I'm not sure how proud I should be of this but five years ago I was as funny as Jimmy Fallon is today.
http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/11/neil-young-sings-fresh-prince-theme-song-video.html
Its been done Fallon...
Patman the better than Fallon.
Eph 2:11-22 tonight.
Considered what it meant to be citizens of heaven, part of the family of God and God dwelling in us.
It seems to me this is all about identity markers. I not Canadian first I am a citizen of heaven, I am not a Sutherland first I am part of God's family, I am not my own I am God's dwelling place.
Patman the identified.
Given that I have maintained three days of reflection I am now an expert. A sagely guide to the spiritual. A wise-man prepared to solve all the problems one may have theologically, spiritually and relationally.
But besides that I was taken aback by another question today. I read Eph 2:1-10. And was eventually asked why does God love us so much?
Theologically I can identify lots of reasons many to do with creation (ie image of God in us, God's concern for that which he has made) and some to do with God's character (being love and all) but it doesn't always translate to my heart.
In fact when answering the question it was much easier to say why God would love everybody else rather than why God would love me. Generalizations are easy, specifications are hard.
Patman the beloved.
So today I was looking at Ephesians 1:15-23. The challenging question for me was in light of the fact that knowing Jesus more changes the way we see things what are practical ways we can live that change?
This semester I have written, read and preached on the subject of change in light of a future hope that we have in Jesus and the resurrection. Ironically when I read this question I was taken aback by the practical element.
It is easy to glaze over the abstract and say "hope changes everything" but in concrete terms it takes more thought. In one sense as well it is easy to say "we live that expected future today" by feeding the poor, offering healing to the sick and setting captives free but again in serious question is "Today what can I do?" Or "how am I today living in hope?"
It's harder to answer I think.
I need to make the abstract practical today and allow Jesus to be invasive in what I do. (Still an abstract thought!)
Patman the Hopeful?
A while back I heard Andy Crouch preach on purchases and practices at the Tyndale Faith Talks. All in all it was a fantastic argument for living a disciplined life over a quick fix life. I thought it was the most significant portrayal of why we do the spiritual disciplines.
And I did nothing in response.
I wanted to engage in a practiced life but I apparently forgot.
So I'm trying to do that now. Simply put I am devoting myself to personal study of the bible. I got this Bible Study guide that N. T. Wright put out on Ephesians and its a really easy and concrete 11 session study of Ephesians. I'm going to try to work through that. And to keep myself committed I am going to blog a reflection once a day in light of that time.
Today I was looking at Ephesians 1:1-14 and I struggled with the question: What ways is God calling me to bless others?
I was taken aback by the question because although I try to serve God, spend summers in a camp environment, and school years in seminary. But right now, this semester, I'm not sure I am actively engaged in blessing others. I do a few things here and there but I am rarely intentionally blessing others.
I can gloss over it and say that I am devoted to my studies which is preparations for blessing others but that's a bit of a cop out.
I need to think about it.
Patman the Thinker
I enjoy music and playing it on my guitar, banjo and the likes.
I learned to play chess with my Grandpa. Before he died he lived with us and we used to, when I was younger, play a game or two once everyday or two. He taught me to love chess.So I had my interview with Andy Crouch a few weeks back and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book and talking about it.
(I did not enjoy transcription from audio to magazine)
He had some great things to offer the discussion we were having in the Canon25 and for today's blog post let me quote one for you:
"I believe that God is in the business of changing the world but I think that’s God’s business. My business is not to change the world but to create culture. It’s a different thing, because culture is always created locally. When you talk about the world it is so grand and inevitably abstract. Whereas my calling is to figure out what I can do today in my home town, with the networks of people I am connected to and that’s only a couple hundred people that I could actually collaborate to do something with. That’s where I am responsible to do something."
It is important each year to have a deep and passionate love affair with a Christmas song.
Sounds provocative I know...
I typically blog once a year about the Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas.
I do this for a few reasons:
1) Its great
2) It happens to coincide with paper writing and frankly blogging beats paper writing and Christmas beats exams
3) I am not nearly interesting enough to maintain an original or new blog idea every day let alone year.
4) Its led to a personal tradition that I wish to inspire others toward
Each year, typically through Sufjan, I pick out a classic hymn, or song dedicated to Jesus' birth and make it the Christmas Song of the Year. I meditate, sing and enjoy the richness of its meaning and allow the music I hear every year one more chance to impact me.
Previous winners include:
2006 - Lo How a Rose Err Blooming
2007 - O Come O Come Emmanuel
2008 - Oh Holy Night
The best thing about this practice is that it slow but surely is building a compilation of Christmas songs that I have let touch my soul and continue to reach me each year.
This year I have gone away from the Sufjan list...
I present "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.
Blessing of Manwich on this fine Manwichfest.
Patman the stuffed (with Manwich)
ps photos coming soon.
Ok so I was working on a paper and then I wasn't because I was surfing the internet...
