Addison Elizabeth Jones, a Big and Fancy Moment

This blog has been largely dedicated to seeing God in unusual places. For better or worse I have used peculiar life experiences to point to something larger. Sometimes these posts have worked, and more times then not, perhaps they just confused things. But the whole gist of these posts was to encourage our perceptions and train our eyes and hearts to seek God in areas we would never expect Him to show up.

But sometimes, every once in a while God shows up where we expect him. As in the fact that God shows up in little and unusual moments, He also shows up in our big and fancy moments. Addison Elizabeth Jones was born on December 13th 2009. It all happened real fast. We arrived at the hospital at 12:30 and she arrived around 1:30. It was all too much to process in such a short time. I was a daddy of one and now I am daddy of two, and a girl of all things! I would have never thought that I would be a father of a Girl. She is beautiful. It was a beautiful moment that will be etched in my memory for as long as I hope to live. (The same is true with my first born's birth.)

It's not that I felt God in any special way when Addie was born. He was there and present for sure. But that's not what leads me to write this post. I write this post out of gratitude. Big and fancy moments are gifts from our Creator as the small and unusual moments are. There is no need for any profound meaning to be extracted from something that may or may not be there, other then to take the obvious splendor of the moment and soak it in like a sponge. Thank you Addison Elizabeth Jones for reminding me to appreciate the moment as the moment it is and not just the moment it could be!

-Dan Jones

Pulling Perfectly Good Grass

Fatherhood has changed me. I am learning so much from my son Jake, and it is truly amazing to watch him as he continues to develop. A trend that I have recently noticed as of late is Jake wants to be like me. He repeats everything I say and do. (which can be scary more times then not!)

The other day, the family and I were doing some yard work at our new place that we just recently moved into. My wife decided that it would be a good idea to pull some weeds that the lawn mower could not get to. So as I bent down to begin pulling the weeds and then rake them to the end of the lawn, my wife pointed out Jake to me. He began pulling the weeds and walking the same path as me. He wanted to help. As little as he is, it is crazy to see that he values being valued.

This was pretty neat to watch for at least a little while. However, something began to happen. Jake ran out of weeds to pull so he began to pull the perfectly good grass. This is a tough spot to be in as a parent. On one hand, all Jake was trying to do is help out. At the same time, we didn't want him pulling perfectly good grass. We tried explaining to him that we no longer needed his help with pulling the weeds, but there are only so many words that you can offer to a 2 year old before just saying that dreaded word "NO!".

I am happy that I am one of the many that follow Jesus in this world. It is exciting to think that I am able to "co-mingle" with God and in his work today. I wonder if God looks at me with the same enthusiasm that I have when Jake tries to help out. How cool is is that God may be looking at me like a proud parent knowing that I am "helping out" in the only way his creation can. In this, I resonate with my 2 year old son. I want to think my intentions are good in my attempts to work with God in this world. This also makes me think that sometimes I (or "we" as the church) may be pulling perfectly good grass. We make decisions on who is "in" and who is "out", with many times not thinking twice about it. We make sweeping judgements about political parties and those that are in them. It is incredibly tempting to believe that God takes "sides" in our political arenas. (Can any man made party truly embody what it means to follow Christ?) I wonder how often we have good intentions, but fail to pull the weeds rather then the grass.

The possibility of pulling perfectly good grass exists as we attempt a faithful dialogue in religion, politics, or even everyday topics. This must enter in consideration in our attempts to boldly proclaim the good news and team with God in His work in this world. Otherwise, good intentions or not, we may be doing more harm then good.

Dan Jones

Finding God in Unusual Places; Vacation Moment Number 2

Recently, the family and I went to vacation in North Carolina. We stayed with some great friends for the week, and we chose various activities to participate in. One of the activities that we picked out to participate in as a family was the Museum of Life and Science. We wanted to do some some things to incorporate our son into the vacation, since it was his vacation too. And we figured that a museum in which was very hands-on would entertain Jake to some degree. It was a fantastic experience and we all ended up having a blast. One of the more interesting moments was the butterfly house which was full of most beautiful and colorful creatures I have ever seen.


