When I was a student at Hope College, I hated Calvin College. Okay, so maybe hate is a strong word, but I really did not like anything having to do with the "other" Reformed college in west Michigan.
Then I started to meet students and graduates of Calvin. And as it turns out, they're quite nice and have actually learned something while there. It started with my semester in Chicago, where I became good friends with a Calvin student and really picked up after moving to San Francisco.
Since living out here, so far away from Dutch west Michigan, I have befriended four Calvin grads who have made my stay in the Bay Area much more enjoyable. Steve and Amy Carlson, East Bay residents and fellow hard-core A's fans, have been a breath of fresh air when needing to get away from the city (along with '03 Hope grad Lisa Canterbury).
And then there's the random story of meeting Ryan and Kelly Dubois (Calvin '02) at the 4th and Geary Farmer's Market. I now attend their small group and they have been a great support in the past six months--many thanks to Kelly for wearing a Calvin shirt that fateful day!
So with this newfound support for Calvin College, I approached Steve with the idea of co-hosting a joint event for alumni from both Hope and Calvin: a tailgate party and A's game. A quick call to Hope's alumni office showed me that with their help, planning such an event could be fairly easy, so we embarked on preparations.
The final result, which took place yesterday, went better than we could have imagined! Nearly 30 alumni and friends (including a professor and some current students), from both schools, gathered for good food and fellowship at a tailgate party and then found our way into the stadium to watch the A's beat the Detroit Tigers (how appropriate!).
Somehow, I've overcome my prejudice against the Knights while maintaining my pride for the Flying Dutch!
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
My Buddy Daragh
If you want a close look at one of the things that I'll miss most when I leave San Francisco, check out this article and accompanying photo gallery. This picture really encompasses my job--working with people that are homeless, along with kids who grow up around such situations.
I love the Tenderloin neighborhood, where this photo was taken, and especially the kids I've come to know and love there. This means that I'll have to stop by there much more often in my last month here in San Francisco!
I love the Tenderloin neighborhood, where this photo was taken, and especially the kids I've come to know and love there. This means that I'll have to stop by there much more often in my last month here in San Francisco!
Saturday, July 16, 2005
It's Official!!
As many of you know, I have been in the application process to join Wycliffe Bible Translators since Novemer of last year. Though it's had its ups and downs, I've kept pressing on for about eight months, and just this week, I heard that I am officially a member of Wycliffe!
With this news comes a wave of emotions. Relief at the fact that the lengthy process is completed. Excitement that things are in motion for me to be moving overseas in the next year or so. Frustration at the thought of moving twice in the coming months (from SF to Michigan and then Michigan to DC for an internship). Some fright at leaving the US to live in the developing world, even though this is something that I've dreamed about for a long time.
Not the least of my emotions is confidence. (On second thought, is confidence an emotion? For the sake of argument today, let's say it is.) I am confident that this is the direction that God has called me--a lot of prayer has gone into this decision, and God has opened and closed the right doors at the right times. And in the same vein, I am confident that I will be able to do well in my future job, and will like living overseas.
My good friend Ryan, whose blog I was reading in between moments of typing this, just posted an interesting entry on his struggle with uncertainty as to his calling. I suppose I would be one of those people of whom he is jealous, because of my aforementioned confidence. (By the way, Ryan is one of my closest friends and I know he would love to engage in further dialogue on this topic; nothing I said here is meant in a negative way.)
So now I return to the long and tedious tasks involved with picking up and moving across the country. More boxes were packed today, probably the last until a few weeks before the move. But it all has a different tone now--I'M IN!!!!
With this news comes a wave of emotions. Relief at the fact that the lengthy process is completed. Excitement that things are in motion for me to be moving overseas in the next year or so. Frustration at the thought of moving twice in the coming months (from SF to Michigan and then Michigan to DC for an internship). Some fright at leaving the US to live in the developing world, even though this is something that I've dreamed about for a long time.
Not the least of my emotions is confidence. (On second thought, is confidence an emotion? For the sake of argument today, let's say it is.) I am confident that this is the direction that God has called me--a lot of prayer has gone into this decision, and God has opened and closed the right doors at the right times. And in the same vein, I am confident that I will be able to do well in my future job, and will like living overseas.
My good friend Ryan, whose blog I was reading in between moments of typing this, just posted an interesting entry on his struggle with uncertainty as to his calling. I suppose I would be one of those people of whom he is jealous, because of my aforementioned confidence. (By the way, Ryan is one of my closest friends and I know he would love to engage in further dialogue on this topic; nothing I said here is meant in a negative way.)
