East Bank, WV Mission Trip
I leave [early!] tomorrow morning for a mission trip to East Bank, WV. I’ll be accompanied by 21 young people from our church and five other adults, and we’ll be helping with various service projects around that community: home improvement, painting, yard work, and the like.
This will be my first trip of this kind, and I’m looking forward to living out the second greatest Commandment of loving our neighbors, and living out my faith by being a very real example of love to the people we encounter.
Please keep our group in your prayers over the next week!
The mission trip T-shirt pictured was designed by Brian Ramage. Check out his site at www.BJMRamage.com.
My Take on Google+
I’m an early adopter of all things internet (I was on Facebook when you still had to be a college student to register) and—now that I’ve been using Google+ for almost a week—I think that it’s high time I throw my two-cents’ worth into the vast arena of opinions surrounding industry giant Google’s latest big thing on the web.
For my readers who aren’t technology nerds like myself, I should explain that Google+ is simply Google’s answer to social networking. The “+” in the name is indicative of the strategy behind Google+; Google sought to make it an extension—or an addition, if you will—to their myriad existing services (which include Picasa for photos, YouTube for video, Blogger for blogging, and even a Twitter clone called Buzz, among others). Google+ is currently invite-only during a period of limited testing.
my Google+ presence
For the sake of full disclosure, I need to admit that I’m something of a Google devotee: I’ve used Gmail for the past 5+ years, I use Google Apps for multiple web sites that I administrate, and I’d be lost without my Android-powered mobile phone. (I even blogged on Google’s Blogger service before installing WordPress on my own site.) Now that that’s out of the way, I can start my review with a clear conscience.
Google+ is based around a “Stream”—which is nearly identical to Facebook’s “News Feed”—and this is one of the reasons I really love Google+ so far, and why I see real potential in this service as an alternative to Facebook. There are no individual walls on which to write comments directly to other users to whom you are connected and the Stream centralizes activity and—for my purposes, at least—makes the entire service more conducive to sharing interesting links to blogs, tech articles, and the like. That is primarily how I use Facebook now, so it's nice to have a more simple option other than Twitter (which is far too basic and limited for my purposes). After explaining it to my mother-in-law, she asked if it was like Twitter, but with more space to write. I think that’s a good analogy that captures the simplicity of Google+.
Another oft-touted Google+ feature is Circles, a quick and easy way of organizing connected users into groups. The developers realized that many of us are linked by social networks to a wide spectrum of people, including personal friends, co-workers, folks from church, followers of our blogs, and many more. Circles offers an intuitive way of grouping people into categories—friends, family, acquaintances, etc.—and sharing any link only with specific groups (and the interface is easy on the eyes, too).
There are also a few other additional features which I haven't explored very thoroughly. Sparks allows you to enter various keywords for topics that you find interesting, and then pull up a list of recent web content that matches these keywords. Hangouts offers group video chat; I don’t see myself ever using this feature.
So far, I’m happy with Google+, but find myself longing for just a few of the features I’ve gotten used to using Facebook. I’ll continue to use the service as it grows, and I’m excited to see what new innovations the future holds. The public launch is July 31st; after that date, we’ll truly see how relevant Google+ really is.
The Way 2011
Jason Chaillou
This weekend, Starr and I had the opportunity to attend The Way 2011, a two-day conference at Mt. Zion UMC in Bel Air, geared toward young adults, loosely defined as “18 to 30-ish.” The event was organized by Jason Chaillou, a friend of ours who also had the vision for The Firewall (that church’s Sunday night “modern worship service”), which Starr and I gladly attend as frequently as we’re able.
Friday’s program was a 90-minute session of worship with Medias in Res (The Firewall’s house band) and Keith Stewart, Chaillou’s friend from seminary who came up from Virginia to help lead worship for the weekend. This immersion into worship was a great way to start the weekend, and really helped to prepare our hearts for what God wanted to do in and through those of us who were in attendance. It’s unfortunate, but we don’t often have the opportunity to devote that much time to singing God’s praises; it’s important that sometimes that be the only thing on our agenda.
