cracked ribs

all laid up with cracked ribs. It's not so bad I guess, it only hurts to sneeze, cough, blow my nose, lay down to sleep, pick up Trey, and ride my bike. so I haven't been on the bike since last monday. It happened on the Monday Night Ride with six other stupid individuals... I haven't blogged much about this small group of committed cyclists, but they are crazy enough to come together and ride in 22 degree weather at 10 oclock at night in the first real snow and ice of the season. I crashed that night.. four of us crashed. some on slippery tracks, others on the ice. So it looks like recovery is most likely going to take 6-8 weeks.

ReJoice!

and...

repent
reuse
recycle
recreate
reduce
rethink
realign
reread
relax

buzz freak

riley wanted everyone to see his bigboy buzz draws

an observation from the living room couch

every once in a while i'm reminded how much i've "married up." today i am fully aware. our home is what it is mainly because of her
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currently playing:: polyphonic spree | together we're heavy

I recieved this letter from my wife last week. I thought some of you might find it humerous ... or even inspiring.

The Case for Buzz Lightyear: Christmas 2004

I am writing on behalf of Riley Michael Stetler. Eventually he will be old
enough to make this type of plea on his own, but until that time comes he is
need of someone to defend him and express his wishes. It has been decided
in the Stetler home that Christmas for Riley will consist of a couple of
books, Polar Express being one of them, and an art box made by mom.
However, this does not take into account the mystery of Santa Claus, which I
believe to be a very important childhood tradition. Most middle class
American children receive hundreds of dollars worth of gifts from their
parents and then gifts from Santa on top of all of that. I believe that
adding one "fun" present from Santa still seperates us from how the rest of
America celebrates the holiday. It seems as though a certain person who
lives in this home (who will remain nameless) believes that there is
something inherently wrong with a child finding joy in a toy. Why? That
certain person finds joy in his/her own grownup toys (I could make a list
here, but I won't). Bags of toys are carried out of this house throughout
the year and given to Goodwill. It is not as though any of us have a "tight
grip" on toys. Riley plays with his toys, he enjoys them...the ones he
tires of, we give away or save for Trey. If buying presents that are fun
but not needed is wrong, then why did we buy Palmer and Amy a wedding gift.
Why do we ever buy birthday gifts or wedding gifts? I think the answer is
because we hope that the person who receives the gift will find enjoyment
from it. I'm not sure why you get so fussy when we want to buy Riley something fun (ie the
toy story figure set Jen bought him at Target) but have no problem picking
up something unneccesary for yourself the same day (ie a silly grey hat). I
don't have a problem with your grey hat, but why do you have a problem with
the toy story figures? They have provided countless hours of imaginary play
for him already. Many toys serve a purpose. They encourage creativity and
learning. Basically, what I'm saying is that the little dude really wants
Buzz Lightyear for Christmas. The look on his face in our living room on
Christmas morning will be priceless and the mystery of Santa will continue
for at least one more year. Thank you for considering this matter.

Kerri Lynn Stetler
Guardian/Mother

interesting show today -- fresh air NPR

His new book is In Search of Paul: How Jesus' Apostle Opposed Rome's Empire with God's Kingdom. Crossan looks at the life of Paul, and describes how the most important Christian value is justice. Crossan is professor emeritus of De Paul University, and is considered by some to be the foremost scholar of historical Jesus. His The Historical Jesus is an alternative and fact-based look at the life of Christ.
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currently playing:: so many dynamos

tomorrow I have the honor of standing with phil in the marriage of our friends mark and amy. coming home from 64 king tonight i was overwhelmed with the richness of love in the context of community... of my beautiful friends... of the sacredness of marriage. For mark and amy, I thought of these words by Rilke:

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear:

You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.

Flare up like flame
and make big shadows I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don't let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.
You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.

today i rose early with the boys... made pancakes.
then headed to stauf's with palmer where I met some cool folk
they are pilgrims... follow their story here. I really felt like we connected. super encouraging.
Then played outside some with riley in the leaves...
and we had a talk that made me laugh...
I told riley yesterday that he would have to wait until he is a little older before he could get a guitar like daddy's
well today he told me that he is getting hair on his arms and that this means he is a big boy and now i can buy him a guitar... that sort of logic works with me so I think i'm going to cave on this one... the kid's just too damn cute!

Christ For President

Let's have Christ our President
Let us have him for our king
Cast your vote for the Carpenter
That they call the Nazarene

The only way
We could ever beat
These crooked politician men

Is to cast the moneychangers
Out of the temple
Put the Carpenter in

Oh it's Jesus Christ our President
God above our king
With a job and pension for young and old
We will make hallelujah ring

Every year we waste enough
To feed the ones who starve
We build our civilization up
And we shoot it down with wars

But with the Carpenter
On the seat
Way up in the capitol town

The USA
Be on the way
Prosperity bound

words: Woody Guthrie
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currently playing:: Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue

now showing at the drexel : the corporation

good review here

anxious about empire

Christians who ignore the corrosive effects of resurgent nationalism in all its expressions overlook the war on the churches that is part and parcel of the renewed glorification of America. Nationalism, especially when armed and on the march, ought to be seen as a sectarian heresy in conflict with the universality of the Christian gospel and God’s construction of a new people from all peoples and nations, and whose allegiance is to the kingdom of God rather than to the fragmented lesser powers of the modern state system.