So now I return to the long and tedious tasks involved with picking up and moving across the country. More boxes were packed today, probably the last until a few weeks before the move. But it all has a different tone now--I'M IN!!!!
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Pics Coming Soon
For those of you wondering about the lack of pictures on my blog, it has to do with my lack of a digital camera (see my previous post on this topic ). I have since purchased one (thanks for the advice, Steve!), received it, and promptly had to send it back because of a defect in the viewing screen. It should arrive any day now and I'll have a lot of pictures to take in the next month and a half.
That's right, only a month and a half left before leaving the city of San Francisco! Crazy. My room is trashed right now (this would be an opportune time to use my non-existent camera) because of shipping so much stuff home. A lot of my clothes are going out today; books were all shipped last week. I'm realizing that there is a lot that needs to happen before I move, so I'm doing as much as I can now. Anyone have tips for moving cross-country?
That's right, only a month and a half left before leaving the city of San Francisco! Crazy. My room is trashed right now (this would be an opportune time to use my non-existent camera) because of shipping so much stuff home. A lot of my clothes are going out today; books were all shipped last week. I'm realizing that there is a lot that needs to happen before I move, so I'm doing as much as I can now. Anyone have tips for moving cross-country?
Monday, July 04, 2005
Missing the Fireworks
The fireworks here in SF are scheduled to start in the next half-hour or so, and here I sit, in my room, with absolutely no intention of leaving the house until tomorrow morning. For the first time since 2001--and only the second time in my entire life--I'm missing live fireworks on the Fourth of July. And to be honest, it doesn't bother me in the least.
Fighting crowds and attempting to see the show through the city's notorious low-hanging fog (although this year it looks like it might actually be clear), I can certainly do without. I'm tired, I've got things to be working on and honestly, I'm sick of the ethno-centric American attitude.
What really bothers me is the song, and the general theology of, "God Bless America." Should people really be asking God to send blessings down on America as a country? Should the richest and most powerful nation in history (arguably) be petitioning the Lord of the Universe to bless it? One of my former roommates, and others (including a bumper sticker), says that we should turn that phrase into "America, Bless God!" Why do we insist on asking for more, rather than attempting to live our lives for the one who gave us everything we have? We ask God to bless our financial situation, rather than asking him to use our tithes and offerings to bless others.
Our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and other countries of the world struggle daily with fear of war and terrorism. It strikes once in the US, and the entire nation freaks out. At Yankee Stadium in New York, they still play "God Bless America" during every seventh inning stretch, a tradition that was started following 9/11. Even the tragedy of that day wasn't enough to bring America out of its ethno-centricity; if anything, it deepened it.
I don't think we should stop praying for God to bless people or aspects of our lives. I'm saying that we need to make sure that we are blessing God and living a life pleasing to Him. Plain and simple, that's my view. My Bible dictionary lists several definitions of "bless." Only in one definition is it referring to God's blessing of people (e.g. Psalm 33:12). The other four definitions are about men blessing God and others around us.
Take note, America. We need to be honoring God.
Fighting crowds and attempting to see the show through the city's notorious low-hanging fog (although this year it looks like it might actually be clear), I can certainly do without. I'm tired, I've got things to be working on and honestly, I'm sick of the ethno-centric American attitude.
What really bothers me is the song, and the general theology of, "God Bless America." Should people really be asking God to send blessings down on America as a country? Should the richest and most powerful nation in history (arguably) be petitioning the Lord of the Universe to bless it? One of my former roommates, and others (including a bumper sticker), says that we should turn that phrase into "America, Bless God!" Why do we insist on asking for more, rather than attempting to live our lives for the one who gave us everything we have? We ask God to bless our financial situation, rather than asking him to use our tithes and offerings to bless others.
Our brothers and sisters in the Middle East and other countries of the world struggle daily with fear of war and terrorism. It strikes once in the US, and the entire nation freaks out. At Yankee Stadium in New York, they still play "God Bless America" during every seventh inning stretch, a tradition that was started following 9/11. Even the tragedy of that day wasn't enough to bring America out of its ethno-centricity; if anything, it deepened it.
I don't think we should stop praying for God to bless people or aspects of our lives. I'm saying that we need to make sure that we are blessing God and living a life pleasing to Him. Plain and simple, that's my view. My Bible dictionary lists several definitions of "bless." Only in one definition is it referring to God's blessing of people (e.g. Psalm 33:12). The other four definitions are about men blessing God and others around us.
