First Post from the New Computer

I'm sitting at my desk, typing on a wireless keyboard, and the words are quite magically appearing on my laptop screen, set on a stand so that the screen is at eye level, thus avoiding a crick in my neck from constantly looking down. The switch from PC to Mac went quite smoothly, and I haven't yet regretted my purchase!

To be honest with you, tonight I'm tired and a bit discouraged. Driving standard is not going well at all. I went out to do an errand tonight, and almost didn't make it home. I never stall when there's no traffic around and loads of time, only when I'm at important intersections and there are people waiting. I've become intimately aquainted with the hazard lights on my vehicle.

I had a great afternoon yesterday. Rachel came over, brought her pictures of China, and helped my decorate our Christmas tree. We decided that it looks very much like a showroom or store tree. At any rate, it's beautiful. I do love the Christmas season. It's a break in the middle of winter (which I hate) that is filled with lights and joy and anticipation, family and friends, and lots of communing over great food. We should have seasons like this more often throughout the year. Rae brought me a beautiful journal from China, and a pair of chopsticks (because she says that everyone should have chopsticks direct from China!) I'm going to miss her when she moves at the end of the month. When that happens, I will be officially without close confidante type friends in Calgary. Sad. But, on the upside, I may make a whirlwind roadtrip to Vancouver at the end of the month in a rental mini-van to help Rae move. So that will be fun!

Church was nice this morning. Very reflective. To be honest (sorry Eric!) I didn't hear much of the sermon, because I was inspired to write. So, I wrote a bit for my book. Have I mentioned that I'm writing a book? Should be easier to find inspiring places to write now that I have a laptop. I've been having a hard time with being in Calgary the last while. In fact, I know that I need to get out, but the timing hasn't worked thus far. It's been hard to write here (evidenced by the fact that more than half of what I've written for my book thus far has been written on weekend trips out of town!). But, at least with the laptop I can pack myself up and go curl up in a coffee shop somewhere and write for a couple of hours. Maybe a change in scenery will help!

And with that, I'm off to do some reading and probably crawl into bed. Monday morning comes early (especially since I'm still taking the train) and I want to feel like I at least made the attempt to rest before tackling work for a new week!

Quoting Claiborne

I'm still reading "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne. I'm continually amazed when I pick up books that clearly articulate some of the things that I've been thinking about, or the things that are challenging me internally.

Now, here's the deal, I am far too selfish a person to happily live the kind of lifestyle that Clairborne lives. I value my possessions a bit too highly perhaps. I don't want to be arrested. But, I am challenged by Clairborne's thoughts anyway. And, I want you to read a couple of paragraphs that I read while I was laying in the bathtub tonight. They so clearly articulate some of the things I've been wondering about church for the last year - some of the things that were a catalyst in the recent switch I made in church communities.

He writes:

"The gospel is good news for sick people and is disturbing for those who think they've got it all together. Some of us have been told our whole lives that we are wretched, but the gospel reminds us that we are beautiful. Others of us have been told our whole lives that we are beautiful, but the gospel reminds us that we are also wretched. The church is a place where we can stand up and say we are wretched, and everyone will nod and agree and remind us that we are also beautiful.

...Community can be built around a common self-righteousness or around a common brokenness. Both are magnetic. People are drawn toward folks who have it all together, or who look like they do. People are also drawn toward folks who know they don't have it all together and are not willing to fake it.

Christianity can be build around isolating ourselves from evildoers and sinners, creating a community of religious piety and moral purity. That's the Christianity I grew up with. Christianity can also be built around joining with the broken sinners and evildoers of our world crying out to God, groaning for grace. That's the Christianity I have fallen in love with."

Seriously, people, you need to check out this book. Even if, like me, you could never manage to ascribe to the kind of lifestyle that Clairborne and his friends live out on a daily basis, you need to have your thinking challenged in this manner. You need to be inspired to make little changes in your lifestyle, by the stories of beauty that result from the big and little changes Claiborne talks about.

I fell in love somewhere over the course of the last year with a Jesus whose grace is scandalous. A Jesus who gives beauty for ashes. A Jesus who seems more interested in the sinners than in the morally pure. And along the way I've been told that I was crazy (literally, someone told me I needed counselling), I've been confused because I couldn't find this Jesus in some of the communities I was a part of, and I've been overwhelmed by the places and things I've found myself walking into because of this crazy, scandalously gracious lover of mine. But it's been worth it! Even if my life has been ruined!

Christmas Shopping

I think I'm going to do some of my Christmas shopping either here or here this year.

Particularly for my parents and grandma. I'd rather give them something that makes a difference in the world, than scrounge to find things for people that are hard to shop for anyway! Plus, I know they'll appreciate it! So, here's to giving goats and cows and pigs this year!

Fun new toy

I bought a new computer last night. A laptop. A Mac. I'm very excited.

I am, however, not writing this post on my new computer. I'm at work, without the new computer.

I think my dad may be more excited about the purchase than I am. We are now "Mac" buddies as he made the switch to a Mac last week. He called me at work a few minutes ago, something he never does, to give me an idea about how to make my transition between computers go more smoothly!

Okay, with that said, I'm off. I may not be blogging much this weekend, I'm planning to be quite busy. Decorating our house for Christmas, my brother's choir concert, transitioning computers, laundry, reading, and practicing driving a standard.

The Safety of Fear

I would like to suggest that the Church become a place of terror again; a place where God continually has to tell us, "Fear not"; a place where our relationship with God is not a simple belief or doctrine or theology, it is God’s burning presence in our lives. I am suggesting that the tame God of relevance be replaced by the God whose very presence shatters our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within. The Church needs to become a gloriously dangerous place where nothing is safe in God’s presence except us. Nothing—including our plans, our agendas, our priorities, our politics, our money, our security, our comfort, our possessions, our needs. (Mike Yaconelli, "The Safety of Fear," found here.)

I love this thought. Actually, I've loved quite a lot of the things Mike Yaconelli had to say. But this one caught my attention this morning. I was particularly captured by the lines I made bold. Wow! Very close to a number of other things and thoughts that I've been bumping into the last couple of weeks.