Sunday, July 24, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Moje Čeština je kostrabata...
"My Czech is bumpy..."
This is a phase that I learned from a Czech friend of mine four years ago when I was here. I only know it because he was trying to tell me that his English was bumpy. It has proved to be a useful phrase to know.
I know hardly any Czech. I can ask for a couple of things and I can understand the gist of some conversations, but I am barely scraping by this summer. Let me give you an example of what a Czech hears when they talk to me.
This is what I imagine a conversation with me is like. It is translated into English because I don't know Czech and you probably don't either.
Hotel Receptionist: "Hotel Babi Vrch. How can I help you?"
Nate: "Good day."
HR: "Good day. How can I help you?"
Nate: "Uh, five...evening...uh...uh...evening...18:30..."
HR: "Do you have a reservation?"
Nate (hearing word that sounds like reservation): "Yes, reservation."
HR: "Do you have one or do you need one."
Nate (hearing the word one): "No...one...uh...five...uh...five...evening...18:30..."
HR: "So you'll be here tonight at 18:30 and you need a reservation..."
Nate: "Yes...18:30...evening...reservation...Nathan Hughes...uh..."
HR: "What?"
Nate: "What?"
HR: "Do you need a reservation or do you have one?"
Nate: "uh...no...no understand..."
HR: "Do you need a reservation or do you have one?"
Nate (really confused now): "No understand...uh...goodbye..." (Nate hangs up)
Team (now in English): "So did you make sure that we have the reservation?"
Nate: "Sure did!"
This is typical of my summer. So far we've always had a place to stay and only Ashley and I have gotten on the wrong train once and we still managed to make it to where we going on time...
On the flip side, I was able to form a successful sentence today. I asked a woman at Tesco (similar to Wal-Mart), "Where is the Milka without sugar?" She responded, "Coffee without sugar?" I said, "No, chocolate." She understood and took me there.
It was a small victory, but I was very excited...
This is a phase that I learned from a Czech friend of mine four years ago when I was here. I only know it because he was trying to tell me that his English was bumpy. It has proved to be a useful phrase to know.
I know hardly any Czech. I can ask for a couple of things and I can understand the gist of some conversations, but I am barely scraping by this summer. Let me give you an example of what a Czech hears when they talk to me.
This is what I imagine a conversation with me is like. It is translated into English because I don't know Czech and you probably don't either.
Hotel Receptionist: "Hotel Babi Vrch. How can I help you?"
Nate: "Good day."
HR: "Good day. How can I help you?"
Nate: "Uh, five...evening...uh...uh...evening...18:30..."
HR: "Do you have a reservation?"
Nate (hearing word that sounds like reservation): "Yes, reservation."
HR: "Do you have one or do you need one."
Nate (hearing the word one): "No...one...uh...five...uh...five...evening...18:30..."
HR: "So you'll be here tonight at 18:30 and you need a reservation..."
Nate: "Yes...18:30...evening...reservation...Nathan Hughes...uh..."
HR: "What?"
Nate: "What?"
HR: "Do you need a reservation or do you have one?"
Nate: "uh...no...no understand..."
HR: "Do you need a reservation or do you have one?"
Nate (really confused now): "No understand...uh...goodbye..." (Nate hangs up)
Team (now in English): "So did you make sure that we have the reservation?"
Nate: "Sure did!"
This is typical of my summer. So far we've always had a place to stay and only Ashley and I have gotten on the wrong train once and we still managed to make it to where we going on time...
On the flip side, I was able to form a successful sentence today. I asked a woman at Tesco (similar to Wal-Mart), "Where is the Milka without sugar?" She responded, "Coffee without sugar?" I said, "No, chocolate." She understood and took me there.
It was a small victory, but I was very excited...
Monday, June 27, 2005
Ammendment to Bizarre Cultural Differences: Part 1
I got a receipt from a food stand at a pool the other day that had three pictures on the back featuring topless women!!
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Bizarre Cultural Differences: Part 1
As I begin to live (and learn) in this new culture there are many things that are different. I bring you the first in a multi (I'm not sure how many)-part series on the cultural differences I've ran into here in the Czech Republic.
CIRCUMSTANCE ONE:
The Setting: I am sitting at a table in a resturant with one girl from my team, two Austrailians, and one Czech (Christian-this is important to give it context) girl.
The Story: As we are pouring over the menu I see a word that I am unfamiliar with (obviously there wasn't only one, but this one word caught my attention). The word was prsa, as in kuřeci prsa. I know that kuřeci is chicken, but I have no idea what prsa is. So I turn to my Czech friend and ask her what prsa is. She pauses, thinks for a moment and then puts her hand over her heart. I look down and say, "Heart", she then grabs her female anatomy and moves it about...my eyes grow wide and I say, "Oh, breast!" with a slight chuckle. It took everything in me to stiffle the laughter that wanted to explode out of me. But for the girl's sake I took it all in stride.
CIRCUMSTANCE TWO:
The Setting: A resturant with my team in the town of Litomeřice.
The Story: While looking over the menu at a pizzeria I came accross an interesting section. The picture that indicated what the section was showed the profile of a baby and some other object. The picture was obviously kiped off the internet, because it was of very poor quality. While I stared at the picture to figure out what the other item was I realized that it was a breast. I never bothered translating the section name, but I could only guess that it was the child's menu...
CONCLUSION AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCE:
Czechs (and most Europeans I'd imagine) have a much different view on sexuality than we do in the States. It isn't confined to the secular world either, as a Christian girl has no problem using her female anatomy to help communicate. I have seen multiple women feeding on trams, in resturants, pretty much anywhere they feel the need to. There are other examples as well, but I will save them for another time!!!
CIRCUMSTANCE ONE:
The Setting: I am sitting at a table in a resturant with one girl from my team, two Austrailians, and one Czech (Christian-this is important to give it context) girl.
