spiritual regurgitations

There is something comforting about this picture...

I just discovered this photo in my daily cruise through the blogs to which I subscribe...I looked at it several times.  Everytime I looked at it, there was a sense of peace and calm that came over me.  There is nothing better than having assurance and a presence in your life that give you the feeling that all will be "OK."  In our faith community, we just finished a three month study of the book of Revelation...craziness aside, the book's main proclamation is that God will have the final say in all matters that concern His creation.  The book begins with a snapshot of the glory of the Risen Jesus and ends with the words, "I make all things new...I am coming soon."  That's a huge promise when life goes crazy...I need that!  Daily, weekly, moment by moment.  Take a peek...how does this photo feel to you?

Easter Video for Fun...

Components of mDNA...

For friends who are living a Kingdom journey along with Vicky and me, Alan Hirsch has been a "online" friend, companion, coach and encourager. His books have prophetically spoken to 1000's across the globe and he has personally been used by the Spirit to be able to continue the pressing conversation of how followers of Jesus live the mission of God in today's culture and world. This video is really a compilation of a series of videos Alan did for the Verge ministry...the video outlines all of the components of "mDNA" (missional or mission-driven DNA) that needs to be implanted and realized within faith communities to be able to insure faithfulness to the call and commission of Jesus. I've posted it here for two reasons: one, there are leaders within my faith community in Washington state that I am leading through Alan's book, The Forgotten Ways. It is best to summarize the components of mDNA by simply allowing people to hear Alan describe them personally. The other reason is that it is simply good to do so...for any of you who haven't seen these components spoken of before, they are foundational in allowing the Spirit of God to release Kingdom potential into and through any gathering of Christ followers.  May the power of the resurrected Lord be released in and through us as we serve Him in our spheres of influence and relationships to HIS glory!

This pic says it all...

I love this..."herding cats" and God

Good AND prophetic!  I wonder if God feels like the problem with "Church" in the world has to do with the fact that every one of the local expressions (i.e. churches, denominations, etc.) feels like THEY are god...I can almost visualize a few angels ribbing each other and saying, "you know the real problem with the Church today is...it's like herding cats."  Then I can see them all LOL...unfortunately, the jokes on us at the expense of God's vision for the Kingdom.

Not sure about the "Hunger Games" flick...

I haven't read the books - OK, that's my disclaimer!  I just innocently wandered into the theater yesterday as a clean slate - not knowing what to expect, NOT knowing the storyline or characters, NOT knowing much except that it was great to be at the movie with Vicky and a couple of our close pals.  I love films...I really do.  I love to see divergent worldviews artistically portrayed...and although it has always been my experience that a film never reaches the scope, entertainment value and depth of a literary work, it is fun to see somebody with artistic vision take their best shot.  Subsequently, I have the books on my Kindle because, as a committed student of the culture (yeah, right) I feel I need to get my head around something that obviously is a cultural phenomenon.  I heard about the books at Christmas time...I kept seeing them at the "top of the best seller list" and I was curious...but I have a HUGE list of books I have "on deck" in my life (good ones too - including NT Wright's new book on the Kingdom of God, Bass' book on Christianity after Religion, a book on Gettysburg, etc.) so I bypassed the temptation.  To say the least, the movie got me curious...

All I can say is "bleak"...in fact, that's what one of my friends in our faith community and I talked about when we briefly discussed the film today - "bleak view of the world."  I must admit, the film is hard to watch...not much "redeeming" value unless you want to see authoritarianism, abuse, death, and discrimination played out for you.  I compare my experience of the film with what I felt after watching Schnidler's List...in fact, that isn't too bad of a comparison because the themes of the two movies are a bit alike - one historical and one apocalyptical.  If someone wants to see what totalitarianism is all about, take a gander at the Hunger Games.  I want to read the books  for one BIG reason...to catch more of the backstory of how the world got to be in the shape it is in as seen on screen.  I get a bit but need more information.  I tell you, left to our own devices...stripped of any shred of morality other than what comes out of the "mind" of a human being, you can see where the world could get this debased.  This is a world where life is expendable for the entertainment of the privileged masses.  The director of the film does a good job showing a world of "COLOR" versus a bleak world that has natural beauty but is "toned" in colors that are obviously less vibrant, alive and distinctive.  There is an extreme "duh" moment when you realize the differences in living between the "districts" and those in the city.  And the fact that the privileged watch a spectacled television show (reality show at that, with all the trimmings of a show we would watch - complete with manipulation, rule changes, etc.) about people who are being sacrificed for entertainment value smacks so much of what our culture is becoming.  

Like I said, I am going to start reading the books...there is a very noticeable absense of some human realities in the storyline...one of which has to do with anything having to do with a "God" figure (unless you look at an "exalted" ruler played by Donald Sutherland as some sort of human deity)...it appears that the storyline is really about human potential run amok.  And when "run amok" the end result is pretty bleak.  Oppression, obliteration of the world, slavery...it's all there.  

Here's something that was interesting to me - kind of a "raw" moment...when the film ended, I turned to my friend Tom (we went to see the movie, John Carter the week before) and I said to him, "well at least with John Carter we had a few laughs!"  This is not a funny movie...purposely so.  I think it is one to be pondered...one to be soberly viewed...with the question in mind, "can we really do this to ourselves?"  You know what...we can!  

That's the point, isn't it?

A Video worth watching...

Why would I post something like this? NOT what you think...

