tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58933173063182819842024-03-12T21:51:13.782-05:00Observations & DevotionsIn life, we all miss a lot of things...These are just a few things that I happened to catch...I hope you'll enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy sharing them.Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-55357047186760236332013-04-30T22:19:00.001-05:002013-04-30T22:19:09.443-05:00NFL Contracts and Exodus 18-35I've been reading through Exodus for about a month now. I would say I'm being intentional about digesting it slowly, but the truth is I'm a really slow reader and since I'm not up against a deadline, I'm taking my sweet time. Despite this snail's pace not being intentional, it has allowed me to notice something that I think is important...but more on that later.<br />
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With the NFL draft occurring last weekend, I've been inundated with talk about NFL teams and hopes/expectations for the future. I mostly ignore all this talk because it always seems to be nothing more than talk. And most of it sounds like just variations on the same theme: we're excited about (prospect's name), (veteran's name) is healthy, and (star player's name) has been working hard and is much improved. But one set of comments caught my attention. Not because it's anything new or unexpected, but because of what I'd been reading and noticing in Exodus.<br />
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The comment came from Jerry Jones, the owner and general manager of the Cowboys. More or less, Jones said that he hopes that after receiving a new contract, Tony Romo (QB) will spend "Peyton Manning-like" hours at work. The hours he's expecting are Monday-Saturday 7AM-6PM. I'll save you the math: 66hours/week. It's unclear if this is the expected schedule during the season too, but if it is, add at least around another 8 hour day to that on Sundays for game day. Potentially a 74 hour work week. These two numbers are both significantly higher than the traditional 40 hour work week of a 9-5, Monday-Friday. Here's where I'm getting all this info: <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/28/jerry-jones-wants-tony-romo-to-work-like-peyton-manning">http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/28/jerry-jones-wants-tony-romo-to-work-like-peyton-manning</a>/</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;">All of this work, according to Jones, is in the name of having "more success." I find this sad because I know Tony is a human (not a machine) and because I know Romo is a relatively new father. However, what saddens me more is that I don't think this work schedule is terribly exceptional. I'm sure there are plenty of people that work 65+ hours a week on a regular basis. And I find that sad. Why? Let's go back to Exodus. </span><br />
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In my reading through Exodus I noticed that something kept coming up in God's speaking to Moses and Moses speaking to Israel: the law of observing Sabbath. I counted at least 5 separate times it was mentioned between Exodus 18-35. My realization was that the Sabbath is important to God and therefore it was important for Israel.<br />
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I know that the expectations laid out for Tony Romo aren't really anything crazy in professional sports. It's probably not all too far from the schedule for NCAA athletes if you count their dual responsibilities of student & athlete. And as I said, I'm sure there are plenty of non-athletes that work just as much if not more. But that's exactly what I hate/fear. Ridiculous hours are becoming more and more common. Whether we're just trying to get by, or trying to be better than the next person, we're forgetting how to rest...all in hopes of experiencing "more success." People overwork themselves and then wonder why they've come to hate their jobs...even if at one point it was a "dream job."<br />
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I hope we can recover the regular practice of Sabbath. I hope we can challenge and reject this push to work more and more and more. I hope that our lives don't become completely defined by or consumed with our work. I hope we can start to say "no" to ridiculous hours so that we can say yes to other things. I hope that we can start to enjoy some recreation.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-44256330018348235572011-08-08T23:16:00.002-05:002011-08-08T23:47:48.441-05:00Fight or Flight<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(1, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">"Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women,"
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(1, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: medium; ">Acts 5:12-14</span></div><div>
<br /></div>I'm about to enter my third and final year at Duke Divinity. In the past 700 or so days, I've learned that this whole thing I've gotten into is a lot more difficult than I had expected. Yes, I've struggled with my own personal problems of faith and living during my time at Duke, but I think the thing that is most daunting is imagining what is to come when I leave the confines of the divinity school...<div>
<br /></div><div>As graduation is less than a year away now, I'm starting to get questions about what I'm going to do when I am finished. This is a tough question to answer, but one that needs to be asked nonetheless. I'm aware of how much I've changed in the past two years, and how that has changed the way I will serve when the time comes (hopefully not too long after May 2012). I wonder about my ability to serve in a way that I understand to be faithful, loving, and formative. Honestly, the thought of doing all that scares me because I'm not sure I can or will. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>This may sound a little odd. Wouldn't that be the goal of all clergy/church staff? I should certainly hope so. But my concern is in <i>really </i>doing those things as I understand them...in <i>all</i> situations and contexts. It could cause problems. And I'm afraid it's just going to be too hard. T<a href="http://youtu.be/ndL7y0MIRE4">his clip</a> from A League of Their Own captures what I'm feeling:</div><div> http://youtu.be/ndL7y0MIRE4 [fair warning: there's a 4-letter word]</div><div>