At the butterfly house there was a long walk way that went diagonally from one side to the other. As you inched along down this walkway you would progress closer and closer to the main entry to the butterfly house. Through the walkway, there were items strategically placed in order to catch your eye. There would be huge replicas of different butterflies that were nothing more then painted plastic, which still made them no less then beautiful. When you finally entered in the building you found yourself in a lobby type area where you are introduced to various interesting facts about butterflies. The lobby then narrows into a glorified hallway full of different butterflies that were once living, but preserved to the extent that if it were not for the fact these butterflies didn't move, they appeared to be just like an alive butterfly.


I'll never forget my son Jake as he walked though this room. His eyes were as wide as sky-scrappers are as tall. He would look at each butterfly preservation with such awe. At one point, in the only way Jake can do, he exclaimed "WHOAAaaaa". I shared his enthusiasm, I really did. Any parent knows when your child is so excited about something, no matter what it is, you can't help but be excited right along with him. And yet at the same time, I wanted to usher Jake along the hallway to let him see the real stuff. You see, at the end of the hall way you then could enter in the actual area where hundreds of alive and full colored butterflies would be showcased for our amusement.

As pleasurable and interesting the preserved butterflies were, I understood that this moment only served as a teaser, and that what we were observing would pale in comparison to what was to come. As I continued to usher Jake closer and closer to the entryway I noticed considerable hesitation on behalf of Jake. I didn't know if he was caught up in the moment or not. I do know that Jake probably had no idea of what was to come, and it was my job to usher in the new world to show him the greatness that was just steps away.

This all reminds me of Jesus when he says, "...but I came to give life—life in all its fullness." Sometimes religion seems satisfied with preservation rather then any alternative. Like Jake we are consumed by the moment, and as interesting and beautiful this moment may seem to be, we may find ourselves very much blind to the possibilities just a few more steps away. This 'full' life that Jesus offers is not just about about a very distant future that is full of bliss that happens after we take our last breath. There is something to be had with this moment and this life. Teaming up with God and his mission for this world is what Jesus invites us to participate in. Purposeful living invites a 'fullness' that only Jesus can offer.

Sometimes I think religion and church fakes us out by convincing us that we have captured this 'life to the full' by participating in good morality and going to organized church functions every chance we get. We are caught in the hallway of preservation, when the entryway to 'fullness' is just ahead of us. Are we willing to enter the 'butterfly house'? And what does it exactly mean to live life to the full? I may not know this yet, but I want to mention two ideas that I want all to embrace.

1. Let us be willing to not be satisfied with preservation alone. Sure, there are glimpses of beauty and accomplishment, but Jesus had promised us more if we just stop being satisfied with what what we have now.

2. Let us trust Jesus and His promise and began to walk toward the entryway into the life of 'fullness'.

-Dan Jones

Learning the Language of Your Daddy

Fatherhood has been a whirlwind. When I heard I was going to become a father, I was both frightened and excited. I was frightened because up to that point, I really didn't like kids, especially ankle bitters. I was excited because I realized that first, I was indeed able to pro-create, (There is a since of pride in this right?) and second, I was going to be a daddy!


This whole 'fatherhood' thing has been a steep learning curve for me. I had never been around babies, and the thought of changing diapers, and other maintenance work on Jacob gave me great apprehension. I remember I didn't even change one diaper in the first two months of Jacob's life. I remember one of my first experiences in changing Jacob's diaper, I encountered a problem. I placed the new diaper underneath the old diaper Jacob was still wearing. As I dismantled the flaps of the old diaper to engage the transition into the new one, the diaper flew wide open. No big deal right? Well, I guess the cool air hitting bare skin triggered a release of 'old faithful'. (I was impressed by the power behind...well never mind.) Instead of taking the new diaper and doing a quick cover, I stepped back, as to not get hit. My wife Meghan stepped forward and took over from there. Needless to say, I had a lot to learn.