The Story: As we are pouring over the menu I see a word that I am unfamiliar with (obviously there wasn't only one, but this one word caught my attention). The word was prsa, as in kuřeci prsa. I know that kuřeci is chicken, but I have no idea what prsa is. So I turn to my Czech friend and ask her what prsa is. She pauses, thinks for a moment and then puts her hand over her heart. I look down and say, "Heart", she then grabs her female anatomy and moves it about...my eyes grow wide and I say, "Oh, breast!" with a slight chuckle. It took everything in me to stiffle the laughter that wanted to explode out of me. But for the girl's sake I took it all in stride.
CIRCUMSTANCE TWO:
The Setting: A resturant with my team in the town of Litomeřice.
The Story: While looking over the menu at a pizzeria I came accross an interesting section. The picture that indicated what the section was showed the profile of a baby and some other object. The picture was obviously kiped off the internet, because it was of very poor quality. While I stared at the picture to figure out what the other item was I realized that it was a breast. I never bothered translating the section name, but I could only guess that it was the child's menu...
CONCLUSION AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCE:
Czechs (and most Europeans I'd imagine) have a much different view on sexuality than we do in the States. It isn't confined to the secular world either, as a Christian girl has no problem using her female anatomy to help communicate. I have seen multiple women feeding on trams, in resturants, pretty much anywhere they feel the need to. There are other examples as well, but I will save them for another time!!!
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
The Problem of Cool
I want to be cool. I want people to look at me and say, "Nate is cool. I really want to hang out with him." I want my non-Christian friends to say, "Wow. Christians can be cool." But I think there is a problem with this. I think that we have exchanged being genuine with being cool.
Donald Miller says it well in his book Blue Like Jazz:
"I was wondering the other day, why it is that we turn pop figures into idols? I have a theory, of course. I think we have this need to be cool, that there is this undercurrent in society that says some people are cool and some people aren't. And it is very, very important that we are cool. So, when we find somebody who is cool on television or on the radio, we associate ourselves with this person to feel valid ourselves. And the problem I have with this is that we rarely know what the person believes whom we are associating ourselves with. The problem with this is that it indicates there is less value in what people believe, what they stand for: it only matters that they are cool. In other words, who cares what I believe about life, I only care that I am cool. Because in the end, the undercurrent running through culture is not giving people value based upon what they believe and what they are doing to aid society, the undercurrent is deciding their value based upon whether or not they are cool."
I don't want people to see cool in me, I want them to see Jesus in me. I don't know if Jesus would be described as cool. So am I somehow weakening Christ's message through me by trying to be cool? Am I lessening Christ's work through me by worrying more about being cool than looking like Jesus.
My other issue is that by attempting to be cool we mask who we really are. I don't think anyone is cool. Deep down I think that we are all insecure, self-conscious people. We all see the failure of our life and to mask it some of us attempt to be cool. That was OK for me when I wasn't following Christ, because I didn't have anything to find my identity in. My identity was found in what people thought of me and how cool I was. But now my identity is found in Christ. I don't have to mask it. I shouldn't mask it. But I do. I have fallen into the trap of wanting to be cool.
Cool IS cool. The problem is that cool is not always genuine nor does cool truly reflect Christ.
Donald Miller says it well in his book Blue Like Jazz:
"I was wondering the other day, why it is that we turn pop figures into idols? I have a theory, of course. I think we have this need to be cool, that there is this undercurrent in society that says some people are cool and some people aren't. And it is very, very important that we are cool. So, when we find somebody who is cool on television or on the radio, we associate ourselves with this person to feel valid ourselves. And the problem I have with this is that we rarely know what the person believes whom we are associating ourselves with. The problem with this is that it indicates there is less value in what people believe, what they stand for: it only matters that they are cool. In other words, who cares what I believe about life, I only care that I am cool. Because in the end, the undercurrent running through culture is not giving people value based upon what they believe and what they are doing to aid society, the undercurrent is deciding their value based upon whether or not they are cool."
I don't want people to see cool in me, I want them to see Jesus in me. I don't know if Jesus would be described as cool. So am I somehow weakening Christ's message through me by trying to be cool? Am I lessening Christ's work through me by worrying more about being cool than looking like Jesus.
My other issue is that by attempting to be cool we mask who we really are. I don't think anyone is cool. Deep down I think that we are all insecure, self-conscious people. We all see the failure of our life and to mask it some of us attempt to be cool. That was OK for me when I wasn't following Christ, because I didn't have anything to find my identity in. My identity was found in what people thought of me and how cool I was. But now my identity is found in Christ. I don't have to mask it. I shouldn't mask it. But I do. I have fallen into the trap of wanting to be cool.
Cool IS cool. The problem is that cool is not always genuine nor does cool truly reflect Christ.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Please, someone, notice me...
This is my sin. I've known it for awhile, but it became very apparent the other day. I'm not going to state the incident, because then it would fulfill my desire to be recognized (and maybe even writing this is do the same...) but a few days ago I was performing a task that no one knew I was doing. An overwhelming desire to be praised for what I was doing swept over me. The funny thing is that it wasn't even anything big or important. It was a small task and yet, I found myself yearning to be noticed. I couldn't get over it. For probably ten minutes I was fighting this inner battle of desiring to be known and knowing that it would be unfulfilling. I don't really know why I want to be noticed, why I desire praise, but I do. It is terrible. My prayer is that God would begin to refine that area of my life. I pray that He would purge the glory-seeking part of me and turn it to glory-seeking for Him. This is so difficult to give up. I want to be noticed. This is my sin.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
My First Czech Sunday...
The aroma of raspberry tea wafted through the air and the aroma of praise wafted to the heavens as twenty of us sat in a room on the third floor of a building in Karvina, a city just outside of Český Těšín. It was wonderful to sit with these brothers and sisters and listen to the sound of this foreign tongue float through the air. It is remarkable that our God understands every language. I don't think I realized how big our God was until I first heard someone praying in a foreign tongue. It really expands ones view of the vastness of God when we realize that He hears us in all languages. As Americans, we are so Anglo-Centric that we forget that God is a God of the world, not just of the US or English-speaking countries. We serve a BIG God!!
