Christmas/Boxing Day

Christmas is officially over. Yesterday was boxing day, which felt like an unofficial repeat of Christmas, but it's all over now. I think I'm relieved. Holidays are never as great as you build them up to be. It's hard to complain however, because spending Christmas in England brought with it lots of new experiences: caroling door to door, listening to a boys choir, playing the wii fit, eating minced pies, spitting out minced pies, etc. My favorite part of this holiday season was the walk we took yesterday. Our friend/choir director Angie likes to take her dog Nell for long walks in the forest and feilds around her house. We've gone with her 5 or 6 times now, and it has become some of our favorite memories! It was particularly beautiful on Boxing day because a thin layer of snow had covered everything. The limbs of the trees hung low under the weight of the snow. If I didn't know better I would have thought I'd stepped out of the wardrobe and into Narnia. We didn't know it at the time, but Angie took us on a 6 mile trek through Narnia. We were exhausted!  I was mostly tired from chasing some sheep in a big meadow. They were not happy. That night we at pork tenderloin briased in apples and creeme, with a REAL English triffle to finish! To balance dinner out we played some Wii fit aerobics and hula hoop. My first time trying a Wii fit! Fun for the whole family! (I wonder if I get royalties for saying that?)


Anyway, check out my flat mate marie's blog for christmas photos: pictures/Hiakus

Merry Christmas!!!

The WORD 

                      became flesh and 

moved into 

                      the neighborhood.

- John 1:14

(The Message)

1 more day until Christmas!

Christmas Eve <3

the christmas conspiracy

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a 
conspiracy of love." 

~ Hamilton Wright Mabie (1845-1916), 

American author, essayist and critic. 

If there is one thing we all know, it's that Christmas brings with it lots and lots of love (and calories). You hear it it the songs, you see it in the movies... 

Remember when the Grinches heart grows 3 sizes when he learns the true meaning of Christmas? I smile every time I watch it brake that cartoon heart scale. 

For me Christmas has become less and less about the presents -etc- and more about this rabbi I follow. I thought by now I'd be sick of the Christmas story... and in a way, I kinda am. I mean EVERY YEAR it's the same deal: Mary and the angle, journey to bethlehem, no room at the inn, shepherds, three wise men, yada yada yada...

Its a weird beginning to a weird story with a weird end. If you look at the bible, even just the New Testament you got lepers being healed, dead people coming back to life, saints falling off cliffs, African Eunichs getting baptized... you can't make this stuff up! 

Still, you get the feeling this is a love story. A love story which circles around one act, and this one act has implications for the whole world. It's a conspiracy of love. It's light sneaking up behind darkness. "It's the unexpected declaration of love," 

"because God has two names: God, and, surprise!"

Advent is an announcment to our hurting world that their is a remedy, a remedy made of flesh and blood. His love has no limits. It's a gift, one that doesn't stand frozen in time - he's not the beanie baby I got in '93 I foolishly took the tag off off and now cant get rid of to save my life! (side bar..)

What I mean is, His grace isn't static. He says "I gave, and I'll give,and give, and give..."

Then, realzing we're richly blessed, we richly bless others.

"For God so loved the world he gave.."

- John 3:16a

I wish I had a river I could skate away on...

You know the Joni Mitchell song, River? 

“It’s coming on Christmas, 

they’re cutting down trees,

they’re putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace

Oh, I wish i had a river i could skate away on...”

My itunes randomly chose it this morning on shuffle. 

It’s such a sad song. You don’t hear many sad Christmas songs, but this is a truly sad one. I think, “I’ll be home for Christmas,” is as melancholy as you get- but leave it to Joni Mitchell to bum you out, even on Christmas. 

Christmas does this to us doesn’t it? Ever year we anticipate its coming, because every December we begin to miss family, friends and old relationships more than we did the month before. For some of us Christmas is the best time of year...

I suspect for others.... Christmas is the least hopeful day in the whole calendar. 

Right now those people are probably listening to Joni Mitchell.

Today I remember those people for whom Christmas is not a joyful holiday. For those who find that one day a year one too many.

“I wish I had a river to so long i could teach my feet to fly...”

Why should we care about Advent?

(Excerpt from a recent article by Rob Bell in Relevant Magazine)

Why does Advent mean so much to me?

Because cynicism is the new religion of our world. Whatever it is, this religion teaches that it isn’t as good as it seems. It will let you down. It will betray you.

That institution? That church? That politician? That authority figure? They’ll all let you down.

