Well, unfortunately, what with work, cleaning my room, studying and practicing, drivers ed, and optometrist visits ... this week has allowed precious little time-space to devote to the second half of the double movie review. As I write now, I only have 20 minutes to punch out something meaningful here before I disappear into the Tim Hortons abyss for 8 long hours. Spiderman III will have to wait a couple more days if I want to do it any justice. This post will be a quick book review of Justinian's Flea: Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe (by William Rosen, Jonathan Cape, 2007).
Bookstores these days have two main types of books in their History sections: 1) those written by professional and expert historians (examples being The Peloponnesian War, by Donald Kagan; The Spartans, by Paul Cartledge; and The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt). These volumes are top-notch quality, academic gems made available to the general public, condensing decades of intense study into accessable volumes. However, often a downside to these is that they are often a bit laborous ... they often rely on some previous knowledge on the part of the reader; they can get bogged down into intensely boring studies of pottery fragments; etc. Then are 2) those books written by "laymen," amateur historians (often journalists or professional writers). These books are very interesting: they are written by well-read people who love their topic of study and often do excellent research. While they usually fall short in fine details, they provide brilliant overviews of historical topics and periods. Justinian's Flea is one of these books.
The author has done great research to provide a very captivating and accurate portrayal of the fall of Rome, the rise of the Byzantine Empire, and the life and achievements of its best-known emperor - Justinian. There are fascinating chapters dealing with architecture (the building of the "Hagia Sophia"); theological controversies (interesting discussions detailing differences in doctrine that defined the Greek Orthodox movement), warfare (the exploits of the fantastic general Belisarius), etc. The section of the book dealing with bacteria and the plague were, I thought, some of the most interesting in the book. The author traces the characteristics of the lethal bacteria that created the bubonic plague, covering the ways in which the plague spread and what caused it to spring up into epidemics, and how it made its way into Constantinople. Once there, this plague killed hundreds of thousands ... here the author explains the effects of this plague on the immediate age and what effect it had on the forming of medieval Europe. Very good!
This book is well-written, sure to fascinate (aside from some sections that delve too deeply into archetectural principles, biology, and military tactics) ... if you are at all interested in the history of the late Roman Empire, Byzantium, the black plague, Belisarius, Justinian, Europe of the Middle Ages, or the interaction between Rome, Constantinople, Arabia and Persia, and China ... this is an amazing book to introduce you to this time and these topics.
22.6.07
Spidey vs Pirates I
I shall be continuing some musings on ancient warfare, but elsewhere.
In this post, I'm going to be a bit ambitious and seek to provide a short review on two movies, and compare them. These two movies are Spiderman III and Pirates of the Caribbean III.
Mandatory Warning: Spoilers ahead. But I imagine you'll read on anyway, right?...
First, Pirates. In a nutshell, one of the most disappointing movies I've seen. The first movie was clever and interesting; the sequel didn't really live up to the first, but had still managed to tell a decent story. The only thing even vaguely pleasant about the third movie were the sunny Caribbean beachlines.
The movie played like a pirate-version of a Greek myth. There were moments of pointless randomness (such as the Pearl run by a crew of Jacks ... even this had potential for far more humor than it had, but the producers added the macabre element of purely pointless shootings and stabbings, and ruined both the scene and the idea). There were a lot of "what in the world?!" moments (did Calypso really have to be in the movie at all? and why did she disintegrate into crabs instead of doing something a bit more spectacular, like calling down tornadoes? is there a point to killing off rather important characters right and left? and why on earth did they transform Will into an undead, inevitably brutal captain of a cursed ship? oooh, my head ...). There were moments of completely unneeded risque "humor."
The tone of the worst things about this movie were set in the very first scene ... hundreds of people hanged, culminating in the hanging of a small boy. From scene one, the directors broke one of the primary rules for movies which are supposed to be entertaining and humorous: never kill senselessly, and never kill children! Scenes depicting pointless killing are "appropriate" in movies like Schindler's List, where they are painted as horrible crimes and the mood of the movie is meant to be solemn and grim. The same kind of killing is not appropriate for a Pirates movie!
