James Freeman Clarke

So will the best harmony come out of seeming discords, the best affection out of differences, the best life out of struggle, and the best work will be done when each does his own work, and lets everyone else do and be what God made them for.
- James Freeman Clark

This is one of my favorite quotes. The first time I read it, I remember being struck by its truth. We are all different, unique and yet when we come together we can form something beautiful. That does not mean the coming together won't be without its struggle and that we won't retain our differences. On the contrary - we are called to be one as we are. Jesus talks about it in the language of a body. A body has many different parts but when they work together, they form the body of Christ (and let's face it, what's more beautiful than that?)

Many times I have thought maybe it would be better if I was only like this person or that person. Maybe things would work out better if I just went down this certain path instead of the one I am currently on. In the words of Mr. Clark, I wanted to do someone else's work. Instead, God is calling me to trust in him and stand on the firm foundation of Christ. He has called me for a specific person. My calling is meant for me and to compare it to another's calling is to question God. Romans 8:28 says that God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.

I have a confession to make about this quote. I learned today that Mr. Clark is a unitarian pastor. (They deny the Trinity.) My first reaction was to instantly re-read the quote looking for "unitarian" or "liberal" traces in it. Instead, I still found the truth. I have a little prejudice. Just because someone doesn't believe as I do, and are missing out on the most wonderful truth - does not mean that God can't use them to speak truth to us. God spoke through a donkey to one of his prophets - he can speak to me through a unitarian minister.

1 week to my first reading week...unreal.

applying my education...

A week into the second semester and I can already tell things are going to be a lot different that in the fall. My schedule is a lot less intense as far as work load which is really nice. That is, in part, due to a class I am taking about prayer. We have no reading! It is actually quite an amazing class and I thank God for what I am learning in it.

My favorite class will probably be the class on Christianity and the Postmodern world. I love to take what I have learned and make unexpected connections with it. Last week I read a book by Frederick Nietzsche. He is a philosopher from the late 19th century. His big idea (one of them anyway) is to base morality on "the will to power". Everything everyone does, he argues, should be based on the motivation to gain power. He hates Christianity because its central claims command us to not think of ourselves first but help those in need. If you are more interested (which I doubt many of you are) just shoot me an email and I'll try to explain it better.

Anyway - so I was pondering this whole "will to power" concept and what that would look like. Nietzsche himself really wasn't able to live out this theory because he was very ill most of his life and frail. Part of me wonders if that is why he is so obsessed with power and strength - because he resented his illness and desired physical power. Just a theory.

Anyway, as I was thinking about it, I decided to watch an episode of the show Heroes. (I ended up watching every episode of Heroes this weekend...oops!) The show is about these people who have genetic mutations that give them powers (a lot like x-men only without the costumes). One character in particular is the main villain. He is driven by motivation to be special and unique, but most importantly - to be powerful. He kills other special humans and takes their power. I realized that this character could possibly be classified as an example of Nietzsche's "uber mensch." Which is someone who acts on their will to power. Interesting that the only person I saw exhibit those qualities was the villain.

In a decidedly postmodern society and Nietzsche as the figurative father of postmoderism, I found it very interesting to see his theory in a villainous light. Since the show Heroes is so popular, perhaps society as a whole isn't ready to give up some sense of objective morality. So, perhaps watching all of those episodes wasn't such a waste of time - it helped me to understand one of the great philosophers of history (great in the sense of capacity, not in the sense of morality.)

On a side note: It's about time that people in New England were humbled a little bit. It's just not fair to have so much athletic ability living in one area.

Happy Sunday.

I am unable to think coherently today. I finished my interim class and started my second semester on Friday with Hebrew. I haven't studied Hebrew since December - bad move on my part. You would think I would learn after years of taking languages - but every break I conveniently forget to study. Shame on me.

This semester Mondays are going to be very long days for me. I have 3 classes on Monday, 2 of them only meeting on Mondays which means they are 3 hours long each. One in the morning and one in the evening. That means I only have 1 class every other day of the week - so hopefully I will use my time wisely.

I have a lot of ideas and musings rolling around in my head, but nothing I am currently able to articulate. Mostly it is about my future. I find myself thinking about teaching classes and how I would set them up. Other times I think about if I should go directly into a doctoral program or take a year or two off to figure out where I want to go. Keep me in your prayers - ask God to give me some direction.

