Recently I have been feeling a great sense of loss in my heart for those who have been a part of our lives (393 rf, tues.nite.comm., bible study, etc.) and had to move away. which is weird because I usually don't miss folk. "out of sight, out of mind" I would always say... I thought it was because I was so incredibly present with who I was with or at least present in the moment. now I don't know about that. I shared my heart, mind and life with these people... something I don't always offer to those friends on the periphery. but these friends were different. Kerri and I only know to pray that God would now send friends to replace the gap that was left.
eventually, we know that our life calling of starting relational communities will leave us on the other end of this sort of equation of feeling... and it has at times. we will be the ones leaving, planting, being sent out... and this will continue. ++Lord bring your grace and prepare us for your work++
10.30.2003
10.29.2003
ole bag o nails
the best fish and chips i've ever had
fried pickles
and blisters on the roof of my mouth... i'm stuffed.
fried pickles
and blisters on the roof of my mouth... i'm stuffed.
10.25.2003
a female messiah?
I joined my first book club this month...
we're reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. There is a lot of information in this fiction that brown claims is factual... if this is the case, I'm learning some very interesting things about Leo, ancient art, the Constitinian rule, radical catholic sects, etc. I found out though that Lewis Perdue who wrote Daughter of God is sueing Brown because his new best seller is very similar to his book. I'm sure this will be an interesting peice of information for those in the book club. turns out that It's a men's fellowship. not like men's prayer breakfast though since i will be the only strait man there. so needless to say, I will be streched through this new venture and will learn much.
so the major premise to the book that I can tell so far is that many people feel as though modern christianity has reduced or eliminated the idea of feminine deity.
also spent some time at an LP gathering this week to listen to what Chris Smith had to say about the early churches following Christ's death from his new book Water, Faith, and Wood. Much of what he shared will be helpful in my discussion of the Da Vinci Code and i know now I must read Chris' new work.
anyway, i found this on Chris Smith's blog today and it will also be key:
Lyrics to Pierce Pettis' song "Miriam", (which is Hebrew for Mary)
No banners were unfurled,
when God stepped into the world,
held in the arms of a little girl named Miriam.
Who would ever believe, the fiancée, the family,
the teenage pregnancy of Miriam?
But laws of nature were suspended,
death sentences rescinded, throughout all the world,
all because of a little girl named Miriam.
Medieval paintings glaring down,
stony figures judge and frown,
wearing a halo like a crown. Could that be Miriam?
Gentile temples’ stained glass swirls,
cherubim with golden curls. Oh! How unlike your Hebrew world, Miriam.
I don’t know if you ascended. I don’t care what’s been amended.
There was one sure miracle: the faith of a little girl named Miriam.
Oh, you are blessed indeed! Blessed is the fruit of your tree,
Yeshua, king of kings, and son of Miriam.
No banners were unfurled
when God stepped into the world,
held in the arms of a little girl named Miriam
we're reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. There is a lot of information in this fiction that brown claims is factual... if this is the case, I'm learning some very interesting things about Leo, ancient art, the Constitinian rule, radical catholic sects, etc. I found out though that Lewis Perdue who wrote Daughter of God is sueing Brown because his new best seller is very similar to his book. I'm sure this will be an interesting peice of information for those in the book club. turns out that It's a men's fellowship. not like men's prayer breakfast though since i will be the only strait man there. so needless to say, I will be streched through this new venture and will learn much.
so the major premise to the book that I can tell so far is that many people feel as though modern christianity has reduced or eliminated the idea of feminine deity.
also spent some time at an LP gathering this week to listen to what Chris Smith had to say about the early churches following Christ's death from his new book Water, Faith, and Wood. Much of what he shared will be helpful in my discussion of the Da Vinci Code and i know now I must read Chris' new work.
anyway, i found this on Chris Smith's blog today and it will also be key:
Lyrics to Pierce Pettis' song "Miriam", (which is Hebrew for Mary)
No banners were unfurled,
when God stepped into the world,
held in the arms of a little girl named Miriam.
Who would ever believe, the fiancée, the family,
the teenage pregnancy of Miriam?