The world of the third Pirates is one in which good and evil do not exist, frankly (or else the message is that everyone's evil, but there are some evil people you can like, and others your supposed to hate ...). "Hero" characters murder senselessly and cruelly. Will's dad, who in one scene evokes sympathy, in another scene cuts down Norrington in cold blood. Sau Fang, who from the trailers and "hype" from the movie is apparently a "good" guy, coldbloodedly kills whoever he wants and attempts rape. Davy Jones is often painted as a "tragic" character who your supposed to both detest and pity. Will, who began in the first movie as one of the more noble characters, degenerates into a selfish, vengeful lout in this film, and ends up taking Davy Jones' place as the harvester of sailor's souls. Jack shoots and stabs "himself" without too much thought (seeing as its just hallucination, its not much of a crime, but its hard to laugh at someone being stabbed because he didn't tie a rope right). Will and Elizabeth are angry with each other most of the movie, then have a rather pathetically ridiculous wedding in the middle of a war zone - its not so much a warm "true love" moment as its a choreographed sword fight ending in a kiss. Ugh.
At the end of the movie, there really isn't any useful lesson learned, no action taken that seems admirable and noble, no redemptive characters ... just a group of bad guys that get gruesomely killed, and a group of "good" guys (and girl) that managed to survive the movie, usually by backstabbing (literally), lies, brute force, betraying others, and getting to the end regardless of the means.
This ain't no Christmas movie. It actually ain't much of a movie at all. I rarely go away from a theater utterly disappointed with a movie (The Fountain was another recent one), but Pirates managed to seize this (dis)honor.
The next post will deal with Spiderman, and in a more favorable light ...
In this post, I'm going to be a bit ambitious and seek to provide a short review on two movies, and compare them. These two movies are Spiderman III and Pirates of the Caribbean III.
Mandatory Warning: Spoilers ahead. But I imagine you'll read on anyway, right?...
First, Pirates. In a nutshell, one of the most disappointing movies I've seen. The first movie was clever and interesting; the sequel didn't really live up to the first, but had still managed to tell a decent story. The only thing even vaguely pleasant about the third movie were the sunny Caribbean beachlines.
The movie played like a pirate-version of a Greek myth. There were moments of pointless randomness (such as the Pearl run by a crew of Jacks ... even this had potential for far more humor than it had, but the producers added the macabre element of purely pointless shootings and stabbings, and ruined both the scene and the idea). There were a lot of "what in the world?!" moments (did Calypso really have to be in the movie at all? and why did she disintegrate into crabs instead of doing something a bit more spectacular, like calling down tornadoes? is there a point to killing off rather important characters right and left? and why on earth did they transform Will into an undead, inevitably brutal captain of a cursed ship? oooh, my head ...). There were moments of completely unneeded risque "humor."
The tone of the worst things about this movie were set in the very first scene ... hundreds of people hanged, culminating in the hanging of a small boy. From scene one, the directors broke one of the primary rules for movies which are supposed to be entertaining and humorous: never kill senselessly, and never kill children! Scenes depicting pointless killing are "appropriate" in movies like Schindler's List, where they are painted as horrible crimes and the mood of the movie is meant to be solemn and grim. The same kind of killing is not appropriate for a Pirates movie!
