Update and Some Genesis Thoughts

I've kinda hated the story told in Genesis 22.

For starters, it's one of those dark stories of the Old Testament that has the power to scare people who don't know God away, it can easily be interpreted in very unhelpful ways, and it somehow got elevated to the top tier of flannel graphs in order to traumatize the kiddos, too. This isn't to say it doesn't have anything to teach us or that it isn't useful, but it does mean that this passage comes with a lot of baggage for me and a lot of other Christians. But before I delve into some thoughts on the scripture, I want to make a brief update on what's been going on in my life.

As I have mentioned before, I'm now employed at Connecting Caring Communities. In the six months I have spent at CCC, I have been blessed to visit many different churches from many different neighborhoods. I've experienced and joined in worship with sisters and brothers in Christ who have very different ways of approaching the throne of God than the ones to which I have become accustomed. Though a wonderful few months, this season of frequent visitation is drawing to a close, though I still plan to make monthly visits to congregations around Abilene.

Amanda and I need a church to call home. A place to be ministered to as well as a place to use our gifts for the sake of the world. After prayer and consideration, we ended up at Highland Church of Christ. (I know! Another Church of Christ!) The focus of the church on issues like eliminating homelessness in Abilene along with embracing women in leadership roles in worship were big factors in leading us to Highland, as was their partnering in two neighborhoods I deeply care about: Butternut/Chestnut, which is a neighborhood I'm focusing on through CCC, and College Heights, the neighborhood I felt called to move into in order to work for community development with the St. Ann Community.

Yesterday morning, Amanda and I attended Highland. While Amanda was at a grad school meeting that evening, I joined worship at Grace, the offshoot of Highland in my neighborhood. Jonathan Storment is the Preaching Minister at Highland, and delivers the same sermon at both services. I'm not typically the kind of person that relishes digesting the same lesson twice in a row, but I really like his content and style of presenting. Also, it's given me a chance to listen and think critically more than when I only hear a message once. And so, as I was listening to the sermon about Genesis 22 for the second time in about six hours, some interesting things seeped into my mind that I thought were worth considering.

Firstly, Jonathan said a lot of great things that I won't get into, because he said them really well and there isn't a lot of need to rehash it. If you're interested, check out his blog over at http://jonathanstorment.com/. I do want to pick out one of the points he made that stood out to me and expound on how it has played out in my own life.

Jonathan noted that asking Abraham to sacrifice his son was asking him to sacrifice the promise that God had made to him. Abe had been told by a messenger of God, "You and Sarah are going to have a son, and God will make the world a better place through him." That's a pretty dang sweet promise, especially when you were measured as a person based on your family back in the day. And so it happens, they have a son, and name him Isaac. But a few years later, God says to Abe, "Yeah, about that... Go kill Isaac on a mountain for me."

God promised Abraham something great. Something wonderful. Something life changing. And then God switched things up on Abraham, leaving old Abe a choice: do I cling to the promise that God made to me, or do I cling to the God who made the promise. Abraham chooses God over the promise, and is rewarded by God keeping the promise, too.

This makes me think of four years ago, when some college kids were gathered by God in a neighborhood. We didn't know what we were doing, we were just following where God was leading us. In some small ways and some huge ways, God showed us a glimpse of God's vision for the neighborhood. Somewhere in those crazy first few months, we could discern a promise from God, that we would be able to join in with what God was already doing in College Heights.

But the avalanche of activity slowed to a crawl after a while. Though there were certainly milestones along the way, perhaps most notably our group relocating into the neighborhood and setting down roots, I felt like we weren't fulfilling what we had been promised yet. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that in some ways, I had replaced God with God's promise. It was a subtle shift, but those can be the most insidious. I had made an idol out of a promise.

I don't have a well-thought out plan for returning things to how they should be, but I think it starts by acknowledging that the promise isn't God. God is much bigger than the promise made to a few believers, no matter how good that promise is. With some positive progress on the dream in the last few months, I think it was crucial to be reminded to focus on God, not the promise.

Another thought brought on by listening to lots of Genesis 22 was that Sarah really got the raw end of the deal in the story-telling process. God chats it up with Abraham, let's him know about the whole "sacrifice your only son" thing, but it makes no mention of Isaac's mom. the entire section is called "Abraham Tested" or "Abraham and Isaac." Later in the New Testament it seems like every writer wants to get in on crediting Abraham as righteous because of this whole turn of events. My question is, what about Sarah?

I would like to think that Abraham would talk to Sarah about it before he left the next day, though he doesn't have the best track record of telling the whole truth. If he did tell her, I bet it was not a fun conversation. "Hey babe, what a day... Three sheep wandered into the canyon, that lion was prowling around again, and *begins trailing off* God told me to kill our son tomorrow... How was your day?"

(Discussing this with Amanda, she posited that Abraham probably didn't tell Sarah. That would make sense in a highly patriarchal society.)

If Abraham told his wife, she would also have to have incredible faith to allow her husband to take away her only son. In fact, I would argue it's even harder for someone in her position to have faith. If God tells me something directly, I'm doing it. But if God tells someone else to do something that will affect me, things get dicey. If God clearly tells me to move to the Antarctic, I'm heading there. I'm probably going to complain a heckuva lot, because I'm morally against weather below 60 degrees, but I'm going. If God tells Amanda that we're supposed to move to the Antarctic? I'm going to be much more diligent about looking for alternative interpretations of what she was told. (Maybe there's a neighborhood here in Abilene that is nicknamed "the Antarctic"?)