- Michael Budde, Selling America, Restricting the Church
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currently playing:: van morison : astral weeks

I want to beg you to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the quesitons themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foriegn tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.

Rilke

If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely.
Small beginnings, greater ends. Heartfelt work grows purely.
If you want to live life free, take your time, go slowly.
Do few things, but do them well: simple joys are holy.
Day by day, stone by stone, build your secret slowly.
Day by day, you'll grow too; you'll know heaven's glory!

St. Francis

peace begins at home

been giving some thought about what I can DO as a nonviolent follower of Christ in a time of war...
i have a family. mother theresa says i should start there.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The world is upside down because there is so very little love in the home. We have no time for our children; we have no time for each other; and there is no time to enjoy each other. That is why there is so much suffering and so much unhappiness in the world today. Everybody seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for what is bigger and better and greater, and mothers and fathers often do not have time for each other, let alone their children. In the home begins the disruption of the peace of the world.

maybe it's just that i need to hang out more with these guys

cheek to cheek

Last night Kerri and I shared our first dance in quite some time... she looked beautiful at the wedding of Geoffrey & Taylea Smith. I was the envy of every man in the banquet hall!

spent time this week with some wonderful people ...

i work with great folks:
lately work has been challenging. our new manager has a top down, heirarchical, militant leadership that rubs everyone the wrong way. I'm having trouble not joining in on the manager bashing. sbux is her religion. this past week, however, she was on vacation... so we enjoyed the peace of an easy job once again. more importantly we enjoyed eachother. with out her tyrany, i had the space to speak of the kingdom of God with curious pagans. it was fun.

we shared dinner with mike:
he is growing/seeking/hungry. that was good for me. leane and kelli came later with a bottle of wine. conversation lasted late into the evening.

met tom and mary anne at the preschool get together at the park:
i felt so young and out of place among the other parents. i met tom and mary anne and we talked about grandview, our kids, our rentals, and our jarbs.

fixed bikes with geoff, phil, and samuel smith:
phil needed bike work done, geoff needs computer work done, so i hooked them up. one of those moments where one great dude meets another great dude. all sorts of expectations/possibilities for two friends to meet up and hit it off... but i think phil left without knowing geoff's name.

mountain biked with phil fez and blinn:
i'm hooked and can't wait to go back... i don't care how much it ruins my body.

hung out all day today with riley, trey, and jen:
today was beautiful... we walked to old bag of nails where jen bought us lunch, we ate ice cream, we hung out at the coffee shop, and we chilled at the park. riley was stupid silly all day... good times. best of all, we were present to one another the entire time (exept for trey, he dozes off at times)

autum vespers @ 64 king:
spent time in silence, reflected on the life of st. francis of assisi, enjoyed a beautiful autum eve in the gardens, and shared conversation over tea.

underground seminary

good discussion/lecture at underground seminary last night. it was a real challenge to discover discipleship anew... a radical discipleship strait from rom.12. found this in my reading this morning that echoed what we learned and questioned last night:

The first Christians expected people to be freed from suffering, to be liberated from injustice, war, and bloodshed – in short, from the “normal” social order of things. They expected the transformation of all things political and economic, and gave their lives in service to that goal.… This ought to chal­lenge our consciences. We who call ourselves Christians today have done so little in this regard that we must ask, Are we really Christians at all?

Eberhard Arnold

monday nite ride

phil and i hooked up with about 30 other people tonight and rode our bikes all over columbus. probably put in a good 25 miles or so. truly one of the best experiences i've had since i've lived here in columbus. riding at top speeds with bikes all around you down steep roads in the dark... truly an experience. I just got home and i'm so tired i can hardly type. monday night at high and 15th. if you have a bike with two wheels and a chain you'll fit right in. Thanks phil.

update

when kerri and i started following jesus again for the first time, we made two decisions that we believed were based in prayer

1. work with whomever God places in your path along the journey
2. never ask for money

as far as #1 goes, we have had quite a few folks meet us along the way. One of the most significant happened when my friend Greg asked me if I would like to meet Palmer and hang out with some crazies down in the short north. Sounded cool, so I said yes. A year later, palmer and i began to meet weekly. this was huge. I needed a mentor like palmer but didn't know at the time how much i needed a community like LP. Another year passed and we moved to Grandview... now we are very much part of a little community they call landing place.
the role these folks have played in our lives is instrumental... we have grown in our ideas of discipleship, hospitality, mission, peace/non-violence... all around wholistic kingdom living. we have also grown to love the people of lp as well. true kingdom partners... like minded followers of Jesus.

as far as # 2 goes, i'm not so sure about that one right now. more on money later

columbus is my playground and my bike is my toy 

it's good to be home again.

the world says

be good
be strong
be 2000 places at once

yet in christ, love has found a new place to play... let love free

i'm going to the beach for a week.
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currently playing:: polyphonic spree

walking to work

so i wrecked my bike and now my elbow hurts.
so there will be walking! not so bad... a wise man once told me "eric, biking is excellent!, but one must not forget the walking as well" another wise man once told me "eric, walking is for hippies."
my work is across my town from where I live, so i walk strait through the market place of my neighborhood. i love my neighborhood more with every trip. i pray for this area on those walks. pray for grandview, pray that god will start a church here.
i also walk past the drexel... Now Showing: A Garden State. definatly want to go see this one.