Ok, I'm a guitar player!  In fact, there were many years that a Marshall Triple channel combo was my "weapon of choice."  In fact, when I rig up my Mesa amp (which has a 30 watt output) and turn it on, there are aspects of that classic Marshall sound that I'm missing.  Now, I must tell you...I'm no amp purist.  Truth be known, I play my acoustic guitar more these days than my electric rig.  Oh, I have pals on the internet that EXCLUSIVELY play their electric rigs...Karl and Tim, you know who you are!  And yes, there are times that I'm envious...but I have accepted my lot in life and find joy in restringing my Martin or Taylor because I've been beating them to death for weeks.  So, a refrigerator designed to look like a classic Marshall stack, got my attention!  AND NO...it has nothing with the young lady who is being shamelessly used to sell something that TRUE guitarists would have chosen on their own...for me, a cute bunny rabbit or puppy crawling over it would have been just fine for me!  But you know what I mean...it is the amp and it is the useability is unmistakable.  So, before you jump to a conclusion and accuse me of "whatever", here's my quick reassurance to you - I like the refrigerator.  Really!  That's all!  Need I say more???

We all avoid it...responsibility

I saw this video this morning...and thought of you and me.  When it comes to taking responsibility for our lives, we have a plethora of choices - TAKE responsibility, run and hide (that M.O. has a long and storied history), blame (that too, long and storied history), or look for someone to take responsibility for us (mmm, the current M.O. of many people in our society and culture).  So, enjoy the video...put yourself in that "dog's paws" and then read an article I wrote a while back...isn't it time that we find ways to encourage people (starting with ourselves) to "own" our lives?  

R.I.P. Human Responsibility

Born: Beginning of Time. Died: 2012

A Funeral Homily by Robin Dugall

Grace and Peace to you through God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to admit, I haven’t known Human Responsibility (H.R.) in a personal and intimate way all of my life…but over the last number of years, we’ve built a very good relationship. It is my honor to be able to reflect with you over the next few moments as we talk about his legacy. For in one way or another, all of us have to confess honestly that HR has made at least a small impact on our lives. For many of us we would not be the people we are today without his illustrious influence…so, those of you who are here to honor his memory but you don’t know him that well, please forgive those of us who have known HR well as we become a bit indulgent with our recollections of someone who has made a life-altering impact on who we are today. H.R. had a bright beginning from the moment he was brought into existence. In other words, it was an illustrious start to a long life as HR was birthed as the twin sibling of H.F., Human Freedom. Both HR and his twin were born in a place called Eden. HR and HF started to grow and flourish as other creatures inhabited their world…a tender relationship was carved out between HR and HF and those who would become their close neighbors, human beings. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for these neighbors to start playing favorites when in came to the twins. It soon became more than obvious to HR that these humans much preferred HF…it was that relational damage that would go on to chart a specific and eventually destructive course in HR’s life as time went on. When his life journey began, the Creator put H.R. in charge of key decisions. He was a partner with human beings in taking care of the world and engaging in life-giving work that made life purposeful and enjoyable. HR gave these human beings a sense of value as they took him seriously and he taught them how the balance their relationship between the he and his brother. Then, in a pivotal moment that we all remember, two of HR and HF’s friends, did something that went on to test their relationship with the twins. As I briefly alluded to a moment ago, this moment in HR’s life would go on to be the defining moment for the rest of HR’s years on this planet. I don’t want to belabor a very trying and destructive time in HR’s life, but the decision that A and E made to actually start to abuse HR’s twin brother, HF, was the moment that forever hurt their relationship with HR forever. It would never be the same again…the moment HF was abused, A and E tried to avoid HR. They ran from him like he was an infection preferring rather new friends like Blame, Shame and Death. After a while, this story began to be tragically repeated over and over throughout HR’s life. He was the easy one to try to avoid…it was easy to pick on HF and get away with it because all anyone ever had to do was run away from HR and ridicule him. I don’t want to go and on about this – but let us suffice to say that HR’s life from that moment on became one of loneliness and desperation. All the years that HR was alive could have been best summarized by the word, “pain”. Every time his brother, HF was abused, which became an addiction for all of Creation’s creatures, HR was more and more isolated. Yes, he had some good friends…Confession and Repentance were close to HR but they too soon became the butt of jokes and appeared as “old school” or “old fashioned” to those who thought they knew better. Over the past years, Individualism, Excuse, and Relativism joined HR’s old nemeses Blame, Shame and Death as those who took precedence over the influence that HR desired to make on life. Apparently, they had slicker and more attractive personalities especially since H.R. was so old. Add that to the fact that HR was, frankly (we all know this) a bit forthright, cranky, and a bit of a pain to deal with, people slowly started to embrace new relationships. Over the last few years, HR experienced most of the debilitating effects of his loneliness. Governments with HUGE debts decided that they would be more popular to leave to that debt to future generations… famous people looked to their problems as addictions or psychological disorders which gave them permission to embrace Excuse rather than be HR’s friend…others would spend time with Blame looking to genetics, upbringing, the past, the color of their skin, ethnicity or place of birth rather than visiting HR. People learned from “Sponging off the System” and from “It’s your Responsibility not mine” and lastly from “You take care of Me” rather than give HR the time and attention he deserved. And friends, we all have to admit right here and now that we’ve taken advantage of him as well. Let’s face it, we all neglected HR and in so many ways, our lives are worse off because we didn’t spend more time paying attention to him and his message in our lives. For many of us, we’re stuck, dead on the inside and lifeless because new life always comes as a gift from God by way of a relationship with HR. HR passed away from a broken spirit over the last several years. His deteriorating influence and health finally caused him to succumb to deadly forces that sucked the life out of him and left him a lonely, broken, and empty shell. I must say, that I wish there were more like HR in our lives…we needed him and he was the first person we ignored. Heaven forgive us…and may we find some way to honor the legacy and memory of Human Responsibility at some time in our lives!