Whatever you do, don’t get your hopes up. Whatever you think it is, whatever it appears to be, it will burn you, just give it time.

Advent confronts this corrosion of the heart with the insistence that God has not abandoned the world, hope is real and something is coming.

Advent charges into the temple of cynicism with a whip of hope, overturning the tables of despair, driving out the priests of that jaded cult, announcing there’s a new day and it’s not like the one that came before it.

“The not yet will be worth it,” Advent whispers in the dark.

Old man Simeon stands in the temple, holding the Christ child, rejoicing that now he can die because what he’d been waiting for actually arrived.

And so each December (though Advent starts the last Sunday of November this year), we enter into a season of waiting, expecting, longing. Spirit meets us in the ache.

We ask God to enter into the deepest places of cynicism, bitterness and hardness where we have stopped believing that tomorrow can be better than today.

We open up. We soften up. We turn our hearts in the direction of that day. That day when the baby cries His first cry and we, surrounded by shepherds and angels and everybody in between, celebrate that sound in time that brings our Spirits what we’ve been longing for.

-Rob Bell

Relevant Magazine

Par-tay in the U.K.!

On Saturday Marie and I were invited to a Christmas dinner for the teachers of Lidget Green. We heard it was going to snow that night so we really should have bundled up more than we did. At 7 we found ourselves outside in the cold dancing around taking pictures to distract us until our ride showed up. With the help of our lovely friend Barbara, we showed up to the hotel/restaurant in style! - Commando style that is- she picked us up in her sweet truck! It was like the car Patton drove. Our lack of warm clothing became less obvious when we pulled up and saw a whole limo of girls getting out in mini-cocktail dresses and 6 inch heels! 

The hotel was warm and inviting. I don’t know how pubs do it, but it’s as if they somehow pull together every inviting ascetic, instantly making you feel at home. We weren’t sure who would be there, but almost everyone showed up! In the beginning we sat in the lounge area while the staff were setting up the dinning area. It only took another 20 mins after we showed up to finish every last touch before they let us in. It was a large room, with 6-7 long tables on either side of the room. Our staff took up about 4 tables, with us at the last table. The school was kind enough to pay for our dinner, so all we had to do was sit back and enjoy. I had so much fun talking with our new friends and poking at every indistinguishable food item placed before us. But if I thought the conversation would be the best part of the evening, what came next proved me wrong! DANCING! 

Marie and I had so much fun dancing to almost every song that came on; no thanks to the DJ. I submit this guy for the worst DJ ever award. I’n not sure if he thought was working a wedding... or a bar mitzvah, or what??? Every overplayed-shame-educing song you can think of was played: the maccarena, the twist, cha cha slide, cotton eyed joe, etc... If we had stayed longer I’m sure he would have gotten in the electric slide or cupid shuffle somewhere. Nonetheless, we rocked ‘em all the same. 

Finally it was time to leave. Actually, it wasn't until the moment we had to leave that I thought about the weather. Turns out it had been snowing for a whole hour or so before we left. The snow crackled under my high heels. I looked across the road, all the small European cars hidden under a blanket of snow. I could see all the way down the deserted street. It was so beautiful. The snow was coming down fast and thick, and yet the sky was a clear dark blue somehow. 

Author Anne Lamott says there are two kinds of prayers: “Help me! Help me! Help me!” and “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

It was in that moment I offered up the latter prayer to God.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you....

The Atheist and the Christian

Through a series of unique events, I've become friends with an active atheist- meaning someone who is aggressive and forthcoming about their atheism. Since I met this person a few days ago now, we've had some interesting conversations about everything from: the problem of pain, the progression of science, John Paul Sartre, Europe's declining religious population, etc etc...

I feel very blessed that both us know the other one isn't trying to convert the other: even though somehow talking about God is much more associated with conversion than talking about atheism. Our conversations are actually rather funny, because ever other line of our chat is making sure we've not just offended the other by what we've just said. I think we're surprising one another with our tolerance (well, he tolerates me, not sure about other spiritual people...). I had the feeling today, "wow, I'm a real adult!". I feel officially adopted into England now that I have my first friend who read Dawkins, and casually quotes Nietzsche.The craziest part? This guy thinks Christians are judgemental, hypocritical, hateful people -with a possible two or three acceptions. He thinks the Jesus who died for me (and in my mind, for him) is a fake. His sacrifice means nothing to him. He is not grateful for this life (except to the god of chance) or for the Creator of it. He probably thinks I'm a naive, easily deceived simpleton with more than just a touch of ignorance... yet, knowing all these things, something in my soul wants good for him. And this, I suppose, is why...
The following is an excerpt from Rob Bell's NOOMA video: Breath

"Have you ever thought about God’s name? 