Church was good. We went to a church plant this morning that was planted by the church in Český Těšín. There were only twenty people, but it was sweet. There were four kids there who had all been saved recently from the Jehovah Witness background. There was a gypsy man who was there. (The gypsies are the lepers of the Czech culture and many Eastern European countries. The majority make their living by thievery and the are just not liked by the people). The pastor asked me to share this morning (very typical of the Czechs to ask an American to share during a church service). Fortunately God had really impressed something upon my heart during my time in the Word this morning and so I had something fresh in my heart! The entire time was wonderful and I was very encouraged to be with them.
It is crazy to think that this is my new church family. While my family back in the states is still very involved in my life and ministry, these are the people that I will be walking with daily once I am living in Český Těšín on a regular basis. I am excited and nervous to get to know them...my Czech is going to have to get better much more quickly, though, for me to really invest and be invested into by my new family.
Church was good. We went to a church plant this morning that was planted by the church in Český Těšín. There were only twenty people, but it was sweet. There were four kids there who had all been saved recently from the Jehovah Witness background. There was a gypsy man who was there. (The gypsies are the lepers of the Czech culture and many Eastern European countries. The majority make their living by thievery and the are just not liked by the people). The pastor asked me to share this morning (very typical of the Czechs to ask an American to share during a church service). Fortunately God had really impressed something upon my heart during my time in the Word this morning and so I had something fresh in my heart! The entire time was wonderful and I was very encouraged to be with them.
It is crazy to think that this is my new church family. While my family back in the states is still very involved in my life and ministry, these are the people that I will be walking with daily once I am living in Český Těšín on a regular basis. I am excited and nervous to get to know them...my Czech is going to have to get better much more quickly, though, for me to really invest and be invested into by my new family.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
"You are way out of your league."
That is the quote that every guy wants to hear. Every guy wants to be married to a woman who his friends consider to be way too hot for him. Or way better than him. Well, I think that is happening to me!
Love is weird. You never know when it is going to hit you like a baseball bat to the face. It never happens at opportune times and it always changes the course of your life.
Over the past couple of weeks I've fallen in love. It's crazy, but true. I went up to Colorado Springs for training and for a reprieve. I wanted to draw closer to the Lord (which happened) and I wanted to spend some time alone (which happened), but I didn't expect Marisa to happen to me.
This girl is beyond what I could have ever wanted. People always say that you'll know when you meet the person you are going to marry and I guess I believed them, but I have now experienced it. I have also looked with skepticism at those people who meet someone and after a couple of weeks are talking about marriage, but now I am one of them. It is also interesting that after my previous blog about marriage I would meet someone so quickly. God often has funny timing.
Marisa is going to be in Kenya for two years, while I am in the Czech. We have no clue what to expect from this, but we are just trying to trust in the Lord and seek his guidance in how to proceed. What I do know is that God has exceeded my expectations with her. She loves God so much, she loves kids, is passionate, funny, beautiful, dynamic, intuitive, and challenges me to be a better. more Godly man.
I'll quit there, because I don't want this to be too mushy and lovey and crap, but I did want to express what is going on in my heart.
Love is weird. You never know when it is going to hit you like a baseball bat to the face. It never happens at opportune times and it always changes the course of your life.
Over the past couple of weeks I've fallen in love. It's crazy, but true. I went up to Colorado Springs for training and for a reprieve. I wanted to draw closer to the Lord (which happened) and I wanted to spend some time alone (which happened), but I didn't expect Marisa to happen to me.
This girl is beyond what I could have ever wanted. People always say that you'll know when you meet the person you are going to marry and I guess I believed them, but I have now experienced it. I have also looked with skepticism at those people who meet someone and after a couple of weeks are talking about marriage, but now I am one of them. It is also interesting that after my previous blog about marriage I would meet someone so quickly. God often has funny timing.
Marisa is going to be in Kenya for two years, while I am in the Czech. We have no clue what to expect from this, but we are just trying to trust in the Lord and seek his guidance in how to proceed. What I do know is that God has exceeded my expectations with her. She loves God so much, she loves kids, is passionate, funny, beautiful, dynamic, intuitive, and challenges me to be a better. more Godly man.
I'll quit there, because I don't want this to be too mushy and lovey and crap, but I did want to express what is going on in my heart.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
I died this morning...
This morning at about 10:30 AM MST I was shot in the back of the head while lying face-down on the floor. A group of eleven missionaries and I were kidnapped by local rebels, and after an hour and a half of intense circumstances and conversations, we were asked to select two people from our group who would volunteer to be killed. With mothers and fathers sitting around me and as the only single man in the group I willingly offered myself up. The other person was an older woman. As we made our decisions we were asked if there was anything that we'd like to tell our families if the rest made it out alive, I immediately thought of my mom. My heart was torn in two as I thought of her hearing of my death. Tears filled my eyes as I told them to tell my parents and my sister and brother how much I love them and to reassure them that I willingly offered up my life for the sake of the Gospel. One of the other women in the room started crying. She was thinking of my mother and how she would feel to lose her own son. Soon one of our captors came and we were quickly rushed out of the 8 ft. x 8 ft. enclosure. He told us to lie on our stomachs. I barely had any time to whisper a prayer before the shots rang out and I realized that my life was over.