it's for real 

lake chautauqua

tired.
the family is leaving tomorrow for my grandparent's summer place @ lake chautauqua,ny. hope to water ski, get some bike riding in, read, and celebrate riley's birthday with the rest of the stetler clan. that adjenda won't bring me home rested, but i rarely get to hang at the cottage. very excited to see my relies
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currently playing:: jim white: no such place

flowbee!!!

so a while back i posted how much i hated haircuts... mentioned something about needing a flowbee...well ask and you shall recieve. it came in the mail today from our church planter friends jon and michelle. thanks guys

the stetler's are excited to create some space for jen leonard. we met jen for the first time last weekend and after she left kerri and I both realized that we are a part of a very special journey in this disciple's life. for those of you who don't know, jen is blogging about her journey to columbus...
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currently playing:: david gray: the EP's 92-94

good day, sunshine

it's absolutly geogeous in columbus today... cool (mid 70's), breezy, sunny... too bad i have to go in to work at 2. have a day
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currently playing:: a nod to bob

slackers unite!!

Why I Stopped Going to Church

"There is much talk today about an emergent church, one that is more authentic, relational, liquid, culturally relevant, organic and missional. This is a church that works for nonbelievers, where unnecessary barriers of traditional church are removed, via alternative worship gatherings, while at the same time integrating the spiritual in the warp and woof of everyday existence, by practicing the Divine Hours, for example. This is encouraging. But in too many cases, these postmodern alternatives confuse the symptom for the cause. The church is still conceived as another structure, albeit sacred, along side those of family, work, neighborhood, education, etc. The church is an add-on to real life in the world."
read more : a critical article with proposed solutions... rare find

an evening at home... just the boys 

wedding

a week ago, i hooked up with my new friend jeff. today, i met his fiance taylea. i will perform their ceremony come the 1st of Oct. i couldn't be more excited about this. i love the thought that two very different individuals are choosing to lay aside their individualistic ideas on life and commit to one another forever. loving the other more than their own life. beautiful. this act/choice is so bold, so mature, so daring... it is so radical and counter cultural to actually take seriously the vows, the promises, and the death to ones self. they don't complete each other, they love one another with perfect love. loving in spite of failure, ignorance, frailty, immaturity, and weakness. this is a glimpse of the kingdom of God.
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currently playing:: mindy smith: one moment more

long day filled with all sorts of things...  long shift at work, walk to the park with the family, good discussions at church, now off to see mike perkins play at zyng up the road with curtis.  after a late night i'll drag my butt out of bed tomorrow to open the store.  I then have the privelage of driving palmer to ky to the airport to fly out on his missionary journey.  then back home to hammer out a new liturgy for the church.... maybe i'll have time to blog on thurs.

 

yesterday i got pierced at piercology.  it didn't hurt nearly as bad as i thought it would... and I held up my end of the deal with chris.  my parents came down to visit yesterday and while here they bought us a digital camera.  i'll try and post a picture of it when it comes in the mail.  i think it's intended purpose was to snap pics of the kids and email them.  sorry mom and dad.

riley and luis

riley: when i get older, i'm going to watch spiderman

luis: when i get older, i'm going to marry your mom...

eric: sorry dude, she's taken.

luis: then i'll find somebody else... sheshan my cousin and what ever girls i like.

underground seminary

not many things in my life right now are stable, anchored, and expected... that's why it is so good for me to be on another learning journey for the next 10 weeks with my friends.  here's a taste of what we will be studying:

Synopsis of the Historical Paul:  After Jesus, Paul is unarguably the most important figure in the history of Christianity.  After his Damascus Road experience with the risen Jesus, he set out to make Christ known to the ends of the earth, starting and nurturing communities of faith as he went.  The story he announced was nothing short of earth shattering.  It was a subversive Gospel in every way, one that turned the Mediterranean world on its head.  But who was this Paul?  Was he a heretic, as many claimed?  Was he the true founder of Christianity?  Was he a philosopher, an apostle, a prophet, or all three?  These are the questions we will attempt to answer in our course on the historical Paul.  We will do this through historical study of his first century setting, and by studying parts of his letters that he wrote to the young churches that he started.

on children

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The Archer sees the mark upon the path of infinite,
And he bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
So He loves also the bow that is stable
 
Kahlil Gibran

the big event

i wish i could be there

happy anniversary victorians

last night was vic's 7th annaversary. i was honored to hang out and talk to Eric Nassau. conversation centered around the kingdom of god vs. kingdom of this world.
oh and myke rock was there. can't tell you how much i enjoyed last night.

wcbe

how about this for a morning playlist!

henri nouwen

In 1979 the writer Henri Nouwen said that "I am afraid that in a few decades time the church will be accused of having failed in its most basic task: to offer people creative ways to communicate with the source of human life."