Have you ever thought about God’s name being anything different than just a name? 

“Moses says to God, ‘What is your name?’ And God responds, 

‘Moses, you tell them the LORD sent you.’ Now this name, LORD, 

if you’re reading it in an English translation of the Bible, 

the name is spelled capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. 

The name appears in the Bible over 6,000 times. 

But it wasn’t originally written in the English language, 

it was written in the Hebrew language. And in Hebrew the name is essentially four letters. 

We would say Y, H, V, H. But in Hebrew, the letters are pronounced: ‘Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh.’” 

vayomer od elohim elmoshe ko tomar elbenei yisrael YHVH elohei avoteikhem elohei avraham elohei yitskhak velohei yaakov shelakhani aleikhem zeshemi leolam veze zikhri ledor dor 

(Transliterated Hebrew)

"God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you.’” 

“Some pronounce the name ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Yahveh,’ although in many 

traditions the name isn’t even pronounced, because it’s considered so sacred, 

so mysterious, so holy. In fact, the ancient rabbis believed that these letters 

actually functioned kind of as vowels in the Hebrew language. 

They believed that they were kind of breathing sounds and that ultimately the name is simply unpronounceable because the letters together are essentially the sound of breathing.

Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh. Is the name of God the sound of breathing?” 

He goes on to say that you could be sitting in front of someone who is saying, 

"There

is

no

God"

and all you can hear is...

"Yod

heh

vav

heh"

The name of God.

It was during our last conversation that I remembered this video...

All I hear when this Guy speaks is the name of God, reminding me to have faith. 

I hope you recognize the spirit of God in your own lungs today.

20- my True Love gave to me...

"God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love,

and more love!"

-Jeremiah 31:3

(The Message)

Most of my morning was spent sticking posters up onto our class cork board. The theme this month at Lidget Green is (not surprisingly) "Christmas Around the World." It presents a unique opportunity for me, since I find myself a foreigner in a foreign land. The year 5 class next to me is going to hear about Christmas in Norway on Thursday morning from our classes other co-teacher June, and yesterday, I told my class all about Christmas in the States!

In any event, back to the board. After tacking up all the variants of "Merry Christmas" in 20 languages, I put up the 12 days of Christmas and their religious significance. I never knew each of the 12 days stands for something in the Christian tradition; 2 turtle doves = Old and New Testament, 5 gold coins = the pentatuch, 10 Lords a' leaping = 10 commandments, etc...

Preceeding every gift is the repeating phrase: "my true love gave to me..." In the song, God is his true love, coninually lavishing gifts upon him. In the 90s the idea of a "divine romance" became a really popular topic for Christian fiction and study series. Even in college I remember doing a bible study on the Song of Solomon, which conviently turned into an evangelical exploration of our love affair with Jesus. Everything fit for the first few chapters, it was only when we had to discuss the implications of the bridegroom announcing to the bride: "I want to climb your tree and grab your coconuts (Song of Solomon 7:3)," that things got awkward. 


Putting aside the creepy, all-to-specific bride-groom/bride stuff, the picture we have of God being the lover of our souls is pretty beautiful. In Searching for God Knows What, Donald Miller reveals that Shakespear actually intended Romeo and Juliet to be a methaphor for God and the split church in England. Infact, he argues that without this plot in mind the story doesn't even really make sense. 


Romantics read: "Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Be but sworn by love!" - and think, "awww, such a beautiful statement! Denying everything for the one you love!"


Yet, they read: "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple." and think, "wow, Jesus is really harsh. I hate religion like that."


Isn't this the same thing? If we share a divine romance with God, would not our sacrifices for Him make sense? Especially, when in return (as the 12 days point to) God holds up his side of the sacrifice? 


If you haven't heard of Phil Wickham, you're about to. He's a very talented singer/songwriter form California, and this is my favorite song of His...

22, 21- the Vagabond

"Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, "We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus, Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!" Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be kidding."

   But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself."

