lifeasmission
exploring the mystery of life and mission as one and the same
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Archive for March, 2009
Small Things, Big Feelings
I wish it happened more, but it’s only every so often that the appreciation of little things seems to really exhilarate me.
But each of the last two nights I have been able to go to sleep with the window open – letting in fresh air, falling asleep to the sound of the rain, and waking up to the sound of birds chirping.
Little things, but man have I enjoyed it.
MacHeist: Lots of Really Good Mac Apps for Cheap
If you’re a mac person, be sure to checkout MacHeist.
Every so often they put together a bundle of applications that would normally run you lots of money and offer them really inexpensively. This time around they are offering over $600 worth of (12) apps for $$40. Some of them you may never use, but if there are even a few that you will, you’ll probably make out like a bandit. To make it even a bit better, 25% of all the sales go to a charity that you can choose from a list. If you use this link, and decide to buy, it will help me get a few more for free, enjoy!
Virtual Community & Video Venues
It’s not a new conversation, but there has been some recent discourse & interest around virtual community and the use of video venues for church communities. I wanted to point you toward a few resources of interest.
© Oleg Gerasymenko | Dreamstime.com
Bob Hyatt has written a great piece entitled, Video Venues: The Death of Preaching. And I wholeheartedly agree with his thesis as well as closing remarks
…just because God honors our silly methods occasionally doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look for better ways, perhaps less silly, perhaps ones with fewer unintended consequences.
Shane Hipps, an acquaintance from Fuller, has caught some heat for his take on virtual community and in a recent podcast, “The Papacy of Celebrity,” had some good things to say about video venues as well. The great thing about the perspective Shane is coming from is that he doesn’t need to demonize anything, he’s just trying to be honest about the full scope of these things.
I wouldn’t presume to speak for Bob or Shane, but as I have followed the various discussions and listened to what is being said, it’s because of my heart for spiritual formation that I lament the idea that connecting with people virtually could ever be God’s full intention for community. More saddening, is the way in which we fail to see how the medium of video venues disfigures some of the most precious characteristics of the gospel and the Body of Christ – not because God can’t show up, but because of the adverse formative effect they have on people.
If my kid steals some money from my wallet, I can probably fix the problem by crushing his hand with a wrench, but the point isn’t just fixing the problem, it’s fixing it in the wright way. There is no room in the Christian faith for being connected in community “at all cost,” much less for, good preaching “at all cost.” That just misses the bigger point. The medium really is the message, they are bound up with one another, which is why, in terms of discipleship, it’s not just about doing the right things, but about doing things the right ways.
Perhaps for utilitarians, the means justify the ends, but for those who follow Christ and his invitation to “pick up your cross and follow me,” the means and the ends are indistinguishable.
Wedding Help
Amy and I are looking for some help with our wedding and the events (including honeymoon) surrounding it. Aside from it being a beautiful and memorable day, we are hoping to infuse as much of what we are going to do with theological significance and creativity. We already have a good number of friends that are going to be vital in helping that to be a reality, but, believers in networking that we are, we’d just assume hear from as many folks as possible.
So, wonderful people out there, what ideas, experiences, and resources do you have that you’d like to share – we’re all ears!
(think… cost saving, creative enhancing, meaning infusing, deal finding, value reflecting, & God-honoring)
Please pass a link to this on to anyone that you think might have something to contribute – facebook it, twitter it, bookmark it, whatever.
An Engagement Trip
Thanks to the generosity of Amy’s team leader and co-workers, she was given the opportunity to work remotely for the last two weeks. Throw in three weekends, and you’ve got almost 3 full weeks together!
And thanks to some too-good-to-be-true family and friends, that time was jam packed full of fun and memories.
If you missed it, be sure to check out our engagement story, cause that’s where the fun began.
Engaged on Friday night in Chicago, we drove back to Memphis on Saturday, on the phone virtually the entire time and dreaming about our wedding and honeymoon inbeetween (details on both, TBA).
A neighbor gifted Amy and I with two tickets to see “Light in the Piazza” at the Midtown Playhouse. It was a fun and romantic show and we had a great time.
There was a blizzard in Memphis Saturday and Sunday, so attendance was way down at our morning services, but two of my co-pastor friends took it upon themselves to announce Amy and I’s engagement from up front to much applause and congratulations. We spent the rest of the day with our friends taking turns holding baby Asher.
On Monday Amy and I were off to Washington DC. We were there for a church planting conference and had the chance to stay a couple nights with Amy’s aunt and uncle as well as see a few friends we each have there.
