Friday, February 27, 2015

I Just Want To Know

Regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, I pray that you might be always drawing closer to God. As I went for a run this morning a prayer written by Steve Taylor came to mind and I prayed as I ran.

In all of the activity of life: teaching, mentoring, preaching, planning, and writing, "I just want to know am I pulling people closer; I just want to be pulling them to You. I just want to stay angry at the evil. I just want to be hungry for the true. . . . Oh, search me Father and know my heart, try me and know my mind. And if there be any wicked way in me, pull me to the rock that is higher than than I." May you always be drawing closer to God.

I Just Want To Know
(Words and Music by Steve Taylor) (Listen as you read the lyrics.)

Life's too short for small talk
So don't be talking trivia now
Excess baggage fills this plane
There's more than we should ever allow
There's engines stalling and good men falling
But I ain't crawling away

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Folks play follow the leader
But who's the leader gonna obey?
Will his head get big when the toes get tapping?
I just wanna know are they catching what I say?
I'm a little too young to introspect
And I surely haven't paid all my dues
But there's bear traps lying in those woods
Most of them already been used

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Search me, Father, and know my heart
Try me and know my mind
And if there be any wicked way in me
Pull me to the rock that is higher than I

I just wanna know
Am I pulling people closer?
I just wanna be pulling them to you
I just wanna stay angry at the evil
I just wanna be hungry for the true

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Venus and Mars Are Alright Tonight

For three nights only, our solar system put on a great show. For those who were under clear skies and looked west, they could catch a glimpse of both Venus and Mars. Just after sunset, from February 19 through 21, both planets could be clearly seen above the horizon. If you looked at the right time you could also see a waxing crescent moon close by. This conjunction of planets reminds us of our perspective in the solar system.

Our planet is relatively close to these other planets moving around our sun. Mars, is a mere 225,300,000 km from earth (on average) while Venus (on average – although it varies between 38 million and 261 million km) is 41,900,000 km from earth. But it is the unique orbits of all three planets that create this apparent conjunction. From our perspective, we are looking at Venus and Mars as their orbits swing them around until they are very nearly aligned with each other. It makes for a great show: Venus, the bright, white light, Mars, the dim red light, and a sliver of moonlight to give us perspective. Many people captured this phenomenon on cell-phone cameras and other more sophisticated lenses. Here are two images from social media.


Photo Credit: Daniel Smith, Three Hills, Alberta.


Photo Credit: Arvind Paranjpye @a_paranjpye

"Venus and Mars are alright tonight." - Paul and Linda McCartney

Monday, February 23, 2015

Reckless Forgiver

The band Jars of Clay sings about a “Reckless Forgiver” (listen to the song here) on their album Inland. I leave it to your imagination as to who it is that truly forgives recklessly. I may not be fully capable of reckless forgiveness but I certainly could be more generous with my forgiveness.
Reckless Forgiver
(Composed and performed by "Jars of Clay;" 2013)
Writers: Charles Daniel Lowell, Daniel Paul Haseltine, Matthew Thomas Odmark, Stephen Daniel Mason; Copyright: Middle Space Publishing (BMI), Grow Your Own Music O.B.O. Middle Space Publishing.

Loneliness, loneliness, it won't last forever
Happiness, happiness, wait in line

Every time I look in the mirror
I'm in the shadow of doubt
Maybe I'm as lost as the next guy
Who just has to find, just have to find out

All I want is peace like a river
Long life of sanity, love that won't leave too soon
Someone to pull out the splinters
A reckless forgiver
You know I'm talking to you

I made a mess, made a mess
Of the heart I borrowed
So get undressed, get undressed
Laugh tomorrow

Every time I look in the mirror
I'm in the shadow of doubt
Maybe I'm as lost as the next guy
Just have to find

All I want is peace like a river
Long life of sanity, love that won't leave too soon
Someone to pull out the splinters
A reckless forgiver
You know I'm talking to you
I leave it all for you

All I want is peace like a river
Long life of sanity, love that won't leave too soon
Someone to pull out the splinters
A reckless forgiver
You know I'm talking to you

I want peace like a river
Long life of sanity, love that won't leave too soon
Someone to pull out the splinters
A reckless forgiver
You know I'm talking to you

I leave it all for you
You know I'm talking to you

I leave it all for you
All for you
Yeah, Yeah
I leave it all for you

Friday, February 20, 2015

Going Deeper

“Keeping a journal has taught me that there is not so much new in your life as you sometimes think. When you re-read your journal you find out that your latest discovery is something you already found out five years ago. Still, it is true that one penetrates deeper and deeper into the same ideas and the same experiences.”
Thomas Merton, The Sign of Jonas

Monday, February 16, 2015

Why Are We Here?