-John 1:42-43

Another translation of this verse says, "can anything good come from Nazareth?" We look for Jesus in unexpected places because he has a history of showing up in unexpected places. Who thought the son of God would be born in a stable? Or raised in a poor redneck region of Palestine? In Praise Habit, David Crowder writes about finding God in church and at camp... He was always where he last left Him. Later, he realizes God's presence in every moment - the significant and the mundane. It's unexpected to find out the same divine energy which created the universe is in you and in me. Jesus took it further when he claimed to be most present with the "least of these." Considering the history of other world religions, we soon realize this is a very weird God we serve. It confuses me when I hear Christianity touted as a "powerfull western religion," when all you have to do is open a bible and read about Jesus' hardly noticeable entrance onto the earth. I think Christianity has gotten a bad rap because so many people want Jesus to be a strong-savvy kind of God. And instead of humbly letting the gosple speak for itself, they force it onto people through systems of power. 

But John clearly doesn't do that. He says, "Come, see for yourself." 

(Foy Vance, Irish singer)

23- Fire in my belly

^"You pushed me into this, God, and I let you do it.
You were too much for me.
And now I'm a public joke. 
They all poke fun at me...

But if I say, "Forget it! 

   No more God-Messages from me!"

The words are fire in my belly, 

   a burning in my bones.

I'm worn out trying to hold it in. 

   I can't do it any longer!"

-Jeremiah 20: 7-9

Jesus Freak. What words... what pictures... what memories... immediately enter your brain when you read those words? Maybe they're positive. I mean, maybe you consider yourself a 'Jesus Freak,' and for you that's a beautiful thing; you're in love with God, you can't get enough of Him, and like a goofy-love-struck teenager He's all you can talk about. Or, maybe, you remember walking into a fairly mild rock concert and a guy in a stained "I'm with Jesus" t-shirt was screaming hate at you from a bullhorn. And all your thinking is, "Dude, it's a Dave Matthews concert... it's not exactly Black Sabbath." No. For most of us, being a 'Jesus Freak' is not a good thing. Jesus Freaks are intolerant and close minded. If their message was a song it would have one note. The picture we get is hardly compelling. 

On the other hand, because very few things in the world have one hand (except maybe a pirate), you look at MLK. No matter your religious or ethnic background, most of us are inspired by MLK. He changed the world and maybe on an individual basis, you've heard his speeches, read his papers and he's changed your world. I would argue, he reached an entire nation and changed an old corrupt system because he had a fire in His belly to speak God's word no matter what the cost. Youtube 'MLK speech' and it's plain to see. For some people he was annoying, he called them out (not just white people) and said lots of "Jesus-y" things. But for some, it was freedom. And I think it came from the same place Jeremiah talks about. 

Sometimes I want to be PC, to agree with everyone and limit how much I talk about God. Then there's other times when the spirit fills me with so much love for the world I feel like I might just burst if I don't tell somebody!! 

I think that's the way Mary must have felt. She finds out she's growing God's son in her belly, no ones gonna believe her... still, in that moment she just has to sing! We call it the "Magnificant." 

(Switchfoot's Jon Foreman after a concert singing
"Your Love is Strong") 

24- Harp in My Heart

Thunder in the desert! 

   "Prepare God's arrival! 

   Make the road smooth and straight! 

   Every ditch will be filled in, 

   Every bump smoothed out, 

   The detours straightened out, 

   All the ruts paved over. 

   Everyone will be there to see 
The parade of God's salvation."

- Luke 3: 4-6

Please watch this youtube clip. I can't describe my feeling towards it, except to quote Donald Miller:

"Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way." 

25 Days of Advent

This past Sunday marked the beginning of the Season of Advent. In the Christian Church, Advent is celebrated beginning with the Sunday closest to St. Andrews Day (November 30) through Christmas. Traditionally, on each Sunday in worship, we light the candles of HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE.

It is a holy season, set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus who is our hope. For the next 25 days I want post a mini web-devotional as a spiritual discipline, to prepare me for Jesus' humble entrance into the world. My hope is that this will become the beginning of a conversation. SO, comment with your thoughts! 

"Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!"

- Romans 15: 13 (The Message)

-Relient K

An American in Bradford

‘An American in Bradford’

 Today I went to ‘Al-Mobeens,’ a Curry/Italian resturant, with classics such as: Chicken Tikka Calzones, Barfi, and Pizza with curry sauce.

 I began to order when the Asian guy behind the counter interrupted me:

“You’re not from around here are you?”

“Nope.”

“Canada?” (I think he’s giving me the benefit of the doubt)

“America.” 