One of the aspects of fatherhood that has been completely rewarding is watching Jacob go from an infant into a walking/talking toddler. It is happening so fast, and I am trying to soak as much of this as I can. Jacob first expressed himself through facial expressions and cooing. Now he is saying words and short sentences. Its amazing for me to think that some of his first words was 'daddy' and 'mommy'. Out of the words that he could have learned, he had chosen to learn these words first; 'daddy' and 'mommy'. I often wonder why he chose these words. Perhaps these words chose him, as he has probably heard these words over and over. I also wonder if these words mean anything to him. I would love to think that it does. In fact my wife just last night taught Jacob to say "Awesome Daddy". My heart was butter at that point.


Jacob still does a lot of "baby talk". It's funny listening to him sometimes. He might say something like this, "ahue jeuif huihhp watch Monstors" (Monster Inc, is his favorite movie right now.) I feel like there are moments where no matter how clear Jacob's language is or is not, Jacob and I are on the same page. I feel like that at moments, I fully understand the language Jacob speaks, even when it does not resemble anything that's English. There is a connection beyond logistical language. There is communication that goes beyond syllable pronunciation. Even when Jacob says "Awesome Daddy", its not exactly clear as day. This sort of dictation doesn't disappoint me though. In reality, experiencing my son's language, as he feels his new world out, is exhilarating. Any expression of affection through words directed to me, even if it is just a coo, melts me away.


Sometimes I wonder how much I don't understand God. Does God get upset with me if I tap my foot in worship? (Or even clap?) In my attempts to learn the nuances of God's language of doing things, do I upset Him when I don't get the pronunciation right? As I stumble to show my affection for God through the way I live, is He waiting for me to screw it up? The God that I knew did, to an extent anyway. I don't know if this was necessarily taught to me by anyone or any church, but He sure didn't care if my motivation was good or not. That is the way I knew Him anyway.

I wonder if I had it all wrong. I wonder if I still do, but what if God looks at me the way I look at Jacob as he stumbles toward affection? Jacob now says "Daddy Awesome" the best he knows how. And from everything I know about Jesus, he referred to the guy upstairs as "Abba, Father".

Father.

Wow... Father!

That's something to marinate in for a while.

-Dan Jones

Man-cation and Conversion

As I dropped off my family to the airport, I realized that my life for the next couple weeks would be interesting. Meghan and Jacob were going to spend the week with my in-laws in Mass. This left me two weeks to celebrate my Man-Cation (If you haven't figured it out that is "vacation" but since I am a Man...well hopefully you can connect the dots.)

I already had made a tentative schedule. My plan was to watch as much of the Bond films (including the extras) as I possibly could. My food situation was going to be fulfilling in not such a good way. My menu has shaped up to be fairly unhealthy. After two pizzas, several outing to McDonalds, soda, and a daily dose of cereal at awkward times, I am beginning to feel the results. That aside, it has been a week of a whole lot of nothing. On Friday night, I went to bed at 1:00 am, and woke up at 2:30 pm the next day! I have not slept that much since the good 'ol' days of college.

The house is a little crazy too! The dishes still need to be done, the bathroom needs cleaned. my laundry needs to be folded. Just last night, I realized I needed to do something soon to maintain a happy second week to this man-cation.

I have noticed something else very interesting. It seems that my behavior has slowly changed, as the days go by, since the man-cation started. If there were a couple more weeks of man-cation, I am convinced that I would turn into a bachelor in all its glory. (If you knew me in college, this is not a good thing.) I will leave the specific changes to the imagination. The point is that, for the good for my family, I need to change back into a responsible human being before the week is over.

It is amazing how change can creep in over time without one noticing any change at all. Being in the Christian heritage, we talk about this process a lot, especially in the context of sin. Casting Crowns penned the lyrics to "Slow Fade" which speaks about this;

"It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade"

It's so easy to see change as a painstakingly slow process in this context. Many times we do not just wake up in a lifestyle of sin. Rather is starts slowly and over time it overtakes our lifestyle. Even though many of us in our Christian heritage see this, is it possible we can see "conversion" in the same way?