Keith Stewart
Saturday morning, the conference started bright and early at 9am, and Keith was joined by his wife Jamie; the two of them opened the day with some beautiful acoustic worship. Medias in Res also played several times throughout the day. Jason Chaillou and Chris Dather both offered teaching centered around John 3:16—specifically the application of Jesus’ statement that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; each of the three teaching sessions focused on one of those three aspects. The two interwove their messages seamlessly, and it was quite a surprise to learn later that they hadn’t done much collaboration or note-sharing beforehand. This was also one of Dather’s first times speaking in front of a crowd, but one wouldn’t know that simply from the delivery of his message.
The crowd was somewhat small, but Jason opened the weekend by reminding us that God repeatedly did great things with the remnants of the nation of Israel, and that He is doing great things today with the remnants of the Christian community that we represent. Overall, it was a welcome opportunity for us to be spiritually refreshed, encouraged, and to be ministered to, and Starr and I are looking forward to The Way 2012!
I took a couple of videos of Keith Stewart’s performances (one with his wife Jamie), which I’ve uploaded to YouTube. This was the first time I’d used the video capability of my Canon EOS 7D digital SLR, so I apologize for the occasional hazy focus. You can view them here and here.
The Times That Try Men’s Souls
THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
With these words, Thomas Paine begins his series of tracts entitled The American Crisis, concerning the American Revolution, and some of the most powerful words uttered by any of our nations “Founding Fathers.” Those in America who yearned for freedom from the unjust rule of England faced a formidable struggle, but the rhetoric of Paine and others helped to convince them that it was a worthwhile fight, spurring them to action and ultimately ensuring that the colonists would be free to shape their own destiny.
I always like to read from the works of Paine and others before Independence Day, and yesterday morning before church, my attention was caught by that second sentence: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” And indeed, the variation on that statement holds true, as well: “Hell, like tyranny, is not easily conquered.” Of course, Paine doesn't stop there; he continues with encouragement. As often happens, God tied things together neatly when my pastor preached a sermon later in the morning entitled “The Righteous Few,” a message offering encouragement in the fight we face as Christians in modern-day America.
Though the situation often seems dismal, we must remember that we have the very Spirit of God in each of us: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV). In this fight, Christians have an advantage the colonial revolutionaries did not. My pastor reminded us this morning that Jesus changed the world with just twelve disciples; God often works through “the righteous few.” And finally, may we be encouraged today that—like the patriots who fought for freedom from British oppression—our lifelong struggle and spiritual battle will all be worthwhile, for that which we fight for is something glorious indeed.
Loving Our Enemies: Even Osama bin Laden?
I learned Sunday night, via a late-night visit to Facebook before bed, that Osama bin Laden—leader of the terrorist organization responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center—had been killed. The myriad comments from the folks to whom I’m connected on Facebook ranged from happy to downright ecstatic. Justice had been served, to be sure, but the euphoria was of a far greater magnitude than I’d expected. A local radio station informally polled visitor to its web site, asking the question, “What should the U.S. have done with bin Laden's body?” (bin Laden was buried at sea). The majority voted that his head should be displayed on a pike at the Brooklyn Bridge. And, if you’d asked me the same question Saturday before the announcement was made that Osama had finally been killed, I’d have most likely agreed. But I found something very disconcerting about the reaction to the news of bin Laden’s death.
Justice, I think, is a concept with which I have a great deal of trouble grasping. To reiterate, I see the justice in the killing of Osama bin Laden. At the same time, though, I'm forced to ponder the tricky question of whose responsibility it is to mete out that justice. I also have to face head-on the fact that—if Osama deserves death and an eternity in Hell—so then, do I. I have been saved from that fate by my faith in Jesus Christ as my savior, but gloating over the fact that Osama is dead—and thus has no more chances to escape damnation—just doesn't seem like the right way to honor the gift of salvation that I’ve received.
One of the most glorious aspects of God’s character is that He loved us “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NIV), and continues to love us even as we screw up and turn our face from Him again and again. Sufjan Stevens’ haunting song about serial killer John Wayne Gacy, Jr. ends with the singer’s convicting introspection: “And in my best behavior, I am really just like him. Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid.” Stevens offers a painful reminder that, despite my best attempts to be pious and serve God, I am no more righteous than anyone else, even the most deviant, gruesome mass murderers. So, it certainly doesn’t seem “just” or “fair” that God loves Osama bin Laden as much as He loves me... until, that is, I remember that my sins have separated me from God to as great an extent as did bin Laden’s. If bin Laden doesn’t deserve to be forgiven, than neither do I. If bin Laden deserves an eternity in Hell, than so do I. But for the grace of God, I’d burn with bin Laden. So I find myself mourning the fact that he never knew the grace and love that I know, rather than celebrating the fact that he never will.