At this point everyone I’ve ever said this too has smirked and nodded in scilence. I’ve guessed they’re doing one of two things:

1) Calculating the likelihood I voted for Bush. 

2) Wondering if there’s any possibility I could be related to Miley Cyrus.

“Ohhh, America! Which country in America are you from?”

“I am from the state of Florida.”

“California!”

“No, Florida.”

“Ohhhh, Disney world.”

“Well there’s a lot more to Florida than... yeah, Disney world.”

“You know, my cousins-girlfriends-sisters-husbands-best friend’s-uncle’s-ex-girlfriend’s- college roommate stopped in Newark airport once.” (ok, it’s not exactly that obscure... but close.)

“Wowwww, New Jersey... Did he like it?”

“Yes! He says your ‘Cinnabon,’ is this a place? - yes, your ‘Cinnabons’ are a cultural triumph!” (Hardly 5 star, but can you blame the poor guy? He’s been eating English food for god knows how long ;) couldn’t resist)

40 mins later...

“We’ve been talking here for 45 minutes, is my small fry ready?”

“What small fry?”

“The one I ordered. Remember, I gave you a 5 pound note and you asked me if I knew Kanye West? Then gave me a handful of indistinguishable coins.” (Im not sure all of them were pence either, I’m pretty sure I saw a Canadian quarter in there!)

“Oh yes! We’re out.”

“Of fries? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Ok, we’ll give you them for free.”

“I thought you said you were out?”

“Yes. Next!”

If these conversations aren’t awkward enough, throw in the added oddity that is a one pound coin. It’s thick and gold (looking...), I feel like Im paying in dabloons. 

But really, people are unbelievably nice here. They always want to know about America:

“Well, things are bigger there.”

“Like the food portions!”

“No! Like the cars and hotel rooms!”

While everyone here is becomming more and more Americanized, I have found a new hobby in collecting and repeating Yorkshire lingo. I victoriously said “bullocks” the other day without any giggling, and the joy of my triumph is beyound what I  can describe here to you. I couldn’t have felt more British if I said it sitting in a pub, listening to the Beatles, talking to Rex Harrison, complaining about the French. 

I love the quirkiness of this place. I love that being from America opens up lots opportunities for conversation. So thanks Lady Gaga, your antics make America interesting to the rest of the world. 

When God sings

A few days ago I was reading my bible at one of the (many) church services we attend, when suddenly, something jumped out at me. I've read Zephaniah 3:17 many times, and ever since it was put to a melody I've sung it many times. Yet somehow, in all those readings, I never noticed the sincerity of this line:

"The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save. 

He will take great joy in you. 

He will comfort you with his love. 

He will rejoice over you with singing."

God sings.

Wait. 

God sings?

Not only does God sing, according to the bible He/She rejoices, dances, speaks, gets involved... I think most times when we talk about God we talk metaphorically, but Genesis tells us we're made in the image of God, so it makes sense if we sing it's because God does too. My next question is: what does this mean? At first I picture those moments in movies when the main character finally "gets it, " whatever "it" is, and slowly but surely you hear the power-ballad build setting the scene for their inevitable triumph. Maybe when we do the right thing, get our lives straight for once, God busts out a Bon Jovi classic and we head bang our way into heaven.

But I don't think God waits until we get everything right to sing over us. I think the beauty of our God is He sings over us when we mess up, don't get it right, make a mistake, say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, don't fit in, choose the wrong path... God will always rejoice over us with singing because She loves us just the way She created us. Only when we decide to respond to the song does it become a harmony. 

Hand turkeys I made with the kids.

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving by inviting 20 people from our churches and schools over for a big dinner. At one table we had old folks, young professionals, white people, black people, foreign people, Christians, Muslims, athiests... I told them it was a Thanksgiving tradition to each say something we're thankful for, and one by one praise happened. It was this beautiful moment of thanks to God for all the things we love about life. 

Being here in England I am thankful for so much!  I'm thankful for my teammates, our friends at church and school, my year 5 class, the culture and chilly weather. I'm thankful my family loves me enough to support me here, and for my friends who went out of their way to love on me before I left. 

(left to right: Jamanah, Cassius, Ikra, Aksah, Raul)

(June, Donna, Raul)

Praise leader John Mark McMillan said this about his song, "How He Loves": “I sat down to have a dialogue with God and, really, He ended up having a dialogue with me. It’s like He was speaking to me through the song.”

God sings and sings through us. He rejoices over us in song and our response of thanks is a song of joy itself. Happy Thanksgiving =)