Encountering Bronze Jesus

I was in Indiana recently for the closing of Bowman House as a freshman men’s Residence Hall at Indiana Wesleyan University. Arriving a day early for the closing events, I was able to participate and assist with the end-of-year Banquet and Awards Ceremony for this past year’s residents. I watched my friend’s son, Uriah, during the Banquet; when he got a little too antsy I took him out of the room and we walked around the Student Center and the campus grounds.

While we were walking around outside I observed this young boy have an encounter with Jesus. To be precise, he encountered the statue of Jesus outside the IWU Chapel Auditorium.  His encounter with the bronze Jesus statue is a picture of too many of my own encounters with Jesus.

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Repost: Always On

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted July 30, 2011

Lately I’ve been pondering the distinct differences between the various roles in my life.

Specifically I’ve been considering the differences between my job as a live-in professional on a Christian university campus and my family life.  As a Resident Director I am in a Student Affairs/Student Services administration profession. Because I am at a faith-based university, there is an additional aspect of ministry to the job.  I’m not a pastor by any means, but there is a pastoral aspect to my job. Interestingly, the Resident Director position has been [incorrectly] understood as “the youth pastor who lives in the dorm.”

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On Coffins and Crosses

For Easter this year we went to the house of some new friends here in Oregon. It was a nice little gathering. They had activities set up for the kids and gift bags to take home.

In each gift bag was a small piece of wood with nails and yarn affixed to it. The idea was, by winding the yarn around the nails in the appropriate way, the yarn would form the shape of a cross. It was a clever Easter themed craft.

Since Easter, the two wood pieces have been floating around the house in various toy boxes and piles, used every once in a while. Recently Isaiah was playing with his, wrapping the yarn around the nails in a carefree manner, not intending on forming the cross shape it was designed to reveal.

My wife looked over at him and commented on the design that was emerging

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Repost: What it Takes...

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted July 21, 2011

I recently found myself inadvertently taking a cue from John Eldridge and telling my son he “has what it takes”.

The Story:

During a run-in with some very stubborn marker caps I had directed him to hold the marker with one hand and the cap with the other.  Then I covered his hands with mine and took the cap off for him.  I wanted to show him the motion for taking a cap off, even if those particular markers were too tight for his little hands to operate. 

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Losing the Kingdom

My son loves cities.

He loves the tall buildings around the car as we drive down narrow, congested streets. He loves seeing people and cars and stores.

I’m not sure from where this obsession originates.  He did enjoy the city reveal and exploration scene in the Curious George movie. George gets off the boat and wide sweeping aerial views of the skyscrapers are shown as he embarks on a new adventure.

Isaiah also likes books that show the city, especially if a train is venturing through or in front of the city.  

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Repost: Identity and Discovery

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted July 12, 2011

If you have been reading my posts, you know I care about language.  
Words matter.
Words mean things.  
It follows that names mean things and this is intriguing to me.  The Bible says one's TRUE name will be given when we meet Christ face to face (Rev. 2:17).  To discover and know oneself fully and to find peace in a name that fully encompasses one’s identity will be a wonderful thing.  I’d like to think that what we do on earth mirrors and foreshadows this in some small way. 

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The End of Parenting

The Context

I think it started as a lack-of-caffeine headache, a slight throbbing around my temples.

Outdoor Adventure, PCM

I was with the boys at the Portland Children’s Museum while Candice got a haircut and facial in the city. I figured I needed caffeine and decided we’d just have to stop at a Starbucks on the way home (which we probably would have done anyway), no big deal.

The throbbing got a bit more intense as the pre-paid parking was running out and it seemed to be almost time for Candice to be done. I herded the boys toward the exit, we stopped briefly to pet a miniature pony just outside the entrance to the museum and made our way to the car.

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