While this may seem humorous, believe me it was anything but. For many of the people who were a part of this mornings simulation this scenario is a potential reality. Many of those here at training are going to volatile countries. While the Czech is fairly stable, anything is possible and so we took this exercise very seriously. It made me face the idea that I could potentially die in this manner. There are no guarantees. It also gave me an urgency to tell my family that I love them and to talk about these issues. I was so encouraged as I talked to my parents this afternoon and told them how much I loved them and to let them know that if I were ever in this situation for real that I would respond in the same manner. Both of my parents were very encouraging and said that they have actually talked about it already and that if I were to die on the field that they would both be devastated, but would hold fast to the hope of seeing me again in heaven and in knowing that I died for the Noblest of Causes.
The funny thing is that the point of the scenario wasn't to prepare us for this type of event, but rather to see how we interact with people in intense situations. It was hard for me today. God taught me a lot about who I am. He is continuing to peel away layers of my heart and reveal things that I didn't know about myself. It hurts, but I know that it is good and that it is part of God's process to make me more like His Son.
While this may seem humorous, believe me it was anything but. For many of the people who were a part of this mornings simulation this scenario is a potential reality. Many of those here at training are going to volatile countries. While the Czech is fairly stable, anything is possible and so we took this exercise very seriously. It made me face the idea that I could potentially die in this manner. There are no guarantees. It also gave me an urgency to tell my family that I love them and to talk about these issues. I was so encouraged as I talked to my parents this afternoon and told them how much I loved them and to let them know that if I were ever in this situation for real that I would respond in the same manner. Both of my parents were very encouraging and said that they have actually talked about it already and that if I were to die on the field that they would both be devastated, but would hold fast to the hope of seeing me again in heaven and in knowing that I died for the Noblest of Causes.
The funny thing is that the point of the scenario wasn't to prepare us for this type of event, but rather to see how we interact with people in intense situations. It was hard for me today. God taught me a lot about who I am. He is continuing to peel away layers of my heart and reveal things that I didn't know about myself. It hurts, but I know that it is good and that it is part of God's process to make me more like His Son.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
"You know you'll find your wife in Czech, right?"
Do you know how many times I've heard that? Lots. Sarah Martel would say about a billion times, because she exagerates. I don't know how many times I've heard it, but you know who I never hear that from? Missionaries. Do you know why? Because they know the truth. They know that there is no guarantee. Now don't get me wrong, I want to be married. But more than that I want to serve the Lord. I want to give my all to Him and be all for Him. I long for the day when I can serve side by side with my wife, but that is not guarenteed and until then I will continue to serve the Lord.
Girls are distracting. While waiting for my bags in the Denver airport I stared at this really pretty girl. I couldn't look away. I was transfixed. For a while I was mad because someone blocked my view, but he eventually moved and I got to look at her again. At one point in my gawking, I even prayed that God would give me a girl that pretty.
This is the dilemma of being single and serving God. I want to give everything to him, but I also can't help but want to have a wife. I'm trying to find the balance in that. The easiest way is to not look for girls, but then God puts one on your plane...
Girls are distracting. While waiting for my bags in the Denver airport I stared at this really pretty girl. I couldn't look away. I was transfixed. For a while I was mad because someone blocked my view, but he eventually moved and I got to look at her again. At one point in my gawking, I even prayed that God would give me a girl that pretty.
This is the dilemma of being single and serving God. I want to give everything to him, but I also can't help but want to have a wife. I'm trying to find the balance in that. The easiest way is to not look for girls, but then God puts one on your plane...
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Sacrifice
Most people are amazed that I am leaving for the Czech. In their opinion I am leaving everything behind. They say things like, "I could never do that," or "You are sacrificing so much", but I have never seen it that way...until recently.
As I've gotten closer to leaving and as I've said bye to friends and family, I've really realized that I really am sacrificing. I don't mean to sound arrogant or prideful in what I'm doing, but rather, I want to acknowledge what God has blessed me with and what I'm really leaving behind. I got to spend some quality time with good friends before I left Arizona a few days ago and as I pondered those friendships I realized what great people the Lord had blessed me with. God has given me a great family in Arizona that has been essential in forming me into the man that I've become. I have a wonderfully supportive family, who though sad to see me go, completely backs me in my decision to serve God. I couldn't have asked for a better life. I couldn't have asked for God to do more in my eight-plus years in Arizona.
But...
As I've spent time here in Chicago with other future Josiah Venture missionaries and as I've thought about rekindling friendships with the other JV missionaries, I've realized that I am entering into a new family. While the old one will never be replaced (no one could ever do that!!) I will learn things that I never could've learned and will grow in ways that I never would have grown and I will build the most unlikely of friendships in the Czech.
My life is changing. It is sad but it is also exciting. Just like I never could've imagined having such a blessed life in Arizona, I'm sure I'll look back on my time in Czech with amazement and wonder at the marvelous things God did.
As I've gotten closer to leaving and as I've said bye to friends and family, I've really realized that I really am sacrificing. I don't mean to sound arrogant or prideful in what I'm doing, but rather, I want to acknowledge what God has blessed me with and what I'm really leaving behind. I got to spend some quality time with good friends before I left Arizona a few days ago and as I pondered those friendships I realized what great people the Lord had blessed me with. God has given me a great family in Arizona that has been essential in forming me into the man that I've become. I have a wonderfully supportive family, who though sad to see me go, completely backs me in my decision to serve God. I couldn't have asked for a better life. I couldn't have asked for God to do more in my eight-plus years in Arizona.
But...
As I've spent time here in Chicago with other future Josiah Venture missionaries and as I've thought about rekindling friendships with the other JV missionaries, I've realized that I am entering into a new family. While the old one will never be replaced (no one could ever do that!!) I will learn things that I never could've learned and will grow in ways that I never would have grown and I will build the most unlikely of friendships in the Czech.
My life is changing. It is sad but it is also exciting. Just like I never could've imagined having such a blessed life in Arizona, I'm sure I'll look back on my time in Czech with amazement and wonder at the marvelous things God did.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Tests
I have been experiencing some severe testing over the last couple weeks. At first the tests were infrequent enough to make me think that maybe God was trying to get my attention, but then yesterday the testing showed itself for what it is.
