Hello again

Hey another exciting, heart racing entry. First some random stuff.....the new Sony PSP is super cool if you have one you are very blessed (yes I'm still obsessing over it), then......I'm really in a bind in my mind....ooo that's good (ya'll can use that rhythm) in regards to whether or not I should go to college, or just take a bunch of classes in areas that I want to study, mainly theology type stuff. I've been thinking about degrees within the ministry. I just can't justify getting into debt thousands of dollars just to feel "equipted" to do ministry. (and by the way I misspell stuff on purpose, that's how postmodern I am, if you don't like it then YOU use spell check.....damn it!) Why can't I be a "minister" and be respected as a person without the $40,000 piece of paper? Thats all for now cuz I'm getting kicked out of the coffee shop. Peace in my heart, please God

Another exciting post

Hey one and all and welcome to another riveting blog entry by me. News today is that I decided to stay in Lansing and go to school rather than Grand Rapids.....reason? Because it is so much cheaper for one and for two I got an offer from my employer I coulnd't refuse. I'm still interested in the "ministry", but the question is to what capacity. I've been thinking a lot lately about the whole "religious system" (here it is in quite a long digression; Graduate high school, dick around for awhile "feel" "God's call", go to collage, get into massive amounts of debt, go to seminary, get into more massive amount of debt, graduate, get "employeed" by a "church", and spend the rest of your life providing religious goods and services to the masses of "consumer Christianity") and how that compares with just "being" the church in everyday life. Caring for the poor, helping your neighbors, gathering with friends to discuss theology over beer, and mucho other stuff is what I think I would like to do. Now how to go about it is the other question. I realize there is space within the contemporary church structure for "pastors", "priest's" etc. to change things but I don't think I'm domesicated enough to be one of those people, God bless'em. Anyway that's whats on me mind. If the one person reading this has any advice I would gladly accept. If there is no one reading this then, God please e-mail me your thoughts on this subject. Well until next time, "kick the tires and light the fires"

stupid church people

hey check out these podcasts! really good stuff!!

God is real!!!! In case you didn't know and want to take my word for it.

I've got a pretty funny story that I have to share with you all. This past weekend I was up north on our lake in a little town called Lewiston. It was night and we were having a bonfire in front of the lake. My family decided to call it a night and go inside for bed, while I decided to stay out and enjoy the beautiful night. I'm sitting in the chair admiring the black sky and lake, looking up at the stars and finally say to my self, "self you should lay on the ground so you can get a better view of those awesome stars". I thought this was a pretty good idea, so I lay on the ground and I"m having this really spiritual moment looking up at the stars watching a comet, and just talking to "god". Then I get frustrated and tell "god" that I wish I knew if "he" was for real or what like how am I supposed to just believe "he's" out there and "he" loves me blah blah blah.....so I say "god" if your real you have to show me I mean give me a sign, show me something really cool, show me the stars all lining up saying "HELLO MIKE" or something. And then all of a sudden I feel this wierd tingling in my pants, first on my legs and then around the "holy of holy's" and then instead of tingling I feel itching and slight pain, and it becomes apparent to me that my pants are filled with ants. So I go inside and inspect the situation and sure enough ants have filled my pants. At that moment I felt really close to God, He is really has got a sense of humour. I doubt God all the time, but it's times like this that "knowing" He's around, isn't as important as our interaction together. I told God that He got me good and went to bed smiling myself to sleep:)

Happy Independence Day

Had a lovely two day weekend up north with my parents and sister. The 3rd was absolutely beautiful, a perfect day. Other than that life continues this week as usual. Well thats about it. I don't really have anything else to say but wanted to post something so you don't think I forgot about this thing. Peace

dreams/reality; Case in point

Ok weird thing. Last night I had a dream of this girl, Kristin, that I went to England with last year. I dreamt that I went over to her house and talked with her and her parents. Today I took my lunch break early for no reason and went to the book store. While I was reading a book I hear someone say, "Mike", "hey Mike". And who is it, but Kristin's mom! Very weird. This type of shit happens all the time, and it has no meaning other than coinsidence I quess. Anyway my sis graduated from Douglas J Salon today and I'm very proud of her. I'm on my way out the door right now so peace party people!!!!!!

between faith and fantasy

Where am I? Who am I? this is the question that has been on my mind the last couple mornings, in those waking minutes between dreams and whatever this is. It seems to me that I have been so bent on making my faith logical or proving to myself why I believe what I believe, that I have forgotten how little is truely logical. I've been reading the bible and really getting caught up in the stories of our great God and the people he loves, and what a whore the people he loves are.....none the less he loves anyway. These stories seem real to me, just as my life seems real to me but I have such a loose hold on it all. Imagination and fantasy are harder than you thing to seperate from reality. I find freedom here in loosing my fake control on my world and leaving it up to my dreams.....to God's dreams.

