So, I've been harrassed long enough and I guess it's now time to explain the extended absence from the BLOG (and update everyone on how it's going "living at home & away")!

Let's start with the update:
We have both been rather busy recently (mnostly with work) - which bothers us! Those of you who know us well, know how committed we are to living simply and at a healthy "pace" of life. Well, unfortunately we have fallen into a groove recently that has removed much of the margin that we worked so hard to create during the 2nd half of '05. We are currently working hard to re-establish healthy boundaries and margin...

Jamie is doing well and still enjoying her job as a "Family Support Specialist". Recently she has started taking classes on Tuesday nights that are going to prepare her to be a qualified Doula. For those of you (like me) who have no idea what that is - basically, a Doula is a "Birthing Coach" who supports, helps and coaches women through the childbirth process. For more detailed info and specifics check out: DOULA

I have been far more busy with the Church and ministry since the Christmas & New Years season. I am currently fully engaged preparing for a crazy summer of Student Ministry opportunities. Some of the highlights include: taking a trip with the graduating seniors during the first week of June; leading a team of 12 on a short-term mission trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina in June; planning, preparing and leading our summer camp - iGNITE in July; and preparing to mentor and strategically invest into a couple of interns coming to Eagle for the summer (1-2 in Student Ministry). I'm really excited about all of this stuff - but right now am kinda feeling the pressure and "weight" of all the admin & details that need to happen NOW in order for these experiences to be a WIN this summer.

Aside from all that, we bought a house in late January (pics to come soon!). That's about it in a nutshell... any questions? (j/k)

Now for the "explanation"...
There really isn't one! Well, that's not entirely true. I have been spending a lot of time thinking and reflecting upon how "healthy" this whole BLOG-world really is. Let me explain - I have found so many of the students that I lead involved heavily with online blogs, journals and especially myspace. I'm not necessarily saying that all this stuff is wrong or bad, I've just been questioning it because I find that people reveal so much stuff online (there seems to be little to no "boundaries" or "limits" to what people are willing to share).

Why is this a problem? Well, I think that (1) we don't consider just how "public" the whole online blogging, journaling, myspace is. (2) I have a problem with people being so extreme in the vulnerability with an online community of people whom they have little to no trust built (and often times barely know the other person). I have talked with enough students and young people to know that this goes on... they tell me how openly they chat with a certain friend online, but then when they see them in person (at school or wherever) they don't even talk to them. What's with that??? I don't fully understand it - but I think that there is something potentially harmful in developing such relationships... is it really helping us to become a better person???

Obviously there are safety risks also when it comes to revealing personal information online, but I don't want to dwell on that. I have been more bothered with trying to understand the value of these "synthetic" online relationships that develop so quickly. Maybe I'm just too old-school, but I think that there is something important and significant about the way that relationships develop in person. We don't just open up ALL areas of our lives to someone the very first time we have a conversation with them - we need to develop a sense of trust and acceptance first (knowing that we have found a "safe" person)... and I believe this can only happen over time. Spending time with someone - hanging out, chatting, whatever is where we begin to gain that sense of trust (or lack of trust) and as this begins to be established, then we arrive at a place where we are either more or less willing and comfortable to devulge more personal and confidential parts of who we are. Because of this, I wonder if we are actually hurting, even violating some basic principles of relationship when we immediately jump to complete transparency with someone online who we never intend to have a personal relationship with...

Then again, I could be wrong... Just some thoughts - for what they're worth!

Come back soon - and you WILL find a new post... I PROMISE! (and you can expect to find all of my deepest, most vulnerable confessions)
Clint.

HAIRCUT!!!

Here's some before and after shots of my latest haircut... Jamie's sister Joni did an amazing job...
I decided that it was time for me to "lose-some-weight" before summer hit... PEACE!



 

VICTOR!!!

Last night I had one of the most memorable experiences of my life...

As a musician and bass player, I don't know how I will ever be the same again...

I went to The Music Mill here in Indy to attend a concert... VICTOR WOOTEN is his name! For those who don't know, he was really launched and positioned as a bass player while playing with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones... This was an all-round amazing experience... The venue was sweet, the sound was possibly the BEST live-mix I've heard (a big deal when your Dad is an Audio Engineer), and the musicians were PHENOMENAL!!!

