On Monday I was at church doing some stuff for my internship. I hate that title. If I graduated from college, feel like my job title should carry a little more respect. But while I was at church I ran into my old young adults pastor from the past few years. He sometimes reads my blogs, but I won't let that influence my thought process. I realized that there is this list of people in my life that I hold high respect for. It is the kind of person that when I talk to them I almost fumble my words through the conversation because of my respect for the person. I think Chris would fall into this category. It was really nice to see him again.
Some other people that fall into the category are the former senior pastor of Northshore, Jan Hettinga. He is a good shepherd. I suppose there are multiple pastors that might fall into the "respected good shepherd" category. There are many that are on my mental list of people I really respect, but this is a special category, and fumbling words is not the only indicator. So my encouragement to all my readers is to find those people in your life that you highly respect and ask some questions. What qualities do you appreciate and why are they so attractive.
Something I would like to tag onto this post is a census. If you are a frequent reader then it would be nice to know who you are. I know of a few, but I suppose there are others. Post a comment saying "present" or something.
Cheers!(Josh)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Place preferred title here. I figure I should not have to catch your attention with a snazzy title.
Well I think it's about time I change the music. Don't you think. I think. I have noticed that my appreciation for the songs I have posted are declining. I have made an interesting observation in looking at pictures of friends that have been in Europe. In addition to person experience, I have noticed that slowly but surely the fad of the mullet is working its way back into society. You know, Business in the front, party int he back. Yeah.Oh dear.
I do not plan on participating in the fun anytime soon.
If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you will notice that there are a few more links to the side--------------------->
stuffchrsitanslike is a blog written by a Christian who makes observations about the church and the ironies of Christian behavior. And the other is a blog that I found by searching "popular blogs" in my google search bar. "thehomelessguy" is just what you might expect...a homeless guy. His plug for the blog is as follows, "I am chronically homeless, having experienced several episodes of homelessness since the age of 21 - spending about half my adult life on the streets. On this blog I write about my experiences, and my opinions and knowledge of homeless life." (I do not take responsibility for any content in my links that you might find offensive.)
Some other observation I have been making recently may only apply to those who understand the phenomenon that is facebook. There were a couple times this past semester, my last semester(hmm), that I almost deleted my facebook. It tends to be time consuming, and there is a twitch in my conscience that tells me how facebook is typically misused. Or maybe it is being used as intended by the creators, but are those intentions that christ followers should be participating. I am speaking of our definition of gossip and slander. Maybe it is also important to consider how God views voyeurism. Some might suggest that God is the ultimate voyeur, but don't you think he is allowed to. There is nothing private about our lives when it comes to God. Although the story of the garden of Eden comes to mind when God calls out to Adam, "Where are you? What have you done?" Don't you think he already knows. Interesting approach.
But back to facebook. The issue for me is that I know how I use facebook. I cannot suggest that I know how others use facebook, but I would like to think that I am not the only one who scans through pictures and the status of "friends" just to get a peek of what interesting things are going on. It reminds me of the neighbor that some of you might have, that stereotypical old lady that sits in her front window and knits while keeping a watchful eye on the neighbor hood to see what her neighbors are up to and imagine what is going on in each house and juicy details of what could be happening. Oh my, the jones' are getting a new refrigerator today. I wonder why? And who knows where the imagination may lead. Is it possible that facebook has become our modern day device to be that nosy neighbor? And what a convenience that you can slide through all parts of the website undetected.
There is one more thing about facebook that puzzles me. There is the issue of "friends". I put this in quotations earlier as well, but for a reason. Think about your definition of friends and now think about of the 500 friends you have(on average) are persons that you see on a weekly basis. Furthermore, when you see them is it a comfortable ineraction? When they pop up on facebook chat, how eager are you to chatter and lol your way into a completely non-audible conversation?
Yesterday I went to Costco for lunch, and while waiting in line I saw a guy in some stained painters clothes with long hair and some scruff on the face. It was not until I paid closer attention that I realized that it was a guy I went to high school with. he was only in the grade above me. So I knew who he was and I guarantee he would recognize me as well. We were in track and field together for a couple years and he had previously dated a friend that I had grown up with. There were certainly enough connections that if we made eye contact that we would acknowledge the other with a head nod. But any sort of conversation would be fairly worthless. What would there be to talk about? "Uhhhh, so remember that one time in high school? It was like 6 years ago.(while thinking that I have not talked to the guy at all in the that 6 years) How many "friends" fall in to a similar category, but we continue to keep as friends because it is a least interesting to see what they are doing with there lives? Is it any of our business? And shouldn't we really be concerned about how much time we are taking/wasting to be in the loop on facebook? I have found myself spending longer sessions on facebook than the amount of time it has taken me to think through and write this post.