In the modern world, conversion was the answer to a proposition. It was difficult to see that it may be more of a process. "Converts" were the result of good preaching, and a conviction by the modern standards. I am not suggesting that this does not happen today. This is not my point at all. What I am suggesting however, is that more and more people are skeptical of the modern way. Easy and and pat answers for life's toughest questions are becoming less relevant. Authenticity and purposeful living are becoming more and more convincing to the world around us. Conversion has been looked at in many ways as an event. Is is possible for this "changes" to creep in through the Holy Spirit as we choose to follow in the ways of Jesus? I do know this. Not all of us had the "Damascus" experience. It is only of late in my life that I am truly learning how to follow Jesus in today's world. And to be honest, I am a far cry away from a polished product, nor do I think I ever will be one. Yet, my "conversion" occurred over 13 years ago.

Invitation and alter calls were the way to go at one time. I do wonder how effective this will be in the future. My gut tells me that shared experiences and life with relevant purpose will allow others to join in and try this out. Through this process, perhaps conversion takes place.

This concept of slow change should not be foreign to us. As my man-cation experience shows, I believe we all have times where this makes sense. Casting Crowns shares this same process in "slow fade", and I think we can all agree that sin can creep into our lives over time and change our lifestyles. I am only asking that we may look at the conversion as something similar. Let us not limit the Spirit's work in hearts as just an event. I think it may be possible that we will see conversion as an ongoing process more and more as the world around us is drastically changing.

-dj

Will Tomorow Always Be Better?

I remember when I was young, I felt that if I could just be in high school, life would just make sense. I could not wait to be one of the "big kids". Once in high school, I learned that it wasn't what it was cut out to be.


I began to wrestle with the idea that college would be this promised land. I knew that once I started college that the stars would just line up. Life was going to be what it was meant to be, once I entered into college. But guess what? I went into college, and as great as it was, there was still an itch for the future.


I then moved on to my new hope for the good life in finding a girl that would put up with me. I met that girl too. I met Meghan Delargy and we are married now. We have experienced many ups and downs. I can certainly say that my life is very blessed being in a relationship to the woman I am married to. She is nothing but wonderful and great. Here is the kick, I still find myself eager for the future so that I can find fulfillment.

There are houses to purchase, more kids to have, more money to be made, being debt free, finding new music that speaks to me, promotions to be had, more Wii games to play, more books to read, going on vacations every year, traveling the world, and the list just goes on and on. It amazes me that I tell myself over and over that tomorrow will be better only if i can.... (fill in in the blank). It all just seems like those hamsters that run on the wheel, the faster they run, the faster the wheel goes, and the hamster still goes no where.

I am learning that I need to live for today. And this is where the church can come in and make changes. The church presents a message of Jesus that exemplifies this message. It is all about heaven, and until then, just try to be moral and good little Christians. That is the 'hamster wheel hope'. I wonder what it means to have an every day hope. What would a church look like if a church carried this 'everyday hope' out to the world? I believe this to be questions that we need to start asking. We have no promises for tomorrow and how it will go. Let us live for today and see realize that today can be as good as any other day. Will tomorrow always be better? The answer may be yes, if we continue to live within that mindset. I am reminded by U2's song Stuck in a Moment, here are the lyrics;

I'm not afraid
Of anything in this world
There's nothing you can throw at me
That I haven't already heard
I'm just trying to find
A decent melody
A song that I can sing
In my own company

I never thought you were a fool
But darling, look at you.
Ooh.You gotta stand up straight,
carry your own weight 'Cause tears are going
nowhere baby
You've got to get yourself together

You've got stuck in a moment
And now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

I will not forsake
The colors that you bring
The nights you filled with fireworks
They left you with nothing
I am still enchanted
By the light you brought to me
I listen through your ears
Through your eyes I can see

You are such a fool
To worry like you do.. Oh I know it's tough
And you can never get enough
Of what you don't really need now
My, oh my
You've got to get yourself together