The show started out with Victor and his "Soul Circus" tour band (including Derico Watson on drums etc.) and then later concluded with the 5 Wooten Brothers all playing together - for the first time in almost 20 years. Regi, Roy, Rudy, Joseph and Victor Wooten... GOOD STUFF!!!

Finishing Well...

I have struggled for some time now with the idea that because I work and serve as a "pastor" and in ministry, I am responsible for having something to say... Some nugget of wisdom, advice, insight, encouragement, inspiration, motivation etc. Needless to say, this has not always "gone well"... Several (recent) situations come to mind that cause me to realize that I really had very little to offer someone in light of all that they were facing...

Sure, I found comfort in the fact that I'm young and don't have it all together yet, and that people maybe didn't even "expect" for me to have any concrete response for them etc. etc. etc. the list could continue... What I find interesting about all this is that it really didn't cause a change in the way that I felt - I still felt the pressure that I was supposed to be that source of wisdom, advice, etc. for people... Well, as I prayed about it more and more I sensed God telling me that I was missing the point! Right now, instead of seeking great insight for other people, I need to be developing integrity and character that can sustain a lifetime of ministering and serving people... I know that like me, you've probably heard this over and over again - but for whatever reason, it really hit home for me last week!

In light of my life, when the day comes that I breathe my last breath here on earth I want to have finished well... not talking about the ministry - rather the FAITH! Often when we in ministry talk about finishing well, we simply mean that we might avoid falling into "moral failure" of sorts (cheating, dishonesty, sexual immorality, stealing etc.)... Sadly, I see many people who have managed to avoid all these things and more and yet I would suggest failed to finish well. I am talking about how people wind up still as faithful servants and ministers to God yet underlying their ministry is a stream of bitterness, resentment, frustration and pain from years of passivity or whatever. I pray that my life might be marked by a Godly perspective that results in joy, passion, excitement and enthusiasm to love God more, love people more and love life more... no matter what phase/stage of life I am in! I think that a KEY to that is developing healthy boundaries and inner-life character that will guard and protect these things I treasure most...

Bored, Disengaged... BUSY!

So my thoughts recently have been diverted from my previous post. I have been in dialogue with different people about how we notice perhaps the general trend in our local church is that people are generally just "bored" spiritually... You know, there seems to be a lack of growth and change and when these topics come up in conversation, they are quickly pushed aside to make room for the REALLY IMPORTANT and EXCITING topics of conversation... (like the COLTS: 9-0!!! GO COLTS!)

However, I have been thinking about why people would be bored spiritually... This has been difficult and tough on me as a Leader and Pastor in a local church setting - because the natural thought progression will inevitebly wind up back looking at leadership. Is it my fault? Are people I lead "under-challenged" spiritually speaking? Or even worse, have I drifted into presenting Christ, WHO He is and HOW He calls us to live as something that is in fact boring??? TOUGH STUFF!!!

I have come around to the realization that maybe it's not so much of the above (i.e. being under-challenged) and maybe just more a case of boredom resulting from living "disengaged". I don't really know a better way to say this, but I am noticing more and more that people are sitting in a service, serving as part of a ministry team, mentoring students, giving to those in need etc. without being totally engaged... Has it become so comfortable and normal for them that it is nothing more than routine??? I don't know... But it seems that when it comes to observing spiritual formation in the life of an individual it obviously necessitates their being ENGAGED (thinking, processing, questioning etc.) right? SO again, do the prior questions still apply... like have I presented godliness and following Christ in ways that cause people to disengage??? TOUGH STUFF!!!

I don't know that this is entirely true, but I wonder if we are all soooo busy in the ways we schedule and live our lives that we really allow no room to be engaged on these kinds of things... What I mean is that it is not uncommon for us to meet the demands and stress placed upon us in the workplace by disengaging in most other areas of our life - i.e. family, church, relationship with God etc. I wonder if our "jobs" drain us (physically, emotionally, and mentally) to the point that we really have no margin left to engage in a conversation about spiritual things - let alone stay engaged and allow someone else's thoughts/teaching impact and really apply to MY life... Are we all just too tired??? I don't know... its just a thought!