Here's what I'm driving at: there and tons of people who hear God calling them to a place, to a ministry, to wherever. Props to those who are called and answer, for sure, I believe God blesses that. But I think too often we forget the people who love the called who sacrifice along with them. It's one thing to trust God calling you somewhere. It's an entirely different thing have faith that God is calling someone else, and to follow them on that journey. Sarah could be a great example of that, if we knew her part of the story better. But she is by no means the only person caught up in such a story.

I've heard tons about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lately, what with the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington. But I rarely, if ever, hear the story of his wife. Certainly, Dr. King sacrificed immensely to follow the dreams God put on his heart. But his wife walked with him through so much of it, and had to endure God knows what, up to and including Dr. King's assassination. And yet I don't know anything about her. I don't even know her name.

How many missionaries have heard the call to go overseas, and have brought their spouse along for the ride? Certainly, some of those couples both felt the call equally, but I'm sure there have been many couples in which one says, "God is calling me to mission," and the spouse says, "I'm called to be with you, wherever that might be."

I think about my own wife. I heard the call to ministry and community development, and I knew God wanted me in this neighborhood. Amanda didn't hear that, but had enough faith in God to go along with me. Things looked really bad for a while, especially when we were renting a house I was certain we were supposed to buy, but the buying process was falling apart while renting was eroding our finances. My certainty came easily, because I felt like God told me to do it. Amanda hadn't received any clear signs that everything would work out, but she had faith anyway anyway. In my mind, her faith without seeing was a much bigger deal than me trusting enough to do what I was told.

I'd caught a glimpse of what what coming, and I trusted that God could and would make it happen. Without seeing it, Amanda had faith that God would make good come out of the situation.

What I want to challenge us to do is to look for and listen to the kinds of faith stories that aren't as flashy. The stories that get lost in the shuffle. The stories of people who quietly live out their faith, especially when those stories don't have a remarkable moment of clarity of vision. It's easy to make the mistake of overvaluing certainty and undervaluing stepping out in faith without assurance. I think we will be blessed when we look for and listen to those stories of faith.

The Church of Christ and Where I Am

For most of my life, my home church has had the words "Church of Christ" in the title. I have many fond memories of Churches of Christ: several have employed me, I graduated from a university affiliated with the CoC, and a Church of Christ even served as my home for a semester.

During my life, I have tried to do my best to notice the positive aspects and encourage them within my stream of faith. On the other hand, I have often noticed what I consider discrepancies between what I believe and how the Church of Christ functions as a body. For the most part, I have quietly continued to work within the church structures that I call "home," seeking one-on-one or small group discussions, rather than confrontation. This was always a difficult choice, because my desire to be a voice pushing for positive change is and must always be tempered by my desire for unity.

With that said, my church situation has changed, and with it my situation. My time as Youth Intern for Buffalo Gap Church of Christ ended amicably this month as I transitioned into a new job. Amanda and I were brought to the front and prayed over as we begin a new phase of our lives. For the first time in my life, I am not affiliated by membership or employment to a Church of Christ, though I will certainly be visiting many of the local congregations.

As you might have read on facebook or in the last blog post, I was recently hired as a Community Coordinator for Connecting Caring Communities, a local, Christian nonprofit. While there are many facets of my position, one of the tasks I was most excited about was visiting churches in the neighborhoods I serve. This allows me to meet many different people and participate in a myriad of different worship styles.

What does this all mean?

Well, for starters, here's what it doesn't mean. It does not mean that I am exempt from promoting unity within the body. It does not mean that I will start popping off about what frustrates me most about the Church of Christ. It doesn't mean that I love my brothers and sisters who live and love in the Church of Christ any less.

What this does mean is that I can now gently and thoughtfully push for more conversation and consideration on issues that I think are important. This means that I can do so without fear that my views will be mistaken for the views of the elders or ministers who lovingly serve at a church I attend. It means that my words can be my own, and I can harbor less fear of them causing disunity.

This newly found freedom is a blessing I do not take lightly. I hope to use this freedom to spark authentic conversation. I hope that conversation blesses those who participate, myself included. With that said, I'm excited to see where this takes us.

Blessings, friends!

Connecting Caring Communities

It took eight years to finally get a degree in something I cared about. Last May, I was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ACU graduate, happy to be holding a diploma that indicated that I was trained in Sociology and Christian Ministry. It was good times to be sure, and even in a struggling economy, I believed that my degree, combined with my skill set and experience, would help me land the job of my dreams.

Unfortunately, I didn't actually know what that job was yet.

After my final summer at Camp of the Hills, I was no closer to finding a full-time ministry or nonprofit job. Things were not quite as rosy as they were in May. I set out to find a job to pay the bills while my sweet wife went back to school. As we tried to not only make ends meet, but begin working towards buying a house, I knew that I had to find a full-time job, even if it wasn't what I wanted to do long term. Delivery Driver for Office depot fit the part.

Truth be told, I did not enjoy my job at the Depot. Being a people person, I was not well suited to driving around alone all day. As someone much more attuned to relationships than details, I wasn't very effective in certain aspects of the job. If it weren't for kind supervisors and fellow employees, I would not have lasted. I will forever be grateful to them for believing in me and giving me chance after chance.

As the calendar flipped to 2013, I was faced with a dilemma: I desperately wanted a job that maximized my gifts/minimized my weaknesses, but could not afford to lose my job at Office Depot that was enabling our family to stay afloat. Thankfully, I had stayed in contact with Lori Thornton at Connecting Caring Communities since my final semester at ACU. Though she did not have any openings in the spring of 2012, she encouraged me to keep in touch with her and to apply when/if a position opened up.