You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
Oh love, look at you now
You've got yourself stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
Oh lord look at you now
You've got yourself stuck in a moment
And you cant get out of it

I was unconscious, half asleep
The water is warm 'til you discover how deep
I wasn't jumping, for me it was a fall
It's a long way down to nothing at all
You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony pass
It's just a moment
This time will pass

-DJ

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/

Unfinished Bono

The wife and I have been trying to do more things together lately. We decided to pick up various activities that we can participate in together, and we wanted do it together at the same time. The other day she wanted for us to draw, and I am not a big fan of drawing. I really have no reason for not liking to draw, other then I am rather impatient at times. Drawing takes a lot of patience.

I used to do the whole art thing back in the day in high school. It wasn't that I thought that I was bad at drawing, but I never felt I was great.

I used to watch this guy named Bob- something or another- on PBS. This guy could paint like no other. He would always paint the background, then he would keep adding details on top of the background. As I watched him I always felt nervous. He would always get to a point in the painting where I felt it was amazing as was. As a matter of fact, if that was me that was painting, I would want to stop at that very point. I would be done and finished at the point where the painting looks like something that resembles anything good. But this Bob guy would just keep going.

He would always surprise me when he kept going. I always wanted him to stop when it was "good enough" to pass as decent art. But he never would. He would just keep adding layers of detail over and over again.

This kind of stuff makes me nervous probably because of my little experience with art. In high school I would always be doing projects, and I would get to a point in the project where it would look half way decent and I would stop there. I would do this because I didn't want to screw it up. I had no vision for a finished piece. But I was satisfied with just a decent looking piece. If it could pass for something, it was complete for me.

This is probably why I have art around the house that looks decent but unfinished. I am afraid to finish them. I think if I tried, I would mess them up.

Well as I was saying, the other night, I sat down on my bed looking for inspiration to draw something. I was going to draw a house, but couldn't muster up much vision for that. I looked at my beloved ipod and the inspiration hit me. I was going to draw Bono, the lead singer for U2.

I spent about 45 minuted sketching Bono's head and a part of his hand. I thought it was beginning to look like something decent.

And you guessed it, I stopped. I was afraid to add the finished details. The picture is sitting in my living room waiting to be finished in some respects. But it is decent enough for me.

I have been reading a book titled "My Beautiful Idol" by an author named Pete Gall. I will actually review the book here shortly, which by the way is an excellent book so far. In the book, he has a great metaphor of our Christian journey that I thought was wonderful.

Gall compares our Christian journey to that of a race track. He imagines there is a group of people hanging around the starting line of a race track camping out, reading the newspaper, and drinking coffee.

Then someone may notice the track, and the direction of the arrows, and the increasing distance markers. This person may follow these marks for a little bit, and may be even to the 100 yard line. This person may feel good about there accomplishment and start to camp out at this point, drink coffee, read the newspaper, and hang out. He may even try to yell back at the 50 yard people, the 30 yard people, and the starting line people. He may encourage them to camp out with him at the 100 yard line, rather then the yard lines previous to him.

Gall explains in his book that the 100 yard people are the people who have salvation. They have reached an accomplishment for sure, they would be a 100 yards into the track. However, the track is not meant for camping out, it is meant to be ran. Gall explained that he wants to be that guy that stops camping and starts running. I think there is something to this.

Sometimes I feel tempted to tell myself that I am "saved" and that I am not yet completed, but it looks decent enough. So I don't want to screw it up. I am the one that has made it to the 100 yard line, and I am camping out. I am kind of like my Bono drawing. It looks decent enough to look like art, but it is unfinished. I am an unfinished Bono.

I still have every opportunity to finish my Bono picture. But I probably will not do it. It probably will stay unfinished. I will find a corner or shelf to put it on, and every once in a while I will pick it up and admire whats been done. But I also will be reminded on how its unfinished. I will also be reminded of my fear for potential. What it could be, doesn't drives me not to act. I'm afraid of messing it up. Fear is the story of the unfinished Bono.


