia to start my Masters work at ACTS Seminaries on Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.

Special Props go out to Jeremy Cummings, Aaron Perry, and Jay Major, who gave me advice on how to choose my Seminary. These guys have always saw the potential God has placed in me and encouraged me to chase God size dreams. Always with common sense and practicality in mind, right AP?!

My first classes are Introduction to Greek, Introduction to Hermeneutics, Believers' Church Theology, and Reseach Methods. I'm pumped about my classes, especially Greek & Theology. I've already learned my Greek Alphabet (thanks again AP).

I've found a place 10 minutes from the the campus. It's a really sweet townhouse with a gym and clubhouse all included. It also has cable and wireless internet access. I've included some pics to show you how sweet it is. Like something out of a magazine, I hope it isn't.

Tithing Times

Last year I was at a job where I was paid bi-weekly and I averaged between $350-400 a pay-period. In February (2005) God put a challenge before me. He asked me to start tithing $50 each pay in faith that he would increase my pay to a point where $50 would be 10%. I couldn't pay my monthly bills and I was geting behind, so he asks for more?!

Over the ensuing months I would tithe the $50 and my pay didn't get any better.I actually was losing money and getting even further behind in my bills. Six months later I got a new job and within the first 2 months of being at this new job my pay went up to a point where $50 was under my 10% tithe.

After I got the job I had forgotten about God's challenge and it's just been in the last month or so God said, "See?! Told ya!" I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but now I can pay my bills and I'm not constantly scrapping change together for a Tim's Coffee. I know we've heard prosperity preachers tell us time after time, "Give money and God will give you untold fortunes!" This is not what I'm saying.

Tithing is just another way God has shown himself faithful to me.

Faithful in the Everyday

This weekend I was looking for my keys, After I spent about 20 minutes looking for them, I quietly breathed these words, "God, please show me where my keys are". Two minutes later I lifted up a towel and there were my keys. Then the other day I was looking for my belt, so I again prayed, "God, show me where my belt is". Twenty seconds later, I see my belt laying on the other side of my laundry basket.

Back in high school I got in the habit of stopping for a moment when I can't find something and praying for God to show it to me. I'm not sure which pastor suggested this, but I know the idea didn't come from me. Over the years I have continued to do this, whether it was a piece of paper, my wallet, keys, or even socks, and every time without fail I have found whatever it was I was looking for within 5 minutes of asking.

I think it's amazing how God shows himself faithful in the little things. If this was a one shot deal I could credit it all to coincidence, but it's every time. There might have been 4 times that it went over 5 minutes, but I still found what I was looking for. Maybe it's psychosomatic, but I doubt I'm able to move objects with my mind to place them where I can find them. I tend to think it's more logical to believe an all knowing, loving and personal God cares about me enough that he leads me to look in certain places and prompts me to move certain objects because he cares about even the little things in my life.

Homesick

I just got back from spending the weekend with an old college roommate, Anton. We spent our last full year of Bethany together. Over that year we became more than rommates; we became "roommies". "Rommies" are roommates who do more than co-exist; they become good friends. During our year together we shared hurts and struggles and Anton's listening and offering advice helped me through that year. There were many times just seeing Anton come back from the TP (dorm) Chapel with his bible encourage me to get my butt in gear with my devotions. I don't think he has any idea how much he encouraged me.

Anton and I lost contact over the past few years, which meant I missed his wedding. Thankfully, over the past year we got back in contact and this weekend it was like we hadn't missed a day.

I had so much fun hanging out with him and his wife (Marilee is super fun) I wanted to move up there or get them to move down here. Then I realized if I did, or they did, I still would have friends who live far away and then I'd wanna move near them. Then I thought well everyone could move to me ( I am the center of the universe). Then I realized all the friends they would give up.

Some of my closest friends and how far they live away started to come to mind and I actually Googled the distances. So to give you an idea, here's a list of their approximate distances from me. If you don't appear on the list, I still love you.