I can earnestly say that I have never been more excited to interview for a position than I was in February as I sought the Community Coordinator job. Lori called me at the end of a ten hour day of deliveries as I was unloading extremely heavy office furniture. After hearing that I had the job and accepting it, I felt like I had the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. And the weight of the world is even harder to carry in bulky boxes of copy paper.

For the past two months, I have done my best to learn the ropes around CCC, and I have to say, it is a joy. Though I will describe my job in more detail in later posts, let it suffice to say that when people ask me what I do for a living, my simple response is, "I get to know people."

Life is good, friends. Life is good.

The Greatest Stories

“You read and write and sing and experience, thinking that one day these things will build the character you admire to live as. You love and lose and bleed best you can, to the extreme, hoping that one day the world will read you like the poem you want to be.” Charlotte Eriksson

I think I value stories more than other people. I do have a blog called "Stories," after all. Nobody else I know of has a list of there favorite stories saved, on the off chance someone might want to pick one, sit back, and listen.

With that in mind, I'd like to ask for some input. I tried to narrow my ever-growing list of stories into the very best of them. But more than just my personal favorite stories or the ones I most enjoy telling, I want to know which my friends and family like most.

With that said, here's your task, should you so choose it. Below is a list of most of my stories, organized by broad categories. (A few have been strategically omitted for various reasons. Some tales need to be told only at the right time.) I would love for you let me know which of them you like best. If you haven't heard/read any of these stories, or if there are a few unknowns that pique your interest, feel free to mention them as well. My desire is to hone my story-telling, both oral and written, and I want to practice by telling the most compelling and memorable. (For those of you who were forced to listen to my stories during Wednesday night devos the last two years at Camp of the Hills, those are italicized! You're welcome!)

Personal Injury:

Rock to the Head, Snake in the Canoe, The Rope-Swing Incident, The Bike Ramp, The Shopping Cart, Spinal Meningitis, Chain-Link Fence, Downhill Cliff Paddle-Boating, The 4-Wheeler, Christian Zone Roof, Street Luge, B.B. Gun Rambo, Why I Shouldn't Dance, Peanut Butter Skit, NFL Defensive End and the Burnet Emergency Room, Shovel to the Face, Week 3, 2009, Joey New, Kirby Punch Hug,

Girl Stories:

The Proposal, Wedding First Dance, Thai Food Dance, The Hand-Hold, The Cardboard Cut-Out, I Wanna Be, Homecoming 2003, Prom 2002, Prom 2003, Prom-blems (Prom 2004)

the Summer 2006 Camper Letters, the 10 Hour Drive, Painting the House, "Allergies Be Darned!" Crushed Up Crystals, The Accidental Note, Summer 2009 Narrative, Snaturday, First Time Ros and I met Shannon

Faith:

Cambodia 2009, How We Became a Part of St. Ann's, Killagarden, Blake Box,

Gerald’s Mustang,

Miscellaneous Stories:

The Rattle Snake, "I'm Afraid of Bugs!", Drew's First Day at Camp of the Hills, The Ninja Escapades, Week 7 2004, Week 7 2005 Wednesday, Turtle Watch 2004, The Liaison Days, Chiang Mai Night Market, 648, The Pillow Fights of 07, Cave Writings in the Tomb, the Flood of 2007, The Freshman Year Debauchal, Final Day of Camp 2005, The Quandre Experience, Dead Man in a Culligan Truck, The Princess (Skit) Diaries, Halloween Costumes (Aggie Dad, Braveheart, and Leonidas) Waterfall Losses, The Wolf Den Prank War, The Epic Bonfire, Last Day at JM, Wipin' Butt and Gettin' Beaten, Summer 2007 Crucifixions, Why I Hate Hay, The Story of the Vince Dive, Lesser Known Camp Fire, Nalgene Bottle and Explosives, Harlem Shake-Off, Giant Hamster/Pancake Narrative, The Beast, B1/B2 Celtic Games, Cherokee Indian Basketball, Astros Rally Underwear, Bungee Jumping, Obstacle Course, Pocket of Sushi,  I'm a Seoul Man, GATA Formal '09, Journey Air Band, Natural Disasters and Ambulances (Week 1, 2009), Memorial Day Kayaking (The Best Day Ever), CotHiosis Epidemic, Dining Hall Fire, Mono, Kayaking with Rosten and the Kirbys, “Chris fell in the poo,” Tug of War 2012, Winter Wonderland Prank, Toad in the Sidewalk Crack, Pneumonia! You’re my Kryptonite!, Office Depot: Delivering Disaster,

Oh, SNAP! Day 3

Do you ever do things that you immediately regret? Sometimes, I do. For instance, a few days ago I told my friends Keith and Durran that I was going to jump over a metal gate that was about chest high, and ended up landing rear-first on the cold, hard ground. Why did I mention anything out loud? Because I knew my sense of pride would make me go through with it once I had said it. By verbalizing my ridiculous stunt, I eliminated my choice of not performing what I had decided to do, if at some point in the future I thought better of it.

That logic heavily informed my reasoning behind choosing to broadcast the Bowen family trying to eat for a month on the budget of a family on SNAP benefits (previously known as Food Stamps). As soon as Amanda signed on, with gusto I might add, I typed up the previous blog post. I'm not sure how many people read these musings, but those who do are typically people I greatly respect. You are the sort of people who would either call me out directly to ensure I was keeping up with commitments, or at least would casually ask how the project was going. The embarrassment of having to explain that I had backed out served as a good deterrent when I later faced the inconvenient realities of the coming weeks.

