I got to do some cool stuff in 2008. Here are some favorites…
Travel:
- in February visited my friend JJ in LA - in March I lead a mission trip to Salamanca, Spain - in April the 3F team went to New York for the Q Conference - in July I visited friends on Nantucket Island and spent a few days in Boston - in November I visited my Grandma in Boise, ID which is where I grew up
Favorite Books: - Lone Survivor by Marcus Lutrell - The Shack by William P. Young - Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell - Following Jesus by NT Wright
Favorite Movies:
- The Dark Knight - James Bond: Quantum of Solace - Ironman - 21 - Get Smart - Valkyrie - The Spirit – NOT!
I had a chance to have some time of rest this weekend which was nice and much needed. I am definitely not a “go-go-go” type of person and when life gets busy I just need to slow down. Relax. Chill. Breathe in life and live in the moment. I started reading a book called The Sabbath, by the great Jewish scholar, Abraham Joshua Heschel. In the opening chapter he describes the Sabbath as being all about time rather than space. Humans tend to view spirituality through the realm of space, focusing on things. We even tend to view God as if He were a thing, rather than a spirit.
Here are some quotes that I found extremely interesting and insightful.
“To gain control of the world of space is certainly one of our tasks. The danger begins when in gaining power in the realm of space we forfeit all aspirations in the realm of time. There is a realm of time where the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but to be in accord. Life goes wrong when the control of space, the acquisition of things of space, becomes our sole concern.”
“Indeed, we know what to do with space but do not know what to do about time, except to make it subservient to space. Most of us seem to labor for the sake of things of space. As a result we suffer from a deeply rooted dread of time and stand aghast when compelled to look into its face. Time to us is sarcasm, a slick treacherous monster with a jaw like a furnace incinerating every moment of our lives. Shrinking, therefore, from facing time, we escape for shelter to things of space.”
“The higher goal of spiritual living is not to amass a wealth of information, but to face sacred moments.”
“One of the most distinguished words in the Bible is the word quadosh, holy; a word which more than any other is representative of the mystery and majesty of the divine. Now what was the first holy object in the history of the world? Was it a mountain? Was it an altar?
It is, indeed, a unique occasion at which the distinguished word qadosh is used for the first time: in the Book of Genesis at the end of the story of creation. How extremely significant is the fact that it is applied to time: ‘And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.’ There is no reference in the record of creation to any object in space that would be endowed with the quality of holiness.”
“The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world.”
I’ve been participating in the 3F Daily Bible Readers group, which is a group that is going through the New Testament in 90 days. Right now, I am reading in the book of John. I have enjoyed John so far, as it is different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John tells some unique stories, two of which grabbed my attention:
Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritian woman (John 4:1-45)
There are some extremely interesting contrasts to these two stories that I think are intentionally put there by John. These are fascinating!
1] GENDER Nicodemus was male Samaritan woman was obviously female
2] ETHNICITY Nicodemus was a Jew Samaritan woman was obviously Samaritan
3] MORALITY Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin – aka He was “blameless” & Law abiding Samaritan woman was an adulterous woman who had 5 husbands and was sleeping with another
4] TIME Nicodemus came seeking Jesus at night Samaritan woman met Jesus during the middle of the day (the sixth hour, which would be noon)
5] EDUCATION Nicodemus was an expert in the Law Samaritan woman was uneducated
6] ISSUE Nicodemus needed to be born from above Samaritan woman needed the Living Water
7] PLACE OF WORSHIP Nicodemus worshipped at the Temple (Jerusalem) – to the Jews this is the only place to worship Samaritan woman worshipped on Mt. Gerizim where all Samaritans worshiped
8] RESPONSE Nicodemus’ response was meditative with no immediate action Samaritan woman’s response was energetic and she immediately began sharing the Good news
9] CONFESSION Nicodemus called Jesus Rabbi Samaritan woman proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah
What do we learn from these encounters? For me, it shows that Jesus meets each individual where they are at and speaks to them on their level according to their own issues. Nicodemus misunderstood what Jesus was saying by being reborn, but in reality he was simply just having a hard time accepting what Jesus was saying. He was a Pharisee, an expert in the Law so the concept of a spiritual rebirth would not be foreign to him (OT prophets speak a lot about that).
Jesus broke all the rules in talking to the Samaritan woman, but he didn’t care. I think he sent his disciples away so that he could speak to the woman alone. John tells us that Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans – strike 1. On top of that, women were not to speak to men in public – strike 2. When the disciples came back they were shocked that he was talking to a Samaritan woman. However, Jesus found it too important to dismiss her for some lame cultural rules. Because of their conversation the whole town came to know Jesus as the Messiah. Pretty cool if you ask me!