The world of the third Pirates is one in which good and evil do not exist, frankly (or else the message is that everyone's evil, but there are some evil people you can like, and others your supposed to hate ...). "Hero" characters murder senselessly and cruelly. Will's dad, who in one scene evokes sympathy, in another scene cuts down Norrington in cold blood. Sau Fang, who from the trailers and "hype" from the movie is apparently a "good" guy, coldbloodedly kills whoever he wants and attempts rape. Davy Jones is often painted as a "tragic" character who your supposed to both detest and pity. Will, who began in the first movie as one of the more noble characters, degenerates into a selfish, vengeful lout in this film, and ends up taking Davy Jones' place as the harvester of sailor's souls. Jack shoots and stabs "himself" without too much thought (seeing as its just hallucination, its not much of a crime, but its hard to laugh at someone being stabbed because he didn't tie a rope right). Will and Elizabeth are angry with each other most of the movie, then have a rather pathetically ridiculous wedding in the middle of a war zone - its not so much a warm "true love" moment as its a choreographed sword fight ending in a kiss. Ugh.
At the end of the movie, there really isn't any useful lesson learned, no action taken that seems admirable and noble, no redemptive characters ... just a group of bad guys that get gruesomely killed, and a group of "good" guys (and girl) that managed to survive the movie, usually by backstabbing (literally), lies, brute force, betraying others, and getting to the end regardless of the means.
This ain't no Christmas movie. It actually ain't much of a movie at all. I rarely go away from a theater utterly disappointed with a movie (The Fountain was another recent one), but Pirates managed to seize this (dis)honor.
The next post will deal with Spiderman, and in a more favorable light ...
15.6.07
And now for something completely different!
I have had an urge over the past few days to write about war.
Yes, war.
At this point, some of you are whooping, and others are raising eyebrows. So a few prefacing remarks may be i order ...
First, I will not be writing about the "War" that everyone else is fixated on, namely, the present Iraqi War. I'm sorry, I'm just not current enough.
Also, to those of you readers who don't have a clue why warfare would excite me enough to write a blog post about it ... and might even be wondering how stable such a person could be ... I apologize that this post and a few others will seem dry or a bit morbid. But hey, give it a chance ... you might find it interesting, too.
I mean, who hasn't at some point in their life (ok, maybe I'm grasping a bit far here) wondered if you threw a small regiment of Greek hoplites, a Chinese force centered around their famed crossbowmen, and a detachment of Crusader-era mounted knights, who would come out the victor? Or wondered why a group of 10,000 Macedonians under Alexander could defeat hundreds of thousands of Persians outside Babylon?
Oh, I see some fun posts coming up.
Don't worry ... for those of you who aren't catching the excitement, I'll also be posting about other things too. I'm just going to let loose for a bit in this particular area.
I'll give you some time to sharpen your swords and braid your hair ...
Yes, war.
At this point, some of you are whooping, and others are raising eyebrows. So a few prefacing remarks may be i order ...
First, I will not be writing about the "War" that everyone else is fixated on, namely, the present Iraqi War. I'm sorry, I'm just not current enough.
Also, to those of you readers who don't have a clue why warfare would excite me enough to write a blog post about it ... and might even be wondering how stable such a person could be ... I apologize that this post and a few others will seem dry or a bit morbid. But hey, give it a chance ... you might find it interesting, too.
I mean, who hasn't at some point in their life (ok, maybe I'm grasping a bit far here) wondered if you threw a small regiment of Greek hoplites, a Chinese force centered around their famed crossbowmen, and a detachment of Crusader-era mounted knights, who would come out the victor? Or wondered why a group of 10,000 Macedonians under Alexander could defeat hundreds of thousands of Persians outside Babylon?
Oh, I see some fun posts coming up.
Don't worry ... for those of you who aren't catching the excitement, I'll also be posting about other things too. I'm just going to let loose for a bit in this particular area.
I'll give you some time to sharpen your swords and braid your hair ...
11.6.07
Laugh
"The person who knows how to laugh at himself will never cease to be amused."
"Start every day with a smile, and get it over with."
"Laughter is an instant vacation."
"Most smiles are started by another smile."
"Take time to laugh - it is the music of the soul."
"If you smile at someone ... they might smile back!"
"A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles."
"Smile - sunshine is good for your teeth."
"A smile confuses an approaching frown."
