Post-Apocalyptic Randomosity!

August 20, 2013 //

Not too long ago, while waiting to pick up my coffee, I overheard a conversation a Starbucks barista was having with a customer about movies. The customer was enthusiastically into pretty much all kinds of movies, but particularly post-apocalyptic films.

The barista perked up at mention of this genre, saying, “Yeah, I appreciate those kinds of films because they’re really about the human condition.”

“Yeah, totally. Like, how would you survive a zombie attack?”

Judging by the look on the barista’s face, I’d say it’s a safe bet to guess that’s not what he meant. I’d put my money on something in the ballpark of this or that.

Genres like sci-fi can use devices like Cylons to explore deeper questions about what it means to be human. That, and the awesome outer space pew-pew-pew fights.

. . . . .

There’s something so creepy about abandoned amusement parks:

[I’m not 100% sure who to credit for the photo below: I found it via a search for “abandoned roller coasters”]

… and industrial ruins:

[h/t: Gizmodo — the photographer who captured this amazing shot is Thomas Jorion]

Is it knowing that even our greatest monuments are subject to decay? That what we build will one day fall?

Or maybe because they’re, like, totally places where zombies would hide out?

. . . . .

If I were to summarize Elysium in one sentence, it would be: In the future, when you die, it will most likely be by exploding.

Categories culture, films, photography

Songs That Set Us Free

August 12, 2013 //

Even though the marketers have been trying their darndest to co-opt this truth, I still believe stories will change the world.

I had the privilege recently of hearing some close friends share their stories of how God’s love has been real to them over the years. Our redeeming King is able to bring beauty from the burned out wreckage of our lives — and I see it in the faces and hearts of my friends.

Around that table, I shared how music has always been a part of my redemption story. Even when I hated “hypocritical” Christians and felt completely unmoored, His whisper was the dulcet melody calling clear through the noise.

There was a King who was more precious than silver, whose love was wider than oceans. When I finally began to understand the power of the cross — that Jesus understood our sorrow, pain, shame; that He never gave up on me; that real love is sacrifice; that Someone so amazing would die for us — the song Only the Blood was the soundtrack.

Only the blood of Jesus covers all of my sins
Only the life of Jesus renews me from within

I am thankful for the countless, talented, godly women & men around the world who are writing the songs the Church is singing. Yes, Christian music is an industry worthy of scrutiny (and, sometimes, heavy-duty eye-rolling). Yes, there is more to music that glorifies God than being “safe for the family.” And, yes, there are more ways to make God’s praises soar than with heavy reverb and delay-soaked guitars (banjos, for one!).

But, friends, no matter how jaded we become, let us hold fast to the One who was, and is, and is to come, before whom people from every tribe, nation, and language will bow down in worship, and let us sing!

Our God is infinite, yet intimate; mighty and merciful; creative and compassionate. Were all the skies of parchment made and all the oceans filled with ink, as the old gospel song sings, we would still only begin to describe how great is our God.

I need words as wide as sky
I need language large as this longing inside
And I need a voice bigger than mine
And I need a song to sing You that I’ve yet to find
I need You, oh, I need You
– David Crowder

Sometimes, it takes years to see the thread God has tied together, but wherever He is King there is beauty and soul and life:

Time and again, the words of the psalmist have been proven true:

You did it: You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing;
You stripped off my dark clothing and covered me with joyful light.
You have restored my honor.
My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs!
It’s impossible to keep quiet!
Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever.

Categories faith, music, worship

Do What Matters

July 25, 2013 //

Sometimes, I love the Twitter machine (and not just for photos like these, although without cat photos, would the internet even really exist?).

This morning, as I was considering the call God has placed before our family and the challenges that are sure to come with it, I could hear how God was was speaking through these tweets:

Art matters

Although pastors and church leaders have much to learn from the world of corporations and business management, my guiding images for ministry and future look have more to do with gardens, shepherds, and art.

I have to remind myself, constantly, that ministry is about what matters, not what gets results. We want to unleash redemption, beauty, and a story bigger than ourselves through our work — in a culture so quick to tear down, to guide a church that builds up, redeems, and invites others into wonder, awe, and worship of our Redeeming King.

To that end, I am also in constant prayer for courage. Jesus tells us to pray that God will send out workers into the harvest field — and, perhaps, for us to become the answer to that prayer.

As Frederick Buechner says (and of which I was reminded again today, via Twitter):

Best prayers - shade

May you pray as if you were not afraid, may you follow Jesus wherever He leads (it might be closer than you think), and may you do what matters today.

Categories church, family, ministry

Don’t Let the Font Fool You

July 22, 2013 //

With a name like “Destroy This Place” and sporting a font in the title sequence that might feel at home on an Earache Records album cover, no one would blame you for being ready to toss up some metal hornz as you queued up this track, Graves.

Don’t let the font fool you, though, friends.

This is 90s Chapel Hill indie rawk bliss, taking the torch from Superchunk (not Torche).

Fear the deer, support the D:

[h/t: Jason Evans]

Categories hooray!, indie, music

“But I Don’t See You As Asian” by Bruce Reyes-Chow

July 3, 2013 //

Even reading that title brings back painful memories of well-intentioned but, ultimately, misguided friends in my life who have tried to discuss race and ethnicity with me.

In true postmodern style, Bruce Reyes-Chow — who has been known as a pastor, techie, moderator, social media maven, and all-around troublemaker — launched this book through a successful Kickstarter campaign. And, since I pitched in to the Kickstarter (“First!” in old internet comment-speak), I was able to chime in regarding the question:

Why is it important to talk about race?

I’m looking forward to diving into this book. It can be a difficult conversation all around, but if we’re going to see the future begin, then we’ve got to enter in.

As Scripture says in Revelation 7:9-10, our future looks something like this, with an incredible array of people, languages, cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds worshiping Christ:

There before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Categories asian american, books, church, culture, family, postmodern, race, reconciliation