Cummings- Aumsville, Oregon (6 000 kms)
Hancocks- Martins Creek, Virginia (1 800 kms)
AP- Johnson City, New York ( 1 200 kms)
Carters- Tidnish, Nova Scotia (220 kms)
Andy- Saint John, New Brunswick (20 kms)

Thinking about the restraints of time and space made me homesick for heaven. Not that I want to die or anyone else to. I'm just eager to be able to have true fellowship with friends who live so far away. I'm excited to know I won't have to jump a plane or drive down the Trans-Canada to see my friends. We will all live in the same metaphysical House. It'll be a big big house with lots and lots of rooms. With a big big yard where we can play football (believe me, there will be football in heaven).

I could go on, but y'al are probably tired of reading.

The Davidical Musicological Deali-O

Emo Evolution
A few of my teens talk about being emo. For those who don't know, "Emo" is a gendre of music that has also developed into a teen trend. When artists like Dashboard Confessional started paving the way for emo music, I don't think he intended on it becoming another arm of teen culture. I think he just had emotionally expressive music that didn't fit into the current music box. However, people have taken what started as music and injected it into every area of culture, until it evolved into this mutanous thing.
As I obsvere teens that are emo. I see the trend of emo being a "happy goth". Emo teens, who are guys, tend to wear eye-liner and fingernail polish, just like goths tend to. The clothing appears to be similar . The only difference I've seen are emo teens are allowed to be happy, whereas goths have to be more somber and depresed. The funny thing is emos tend to gravitate toward negative emotions, perhaps because they are easier to express and distinctive. In a time in our lives when we struggle to discover our identity being distinct is better than gold. Because negative emotions tend to be more plentiful in the subculture would seem to be the reason emo teens & goth teens appear to have the same style of wardrobe. Also, We're gonna notice the attire of an emo teen who expresses themself in dominant black colors over and emo teen who uses...say...neutral earth colors, which would mean there are probably emo teens who we don't even realize are emo.

R&B Confession
I have a dark history of secretly indulging in bands and artists that would not carry the most credibility with mainstream music fans. In the past I have been a fan of The Moffatts, I actually went to 1 of their concerts. I was a Britney, Christina, & Jessica fan before the were considered women of ill repute. I've always loved the '80s and finally lately I have become a fan of R & B music. I really have nothing to say in my defence. I like it.

Emotional Roller Coaster

Today, I have gone through a range of emotions. I'm finishing up the Poser book and as I read the book I began to struggle with a few things. I got really angry at the regulations imposed by the church and how we seem to set standards for receiving and maintaining salvation, that I would say are contrary to scripture.

Then I found myself irritated at myself because I tend to ascribe value and worth to people like their items I would buy or sell. "You're worth this much time!", "Don't bother me, I've got better things to do!", and "Oh no, they're coming my way!" are all thoughts I could have any given day.

At youth I became passioante as I talked to the teens about the "fellowship" (kind of ironic) we are intended to have with each other, God, and ourselves. The passion continued as I talked with someone I've come to call Barnabus, and a dear friend. We talked about personal holiness and the regulations of the church. While I was able to voice my frustration, I was also able to share my passion.

I went home tonight encouraged. Not because of what I had shared, but because Barnabus had brought out a passion I wasn't sure still existed. He silenced thoughts of doubt that nagged my heart.

Accepting Me

I was having a discussion with the Kool Aid Kid (from one of my previous blogs) about a book I've been reading and after sharing with I've decided to share with you.

I'm currently reading Posers, Fakers, and Wannabes written by Brennan Manning & Jim Hancock. This book is actually an explosion of a chapter you would find in another one of Brennan Manning's books, Abba's Child. The chapter in Abba's Child this book expounds upon is the chapter titled The Imposter.

In Posers, Fakers, & Wannabes Brennan tackles the oh so common dilemma we have of wearing different masks. He talkd about how we pretend to be one person here and another person there and how these different people we all pretend to be are just "The Poser" within us.

The Poser is the one who first protected us from the world, who would want to hurt us, by showing us how to hide our true self. Because of this we've come to trust the poser and lean on him to keep us safe. He is a distinct part of who we are.

Brennan does something I haven't seen many authros do. Instead of bringing us face to face with what we've done, he brings us face to face with who we are. He gets us to stare ourselves in the mirror.

Doing this has brought out some true honesty in my relationship with God. It's brought to light some of the thoughts and feelings which for the longest time have resided in the darkest places of my being. I've discovered thoughts and feelings I didn't even know I had, but have been at the roots of the other thoughts and feelings.