<br /></div><div>The passage above immediately follows the story of Ananias and Sapphira... a story that suggests to me how serious this whole following Christ thing is. People were in awe of the apostles, and hesitated to join in the ranks, never mind count themselves among the apostles- the leaders of the church. And so I feel even more hesitant. Overwhelmed. Unprepared. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>But I find hope in the words of Jimmy (Tom Hanks) when I apply them to my understanding of my vocation, or job. Ministry is what gets inside me. It lights me up. It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it (again, the Acts passage). The hard is what makes it great. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>So I'll keep moving, even when it seems too daunting a task. <b>Your move, friends.</b></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-84042640551054251542011-07-18T09:14:00.004-05:002011-07-19T10:58:09.064-05:00Unexpected CompanyYesterday I preached at my field education placement church. As I made announcements before the service, I noticed a familiar face, but I couldn't quite place the face. During the greeting time/passing the peace the familiar face made his way to me. He asked, "So you're the student intern this summer?" I answered, "Yes I am." He replied, "Nice to meet you, I'm ___ _______." Immediately I realized that this was a pastor of one of the 10 largest UMC churches in the US, that I've participated in studies using his curricula in the past. He explained that he was on vacation and that he worshiped with this congregation when he was in the area. We exchanged <span class="Apple-style-span" >pleasantries and then worship resumed. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px; font-size: medium; " >"Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the <span class="sc" style="font-variant: small-caps; ">Lord</span> is in this place—and I did not know it!’" Genesis 28:16</span></div><div><br /></div><div>During the next few minutes, I felt my nerves start to work on me. How could I, a seminary student that has yet to take the required preaching course to graduate, offer a sermon that could be worth speaking to someone of his experience? After I allowed my mind to race a little bit, I realized the text I was preaching on: Jacob's encounter with God. I also remembered one of the thoughts I'd had during the week of preparation that made it into my sermon: "...we ought to be awed...when we encounter God breaking in to our reality." </div><div><br />My mind started to shift from the VIP in the second row to the fact that I was failing to be awed by the presence of God in worship because of this person's presence. I was allowing myself to be nervous about speaking to a congregation including him, instead of being nervous about the fact that I was speaking about God. I felt foolish, but also comforted. I feel the sermon went well, especially after I had a moment of conviction for myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>I ought to be more awed by the time I spend with scripture. It's presence and words should be allowed to make me feel uncomfortable and inadequate. But I, like Jacob, can trust in God's promise to "be with" me. (Gen. 28: 15; Matthew 28: 20)</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-59150701954471106562011-06-24T07:37:00.002-05:002011-06-24T08:20:10.153-05:00Why I rise early.I'm not a morning person. I would say I never have been, but that would be a lie. As a child, I used to wake up at 7am almost automatically. Then the teen years hit and I was able to sleep in. Now, I guard the few days a week that I'm able to sleep in. <div><br /></div><div>But there are certain things that get me out of bed early. When school is in session, I rise early enough to enjoy a cup of coffee, a short devotional reading, and some time reading the Bible. I'm a slow mover in the morning, and I enjoy having time to wake up without needing to function in an interactive way (translation: roommates are usually still asleep, so no need to talk when I'm groggy). I've also realized that my days have a rhythm to them, and it's often hard to get a time that is uninterrupted by school work, text messages, phone calls, emails, classes, or people. </div><div><br /></div><div>This summer, I'm interning at a church in western North Carolina. When the summer began, I went over the weekly schedule with the pastor. He mentioned a group of men that get together at the church on Friday at 7am to study scripture. Then he told me, "You don't have to be there, but you're welcome to come." I thought I'd show up the first couple weeks, just to see and be seen, but I've come to enjoy it. It provides a unique opportunity for fellowship and learning. I'll never be able to learn as much as the men in that room have at their disposal. There are too many backgrounds, experiences, educations, and vocations. It's humbling to hear the way they speak about and understand scripture. I'll never be able to understand how they understand. But I can sit with them, listen to them, speak with them, and learn from them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Scripture is rich. It has many layers. It speaks to us about where we've come from. It speaks to us where we are. I could use the different perspectives. I could use the wisdom.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(1, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px; font-size: medium; ">"Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 187); "></a> of another." Proverbs 27:17</span></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-91085239108578411742011-05-23T19:44:00.002-05:002011-05-23T20:18:58.674-05:00Time has only the wings we give it<div>"These people are under continual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">disquietudes</span>, never enjoying a minutes' peace of mind..." </div><div>-Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, Part 3, chapter 2. </div><div><br /></div>I think we humans are afraid of time. Maybe not afraid of time itself, but afraid of running out of it. Or afraid it will pass too quickly. Time flies, after all. Time flies when you're having fun too. <div><br /></div><div>But does it really? The past few days have given me a new perspective, and I'm beginning to doubt this cliche we often accept as truth, or better yet a "fact of life." Three of the past four nights, I've spent at least thirty minutes watching the sunset. Honestly, my inability to watch it that one night was a bit bothersome. Most of the nights, I've spent closer to an hour watching the colors in the sky change. I really cannot recall the last time I truly stopped to watch the sunset. If I ever knew how long the whole process takes, I'd forgotten it due to lack of memory refreshment. But I think an hour is about a sufficient time to really take it all in. In the three days I've watched the sunset, that hour has seemed to move more slowly. The end result is that the day has seemed longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think time flies. I think our preoccupation with other things makes us unaware of the ample time in a given day. I read two books by Dorothy Bass and Fred Edie that offered this kind of cultural critique, but it took me experiencing it to realize how right they were. When time flies, I find that I'm living my life giving the most attention to day books, calendars, wrist watches, and the rush to get to the next thing. As Edie observes in his Book, Bath, Table, and Time: we've gone from measuring time with a sundial (something connected to the natural movement of a day as we define it) to having our own wrist watches that are capable of dividing up our day into hours, minutes, and seconds. Without going into much detail (as this deserves), Edie argues that in learning to measure time so precisely and individually, humanity has removed itself from the rhythm of creation. Most of us no longer look at the position of the sun to tell the time- that's what the watch (or if you're like me, cell phone) is for.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I pack my day full of things to do, places to be, people to see, I find myself out of rhythm with the (natural) day. I seldom notice the movement of the sun through the sky, and then wonder how it's already setting. Time doesn't fly. I'm just out of sync with the rhythm of the day. The narrator in Gulliver's Travels is describing a strange people he encounters that live much of their lives in their heads as they try to solve problems, but I think that the critique transfers easily to my life and those who subscribe to the myth that time flies because our days are too busy attending to problems/appointments/assignments. This week, I hope that you rouse yourself from a disquieted moment in order to allow yourself that moment (much longer than 60 seconds) of peace. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-27725032553805477312011-05-02T05:48:00.000-05:002011-05-02T05:48:00.838-05:00Fullness Part 3: The PeaceThis is the third post in a series on worshiping more fully. I wish that I could give credit where credit is due, but I don't have notes so I'll have to be vague. What follows is a poor retelling and summary of what I can remember. My inability to give credit to the author/speaker is bothersome. If anyone can remember who it was, please comment. <div><br /></div><div>Last year I heard a sermon on the liturgical practice of Passing the Peace. It changed the way I view this part of a worship service, and the way I think about what it means to gather together weekly in worship. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen." Galatians 1:3-5 </span></div><div><br /></div><div>In the sermon, the speaker argued for the tremendous importance of this time in the life of a worshiping community. As with other parts of a worship service, it is a kind of practice. A fundamental part of being a Christian is seeking peace. First, we seek to be reconciled and forgiven of our sins as we confess and receive absolution. Then, after asking and receiving forgiveness, we turn to our neighbors to give and receive forgiveness in accordance with Jesus command to love God and each other. </div><div><br /></div><div>The speaker went on to critique the tendency to keep this practice brief, so as to only allow for pleasantries to be exchanged with those immediately surrounding you. Time must be given so that those that really need to forgive and be forgiven may have a chance to do so. This is practice. This is rehearsal. This is fundamentals. This is preparation. </div><div><br /></div><div>We Christians practice, prepare, and rehearse this fundamental feature so that we, as Christians, might be prepared to live out this command in the world. Simply saying hello is not the kind of practice that I need. Simply shaking hands is not the kind of practice that leads to the ability to forgiveness in the rest of life. Seeking out the individual who you have hurt, who has wronged you, and exchanging words of peace and reconciliation within the confines of the congregation can assist in being able to forgive the things in life that really hurt. </div><div><br /></div><div>The "turn the other cheek" passage, although perfectly applicable, seemed a little cliche and I think it would fall on deaf ears in what I'm about to say. I chose the Galatians passage because I've been in a course on it all semester, and I see Paul's actions in writing a letter to be in line with his teaching in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal%206:1&version=NIV">Gal. 6:1</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>In closing, the death of Osama Bin Laden has kept me up tonight. I jumped into conversations on twitter and facebook and got a little "riled up." If you'd like to view those, you can follow me on twitter (@russbo) or friend me on facebook. </div><div><br /></div><div>What I have to say about the death and the reaction of Christians is this: perhaps if churches did a better job of teaching, congregations did a better job of learning, and individuals did a better job of practicing the Passing of the Peace, then we would not be debating whether it is Christian or not to rejoice in Osama's death. It wouldn't be necessary because it would have been easy to forgive because churches had been practicing forgiveness in such a way that it just happens because "that's what we do." We could learn a lot from those who have recently embodied this grace and forgiveness: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_school_shooting">the Amish community of Nickel Mines</a>. My coaches used to tell me that I would play how I practiced. I need to practice better. Forgiveness is more difficult than revenge.</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-29872294088914249212011-04-26T20:32:00.002-05:002011-04-26T21:07:33.099-05:00Fullness Part 2: Well RestedIt's spring and baseball is in full-swing (punny, I know). Major League Baseball has been cranked up for about a month now. Teams and fans are beginning to get into a rhythm and set their lineups. One position always seems to change though- starting pitchers. Well, perhaps "change" isn't accurate, rotation is more correct terminology. MLB teams typically operate with 5 starting pitchers. This gives each pitcher at least four days of rest between each start. The hope is that with enough rest, their arms will be able to perform at a high level as often as possible for a long season- 162 games (divided by 5 = about 32 games). This, and a book by Dorothy Bass got me to thinking about the concept of <b>rest</b>. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:11</span></div><div><br /></div><div>In her book Receiving the Day, Dorothy Bass argues for much more than Sabbath. She is concerned with Christian time keeping...or what she expresses is a concern for Christians being kept by time: the next appointment, the panic until the deadline, the filled calendars, etc. But what I found most convicting was the section on Sabbath and rest. I used to be good at taking days off. In fact, I used to say (and still feel this way) that my favorite thing to do is nothing. However, I was usually only able to do this for long periods of time once a month or so. </div><div><br /></div><div>But Sabbath is more than "doing nothing." It is intentionally breaking to remember who you are - a being made in the image of your Creator, who we believe made all that exists and then took a day of rest, knowing all things to be good. I was convicted by Bass' language of fear as the motivator for our busyness: we're afraid that things will fall apart without us, or that we will fail if we don't spend more time, or that the... The list goes on, and it reveals our flaw of thinking we are self-sufficient, independent beings. God created us to live in this creation. This creation rests, most notably at night and in the season of winter. But as I sit here at 9:55pm, the sun's been down for over 2 hours, I know that I'm about to go back to work on a final paper for the semester, and I realize I still have a lot to learn about the concept of rest and the practice of Sabbath. </div><div><br /></div><div>The class I read the book for closed every session with evening prayer at 5pm. While I never did live it out, I still love the way one sentence of the prayer puts to words what I'm trying to say: "[God] made the day for the works of light and the night for the refreshment of our minds and our bodies." United Methodist Hymnal, page 878</div><div><br /></div><div>Related to this failure to rest is my tendency to doze off in chapel or church during prayers or even sermons (I know, it's hard to believe that it happens to seminarians as well!) I also zone out. Bass again points to lack of rest and absence of Sabbath as things that make us easily distracted...or in my case, prone to catch up on them during worship (oops!). So what I suggest (and mostly for myself) is a practice of rest and Sabbath-taking in order to make your (again, my) worship experiences "fuller" and more attentive. </div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-60589368211364483232011-03-13T20:56:00.004-05:002011-04-19T14:55:36.956-05:00Fullness Part 1It's a familiar scene: the Sunday service is going on. The congregation has gathered and participating in the act of worship. But then, a whimper. Followed by a cry. Heads turn. The child is gathered up after a few futile attempts to hush, and the nearest exist is found. The noise fades slowly as the door closes, and worship resumes. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><p>"I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears." Psalm 6:6</p></span><div><b><br /></b></div><div>One thing I owe to my studies in divinity school is the extra attention given to implicit messages. That which is communicated through the way we do (or don't do) in worship and other church activities. Much of this I owe to reading Elliot Eisner's chapter on "The Three Curricula all Schools Teach" in his work <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Educational-Imagination-Design-Evaluation-Programs/dp/0130942871"><i>The Educational Imagination</i>.</a> Without getting into too much detail, Eisner argues that we are teaching in everything we do, the way we do them, and the things that we don't do. Eisner's argument makes me wonder about what we teach when we remove crying children from worship and what that implies. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I'm not a parent, so I've never had to deal with the situation I describe above. But I fear that what we are teaching (implied) is that crying has no part in worship. Or, to use a more divinity school phrase: we no longer see lament as a part of worship. Again, I'm sure that most children crying in church are not lamenting...but I think it still sends the message that we are not to give voice to those emotions in worship and conversation with God. </div><div><br /></div><div>I fear in many congregations we no longer feel comfortable approaching God in worship with honesty about our problems. I don't have a solution to the problem I describe: I'll admit to being extremely distracted by crying babies. But, I wonder if we might discover a fuller kind of worship if we are willing to embrace the fullness of our being in worship: joy, sadness, praise, lament, elation, sorrow... The Psalms reflect a wide variety of emotion as they speak to God. We might do well to allow ourselves and others to be less than content at times. </div><div><br /></div><div>What are your thoughts on this? </div><div> </div></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-31371204548157143932011-01-10T11:15:00.002-06:002011-01-10T12:06:07.629-06:00PartakingAs another holiday break comes to a close, I find myself thankful for time spent with family and friends. I also realize that, being a full-time student, I'm going back to a life dominated by quick meals eaten alone. Now don't start pitying me...I actually like the time alone-especially in the morning. But that's not the point. So I'll move on.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, <sup class="versenum" id="en-NIV-26997" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; ">47</sup>praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." Acts 2: 46-47b</span><br /><div><br /></div><div>Holiday meals are special. They are traditional. My family usually requests the same dishes every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Although I doubt I coined the phrase, I found myself thinking "This tastes like Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's Eve." Holiday meals just taste better to me. It's great food that only comes around once or twice a year. But I think there's more to it than that.<br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I think meals are best when shared and enjoyed intentionally. This means we (I) have to resist the temptation to 1) eat fast, 2) eat on the go, or standing up, 3) eat alone if we/I want to fully experience the blessing of a meal. Meals seem to be naturally communal: talking, sharing, laughing are all part of a great meal experience. I've also read recently about the benefits of sitting and passing food rather than buffet style eating: when we pass the food it is shared and referred to as "the/our ___" rather than "my/ ___" or "mine." In order to more fully enjoy meals, we (again, I) must not see them as a fill station- a place to stop quickly, get what I need and move on, but instead linger and enjoy the blessing of communion in a meal. Also, meals must (for me) regain their status as a blessing- something to give thanks for before, during, and after the meal. </div><div><br /></div><div>To borrow a thought from a book I recently read: when these become our mealtime practices, we celebrate each meal as partaking in The Table...that is the breaking of bread and eating "together with glad and sincere hearts."</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-55364484110792394892010-12-28T14:51:00.005-06:002011-01-03T11:16:14.901-06:00CoachableI love sports. Watching, playing, talking...I just love sports. One thing I wish I'd learned much earlier in my life was how to be more coachable. I don't think that I was ever a coach's nightmare but I never really learned how to take criticism well. And I certainly never learned to seek out criticism in order to get better. I preferred to learn from seeing and then trying to imitate. But that leaves lots of room for errors in form and technique.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." 1 Timothy 4: 10</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I feel that matters of faith aren't too different for me. In the past year and a half I've learned a lot about things that I wish I'd known before. In talking with a peer, we both expressed this sentiment and my peer even said, "I find myself asking, how did I not know this already?" </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm still learning about sports and faith, and I find myself asking this question more often than I'd like to admit. Going back to being a student has forced me to become more coachable. I'm reading books by respected theologians, and discussing them with professors and peers. Growing in knowledge is work. In sports, you're never too good to work on fundamentals. The same can be said for matters of faith. As followers of Christ, we are called to constantly work out our faith: spend time reading, discussing, and allowing ourselves to be "coached."<br /></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-2437643888109065822010-12-27T05:17:00.001-06:002010-12-27T05:17:00.785-06:00Room for errorI recently read an article in the school newspaper about a lecture given by ESPN's VP of event production (here's a link to the article <a href="http://dukechronicle.com/article/kristiansen-details-espn-s-evolution">http://dukechronicle.com/article/kristiansen-details-espn-s-evolution</a> ), and thought his comments about risk and failure were interesting. I would encourage you to read the article, but if you don't want to: he basically said that ESPN has become what it is today through taking risks and getting involved in numerous areas beyond their original niche. In one of my favorite parts of the summary of his lecture, he says that "at ESPN... you're encouraged not to be afraid to fail." <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; ">"He told them:<span class="woj">“Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.