A few weeks ago one of my friend who is starting a new progressive church asked me if I was moving to the Czech for sure. I said yes and then asked why. He brushed the question off, but when I pressed him, he said because the church that is funding his church is looking for a high school pastor. I laughed, said thanks for thinking of me, and dismissed it. Then two days later another friend who may be working with the previous church approached me and asked if I was 100% certain that I was going to the Czech. I immediately knew why he was asking, but I still pushed it with him and he said, because this church is looking for a high school pastor. Again flattered I told him that I am for sure going to the Czech. As I walked away I began to think how cool it would be to work with those two guys, but I know that the Czech is where I am to be.
A couple days later as I was talking to my high school pastor, he began to tell me about all these cool churches that are looking for positions as well. Again I laughed and told him that I am going to the Czech. My outward confidence did not coincide with the doubts that were creeping into my mind. Should I go to the Czech? What do I do with all the money that has already been donated if I decide to stay? It sure would be fun to work with my friends! I knew it was ridiculous to even entertain these thoughts, but these other opportunities sounded so good.
Then yesterday I got the most ridiculously intriguing offer of all. My friend Frank called me. He is the missions youth pastor for a large church just outside of Oceanside, CA (the city my sister lives in). We hadn't spoken in a while and as we were catching up and talking about our respective churches, he told me that a couple of the youth pastors from his church have just left and that he thought it would be cool for me to go out and interview for the position. I literally laughed out loud. This confirmed what I had only assumed before, I was being tested. I told him about the other churches that have approached me and how there have been a lot of great opportunities for me recently. It would be so sweet to work with him and live near my sister and brother, but I keep reflecting back on what my friend Sean told me as I discussed this with him: "Anything worth doing is worth sacrificing for."
Don't we live for an exciting God? I could easily be anxious about all of these opportunities. I could easily question my calling and wonder if I'm doing the right thing. But we live for a God who is with us. His Spirit abides in us and guides us. I can go with confidence to the Czech, knowing that if I am obedient to his command of making disciples and if I am living my life in holiness, then I will be in God's will. What other belief system can offer that type of freedom and guidance?
A few weeks ago one of my friend who is starting a new progressive church asked me if I was moving to the Czech for sure. I said yes and then asked why. He brushed the question off, but when I pressed him, he said because the church that is funding his church is looking for a high school pastor. I laughed, said thanks for thinking of me, and dismissed it. Then two days later another friend who may be working with the previous church approached me and asked if I was 100% certain that I was going to the Czech. I immediately knew why he was asking, but I still pushed it with him and he said, because this church is looking for a high school pastor. Again flattered I told him that I am for sure going to the Czech. As I walked away I began to think how cool it would be to work with those two guys, but I know that the Czech is where I am to be.
A couple days later as I was talking to my high school pastor, he began to tell me about all these cool churches that are looking for positions as well. Again I laughed and told him that I am going to the Czech. My outward confidence did not coincide with the doubts that were creeping into my mind. Should I go to the Czech? What do I do with all the money that has already been donated if I decide to stay? It sure would be fun to work with my friends! I knew it was ridiculous to even entertain these thoughts, but these other opportunities sounded so good.
Then yesterday I got the most ridiculously intriguing offer of all. My friend Frank called me. He is the missions youth pastor for a large church just outside of Oceanside, CA (the city my sister lives in). We hadn't spoken in a while and as we were catching up and talking about our respective churches, he told me that a couple of the youth pastors from his church have just left and that he thought it would be cool for me to go out and interview for the position. I literally laughed out loud. This confirmed what I had only assumed before, I was being tested. I told him about the other churches that have approached me and how there have been a lot of great opportunities for me recently. It would be so sweet to work with him and live near my sister and brother, but I keep reflecting back on what my friend Sean told me as I discussed this with him: "Anything worth doing is worth sacrificing for."
Don't we live for an exciting God? I could easily be anxious about all of these opportunities. I could easily question my calling and wonder if I'm doing the right thing. But we live for a God who is with us. His Spirit abides in us and guides us. I can go with confidence to the Czech, knowing that if I am obedient to his command of making disciples and if I am living my life in holiness, then I will be in God's will. What other belief system can offer that type of freedom and guidance?
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Academy Awards and Reviews
For the first time in my life I was able to see all five films nominated for Best Picture before the Academy Awards. It took me seeing Aviator on last Saturday at 11:00 AM to accomplish the feat, but I got it done. I have already posted reviews on Sideways and Million Dollar Baby and since I don't want this post to be too long, I will post "mini-reviews" (said in Dr. Evil's voice) for the other three movies.
RAY: Unbelievable acting by Jamie Foxx!! I don't think anyone was surprised by the fact that he won best actor. There was really no point in the movie where I felt like I wasn't watching Ray Charles. Foxx was commanding. For those of us who were in the dark about Ray Charles' talent and brilliance, this movie opens us up to the magic of Ray Charles. The music in the movie is wonderful and I left the movie wishing that I had been a Ray Charles fan before his death. I find myself searching itunes regularly for Ray Charles songs now!
FINDING NEVERLAND: This is actually my favorite of all the Best Picture films. I am a sucker for cool cinematography and this movie has some great scenes. The movie is about J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, and his relationship with the family that inspired his tale. The movie captures the magic of children and living life to its fullest. It is a movie for dreamers and for those who don't ever want to grow up (see why I liked it!). Johnny Depp captures us again with his great acting and Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman (yes, Captain Hook, from Hook-brilliant casting) both do excellent jobs. But stealing many scenes is the young actor Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the character Barrie names Peter Pan after. It is the most uplifting of all the movies and it is difficult to leave the theatre without tears in your eyes.