Take note, America. We need to be honoring God.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Chris the Bouncer
My job allows me the opportunity to wear a lot of hats. Really, no day is ever the same, which in many ways is good. My former roommate Ryan had one of those jobs that was the same thing every day, and I doubt I could ever handle that.
That hat on Thursday was bouncer. Seriously. Those who know my physical make-up, know that Chris Winkler serving as front-door security--the only front-door security--at a soup kitchen in a tough part of Oakland is something like Steve Urkel playing quarterback. It's just not a natural role. As a skinny little white guy, I don't quite exude "Don't even think about going through this line until I say it's okay."
Needless to say, this role got off to somewhat of an awkward start. But once I got the hang of how the system was supposed to work, and some of the regulars (guests could come back through the line as many times as possible) started to open up with me, things were rolling. Only one small scuffle broke out, and I was able to carry on some fun conversations with guests as they were waiting in line. What started as a somewhat nerve-wracking job turned into one of my favorite "hats" to wear.
If anyone was wondering, I was serving at the St. Vincent de Paul Free Dining Room.
That hat on Thursday was bouncer. Seriously. Those who know my physical make-up, know that Chris Winkler serving as front-door security--the only front-door security--at a soup kitchen in a tough part of Oakland is something like Steve Urkel playing quarterback. It's just not a natural role. As a skinny little white guy, I don't quite exude "Don't even think about going through this line until I say it's okay."
Needless to say, this role got off to somewhat of an awkward start. But once I got the hang of how the system was supposed to work, and some of the regulars (guests could come back through the line as many times as possible) started to open up with me, things were rolling. Only one small scuffle broke out, and I was able to carry on some fun conversations with guests as they were waiting in line. What started as a somewhat nerve-wracking job turned into one of my favorite "hats" to wear.
If anyone was wondering, I was serving at the St. Vincent de Paul Free Dining Room.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
No crying here!
Here is a continuation of my last post.
What I will not miss:
--Two seasons. Rainy (winter) and summer. I like four seasons, and am looking forward to spending a large portion of this coming fall and winter in the midwest or on the East Coast--bring on the snow!
--Transiency. As I eluded to earlier, just when you get to know someone here, they move. I'm somewhat of a "long-timer" now that I've been here almost three years! This concept, and a number of other factors, have made life difficult socially. In just two weeks in Cameroon (in September), I felt like I had made better friends than many of my relationships here.
--Driving. Though my Saturn is a great car, I do not like owning a car, nor do I like driving it. I am very much looking forward to selling it in August! Included in this are all the other ugly things associated with driving: finding a place to park, remembering where I parked, street cleaning days, etc.
--Accordion Man. Several nights a week, a man attempts to make money by playing his accordion (and unfortunately, singing) on the corner across the street from our apartment. The "music" invades directly into my bedroom, making reading impossible (I've tried earplugs to no avail) and forcing me into the kitchen or to play my music louder than normal. (As I write this, I have opted for the latter option with Accordion Man playing in full force.)
What I will not miss:
--Two seasons. Rainy (winter) and summer. I like four seasons, and am looking forward to spending a large portion of this coming fall and winter in the midwest or on the East Coast--bring on the snow!
--Transiency. As I eluded to earlier, just when you get to know someone here, they move. I'm somewhat of a "long-timer" now that I've been here almost three years! This concept, and a number of other factors, have made life difficult socially. In just two weeks in Cameroon (in September), I felt like I had made better friends than many of my relationships here.
--Driving. Though my Saturn is a great car, I do not like owning a car, nor do I like driving it. I am very much looking forward to selling it in August! Included in this are all the other ugly things associated with driving: finding a place to park, remembering where I parked, street cleaning days, etc.
--Accordion Man. Several nights a week, a man attempts to make money by playing his accordion (and unfortunately, singing) on the corner across the street from our apartment. The "music" invades directly into my bedroom, making reading impossible (I've tried earplugs to no avail) and forcing me into the kitchen or to play my music louder than normal. (As I write this, I have opted for the latter option with Accordion Man playing in full force.)
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Tears will be shed
One of the most popular questions that I've been asked in the past few weeks, as my plans for post-CSM continue to come together, is what (if anything) will I miss about San Francisco. Here are my thoughts on that. (And stay tuned for the flip side of this in a few days...)
What I will miss:
--The Salvation Army Turk Street Central Corps. What we at CSM call "Turk Street" is my favorite ministry site (but not that I play favorites!). They have a large after-school program and summer day camp, with dozens of kids (K-6ish) enrolled. I lived in this building for my first three months in SF, and my ties to both the kids and the staff here have always been tight. They have dubbed me "Spiderman" and I try to "swing" in as much as possible. (The nickname goes back to when some of the kids thought I looked like Tobey Maguire; then some of the younger kids thought that I actually am Spiderman, so the name stuck.) Tears will be shed on my last day here.