Apple's new iProduct

This is halarious!!!!!1

Great podcast!

This is pretty cool! Makes me want to go out and buy a PSP. If anyone reading this would like to buy me one I would be forever indebted:) http://catholicinsider.com/scripts/praystation.php

What a weekend!

This weekend was amazing. I meet with my friend from Toronto, Christina and Dean L. at the Irish Pub. Enjoyed some very good theology over ale:) After that I went to the last party at the Seymour house, so sad. There I drank too much and meet some very cool people. This couple I met were especially cool. We talked about spirituality and I explained my constantly evolving view of Christ. They seemed to really enjoy this alternative perspective of the "christianity" they had heard before. They were such an encouragement to me because they were interested in spiritual things, which is something you don't see much anymore. Most people are interested either, in opposing anything religious or spiritual, or being simply religious and fake. I find myself sometimes swinging between these extremes, God help me. But anyway all in all it was a tremendous weekend, besides trying to recover from a night of heavy drinking:) Peace people

No title

Listening to Sufjen Stevens new album it is truly beautiful. I've been listening to N.T. Wright all day at work, my brain is smushed with things to ponder. No matter how many times I listen to his lectures I get something new out of them. Met with my parents missionary friend from Niger yesterday. Boy did he have some interesting stories. There culture is so different over there. Apparently from what he was saying, the mission organization struggles to find trustworthy people to work within the organization because in their culture if there is some money sitting around and they have a relative that is sick and in need of medical services they will just take the money to pay for it, even though the money does not belong to them. The mission organization sees this as immoral, but I've been thinking that since morals vary from culture to culture, how right is our "western-Christian" morals? Are they superior to morals in a Muslim nation? Or a Hindu nation? Etc. I think the problem that arises in poorer nations is possibly their lack of understanding/respect when it comes to ownership. But is ownership Biblical? Aren't we taught to share liberally? ie. if someone asks for the coat off your back give them your shirt as well etc. What did Jesus own? What did the apostles own? I realize that we live in different cultures but think about the underlying ideology off property and ownership. It's me trusting in my possessions, looking to what I have as some form of identity. I am in no way justifying stealing but if Christ's Kingdom principles were implemented we would have no reason to "steal" and if someone did "steal" from us it would make little or no difference, because if they needed it we would give it anyway. In the Nigerian culture if someone needs a tool, money, food, etc. he'll ask you for it and your obligated to give it. The missionary described them as not seeing longterm solutions to problems, but only immediate ones (ie. the example above with the money). He said this is why it is hard for the culture to "get ahead", because commerce in our western culture requires "ownership", "property" etc. Without these "getting ahead" financially is impossible, but is that so bad?

My cool sister

Coffee with Lu

Always great to see Lu. She is one of my dearest friends......lovely...yes lovely.:)

My lovely friend lu

Walter Brueggemann Speech!!!!!!

Walter is the man!

Finished Moving!!! Thank Jesus!

I just finished moving my mom and her four kids into their new apt. Thanx to my friend Josh we blew all the stuff out of the Uhaul in like 2 hours. Other than that I'm just gearing up to move to Grand Rapids and start school at Calvin College in Aug. Debating between pschology and religious studies. I'm going to try and visit with my friend Dean and Lydia in G.R. tomorrow (my spelling rules:)) I downloaded some new Imogen Heap last week and it is sweet sweet ear candy:) Has anybody checked out Bjorks new project yet? It's sooooo beautifully scary. I still wonder if anyone is reading this shit:) TTFN

Bjork's new project

Check out Bjork's new project. http://unit.bjork.com/specials/dr9/
Super stoked!!!!!

Yes lord ?

The greatest chorus ever

I've decided the greatest chorus yet is "I'm Shakin" by Rooney. Let me just sing a bar for all of you....."I'm sha sha shakin sha shakin, I'm sha sha shakin sha shakin I'm sha sha shakin I'm shakin"..........Genius. Other than that random thought, I was thinking about the critics of Emergent, and I've decided that I think critics should be welcomed, and I'll tell you why. Most people I talk to about Emergent, don't know what the hell I'm talking about (Most of these people are conservative evengelicals mind you). So I think any critiques about Emergent within the "church" circles, even if it's percieved as "bad", is a good thing. Good because it lets people within these churches who may be wrestling with questions about theology, "doing church", etc. know that their not alone. I would like to thank my dad and Brian for a very stimulating exchange of theological ideas the other night. I'm going to be moving up to Grand Rapids in August to go to school at Calvin College. I'll be studying either pre-seminary, or pschology. I'm very excited especially to live with my friend and mentor Dean L. That does it for today. Peace

First post!!!!!!!!

This is my first venture into the "blogging" world. I see this as an exercise in futility because I probably won't continue to write on this time devouring medium. But hopefully with the couple people who might stumble across this monstrosity, I will be able to perpetuate my random nonsensical ideas. Peace in the big wide world.