By facing the Poser and befriending him, instead of hating him, I am coming to love who I am. Rather than hating who I am being and desiring who I am suppose to be. Now the Poser and I are taking the journey together. Perhaps for the first time we are being sanctified rather than manufacturing the appearance of sanctification.

What the Blog?

So it's been two weeks and I haven't blogged about anything. This week I still don't know what to blog about. So this is me filling space so some of you have something to read when you stop by my blog.

Rich Mullins' Award

This last weekend the local Christian radio station had a tribute to Rich Mullins, a man who seemed to be an icon of Christ, in reference to simplicity. This blog also comes from some introspection and conviction, which showed over the last while I've been pretty Dave-o-centric. As a result, I've decide to use this week's blog to recognize three guys I met at Bethany who are neither ego-centric or materialistic.

Living in a dorm you get to see the sides of people you wouldn't see in the cafeteria, chapel, or classroom. You see how guys react when their clothes' soap is used without permission (ie. purple Kool-Aid), when the guys won't give up the TV for Smash Brothers, or the Geeks...I mean guys, won't give up Nintendo for the Playoffs. It's during these times when it seemed no one was watching that these guys' lifestyles and hearts seemed to reflect the same spirit as Rich Mullins.

Now in Rich Mullins' simplicity of life he most likely wouldn't have seen any need for an award or any recognition. He would have felt these guys are just living the way they are suppose to be and I'm sure these guys would feel the same way as Rich. The rest of us aren't quite as free from the materialism or self promotion, which is why they're getting the award and we're not. While these guys would probably blush and insist I was making a big deal over nothing, to the best of my knowledge none of them read my blog, so let's keep this our little secret.

The 3 guys I would say are deserving of the Rich Mullins' Award are:

Jason Major (Duffy Moon)
Dusty Crozier
Donnie MacDougal

Impact

In the last week I've been exposed to both sides of the impact we have on the lives around us.
In visiting Roanoke I discovered the scope and depth I effected peoples lives there. I thought after a few months I was a forgotten face or a whisper of a memory. As I ran into person after person they shared about how much they've missed me and wished I would come back.

I have to admit, it was nice that no one said, "Man, am I glad you left!Things are so much better now that you're gone." If anyone thought it they didn't say it or come even close to expressing that. When I left Roanoke I knew I was moving away from some great friends. What I didn't realize was all the hearts I touched while I was there. It's amazing the positive impact we have on people just by being ourselves.

Conversely, I'm also growing to realize the impact of sorrow we can have on people around us. A teen in one of our local high schools recently hung himself and it's overwhelming how it effects even people who didn't know him. For some I think it serves as a reminder of finity of man. For others it's hard to believe some one was hurting so bad and we never knew.

He had no clue the impact his one momentary decision would create. He never imagined the tidal waves it would create through the halls of his school, where he felt so unnoticed. He was well know and liked by most of the students and the popularity was no comfort to him.
If he knew the impact he had on those around him would he have hung from the ceiling that night?

Super Friends

Last Night I had potenially the night of my year!!

A family who I got really close to during the 3 months I lived in Virginia flew me down for a week, which included taking in Winterjam here in Roanoke. At Winterjam Hawk Nelson, my favorite band, played. It blew me away. I not only got to meet them, but I also got to talk to them and found out they sometimes visit Moncton and Jason wants to move to PEI.

I'm beside myself at how the Hancocks would give me such a great gift. I've never rocked it out so hard at a concert before. Now that the concert is over we get to share this memory. I also ended up on the local news, and hopefully the words I spoke God will use to promopt a heart to go to church this Sunday. At the concert 126 people committed their lives to Christ.

When I got home form the concert my Super friend, Jackie, called. We seem to grow closer with every phone call. For thos who don't know I'm dating a girl I met on the internet. We meet on a christian singles forum. Neither of us was looking for a relationship, single people just seem to be more talkative. Anyways, we talked as friends and a mutual attraction developed. WE spent 2 months REALLY getting to know each other asking the hard questions and then decided to start a dating. Best decision I've made since I decided to come on staff at River Valley.

These are my Super Friends who make my life even better than before!