Amy was there as a representative of iTeams - making connections with those who are looking for ways to help people get involved in international missions, and I was checking into Ecclesia as a possible resource and partner for Living Hope as we think about church planting. The conference was fantastic and we were really happy to connect with our friend and Fuller professor, Eddie Gibbs. Got to see some of the city on Friday afternoon and then we were off to Ohio.
My mom picked us up at the airport and after visiting for a few hours – it was lights out as we were both dog-tired. Saturday morning we traveled down to Canton to see some of my closest friends. We spent the day with them, talking all kinds of wedding details and just catching up. Monday the 9th was to be my 30th birthday so my friends arranged a dinner and a party at my friend Jay’s sweet new downtown office. Tons of people came to meet Amy, say congratulations, and Happy Birthday. As usual, I got sick on Sarah’s puppy chow, but well worth it.
Sunday was another full day of cruising around, meeting, and catching up with people – Meysembourgs, Snavely, Solida’s, Neftzer, Gouglers, and many others.
Monday was a full day with my mom and other family. Amy got the grand tour of Stow, where I grew up and got to meet both my Aunt Fannie and Grandma Ernsberger.
Had an incredible dinner at Macaroni Grill with my buddy Kenny and then ice cream, cake (actually Boston Cream Pie – a personal fav!), and a few gifts back at home. Amy had written to all my closest family and friends asking for pictures and short blurbs and she compiled them all together into one of the most meaningful presents I have ever received.
We left early Tuesday morning to head back to Memphis where we were set to have a slightly more regular schedule. Amy was working and so was I and thanks to the generosity of our good friend Lee, we had an extra car to use to help each of us get around to appointments and meeting spots. Still, the days and evenings were packed.
Tuesday we picked up the car from Lee, gobbled down dinner, and Skyped about all sorts of wedding related stuff with Amy’s parents. Wednesday we cooked dinner and hosted my house group – that never ends early (which I love!). Thursday the Donahoe’s, who host Amy when she comes to town, invited us and our friends Matthew and Lisa over for a celebration dinner and then we caught Slumdog Millionaire with Greg and Chandler.
We did lots of wedding planning on Friday and then my friend Ryan from LA flew into town to spend a few days with us. We took him to Rendezvous to get some good Memphis BBQ and then watched The Dark Knight (it just never gets old).
The night was rounded off with a midnight run to Gibson’s donuts for the after 11 – 6 donuts for 1.25 deal. Saturday morning we met our friends the Kerrigan’s at Memphis’ best breakfast spot, Brother Juniper’s and then drove around some of the cooler neighborhoods in urban Memphis and even visited an estate sale.
Ryan and I went for a quick run and then the three of us went to see “Race to Witch Mountain.” No, not because any of us particularly care for “The Rock,” but because Amy was in it. She did some extra work while she was in LA and in the movie you get to see her twice during the credits. Have a look!
Sunday morning was filled with plenty of congratulations since it was the first time that many people got to see Amy and I since we had gotten engaged. Ryan, Amy and I had a great lunch with our friends Zach and Liz and then we spent a few hours (she went nuts!) with Liz as she took some engagement pictures (not currently available). We actually ended up being late for a surprise engagement party that my house group was throwing for us in the form of an ultimate frisbee game.
We had a great time playing frisbee and then I had the privilege of baptizing a new friend who is on his way of to Fuller.
We spent the evening over at the Kerrigan’s eating up all the leftovers from the folks who have been providing them food while they adjust to having a newborn in their lives and playing everyone’s favorite game, “… And a bottle of wine.”
While I was at staff meeting Monday morning, Amy and Ryan worked from a coffee shop in the Cooper-Young district and got to check out another great BBQ spot – Central. We went downtown for a few hours to check out some of the sights and walk down Beale St. before Ryan had to had to the airport to head for home. Amy and I had yet another great dinner with our friends Sam and Allison and then made a short little video for our wedding website (unveiling soon!).
I just put Amy on the Megabus back to Chicago a little bit ago and I miss her already. While we are bound and determined not to let it take over our relationship, the next several months will be filled with planning and preparation for our big days and those to follow. We cover all your support and prayers as we try and figure out the future together and plan for a celebration of marriage that will be both enjoyable and meaningful to all those who can celebrate with us.
Hi There…
Hey, I'm JR - welcome to the blog.
I'm just an average guy trying to shape his identity around God's dream for the world and his place in it. This blog is a place for me (and you!) to reflect on and discuss all that might mean. Looking for a bit more on me? Check out the about me. Peace.
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