Test Run

One of my favorite Christian Blogs, "Stuff Christians Like" has opened up the doors for guest posts. Here is the entry explaining. At any rate, I want to do this, so I though I'd test my draft on you, the readers of Christ and Calculations. Let me know what you think, won't you?

Replacing Your Entire Music Collection with only Christian Music

It is a well known fact that God hates secular music. Try as they might, those shout outs given so freely at the MTV awards are earning no merit for today’s musicians and their worldly music, even if God does make the top of the thank you list. And if you listen to their music, well you’re a sinner just by proximity.

A few years ago I bought my father a Casting Crowns CD. I figured he would like it, but I had no idea that it would soon start a war with the rest of his music collection. In a realm once ruled by The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, and Chicago, the power of classic rock and 70’s pop was disappearing faster than crock pot casseroles at church potlucks. Not only that, but soon there were more Casting Crowns CDs, and the assault moved to his wife’s music, and soon my little sister abandoned her Miley Cyrus CD for “The Alter and the Door.” Casting Crowns even worked its way into my own music library. Before I knew it, the only chance of hearing any secular music was in the short pauses while turning the knob on the radio to the Christian station.

I soon found Grits replaced any and all rap I had, Thousand Foot Krutch came in to replace that double dose of rock/rap heatheness from Linkin Park, and even Jars of Clay made a comeback to replace any music from the 90’s. If my music wasn’t praising God, or challenging my faith, why should I bother listening to it? Sure, James Taylor hasn’t really sung anything against God, but unless his next single is “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” I’m not getting it, and neither should you.

“I need more variety,” you say. “It sounds like you’ve replaced thousands of songs with three Christian CDs.” Yes, yes I have. If you find that you need more Christian Audio, get an audio bible. Those things take over 24 hours to listen to the whole way through. Consider each book a band. You just got yourself 66 new albums. That enough variety for you? My iPod, now affectionately referred to as my iGod, contains nothing but the music from my Christian CDs, an audio bible, and sermon podcasts. I’m currently working on installing a shofar as my car horn, so that as I’m driving I can add some extra praise to my listening experience.

Seriously though, God may be calling you to give up explicit music. I love Wu Tang Clan, and God does too, but He probably isn’t wild about all their songs. Is God calling my Dad to give up James Taylor? I doubt it. But if my Dad chooses to give up The Doobie Brothers for God, rather than giving them up out of some sort of religious obligation, that is pleasing to Him.

Hippies write pretty songs

I was listening to this song. I don't fully agree with everything said, but I don't fully disagree either. I think there is some truth to it. God is in us and with us and around us. Even when we don't realize it or want it. God is there, and available.


This is another pretty song. No real revelations from this one, just pretty.

Getting Fixed.

I was at Erica's place and I noticed a chair with a broken leg. As soon as I noticed it I flipped the chair over and examined it to see how I could make it better. However I couldn't. It was busted beyond what I could fix with just a little bit of manly elbow grease. I didn't have the tools or the know how to make that chair whole again. I did however try make the semblance of a fixed chair by propping it against the wall. I hid the shame of my failure by making the chair appear to be fixed, but as soon as it moves you've got yourself a broken chair again.

This is how I deal with my own life. Here am I, a man pretending to have it all under control, but in reality I'm struggling with sin. I feel lonely and scared. And I have direct access to an Omnipotent, all loving God, who knows my shit and is ready to clean it all up and forget about it. But I don't use Him, because I can handle it. Right?

Don't get me wrong, its not like I don't want to spend time with the big guy, I just don't want to burden him with having to be the one to make me clean. Last night at lifegroup we looked at the end of Romans 3 where Paul explains that we are saved by faith, not works. There is nothing we can do to become righteous in the eyes of our Lord apart from accepting Christ as the savior.

I can't do shit to fix myself.

And that can be frustrating. I'm a man. I like to fix things. I'm working on learning to let God be God, to let his love in completely, to come to him even when I feel like I'm too dirty or broken to be fixed or loved by anyone, and to cast my cares upon Him.

Ultimately, I am working on believing that nothing can separate us from the love of God.


Also, if you get the chance read this post by Jonathan Acuff on the Stuff Christians Like blog.

Home?