With all that said, Amanda and I have gotten started well. I'll have some thoughts on how it's going later in the process, but for now, I want to better explain some of the details. We're facing the task as if Amanda and I both lost our jobs, and immediately went out and got SNAP benefits. We'll be trying to stretch the funds (about $4 per person per day) over the course of the next four weeks, through the first Saturday in February. We would have started at the beginning of January with David Smith, but our trip to Abu Dhabi made that difficult. By the time we got back to the states, it was mid-week, and we were both up to our eyeballs in work and school, so we decided to start Sunday the 13th and go for four weeks.

Some friends have already been asking how group meals work. For instance, the Kaczmareks wanted to have us over for a meal to catch up, but didn't want to impede in our month of meals. We assured them that we can be guests for meals just as real families on SNAP benefits can enjoy meals at the homes of their friends and family. In fact, leaning on their communities is an important part of life for many living in poverty. And though our budget won't allow us to bring expensive food to the proverbial/real table, we are excited to help by bringing something affordable to the meal, even if it's simply some rice or beans.

Additionally, we're working under the assumption that all the food in our pantry is available for us. Leftovers and such are fair game, too. We felt like this would be the case for two people who just lost their jobs. We did not, however, stock up on food beforehand. We felt like that would be cheating, since I doubt most people know the day they're getting laid off.

So, we're three days into our month of SNAP benefits. I'm excited to share more about what I'm learning later in the month!

Setting Down Roots

In case you were anxiously anticipating big family news from the Bowens, I'd like to make an announcement. After years of praying about where and to what God was calling us, after months of intense negotiations, near misses, and heartbreaks, and after we had given up hope as to how we would be able to make it happen without an intervening miracle from God, it happened.

Less than an hour ago, Amanda and I closed on a house in the College Heights neighborhood of Abilene, Texas.

After struggling with the idea of setting down roots in Abilene for a long time, God made the path clear for us to become a part of a long-term ministry with and among our new neighbors. We haven't gotten everything figured out yet. We're not sure exactly what the ministry will look like in the coming years. But we are at peace knowing that our passion for this community is one shared with God.

We look forward to sharing more on this big news in the future, but for now, we look to celebrate what God is doing in this city, in this neighborhood, and in our hearts!

Oh SNAP! (31 Days of Eating on Food Stamps) - Prologue

David Smith is a good man. In addition to being a much more regular blogger over at preachersmith.com than I am here, David also presided over the wedding of Amanda and myself. (The wedding probably deserves some retelling here on the blog, so maybe around our anniversary I'll retell some of the best stories from the experience.)

So when David Smith messaged me a link to his recent blog post, I immediately decided that it was a terrible/wonderful idea. As with almost all ideas that fit into that category, I ran it past Amanda before officially signing up. Thankfully for my hopes of joining in this grand social experiment, my wife shares my love of people in poverty and enthusiastically agreed to join.

As someone who professes to care about the poor, I'm looking forward to experiencing a little sliver of what it's like to try to plan a month of meals as if we only had SNAP (aka food stamps) benefits. I'm going to miss those Taco Bell Cantina Burritos something fierce, that's for sure. As a person called to love the people Jesus calls "the least of these," I hope this experience helps me grow in empathy for those living in poverty.

We're still working out a few of the nuances. For example, we won't be doing it for just January, since we'll be visiting family in Abu Dhabi for the first few days of the year, so we'll spill over into a bit of February. I'm already excited about this adventure, and the new perspective it will bring. I'll be doing my best to chronicle my thoughts and experiences here, so get excited about reading along, and feel free to try it out! I'd love to hear from more people

Additionally, be on the lookout for some exciting news next week! We're still waiting for final confirmation, but it looks like Amanda and I will have something really cool to share with y'all Monday. (Note: Before people start jumping to conclusions, no, this is not a kids type of news item. Seriously, people.)

Hope for Something Better

(Programming note: As a full-time employee, it seems like I'm just not going to have the time and energy to post as regularly as I had hoped. As someone who has failed at blogging twice before, I know that I am prone to feel frustrated when I don't post often enough by my own standards. That tends to lead to avoiding writing at all, which keeps me frustrated until I eventually give up on blogging altogether. With that in mind, I'm going to post when I can, do my best to write well, and give myself slack when I don't post for a week or two. It seems like my writing is more well received when I don't overdo it anyway.)

Presidential elections have fascinated me for years.

My love of following politics was born while I was half a world away from the United States, living for a semester as a missionary apprentice in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I didn't get homesick in the traditional sense, but I did feel very disconnected from my family, friends, and the world I had known.

I hadn't spent much time thinking about elections before my time overseas. My lone voting experience was in the 2004 election at age 18. As I have already described, I had not voted in a particularly thoughtful way. (I would like to note that Robert Edmonson, my first Democratic friend, was kind and persuasive without being pushy in telling me about Chet Edwards. His passion for politics and combined with a faith that drove him to serve kids at Camp of the Hills was one of the first indicators that a good Christian could also be a good Democrat.)

Suddenly, politics seemed interesting. The 2008 primary season was especially attention holding, and I was enthralled. Clinton, McCain, Obama, Richardson, Palin, and even that weird guy who stares into your soul then tosses a rock into a pond. I couldn't get enough. Even once I returned to the country, I kept watching, reading, thinking. I stopped following all the little nuances after the election, but kept up with the big stuff.

I say all that to say that I was ready to consume some news when the Republican primary geared up. Since early spring, I've been closely following all the inner workings of what ended up happening Tuesday. There were lots of important things that were said, argued, reframed, shouted, and said again. And while it would be disingenuous to pretend like there weren't a lot of issues addressed that I care about, I wanted to highlight what excites me most about the election results.