"It is worthier of man to rise in laughter above life than to bewail it. He is more worthy of the human race who laughs at it than he who sheds tears over it."
"Keep smiling ... it makes people wonder what you've been up to."
"If you would like to spoil the day for a grouch, give him a smile."
-------
"Laughter is a divine gift to the human who is humble."
C.S. Lewis
"Laugh, really laugh. Because funny stuff is happening all around you. (And sometimes because of you).
C.J. Mahaney
"A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed."
Prov. 15:13
"A joyful heart is good medicine ..."
Prov. 17:22
8.6.07
"We Are Simple People"
I've been pondering through one of the quotes that CJ gave at Na: "We are a simple people ..."
Now, God is certainly not calling us to be simpletons, that is, naive or not quite "all there." A rather ugly illustration that comes to mind is the wretched Mr. Skimpole in Charles Dicken's classic Bleak House, who takes perverse delight in demeaning himself as a profoundly naive man ("I am but a child in these matters ..."); sounds humble at first (though with him its more ridiculous), but in the end its just a clever excuse to indulge in leeching off of other people, hang around worthlessly and apathetically, and pretend to be unaware of basic morality. If I was like that, I'd punch myself in the nose.
On the other hand, there is a kind of childlike simplicity that seems to go hand in hand with a sense of the profound. I think of the apostle John, whose Gospel is the most theologically-laden of the four, yet who wrote in the most basic Greek (ideal for first-year Greek students!), in a way understandable to even children, and who constantly returned to the same things. If you want simple and profound, read the letters of John and Revelation! A modern-day example of simple and profound would be C.S. Lewis.
I really long for that kind of simplicity, the simplicity of a child who trusts his Father no matter what, the simplicity that is overwhelmed by awe at seeing a marvelous sunset, or listening to beautiful music, or catching a glimpse of the glory of God in His Word.
In the past little while, there have been a couple of situations where I've come to the Father with dreams that have been "cracked," or even "shattered." To be perfectly honest, I felt confused ... hurt ... and in the more deeply-felt of these two situations, it almost felt as if I'd been punched in the gut. Its sounds stupid (and it probably is), but thats how I felt. So I came to God and asked Him ... "Why?"
Answer?... Silence.
Do I have an answer yet? No. But ... in a way I do have an answer. God reminded me that He truly knows how I feel ... Jesus was a man, like me, and experienced the full range of emotion that I felt. Interestingly enough, I'm finding some of the most comforting verses on Jesus' emotions as a man in the Old Testament prophets (go figure!). God knows ... God cares ... God is wise ... God is good ... and God is in charge.
To paraphrase Dr. Bullmore from last year's Na: I can't see the full panoramic plan of God. I can just trust that He has one, and that it is good. I may never see His plan ... but I can see the hope that He has put in His Word.
Pray for me, that I would realize more and more that I am a simple person, and that this would only drive me closer and closer in communion and trust and prayer with my Father.
Now, God is certainly not calling us to be simpletons, that is, naive or not quite "all there." A rather ugly illustration that comes to mind is the wretched Mr. Skimpole in Charles Dicken's classic Bleak House, who takes perverse delight in demeaning himself as a profoundly naive man ("I am but a child in these matters ..."); sounds humble at first (though with him its more ridiculous), but in the end its just a clever excuse to indulge in leeching off of other people, hang around worthlessly and apathetically, and pretend to be unaware of basic morality. If I was like that, I'd punch myself in the nose.
On the other hand, there is a kind of childlike simplicity that seems to go hand in hand with a sense of the profound. I think of the apostle John, whose Gospel is the most theologically-laden of the four, yet who wrote in the most basic Greek (ideal for first-year Greek students!), in a way understandable to even children, and who constantly returned to the same things. If you want simple and profound, read the letters of John and Revelation! A modern-day example of simple and profound would be C.S. Lewis.