Americans put away their wallets

believe it our not, the christian science monitor reports that Americans put away their wallets this past month. nothing about starbucks in here, but even walmart is feeling the blow!

my new friends

we experienced a very slow relaxing wknd. many of our neighbors were home without the business of work/running around (most things were closed)... so we were able to connect with most of them. tonight was especially exciting... Carlos and Joy invited Kerri and I to an authentic "mexican" cookout. Carlos is from el salvador and when he invited me i could barely understand him. We hung out, ate too much and listened to stories about his home. He pulled out some of his favorite latino tunes... Carlos said that when he's listening to his music that the cares of his world all disappear - although i could barely understand his broken english over the blaring stereo. Good times had by all.

action plan

i have a church planting coach. he keeps me from slacking off and gives me homework each month. some of it is a bit challenging. for example... "eric, your vision seems to lack a definite discipleship plan"... so i typed in a search on the web: ministry flow charts for the 21st century church... no luck yet.

our world the freak show

Frederick Buechner writes in Journey Toward Wholeness

As for the church of Christ, no one knows better than the church itself all the ways it, too, is broken, just as no one knows better than you and I know it the brokenness of our own individual lives, both within ourselves and in our relationships with each other. In other words, it is easy enough to see the world as a horror show... For all its horrors, the world is not ultimately a horror show because, as Jesus tell us, the world has the kingdom buried in it like a treasure buried in a field, like leaven working in dough, like a seed germinating in the earth, like whatever it was in the heart of the Prodigal Son that finally brought him home. The question is, How is it possible for us not just to glimpse that buried kingdom but to unbury and become it? How is it possible in a broken world to become whole? Is wholeness something that we reach by taking pains, taking thought? Is it something that is given to us by grace alone? Is wholeness a human possibility at all?

good question fred

William Lloyd Garrison

i realize that kevin rains posted this a couple days ago from chris smith's blog, but you may not have read either, so here's your chance:

William Lloyd Garrison writes...

We cannot acknowledge allegiance to any human government; neither can we oppose any such government, by a resort to physical force. We recognize but one King and Lawgiver, one Judge and Ruler of mankind. We are bound by the laws of a kingdom which is not of this world; the subjects of which are forbidden to fight; in which Mercy and Truth are not together, and Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other; which has no state lines, no national partitions, no geographical boundaries; in which there is no distinction of rank, or division of caste, or inequality of sex; the officers of which are Peace, its exactors Righteousness, its walls Salvation, and its gates Praise; and which is destined to break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms.

Our country is the world, our countrymen are all mankind. We love the land of our nativity, only as we love all other lands. The interests, rights, liberties of American citizens are no more dear to us, than are those of the whole human race. Hence, we can allow no appeal to patriotism, to revenge any national insult or injury. The Prince of Peace, under whose stainless banner we rally, came not to destroy, but to save, even the worst of enemies. He has left us an example, that we should follow his steps. God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

more

comfest 2004

it's a beautiful day in columbus and the family is headed out to comfest for food, art, and the shantee. it's good to be home

father's day

riley woke me up with a sweet blue's clues card this morning for father's day (I made it home b/w conference and camp) We sometimes bust out the blue's clues fruit snacks (for the paw print clues) and a pad of paper (cuz you gotta record the clue) and make our very own go of the show. so it was fitting that he should choose such a wonderful card for his dad. a couple times to the park today and I've got a bruised butt and scrapped up arm to show for it. slide races got the best of me.

on another note: curtis, kyle, dan and I have been doing the band thing this past week. dan won't join us for the next but i'm excited that I will have a chance to get to know these fella's better.

speaker

i just experienced the most irritating hour and 1/2 "talk" i have ever experienced

... and now i'm depressed

time spent away

every time i agree to some production more than 10 miles from home i end up regreting it. i have to leave my family for a week and 1/2 and that sucks. i'll miss my wife... she's hot. i'll miss my boys...their cute. i'll miss my friends... my neighborhood... underground seminary... tues. night comm...
i belong in columbus, but for a short time i will be away.

Heaven in Henry County

 
Wendel on Merton... it doesn't get any better.

"Merton was a man who understood how to be a companion. He had a lot of humor, and I think he knew something about how to be happy or how to enjoy happiness when he had it. He had a very lively countenance; a very bright, curious, amused eye."

placemaking

if only I were better at this

a rant that resonates

1. America is not God, and Americans are not God’s chosen people. Prosperity is not proof of righteousness. If you would claim to be a Christian, then you are a Christian before you are an American. Period.

2. America was founded just as much or more on Enlightenment Deism as it was on the Bible. And even if it was supposed to have been founded on the Bible, its history of slavery, conquest, and Manifest Destiny should be enough to convince anyone that it did not remain true to any Biblical vision that may have inspired its beginnings. This does not mean there are no good things about America. This simply means that, as in any nation, there are many evil things, too, and Christians should be the first to recognize and condemn them. The support of Southern Christians for slavery, which still lingers today in the form of excuse-making and unapologetic nostalgia, is despicable.

3. If domestic policies like abortion should come under the scrutiny of the church, then so should foreign policies like wars and Third World debt. It is possible to be a patriot and disagree with my nation’s foreign policy. In fact, automatic support for American foreign policy simply because it is American is the very definition of unpatriotic - someone who doesn’t care enough for his country to try and stop it from going down the wrong path.