For years, I've worked with children from at-risk backgrounds here in Texas, many of whom come from Latino households. Though I haven't polled them directly, I have come to learn that many of the kids I have come to love and their families are living in the United States without documentation. Fearful of deportation. Unable to stand up for their human rights for without being found out.

I bet I've already lost some readers, but please stay with me. It's important.

I'm not happy with how either party has treated the Latino communities in this nation. The rhetoric against undocumented immigrants by both sides has been frustrating to say the least, and I can't imagine how it feels for the people spoken against. I have heard people suggeting electrified fences, border patrol "volunteers" with rifles, and making life for immigrants so miserable that they leave on their own. I watched Arizona pass laws legalizing discrimination if someone looked like an immigrant. I watched a president who had promised comprehensive immigration reform deport twice as many people as any other president in U.S. history, then have the audacity to paint all of them with the same brush, calling them "gang-bangers" in a live, televised debate in front of the world. Nobody's hands are clean.

Have their been bright spots for those who earnestly care about immigration reform? Certainly. Both parties have proved that some desire a change of policy. Several Republican candidates for the party's nomination had nuanced and thought-out immigration policies. President Obama made headway towards a possible solution for the children of immigrants over the summer. Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio argued for a change in their party's stance. But these measures and words have not changed the reality for the thousands hoping and praying for a better life.

It was through this lens that I watched the results of our election on Tuesday night and on into Wednesday morning. I didn't know exactly what to hope for with regard to immigration, since it wasn't officially on the ballot. Would the nation reelect a man who had promised to change the nation's immigration policy, but had never even introduced such legislation over the course of four years? Or would they choose a man who had recently suggested "self-deportation" as a solution? Would our other elected officials choose to demonize those without a voice to defend themselves, or work to make their lives better?

I'm an optimist, as you might know, so I was ready to look on the bright side of any outcome. With that said, I thought some of the polling has created a perfect storm that could lead to Republicans and Democrats working together for a mutually beneficial solution to the challenges of immigration reform. Lemme break down my thoughts on how it went down.

According to articles from Fox News, the Huffington Post, and others, President Obama won the votes of upwards of 70% of Latino voters, while Governor Romney won less than 25%. A resounding tally, no doubt. But what does it mean?

It sure looks like the majority of Latino votes were more willing to give President Obama a second chance to make good on his promises, as opposed to giving Governor Romney a first chance to follow through on his. And while the election certainly did not hinge on only one issue for any group, including Latino voters, many pundits are explaining this overwhelming vote as a rejection of the Republican platform on immigration.

With the Latino population growing at such a rapid rate, neither party can afford to ignore this demographic in the future. For example, solidly Republican strongholds like Arizona and even Texas have such a high concentration of Latinos that forecasters are suggesting that within eight years, these states might become swing states, or at least much closer than in the past. That means Republicans are very interested in winning back the support they used to enjoy under people like President George W. Bush, who was much more moderate on issues of immigration, in turn winning a much higher percentage of the Latino vote.

Democrats, on the other hand, would probably not have won the White House without such overwhelming support from the Latino voters. President Obama and others on the left made lots of promises, which seem to have resonated with Latinos. Now that Latino Americans have given their support to the Democratic side, it's crucial for them to follow through on their promises. Additionally, the left would love having another voting bloc similar to African-Americans, who regularly vote for Democrats, especially if their support could create inroads in potential future swing states.

Suddenly, we have a perfect storm. For the first time that I know of, Latino Americans are going to be courted from both sides of the aisle with earnest vigor. That means that politicians are going to have to change their tune about some of the issues that matter most to the Latino community. That will certainly include immigration reform.

And here's the crazy thing: it's already happening!

Here are two articles that I've read that indicate that change is already coming. The first one comes from Colorlines, the other from Fox News. They both declare that Republicans are ready to switch their stance on immigration, facing the reality of a more Latino voting public. Democrats seem to be ready to work together for a solution as well.

Does this mean that everything will be changed for the better soon? Not at all. But I am hopeful that both parties will seriously work to reform our immigration laws, even if it is only because it's politically helpful for them. I have written, prayed, and preached about justice for immigrants for a while now. I feel invigorated by the ways our country seems to be shifting. I look forward to what the future brings!

Linking for Thinking - 10/21/12

Every Sunday, I'll be whittling my reading list down to a few links that I found particularly interesting from the past week. Some may be profound/deep thinking articles or news stories, others may be things that fascinate me or made me laugh. Some will be on issues I already agree with, others will be those that have challenged me to think in new ways. If there's anything you think I'd be interested in, or something you think might be worth sharing in this space, feel free to leave it in the comments section, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com, or hit me up on facebook.

Marijuana Prohibition Turns 75; Blacks 3 Times as Likely to be Arrested than Whites
Harry Aslinger, first Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics: “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.” 

Dear Christian: If the Thought of Either Romney or Obama Getting Elected Makes You Fearful, Angry, or Depressed, You Have What we Call a Theological Problem
If you are watching political ads, speeches, debates, and you find yourself growing fearful, angry, or depressed (the latter two are often rooted in deep fear), remember that your true trust is elsewhere.

“Holy Discontent” Towards American Immigration Policy
These pastors and their congregations do their best to care for the family left behind, but they see marriages strained by distance and stress.  They watch children struggle and rebel without their fathers; some make terrible choices with consequences that will reverberate throughout their lives.  Amidst all this, these pastors have heard too many broken promises from politicians, on both sides of the partisan divide, pledging to fix the dysfunction of our national immigration laws.  These pastors, who love and shepherd their flocks, just can’t stand it anymore.

