Echoes and Moments

Life is interesting now that I'm posted for an indeterminate amount of time in Roseville, a town that I haven't called home in 6 years, in which I had only lived for 3 years before departing for college. I love the chance to dig into the nitty gritty of dependency on God , the good food abounding, and the chance to reconnect with many budding partners in the ministry the Lord is in the process of funding. Yet there are a few things I don't enjoy as much: the heat, the suburban traffic, and the persistent bewilderment I face when talking to many who think I should be doing "better" things with my life. So, because you are my friends and would never wish to dishonor me thus, I'll clue you into a few things that will prevent me from silently shrinking in horror the next time we are in conversation. I present: Three Questions you should never ask an InterVarsity staff worker (at least if you want them to continue liking you). The largest class of new staff e...

I find it necessary to reflect on my relationship with the sporting world, especially as Facebook and the Twitterverse blow up with the praises of the San Francisco Giants. Don't get me wrong. I love San Francisco. It is my favorite city on earth, ahead of Madrid, Washington D.C., Barcelona, London, and Paris. Sports are about engaging in the tribal struggles that we humans have always needed to vent our aggression. All allegiances are about sticking through the tough times and celebrating the good. For that, I appreciate all my friends. But I must say, because I was brought into this world on the other side of the Bay, I'm going to have to agree with this guy. Yes, there's no such thing as a bandwagon fan in the Raider Nation. And thank the Lord for that.

I frequently lament the constant lampooning of Christian culture via broad-stroke mockery that seems to pervade the media these days. While some of today's music has the guts to give religious credit to the complexities of a moral lifestyle (I'm thinking of U2, any other obvious ones?), the average character on TV with spiritual convictions ends up being bigoted, ignorant, and intolerant. See Joe Hart from Glee , Kristin Wiig's character from Paul , and the evil warden in Shawshank Redemption.   I can normally get over this, because my favorite TV characters are far from the ideal spiritual role models , and some of them even have  some serious issues . Yet lo and behold, I just happened upon a delightful show that, after first viewing, promises  a refreshing and sympathetic look  at the life of a clergyman in modern inner-city London. If you're like me and love the smug charm and quick wit of those programs from the other side of the pond (I'm talking about S...

As is common with many people my age, I find myself quite adept at navigating the viral video market. This pastime can return moments of great joy, yet also proves a distraction from my most pressing concerns, like my senior project, work with students, girlfriend... You get the picture. But every once in a while, something comes along that serves to yield epiphanies that Archimedes himself could never dream of. I give you such a video, a visual metaphor of my life at this point in time. Perhaps it can speak to the depths of your soul as it did to mine.