Today, I want to ask the question, "Why are we here?" That is, why does the universe exist; and why do we humans exist in this universe? As a response, I will list a few interesting quotes from others who have pondered this question. The reader can meditate upon these responses and consider the path of inquiry which will then be most satisfying.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), a Christian philosopher, did not believe that science could answer this question in a satisfactory manner. He wrote,
Question: "Why do I live?" Answer: "In infinite space, in infinite time, infinitely small particles change their forms in infinite complexity, and when you have understood the laws of those mutations of form you will understand why you live on the earth. . . . You are an accidentally united little lump of something. That little lump ferments. The little lump calls that fermenting its 'life'. The lump will disintegrate and there will be an end of the fermenting and of all the questions." So answers the clear side of science and cannot answer otherwise if it strictly follows its principles.1
On the other hand, Richard Dawkins has confidence that science can and does answer the question. He points to Charles Darwin and says,
Darwin told us why we exist and that’s not an easy question to answer. It’s not just us, it’s all living things. The living world is incredibly complex and staggeringly improbable – unless you understand where it came from; it looks as though it’s been designed; everyone thought that it was designed; but Darwin showed that it wasn’t. That’s the importance of Darwin.2
In a documentary entitled "Why Are We Here?" Dawkins goes on to say that the universe has "no purposeful design" and that humans "provide the purpose."3 Essentially, what he is saying is that the purpose of the universe is what we humans decide. We give the universe the only purpose it could possibly have.

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE) said that we were made "to look upon one who looks back in love." The Westminster Catechism asks the question, "What is the chief end of Man?" or What is the main purpose of humans? The answer provided is: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever."4

At this point in history we find two premises alive in the world. One is that the universe spontaneously came into being. The other is that a Creator caused the universe to come into being. It seems to me that all of our understanding, values, and philosophy are then derived from one premise or the other. As we meditate upon these two premises, we must consider well our own understanding and the implications for how we will live our lives.


1 Tolstoy, Leo. A Confession, The Gospel in Brief and What I Believe (trans. by Aylmer Maude). London: Oxford University Press, 1958; pp 27-31.
2 National Geographic Interview with Richard Dawkins, "Professor Richard Dawkins on Darwin"; http://natgeotv.com/uk/dawkins-darwin-evolution/dawkins-interview-darwin
3 "Why Are We Here?"; Richard Dawkins; Discovery Science Documentary; http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/why-are-we-here/
4 http://www.creeds.net/reformed/Westminster/shorter_catechism.html

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

The Heart is Full

Upon this day, my heart is full
The fam’ly tree that once was two,
Now has branches fully pulled,
And bowed and stretched and turned askew

The stems are laden with the fruit
And fill the soul with rev’rent bliss
The outflow of two hearts that grew
As sealed upon the lips that kiss

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day

Oh maid’n love and knightly power,
We turn our hearts in holy praise,
To give the scent of sweetest flower,
And hands that stretch and fully raise.

Oh mystery of all complete,
We wonder at these gifts we take
Fully blessed with life replete,
On this your day, our precious Kate.

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day

Love, Love, Love
Love is in this home
Love, Love, Love
Love is in this home

A little girl has come today
To add more joy and fill the way
With toys and strings for all to play
Oh Katie love, we bless this day


Welcome Kate Evelyn Mitchell.

Monday, February 9, 2015

What is it made of?

As a curious person, I often ask the question, "What is that made of?" Today's blog will take us on a journey as we ask this question about plastic. One of the simplest forms of plastic is polyethylene. The chemical formula for this molecule is (C2H4)nH2. The type of polyethylene varies with the value of n.


(You can click on any of these images for another view.)

So, this plastic is made up of carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms. Carbon atoms are made of six neutrons, 6 protons, and 6 electrons while hydrogen atoms are made of one proton and one electron.


 

Neutrons are made of two "up" quarks and one "down" quark while protons are made of one "up" quark and two "down" quarks. Electrons are made of . . . well . . . electrons. At this point, we believe electrons to be indivisible quantum particles, just like "up," "down," and other types of quarks. On the other hand, another theory is that all of these elementary particles would be better modeled as vibrating strings. But we will save the discussion of that theory for another day.