Happy Sunday.

Resolution in Action

This last week I returned to my life as a student again. Even as I type I am listening to a lecture online (that is multitasking, my friend!) I am learning 2,000 years of Church history in 2 weeks. 7 days of class. That's a lot of information in a short amount of time - but it's a good way to get back into "the swing of things" as my dad would say. So, that means most of my time lately has been spent reading and listening to lectures in and outside of the classroom. I am currently learning about the anabaptists and specifically Menno Simons.

Last night I put my new year's resolution into action and did something that is uniquely New England: candlepin bowling. What's this, you ask?

Bowling is not new to me. I was out on the lanes as soon as I was strong enough to push the ball to the pins. I bowled on leagues growing up. Both of my parents continue to be in bowling leagues. Let's just say - it's in my blood. The prospect of a new way to bowl was both exciting and challenging. To top it off, this new bowling experience comes right on the heels of learning to bowl on a Wii.

Here is a link explaining candlepin bowling on wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlepin_bowling

Here is a list to sum up the major differences:
1. The pins are more like cylinders rather than the traditional shape of the 10-pin bowling pins.
2. The bowling ball is smaller (like the size of a shotput) and there are no holes in the ball.
3. You get 3 turns per frame and bowl 2 frames at a time.
4. The lane is not cleared between turns (which allows you to aim for the fallen pins to knock other pins down.)
5. Scores are often much lower (on average) than regular 10 pin bowling. (at least for me.)

It was a fun time. I'm excited for the next New England oddity.

Shameless

For those of you who like to send me packages in the mail (which I love) I have a request.

One of the many things lacking in the East Coast is a Hy-Vee. There are other stores such as Shaw's and Market Basket, but no Hy-Vee. Since there is no Hy-Vee, there is no Mallow Time microwavable popcorn. I've only ever seen it in a Hy-Vee and tonight I was craving it. So, my request is that if you ever feel inclined while you're at Hy-Vee to pick me up a box and send it - it would make my day.

Letters are always welcome - people here actually notice the amount of mail I get from people at home. It's a good feeling.

Class starts tomorrow - wish me luck!

Also, I heard that my aunt got a scarf for Christmas. Now, the next time I go home I can wear her scarf :)

New Year

With everything that happened over the new year with my grandpa, I didn't have time to think of a new year's resolution. I emailed one of my favorite comedians and asked him what his resolution was, to which he replied "to lose 30 pounds." Granted, I seemed to have gained the freshman 15 (I didn't realize that extended beyond college), but I once made a resolution to never make a diet resolution.

When I was home and had a tv to watch, I noticed so many diet commercials. I bet this is a big time of year for them. I bet if Gallup did a poll on new year's resolutions (I'm sure they have) the number one resolution would be to lose weight. Everyone wishes for the new year to be free of those things that made them unhappy in the previous year. It seems that for many, that starts with their body. It's too bad - it's not the body that needs changing but something deeper. What, you may ask? I don't know. Everyone is different.

So that little sidetrack led nowhere. Maybe I can do better in this paragraph. I flew back to MA the day after grandpa's funeral. I've had a week of nothing to do here to try and work through my grief, reflect on the past year and ask myself what I wanted from the future. This last year was full of changes and adventures. I graduated college, spent my last summer at camp, moved halfway across the country, started graduate school and dealt with changed within the family (additions and subtractions.) Pretty eventful year.

My biggest wish for 2008 is for it to be less eventful. I would like the year to be spent remembering and discovering. Remembering those things which make me happy (such as walking) and discovering what living in New England has to offer. I'm excited for the summer and plan to take in the sights in this area.

My wish for all of you is to remember what makes you happy and make time for it in your life. Don't feel like you have defend those little joys if someone else doesn't understand or share your interest. This is your life - do those things that make it the life you want - not the life you think you need.

Blessings on your head.

Poem

My uncle requested that I post the poem that I referenced in my last blog. It is by Emily Dickinson. I hope it can bring you comfort and peace as it does me.

I heard a fly buzz when I died;
The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
Between the heaves of storm.

The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
Be witnessed in his power.

I willed my keepsakes, signed away
What portion of me I
Could make assignable,-and then
There interposed a fly,

With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz,
Between the light and me;
And then the windows failed, and then
I could not see to see.