merry christmas.

I’ve never really sent out Christmas cards.

But, here is a little Christmas cheer from some of my friends from the 6th grade. They are the coolest.

Merry Christmas friends.

the presence of christ.

Last week at HPPC we danced the nativity scene. Some people thought it was funny and innovative. Some thought we were communicating the story differently so that students wouldn’t forget what we mean. Some people were pretty nervous. Some people thought students wouldn’t get the joke. Some people thought it was stupid. Some people thought we didn’t actually teach about Jesus.

Well. We did.

My friend Andrew Hudson made this video that we showed. Below the video is the rest of the story which was shared with the students that morning.

This story is not just about Janet. It really is a story about the things I learned the days and weeks following her death. Her death served as a catalyst for one of the most profound things I have ever learned. The power of presence. In the days that followed hearing of Janet’s death I understood better what the prophet Isaiah and the gospel writer Matthew meant by God with us.

The morning after hearing of her death I remember Ryan coming into my room to sit with me. I don’t remember what he said. Frankly, I don’t remember what anyone said those days. I am sure there were those that said “I’m sorry” and I am sure they were genuinely sorry. I know people told me “I love you” and I think there were a lot of people that really did. I know people said “I am praying for you” and I am sure many saints were indeed praying. But what I really remember is that Ryan was there. I remember he would text and call me. I remember he would pick me up and take me to lunch. He skipped lots of classes and lots of work. He took on my suffering. He didn’t really know Janet but it didn’t matter. Ryan did not say he was sorry and then go about his daily routine. He entered into my story and stayed there with me. Present in the midst of my pain. Christmas is about a God who enters into our story. I don’t mean He hasn’t been involved at all before then. He certainly is involved in the creation narrative, the blessing of Abraham and the ordaining of Moses, the Exodus, the anointing of kings, the orchestrating and rescue of the exile. But the incarnation screams the entrance of God into the story in an entirely different way. The word became flesh introduces the reality of the promise in the Garden that God would one day make things right. He enters into our story. God is not aloof. He is indeed with us through the mystery of the incarnation. One thing we all love to do when we are young is accuse our parents of “not understanding” whatever it is we are, at the moment, experiencing. We don’t actually mean they don’t understand. What we really mean is that they haven’t entered our story in the same way our friends have. We view them as a detached entity from our teenage existence. We haven’t that excuse with God. While he is certainly “wholly” other, he has entered into our story – he has become like us. He is with us.

“Thus the reality of Jesus Christ is that God Himself in person is actively present in the flesh. God himself in person is the Subject of a real human being and acting. And just because God is the Subject of it, this being and acting are real. They are a genuinely and truly human being and acting. Jesus Christ is not a demigod. He is not an angel. Nor is He an ideal man. He is a man as we are, equal to us as a creature, as a human individual, but also equal to us in the state and condition into which our disobedience has brought us. And in being what we are He is God’s Word. Thus as one of us, yet the one of us who is Himself God’s Word in person, He represents God to us and He represents us to God. In this way He is God’s revelation to us and our reconciliation to God.” (Barth, Dogmatics I.2, 151)

Not only is Christmas about a God who has entered into our story, it is also about a God that suffers with us and for us. Part of entering into our story was the taking upon himself the fullness of humanity. It cost Him something. Ryan’s presence in my life meant that my story would affect him. It meant that he might not turn in some homework on time, miss a day or two at work, or neglect other relationships. Although drastically different, Christ was affected by our suffering, even to point of death on a cross. He made his dwelling among us. He was capable of feeling the emotions we feel, the heartache we experience, and the suffering we go through for he indeed encountered a fallen world every day.  The conversation between the Father and Son in the Garden illustrates this well. His soul was in agony about going to the cross, about bearing the mess of the world on himself. But he submits to the will of the Father and experiences death so that he might destroy it. He has suffered with us and for us. He has not entered into our story and done nothing. Ultimately, his presence in our narrative means that he will one day rescue us from it. So that the Christmas message really is about a God who is inviting his creation back to himself. It is about God accepting once again humanity on the basis of His very own Son.

We are accepted. We belong.

a different nativity.

this was a lot of fun. I’m glad we did it.

two thousand and nine: remixed.

I received this email today.

