• Archive for October, 2008

    Midtown House Updates

    October 4, 2008 // 6 Comments »

    At long last, all the major painting I wanted to accomplish since moving into my new home not quite 2 months ago is finished.  Two living spaces, a hallway, a bathroom, the kitchen, and the master bedroom are all looking fresh and clean.  Check out the before and after shots.

    This was originally the “dining room,” but by pushing the table into the corner, raising up the light fixture, and adding a couch, I have opted to just use the kitchen for eating space and made this the “sitting room,” since it has a nice fireplace.   It is the room you walk into from the front door.

    The room directly behind this room is the living room.  Mmmmmm armoire.

    Bathroom.  From pink to brown… still doesn’t make the tile look all that great though.  I love this perfectly fitted shelf I found.

    The kitchen is what took the longest.  Ugh.

    And my bedroom.

    There are a few more pics here, some of which have little notes attached to them.

    Next up… roommate(s)!

    Posted in midtown

    A Church-based Bailout Heartcheck

    October 1, 2008 // 6 Comments »

    I had a pretty elaborate post prepared on the whole economic crisis/bailout proposal that I was ready to publish, (instead, I will just point you to this great segment from This American Life, “The Giant Pool of Money,” which clearly and insightfully spells out just how we got in this mess) when another thought struck me – this great opportunity for the Church to shine.  It was this bit of Jesus’ teaching that came to mind specifically.

    Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

    This economic crisis is a great heart-check for the Church.  Where… What… Who is our treasure?  What a fantastic opportunity for the Church to witness to the watching world – to, in the midst of economic fright and despair, to be MORE generous, MORE sacrificial, MORE giving; to not “conform to the pattern of this world,” but to put on display a hope and a joy that is no way threatened, but is rather emboldened in times such as these.

    But I wonder… will we shine?  I fear that the extent to which the Church in the West has so wedded its identity with that of the American dream will make this very, very difficult.  Thankfully, we worship a God who desires to work miracles amongst a repentant people.

    Posted in bible, capitalism, church, Jesus, money, western culture

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