Singing Along the Journey

Travel

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More

It all happens at the gate…

Having spent these last weeks deeply immersed in learning to translate Biblical Hebrew by translating the entire book of Ruth, the word sha'ar or gate has become a regular part of my Hebrew vocabulary and my thinking about community life. You see, in the ancient world, the gate of the town was the most important place (that is, in Near Eastern culture -- once the Romans came along that would switch to the marketplace or forum).  Everything happened at the gate -- that was where important contractual business happened, where news was shared (or gossip, depending on your point of view), that was where you went if you needed help,…
Read More

Shh…it is finally happening…

I'm sitting in the Starbucks at the Raleigh-Durham airport right now, with my first year of seminary behind me and a great adventure before me, an adventure I have waited many, many years to undertake.   I've been so busy with school and my own formation and a bit of singing here and there, that I just haven't mentioned it much.  And I must confess that even as I boarded the plane at Reagan National this morning,  I wasn't clear enough from the fog of study and preparation to be sure that it was real.  But as I sit here, waiting for the rest of my travel group to arrive, it…
Read More

A little art talk…

After a week filled with uncertainty and travel changes (our trip to Israel became a getaway to London after half of our tour was cancelled because of the political situation), a lot of walking in the rain and a "hop across the pond" as they say in merry old England, I am back at home unpacking the treasures from my just completed trip and pondering some of the sights and sounds of the last week.  While there was so much that was memorable, the event two events I just can't stop thinking about are my visit to St. Paul's Cathedral and my visit to the Tate Britain. Both visits involved…
Read More

A travelling exegesis…

I am probably the only person you know who would choose to procrastinate about a writing project by writing something else.  But here I am.  And even though the rest of my time today will be devoted to finishing my first ever exegetical essay, part of my mind is thinking about travelling. Everyday when I sit down at my desk, I have in front of me souvenirs from some of my most memorable and formative trips...my bear who stands on his head acquired on a Thanksgiving trip to Berlin, my bear with tree from Madrid (the symbol of that amazing city...I think a theme is developing), my miniature Arena from…
Read More

Those little God moments…

For the past 48 hours, I have been in Atlanta attending a conference called "The Singing Church," sponsored by the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.  In these past 48 hours, I have sung more church music than I ever imagined possible, I have experienced more different types of liturgy than I imagined existed, and I have had a chance to listen to and meet some people whose books have guided my thoughts and my learning and my transformation over the past three years. I have participated in five separate worship services, sung to guitar, piano, organ, drum, and hung (Korean string instrument that is a little like a…
Read More

Star light, star bright…

I'll admit it.  I just returned from a much-needed-but-all-too-short-vacation in Mexico.  My biggest decisions during those few blissful days were "what book to read next" and "what restaurant do we choose tonight".  The weather was beautiful, etc., etc. and so forth. Now, I would not describe myself as a science nerd or even someone who pays much attention to the science news.  And, since the end of my days as a new-age-spirituality-guru, I haven't continued to cast charts (yes, that is correct, I did for a while cast horoscope charts...I'm kind of a hands-on type when it comes to any spiritual exploration), so I really haven't kept up with the…
Read More

A pilgrimage…of sorts

Lately, I have been very interested in a way of thinking that is often referred to as the "ancient-future" view of Christianity, one that seeks to recover what we know and can know of the ways of those first Christians, struggling in faith, struggling to live together before the creation of the institution that we know as "church", and to take that knowledge and use it to forge a way of Christian living in the 21st century.  It is this view of faith that has led to such movements as the New Monasticism, among others. I however, have been approaching this interest, not by moving into a big house with…
Read More

I See God in the Sunrise…and…

A friend and I have this kind of running joke with our pastor...it stems from a class where we were reading the book Claiming Theology from the Pulpit and learning to put labels on our own very distinct theological viewpoints.  We were talking about pantheism, whether or not that was an accurate theology or a heresy, as it was labelled by the early church fathers, etc., etc., and so forth.  My friend, who is a great lover of animals and all things "nature", made an impassioned argument for "seeing God in the sunrise".  Our pastor, of course, argued strongly for the other side.  It was a fun theological evening (yes,…
Read More

Being the foreigner…

At the same time that I feel a part of Madrid's comida lifestyle, I am often aware that I am "the foreigner".  And that awareness makes me think differently of so many of the people I know who are immigrants in my own country, both legal and not.  It makes me think more carefully about what daily life must be like for them.  As my mother always taught me, to learn how to love your brother, walk a mile in his shoes. This is, of course, not the first time that I have spent an extended time in another country and culture.  But somehow, the difference of my position here…
Read More

A Day in the Life….

Well, I have been in Madrid over a week now, and the pace of life is fast and furious most days as we approach the performance dates.   A week seems like forever, at the speed things are moving, but the following thoughts were written before the whirlwind began, on July 15, 2011.  It just took me a while to get them posted.  So here are my thoughts when I had just arrived, before I started to feel like I live here. On my first full day in Madrid, I’m having what I like to call a lifestyle day.  Madrid is perfectly suited to such a day…from everything I read, it…
Read More