Researchers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Cern are discovering that quarks can interact and form intermediary groupings of two, three, and four quarks. Recently a particular particle containing four quarks was discovered by analyzing the products of multiple collisions in the LHC. So, the next time someone asks you the component parts of something, ask them how far down they would like to go. This universe continues to inspire awe in the one who created it.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Sisters Brothers

I listened to the new "Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors" album, Medicine today. Drew Holcomb is an American singer song-writer who just happens to be married to Ellie Holcomb (nee Elizabeth Bannister), the daughter of singer, song-writer, producer extraordinaire, Brown Bannister. I like the recording a lot and there are some really good songs on it. "American Beauty" may be my personal favourite. The album is certainly better produced than the previous album Passenger Seat; but, in my humble opinion, Passenger Seat has the better songs. "Hallelujah," on the Passenger Seat recording, is a great story of rock and roll worship bands (yes, in this case, "rock and roll" and "worship" can be put together) and asks interesting questions about the motives of contemporary worship music leaders (see it performed here).

However, the song on Medicine which caught my attention the most, caught it for all the wrong reasons. "Sisters Brothers" seems to me to be simply a mellow reworking of Serena Rider's song "Stompa." Take a listen to the two here (starts at approximately 20:35) and here. The similarity probably falls short of copyright infringement, but "Sisters Brothers" is similar enough to make one think that Drew has been listening to Serena.

If there is any redemption in all of this, it is that Drew Holcomb has improved on the meaning of Serena Rider's song. There is truth in the bridge Holcomb has written.
Life's not a joke
Not a cloud of smoke
It's not to be mocked
It's a tickin clock
Countin down the days
Livin on borrowed time
Below are the rest of the lyrics to "Sisters Brothers."
Sisters Brothers 
(Words and music by Drew Holcomb)
It happened to me on the balcony
I heard someone singing in the key of C
Goodbyes and love and freedom and tragedy
It got me singing like a carousel
I had to take a vacation to the wishing well
To pound all the drums and ring all the bells 
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to stand up for each other
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to fight for one another 
Now promises made and debts were paid
We tell ourselves we are not afraid
Fear only goes where its invited to stay
An eclectic electric hopeless romantic
Telling tall-tales to keep your interest
Trying to understand the lonely heart of man 
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to stand up for each other
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to fight for one another 
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah 
Life's not a joke
Not a cloud of smoke
It's not to be mocked
It's a tickin clock
Countin down the days
Livin on borrowed time 
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to stand up for each other
Sisters, brothers, fathers, and mothers
We've got to fight for one another 
By Drew Holcomb. © Hancy
Music, 2014. BMI. Music Admin.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Spectacle




Since before the writings of Shakespeare, authors, politicians, teachers, script-writers, and preachers have known that if you want people to hear what you have to say and keep talking about it long after the event, you must start with a spectacle. Shakespeare’s best-known example, the three weird sisters (or witches) at the introduction of Hamlet, was designed to capture and hold the attention of both commoners and royal family members. The Half-Time spectacle at Sunday’s Super Bowl, piloted by Katy Perry, was an attempt to do the very same thing; and people were talking about it after the spectacle had fizzled down to a few late sparkler-type fire-works. The producers of the show clearly had two audiences in mind. One audience was 72,200 University of Phoenix Stadium viewers and the other audience was the 114.5 million television viewers. This time both audiences were treated to the same spectacle, but I wonder how long it will be before someone gets the idea of delivering two different shows to the two distinct audiences.

The question that comes to my mind is this: how do the rest of us mere mortals hope to get anyone to listen to us? Very few have the budget that Super Bowl producers have to throw at a message. If I want to make an announcement at church, I may throw in a small joke to keep people alert and focused, but I have never considered riding a tiger puppet across the stage to make my point. Well, okay, I did consider it, but the finance team wouldn’t give me the budget.

And let’s compare the messages. Although coherent themes may be hard to find, the message of the Half-Time Show, and the Super Bowl in general, seems to be that, “You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it and do your best to roar.” “You can be a shooting star.” “You can beat the opposition with words and positive thinking before ‘the game breaks out.’”

In another place and another time, the message delivered in most churches on Sunday mornings is far more consistent. In simple terms, the message is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love your neighbour as yourself.” Must we create a spectacle to get people to hear this? Or are we missing a whole other medium? Rather than competing with the spectacles, perhaps we could model a different message. Perhaps we could be the simple Simon and Garfunkel with a guitar and straightforward harmonies. (Not a bad idea for next year’s Half-Time Show.) Perhaps we could be Martin Luther King Junior with a message of non-violence and a life-style of non-violence to back it up. Perhaps we could be Jesus to the people of this overly entertained continent.

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14 New Living Translation