I really long for that kind of simplicity, the simplicity of a child who trusts his Father no matter what, the simplicity that is overwhelmed by awe at seeing a marvelous sunset, or listening to beautiful music, or catching a glimpse of the glory of God in His Word.
In the past little while, there have been a couple of situations where I've come to the Father with dreams that have been "cracked," or even "shattered." To be perfectly honest, I felt confused ... hurt ... and in the more deeply-felt of these two situations, it almost felt as if I'd been punched in the gut. Its sounds stupid (and it probably is), but thats how I felt. So I came to God and asked Him ... "Why?"
Answer?... Silence.
Do I have an answer yet? No. But ... in a way I do have an answer. God reminded me that He truly knows how I feel ... Jesus was a man, like me, and experienced the full range of emotion that I felt. Interestingly enough, I'm finding some of the most comforting verses on Jesus' emotions as a man in the Old Testament prophets (go figure!). God knows ... God cares ... God is wise ... God is good ... and God is in charge.
To paraphrase Dr. Bullmore from last year's Na: I can't see the full panoramic plan of God. I can just trust that He has one, and that it is good. I may never see His plan ... but I can see the hope that He has put in His Word.
Pray for me, that I would realize more and more that I am a simple person, and that this would only drive me closer and closer in communion and trust and prayer with my Father.
6.6.07
How was Barnabas Humble?
The more I read about the apostle Barnabas, the more I wish I could become like him.
I get to speak this Sunday, so I've been camping out for a while in Acts 11. Barnabas is a relatively minor character in this section, but he still captures my attention and respect.
Luke paints Barnabas as a "good man" (the only person in Acts that Luke says that about), full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, generous, kind, thoughtful, trusting, forgiving, taking initiative in tough situations, seeing the potential in others, encouraging and exhorting; a joyful and humble man. He was a man of presence and authority - so much so that one city mistook him to be Zeus, the mighty king of the gods ... and anyone who has seen a Greek bust of Zeus knows that Barnabas must have had a considerable touch of authority, royalty, and wisdom beyond his years.
But I think what most impresses me about him is the way in which Barnabas was not only unafraid to see others outshine him, but he actually looked for ways to promote others.
Take Saul, later the great missionary Paul. Apparently Barnabas was, for all his leadership skills and grace-filled encouragement, not a good public speaker; perhaps not even very eloquent. There are no letters or sermons by him that we can read (though one was forged in his name long after his death). In contrast, Saul was brilliant in preaching and expositing the message of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament. Saul had a special charisma and intellectual skill, honed by years of training under the most famous Pharisee of the age.
Would Barnabas had felt threatened by Paul? I think so! Saul was going to be a lot more likely to be popular, because his was the face that everyone saw, his were the messages that amazed people with Christ. Just read Paul's letters ... this is not a boring man. This is a godly man of passion, steeped in Scripture, full of prayer, excited about the Gospel. Yeah, I think Barnabas probably realized that Saul would be a lot more popular than him.
And yet Barnabas sought out Saul, who was struggling in his home city, and invited him to come to Antioch, a thriving and impressionable young church.
Wow. That was an act of humility. That was selfless. That was caring for others above himself.
I like being good at what I do. In fact, I want to be the best in what I do. Sound ridiculous? Yep. It is. But I still have that little desire that sets goals and drives me towards them, disciplines me.
In the right context, this can be actually a God-honoring ambition and drive (not to be the best, but rather to do my very best for God's glory).
More often than not, though, this desire, if not met, gives way to jealousy. It shames me to say it, but there are times when I struggle with jealousy, seeing other people breezing past me and snatching that goal which I had so desired.
This is an arrogant and rotten sin, and extremely selfish. God, though, in His grace, is gradually allowing me to genuinely rejoice when other people do better than I do; when they get what I wanted; when they succeed where I failed. Its hard, sometimes. But it helps to keep in my mind's eye men like Barnabas, who rejoice when they are able to help other people become better and better, even if eventually they themselves must retreat into the shadows.