--Geographical beauty. Northern California has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. I currently live just a few miles from the ocean, 30 minutes from wilderness backpacking, and four hours from Yosemite National Park. And there's a lot more that I just don't have room to write here.
--Friends. Of course, when leaving a place, one will miss the friends they've made. For my first year and a half here, friends were few and far between, but things have improved and there are a fair amount of people I'll miss. Small group, church, ultimate, house, CSM, Hope/Calvin alumni, etc. But the Bay Area is a transient place and two of the people I've been closest to have moved, so some goodbyes have actually already been said.
--The CSM full-time staff. We have great people in each of our eight North American cities. Even though we only meet a few times each year, many of our staff have become some of my closest friends. I'll miss our Sonic runs, late-night card games, and sharing of stories that only other CSM staff can fully appreciate.
--Ultimate. Hands-down, the Bay Area is one of the best places to play ultimate in the world. This summer, I could play six days a week if I wanted to--though I'll probably only play three. Good players and good spirit.
What I will miss:
--The Salvation Army Turk Street Central Corps. What we at CSM call "Turk Street" is my favorite ministry site (but not that I play favorites!). They have a large after-school program and summer day camp, with dozens of kids (K-6ish) enrolled. I lived in this building for my first three months in SF, and my ties to both the kids and the staff here have always been tight. They have dubbed me "Spiderman" and I try to "swing" in as much as possible. (The nickname goes back to when some of the kids thought I looked like Tobey Maguire; then some of the younger kids thought that I actually am Spiderman, so the name stuck.) Tears will be shed on my last day here.
--Geographical beauty. Northern California has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. I currently live just a few miles from the ocean, 30 minutes from wilderness backpacking, and four hours from Yosemite National Park. And there's a lot more that I just don't have room to write here.
--Friends. Of course, when leaving a place, one will miss the friends they've made. For my first year and a half here, friends were few and far between, but things have improved and there are a fair amount of people I'll miss. Small group, church, ultimate, house, CSM, Hope/Calvin alumni, etc. But the Bay Area is a transient place and two of the people I've been closest to have moved, so some goodbyes have actually already been said.
--The CSM full-time staff. We have great people in each of our eight North American cities. Even though we only meet a few times each year, many of our staff have become some of my closest friends. I'll miss our Sonic runs, late-night card games, and sharing of stories that only other CSM staff can fully appreciate.
--Ultimate. Hands-down, the Bay Area is one of the best places to play ultimate in the world. This summer, I could play six days a week if I wanted to--though I'll probably only play three. Good players and good spirit.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Our Summer Staff!!
For you pray-ers out there, here is a picture of our summer (and full-time staff) so that you can pray for them by name and face.
Back Row: Wynter Olson, City Director; Sean Anderson, from Arlington Heights, IL; Drew Reding, from Pittsburg, KS; me; Kyle Staley, from Folsom, CA; and Shelby Bossert, from Reno, NV.
Front Row: Lisa Trump, from Tinley Park, IL; Leigh Anna Ridge, from Ruston, LA (she's in training to take over my job); Abby Rogers, from Katy, TX; and Quinn Ellsworth, from Portage, MI.
Praise God for the miracle of having three male hosts this summer!
Back Row: Wynter Olson, City Director; Sean Anderson, from Arlington Heights, IL; Drew Reding, from Pittsburg, KS; me; Kyle Staley, from Folsom, CA; and Shelby Bossert, from Reno, NV.
Front Row: Lisa Trump, from Tinley Park, IL; Leigh Anna Ridge, from Ruston, LA (she's in training to take over my job); Abby Rogers, from Katy, TX; and Quinn Ellsworth, from Portage, MI.
Praise God for the miracle of having three male hosts this summer!
A sad passing
I found the following announcement in my home church newsletter, and couldn't help passing it along on my blog:
With all of the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed a short time back. Larry LaPrise, the man who wrote "The Hokey Pokey," died peacefully at age 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in...and then the trouble started.
With all of the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed a short time back. Larry LaPrise, the man who wrote "The Hokey Pokey," died peacefully at age 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in...and then the trouble started.