</span><span class="woj"> Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town.</span><span class="woj"> If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”</span> So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere." Luke 9: 3-6</span><br /><div><br /></div><div>Failure is quite the F-word in the world/culture I come from. There's not a whole lot worse or more embarrassing than failure for many people (including myself) that I know. In fact, the chance of failure can be so terrifying that it becomes paralyzing. </div><div><br /></div><div>Being freed from a fear of failure can be quite liberating, yet also perplexing as we're unsure how to assess our own performance. I can imagine Jesus' disciples feeling glad to have instructions for failure in their being "sent out" in this passage, but still wondering what would be the terms by which they were graded. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder if freeing people from a fear of failure would produce more innovative and efficient work to be done at work, at home, at school...etc.? How can we become more accepting of failure as a way of encouraging responsible risk taking? What if we became less surprised by failure of our co-workers, friends, and family?</div><div><br /></div><div>PS- It's also worth noting that Jesus gives the disciples authority to drive out demons and heal sicknesses before sending them out or instructing them in case of failure. </div></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-27581590051999781642010-11-29T05:35:00.000-06:002010-11-29T05:35:00.684-06:00A knock at our doorDo you remember the time before caller ID, when you always answered the phone because you didn't know who it could be? Well, I feel a bit like that when someone knocks on the door. Very few times in the last few years have I gotten unannounced company that wasn't some kind of solicitation...but I still feel the need to answer the door when someone knocks.<div><br /></div><div>So a couple of weekends ago, I heard a knock on the door early on Saturday morning. I opened the door to two young women holding bibles and a stack of pamphlets. We exchanged good mornings and asked if I had heard of Jesus...eventually they asked if I'd like one of their pamphlets...which I now noticed were actually small books. They handed me one and explained that it was free. I read the title: "What the Bible is <i>Really </i>about." I smiled a bit and explained that four seminary students live in the house, so we<i> "...</i>have lots of those kinds of books." I thanked them for stopping by, handed the book back to them and wished them well as I closed the door and they moved on to the next door. </div><div><br /></div><div>While I never know exactly how to handle these door-to-door evangelists, it got me to thinking about how we do evangelism. How are Christians to witness to the faith they claim and adhere to the command of Matthew 28:19-20? There is insufficient space to completely cover the wide topic of evangelism, and i don't claim to have all the answers, but I want to point back to someone that has gone before:</div><div>"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching." -St. Francis of Assisi</div><div>So I guess my argument is that explicit, intentional sharing of the Gospel is necessary, but perhaps what is even more necessary is that Christians constantly live as a people transformed by the message that we hope others will come to claim for their own story. I feel that St. Francis was emphasizing the importance of our interactions with others (and creation) should be as much of a sharing of the message and love of Christ as our explicit evangelism. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://ht.ly/3epok">Click here to read my friend Jason's thoughts on evangelism</a>. I like what he has to say on the subject, and I feel that what he speaks to in problem #1 addresses the often overlooked part of the Great Commission to "[teach] them to obey everything I have commanded you" Matthew 28:20a. </div><div><br /></div><div>But back to St. Francis... I hope that in this week, you will find a chance to 'preach in your walking.'</div><div><br /></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-35933778592139873282010-10-04T05:41:00.000-05:002010-10-04T05:41:00.266-05:00Soaking upLast week the area I live in got its first rain in about a month. While I understand the need for rain, it usually just annoys me- it ruins my plans and makes travel more difficult. Furthermore, it gets my jeans wet when I walk in it...and if you've ever experienced this, jeans take a long time to dry.<div><br /></div><div>Have you ever noticed that if you stand in a wet spot long enough or walk outside in the rain your pants (and especially jeans) get wet and the wet area far exceeds the depth of the water? This phenomenon that seems to defy gravity is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action">"wicking" </a>. I don't want to get into the science of it, but if you do...click the link on "wicking" or look it up on wikipedia. It's pretty interesting to read about, but usually pretty annoying to experience. Because, as I mentioned before, jeans take forever to dry, so a ten minute walk in the rain can "stay with you" for hours. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; ">"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" Deuteronomy 6:4-9</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Last year I took an intro to Hebrew course and came to love Deuteronomy 6:4, or what is called the Shema. The Shema is recited regularly by Jews and has been for centuries. Many of us are more familiar with verse 5- Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. But the language really starts to capture me in the next few verses. The passage instructs on what is to be done so that the people of Israel remember their God. They are to steep their very lives with the confession that there is one God, their God. By soaking in this proclamation, it becomes something (as the writer says) impressed on the hearts (we may think mind is more fitting) of the people. </div><div><br /></div><div>How often do you "soak up" the Word? Do you spend long enough in it consistently for it to have some kind of effect on you? One discipline we could learn from the Jewish faith is the practice of rituals as a means to ingrain scripture into our heads and hearts. Spending enough time reading and reflecting on the words we have in the Bible could lead to more change than we think. We may find it "wicking" into other parts of our lives. Allow yourself to sit with the Word and take it with you this week. I hope you become saturated in some of the Word this week.</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-22785157667639985572010-09-13T06:24:00.001-05:002010-09-13T06:24:00.109-05:00Hold on looselyIn May I packed up all my belongings that I'd stuffed into a small bedroom and living room with the help of my parents before my first year of seminary. I'm really not sure how we made it all fit...I have too much stuff. I've always been somewhat of a sentimentalist, I have a hard time parting with things. Without the help of my folks to pack up stuff, and doing most of the packing over a weekend, convinced me that it was time to reduce.