11. ‘Liberal’ and ‘conservative’ are useless terms. Equating Christianity with conservativism is profoundly ignorant and unhelpful.
read more

great demographical crap

where we live - if you care

new stuff

new links to the right for those who feel like exploring!

blogger mom

kerri's blogging.

after two years of hounding, she finally caved last night in a moment of weakness.

wanna move?

the apt. next to ours is for rent. any takers on a 2 bedroom townhouse and a kingdom mission?

2 or 3

it took a while, but thanks to doug, the kids in Gahanna are finally posting a group blog

bike trip

made my annual extended bike trip yesterday. last year it was a 40 miler in 3 hours (Mount Vernon to Gahanna), this year a 50 miler in 4 (MV to Grandview), maybe next year i'll just keep on going through to the west coast. needless to say... i'm sore.

available

i feel like i'm living the life of jason evans right now. If you want to know more about that check out his blog.

So, our plan is simple; we move down there and we do our best to watch what God places before us. We make ourselves available to the other saints in the area as much as we can by getting to know the churches in the area. We nurture the relationships we're given and form our lives around Jesus so that Kingdom may be seen in how we live. I'm no longer embarrassed about not having something more grand than that.

this is SO right on

assessment

a quick update... blogging from the cafe @ kenyon college. spent this whole past week at church planters assessment for the church of the Nazarene. i guess you could say that kerri and i were somewhat surprised at what happened this past week here. I you would have told us that we would actually like the kind of people that would show up at an event like this we would have told you that you "didn't understand." we totally expected to be misunderstood, rejected, and "red-flagged", but none of these things happened. the director took us aside half way through (just about the time Kerri and I had had enough and were ready to leave) and urged us to remain patient with the system and try and at least make some friends. He later mentioned to us that our presence was influencial not only to those involved in the assesment with us but also to the process itself! they affirmed our passion and calling and gave us unconditional approval to plant simple churches under the banner of nazarenedom. this, we did not expect. so this means that our relationship with the nazarenes is developing. it still isn't the focus by anymeans... they would like it to be, but if we begin to listen to the voices that say, "if you build this thing up, if you are a success, if you crack this case of 'urban planting', then we will hold you up as a model for the denomination..." then we have taken the bait of significance in the eyes and arenas of man... lord help us to continue to be us.

favor

tues. night my friend hoff prayed for us, our home, our neighbors, etc. since then i have felt the presence of Christ among us. Life is good right now. The kind of good where you're almost scared what might happen after this "calm before the storm." I pinch my arm and tell myself this is not the norm in the journey of discipleship. there will be trials and eventually the spiritual s@#@ WILL hit the fan... or at least i hope it will... or we aren't moving forward in discipleship. God didn't bring us to this point in our journey to settle into comfortable waters. what am i preping myself for... see what i'm talking about? anyway, i said a while back that the favor of God was waiting for us here... that prophesy has been fulfilled.

bowling alone?

are you"bowling alone":?

5 day grilling streak

Summer is coming, oh summer is near
With the leaves all so green and the sky bright and clear
And the birds they are singing their loved ones to woo
And the flowers they are springing in the May Morning Dew

last night the family grilled out again. { i guess if i had one thing to do over in gahanna, i would have grilled out more... but i won't make that mistake again } good times were had with open honest sharing... 'this is the real me' sort of sharing. The space @ 827 Northwest seemed spacious enough as 12 peppered the lot. we'll see how things go for the underground seminary cookout.

my boys

Riley and Trey. Cool guys for sure! Riley likes to whine right now but I still love him. We get along best when he obeys. Trey won't quit moving. If you've ever seen the chunk, you'd find that a good thing. He eats alot and smiles constantly. Kerri kicks butt all day long. She keeps riley in line, trey fed, and manages to keep all their excrements in their proper destinations. I help too. It's my goal that we could be co-parenting, but it seems like I let much of that side of things fall on Kerri. We both bring home "half a loaf" as amy joy mentioned last week, so there are a good number of opportunities for me to bear the load. There's a good balance to life right now.

...actually, Trey is crying right now... gotta go.

i needed tonight

the first tuesday of every mo. is "card club" night for Kerri and her friends
yea, it's not as weird as it sounds. she has her clubs and i have mine.
well anyway, i was kicking around the idea of trying tuesday night community at the Landing Place (which would have been a good choice yet also a struggle since I had the boyz) but opted to call a few friends and grill out. johnsonville's in the pouring down rain... conversation on the front porch till late... it was good enough to blog about.

tech.nique

now i'm a believer.
palmer said it and
i experienced it
phil (aka web genius) solved our computer problems

my little plug for this guy

special unexpected visit from church planters peter and mandy kevinson last night. They live out the kingdom in Mount Vernon Ohio. kerri and I don't get to many drop ins from people outside our immediate spiritual family but it was great to be on the receiving end of such a gift. maybe some of my other long lost college buddies will follow their lead.

rest

to rest in you
to feel something
beyond what i already know
to care more
love more
hurt more
for people
for family
for community
that would be rest to my soul today

827 Northwest Blvd

life is good here so far...