Found this...
Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið (Official Music Video) from Erased Tapes on Vimeo.
I am excited and nervous. Have you ever interviewed someone? I haven't. Tomorrow I am going to interview someone. I may very well have jumped into the deep end.
A year ago or so I first encountered a book called "Culture Making" by Andy Crouch. I was caught up in its ideas and its potential. I started to read it in December and I finished it recently. And tomorrow I am going to sit down with Andy Crouch and ask him a few questions. All for the sake of that beloved project Canon25.
Have you ever thought what you might ask someone who you really enjoyed reading? I'm looking forward to meeting the man and intrigued at the prospect of an interview.
I'm just hoping my interview skills are going to bring about good discussion.
Patman the Reporter.
There comes a time in most people's live when they have to move from flippant jokes about living to a serious discussion about serious issues.
Today is not that day.
In 2003 I was introduced to Brad Longard, average Christian, decent guy and played saxophone. Brad introduced me to at least two cool things. The first was Seinfeld. The second was "Spiritual Warfare" which is not the meaningful, complicated and maybe even alarming practice of the church but rather the Nintendo Entertainment System's answer to the age old question: What do I do at 8:30 when youth group ends?
This game has it all.
Basic Premise: You are a Christian trying to make a difference in the world. Your goal destroy the devil. But how does one destroy the devil? Well for that you have two goals.
Goal #1: Collect the armor of God. By exploring the various areas in your city (which include the park, downtown, and the slums) you will meet "bosses" and defeat them. After defeating them you will find the armor piece they had. Now these armor pieces each boost your character. For example: the belt of truth allows you to push large objects (I for one think this is a logical jump from truth to superhuman strength but you can feel free to disagree). Collecting the armor and using their various atributes you can access the dark 'under-city' where apparently the devil lives (which I think is odd because I thought the ninja turtles lived under video game cities but perhaps thats a different town).
Ok so you have managed to maneuver your way into the lair of the devil and even get to see him face to face so now what?
Goal #2: Collect the fruit of the spirit and use it to convert everyone and everything and blow up the devil. That's right your main 'weapon' in the game is the fruit of the spirit which is represented by actual fruit. You throw the fruit at everybody and they get on their knees and then disappear (or rapture). This is true in most cases but watch out sometimes they have a demon in them so throw an extra fruit just in case and get the demon too. The fruit offers great variety. You can throw apples, pears, bananas, grapes and even pomegranates and they all act in different ways. Its mad fun and its saves souls. You also throw the fruit at the Devil. I recommend the grapes because it is a triple shot in an array of directions.
Other high lights:
1- Angels- they show up and ask you trivia. Which includes a very nerd boy who smiles when you get the answer right. Which, as those of you who grew up in Sunday School know, is an accurate description of what is important in church.
2- Wrath of God- in case the fruit just isn't enough you can throwdown a vial of the wrath of God and blow up rocks, walls and people (who I think convert).
3- Hymns- In poor sounding NES quality music you get "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand" over and over and over and over again.
4 and perhaps my favorite- the Bar- You gotta be careful cause if you go in the bar you lose a piece of armor and have to buy it back at the pawn shop, in the slums, with you faith. (Oh Faith is currency you use to buy more fruit, health and is the prize from converting people and winning trivia)
All in all I'd say this is the most accurate picture of my life and faith ever produced into video game form. But like most Christian video games I think this one should be left behind.
Patman the Spiritual
Oh and here is a video if you don't believe me
Even Better I found where you can play it online
It seems to me the natural order of things is to participate in University life at Tyndale and graduate.
After graduation you have approximately four choices:
1 Leave forever
2 Go to Seminary
3 Audit for life
4 Work at Tyndale til you die
That being said I have only personally achieved #2 but I have also created a new option: go back to the university and help run the Canon25.
That's right the magazine we all thought had a heart attack and was gone is back and ready for action.
Student publications at Tyndale has always had an awkward run. The New Apocrypha, and Canon25 have been two recent examples of what student writing can achieve but there was always this problem: how to generate content?
Strategies included:
Loud posters, consistent nagging, write something funny in hopes to get people excited, give up and publish cartoons only.
But I have found a new and exciting way to generate content. Apparently to get people to write you have to come up with the concept and then ask them to write the concept for you.
So I think it would be interesting to hear about the idea of sanctification as a means to time travel... I know that Bret Phlipt is interested in the subject. So I ask him to write up something for me on that subject.
And here is the kicker... Bret often says yes.
Content generated.
Patman the editor
I have embarked on a journey of musical direction.
Reminded by my mind of the days of Halo 2 and music I have set out to comprise a playlist of epic proportions including: Talking Heads - Fear of Music, Phish - Billy Breathes, Elvis Costello- My Aim is True, and The New Pornographers.
Til my paper is done this music shall ring forth for all, mainly me, to enjoy.
A dream its true...
But I'd see it through...
Patman the Waster