Lifehack of the Week - Wool Balls in the Dryer
We covered how you can speed up laundry drying times by adding tennis balls but you can create the same effect without the loud noises by turning a skein of wool yarn into three felted wool balls.

The Long Journey of a Christian Pacifist
This much I know for sure. I am proud to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and if that puts me at odds with my country’s official policies about abortion, capital punishment, or war, well then— so be it. I want to be totally pro life until the day I die.

I Love the Bible (via Rachel Held Evans)
I have wrestled with the Bible, and it has left me with a limp. But I am glad. I am glad because this limp has slowed me down a bit. It has humbled me. It has forced me to stop running so fast and sure down the path of certainty that I forget to listen, to pay attention, to ask questions, to build altars, to wait.

The New Jim Crow (via Richard Beck)
Between 1987 and 2007 the national prison population tripled in America. In 2008 a dark milestone was reached: the US incarcerated one out of every 100 of its citizens. This is an incarceration rate higher than what is found in repressive regimes such as China and Iran.

Linking for Thinking - 9/9/12

Every Sunday, I'll be whittling my reading list down to a few links that I found particularly interesting from the past week. Some may be profound/deep thinking articles or news stories, others may be things that fascinate me or made me laugh. Some will be on issues I already agree with, others will be those that have challenged me to think in new ways. If there's anything you think I'd be interested in, or something you think might be worth sharing in this space, feel free to leave it in the comments section, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com, or hit me up on facebook.

Lifehack of the Week
If you have a tiny bathroom with little storage space and need somewhere to keep a few towels and washcloths handy consider buying an inexpensive nesting basket set from a discount housewares store and mounting the baskets to your wall to provide an easy and inexpensive way to keep bathroom linens handy.

A Community Called Forgiveness (by Dr. Richard Beck)
Because isn't the problem with Christianity that we want God to forgive us but we don't care about being reconciled to others? Isn't it much easier to pray to God for forgiveness than to put in all the time and relational work to live at peace with others?

Simply Seeing
I simply saw her as a mom who cares deeply for her children, just as I am a dad who cares deeply for mine. I simply saw her as a parent who trusts me to be a teacher for her child and for her.

Is Americanism the Fourth Biblical World Religion? (Via David Smith)
But Leithart’s message is not about people who explicitly affirm that their religion is America; it’s about how America has come to regard itself as “God’s New Israel.”

The Amazing Speeches of Women in the Conventions makes the Silence of Women in the Church that much more Deafening
Not having the voices of women in the Church is not just sad for women but even worse, it’s sad and a deep loss for the Church. We’re missing out on the stories, convictions, and challenges from the Ann Romneys, Condi Rices, and Michelle Obamas within our churches. 

Draft Day with Royce White (Warning: Slight language at the end of the video)
For us, Royce (a 6-foot-8 forward from Iowa State) was the most suspenseful and important story in the draft — someone blessed with an extraordinary combination of skills and size, and also with a refreshing openness about his mental condition. His doctors call it "generalized anxiety disorder," a condition defined as "constant worry."

Is the Death Penalty Racist?
Five Connecticut death row inmates are suing the state to get their sentences overturned because they argue race and geographic bias played a part in their prosecution.

Playing in NFL Triples Risk of Alzheimers and Parkinsons Diseases
NFL players are three times as likely as the general population to die from a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, according to a new Centers for Disease Control study of retired NFL players.

Super Mario Summary
Check out this online game that summarizes the original Super Mario Brothers game. It brought back some fond memories!

Reflections on Football in the South by A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin's Father
William Sumlin is hesitant to get into it. He doesn't want to go all PBS documentary on his son Kevin as he prepares for his first game as head coach at Texas A&M on Saturday. But as a high school coach in the segregated South a half-century ago, William Sumlin will allow that he never, ever thought the day would come when his son would be a head coach in the Southeastern Conference.

God and our Political Platforms (by Rachel Held Evans)
But this is the danger of civic religion: it convinces us that God’s name is the same as God’s presence; it convinces us that we’ve “won” when we hear the right words, regardless of whether we’ve seen the  right fruit. 

Linking for Thinking - 9/2/12

Every Sunday, I'll be whittling my reading list down to a few links that I found particularly interesting from the past week. Some may be profound/deep thinking articles or news stories, others may be things that fascinate me or made me laugh. Some will be on issues I already agree with, others will be those that have challenged me to think in new ways. If there's anything you think I'd be interested in, or something you think might be worth sharing in this space, feel free to leave it in the comments section, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com, or hit me up on facebook.

A Head, Heart, or Hands Church? (via David Smith)
I grew up in a church designed for the head. That is not a criticism. It is just a description. We did not trust emotions because they were easily manipulated and clouded thinking. Actions were important and we believed “good works” were essential to faithfulness, but what really mattered was getting your theology straight.

Unclean Touch (from Christianity Today)
There are two or three churches nearby that have no theological issue at all with same-sex marriages: they perform them, celebrate them, welcome those in them. Our church is not one of these churches. We're firmly embedded in our evangelical heritage: a strong emphasis on the Bible, on personal holiness, on evangelism and activism.

Lifehack of the Week
If you need to serve ice cream to several people at once Real Simple magazine's weblog shares that you can save time and your wrist by cutting a cylindrical ice cream carton in half, pulling off the carton, and then cutting each half into several slices.

