"I'm Inspired By"

This is a play on something that I saw on Aaron Ivey's blog that I really liked. On occasion I will post a list of thigs that have inspired me recently.

• Acts.
• Shane Claiborne's Jesus for President.
• Wavorly.
• Talking to my friend Yvonne.
• Laughing uncontrollably with Em. J.
• The post entitled "Red Bull Christianity" over at SCL.

 

And On This Day... We Celebrate!

Okay, the 4th of July as always taken a back seat when I'm asked what my favorite holiday is. It's either been Christmas or Thanksgiving. But as the years go by, I'm learning that I really do like the 4th of July. Actually, I love how the holiday is really 4 days long! Fireworks don't annoy me and unlike some people, I welcome my neighbors shooting off fireworks late into the the night even if its not the 4th yet! (It's 12:20am and i just heard something explode outside!)

Fireworks dazzle me... I can watch them for hours, in a daze like an A.D.D. kid coming down after taking his meds. So, needless to say, tomorrow night when our college aged group is in downtown Nash-vegas watching what is one of the nations top 4th of July Extravaganzas, I will experience 25 minutes of pure bliss!

P.S. To all you "Old Men" (sorry Aaron... I had to) out there, sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic of spending this holiday with those you love!

Building A Community

Dictionary.com has 13 results for the word community. Here are a few.

1. Ecclesiastical. A group of men or women leading a common life according to a rule
2. Joint possession, enjoyment, liability.
3. Similar Character; agreement; identity

How do we make a community here in our group of college-age students at FBC? Shane Claiborne talks a lot about community in his book, and when i try to describe his ideas (or mostly realizations about the early church of Acts) i tend to butcher it and make him sound like a communist. He's not. Or maybe he is, but not the communist that most people think of. Anyway, he talks a lot about coming to the aid of one another. If, someone needs something, then everyone rises to help them. Etc. Etc.

I think that its important to do certain things together in a community. To name a few: Prayer, eat together (when you can), share possessions, and learning as a unit. The group i'm now a part of has shown me the importance of doing these things. The funny thing is, we haven't really eaten together (super bowl sorta counts) nor do we share possessions. And i think thats going to come down to us sharing homes with one another for meals. I think there is so much potential to grow as a unit around the dinner table and to discuss our personal problems with our brothers and sister. Besides, Shane says that he is very reluctant to come speak somewhere if he can't stay in someones house, and i think that is great! He wants to stay with someone and bond with them instead of being alone. Humans aren't meant to be alone.

I just want to grow into this group, and become part of it. I want for it to look on the outside and influence the world with love and for that love to be the love for Christ and the love of others as ourselves. There are people that need us! let's do something to help!