I may look like decent art, but I am unfinished. I don't want to camp out at the 100 yard line any more. I want to run the track as it was designed. My fear is getting in the way. Although unfinished, I have become satisfied with my salvation. I may not be finished, but my fear for messing it all up with God and man stands in the way.

This all reminds me of a passage in Philippians 2:

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. " -niv

What exactly does it mean to work out your salvation with fear and trembling? Is this talking to an unfinished Bono, like me? Why does the church seem satisfied with the 100 yard line, when there is a race track to run on?

I somehow want to muster enough strength and courage to no longer be satisfied with just salvation. I feel its time to embrace the design of the track. My only questions is how do i do that?

-dj

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/

How to Date My Wife

Meet Meghan Jones.

She is my beautiful wife of now 3 years. (I think this is true, I have a horrible sense of time.) She is incredibly smart, beautiful, and funny. She loves life but only when it is being truly lived. She is a romantic at her core. (You may ask what she is doing with me then? That is another question for another time.) She absolutely loves to smile, which I find endearing. She is passionately in love with God and she is a seeker of truth.

This is my wife.

She sounds great!

She is great!

What if I told you that I have the key to her heart? What if I told you I can give you a blueprint to win her love? What if I explained to you a process on how to date my wife? Seriously, If anyone would know how to date my wife, it would be me, right?

And what if I said that I would give you this process through stories, poems, and examples?

For instance, let me explain how I personally met Meghan...

It was my senior year in college. I was "helping" the new freshman move into their dormitories. In the process of helping, someone grabbed me, and asked me to fill in as a flag representative during the freshman welcome ceremony. I was to represent Minnesota, Meghan represented her home state of Massachusetts. There I was, right behind my wife, trying to keep my thoughts as pure as I could. I decided to throw down my secret weapon to woo her over to me. The scene looked like this.

Me: "Hey, whats your name?"

Meghan: "My name is Meghan Delargy"

Me: "Cool, hey do you wanna hear a joke?"

Meghan: "Sure, why not?"

Me: "Sweet, why did the chick cross the road?"

Meghan: " I dunno why?"

Me: " 'Cause she saw me!"

Can you believe she fell for this? I mean, she is now my wife. She to this day still claims that it wasn't the joke that she fell for. But I think it is. I think it was my charm that won her over.

So hear is the deal. If you want to know what is the best way to date my wife just from this story, what kind of information could you gather. Let me provide you based on this story on what I think would be the best way to win over my wife. Here we go:

1) Find out where you might be able to bump into Meghan. Scout the place out.

2) Search for the nearest flag, preferably a state one. Follow Meghan around with the flag in hand.

3) It may not be a bad idea to have a spare flag for Meghan just in case she may not have one. If she does not already have a flag, simply give her the spare.

4) Be ready to introduce yourself and ask have her introduce her self to you.

5) Have a corny joke prepared for her. When the opportunity arises, tell the joke. Wait for her positive reaction.

6) She then will be yours.

This is how you can date my wife. If you follow these steps, Meghan will be yours...

Alright, back to reality. First off, please don't try to hit on my wife, (Brian Thomas, I am talking to you.) this is just an example of another reality. I am using this to point us to an unfortunate practice that many of us use to understand the Bible. In all seriousness, even if Meghan was on the market, (which she is not) would anyone really think by following the steps previously, that you might be able to win over my wife's heart? I honestly don't think anyone would be so ridiculous.

That being true, I believe there is many times that we approach the Bible in this way. We look for many "how to's" in God's word. We think when we find an example in one of the Biblical narratives or poems, that we would be able to reproduce that particular reality in today's context.

But what if the Bible was not meant to answer the question "How to"? What if the Bible was there to explain the narrative of God and his people? What lens do we have when reading scripture. Are we looking for advice or prescriptions for our sickness?

I think we need a new goal when reading the Bible in 2009 and going forward:

1) Experience God and relive experiences of our heritage with God's people, rooted in the stories, poems, and the prophetic voices of God's word.

