So I’ve been thinking of ways to escape Darkest Maconga (I’m doing that a lot lately…) and thinking about what I want to do or where I want to go. I came up with the idea that my ideal situation for my current phase of life would be to find a boyfriend who’s in a band….go on tour with them as their photographer…play music all the time and get better…and maybe eventually be an opener for them. That would be awesome. However, that is my dream. No lie, I have heard 3 sermons in the past week about relinquishing control to God. I know part of the reason why I’ve been miserable the past couple of years is because I have pried the reins out of God’s hands little by little, thinking for some reason that I could do a better job than He could at this point in my life. I know that God has crazy plans for me because He always has. He’s always shown me that His plans are better. I’ve always seen the reasons why…maybe not immediately, but in due course. Part of the reason why I’m wanting to maintain control is because inwardly I’m afraid that God’s way for me will be boring…too “pious” or what have you. God pretty much invented all things adventurous….so why should I think that he would ordain the boring stuff for me when He also created me…therefore knowing that I crave all things adventurous? It’s so easy to forget that God knows exactly what my wildest dreams are.
...and all you see is where else you could be when you're at home...
Author: Sarah Jo /
It Overtakes Me
Author: Sarah Jo /Spiritual moments can happen anywhere, anytime, in the midst of anything. I remembered that a lunar eclipse was supposed to happen tonight, so I peeked out of my window to discover that I had a perfect view if I sat on the floor. I sat and watched the clouds dance over the crescent of the moon that wasn’t yet obscured. I had the Flaming Lips playing, and the song It overtakes me/The stars are so big…I am so small…Do I stand a chance? (yes, that is the song’s real title) was playing. I haven’t listened to this album very much at all, but the melodies of this song were the perfect soundtrack to the eclipse. Then I started listening to the lyrics…and magic happened.
And I'm there, looking up at the sky
And I'm scared, thinkin' 'bout the way that I
Don't understand anything at all...
And how it overtakes me... and I am just so small...
Do I stand a chance?
It was perfect, and I couldn’t stop smiling for a few minutes. Beautiful simplicity like this makes my day turn around. I should open my eyes and be more aware. I should be thankful that the composer of such simplicity brazenly loves me.
Right on.
Author: Sarah Jo /I read this in an interview with Rob Bell (I really like what this guy has to say, in case you haven’t noticed by my quoting him every other entry…) in the current issue of Relevant. Says some good stuff about the church, I think. Harsh perhaps…but good. Take a gander.
(In response to the question: What are you doing to reverse the trend of twentysomething Christians walking away from church and, in many cases, from faith entirely?)
What a lot of people call church in America has very little to do with the church Jesus had in mind. I think you just begin by acknowledging that America’s idea of church is an absolute total failure. The whole system that says these few people, because of what they said, did, believe, etc., are going to Heaven and everybody else is going to Hell, is deeply flawed and must die. The system that says big growth and numbers are the goal must also die. The central metaphor Jesus uses is the Eucharist. His body is broken and His blood is poured out to the healing of the world. God is looking for a body of people who will break themselves open and pour themselves out for the healing of the world. I think the problem is that when people say “church” many mean religious goods and services where you come and there’s a nice inspiring talk, good coffee in the back, snappy music and everything ends up fine. Jesus speaks of His people who are willing to suffer and die so that the world can be healed- that’s an entirely different proposition. If you can resolve the sermon in the course of the church service, then the sermon has failed. If you can resolve what’s being talked about just by listening to it, then something’s seriously wrong. The only way to resolve the church service you just experienced, and specifically the sermon, is that you’re going to have to go and wrestle with it and then live it out.
Pensive Potpourri
Author: Sarah Jo /First, politics. I find it slightly disturbing that the elections are still a year away and I am already completely sick of hearing about anything related to them. The candidate I support (Ron Paul) has no chance of winning because this country will not get out of the rut that is the two-party system. It is becoming more and more evident that candidates for both parties are not meeting the standards of Americans. Just look at the last election. Most people were forced to choose the lesser of two evils, and it looks as if this election is going to be a similar scenario. Perhaps if we had a moderate party represented more people would be able to find a candidate they can truly rally behind.
Second, the Grammy Awards. I had a little get together with some friends and watched the whole thing...all four hours. It was a really good show, in my opinion. I loved every performance (although the Jerry Lee Lewis/Little Richard combo was pretty scary) and I thought it was great how several genres were incorporated into the show's performances. I think my favorite performance was the tribute to the Beatles done by Cirque de Soleil and some of the cast from Across the Universe. Feist's stripped down version of 1234 was really good, too. There were some awesome duets....Tina Turner and Beyonce, Fergie (I didn't know she could actually sing) and John Legend, Alicia Keys and John Mayer, Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli.....yeah, could have done without that duet with Kid Rock and the old lady and Brad Paisley's song. But oh well. I love love love how the Album of the Year award went to Herbie Hancock. Kanye can pout all he wants, but it's amazing that the Academy acknowledged and rewarded a different genre of music than normal. One more thing.....I like Amy Winehouse's sound and everything. I think it's unique and catchy and whatever. I don't think she deserved 4 Grammys, though. That's just my opinion. I think there were different artists in each category who deserved an award more than she. Just my opinion.
Third, Valentine's Day. I've never really cared for it, even when I'm in a relationship. Basically the only good thing about V Day in my opinion is conversation hearts. I can destroy a bag of those...it's not even funny. I don't see why people celebrate Valentine's day. It's completely commercial. It might as well be called Hallmark day. Although it stems from Saint Valentine, a martyr, it has evolved to become a day to express romantic feelings. I guess that's all well and good, but I think it's so stupid when girls get angry when their boyfriends don't pull out every stop available on Valentine's day. I feel sorry for you gentlemen this Thursday...
That is all.