Well, just a few things to think about. I think I will go check and see if there are any new pictures on facebook to click through. Wait, one more thought. What about the other side of the relationship? Why do we post pictures and update our status? I think it is a burning desire that every one of us has to be accepted, known and to be given attention. OOOO, someone just commented on my status and the pictures I posted yesterday! Gotta go!
I do not plan on participating in the fun anytime soon.
If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you will notice that there are a few more links to the side--------------------->
stuffchrsitanslike is a blog written by a Christian who makes observations about the church and the ironies of Christian behavior. And the other is a blog that I found by searching "popular blogs" in my google search bar. "thehomelessguy" is just what you might expect...a homeless guy. His plug for the blog is as follows, "I am chronically homeless, having experienced several episodes of homelessness since the age of 21 - spending about half my adult life on the streets. On this blog I write about my experiences, and my opinions and knowledge of homeless life." (I do not take responsibility for any content in my links that you might find offensive.)
Some other observation I have been making recently may only apply to those who understand the phenomenon that is facebook. There were a couple times this past semester, my last semester(hmm), that I almost deleted my facebook. It tends to be time consuming, and there is a twitch in my conscience that tells me how facebook is typically misused. Or maybe it is being used as intended by the creators, but are those intentions that christ followers should be participating. I am speaking of our definition of gossip and slander. Maybe it is also important to consider how God views voyeurism. Some might suggest that God is the ultimate voyeur, but don't you think he is allowed to. There is nothing private about our lives when it comes to God. Although the story of the garden of Eden comes to mind when God calls out to Adam, "Where are you? What have you done?" Don't you think he already knows. Interesting approach.
But back to facebook. The issue for me is that I know how I use facebook. I cannot suggest that I know how others use facebook, but I would like to think that I am not the only one who scans through pictures and the status of "friends" just to get a peek of what interesting things are going on. It reminds me of the neighbor that some of you might have, that stereotypical old lady that sits in her front window and knits while keeping a watchful eye on the neighbor hood to see what her neighbors are up to and imagine what is going on in each house and juicy details of what could be happening. Oh my, the jones' are getting a new refrigerator today. I wonder why? And who knows where the imagination may lead. Is it possible that facebook has become our modern day device to be that nosy neighbor? And what a convenience that you can slide through all parts of the website undetected.
There is one more thing about facebook that puzzles me. There is the issue of "friends". I put this in quotations earlier as well, but for a reason. Think about your definition of friends and now think about of the 500 friends you have(on average) are persons that you see on a weekly basis. Furthermore, when you see them is it a comfortable ineraction? When they pop up on facebook chat, how eager are you to chatter and lol your way into a completely non-audible conversation?
Yesterday I went to Costco for lunch, and while waiting in line I saw a guy in some stained painters clothes with long hair and some scruff on the face. It was not until I paid closer attention that I realized that it was a guy I went to high school with. he was only in the grade above me. So I knew who he was and I guarantee he would recognize me as well. We were in track and field together for a couple years and he had previously dated a friend that I had grown up with. There were certainly enough connections that if we made eye contact that we would acknowledge the other with a head nod. But any sort of conversation would be fairly worthless. What would there be to talk about? "Uhhhh, so remember that one time in high school? It was like 6 years ago.(while thinking that I have not talked to the guy at all in the that 6 years) How many "friends" fall in to a similar category, but we continue to keep as friends because it is a least interesting to see what they are doing with there lives? Is it any of our business? And shouldn't we really be concerned about how much time we are taking/wasting to be in the loop on facebook? I have found myself spending longer sessions on facebook than the amount of time it has taken me to think through and write this post.
Well, just a few things to think about. I think I will go check and see if there are any new pictures on facebook to click through. Wait, one more thought. What about the other side of the relationship? Why do we post pictures and update our status? I think it is a burning desire that every one of us has to be accepted, known and to be given attention. OOOO, someone just commented on my status and the pictures I posted yesterday! Gotta go!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Choir Tour
This is a link to a bunch of videos from our choir tour in the Netherlands. Any of the videos with a mass of bluish shirts is from tour. Enjoy!
www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=903CA27F34334347
www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=903CA27F34334347
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