Monday, June 06, 2005
George Bush and Calvin College
Interesting topic, huh? George Bush and Calvin College. If you haven't heard, Bush recently spoke at the Calvin graduation (Calvin is the rival school to my alma mater, Hope College). It was supposed to be a perfect location for Bush to speak--super-conservative west Michigan and supposed college students who would fall into the trap of "Christians must be conservatives." Karl Rove thought he had met the ideal venue--instead he met his match.
Jim Wallis explains it in an article in a recent issue of SojoMail, an e-newsletter that I have come to read regularly. In short, progressive Calvin students, faculty and staff responded with their hearts, "protesting" Bush's policies regarding the war, the environment, the poor, etc. Graduates wore "God is Not a Replican or a Democrat" pins on their gowns. Many faculty and staff wrote an open letter in The Grand Rapids Press (the complete text of which I looked for on-line but could not find), outlining ways in which they disagreed with the President.
Unfortunately, the reaction to the protest--instead of applauding students for stepping up against an administration that thought it could just waltz onto campus without controversy--was extremely negative. West Michigan is an area where Bush's campaign visits are to raise money, not votes. Staunchly conservative. And the public didn't like people at Calvin objecting to the President's policies. While I didn't find the original ad, I did find the letters to the editor the week following. Not pretty. Almost every letter was against the fact that the students, faculty and staff spoke out against Bush. One of the letters I found belonged to one of my own professors at Hope, Dr. Jack Holmes.
While at Hope, I did not like anyone from Calvin. They were the "enemy," especially when it came to sports. But since I've left campus, some of my best friends have been from Calvin. One Calvin friend was telling me that people have actually written to the college, telling them that they should remove "all references to being a Christian college" because they disagreed with Bush. They are even expecting enrollment to decline for the fall, in the wake of the protest.
After all this, here are my thoughts: First, I have a lot more respect for the people of Calvin--I admire their willingness to stand up in a tough situation. Second, I value my time spent in west Michigan, but I'm SO glad that my worldview has been shaped by influences outside of the region!
Any thoughts on this?
Jim Wallis explains it in an article in a recent issue of SojoMail, an e-newsletter that I have come to read regularly. In short, progressive Calvin students, faculty and staff responded with their hearts, "protesting" Bush's policies regarding the war, the environment, the poor, etc. Graduates wore "God is Not a Replican or a Democrat" pins on their gowns. Many faculty and staff wrote an open letter in The Grand Rapids Press (the complete text of which I looked for on-line but could not find), outlining ways in which they disagreed with the President.
Unfortunately, the reaction to the protest--instead of applauding students for stepping up against an administration that thought it could just waltz onto campus without controversy--was extremely negative. West Michigan is an area where Bush's campaign visits are to raise money, not votes. Staunchly conservative. And the public didn't like people at Calvin objecting to the President's policies. While I didn't find the original ad, I did find the letters to the editor the week following. Not pretty. Almost every letter was against the fact that the students, faculty and staff spoke out against Bush. One of the letters I found belonged to one of my own professors at Hope, Dr. Jack Holmes.
While at Hope, I did not like anyone from Calvin. They were the "enemy," especially when it came to sports. But since I've left campus, some of my best friends have been from Calvin. One Calvin friend was telling me that people have actually written to the college, telling them that they should remove "all references to being a Christian college" because they disagreed with Bush. They are even expecting enrollment to decline for the fall, in the wake of the protest.
After all this, here are my thoughts: First, I have a lot more respect for the people of Calvin--I admire their willingness to stand up in a tough situation. Second, I value my time spent in west Michigan, but I'm SO glad that my worldview has been shaped by influences outside of the region!
Any thoughts on this?
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Store Wars
Okay, so I know I said that I wasn't going to post for a while, but this was too good to pass up! Check out this short little flick. If you like Star Wars, or organic foods, or just need a good laugh, this is right up your alley!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Crazy busy
You know those times in your life that are so busy that, well, you're just constantly busy? These next couple weeks are like that for me. All of our hosts (interns) at work arrived in the last few days, and we started training with them yesterday. For much of the next two weeks or so, we'll be working with them on how to work with the groups that come to serve in San Francisco--both practically (like navigating through the city) and spiritually (helping the groups process what they are learning). (Click here for more info on CSM and what we do.)
All that to say that I doubt if I will update this blog in the next week or two. But thanks to all who have been checking it out, and I'll check back in with you as soon as I can. Pray for our sanity and rest--I was at work last night until 10:30 p.m. and am going in this morning at 7 a.m.
All that to say that I doubt if I will update this blog in the next week or two. But thanks to all who have been checking it out, and I'll check back in with you as soon as I can. Pray for our sanity and rest--I was at work last night until 10:30 p.m. and am going in this morning at 7 a.m.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Digital v. Film
Check out this article in today's San Francisco Chronicle.