- riley in the back yrd with new friend
- kerri hanging with new friends mom
- my buhddist friend dropped in today and we had conversation (he lives right down the street from me
- rode my bike to stauffs and the waiting room all in one morning
- irish pub two blocks away

... much more to do before we are "settled" however. I will enjoy our new surroundings much more when I'm not putting cheap furniture together and triping over boxes.

moving madness

is the stroller at the new apt?
which box did we put my deoderant in?
do I have any clean socks?
too many sets of keys...

it will soon be over.

>>

why underground seminary is so good for me right now...

>structured learning environment, good
>forced to read challenging material, really good
>feed off the intellect of folks like palmer, blinn, amy joy, tawd... damn good!

tomorrow morning I meet with tawd to discuss my directed study track: Paul & the historical Jesus

people love junk

we started to haul our stuff to the curb today and in about 5 minutes two trucks pulled up and took away a kyack, hope chest, end table, box full of my old office decor, book shelf, and more... much easier than I had anticipated.

inspiration

this is my motivation and inspiration for giving our stuff away some more as we move.

=

just for the record, the cd of choice here at the Stetler's has been Ryan Adam's, Love Is Hell.... Riley has picked up the title track quite nicely... running and dancing through the house singing "love is hell" at the top of his lungs.

A Coming Into the Light

Today is Trey Ryan's big day... We gather tonight to celebrate his life with family and friends and to dedicate him to the Lord.

Underground Seminary

very excited to continue the learning journey with friends old and new. the first meeting for the Underground Seminary was last night and I was the only one there who didn't finish the required reading... off to a great start!

update

Kerri and I have been wrestling with the fact that we are now to be in Grandview, and we're not. So we just did it. We went and put a security deposit on space (just enough space). So the whole next day our faith was being challenged..."don't sign the lease, you'll be bankrupt in 6mo." .... and "that $$ could have been used on a downpayment for a hospitality house" we were both feeling it. So late the next eve. I checked my email and I had this sitting in my inbox

Good afternoon, Eric,

If you have not already done so, you will be recieving a check in the mail for $1,000.00 from the District Office. The MST has agreed to fund your ministry at $1,000.00 / month through June. We will reevaluate the situation once you complete the assessment process to determine how to proceed.

We do believe in you and what God is doing through you, Eric. God bless you. Have a great weekend.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to call or email me.

See ya

Bud Bennett

We move in May and I start at the Gview Sbux in July.

God is faithful... tears twice in one day, that may be a record.

my boys

well, it happened today. just watching my son riley with a paint brush in his hand imagining he was an artist sent me to tears. he's growing fast. he's becoming an "individual." he has likes and dislikes all his own. he enjoys certain things above others and they are traits all his own. then I see trey. 4 mo today. entirely dependent... but not for long.

ralph the mouse visits tues.nite community

Very good evening all around here at 393 rf. The kids were all home and the family celebrated with lectio and a holy week meditation... paused and listened for the voice of the resurrected One. To top the evening off, during chicken and rice, a mouse peeked his head out from under the pantry door and for some reason, I thought it would be fun to point it out to everyone there. Everyone (who wasn't hiding in another room) pitched in and we tried valiantly to capture the adorable rodent... but to no avail. Later during a wonderful discussion on Christ's present riseness ralph b - lined through the living room and at once we were experiencing another good five minutes of pandemonium. Yet we still had nothing to show for it. I guess I can get a trap tomorrow.
I will have to say that It may have added to the entire experiential component of the evening.
Our times together are felling very organic and healthy. I can't explain really how good that makes me feel. I truly believe that the Gardener is at work among us growing us as a community, preparing us for reproduction.

forward discipleship

A discipleship that moves forward seems radical these days... a few steps here and there can be tolerated, but consistant forward discipleship seems foolish and impulsive in the minds of so many. Why impulsive? Because in discipleship we give up what "rightly belongs to us." Discipleship passes on the secure and stable. Constantly. As I look back on my discipleship journey, I feel as though i've given up so much, but there is more to relinquish...++show me lord.

Step back and take the long view...

Sometimes I get antsy re:: our journey. Kerri told me to step back and take a look at our journey from God's perspective... it causes me to give up on restlessness and to rest in his guidance.
glad I ran into this in my reading tonight:

The Prayer
of Oscar Romero

It helps now and then to step back and take the
long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts; it is
even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way
of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection, no pastoral visit
brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about:
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that they
hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further
development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond
our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of
liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something and to do it very
well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step
along the way, an opportunity for
God’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the
difference between the master builder and the
worker.
We are workers, not master builders – ministers,
not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen.

Prophetic Simplicity

i long for simplicity in the way I live. in every facet. I don't live as simply as I make myself out to be, but I am on a journey... residue remains... i want to be clean of it. This includes the way I live out what I am for. I am not a politician. I can't speak to many people in many togunes, but I can live simply what I am for. Important stuff on this issue from Tilden Edwards:

Simplicity in prophecy is important. If we take it with heavy seriousness, then our egos easily become attached: "I" am going to "show" the world what is right. "We" are going to "save" the world. Then we tend to become very self-important, cold, rigid and lacking in that light openness to grace which reminds us of the ever surprising mystery of life in God's hands.
Simplicity in prophecy means almost casually doing whatever we decide to do about our lifestyle and social actions. Make no big deal out of it. Expect no one to "follow." Judge no one for not following. Just do what you feel called to do after testing your sense of calling in prayer and with those you trust. The result may be that no one "hears" your prophecy except you yourself at the moment. Accept that as sufficient. If others join you (or you them), fine. Let it be a pilgrimage, not a grand battle plan with the conclusion already witten in your mind. Move one step at a time. Be patiently attentive for the next step to reveal itself. Look agead with hope, and with whatever planning that's called for, but mainly keep yourself open and present, here now. Then social pilgrimage simply continues personal pilgrimage, and vice versa. There is no complicating split.

moved?