Dear Jon -

_____ and myself have spent some time thinking of things you should add to your blog…CD’s and books are quite typical, please add some things that fit your personality better…
Top 2009:
1 – moments with your staff
2 – moments from your year
3 – best random make outs of 2009
4 – favorite new restaurants frequented
5 – best dreams (must be half good dreams and half nightmares)
6 – the first five are pretty good
7 – explanations for every time you have said “it felt right…”
8 – least favorite graduate level projects/papers
9 – top 10 lists
10 – mix CDs (can’t be your own)

thanks.

While I probably cannot respond to all of their requests, they do make an excellent point. So, with friendly advice, I present my favorites of two thousand and nine: remixed.

1. I think my favorite memory with my staff would have to be either the Club Christmas Nativity Dance from this past Sunday or the Youth Specialities Conference in LA this past fall. I think I would choose the former merely because not everyone was able to travel to California with us…oh yeah, and because we danced the nativity scene. That was fun.

2. Favorite moments of my year…indepenDANCE, seeing Adrian and Jess Ramos move to Texas, marrying off two great friends and roommates Guy and Alex, taking an Ethics class with Clint, David, Austin, and Doug – some of my first and best friends in seminary, going to lots of good concerts (the rocketboys, this will destroy you, coldplay, the fray/jacks mannequin, switchfoot, muse/u2, manchester orchestra, brand new/thrice), snowboarding all over colorado/california/wyoming, wakeboarding with stuart nix all summer, becoming a full time co-director of 5th-8th grade with one of my favorite people to do ministry with (and working with amazing people in general – shout outs to all of hppc student ministry staff), reaching new levels of friendship with one Andrew Bruder, leading students on mission trips to mississippi and galveston, studying philippians with 6th graders, sean and tristyn’s wedding, welcoming casey burgess to the annapoLOST boys, hearing I will be an uncle for the first time, being able to go home for christmas for the first time in two years, spending a week with my parents on lake michigan in the summer (a fun new tradition), learning from john hannah, getting to be involved in the lives of students and families at highland park presbyterian, doug and leigh’s wedding, continuing to do life together with ryan bowen, seeing my brother and his wife in LA a couple of times, andrew elliott showing up in a taxi and surprising everyone at indepenDANCE, meeting lots of new great people, endless pool party barbecues, karaoke-ing ‘fight for your right’ and ‘this is how we do it’ on a number of occasions, going to chicago to see an old friend (david patton) pitch for the chicago cubs, being genuinely cared for, entering a lifelong journey in editing videos, becoming a huge texas ranger fan, the incredible gauntlet andrew hudson and austin ariail made for MASKerade 2009, re-uniting with ben summers and adam hundley, summer softball, discovering texas pecan coffee, still not actually owning a bed.

3. yikes.

4. texadelphia, twisted root, deep sushi, central market cafe, goffs, taco bueno, cafe brazil, whataburger…

7. I’ve never said “it felt right…”

10. hands down: will taylor makes some of the the best mix tapes in texas.

two thousand and nine.

It’s been a good year. I’ve discovered a lot of new music and literature. I’ve also listened to a lot of old stuff and read books that have been around for centuries. So, while this list is a compilation of my favorites from 2009, not all of the art/literature was necessarily created this year. Some of it made the list because it was fresh and provocative. Others made it because it was timeless and profound. There are some things that transcend time and are incredible regardless the particular year one comes across it. Therefore, this list is my favorites of 2009. These are the things I really enjoyed this year.

I really hate prioritizing top 10 lists. As a result, the lists are in no particular order from 1-10.

favorite 10 songs from this year.

1. blood bank/bon iver

2. moksha/caspian

3. genesis/justice

4. hazy/rosi golan (featuring william fitzsimmons)

5. your love is a song/switchfoot

6. wake up/arcade fire (this will probably make this list every year)

7. 1901/phoenix

8. oh my sweet carolina/ryan adams

9. first breath after a coma/explosions in the sky

10. shake it out/manchester orchestra

favorite 10 albums from this year.

1. daisy/brand new

2. mean everything to nothing/manchester orchestra

3. hello hurricane/switchfoot

4. 20,000 ghosts/the rocketboys

5. church music/david crowder

6. ocean eyes/owl city

7. the resistance/muse

8. the four trees/caspian

9. the sparrow and the crow/william fitzsimmons

10. feed the animals/girltalk

favorite 10 books from this year:

1. a million miles in a thousand years/donald miller

2. the blue parakeet/scot mcknight

3. evangelical theology/karl barth

4. prodigal god/tim keller

5. church dogmatics vols. I.I and I.2  the doctrine of the word of god/karl barth

6. communion with god/john owen

7. revisiting relational youth ministry/andrew root

8. a testament to freedom/dietrich bonhoeffer

9. essentials of evangelical theology/donald bloesch

10. sex god/rob bell

of jedis and theologians.