I have been debating for several months--probably almost a year now--whether or not to purchase a digital camera. I have a little bit of money (thanks to some donors) put away for an out-of-the-ordinary purchase, and have reallly been leaning toward buying one. At Target last week (killing time waiting for my brother's flight to arrive at SFO), I was able to hold a couple models and liked the feel of them, and I love the concept. Being able to do whatever you want with a picture so easily, instead of being limited to paper and scanning. Plus, it's so much cheaper. I haven't taken many pictures since living in SF, largely because of film and processing costs.
But this article brings up the cons--yes, there actually are some--of digital photography. None of which are really making me think twice about buying a new digital, but definitely thought provoking. What will digital storage be like in 20 or 30 years? Will we even be able to access our pictures from 2005 at that time, if they're not in a hard-copy form? As is the human way, we're always going to be finding something bigger and better, but at the same time, it forces out our old stand-by options.
Any thoughts on this phenomenon, or recommendations on how/what to buy when it comes to digital cameras? :-)
I have been debating for several months--probably almost a year now--whether or not to purchase a digital camera. I have a little bit of money (thanks to some donors) put away for an out-of-the-ordinary purchase, and have reallly been leaning toward buying one. At Target last week (killing time waiting for my brother's flight to arrive at SFO), I was able to hold a couple models and liked the feel of them, and I love the concept. Being able to do whatever you want with a picture so easily, instead of being limited to paper and scanning. Plus, it's so much cheaper. I haven't taken many pictures since living in SF, largely because of film and processing costs.
But this article brings up the cons--yes, there actually are some--of digital photography. None of which are really making me think twice about buying a new digital, but definitely thought provoking. What will digital storage be like in 20 or 30 years? Will we even be able to access our pictures from 2005 at that time, if they're not in a hard-copy form? As is the human way, we're always going to be finding something bigger and better, but at the same time, it forces out our old stand-by options.
Any thoughts on this phenomenon, or recommendations on how/what to buy when it comes to digital cameras? :-)
Thursday, May 19, 2005
What do Santa, Cookie Monster and Harry Potter Have in Common?
Well, in this instance, they're all in the same photo.
Bay to Breakers is an annual San Francisco tradition. It's the largest foot race in the country (70,000+ participants) and certainly the craziest.
Traditions include the throwing of tortillas through the air (their flight is remarkably similar to ultimate discs) at the start line, hundreds of naked runners, rolling kegs and/or full wet bars, centipedes (teams of runners roped together), and thousands of costumed runners.
After running it in running clothes last year, I wanted to go with some sort of costume in 2005. So, my roommate David and I were off to the thrift store, in search of the perfect outfit. David found a nice floral shirt and some hideous red corduroys, which he turned into court jester shorts. Fellow roommate Jim's Santa hat topped off his outfit, seen in this picture. My "costume" consisted of a borrowed "horn" hat (thanks to our fourth roommate, Ryan), a thrift store Hawaiian shirt and Harry Potter glasses. (We don't know the Cookie Monster seen in this picture.)
The 12K run was great (it's like one big party, so it doesn't even feel like you're running that far) and the company was better. Our entire house ran, along with my brother Bradley from Michigan, my friend Jarrett from Chicago, and Ryan's friend Michael from Seattle. As always, it was a great experience!
Bay to Breakers is an annual San Francisco tradition. It's the largest foot race in the country (70,000+ participants) and certainly the craziest.
Traditions include the throwing of tortillas through the air (their flight is remarkably similar to ultimate discs) at the start line, hundreds of naked runners, rolling kegs and/or full wet bars, centipedes (teams of runners roped together), and thousands of costumed runners.
After running it in running clothes last year, I wanted to go with some sort of costume in 2005. So, my roommate David and I were off to the thrift store, in search of the perfect outfit. David found a nice floral shirt and some hideous red corduroys, which he turned into court jester shorts. Fellow roommate Jim's Santa hat topped off his outfit, seen in this picture. My "costume" consisted of a borrowed "horn" hat (thanks to our fourth roommate, Ryan), a thrift store Hawaiian shirt and Harry Potter glasses. (We don't know the Cookie Monster seen in this picture.)
The 12K run was great (it's like one big party, so it doesn't even feel like you're running that far) and the company was better. Our entire house ran, along with my brother Bradley from Michigan, my friend Jarrett from Chicago, and Ryan's friend Michael from Seattle. As always, it was a great experience!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Knowledge...or lack thereof
A few weeks ago, I took the Bible Knowledge Assessment for Wycliffe Bible Translators. I'm in the application process to join the organization, and the BKA is a part of the large amount of information that they glean from prospective members. I can't talk about the specifics of the test (for legal reasons), but I learned something from it that I wanted to write about.