Hurrah for Barnabas, I say!
Andrew
I get to speak this Sunday, so I've been camping out for a while in Acts 11. Barnabas is a relatively minor character in this section, but he still captures my attention and respect.
Luke paints Barnabas as a "good man" (the only person in Acts that Luke says that about), full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, generous, kind, thoughtful, trusting, forgiving, taking initiative in tough situations, seeing the potential in others, encouraging and exhorting; a joyful and humble man. He was a man of presence and authority - so much so that one city mistook him to be Zeus, the mighty king of the gods ... and anyone who has seen a Greek bust of Zeus knows that Barnabas must have had a considerable touch of authority, royalty, and wisdom beyond his years.
But I think what most impresses me about him is the way in which Barnabas was not only unafraid to see others outshine him, but he actually looked for ways to promote others.
Take Saul, later the great missionary Paul. Apparently Barnabas was, for all his leadership skills and grace-filled encouragement, not a good public speaker; perhaps not even very eloquent. There are no letters or sermons by him that we can read (though one was forged in his name long after his death). In contrast, Saul was brilliant in preaching and expositing the message of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament. Saul had a special charisma and intellectual skill, honed by years of training under the most famous Pharisee of the age.
Would Barnabas had felt threatened by Paul? I think so! Saul was going to be a lot more likely to be popular, because his was the face that everyone saw, his were the messages that amazed people with Christ. Just read Paul's letters ... this is not a boring man. This is a godly man of passion, steeped in Scripture, full of prayer, excited about the Gospel. Yeah, I think Barnabas probably realized that Saul would be a lot more popular than him.
And yet Barnabas sought out Saul, who was struggling in his home city, and invited him to come to Antioch, a thriving and impressionable young church.
Wow. That was an act of humility. That was selfless. That was caring for others above himself.
I like being good at what I do. In fact, I want to be the best in what I do. Sound ridiculous? Yep. It is. But I still have that little desire that sets goals and drives me towards them, disciplines me.
In the right context, this can be actually a God-honoring ambition and drive (not to be the best, but rather to do my very best for God's glory).
More often than not, though, this desire, if not met, gives way to jealousy. It shames me to say it, but there are times when I struggle with jealousy, seeing other people breezing past me and snatching that goal which I had so desired.
This is an arrogant and rotten sin, and extremely selfish. God, though, in His grace, is gradually allowing me to genuinely rejoice when other people do better than I do; when they get what I wanted; when they succeed where I failed. Its hard, sometimes. But it helps to keep in my mind's eye men like Barnabas, who rejoice when they are able to help other people become better and better, even if eventually they themselves must retreat into the shadows.
Hurrah for Barnabas, I say!
Andrew
He finally graduated ...
This made me laugh, as well as making me wish I could graduate with a bestselling author. Great class idea, Sam!
See anyone you recognize in the Covenant Life School graduating class photo?
And Sam, congratulations on the big graduation!
Is there any transcription/recording of the 10:31 awards? I found them very inspiring last year.
See anyone you recognize in the Covenant Life School graduating class photo?
And Sam, congratulations on the big graduation!
Is there any transcription/recording of the 10:31 awards? I found them very inspiring last year.
5.6.07
Slight Revision of Detail
For those of you who think that I'm a complete liar ... fear not! Its a lot simpler than that - I'm either woefully uninformed or pretty slow on the uptake ... or both. But rest assured I'm not a blatant liar.
In my last post, I mentioned Stephen had some new music. Those of you who would have checked would have instantly observed that Stephen, in fact, has no such new music on his old site.
Ah, notice that? Keyword = old site.
Yes, Stephen has another new site which he has recently created, called "The Breathing," which you can find by clicking this link.
I apologize for the mistake, and thank you for not posting nasty comments attacking my sanity.
