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June 27 I'm one step closer to merging my consciousness with the web . . .As many of you know, much of what I enjoy most, requires internet access at some level. Whether it's blogging, reading sports pages, or managing my fantasy teams, I feel a little like a fish out of water without an internet connection. I already have our desktop computer, my net-enabled razr phone, my wi-fi/bluetooth Palm, we recently got a laptop, and today I added another piece to my net accessability network . . . I got a web browser for my Nintendo DS gameboy!
I had heard rumors about such a thing from my brother Jon since he convinced me to get my DS about a year ago, but I had not actually seen this animal until about a week ago when I got an email from nintendo saying it was finally available. So with my newly acquired co-op dividends check recently deposited in the bank account, I set out this even to buy the DS browser. It was only $38 (about the same price as an average game) and it even came with an expansion memory card that fits into the gameboy advanced game slot on the bottom of the DS. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but it actually works really slick. It's really simple to use, and I have to say is more functional and advanced than the browser on either my phone or palm so I'm pretty happy I got it.
For those who like to stay in touch with me, think of it as my being just one step closer to being available to you on a permanent basis, as it's one more way that I can get online. For those of you in one of my fantasy sports league, consider this just one more nail in your coffin, as I move towards my goal of total permanent integration with the league website.  June 19 Look at me . . . I think I might be "Emergent" . . . if that's actually a "thing"So, being the post-modern deconstructionist that I am, or at least have slowly discovered I am, and having a pretty healthy interest in the faith I call my own - Christianity - I've been pretty intrigued with this whole emergent church thing that's been going on in Evangelicalism over the last little while. Now it's not exactly easy to study or understand, because unlike previous movements in evangelicalism, it doesn't really have a set leader, or a unified voice, or can it necessarily even be classified as an organized movement per se, because what it is is pretty tough to even classify. That all being said, I was pretty excited when I found this book last week, "Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives". It is essentially five essays/doctrinal statements from five major pastors from emerging churches - Mark Driscoll, John Burke, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt and Karen Ward - which are then compiled by general editor Robert Webber, and then each writer is given space to respond to the writings of each other author. It was really helpful in understanding the diversity of the emergent movement. It confirmed to me some things, and brought up some new questions as well.
The biggest thing it confirmed to me is that the Emergent Church, really isn't a new church. It's not even a new denomination, more than anything it's just a movement towards making our living mirror our theology; trying to bring unity to the Christian existence. The theologies among the five pastors ranged from hard-core Reformed Calvinism to very liberal theology. Now neither ends of the spectrum like using these "generalisations" to describe themselves, but in reality that's what they are. Really the only common thread that joins these churches together is their belief that Christianity is as much about what you do as what you believe, and that our theology needs to be reflected in our lives as we reach out humbly and minister in the culture we find ourselves in; rather than trying to force our culture on the world. There's a lot more to it than that, you'd really have to read the book (as I'd recommend you do).
It also confirmed to me that this is a vein of the church that I fit right into. One of the chapters, the one written by Dan Kimball, I think I could have written myself. The guy even used many of the same expressions I use myself (I'll have to investigate my legal options I think). It doesn't mean that I think this new way of doing things is better or worse necessarily than what the church has been doing before, but I think it's definitely more effective in ministering to the needs and mentality or my generation; one full of deconstructionists just like me.
Anyways, I've got more to say on the subject, but my wife wants to go to bed now. So being a good husband I'll oblige her, and then watch TV until I pass out around 12:30. June 13 Life carries on . . . even if you're sick.Well, long time no blog . . . funny how that doesn't have the same ring to it as "long time no see", but it's far more truthful in this case, as seeing really has very little to do with reading this blog; but I digress. I've pulled a little bit of a "Rip Van Winkle" here, but I'm hoping to awake from my long slumber here. I've been kind of sick with this cold for the past few weeks now which has lead to earlier bedtimes, and thus a lack of prime blogging hours. Hopefully I'll be healthy again soon and can again resume my prolific blogging habits.
As a update until then, I've been preaching, reading up for the fantasy football season, wasting too much time on facebook, going to Jenn's grandma's funeral, and wrapping up the year for youth. Life is good, and now it looks like it's going to finally slow down a bit again so I'll hopefully have time to get healthy again after about 3 1/2 weeks of dealing with this cold. I'm even going to get to go to physio again on friday for the first time in about eight months so I'll be able to turn my head without pain again! That's right, life is looking up for me. And life is still good for our baby too from everything we can tell. We haven't seen an signs that things have gone amiss so we are hoping and praying things are still going well. The next ultrasound is in about a month, and we then hope to find out whether we are having a girl or a boy. I'll make sure to post pictures when we get them.
Anywho, I've got lots more to share with you about things I've been learning and books I've been reading, but that will have to wait for a little bit until I get some rest in me and get healthy again. Until then, have a good one, and rest easy that I'm still alive and thinking. |
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