The test was difficult. In all honesty, I'm not sure if I've ever taken a test where I felt as though I knew so little of the material. I've been a Christian and going to church all my life, but this test really made clear to me that my study (including memorization) of the Bible has sorely been lacking for most of my life. All those Bible stories and whatnot from Sunday school and youth group were important, but in my mind, it wasn't deep enough to understand all that I could about Christ and life with Him.
My personal devotions have never amounted to much, at least in terms of the Bible. My personal prayer life has really been strengthened in recent years (largely due to my lonliness), but scripture has usually been limited to reading a few verses in Our Daily Bread, and that never goes deep enough for me to learn--ODB is more about being inspired.
When have I gone the deepest in my study of Scripture? Ironically, when I'm preparing to teach from the Bible. For a few months last year--and February of this year--I taught Sunday school at Promised Land Fellowship. It was in preparation for those lessons that I had multiple Bibles, a concordance, and a Bible dictionary spread out on my bed and I was really digging in, praying for divine guidance and enjoying it! Interestingly enough, there were questions that I answered correctly on the BKA that I know came as a result of those times of teaching.
I just found out that the results of my BKA are in and I will not need to pursue further Bible study in order to join Wycliffe. This is a good thing (I'm still planning on joining WBT full-time in January). The better thing is that it has brought to the forefront of my mind that I need to be studying the Bible. If for no other reason, my stress over the BKA was good for that!
The test was difficult. In all honesty, I'm not sure if I've ever taken a test where I felt as though I knew so little of the material. I've been a Christian and going to church all my life, but this test really made clear to me that my study (including memorization) of the Bible has sorely been lacking for most of my life. All those Bible stories and whatnot from Sunday school and youth group were important, but in my mind, it wasn't deep enough to understand all that I could about Christ and life with Him.
My personal devotions have never amounted to much, at least in terms of the Bible. My personal prayer life has really been strengthened in recent years (largely due to my lonliness), but scripture has usually been limited to reading a few verses in Our Daily Bread, and that never goes deep enough for me to learn--ODB is more about being inspired.
When have I gone the deepest in my study of Scripture? Ironically, when I'm preparing to teach from the Bible. For a few months last year--and February of this year--I taught Sunday school at Promised Land Fellowship. It was in preparation for those lessons that I had multiple Bibles, a concordance, and a Bible dictionary spread out on my bed and I was really digging in, praying for divine guidance and enjoying it! Interestingly enough, there were questions that I answered correctly on the BKA that I know came as a result of those times of teaching.
I just found out that the results of my BKA are in and I will not need to pursue further Bible study in order to join Wycliffe. This is a good thing (I'm still planning on joining WBT full-time in January). The better thing is that it has brought to the forefront of my mind that I need to be studying the Bible. If for no other reason, my stress over the BKA was good for that!
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Rain, rain, go away!
For those of you not from the Bay Area, here's a rough summary of how SF weather works:
November through March: Rainy season, temps between 55 and 75.
April through August: No rain, temps between 55 and 75.
September/October: Hot (relatively speaking, of course), temps between 60 and (on a rare day) 90
Unfortunately, today (May 4), we're getting rain again. Just when we were looking forward to summer! There's an interesting article in the Chronicle today about the weird West Coast winter. More rain in LA than in Seattle!
Bizarre...
November through March: Rainy season, temps between 55 and 75.
April through August: No rain, temps between 55 and 75.
September/October: Hot (relatively speaking, of course), temps between 60 and (on a rare day) 90
Unfortunately, today (May 4), we're getting rain again. Just when we were looking forward to summer! There's an interesting article in the Chronicle today about the weird West Coast winter. More rain in LA than in Seattle!
Bizarre...
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
The Last (Fell Street) Supper
I couldn't resist posting this fun picture! From August of 2003 through July of 2004, I lived in a great house on Fell Street with a fun Christian community. The house was sold and we all moved on from the house, but not out of contact.
Last month, we hosted a gathering at our new house for people who had at one point lived in the "Fell Street House." This picture shows just some of the fun from that night!
Thanks to Jim for the picture!
Last month, we hosted a gathering at our new house for people who had at one point lived in the "Fell Street House." This picture shows just some of the fun from that night!
Thanks to Jim for the picture!