A Letter on Women's Roles (via Richard Beck)
I've been struggling for some time with how I should best stand up for gender justice in my local church context. A few years ago I made a decision which has recently become known to those in leadership at my church.

The Debate, and How I Got There

Ethics was an interesting class.

I'd only had Randy Harris one other time, and that was for my wide-eyed, "I thought I knew a lot about the Bible because I did well in Bible Bowl but now you're blowing my mind with new ideas!" phase. By the time the fall of 2011 had rolled around, I was still having my mind rocked by new ideas, but a lot of the earth-shattering new beliefs were in the rear-view mirror, even if that meant that I had invited them to pile into the backseat for my journey.

Randy presented us with an outline of the different things we'd be working through in class: the first half of the semester would be examining different ethical models to better understand from which we operated, while the second half was more built around learning by debating about different issues of the day. Randy would present both sides of an issue to the best of his ability for a class period, then had two groups debate it back and forth the next class period. He would moderate those debates, sometimes soothing tempers if things got too testy, sometimes ripping into a group who were winning too easily to keep us on our toes. (He's quite talented at that.)

I had my preferences for what I really wanted to argue for when the topics were named, and I had some topics that I wanted to avoid like the plague. For instance, I was watering at the mouth to debate on the side of Affirmative Action, but would have been crestfallen to be on the opposite side. With the decision not up to the students, however, I could only hope that I would be debating on the side of something I believed in strongly.

Flash back to 2004 for a moment. I had recently turned 18, and I had a deep sense that it was my duty to vote in the presidential election. (Part of me still wrestles with why I'm so willing to vote for someone to work in Washington, D.C., but so often I'm apathetic towards local elections. I'm working on it, though...) Being young, I wasn't very well practiced at parsing the nuances of issues or candidates, so it all came down to two factors when I went to the polling place: I thought that George W. Bush was more likely to do a good job of taking care of Texas than John Kerry, since Bush was from Texas, and I thought that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could end up being a positive if once they were won, Christian missionaries would have more ability to evangelize there.

Looking back, I'm pretty ashamed of my reasons for that vote. Sure, there were legitimate reasons to vote for Bush and for Kerry, but I didn't search very deep for those reasons, I just went with the easiest answer. That frustrates me, especially that I so easily justified war in my mind.

Within the space of a few years, I watched several friends go to war. I feel eternally blessed that most of them have returned alive so far, but through my conversations with them, I have begun to realize what a heavy burden war is to so many. In my heart, I began to believe that the reasons I held in 2004 were not justification enough for the horrors of war.

I have continued to look at my own justifications of war and those of others. Though it was a long and slow journey, the list of reasons I could accept as reasonable shrank considerably as the years progressed.

Suddenly, Randy Harris called my name. I was a part of the group advocating for peace without the use of violence.

SCORE!

I feel like every group project in school has either that one person who goes all out, the person who doesn't contribute anything or both. Confession time: I was the non-contributor at times during my extended college career. But not this time.

We were required to debate as if we held the views for which we were advocating, so we divvied up the different topics for our paper. As the resident Ministry/Sociology major of our group, I was assigned writing up the Biblical and social aspects of our "Pro-Peace" debate. (If you're just a glutton for punishment, feel free to read the paper here. The parts I wrote are the introduction and page 3 and 4.)

One of the most persuasive arguments against our side had already been laid out in three simple words: "What about Hitler?" We knew, without a doubt, that our classmates would be tossing that question at us, hoping that we would be unable to squirm around the uncomfortable truth that if a raving lunatic or truly evil person gains power, something must be done. Their position was that just war was not only allowable, it was necessary at times. How do you argue against fighting Hitler?

We had arrived at our answer to that question well in advance, since we knew it was coming, but I happened to be strolling around the Bible building an hour before our debate, when I ran into Dr. Chris Flanders. He's a professor in the Graduate School of Theology, a friend, and something of a mentor to me, or at least someone who cares about me. I casually mentioned the debate, and he said, "You got a minute? I've got something you might find helpful." I quickly agreed, and he led me to the campus bookstore. There he pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to me as my eyes got wide. He smiled as I hurriedly thanked him and purchased it immediately.

I found the rest of my group preparing for the debate, and beamed as I lay the book down on the table. It was entitled "What about Hitler?"

We flipped to one of the last chapters, because authors rarely just get right to the very best part, and found our position articulated beautifully, much more eloquently than we could have pulled off on the spot.

"At this juncture it is time for me to respond to the Hitler question: how should Christians respond to the kind of evil Hitler represents if just war theory and supreme emergencies are precluded, and if we live with a different measure of success?

We must live faithfully; we must be humble in our faith and truthful in what we say and do; we must repay evil with good; and we must be peacemakers. This may also mean as a result that the evildoers will kill us. Then, we shall also die.

That's it. There is nothing else-- or rather, anything else is only a footnote to this. We are called to live the kingdom as he proclaimed it and be his disciples, come what may. We are, in his words, flowers flourishing and growing wild today, and tomorrow destined for the furnace. We are God's people, living by faith.

The gospel is clear and simple, and I know what my response to the Hitler question must be. And I desperately want to avoid this conclusion. When my time comes, I may well trot out every nuanced argument I can develop, or seek a way out in St. Thomas Aquinas or Paul Ramsey. This would serve me and my fear, my hypocrisy, and my faithlessness very well. But I would not be telling the truth or living as I ought and as I am called to live.

I've had a hard time justifying killing under any circumstance for a while now, but my problem with that has been the lingering question of, "If not violence, then what?" While war feels wrong to me, I don't feel right about standing against something without offering a viable alternative solution. Yet that alternative had been taught to me my whole life without me realizing it.