I've just arrived today to Kirtland, Ohio. I'm now sitting in my father's house, bored already and missing Bowling Green. Sure, being home is kind of nice. You get to see your family and maybe some old friends, and my Dad will pay me to work around the house while I eat all his food. But it isn't really home anymore.

Home doesn't really feel like home anymore. It hasn't for a little while now, but each time I come back it just affirms that all the more. Its more like I'm coming to visit my parents home. Sure this place is comfortable and I know it really well, but its not the place I want to be. Its not my safe haven or my fortress. Its not what I think of when I think, "I want to go home." Not anymore.

My home now is where my community is. All I really have left here is my family and a few old friends who only get together a few times a year anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love all these people, but they are not the folks who are in my daily lives anymore.

We'll see how long I can manage out here. I hope I can break some of these projects up throughout the summer and not be away from home too long at any given time. We'll just have to see.

Getting Started

So it is official. I'm now unemployed until the start of the next school year. However I'm still super unmotivated to much of anything.

I'm starting light; today I'm going to clean my house. Last time I cleaned I was able to get in my application for Renhill and start subbing.

Its a start.

The end of a season

Tomorrow will be my last day subbing for the school year, and as long as I find a job this summer it may be my last time subbing ever.

Over the past few weeks I had the distinct pleasure of filling in for a 5th grade teacher on paternity leave on a pretty regular basis. I've gotten to know the students and their daily routine. I didn't feel as much like a sub as a co-teacher. These were not just some kids I was going to spend a day with and then for the most part forget about. They became my kids.

Today I didn't take a single break from them. I ate lunch outside with them, and spent recess playing frisbee and racing around the track with them. It didn't hit me til the end of the day though when one of my students asked if I would be back tomorrow.

I told her I would be at the school, but not in their class. I'm done as their teacher. She then proceeded to reach in her desk and retrieve a piece of notebook paper that had been folded in half hamburger style. Scrawled in pencil across the front in as fancy as a block print as a 5th grade girl can manage and underlined with a squiggle was written, "Mr. B." She told me not to open it until I got home, and I told her I wouldn't and tucked it in the front cover of book I managed to finish today. However, I couldn't wait, and as soon as all my students has left the room my hand darted for my book and pulled the letter out of its temporary home. I unfolded the letter to find one of the most precious things ever written to me.

Dear Mr. B,
You have been a nice teacher. I will miss you. Hope find a Job when were gone for the summer. Thank you for being my subteacher!

Bye!

Your Student,

At the bottom she printed and signed her name. I felt like I could cry. I knew my time with them was up, but I did nothing about it. All I have now is this one letter. This one letter which is worth more to me than most anything. I'll miss you too kids.

I'll miss you too.

Fighting Apathy

Apathy sucks. Since hearing last week that I did not get the North Baltimore job I have felt very apathetic. I got my hopes up for that job. I knew it wasn't a done deal, but I figured the odds were good nonetheless. I have much I would like to be doing now, as well as with this summer. I need to figure out how I'm paying back my loans, how I'm making money after schools let out, where I'm working next year, where I'm living next year. I'm not terribly worried about those things, and that is fine, but I don't give a shit about them and that isn't fine. These are big things, and even if they don't stress me out I should still care.

But I don't...

I'm making myself take care of the loan thing today, but I wouldn't be surprised if I convince myself to put it off again. I need a list, or a set of goals. Maybe with a reward system so that I get excited for accomplishing things. Maybe once I've done a couple of those things I'll be more excited for the rest. At any rate, here are some of the things I would like to accomplish this summer. Feel free to ask me anytime how my list is coming.

-Find a job for the fall
-Finish Lord of the Rings
-Write a song or three
-Read something that challenges me
-Make more of my own meals (maybe cook through a smaller cook book)
-Brew a pilsner or another summery beer
-Exercise, eat better, lose weight
-Get in the bible a good deal more
-Pray more often
-Lose a few strokes in my disc golf game
-Bike the entire Slippery Elm Trail
-Take sidewalk chalk to the trail and write encouraging messages for the runners, bikers and bladers.
-More hugs and high-fives

Its a start. This summer, let's kick apathy's ass. Let's grab it by the ankles, shake it and steal its lunch money. Let's get excited. This is a season to do stuff.

Its a start.