Jesus himself, while hanging on the cross, prayed for his tormenters: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NIV). I can’t help but think that my attitude toward bin Laden’s death should match more closely that of Jesus on the cross. I can’t say that I ever prayed for Osama while he was alive... but, now that he’s dead, I find myself—in many ways—wishing that I had. And I’d be lying if I said that didn’t shock me to some extent.
What do you think?
“Seven Stanzas at Easter” (John Updike)
Make no mistake: if He rose at all
it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse, the molecules
reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the Church will fall.
It was not as the flowers,
each soft Spring recurrent;
it was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled
eyes of the eleven apostles;
it was as His flesh: ours.
The same hinged thumbs and toes,
the same valved heart
that–pierced–died, withered, paused, and then
regathered out of enduring Might
new strength to enclose.
Let us not mock God with metaphor,
analogy, sidestepping, transcendence;
making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the
faded credulity of earlier ages:
let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché,
not a stone in a story,
but the vast rock of materiality that in the slow
grinding of time will eclipse for each of us
the wide light of day.
And if we will have an angel at the tomb,
make it a real angel,
weighty with Max Planck’s quanta, vivid with hair,
opaque in the dawn light, robed in real linen
spun on a definite loom.
Let us not seek to make it less monstrous,
for our own convenience, our own sense of beauty,
lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are
embarrassed by the miracle,
and crushed by remonstrance.
—John Updike, “Seven Stanzas At Easter,” 1964
Honeymoon Redux
rear of the estate house, facing Calvert Creek
This morning, Starr and I will set off for southern Maryland, to spend five days and four nights at Woodlawn Farm, where we spent our honeymoon. Woodlawn is a bed & breakfast on a 180-acre historical estate in Ridge (just a few miles from the southernmost point in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay's western shore) with a mile of waterfront along Calvert Creek (and a fantastic view of Calvert Bay just beyond).
The front of Woodlawn’s 18th-century estate house
The estate house on the property was built ca. 1798, and was featured on a past episode of HGTV's If Walls Could Talk. The innkeeper, Jim Grube, is perfectly suited for his work: an outgoing, charismatic man who can hold a conversation about anything (and one heck of a chef, to boot). We chose to stay in a small cottage separate from the main house, mainly because it has a full kitchen and living area as well as a bedroom. Staying in a suite like this allows us to stay in, relax and enjoy each others’ company (not to mention eating meals in to save money).
Starr LOVES this kitchen
Many—including my own parents and parents-in-law—say that my wife and I are “old souls,” and we really can't argue. For one thing, we will always choose a quiet bed-and-breakfast over a bustling city or a beach resort. Both of us enjoy nature, museums, and historical architecture above most anything else.
To be sure, a large part of this can be attributed to our respective parents, for instilling in both of us a love of learning and a respect for the past. Because of this love, Woodlawn is a perfect place for us to stay, being located as it is very close to historic St. Mary's City, “the site of the fourth permanent settlement in British North America, Maryland's first capital, and the birthplace of religious toleration.” A project is underway to rebuild the city's Brick Chapel of 1667, and we are excited to see what progress has been made since we were last there a year ago.
sunset over Calvert Creek (view from Woodlawn's pier)
Last time around, Starr became... shall we say, “annoyed”... with me on several occasions, because I have a tendency to walk around with my camera glued to my face. While that gorgeous sunset to the left was taking place, for example, I was snapping away, trying to get the perfect shot of it, rather than just enjoying it with my wife. When I get like that, I don't talk much... or really pay attention to anything else at all. This year, I don't think this will be much of an issue; I've come to realize the importance of spending time with my wife and making sure that I'm not sucked into my own little world of photography. We're going to plan out the week a bit beforehand, and make sure that we strike a balance between sight-seeing and spending time focusing on reconnecting with each other. (Also, I bought Starr a camera a few months ago, so she’ll surely have it glued to her own face, at least part of the time.)
From Woodlawn, we'll be heading directly to Metro Maryland Youth For Christ's Impact conference in Ocean City, Maryland, to spend the weekend chaperoning, volunteering and hanging out with thousands of high-schoolers. More on that next week (assuming I survive)...