Lately I have been in conversations about movies, tv shows, bands, songs and such. So, I thought it would be cool to do a “Top 5″ post. I would also like to know what everyone else’s Top 5′s are so if you feel like it then post yours on your blog as well. Well here we go…
Favorite Bands: 1] Coldplay 2] Dashboard Confessional 3] The Fray 4] John Mayer 5] Jimmy Eat World
Favorite Songs from those bands: 1] The Scientist by Coldplay 2] Swiss Army Romance by Dashboard Confessional 3] How to Save a Life by The Fray 4] Why Georgia by John Mayer 5] Sweetnes by Jimmy Eat World
Favorite Trilogies: 1] Star Wars [the original 3 - episodes IV,V,VI] 2] Back to the Future 3] Beverly Hills Cop 4] Indiana Jones [the original 3] 5] Rambo [the original 3]
Favorite recent/current TV shows: 1] LOST 2] 24 3] The Office 4] Seinfeld [technically this is classic but I put it here to b/c it fit!] 5] Anything on the History Channel Favorite classic TV shows: 1] Macgyver 2] Quantum Leap 3] Cheers 4] Save by the Bell 5] Leave it to Beaver
Favorite Resturants: 1] Native New Yorker 2] PF Changs 3] BJ’s Brewery 4] Tum Nuk Thai 5] Sullivan’s Pier
Favorite Fast Food: 1] Chick Fil-A 2] Filaberto’s [yeah that's right and it's not cat meat!] 3] Wendy’s 4] Jason’s Deli 5] Pirate’s Fish and Chips [thanks Mitch!]
Favorite Places I’ve been in the World: 1] Switzerland 2] London 3] Kenya 4] Rome 5] Australia
I just got done reading one of the most incredible stories I have ever read. Lone Survivor is the story of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and Operation Redwing. It is absolutely gut-wrenching! I highly recommend this book to anyone. You will not be disappointed.
Marcus talks about the principles that he learned in the Navy as a SEAL. These principles include: honor, courage, commitment, confidence, discipline, determination, leadership, respect and teamwork. This is what the SEALS live and die by, and in Lone Survivor, we get a first hand account of these principles in action.
The discipline that the Navy drills into SEALS is completely ridiculous. I cannot believe the vigorous training that they have to endure. They push them and push them until they can’t be push anymore. Then they push them some more. It made me hurt just reading about their training. I can’t imagine wading in freezing cold water for twenty minutes only to have a couple minute break and then doing it two more times. Or running four miles in boots and wearing eighty pounds of gear, all in under thirty-two minutes. The list goes on, but as cool as it sounds to be a Navy SEAL I am thankful that I have never had to go through any of that. These guys are tough.
Another thing they instill into SEALS is confidence. They are taught a “never-quit” attitude in which they believe to the core that they will be successful in whatever they do. There is no room for failure. They are taught to never surrender. You die before you surrender to the enemy. This confidence and drive is admirable. Though it comes across as arrogance at times, SEALS believe they are the best of the best. Indeed, they are for they have earned it through their training.
Respect is something that is demanded of the SEALS. You are to respect your teammates and are to obey anything your superiors command. “Always remember your own accountability, to yourselves, your superiors, and your teammates. The chain of command is sacred. Use it” (91).
Teamwork is a non-negotiable for the SEALS. I enjoyed reading about this value and it served as a great reminder for me that life is not meant to be lived alone. We need each other. The SEALS recognize that the only way they can be successful is to work together. There is no room for self. This, I believe, is exactly what Jesus taught his followers to be like. It is the very definition of the body of Christ. I found this quote inspiring, “We’re all in it together, and the first thing they instill in you at Idoc is that you will live and train as a class, as a team. Sorry. Did I say instill in you? I meant, ram home with a jackhammer. Teamwork. They slam that word at you every other minute. Teamwork. Teamwork. Teamwork” (81).
Here are a few other quotes that were really powerful for me:
“I give it everything. On time. Every time. Might not always be good enough, but it’s always my very best shot” (88).
“always listen, and always jump all over anything your instructor tells you. Get out in front. Fast. Then make sure you stay up there” (89).
“Stay alert. Be on time. And be accountable for your actions at all times, in and out of uniform. Remember, your reputation is everything” (109).
“He closed by telling us the real battle is won in the mind. It’s won by guys who understand their areas of weakness, who sit and think about it, plotting and planning to improve. Attending to the detail. Work on their weaknesses and overcome them. Because the can” (123).
I can’t really do justice to the Operation Redwing story by telling it, but just to give you an idea, it was a Navy SEAL team mission to take out a terrorist in the mountains of Afghanistan. Luttrell and three other SEALS set off, but after being compromised, the 4 SEALS were left to fight 100+ Taliban fighters armed with AK-47 and RPG’s. Watch this interview with Luttrell and read the book! It will change your life!
is the story of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and Operation Redwing. It is absolutely gut-wrenching! I highly recommend this book to anyone. You will not be disappointed.