THE AVIATOR: This was probably the closest thing to an epic this year had to offer. Martin Scorsese (who I think got robbed of Best Director) creates a masterful timepiece tale of Howard Hughes. The airplane scenes that he depicts are amazingly accurate and make the movie come alive. The costumes and the cast of old school actors and actresses that intercept Hughes' life helps to bring the 20s, 30s and 40s come to life. Leonardo DiCaprio (who I don't enjoy--I hated Titanic--I think its one of the most overrated movies in history) does a masterful job. I have no idea what Howard Hughes was like in real life, but DiCaprio was brilliant in what Scorsese wanted to depict. Similarly to Foxx, I rarely felt like I was watching DiCaprio. He took command of the screen throughout the entire movie.
RECAP: While there was no clearly great movie for this years' Best Picture, I think it is one of the deepest years in a while. Sideways was not good, but the rest of the movies were excellent films and highly entertaining. They all had very powerful qualities (the story of Finding Neverland, the ethical questions and acting of Million Dollar Baby, and the great lead actors for Ray and The Aviator). I would definitely recommend these four movies for anyone who wants to see a good flick.
RAY: Unbelievable acting by Jamie Foxx!! I don't think anyone was surprised by the fact that he won best actor. There was really no point in the movie where I felt like I wasn't watching Ray Charles. Foxx was commanding. For those of us who were in the dark about Ray Charles' talent and brilliance, this movie opens us up to the magic of Ray Charles. The music in the movie is wonderful and I left the movie wishing that I had been a Ray Charles fan before his death. I find myself searching itunes regularly for Ray Charles songs now!
FINDING NEVERLAND: This is actually my favorite of all the Best Picture films. I am a sucker for cool cinematography and this movie has some great scenes. The movie is about J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, and his relationship with the family that inspired his tale. The movie captures the magic of children and living life to its fullest. It is a movie for dreamers and for those who don't ever want to grow up (see why I liked it!). Johnny Depp captures us again with his great acting and Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman (yes, Captain Hook, from Hook-brilliant casting) both do excellent jobs. But stealing many scenes is the young actor Freddie Highmore, who plays Peter Llewelyn Davies, the character Barrie names Peter Pan after. It is the most uplifting of all the movies and it is difficult to leave the theatre without tears in your eyes.
THE AVIATOR: This was probably the closest thing to an epic this year had to offer. Martin Scorsese (who I think got robbed of Best Director) creates a masterful timepiece tale of Howard Hughes. The airplane scenes that he depicts are amazingly accurate and make the movie come alive. The costumes and the cast of old school actors and actresses that intercept Hughes' life helps to bring the 20s, 30s and 40s come to life. Leonardo DiCaprio (who I don't enjoy--I hated Titanic--I think its one of the most overrated movies in history) does a masterful job. I have no idea what Howard Hughes was like in real life, but DiCaprio was brilliant in what Scorsese wanted to depict. Similarly to Foxx, I rarely felt like I was watching DiCaprio. He took command of the screen throughout the entire movie.
RECAP: While there was no clearly great movie for this years' Best Picture, I think it is one of the deepest years in a while. Sideways was not good, but the rest of the movies were excellent films and highly entertaining. They all had very powerful qualities (the story of Finding Neverland, the ethical questions and acting of Million Dollar Baby, and the great lead actors for Ray and The Aviator). I would definitely recommend these four movies for anyone who wants to see a good flick.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
A Bitter Heart and Our Redeemer
I had my garage sale today. Amidst the pouring rain, it was a great success. I woke up at 5:30, made coffee, and then got ready to put the signs out. As I started to push the garage door opener a thought flashed trough my mind, "go through the front door." The idea of having to unlock the front gate and squeeze through the front door carrying boxes with "Garage Sale" signs attached to them in the rain didn't appeal to me, so I proceeded to push the garage door opener. Before the door was even fully up I realized that I should've listened to the voice in my head. Suddenly, a rush of people crowded into the already full garage. I was overwhelmed. It was only 5:45!! Were these people insane. Suddenly cash was flying around as people jockeyed for a chance to negotiate an angel ornament down from $.50. Dollars were flashed in front of my face as I realized that I had just sold two TVs for $30 when the original asking prices were $25 and $20 respectively. It wasn't even six (the original start time) and I was already being talked down on some of my biggest items. Eventually the flurry ended and I was able to sit down and realize that I had just sold $200 worth of stuff and it was barely 6:15. After I got organized I began to read my Bible. Just then an older gentleman strolled into the garage. We exchanged pleasantries and he perused through the merchandise. Before he left he noticed the bible opened in front of me. He said, "So, your reading the Scriptures, huh?" I replied briefly that I was doing the garage sale to raise money to go to the Czech. Seemingly uninterested, he said, "Well, do you want to know my favorite verse?" I said I did, but the look on his face concerned me. For some reason I didn't trust this man. I suddenly wondered what verse he was going to tell me. Was he some cynic who had flirted with Christianity at some point in his life and now was going to tell me some verse that was totally taken out of context? He then wrote down Job 19:25. Once I saw Job I knew that it could've been something crazy. We said bye and he walked out. I couldn't wait to see what he wrote. My fingers flipped through the pages with ease. Job 36, Job 3, Job 20. My eyes darted up the page. Verse 29, 28, 27, 26. There it was: verse 25. "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth." I was immediately convicted, encouraged, ashamed, and excited. My heart hurt because I had totally questioned this man and his intention to encourage me. I was excited and encouraged, because one of my favorite songs and the one song I turn to when I am discouraged is Redeemer by Nicole C. Mullen. I'm listening to the song right now. Just to hear those first couple chords always reminds me of what a BIG God we serve.
The garage sale was a success and I made good money, but what was more valuable than the money, was the eternal investment that the older gentleman made into my life by writing down one verse.
