Eucharist

An Afternoon at the Neighborhood Pool

So, as you may have noticed, I haven't written too many words for the past year. But I have a camera now and pictures are worth a thousand words, so drink up!

I'm going to try and post photos every once in a while to challenge myself to work on my photography.

Wow, top of Bryce's blog roll here I come!

Consumption

Though I think it's a little early to be discussing Christmas seeing as we've not yet celebrated Thanksgiving I found this video to be poignant and challenging. 

I would argue that there is no question we've lost much of the importance in celebrating the birth of our Saviour. Actually, it's notable that much of the intended meaning was deluded from the onset when church fathers syncretized pagan holiday traditions with those of the emerging christian church in order to sway potential pagan converts. And now Christmas has met consumerism and the marriage between the two has all but snuffed out the original fire and passion behind our Saviors birth. 

Admittedly, Christmas' for me have grown increasingly complicated over the past few years and have become a chaotic and emotional mix of joys and sadnesses. However, the birth of  the entity which has persevered in my life even when things which seemed constant changed, fell apart and dissipated seems well worth getting excited for. This occasion marks a birth which nations waited millennia for and an event that was undoubtedly the most anticipated and is the most significant historical event to date. 

So, despite Christmas season hesitations and my own personal baggage I will celebrate and be consumed.

At an Unexpected Time

I have to give McCain props here for not allowing the negative campaign tactics to go to far and further confuse a rare few. It's nice to hear him rise above the slander and the talk straight for a moment.

I can't believe people boo McCain when he says Obama is a decent human.

Erik Needs...

This light hearted post inspired by Jarrod over at The Lantern Room. Simply google your name followed by 'needs' and read the content of the search listings. Pretty hilarious.

Erik needs Christine in his life...

Erik needs an heir in order to receive aid in regaining his title, lands, and children stolen from him by his treacherous brother...

Erik Needs a Timeout Stein... (what the heck is a Timeout Stein?)

Erik needs 24 hour care and I need to get back to work...

I agree that Erik needs a professional office, space to conduct business in a more business-like manner...

Erik needs to worry about his own driving...



And I thought all that I needed was love.

But We Were Working So Hard Towards Something Beautiful

I read an article in Newsweek yesterday that made me shiver just a bit. It's from Newsweek's section entitled Belief Watch and this particular episode concerned the beliefs of Sarah Palin. It's probably best that you just go ahead and read the article yourself.

Read

The

Article.

I don't want to say much about besides suggesting that this can't be the only way. I myself have felt pressured to politically lean a certain way by those who are trying to express there faith because of my own and can attest to how uncomfortable it can be. I am not trying to insinuate that Palin is wrong in her beliefs--that would be unfair and rather unfounded. I am simply noting religion's ugly power to breed anger, resentment, inequality, insecurity etc--especially in political conquests. These things, in my opinion, are not of God but of our own tendency to really foul things up. It is going to be increasingly important to separate ourselves from the tendency to polarize and fight the urge to use 'us verse them' language; as Christians, as Americans and as humans. There seems to be a lot at stake.

Eff, It's August

With absolutely no excuses or proclamation of an even psuedo-triumphant return...


March 19th. Obama Speech on race. Holy crap it has been a while. Luckily, not much has happened between then and now….right.

So, life has changed some. I am no longer in school, I have a job and I’m anxiously awaiting the end of my students loan’s six month grace period. Wahoo!

Some things are the same: I live in a beautiful place and continue to find myself, so very luckily, surrounded by people who love me and have a contagious love for life.

There are two things controlling my decision making processes at this point; relationships and travel. The latter of which is controlling my short term vocational goals. I’ve decided to put off a ‘career’ and instead pursue some adventure while I’m still young and can be relatively irresponsible.

Actual, I don’t think my decision to travel is irresponsible at all. Rather, I think it would be irresponsible to ignore my desire to travel and do what others might see as more responsible. It is my hope that in following my passions now they will continue to develop and by at their fullest potential. I fear that at some forks in our roads we choose to ignore our passions and thereby forfeit that passion for future endeavors.

Someday it will be my passion to pursue a meaningful career, to be married, to have kids. I greatly look forward to those things. But for now I need to follow my heart and my desire to see other places and experience other peoples.

It’s actually pretty hard to do what you want to. At least to do what you really want to.