I recently re-watched Star Wars II: Clone Wars. What I find intriguing in this particular Star Wars narrative is the development of Anakin Skywalker. The side plot of his character development is almost better than the story at large. The screen writers invite us to watch as he continues to develop quite well as a skilled jedi apprentice under the care of Obi Won Kenobi.  But we are also made aware of how the dark side is drawing him in through his own faculties of pride. It, as well as his forbidden relationship with Padme, will eventually lead to his jedi demise and ultimate transformation into the villain known as Darth Vader. What is unfortunately remarkable about this entire process is that Anakin is really ruined by his own pride. This is not to say there are not also external sources, namely, Palpatine, at work to influence his departure from the jedi community. However, at the end of the road, It appears it is Anakin’s own sense of entitlement and pride that brings on his ruin. He is often overstepping his bounds with Obi Won and is alway pushing the envelope with tactics and strategies.

I know this sounds extremely nerd intensive but I promise I have a point brewing.

I think often times as young theologians (seminarians – what have you) we, like Anakin, think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We criticize our mentors and fail to take our place in the line of theological development. This is not to say that we have nothing to offer or are completely left out of the process. For those of you who know me, you know I am not saying we have nothing to offer. It is a reminder, however, that despite our own intellectual capabilities we are often devoid of wisdom. Knowledge is power and it is very easy to get drunk with it – especially at seminaries that have strict conduct codes against actually drinking the real stuff. There are far too many young theologians with an arsenal of knowledge attacking the ideas, creativity, and the interpretations of those far their superior in terms of wisdom and hours logged thinking through critical issues. Again, I am not saying we are left out of the process. I am not saying we have nothing to offer the theological community. I am simply asking for us to be careful of the Darth Vader lurking inside all of us waiting to take shape.

Also. Please no jokes about the Bible and lightsabers. Yikes.

christmas.

So the Christmas message for all people runs: You are accepted, God has not despised you, but he bears in his body all your flesh and blood. Look at the cradle! In the body of the little child, in the incarnate Son of God, your flesh, all your distress, anxiety, temptation, indeed all your sin, is borne, forgiven, and healed.

dietrichBONHOEFFER

testament to freedom, 449

make here.

The new project, Make Here, from Highland Park’s own Stanhope is by far their best effort to date. The four high school juniors have written, both musically and lyrically, an EP to be proud of. Make Here is pregnant with lyrical reflections and musical melodies far beyond what one would expect from such a young band. The album conveys a meaning that, while often times we can get caught longing for tomorrow or sometimes a completely different reality, here is where we are and here is where we must live and act. Expect to discover themes of honesty, regret, purpose, and hope  as well as explosions of sounds that will only leave you wanting to roll down your windows and drive literally nowhere. Go buy it on iTunes. It’s only $4.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=334494915&s=143441

foolishness skate project.

tribulation.

My own experience is something like this. I am progressing along the path of life in my ordinary contentedly fallen and godless condition, absorbed in a merry meeting with my friends for the morrow or a bit of work that tickles my vanity today, a holiday or a new book, when suddenly a stab of abdominal pain that threatens serious disease, or a headline in the newspapers that threatens us all with destruction, sends this whole pack of cards tumbling down. At first I am overwhelmed, and all my happinesses look like broken toys. Then, slowly and reluctantly, bit by bit, I try to bring myself into the frame of mind that I should be in at all times. I remind myself that all these toys were never intended to possess my heart, that my true good is in another world and my only real treasure is Christ. And perhaps, by God’s grace, I succeed, and for a day or two become a creature consciously dependent on God and drawing its strength from the right sources. But the moment the threat is withdrawn, my whole nature leaps back to the toys: I am even anxious, God forgive me, to banish from my mind the only thing that supported me under the threat because it is now associated with the mystery of those few days. Thus the terrible necessity of tribulation is only too clear. God has had me for but forty-eight hours and then only by dint of taking everything else away from me. Let Him but sheathe that sword for a moment and I behave like a puppy when the hated bath is over – I shake myself as dry as I can and race off to reacquire my comfortable dirtiness, if not in the nearest manure heap, at least in the nearest flower bed. And that is why tribulations cannot cease until God either sees us remade or sees that our remaking is now hopeless.

csLEWIS

The Problem of Pain