What do you think?

"Christian Baggage?"

Today I finished reading "A Generous Orthodoxy" by Brian McLaren. This book was great for me and has left me thinking... a lot... and sifting through my own religious "assumptions" and "baggage". I really do want to become more clear on what is truly "of God" and the TRUE Gospel (according to Jesus Christ) and what is nothing more than my own assumptions - which are largely the result of the westernized "Christian Culture" in which I was raised.

I don't want to sound hyper-negative or totally bash Christianity, but neither do I want to just idly and blindly accept the "culture" of Christianity as being critical and crucial to faith... What does all this mean? Let me give you an example...

One thing that I have been really thinking through these past 2 weeks has to do with the way Christianity is viewed throughout the world by different people/s, culture/s, religions etc. Christians tend to look back on our heritage with fondness... Recalling "the good 'ole days" has become a favored past-time for many. Unfortunately we are not viewed in this same light by the rest of the world - because those "good 'ole days" were filled with violence, hatred, prejudice, arrogance and an overall conquering/crusader-type spirit displayed by these so-called Christians...

Sadly, for many years the missionary method employed by the Church was: Capture, Conquer & Conform. They came in and took control by force... usually imposing "western" culture and civilization upon people groups who maintained their own history, tradition and culture - in some cases far richer and more significant than that experienced by these Christians...

This line of thinking led me to dwell upon several questions...

1. To use the cliche': "What would Jesus think/do"???
2. Was this entirely wrong? Did they even really understand or realize what they were doing?
3. What effects of this are still felt today? (McLaren suggests things like the language we use and the thoughts/images it implies to those NOT from a Christian background... E.G. "WIN the lost"... "TAKE this nation for Jesus"... etc.)
4. What other things from our faith may be needlessly OFFENSIVE to other people/s? Are they ESSENTIAL? i.e. are they TRUE doctrine and essential to faith, or are they merely part of the "Christianized Culture"???

I don't know why I decided to post all of this... Just thoughts that I've been living with recently. I guess that I have really struggled with this "exclusionist" and "exclusive" mindset that seems so prevalent throughout the Church. When I look at Jesus, I see far more "inclusion" than I do "exclusion"... why is that? Furthermore, we are so quick to avoid and run from people of other religions, when the very tenants of the Church were often formed "in dialogue" with people and influences from other religions and belief systems (Judaism, Greek mythology etc. etc.) - in my opinion this is what helps us to solidify and gain clarity on what we believe and why we believe it. Not in some kind of judgmental and condemning spirit that seeks through dialogue with other religions to "prove" how wrong they are, but rather to accept that maybe our faith can be strengthened and we can "improve" and grow by learning from these other influences while in dialogue... Seems healthy to me... I don't know, it's just a thought!

Clint.

Decisions, decisions...

So, for some time now we've been trying to decide what to do - do we buy a house or not? If so, what kind of house? Where? How much do we want to spend? etc. It has been a crazy process and we came to a point where we were both completely CONSUMED with this/these kind of decisions... We WERE praying, but didn't sense God giving a clear leading in any particular direction, so we wound up frustrated... Not sure which way to go! However, this didn't stop our minds... we would still find ourselves thinking and talking about this stuff more than anything else!

Finally, at a point of frustration we decided to chat with some trusted friends of ours and we came out of that conversation with the following insight:

God really may not be all that interested in the particular decision/s that we are facing or even making... There really may not be a RIGHT and/or WRONG answer... Perhaps God is far more interested in the process - the praying, seeking, pursuing, and communing with God in the midst of the decision/s.

This being the case, I couldn't help but think that we'd missed the point completely... We were so hung up on the whole "house" deal that we'd actually taken our eyes/focus off God. This serves as a great reminder and lesson for us FOR LIFE - that anytime we face a significant issue, decision, circumstance or whatever, that God is FAR more interested in the process than He is the end result... Or maybe that's just my thoughts!

PEACE!
Clint.