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; "><p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." Mark 10:22</b></span></span></p></span></div><div>In the past two weeks I've parted with two things- giving them as gifts to friends. Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that they were things that I "needed" (or even for that matter, wanted). But I let them go. Which is kind of big for me. And rather than throwing them away, I gave them to people I thought might actually have some use for them. After I gave the second item away, I realized that I'd accidentally come up with a way to reduce my possessions. So, I think I'll start a practice, of giving at least one thing away a week for the foreseeable future. In doing this, I hope to lessen the grip that possessing things has on me, and hope to become slower to consider things as being "mine." </div><div><br /></div><div>Just something to think about.</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-50233167494966947832010-08-30T07:16:00.000-05:002010-08-30T07:16:00.225-05:00Is it about reassurance?The NFL kicks off soon. As a child, this was always a favorite time of the year...and I still love it. But this year a commercial caught my eye and got me to wondering about the church's perception in the public eye. Here, watch the commercial by clicking <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gracQf60DrE&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gracQf60DrE&feature=related</a><div><br /></div><div>While I think the commercial is funny to as a fan, as someone involved in serving the church, I believe it does offer some social commentary as to how the church is viewed by society. The commercial shows the priest meeting with the woman who discusses a problem and how she was dealing with it. Finally, when the woman is finished explaining, the priest offers a simple reassuring phrase that essentially communicates, "You're a good person." I wonder if that's all that is expected of the church these days? </div><div><br /></div><div>Does the church exist merely to pat us on the back and congratulate us for being not as bad as some other people? Do we view our pastors and preachers as people to give us comfort and reassurance that we are good people? Have the church been diminished so much that it no longer calls people to be changed and pursue a life like Christ's, but instead is content with merely commending little virtues? </div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong, I think that the church should encourage it's people, especially when there is something that is commendable. But the commercial portrays (and what I'm assuming much of society thinks) that the role of the pastor ends there- to offer that little "attaboy." If the church is to change its image from this quiet, listening and reassuring one to a transforming and dangerous to the status quo image, we must not get too involved in congratulating things done to be nice and begin encouraging actions inspired by obedience to the will of God.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-83836485495443685862010-08-26T12:59:00.003-05:002010-08-26T13:16:41.663-05:00ConsumedI owe the inspiration and some of the content of this post to recent reading and discussions.<div><br /></div><div>I would like to think that after years of working in the church and a year of seminary that I have a pretty good grasp on this whole Christianity thing... after all, it is sort of my life. But I recently had to check myself against the truth spoken to me by a good friend as I expressed some struggles and frustrations. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; ">The irritating thing is that I've talked about this before, I agree with it, but I seem to have forgotten it somewhere along the way.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; ">"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." " Hebrews 12:28-29</span></div><div><br /></div><div>These words speak of God as a consuming fire- something uncontrollable. Have you ever witnessed a fire that is out of control? It's scary. How frightening to know that we're not capable of containing something. In this passage, the author states this exact thing in regard to a relationship with God. When we are in a relationship with God, we must realize that God is jealous (as Deuteronomy 4:24 says), and wants every part of our lives to be a reflection of God. Every part. When we stop insisting on containing our Christian urges, we allow this consuming fire to take control of every part of our being. We no longer make decisions thinking of ourselves, but rather do things with the will of God as our direction. Fires dramatically change the appearance of that which burns. I wonder how different I would be if I allowed myself to be consumed? And I wonder how it would be accepted...judging by the fates of Jesus and his closest friends and followers, I can see why it is so difficult to let this fire rage and consume ALL of us.</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-59866379619514949862010-08-09T07:06:00.000-05:002010-08-09T07:06:00.368-05:00You may be good, but...Early on, most of us learn that we're to strive to be the best at whatever we choose to do. Early in life, I thought that I would excel in some kind of sport...I practiced hitting game winning shots on my friend's driveway basketball goal... The point was, I was the best, the hero, and everyone would love me for that reason.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent." Mark 3:4</span></div><div><br /></div><div>During some recent down time, I have been catching up on television - I don't watch much during the school year and didn't have access to tv this summer. I watched a few episodes of <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/chasing-mummies">Chasing Mummies</a>. I'm a history nerd and I enjoy shows that explore ancient cultures, but there was something different about this show. It was more like a reality show than it was educational. The main character, Dr. Zahi Hawass seems to drive the drama of the show. As the man in charge and resident expert, it seems most of the rest of the crew and his coworkers concentrate on not setting off his quick temper. He is fast to scold interns for their mistakes and in the particular episode I watched, he even yelled at people for celebrating a discovery. I'm not sure how much is real and how much is for show- at times the interns seem to do some unbelievably absentminded things, and other times it seems Dr. Hawass is reaching to find something to yell about. It's obvious that he is both respected and feared, and he throws his weight around knowingly.