Andrew
In my last post, I mentioned Stephen had some new music. Those of you who would have checked would have instantly observed that Stephen, in fact, has no such new music on his old site.
Ah, notice that? Keyword = old site.
Yes, Stephen has another new site which he has recently created, called "The Breathing," which you can find by clicking this link.
I apologize for the mistake, and thank you for not posting nasty comments attacking my sanity.
Andrew
3.6.07
Na
Well, its taken me a while (a day of reflection for each day of the conference, it turns out), but here are some of varied highlights for me from New Attitude ...
- Spending some special times in the morning alone with God, sipping chocolate milk and eating semi-ripe tropical fruit while looking out onto an amazing sunrise ... I really enjoyed spending time reading some Psalms and Proverbs, talking to God about what I had read and the day ahead ... trying to process some of the things that I had learned the night before (thanks to a general sleep-deprivation, this was usually a task in itself).
- Watching, in a space of five minutes, Stephane talking with people sitting behind, in front of, and around us ... chatting and laughing like old friends. I don't know how he does it - is "magnetic personality" a thing you're born with?
- Spending time with some of my favorite people to spend time with - my good friends! You guys are pretty much the best college and careers group around ... you each are amazing examples of warmth; close-knit friendships; laughter; interesting conversation, sometimes ridiculous, sometimes profound; you care for each other in so many different ways; you each are passionate about God ... I could go on and on. It was amazing to spend some *intense* four days with you all.
- Seeing lots of old friends from Covenant Life who I haven't seen in a year!
- Seeing and listening to John Piper live - first time! Just about every book of his that I've read I have loved, so it was great to hear him in person. His second message was particularly helpful for me, showing me that God loves obedience which makes me more a debtor to grace than the day before. I have often thought of obedience as a "payback," a grateful response to what God has done. Instead, Piper pointed out that obedience that pleases God keeps utilizing the endless storehouses of grace which Jesus purchased for us when he died for us! Are my works - is my life - defined by a humble and sincere obedience which relies solely on the grace of God, each good thing that I do pointing not to me but to the riches of God's mercy and grace? Great message!
- Realizing that our C&C group has some pretty talented artists ...
- Watching godly men - Josh Harris, Eric Simmons, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, Bob and Devon Kauflin, John Piper, and especially CJ Mahaney ... the way they lived their message of cross-centeredness, their affectedness and passion for Christ.
It seems that whenever I hear, and especially see CJ, I learn so much from not just what he teaches but also from who he is, how he teaches, etc. Last year, for example, I was struck by CJ's emotion and gratefulness, sorrow and joy, as he preached a moving message on Isaiah 53. I went away from last years's conference wanting to emulate him in this regard - to spend more time at the foot of the cross, absorbing the truth of God's grace, listening in sorrow to the cries of Calvary and in joy to the triumph of the resurrection. This year, the same thing impacted me again ... and also other small things - his self-depreciating and sincere humor (not taking himself too seriously), his commitment to encouragement, his passion for the lost to hear the Good News ... In fact, these things characterize all the leadership there! I will never be a CJ, or a Josh Harris, or a Bob Kauflin, and certainly not an Al Mohler ... but I am thankful that God lets me see and hear and observe godly men like these, and for giving me a dad and a pastor like them, so that I can learn from them and try to imitate them (Philippians 3:17). They make a difference!
- The food ... such as the Pub, with its amazing British decor and the best crab-stuffed, molten-cheese-topped mushrooms I ever had ... late night pizza that never came ... fancy Italian dining ... and an indespensible pina colada at midnight on the road-trip.
- Watching the most one-sided poker game I have ever seen ...
- Enjoying an impromtu and very humorous panel discussion among Josh Harris, CJ Mahaney, Bob Kauflin, and Eric Simmons.
- Glimpsing some of the untold talent of our conference leaders for dancing.
- Bob Kauflin's prophetic songs.