Jesus was innocent, and had every right to use violence, but chose a different path. He did not hurt those who we would call his enemies, but he also stood up peacefully against them. He found a third way to deal with those who used violence and intimidation to hurt others, like when he disarmed the crowd who sought to stone the woman caught in adultery. He did not run from the soldiers who came to arrest him, neither did he allow his disciples to fight them. His words, "Put your sword away, for he who lives by the sword dies by the sword!" ring in my ears when I try to rationalize the losses of war as necessary. Jesus affirmed the humanity of Peter and Malchus in the garden.

So, as a Christian who has long struggled with violence and what could be an appropriate alternative, I would like to submit Jesus' example to those who might be feeling the same as I have, and even to those who have no problem with waging a "just war." Below is a potential way that non-violence could be used to mitigate between two warring sides, whether both are aggressors, or one side is attacking a peaceful group.

Imagine Canada suddenly broke out into a civil war. Eastern provinces vs. Western provinces. Instead of choosing a side that seems most right and fighting with them or staying out of the entire mess, imagine ten thousand Christians standing between the two groups. No weapons, just people. The Christians send word to both sides with a simple message:

"We believe that you are worthwhile, because you are a human, and thus we cannot suffer the thought of you dying or being ravaged by war in your body, mind, or heart. In the same way, we believe that our brothers and sisters with whom you are at war are just as worthwhile. We will not stop you from fighting, but you will have to fight through us. We are willing to die on this ground, but we are not willing to allow violence towards any human. If you choose to fight those you call your enemies, do so knowing that to kill them, you must kill us first."

It's certainly not a popular vision of how to mediate conflict. I'm sure that there are some glaring issues that would have to be worked out (Like how to stand between factions in a time of guided missiles, where are you going to find that many people willing to die for the sake of others, etc.). This vision is not easy, by any means. It's so radical that it seems impossible. But we have glimpses of those who lived in such a way, like Jesus, Gandhi, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a standard I don't know if I can live up to.

But it also helps my faith to see an alternative to war. I have a hard time believing that God desires war. Certainly there are passages in the Old Testament that point to a bloodthirsty God, but in Jesus, we see God's best representation on Earth of what God desires for a human to be like. In Jesus, we see someone who is radically peaceful.

I do not want to belittle or invalidate Christians who feel called to join the military. My voice is just one of many in a chorus of believers who are trying to figure out how best to follow Jesus. And while the conclusions I have drawn are right for me, I do not pretend to speak for the entire spectrum of Christianity, nor can I with any certainty say that I've figured out what God wants. I can only express what I have learned and believed based on my own experiences and studies.

This isn't the last time the blog will feature this topic. Next time it comes up, I'm looking forward to sharing some ideas about how this ideal could be lived out daily. Shane Claiborne has some good stories that speak to that, so be looking for it in the future. Until then, feel free to discuss your own thoughts in the comments section.

Media Monday - One Day

Each Monday, this blog will feature a song, video, piece of art, or other type of media that tells part of a story. Sometimes the message will be light and funny, other times it will be deeper and more somber. I may not even fully agree with what is posted. My aim is to present narratives that are worth experiencing, knowing, and discussing.

For today, our media is one of my favorite songs of all-time. It's by Matisyahu, called "One Day," and because I think I finally figured out how to embed youtube videos directly into my posts, all you have to do to watch it is click below...




If you clicked on the links from Sunday, you might notice a continuation of the same theme from Dr. Beck's post. Matisyahu sings about a future without war, free from violence and hate. As you might realize if you've met me, these posts aren't popping up on the blog for no reason. They are a big part of who I am and who I hope to be.

Before someone attempts to gently burst my overly-optimistic bubble, I don't think the "one day" he sings about is coming anytime soon. Though I would love to live in a world without war, I hold no grand illusions of seeing such a place. But as a Christian, I feel like I am called to not only hope for a better world, but work for a better world.

For a better explanation of the story behind some of my thoughts on war, check back Wednesday, when I'll be writing about an interesting debate I was assigned to in an Ethics class, and some of the precursors to that debate. I'm certain that many won't agree with the conclusions I have reached, but I've found that I can respect those I disagree with more easily once I better know the road they traveled to come to their conclusions. Whether you agree with where I stand, think I'm a fool, or something else, as of Wednesday at least you'll know how I got here.

Linking for Thinking - 8/26/12

Every Sunday, I'll be whittling my reading list down to a few links that I found particularly interesting from the past week. Some may be profound/deep thinking articles or news stories, others may be things that fascinate me or made me laugh. Some will be on issues I already agree with, others will be those that have challenged me to think in new ways. If there's anything you think I'd be interested in, or something you think might be worth sharing in this space, feel free to leave it in the comments section, email me at coth.guy@gmail.com, or hit me up on facebook.

Pew Research on Economic Segregation
Two cities in Texas -- Houston and Dallas -- rank the highest when it comes to economic segregation as measured by the so-called RISI Score (Residential Income Segregation Index). 

A Restless Patriotism (by Dr. Richard Beck at Experimental Theology)
I was thinking the other day about just war theory. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that there is such a thing as a just war. That there are times when going to war is the lesser of two evils. Evil, yes, always evil, but the lesser evil given the choices before the nation. If this is granted then is must also be granted that the nation could engage in an unjust war. That is, there are just wars and unjust wars and Christians should support the former, albeit reluctantly, and object and refuse to participate in the latter.

Jesus without Shane Claiborne (by Rachel Held Evans)
In short, I make the perfect the enemy of the good. I become paralyzed by my own idealism.