One-Year Wedding Anniversary
Today, my beautiful wife Starr and I celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary.
I won't lie; living with each other took more than a bit of getting used to. You see, we chose to do things the “old-fashioned way,” and didn't live with each other until after we were married (both of us feel very strongly about the sanctity of marriage, and that it is a commitment—indeed, a covenant—that is not to be entered into lightly). So, as much time as we had spent with each other before we were husband and wife, we discovered that we weren’t exactly prepared for spending every waking moment together.
We couldn't have done it without making a firm commitment, and I believe that the failure to do so is the single greatest reason that so many marriages fail today. From my experience, the vast majority of people see marriage simply as a more serious version of dating. What that means, in practice, is that marriage is an agreement—binding only until it is no longer convenient for one or both parties involved—which can simply be dissolved if “things don’t work out,” if two people are no longer “in love,” or should they “fall out of love.”
Christian marriage, though, involves approaching the institution with a completely different paradigm. The love that the commitment is based on must be a choice, not simply a feeling. When things get tough, when problems arise, when the newness of your spouse wears off, there has to be something there to hold on to. There must be a genuine commitment.
Inside our wedding bands, my wife and I had inscribed,“Eph. 5:22-33” to remind us always of the instructions found in these verses:
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:22-33 (NIV)
Here, Paul calls spouses to love each other as Christ loves for the Church; we know Christ’s love for us to be undeserved, unconditional, and unending. We are called, then, to an extremely high standard (and an impossibly high standard, some might argue). As selfish as I am, that’s a difficult thing to wrap my head around, but I try my hardest (most days) to live up to that instruction. And, after a year of trying to learn to love like that, I find myself all the more in awe of how Jesus Christ loves me—and you—with neither condition nor condemnation, perfectly. That is my standard; that is my example. Is it yours?
Cohabitation vs. Commitment
A couple of weeks ago, Starr and I were sitting in on a Bible study for high school students, on the topic of purity. At one point, the discussion turned toward dating, and almost all of the participants had personal anecdotes of family members (and, for the adult couple leading the study, themselves) who had known each other only a short time before being married. This raised the question: Why, with much shorter dating or courtship periods, did so many more marriages in years past result in longer-lasting unions than marriages today. This is curious, because this doesn’t really make sense, according to today’s conventional wisdom, which says that one of the secrets to a lasting marriage is making sure that you’re compatible with your partner (by living together for a while before marriage, for example).
About two-thirds of American couples today live together before they are married, and about 60% of Americans believe that cohabitation is the best way to establish a successful marriage. The late Dr. Charles E. Cook of Mountain Christian Church, who passed away just a few weeks ago, put together a great primer on the topic of cohabitation before marriage, which the church provides as a free resource on their web site (download the PDF here). In this pamphlet, Dr. Cook reveals a lot of surprising data, including the fact that, according to one study, cohabitation before marriage increases the risk for divorce by a staggering 46%. This flies in the face of the popular notion that living together somehow benefits a marriage. Cook matter-of-factly states, “The blunt reality is that no positive contribution of cohabitation to marriage has ever been found by any research.” He then goes on to speculate why this may be true; one suggestion is that, while marriage is based on a strong ethic of commitment, cohabitation relies on something else entirely. The difference, he surmises, is between two types of relationships: contractual and covenantal. In the former, Cook explains, “the individuals are ordinarily focused on their own personal autonomy – their personal interests, desires, and concerns.” Marriage represents the latter, though, and is focused on the best interests of the other person. Certainly, this fundamental difference in our attitudes toward marriage must have something to do with how well the relationship endures time and trials.
Continue reading...Engagement photos: Laurie & Sean
My wife Starr and I had the great privilege to take photos last weekend for some of our best friends, Laurie and Sean, who were just engaged in December. We met early in the morning and headed down to the Federal Hill area of Baltimore, where we took some shots outside of the American Visionary Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The skies were gloomy and gray, but we made the best of it, relying on a fill flash to augment the existing lighting in most of the shots. This was Starr’s first time working with models, and she did a great job. It was also our first time working as a photography team, and I think our styles complement each other perfectly and give us more versatility and creativity than either of us would have by ourselves. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day:
Head over to my wife’s blog to see more photos from the shoot.
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