2) As my friend Adam Ellis once explained, look at scripture as a description and no so much as a prescription.

3) Find our place in God's unfolding story and be agents in moving the story forward.

I am very thankful for my relationship with my wife. I have so many memories and experiences with her. We have a shared story that cannot be reduced to bullet points and a blueprint. She is too wonderful for that. She is to beautiful for that. Our love is to strong for that.

I find it hard that God can be reduced to a set of prescriptions, bullet points, and blueprints. God seems to be more majestic for that. There is too much mystery for that. His love for me is too much for that.

How do you date my wife? If that is still and option (which its not), I would tell you to have a shared experience and life with her in some way. This is the only way you can win her heart. Maybe we need to allow God to align Himself with our story. This shared experience is what should be looking for.

-dj

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/

New Year and New Hope

With the new year arriving very shortly I would like just to reflect on some things I have learned in 2008.:

1. Growth is scary and exciting all at the same time.
2. God is manifesting Himself in places I would have never expected.
3. Stability is rare and appreciated
4. God is manifesting Himself through people I would have never expected
5. I am very grateful for my wife Meghan and my son Jacob. We have been through a lot as a young family, but I would not trade it for the world.
6. Politics can be divisive, and this reflects in the church as well.
7. Poverty, "consistent ethic of life", and stewardship of God's earth are "moral" issues.

This list is not exhaustive, but they do highlight areas in growth and knowledge within my life in 2008, with that in mind, here are my goals for the upcoming year.

1. To be a better husband and father.
2. To reduce, reuse, and recycle more.
3. To allow Love to become my orthopraxy.
4. To direct more of my tithing to fight poverty
5. To be a better co-worker
6. To find myself in God's church
7. To be become more physically aware. (I need to loose some weight!)

Again, this is not exhaustive! I am positive there is more in which I can better myself. I just might have to pull the grace card out. The reality is I have to rely on the power of God for me to become the person I truly need to be. However these are some practical areas I wish to work on in my life.

-DJ

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/

Feeling Christmas-ey

This is the first time in a long time that I am feeling somewhat Christmas-ey. I grew up in a religious tradition, where Christmas, as far as a religious holiday on a calender, was never emphasized. After growing up in the glory days of Christmas, where the experience seemed magical, I have had to relearn Christmas as a grown man. I think it has helped me greatly that I have the ability to allow my son Jacob to experience that same magic. My wife and I got up at 6:15 am on black Friday to experience the craziness and the chaos of what comes with this shopping day. (I still am not a big fan on how Christmas is largely becoming more and more materialistic.) We found several sales on gifts for those that we love, including Jacob. I also have purchased my first Christmas album called Christmas Songs, by Jars of Clay. And believe it or not, I actually enjoy the songs atmosphere and mood.



I guess I am trying to relearn Christmas and the magic that I experienced growing up. And I believe there is something magical in a holiday that should center on loving and giving. And even though my tradition always taught me to not see Christmas as a religious holiday, I can't help to think that we might be wrong, or we are being mislead. There is something religious about everyday. There is gifts to appreciate from Jesus in the mundane. This does does not suddenly stop on December 25th. Even beyond that logic, I cant help but get excited about the fact there is a lot of Jesus going around. He is in the airwaves, on the front lawns, and even on Hallmark cards.

I wish for my goal this year and going forward to relearn Christmas and the celebration of audacious love and giving. I want to be apart of the magic with my family. And in doing so, I don't want to leave my friend Jesus out of the picture. If God allows the mundane to become sacred, I trust that he will also allow national holidays to do that as well.

Merry Christmas, and have a happy New Year!

-dj

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/

The Jake Reminding Me to Smile

It was my duty this weekend to watch my son Jake, while the wife went to hang with the ladies! Unfortunately he has been pretty grumpy, and I am not positive why. This picture of him just reminds me to smile and to remember that sometimes smiles do not come easy, but we should always capture them in our memories.

-dj

http://audaciousliturgy.blogspot.com/