But laws of nature were suspended,
death sentences rescinded, throughout all the world,
all because of a little girl named Miriam.
Medieval paintings glaring down,
stony figures judge and frown,
wearing a halo like a crown. Could that be Miriam?
Gentile temples’ stained glass swirls,
cherubim with golden curls. Oh! How unlike your Hebrew world, Miriam.
I don’t know if you ascended. I don’t care what’s been amended.
There was one sure miracle: the faith of a little girl named Miriam.
Oh, you are blessed indeed! Blessed is the fruit of your tree,
Yeshua, king of kings, and son of Miriam.
No banners were unfurled
when God stepped into the world,
held in the arms of a little girl named Miriam
10.20.2003
part-time
it is quite amazing how much of my week can be eaten up by a 20hr/wk job (lately more like 30). yesterday, as I was making a mess with 15 frappachinos, my friend looked at me and asked - "why do work here again?" as if to say I didn't have to stay there ... she understands that I'm not dependant on that as the center of my life, but as simply a part time job. others who take themselves and their pt job too seriously have a death grip on their employment... it's all they have left. i do enjoy working there. i have fun and have developed relationships with so many people.
with the next shift staring me in the face, it seems as though i give to much to sbux. but it's only when i step back and get perspective on my life that I see a full life balanced with family, friends, play, nature, recreation, learning, and work. it's all kingdom stuff. everything belongs. my friend palmer recently wrote about kingdom vision... with this vision everything is a gift and I live in reality even when circumstances aren't "ideal".
with the next shift staring me in the face, it seems as though i give to much to sbux. but it's only when i step back and get perspective on my life that I see a full life balanced with family, friends, play, nature, recreation, learning, and work. it's all kingdom stuff. everything belongs. my friend palmer recently wrote about kingdom vision... with this vision everything is a gift and I live in reality even when circumstances aren't "ideal".
10.11.2003
rest for the soul
this past week I spent a few days in spiritual retreat/centering prayer/solitude/wilderness time. i can't even begin to say what a beneficial time that was for me. I truly believe that what I sacrificed in "family time" and ministry presence will pay off in the future with a deeper quality in my time spent with others. sometimes it takes getting away to truly get a glimpse of how disconnected I become from the ones I love.
now, however, it is back to the ordinary and the mundane. the discipline for me now is to not let the supernatural become familiar.
++Abba, I belong to you++
now, however, it is back to the ordinary and the mundane. the discipline for me now is to not let the supernatural become familiar.
++Abba, I belong to you++
10.02.2003
update
some know - some don't that I had a doctor's appointment this past week. It was a meeting with Dr. J, a denominational higher-up. A friend of mine set the appointment the plan was that eric would share the story of his journey up to this point and where he is called. I shared with dr.j that my wife and I have a passion and life calling to start urban missional communities. I hashed out our core values for where we are headed::
>urban neighborhood commitment
>simplicity
>the gospel
>discipleship
>community
>multiplication.
I shared with him what happens in our present community gatherings and that to us it was church. I tried to stay way focused on what we were for and not on what we are against.
I didn't expect him to hear me at all. but he did. he asked forward thinking, missional questions... and saw a glimpse of what we know as the emerging church.
he asked me to present what I shared to another group of higher-ups who hold the keys to the bank. dr. mentioned that this group of men have spent too much money on high-dollar missional endeavors and are ready to look towards something new.
pray for me. I don't know what to say and mostly just want to stay true to our vision.
>urban neighborhood commitment
>simplicity
>the gospel
>discipleship
>community
>multiplication.
I shared with him what happens in our present community gatherings and that to us it was church. I tried to stay way focused on what we were for and not on what we are against.
I didn't expect him to hear me at all. but he did. he asked forward thinking, missional questions... and saw a glimpse of what we know as the emerging church.
he asked me to present what I shared to another group of higher-ups who hold the keys to the bank. dr. mentioned that this group of men have spent too much money on high-dollar missional endeavors and are ready to look towards something new.
pray for me. I don't know what to say and mostly just want to stay true to our vision.
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