RE: Is Singleness Better?

In response to Is Singleness Better?

Nope.

Is it worse?

Nope.

I only occasionally read articles online at Relevant, and I have never entered any discussion. For whatever reason though, this touched a nerve enough for me to make an account and respond.

Black Eye Tour

Last night, Gina and I had the pleasure of going to the first show in Derek Webb’s Black Eye Tour following the release of his new album Stockholm Syndrome. The best part is that it was free since I won the first artifact in Louisville during the game leading up to the pre-release of the album.

The show was really different from any previous DW concert I have seen. I haven’t ever seen him with any accompaniment other than his wife on a few songs in the past. This time, however, he brought a drummer and Josh Moore of Caedmon’s Call and a whole new sound. Besides hardly using his characteristic acoustic guitar, Derek often didn’t use any instrument besides his microphone.

Not Much

The above image has little to do with my post; it’s just that I really enjoy
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

It’s been a long time, and it’s about time to start posting again.

A couple of nights ago, I was thinking again about the church during my drive home. I have never felt so distant from the institutional, western church as now. I feel like the last ten years of my life, church has been at the center, and this is the first year the chain has snapped and I’ve drifted out into the wild blue yonder. Anyway, I wrote down my feelings about the church in my journal, and this is what is hidden away in those pages:

The church is no mere harlot; it is a brothel.
It is 1,000 gongs and 10,000 cymbals.
It is as much set apart as a rectum, which expels crap into the world daily.
It is shockingly profane.
The church loves its neighbors the way a bullet loves flesh.
The church is one catatonic body, many malignant parts.
The church is an alien in a strange land, though the planet of origin is certainly questionable.
The church consists of a priesthood that is royal in terms of height, distance, and peculiarity.
The gates of hell do not prevail against it for they do so often protect it.
The church is Chernobyl on a hill, radiating its message to all people.
Simply put, the church is not much.
Though often a thousand times more militant, we are lesser than Gideon’s army.
Thus it is a very good thing that God can do so much with so little.
We have given as little as possible, so perhaps he will give as much as possible.
And perhaps he already did.

Oh, and here’s the bonus panel!

note: just in case you go check out SMBC, sometimes he can be a bit raunchy

The Gall, The Chains

…nothing fancy, just a recent entry from my journal as I grapple…

I am Simon.
The gall.
The chains.
The silver.
And all.
I am Simon.

Alexi Murdoch

I’m really feeling this today.

Dead Man Waking

 

Well, Jimmy, grandma’s dead.

I was in a small group the other day. We read how Stephen had rocks chucked at his head until he “fell asleep”. Real pleasant. (see Acts 6-7ish if you like unpleasantries)

Someone asked why the text says he fell asleep rather than just saying Stephen died. Good question. I did a little research and some remembering of past things, so I wrote out some basic notes on this whole sleeping thing. The following are my notes as well as a brief excursus regarding a wonderful legend about the beloved Apostle John.

I Hurt Too

I hope to sing this in church, in community, some day. Man that would be great.

Thanks Katie Herzig.

The Love Poems of God

An experiment. Not a proclamation, but an idea. These are…

The Four Love Poems of God

I.

I don’t love you.
I try to, but I can’t.

It’s Time to Catch Your Breath

 

As I’ve mentioned before, some friends have got me into reading Acts. I’ve been trying to study the chapters in-depth ahead of time for two reasons: 1)So I can connect better with the stories and learn and better experience the corresponding bible study in a small group; and 2)So I can rekindle my ability to read/parse/comprehend Greek; I studied the darn language for 2 years and I should have never let 2 more go by without study.

Early Christians…

 

I had to show some restraint in order to start this post off right. I’m excited to talk about a word that jumped out to me recently when I was reading Acts ch. 4. The word is homothumadon. It’s a word used quite frequently in Acts to describe Christians as well as their opponents. The part that I needed restraint on comes from the fact that the two root words are homos (same) and thumos (seat of one’s soul, passion); basically I wanted to title this post: “Early Christians, Passionate Homos?”, and my first line would’ve been “And I hope to be one too.” That’s funny. But maybe unnecessarily obtrusive to what I want to say. Anyway, obviously I don’t have enough restraint to not even talk about it, but what can you do?

To the point.