</div><div> I like to do a job well and I'm not much of a fan of someone else messing things up for me. I'm also a pretty staunch rule-abider. However, when we begin to take ourselves, our jobs, or our rules too seriously, we create the possibility of valuing things more than people. Christ's message was simple on this subject- God's love is greater for people than for our rules. Dr. Hawass has some rules and ways of doing things that have made him successful. However, his way of doing things often results in interactions that are negative and further illustrate the inequality in the relationship. I don't mean to judge Dr. Hawass because I don't know what he is really like or what he believes...but seeing him in action makes me wonder how we (I) treat people when I am in task mode. </div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-9753200453099571072010-07-19T15:51:00.001-05:002010-07-19T15:51:28.982-05:00Apples to Oranges"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24<br /><br />Comparisons can be fun. As a sports fan, I love comparing the statistics of different players in their respective sports. However, comparisons can be misleading. Afterall, there is no such thing as comparing apples to apples. There are too many variables involved in any situation- in baseball, a batting average can be afftected by the skill of a pitcher as well as the fatigue of that pitcher at the time of the at bat... <br /><br />These may seem like trivial differences but they exist just the same. But I still love statistics and comparisons. <br />Comparing things in life seems to almost come as second nature to me (and I'm guessing I'm not alone in this). I compare this week's experiences with last week's and I compare this year's big events with last year's. It's difficult not to- our prior experiences help us to know what to expect...or so we think. <br /><br />Expectations can often get in the way of enjoying the present. If we are constantly comparing this time to the last time, we miss so much of what this time has in store. It's too tempting to look at the past with either rose-colored glasses, or simply dread te coming of next time. Although comparisons can be fun and help us to know what to expect, we must not allow our expectations to get in the way of having a new experience. There is something new in store this time. Expect it to be different. <br />Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-68638783375098424242010-07-05T14:43:00.002-05:002010-07-05T15:37:56.550-05:00The other part<div>I remember one of the first lessons I heard about music- "rests are just as important as the notes. " </div><div><br /></div>A few weeks ago I took part in leading a <a href="http://www.taize.fr/en">Taize </a>worship time. I've participated in Taize services before but never had the opportunity to lead one. For those who haven't experienced Taize, it makes use of scripture, repetitive songs, and silence for a worship time that is intended to be reflective.<div><br /></div><div>During the service, we read scriptures, prayers, and sang songs that repeated the same verse numerous times. However, taking the time to be silent proved to be very difficult for the leaders. When you're leading worship, a few seconds of silence can seem like an hour... and silence can be even more uncomfortable for those not in leadership as they anticipate the next thing to happen. Taize's tradition confronts this constant need for occupying participants through activity. The times of "dead air" are intentionally put into the service to allow time for communion with God through prayer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Silence is worth seeking and not as scary as you might think. Silence allows things to resonate. Silence allows that which is unscripted and unplanned to become our focus.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel." 1Samuel 3:2-4a<br /> .</span></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-6345823627966789562010-07-02T06:49:00.000-05:002010-07-10T22:08:11.023-05:00Staying trueWell the World Cup has wrapped up. I don't think I watched any of the games. Not that I'm anti-soccer, I just don't have easy access to TV this summer. So I get my sports fix through sports talk radio. The buzz has died down a little since USA's early exit, but for a while it seemed that there were endless sketchy calls made by referees and FIFA seemed completely uninterested in addressing these errors. After a few controversial calls, some of the sports world was calling for the implementation of instant replay. However, FIFA responded that they did not want to change the game that had remained the same for such a long time. <div><br /></div><div>Having instant replay involved in sports is a relatively new debate. The NFL has perhaps the most open use of the new technology in popular American sports- allowing coaches to "challenge" plays that they think were called incorrectly. The NHL and NBA use instant replay to double-check only in the case that points are involved (goal/no goal in hockey, and 3/2pt shots & buzzer beaters in basketball). But sports purists still insist that the integrity of the game is being compromised, and FIFA echoed the sentiments of these purists by stating that officiating mistakes are a part of the game. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, without giving my opinion on this issue (and believe me, I have one), I wonder what we can learn from sports about being the church. Are we allowing ourselves to progress or are we endangering the purity of the church and its traditions? As the information age progresses and creates a newer, more techno-savvy culture, what must the church do to remain in touch with the world? I see both sides of the argument: traditions keep us grounded and rooted, but they can also keep us from progressing and cause stagnation. We must continue to evaluate and hold both tradition and innovation in a balance. </div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-88504372825310203292010-06-28T11:53:00.002-05:002010-06-28T12:23:19.127-05:00UnexpectedPlease forgive my long absence since my last post- I've been without internet so posting has become more difficult.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him." Luke 24: 15-16</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">Have you ever had one of those experiences when things just weren't what you were expecting them to be? I can remember a few years ago someone mixed up some of that <a href="http://www.buythecase.net/uploads/products/200/4300095705.jpg">invisible kool-aid</a>, I took a drink, expecting it to be water, and was a bit disgusted as I got something other than what I was expecting. It's not that the kool-aid tasted bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I quickly got over it and enjoyed the kool-aid.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suspect the two disciples in this story felt the same way as they walked to Emmaus. They were expecting great things from Jesus- everything was planned out...and then it went horribly wrong. Jesus was arrested & killed. And now they didn't even know where he was! (24:24) Perplexed, they pondered the past and weren't quite sure what to do next. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things don't always turn out as we had planned. In fact, lately I've been learning the lesson that things usually don't turn out exactly as planned. At this point we have two choices- either get upset because our expectations weren't met, or accept it and begin to look for the way that God is moving...even though it may not fit with your plan.(24:25-31) </span></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-23987532237047202332010-05-15T13:08:00.003-05:002010-05-17T13:04:06.861-05:00The trouble with independence<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me." Hosea 13:6</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've just completed my first year in seminary. So lately, I've had to answer the question of what it was like. My response is usually something along the lines of "The most difficult thing I've ever done academically, spiritually, and emotionally." </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me explain. For the majority of my academic career, grades came fairly easy, and studying, although bothersome, never seemed to be too much of a burden. However, this year was different. The first semester stretched me almost to the breaking point. I felt the pressures of grades more than ever and, as the semester came to a close, my hope was that I would just pass my classes. This is something I can't remember ever feeling in any of my years in school. As you can imagine. I leaned heavily on God and others for support as the stress mounted and I felt out of control. In the end, all was well and I passed my classes with better grades than I expected. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the feeling of being out of control made me rethink my approach to the spring semester- put more effort into the entire semester so as to feel less pressure at the end of the semester. It worked. I spent more time studying and writing papers and my grades improved dramatically. However, increased success led to more independence. Independence prevented much dependence on God.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Times of stress and uncertainty, although difficult, usually produce a great dependence upon God. It is in those times that we grow. Unfortunately, once those times pass, it's easy to go back to self-reliance. Independence, although highly valued in society, prevents the formation of deeply-rooted community with God and with others because when we are able to provide for ourselves, we become convinced we don't "need" anyone. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I hope that next semester I can find a middle ground between the past two semesters. Find the balance that allows for dependence and confidence.</span></div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-8986161850306739212010-05-04T18:09:00.005-05:002010-06-08T12:31:28.782-05:00All about timingA few weeks ago I took a break from studying for finals to go down to the beautiful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_P._Duke_Gardens#Gallery">Duke Gardens</a>- a three-minute walk from where I attend class daily that I don't frequent enough. I took my lunch with me and promised myself I wouldn't look at the study materials for the exam I had that afternoon. I arrived and picked a different place (even though I don't go enough, I have a "usual spot") to sit and enjoy my lunch and creation. Two young mothers were playing with their children (I'd guess one was 3 and the other maybe 1 &1/2). They laughed, yelled, and just enjoyed the place. It was a refreshing change from being cooped up in the library with other sleep-deprived people.<div><br /></div><div>Well it wasn't long before the younger guy started making his way toward a pond. He was curious and wanted to see what the water was like...at least that's what I think. Mom noticed, and trailed close behind as he approached the water. She took his hand a few steps before the drop off into the man-made pond. Upon reaching the side, he stretched his right leg out to step onto the water, and mom kept him from moving forward. He persisted, then she picked him up and carried him away from the water. As expected, he wasn't too happy and let her know about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder how often I'm like that. I know what I want to do and I know when I want to do it. When I don't get my way, I'm not happy. But maybe it's a blessing in disguise. Maybe I just don't realize what I'm about to get into. </div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-72738017631673895402010-05-04T17:45:00.002-05:002010-05-04T18:08:28.057-05:00Everything is ruined!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; ">"The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" -Numbers 11:4-6</span></div><div><br /></div>I'm a very habitual person. I like predictability. I like knowing what's going to happen next. I like knowing what I'm going to do each day. I've been that way as long as I can remember. A great example is my morning routine- I wake up, immediately head for the kitchen for breakfast... and I know what I'm going to eat before I get to the kitchen. (I've seen this frustrate my mother when I'm home for holidays/vacations. She usually can't catch me to ask if I want something like eggs or pancakes before I have a bowl of cereal halfway eaten).<div><br /></div><div>So Monday was a terrible day for a person like me. I walked downstairs after a bad night's sleep, put my frozen waffles in the toaster and pressed them down. Then I reached for the syrup. Ants. Ants- all over the bottle and they had managed to get into the syrup (i leave the top open to vent after I microwave it so the syrup is hot). Irritated, I poured the syrup out (to recycle the bottle) and used a paper towel to get rid of the ants that hadn't been on or in the bottle. I switched gears and decided that I'd eat something else. Then I went to pour my coffee. The heating mechanism had malfunctioned and i had cold coffee. This was remedied by a microwave, but on the morning of the first exam of finals week...I was not happy. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not going to say I overcame it and looked on the bright side. No, I grumbled and complained to my roommate. I wasn't much fun to be around that morning, until I got out and moving and got things moving in the right direction. </div><div><br /></div><div>Little inconsistencies and disappointments can really throw a day off. They can put you in a funk that only you can allow yourself out of. When irritating things happen, try to remember not to dwell on them and look at all of the ways that you are blessed with so much consistency in your life that you come to expect things to be "normal." Count blessings daily and try not to overlook provisions.</div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5893317306318281984.post-37139884118022467752010-04-26T05:41:00.001-05:002010-04-26T05:41:00.582-05:00Fanning the flame Part 2This is the second half of a 2-part post. To read part one,<a href="http://russbowlin.blogspot.com/2010/04/fanning-flame-part-i.html"> click here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned in my previous post, I've always enjoyed having campfires and fires in the fireplace at home. I love tending the fire- poking the logs and moving them around to produce the desired amount of flame...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><p><b>"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body." Ephesians 4: 22-25</b></p></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Continuing to grow spiritually takes constant tending and attention. We must constantly expose new portions of our lives to the transforming power of the Gospel in order to experience the renewal of that "flame" within. Without new efforts and constant tending, it is easy to become stuck in a rut of complacency. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is also easy to revert back to former ways, as Paul says. We can get sucked back into the temptation to gossip, fight, hold grudges...etc. But these things suppress the new life we pursue in Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>This week, I hope you'll tend your fire- try doing something a little different- pray somewhere different, pick up something new for a devotional time, spend time in the presence of other Christians... be creative- throw a fresh log on the fire. </div>Russ Bowlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04979379805101208852noreply@blogger.com0