I still live in Gahanna, OH. I am ok with this through the grace of God. Why Gahanna? Yea I said something earlier this year with great determination about moving to Grandview... and we are... but we haven't quite yet. And that's O.K. ... for now.

the church at james' house

just got off the ph. with my friend james. I'm really excited for him and the small community of believers that meet in his home each week. they had started seeing more and more of eachother and hospitality was quickly turning from and event into a lifestyle. so they decided that since they are together so often, they would commit to having dinner together every night... that's right... every night. the table will always be set for 7 +. they all live within 5 miles of eachother. backyard bbqs in the summer... stay as long as you need to ... be open to the spirit's leading as to whom you might need to bring home with you that eve. real kingdom living here. i'm proud of him.

my late night sin EXPOSED

a recipe for instant gluttony

step 1. make sure everyone is in bed

step 2. go to fridge and leave cracked for ample lighting

step 3. mix leftover rice, butter, cinnamon and sugar in a mug

step 4. microwave on high for 45 sec.

step 6. pound it with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream

step 7. rinse mouth with swig of milk (strait from container)

step 8. dispose of all evidence.

this is all to be done in your skivs!

Tilden Edwards:: "It is late evening. We are alone, perhaps for the first time since we awoke. Bits and pieces from the day dart in and out of our consciousness. Little desires and fears for tomorrow scatter us further. The more thoughts and feelings that rush through our minds, the more complicated and anxiety-ridden life seems. Maybe TV will help settle us down - or the newspaper - or some work - or sex - or food. Less may gnaw at us then. Life stays put for a moment. We feel in control again - we're "doing" something - anything.
The after-effect of the doing leaves us less anxious, but more drugged. We've exchanged a gnawing anxiety for a dulled sensibility. Maybe, at least, we can sleep now. We do, on the surface. But not below. Our dreams may be troubled. Fragments of life whirl round and round without a center. We wake tired and struggle out for another round."


How long must I wander through this jungle half crazed and blind before the clearing appears?

embrace life

"Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you... That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything." - mark 11:22-24 > the message

I'm still testing this promise out.

the myth of personal holiness

read this good post

sickness as spiritual discipline

If spiritual discipline is a merging of the sacred and the secular into what Chist discribed as kingdom living, then the discipline is always awareness. The more I have begun to focus on what spiritual discipline means in the simple day, the more I realize that it is heavily reliant on my attention to the spiritual in the mundane and the spectacular. I am sick. I have symptoms of the flu. the temptation is to give up on spiritual discipline and awareness during these times of physical hardship. I chose tonight, however, to view my sickness and a chance to commune with the divine in ways that don't happen when I am "up."
Edwards writes in Living Simply Through the Day.

"Aching is very powerful. It has a way of crowding out everything else in our consciousness..."

today when i came home from work, i senced something "brewing." the usual joy of seeing Kerri, Riley, and Trey and talking about their day was replaced by a bare tolerance. No, I don't want to go to storytime,... no, I don't want dinner, ... you put the kids to bed, i'm cashing in...leave me alone.

so i medicated myself. that's why I can blog. but I'm definatly not in touch with the reality of my sickness. that's why the box says I can't drive. am I just muting what my body is trying to tell me?

the simple alternatives to medication are hard. but what if I did find what's at the center of this "dis-ease."

read Luke. story after story of sickness/healing. sickness shoked people awake both physically and spiritually. Prayer is hard to. Getting yourself motivated, asking others, if they ever get around to it... laying on of hands.

St Paul lived with a "thorn." he faced the suffering head on. Suffering is inevitable. It helps me not to take myself to seriously... "lay off for a while" "get someone to cover for you" " you aren't as important as you think"... It brings clarity.

Edwards proposes that pain is an "unwanted but real means of grace."

+++Peace Lord. In the midst of Life, sickness, health, lack, and mystery. Lavish me with your grace.+++

another wknd away

off to bowlinggreen with the whole family tomorrow.
we were invited to head back and see the new church building where we used to be on staff. can't say that i get real excited about the whole bricks and mortar thang. I get somewhat depressed by what others are impressed by (thankyou Denison Witmer) - but it will be good to see old friends.

on another note::
Maggie Brennan is an excellent host @ an excellent station with an excellent program (global village) and I missed what she had to offer today

telling places

I meet with palmer tomorrow morning for a short while. I can't really say what an honor it is for me to waste two hours of his time each week. All I know is that he has seen what I've seen, he's tasted what I've tasted and he's further down the "narrow" than I. Check out this article. He wrote that...beter yet, he lives that.

split pea it is

for those of you who stayed up late wondering who won the cook off, I defiantly heard a lot more BUZZ around the home about the split pea soup. In celebration of my victory, I shall post the cheapestsouptomakeforlargegroupgatheringsinyourhome recipe

24 servings

6 cups green split peas
3 cloves garlic (or 1tsp.garlic powder)
3 onions chopped
4 carrots chopped
4 potatoes cubed
8 stalks celery chopped
24 cups cold water
1 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

wash peas. place peas and all vegetables in large soup pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Season to taste.

option: you can use 1 Tbs. of coriander powder instead of garlic; it gives a robust flavor.

serve with croutons.