Monday, May 02, 2005
Church Satire
I've added a new link at the right--Lark News. It's a hilarious website, updated once a month, with satirical "news" on life in the North American church. Whether you attend church or not, this site is worth checking out. Especially funny are the "ads."
By the way, I'm working on getting some pictures up, so you can visually see what life is like out here in SF. (The fact that I don't own a digital camera is slowing down this process a bit.)
Please feel free to leave a comment using the link below. I'd love to hear from you!
By the way, I'm working on getting some pictures up, so you can visually see what life is like out here in SF. (The fact that I don't own a digital camera is slowing down this process a bit.)
Please feel free to leave a comment using the link below. I'd love to hear from you!
Friday, April 29, 2005
The Pacific Northwest!!
The Pacific Northwest is beautiful. Granted, the San Francisco Bay Area is no slouch, either, especially with the Sierra Nevada just a few hours away. But being nearly surrounded by mountains, both Seattle and Vancouver are absolutely gorgeous and the wilderness afforded by the mountains is easily accessible.
I just returned from a week-long trip up there, visiting friends and just enjoying time away from work. I had no agenda, something that I've come to appreciate about my vacations--it used to be that I'd pack as much stuff as possible into the trip. Now, I've learned (from experiences coming back even more exhausted than when I left) that it's good to have a shell of a plan, and just go on instinct and the Spirit.
Another vacation "strategy" that I've picked up is to avoid doing all the main touristy things, and get out to see the "real" city. That comes largely from working for CSM--my job is to show our students all aspects to the city: good and bad, touristy and scary, rich and poor, etc. So when in Seattle, I spent some time just wandering around different neighborhoods that a tourist had no business being in. I walked a lot, took the bus a little (always an adventure in an unfamiliar city), found a couple ultimate games to pick up with, and helped to paint my friends' coffee shop which is about to open.
I used to think that taking a nap on a vacation was a waste of time--one should be out exploring everything! Not so anymore. I napped when I got in to Seattle, in a park downtown on the water. I napped on my first day in Vancouver--on the most uncomfortable futon, I believe, in the world. I napped on a plane, on a train, on a bus. And I slept long and hard most nights. Waste of time? I think not! For once, I came back from vacation well-rested. I suppose that's the purpose, right?
Many thanks to all my friends in the Northwest who hosted me in some way: Brian and Jamela, for VIP treatment at the A's-Mariners game on Thursday and a bed to sleep in; Hayden and friends, for allowing me to hang out and sleep on a couch; Paul for the mini-tour of Seattle and floor space; Julia, for a brief moment of catch-up time; and Erin and Christina for bringing me into the Regent community (and Tut's roommates for allowing me to crash on a couch)!
If there's one thing I can say about the Pacfic Northwest, it's this: I'll be back. (To steal a line from our governor.)
I just returned from a week-long trip up there, visiting friends and just enjoying time away from work. I had no agenda, something that I've come to appreciate about my vacations--it used to be that I'd pack as much stuff as possible into the trip. Now, I've learned (from experiences coming back even more exhausted than when I left) that it's good to have a shell of a plan, and just go on instinct and the Spirit.
Another vacation "strategy" that I've picked up is to avoid doing all the main touristy things, and get out to see the "real" city. That comes largely from working for CSM--my job is to show our students all aspects to the city: good and bad, touristy and scary, rich and poor, etc. So when in Seattle, I spent some time just wandering around different neighborhoods that a tourist had no business being in. I walked a lot, took the bus a little (always an adventure in an unfamiliar city), found a couple ultimate games to pick up with, and helped to paint my friends' coffee shop which is about to open.
I used to think that taking a nap on a vacation was a waste of time--one should be out exploring everything! Not so anymore. I napped when I got in to Seattle, in a park downtown on the water. I napped on my first day in Vancouver--on the most uncomfortable futon, I believe, in the world. I napped on a plane, on a train, on a bus. And I slept long and hard most nights. Waste of time? I think not! For once, I came back from vacation well-rested. I suppose that's the purpose, right?
Many thanks to all my friends in the Northwest who hosted me in some way: Brian and Jamela, for VIP treatment at the A's-Mariners game on Thursday and a bed to sleep in; Hayden and friends, for allowing me to hang out and sleep on a couch; Paul for the mini-tour of Seattle and floor space; Julia, for a brief moment of catch-up time; and Erin and Christina for bringing me into the Regent community (and Tut's roommates for allowing me to crash on a couch)!
If there's one thing I can say about the Pacfic Northwest, it's this: I'll be back. (To steal a line from our governor.)
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