The garage sale was a success and I made good money, but what was more valuable than the money, was the eternal investment that the older gentleman made into my life by writing down one verse.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Blue Hairs and Million Dollar Baby
A chick boxer? I wasn't too excited to see this movie, but Lisa and I didn't have another choice since the theatre was overrun by "blue hairs". We had orininally planned on seeing Aviator, but when we arrived (at 3:00 on a Wednesday I might add) the theatre was crawling with old people and Aviator was sold out. I know that I tend to exagerate, but what we saw was an unbelievable sight. First off there wasn't the usual madness in front of the ticket counter with multiple lines blending together all jockeying for the next open window. There was one long line of people each waiting for their turn to purchase a ticket. I asked Lisa to look around and tell me if she noticed anything unusual. Lisa didn't notice it at first, but it was glaringly obvious that we were the youngest people there by a good forty years! After scanning quickly for any sign of life (and finding only a seven year old boy and another teenage boy) we realized that there were hundreds of old people there. I don't know if the local retirement home was on a field trip or what, but it was very eerie. We eventually got our tickets and proceded to the theatre hoping to find some people our age. When we got into the Cine Capri it was as if they were filming a remake of Cacoon and we had stumbled into the casting call. We walked slowly up to the top where two empty seats remained next to Wilford Brimley and Jessica Tandy (notice the clever refernce to Cacoon again).
The movie was very good. I didn't expect it to be. I'm usually skeptical of female athletics (sorry girls), but this movie was about much more than that. I must say that the fight scenes were pretty sweet though. While I don't prefer female sports, it is pretty sweet to see chicks beat each other up! The movie is about relationships (broken and restored) and moral dilemmas and explores the question of euthinasia. Any movie that can get me thinking about morality and what is ethical and what isn't, is worth seeing. The movie is stirring and left me wondering what I would do if placed in the situations that the characters are placed in. Beyond that, the acting is wonderful (what do we expect with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman starring together). Hillary Swank also does a very good job, but Eastwood and Freeman steal the show, especially in their interaction with one another. I would highly recommend this movie.
The movie was very good. I didn't expect it to be. I'm usually skeptical of female athletics (sorry girls), but this movie was about much more than that. I must say that the fight scenes were pretty sweet though. While I don't prefer female sports, it is pretty sweet to see chicks beat each other up! The movie is about relationships (broken and restored) and moral dilemmas and explores the question of euthinasia. Any movie that can get me thinking about morality and what is ethical and what isn't, is worth seeing. The movie is stirring and left me wondering what I would do if placed in the situations that the characters are placed in. Beyond that, the acting is wonderful (what do we expect with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman starring together). Hillary Swank also does a very good job, but Eastwood and Freeman steal the show, especially in their interaction with one another. I would highly recommend this movie.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Skeeter and I
Skeeter is the name of Christian and Jenni's dog. He has a sister named Kona. Skeeter injured his knee and had to have knee surgery to repair it. Since Kona is the hyper-active of the two, Christian and Jenni decided to have Christian's parents watch Kona while Skeeter was rehabbing his knee. This has made Skeeter a very lonely dog.
I moved into Christian and Jenni's house about three weeks ago. On the day I was moving in I suffered the most extremely lonliness that I have felt since I decided to move to the Czech. At first I didn't understand what was going on. I even found myself wondering if I should even go to the Czech. I immediately captured that thought as a lie from the devil and spent some time praying and listening to worship music. The feeling wouldn't pass though.
As I unpacked boxes and got my new room ready, Skeeter kept coming into my room. I don't particularly like animals (I don't hate them-I'm just indifferent), and I don't have lots of experience with them, but I could see the loneliness in Skeeters eyes. I thought about him some and I thought it was odd that he would be lonely even though I was there. I was being extremely friendly to him and petting him, but he kept wimpering...then I realized that he missed Jenni and Christian. Even though I look similar to the other humans that he normally sees and even though I do the same things that they do, he knew I wasn't his owner...
I think it will be the same for me in the Czech. I will be around many people. They will all do similar things that my friends and family do. They will speak, act, and live in a similar fashion to how people do things here, but they will be different. And I will experience lonliness.
I'm actually thankful for that period of lonliness. I feel that it was God's way of giving me a taste of what I will experience in the Czech. It really caught me off guard here, but I am still surrounded my family and friends who love me, so the lonliness has departed for now. I don't know what I would have done if that fit of lonliness had struck while I was in the Czech...it would've been very difficult for me to break out, but now that I have experienced it, I know how to pray for it and I know that I need to be praying about it and when that feeling of lonliness occurs in the Czech there will at least be some familiarity.
I moved into Christian and Jenni's house about three weeks ago. On the day I was moving in I suffered the most extremely lonliness that I have felt since I decided to move to the Czech. At first I didn't understand what was going on. I even found myself wondering if I should even go to the Czech. I immediately captured that thought as a lie from the devil and spent some time praying and listening to worship music. The feeling wouldn't pass though.
As I unpacked boxes and got my new room ready, Skeeter kept coming into my room. I don't particularly like animals (I don't hate them-I'm just indifferent), and I don't have lots of experience with them, but I could see the loneliness in Skeeters eyes. I thought about him some and I thought it was odd that he would be lonely even though I was there. I was being extremely friendly to him and petting him, but he kept wimpering...then I realized that he missed Jenni and Christian. Even though I look similar to the other humans that he normally sees and even though I do the same things that they do, he knew I wasn't his owner...
I think it will be the same for me in the Czech. I will be around many people. They will all do similar things that my friends and family do. They will speak, act, and live in a similar fashion to how people do things here, but they will be different. And I will experience lonliness.