( this is a recipe from the Wellspring silent retreat center: church of the savior Washington DC)

write them for more recipe books @

Wellspring Mission Group
11411 Neelsville Church Road
Germantown, MD 20876

"People do not live by bread alone but also do not live long without it. To eat is to acknowledge our dependence both on food and on each other. It also reminds us of other kinds of emptiness that not even the 'blue plate special' can touch."-Frederick Buechner | Wishful Thinking

cook off

kerri is making chili
eric is making split pea

it's on @ 6:30 and you can come over tonight to taste for yourself who's the better cook here at the Stetler's.

(possible special appearance by church planter friends Peter and Mandy Kevinson)

conversation

my son Riley and I had our first extended conversation tonight...
we talked about things like what he ate for dinner, being a big brother, Jesus' presence ("yezus is white ear"), diapers, and big beds... one of the best conversations I've had in a while. Just coming off of mayhem that is saying a lot.

refuge

some friends came over tonight and we ended up doing lectio with psalm 11::

1 In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
"Flee like a bird to your mountain.
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows;
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed,
what can the righteous do [1] ?"

4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.
5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked [2] and those who love violence
his soul hates.
6 On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

we spent time rethinking >>refuge<<

refuge not retaliation
refuge as peace
refuge not fear
refuge as trust
refuge not timidity
refuge as bold confidence

interesting that both chris and tawd both posted on these themes this past week...

Mayhem

off to mayhem with the LP kids and then on to a meeting on Saturday. toodaloo

We're moving to Grandview

Yesterday was a hard day. You might say I had somewhat of a breakdown - yelled at God, broke stuff (not me at all) I got honest with myself. Honest with the fact that I had been saying no to radical discipleship and refusing to move when God said GO. Honest with the fact that I'm not as sure of where I am going and what I'm to be doing as I've made myself out to be. To some this may come as a surprise, to others, you know what Kerri and I have been wrestling with. 1 hour ago we sat in the living room and said "it's time." So let's make it official... we're moving to Grandview, OH.

a.jones:: Jesus tells us to Go but sometimes we also need to Go again, or Go somewhere else. We always need to keep in step with the Spirit, and we feel that God is telling us to Go, and that going is more important right now than arriving somewhere else.

The cleaning ladies are here right now and we just got and end-of-year donation from anonymous that will cover moving expenses and downpayment on space.

Anybody know of a good place to live in G-View?

spiritual discipline

I have been experiencing a serious lack there-of lately. so what I decided to DO (rather than fall in Love with Jesus all over again) is to get creative with the mundane events of my days -- the resource i will use is Living Simply Through the Day:: spiritual survival in a complex age by Tilden H. Edwards. time to dust this one off... it's been on the shelf since early college days. Edwards shows that in the simple rhythm of life... God is there. by eliminating "compulsive stimulants" in my life, I become more aware and simple activity becomes prayer.

new spiritual disciplines::

- eating
- entering / exiting sleep
- journaling dreams (not here though)
- relating (paying attention to others)
- serving
- play
- aching (listening to my body)
- blogging
- spiritual conversation
- playdo and watercolors with Riley
- domestics
- [add to the list}

a bit of Edwards:
Jesus invites us to come: "Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you" (Mt. 7:7). "My way is easy [simple?] and my burden light" (Mt. 11:30). But he also says, "Enter by the narrow gate...for the gate is narrow and the way hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Mt. 7:13).
The way of simplicity is open for everyone. But it requires "all" of us. Total attentiveness. If we play around with it, the result will be the same as with every game when it's over; "real life" is is the same. There is no transformation. The same dull suffering and delusion are still there.

++renew me body soul and spirit Father | i need transcendence that only comes from entering into the realm of the Kingdom with you | may i never seek you for what it benefits me but only for the sake of your glory | simplify me | remove all my dead weight and free me to run ++

Violence: Reflections from a Christian Perspective :Jacques Ellul

What troubles me is not that the opinions of Christians change, nor that their opinions are shaped by the problems of the times; on the contrary, that is good. What troubles me is that Christians conform to the trend of the moment without introducing into it anything specifically Christian. Their convictions are determined by their social milieu, not by faith in the revelation; they lack the uniqueness which ought to be the expression of that faith. Thus theologies become mechanical exercises that justify the positions adopted, and justify them on grounds that are absolutely not Christian.
[read more}


Ok... still buy those other books from billbean but here's some teaser material

04

sorry for the lack of posting lately, just haven't been in the "blogging spirit" as Chris Smith referred to it in a recent post...

hop over there, read his blog, buy those books, live different in 04.

as for me, my only news is that this year I plan on changing some things in my life - and I'm going to start with re-filling the ice cube trays... i struggle in this area...

i always say that no level of accountability can make me the man i want to be, but we'll call this a form of accountability.