Keeping healthy
It's been awhile since I've made time for things that give me life, that aren't necessarily 'productive' but are highly conducive to my spiritual, mental and emotional health--things as simple as reading a book, or going to see a movie, or discovering new music. I realized that I needed to build a little more of that into my schedule, and with the extra time afforded me by my sports injuries (from which I'm recovering), I've been able to indulge a little.
Books
Between Two Worlds, John W. Stott. A great and classic resource on preaching; insightful and wise. Stott's been a spiritual mentor of mine and a favorite theologian, and when I read books of his like this one, I feel his passing all the more keenly.
Kissing Outside the Lines, Diane Farr. A funny, touching and insightful look at inter-racial relationships, sparked by an encounter between a Korean-American named Seung and Farr (a well-known actress). I guess it sort of validated a lot of the thoughts and feelings I'd had about inter-racial relationships, including ones that I'd been in.
LeadershipNext, Eddie Gibbs. Examining what leadership--particularly in the church--looks like as we launch into the 21st century. Gibbs is a professor at Fuller Seminary, and has been involved with a number of emerging church movements. In reading this, I was glad to see that we at The District Church are already living out a lot of the things he said would be needed to thrive.
A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin. I'm re-reading this fantastic work of fiction in light of the HBO series whose first season just finished, and also the latest installment, "A Dance with Dragons," that just came out. When I first read this, years ago, I couldn't handle it. The bad guys weren't clear; the good guys weren't clear; I didn't know who I was supposed to root for. But reading it again last year, having the benefit of a few years of age, wisdom and maybe a dose of realism, I was able to appreciate that there aren't easy answers, it isn't a black-and-white world, and that not everyone you care about lives to see the happy ending. A fantasy-fiction series for a post-modern world.
Movies
Captain America: The First Avenger.
A riproaring adventure, a fun comic book adaptation, an enjoyable ride. Definitely, definitely, definitely had its cheesy, "ra-ra America" moments (a.k.a. Team America moments), but on the whole, I had fun. Chris Evans did a great job as Cap, Tommy Lee Jones was hilarious--as usual when he's trying to be, e.g. Men in Black--and it set the scene well for next summer's blockbuster adventure, The Avengers, which you get a preview of at the end of the credits--so exciting!!
Cowboys & Aliens.
Cowboys? Cool. Aliens? Cool. Combined? A boy's dream. Lots of shooting and explosions, two generations of leading men (Harrison Ford--sorry, dude--and Daniel Craig), and Olivia Wilde? Entertainment. I'm not going to dissect this, or talk about postcolonialism, or even how it could've been a better movie. It was a good and fun and entertaining enough for me! Thanks to Jon Favreau, who's really showing his directing chops--with this, the Iron Man movies, and Elf, the guy's got some talent.
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year. In the story of a middle-aged man whose life falls apart around him, Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone light up a fantastic script--at turns heartwarming, gut-wrenching, painful, hilarious, sad, frustrating, and laugh-out-loud funny. Kevin Bacon and Marisa Tomei provide some stellar support, and welcome to the big screen, Analeigh Tipton! I went on the basis of my friends' recommendations, and I'm telling you now: go see it.
Music
Zonoscope, Cut Copy. Fun indie, electronic music. Thanks to JY for the recommendation.
Bon Iver, Bon Iver. All my friends (hipster and otherwise) had been raving about this. And it's warranted. My first taste of Bon Iver's music, and it's a good one.
10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman. The latest offering from a Christian music stalwart, Matt continues to write songs that speak for a new generation. Love the guy's heart.
Strip Me, Natasha Bedingfield. This actually came out last year, but I only got it this summer. Natasha's always got a way of making me smile with her music. So much love for her.
Egyptian Christians protect Egyptian Muslims at prayer
Love your neighbor as yourself:
Thanks to @NevineZaki for posting.
What an eventful day
Today:
- Woke up at 3:45am to take N&L to Reagan/National Airport. They discovered their car had a flat tire. I drove them in A&A's car.
- On the way back, missed the 395 N turning. Drove a little way into VA with the fuel light glaring at me before finally making my way to a gas station, then home and falling (eventually) back to sleep. Slumbered fitfully with the yammering and hammering of E going on in the background from 7ish onwards.
- Got the car tire fixed; booked a tattoo appointment for this weekend; got home; did some work; ate delicious leftovers for lunch; entertained E until A&A got home.
- Met up with K, who was in town from California for an interview, for a quick chat at the Logan Circle Caribou.
- Drove to the intern house to pick up dinner for A&A; waited for Simps to get home. Picked up food; came out to car; slipped on ice with food in hands, which meant I had no hands to break my fall. Broke it with my back instead; better than my head. Winded and jarred, but fortunately nothing worse—feeling a little sore now, though!
- Dropped off food; headed to GWU for Pulitzer Center/Human Rights Watch event on the Lord’s Resistance Army. Traffic was moving at a snail’s pace; eventually found parking but I was late so didn’t think straight—I didn’t put any money in the meter!
- The event was good and interesting—predominantly from the journalistic perspective, which was a different one to hear from. Check out Pulitzer Center and Human Rights Watch.
- Came back to the car to drop off I&J at Union Station; found the parking ticket. Told them about my date.
- Back home to pack up my stuff and shift things over to the place I'm house-sitting.
- Done by midnight.
Time for bed. What an eventful day.
Learning to live with mess
A reminder as we head into the new year:
… I realize I just need to learn how to embrace chaos better, because movements of God are marked by chaos. They are not systematic and orderly and clean. Why? Because movements of God are fundamentally movements about love, and there’s very little that’s predictable and orderly and clean about love.
Love is messy.
Love is chaotic.
Love is foolish.
Love is perilous.
Love is, as a song by Sleeping at Last says, tension and thrill.
You cannot put a box around a movement of God. You cannot expect everything to add up and be able to say the outcome is guaranteed. It’s probably not going to make sense.
Dave Gibbons, The Monkey and the Fish, 184-185