I'm actually thankful for that period of lonliness. I feel that it was God's way of giving me a taste of what I will experience in the Czech. It really caught me off guard here, but I am still surrounded my family and friends who love me, so the lonliness has departed for now. I don't know what I would have done if that fit of lonliness had struck while I was in the Czech...it would've been very difficult for me to break out, but now that I have experienced it, I know how to pray for it and I know that I need to be praying about it and when that feeling of lonliness occurs in the Czech there will at least be some familiarity.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Orange Slice or Punctuality
As I was pulling out of the SBC parking lot the other day to drive my leaky car to work, I stopped to pull a slice of orange from the half that sat in my lap. In the brief moment that it took to peel the slice off and place it in my mouth I had missed my opportunity to turn right. Like the shutes at a race track, the light at 76th Street had turned green and released the horses. I was brutally close to being late for work already and so as I sat there waiting for the chute to close again I thought to myself, "Why did I peel the orange now." I could have easily done it a minute (or even ten seconds later) and I would've been on my way to work. Instead I was delayed as I looked over my shoulder for the opportune time to make my way onto the race track. Then it dawned on me...the orange tasted good. In my haste to feed my own desires, I had caused myself to be late to work. Was eating a slice of orange better than being on time to work...of course not, but at the time all I wanted was the juicy necter in my mouth.
This is just a small example of what we do on a daily basis. We foresake what we know is better for immediate gratification. I was dissapointed with myself. No so much that I was a couple minutes late (no one even noticed), but that I didn't even think about it. I didn't even think of what was more profitable; I just ate. It made me wonder how many better choices I overlook on a daily basis for the sake of instant gratification...
This is just a small example of what we do on a daily basis. We foresake what we know is better for immediate gratification. I was dissapointed with myself. No so much that I was a couple minutes late (no one even noticed), but that I didn't even think about it. I didn't even think of what was more profitable; I just ate. It made me wonder how many better choices I overlook on a daily basis for the sake of instant gratification...
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Movie Reviews: Sideways, Spanglish, Eternal Sunshine
Sideways: Probably overrated. While I love dialog movies, I also value originality and I thought that this movie lacked that. The best way I can describe it is as a darker, mid-thirties version of Swingers (one of my all-time favs. The movie is about two men who go to the SoCal wine country for a week before one of their weddings. There is some cool imagery between wine and a persons personality, but a lot of the wine references were lost on me (I'm a beer guy!). This is definitely not a date movie, with two brief sex scenes and a scene with a fully nude man running down the street (yes, they show EVERTHING). It is nominated for some Golden Globes, but I wasn't overly impressed.
Spanglish: This movie exceded my expectations and I had high expectations going in. The characters are very rich. From the lovable, mildly overweight little girl (I only comment on her weight, because it plays a role in the movie) to the alcoholic grandmother all the characters are deep and wonderfully presented. Adam Sandler does a great job playing a very successful chef and father in a disfunctional family. It is very different from any other role that I've seen him in (I never saw Punch Drunk Love) and he does a great job. Tea Leoni is also wonderful and the hyperactive mother. Her transformation in the movie as a wonderfully inviting and friendly wife to a controlling and disturbing woman is wonderfully done. Newcomer Paz Vega does a fantastic job as the Mexican Housekeeper of Sandler and Leoni's family. She is radiant and commanding as a somewhat tentative, but eventually firey and strong mother. The interactions between the family members are memorable. It isn't nominated for any Golden Globes, but I think it is more deserving than Sideways.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: This is my favorite of all three, which is saying a lot, because of how much I loved Spanglish. It gets the nod because it is so unbelievably creative and bizarre! It is about a company that erases the memories of people from their minds. It follows Jim Carrey as he finds out that Kate Winslett has erased him from her mind, so he procedes to do likewise, but during the middle of the procedure he decides he doesn't want to erase her. The majority of the film is inside of his mind (very Charlie Kaufman, the director). Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett do brilliant jobs and both are nominated for Golden Globes (as is the film). It is creatively filmed and is very bizarre! Although I figured it out early (as I often do in weird movies-I think my mind is jacked up) it keeps you guessing the entire time. It is out on video so you can rent it now. The other two movies are only in the theatres.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the reviews and I hope this helps you figure out what to see next.
Spanglish: This movie exceded my expectations and I had high expectations going in. The characters are very rich. From the lovable, mildly overweight little girl (I only comment on her weight, because it plays a role in the movie) to the alcoholic grandmother all the characters are deep and wonderfully presented. Adam Sandler does a great job playing a very successful chef and father in a disfunctional family. It is very different from any other role that I've seen him in (I never saw Punch Drunk Love) and he does a great job. Tea Leoni is also wonderful and the hyperactive mother. Her transformation in the movie as a wonderfully inviting and friendly wife to a controlling and disturbing woman is wonderfully done. Newcomer Paz Vega does a fantastic job as the Mexican Housekeeper of Sandler and Leoni's family. She is radiant and commanding as a somewhat tentative, but eventually firey and strong mother. The interactions between the family members are memorable. It isn't nominated for any Golden Globes, but I think it is more deserving than Sideways.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: This is my favorite of all three, which is saying a lot, because of how much I loved Spanglish. It gets the nod because it is so unbelievably creative and bizarre! It is about a company that erases the memories of people from their minds. It follows Jim Carrey as he finds out that Kate Winslett has erased him from her mind, so he procedes to do likewise, but during the middle of the procedure he decides he doesn't want to erase her. The majority of the film is inside of his mind (very Charlie Kaufman, the director). Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett do brilliant jobs and both are nominated for Golden Globes (as is the film). It is creatively filmed and is very bizarre! Although I figured it out early (as I often do in weird movies-I think my mind is jacked up) it keeps you guessing the entire time. It is out on video so you can rent it now. The other two movies are only in the theatres.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the reviews and I hope this helps you figure out what to see next.
Movie Reviews
I have decided to start reviewing movies. I know that I have a very unique taste for movies, but I think that I am critical enough to where I won't send anyone to a bad movie and the movies that I think are good, others will think so as well. I hope to get some of you to go to movies that you normally won't go to and uncover some hidden gems for you. I love bizarre movies, so take that into account, but I'll be sure to let you know if the movie is bizarre or not. Stay tuned for reviews!
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