There are a ton of other things I could mention ... but for sake of space (and sanity) I will stop here ("Hallejuah"s erupt throughout the readership).
Thanks for reading, and for those of you fellow Na-ers, thanks for the memories!
One last thing before I go. I believe my brother has posted some new songs on his purevolume page ...
- Spending some special times in the morning alone with God, sipping chocolate milk and eating semi-ripe tropical fruit while looking out onto an amazing sunrise ... I really enjoyed spending time reading some Psalms and Proverbs, talking to God about what I had read and the day ahead ... trying to process some of the things that I had learned the night before (thanks to a general sleep-deprivation, this was usually a task in itself).
- Watching, in a space of five minutes, Stephane talking with people sitting behind, in front of, and around us ... chatting and laughing like old friends. I don't know how he does it - is "magnetic personality" a thing you're born with?
- Spending time with some of my favorite people to spend time with - my good friends! You guys are pretty much the best college and careers group around ... you each are amazing examples of warmth; close-knit friendships; laughter; interesting conversation, sometimes ridiculous, sometimes profound; you care for each other in so many different ways; you each are passionate about God ... I could go on and on. It was amazing to spend some *intense* four days with you all.
- Seeing lots of old friends from Covenant Life who I haven't seen in a year!
- Seeing and listening to John Piper live - first time! Just about every book of his that I've read I have loved, so it was great to hear him in person. His second message was particularly helpful for me, showing me that God loves obedience which makes me more a debtor to grace than the day before. I have often thought of obedience as a "payback," a grateful response to what God has done. Instead, Piper pointed out that obedience that pleases God keeps utilizing the endless storehouses of grace which Jesus purchased for us when he died for us! Are my works - is my life - defined by a humble and sincere obedience which relies solely on the grace of God, each good thing that I do pointing not to me but to the riches of God's mercy and grace? Great message!
- Realizing that our C&C group has some pretty talented artists ...
- Watching godly men - Josh Harris, Eric Simmons, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, Bob and Devon Kauflin, John Piper, and especially CJ Mahaney ... the way they lived their message of cross-centeredness, their affectedness and passion for Christ.
It seems that whenever I hear, and especially see CJ, I learn so much from not just what he teaches but also from who he is, how he teaches, etc. Last year, for example, I was struck by CJ's emotion and gratefulness, sorrow and joy, as he preached a moving message on Isaiah 53. I went away from last years's conference wanting to emulate him in this regard - to spend more time at the foot of the cross, absorbing the truth of God's grace, listening in sorrow to the cries of Calvary and in joy to the triumph of the resurrection. This year, the same thing impacted me again ... and also other small things - his self-depreciating and sincere humor (not taking himself too seriously), his commitment to encouragement, his passion for the lost to hear the Good News ... In fact, these things characterize all the leadership there! I will never be a CJ, or a Josh Harris, or a Bob Kauflin, and certainly not an Al Mohler ... but I am thankful that God lets me see and hear and observe godly men like these, and for giving me a dad and a pastor like them, so that I can learn from them and try to imitate them (Philippians 3:17). They make a difference!
- The food ... such as the Pub, with its amazing British decor and the best crab-stuffed, molten-cheese-topped mushrooms I ever had ... late night pizza that never came ... fancy Italian dining ... and an indespensible pina colada at midnight on the road-trip.
- Watching the most one-sided poker game I have ever seen ...
- Enjoying an impromtu and very humorous panel discussion among Josh Harris, CJ Mahaney, Bob Kauflin, and Eric Simmons.
- Glimpsing some of the untold talent of our conference leaders for dancing.
- Bob Kauflin's prophetic songs.
There are a ton of other things I could mention ... but for sake of space (and sanity) I will stop here ("Hallejuah"s erupt throughout the readership).
Thanks for reading, and for those of you fellow Na-ers, thanks for the memories!
One last thing before I go. I believe my brother has posted some new songs on his purevolume page ...
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