the journey is the destination
and i'm trying to make you sing
from inside where you believe
like it's something that you need
like it means everything.
and i'm trying to make you feel
that this is for real
that life is happening
and it means everything
and i'm trying to make you sing.
--DCB, "The Lark Ascending Or (Perhaps More Accurately, I'm Trying to Make You Sing)"
Do you notice the artistic beauty of this lyric/poem/song/masterpiece? It ends the same way it began. A nice inclusion.
I think Christianity has earned a bad reputation. History can show you why. People, like Friedrich Nietzsche, have said that Christianity focuses too much on the afterlife. Our belief in heaven or some kind of afterlife detracts value from the world around us. This was one of Nietzsche's problems with Christianity. Of course, Christianity is going to continue valuing this afterlife, this life that is in direct contact with God, this life in heaven, but look around you. Seriously, stop looking at the computer screen. Notice the people around you, the music you are listening to, the weather, the news, your environment, etc. Crazy, huh? Why shouldn't we value our experiences in the here in now? Life is happening all around us, every second. We need to take advantage of this while we can--unless you believe in reincarnation, then I guess you will have a few more chances to enjoy it.
Don't think I'm crazy. Jesus even encouraged valuing our human experiences in the process. The gospels are full of talk about the kingdom of heaven/God. Many people, myself included, hear this word and immediately think of heaven or the afterlife. However, this kingdom is something we live, walk, run, and breathe in every day. It involves the ruling presence of God on earth. This kingdom involves every facet of your life, such as being authentically kind, losing and gaining control while mountain biking, loving God, embracing beauty, living life to the fullest, ETC. We have a responsibility of establishing this kingdom of heaven/God in areas of our life that it is currently not established--check out Jesus' prayer in Matthew 6. If that doesn't bring value to the here and now, I don't know what will.
Last semester, UBC had a fall retreat at the Student Life Center at Baylor. As part of this night, my friend Don came down from Austin and set up a worship labyrinth. If you have never done one of these, you need to. Basically, in a labyrinth, you follow a path. Along this path you come to different areas where you read/write/paint/pray/meditate. The focus is to make you slow down, listen, respond, and perhaps be changed. The one Don set up focused on the journey through the room. However, the journey in the labyrinth represented a microcosm of everyday life. That is, hanging out with friends, working in the office, going to class, biking, running, pain, sorrow, loss, laughter, love, etc.=the beginning of the journey. This journey is the destination. See the inclusion?
Here is what you need to do before you leave: open your preferred music application. Select David Crowder Band--A Collision (3+4=7)--The Lark Ascending Or (Perhaps More Accurately, I'm Trying to Make You Sing). Turn your speakers up...way up. Hit play. Enjoy the mock interview. Then, as the music fades in, let it move you. I mean, let it take hold of you from inside and enjoy every second. After all, life is happening. And for right now, it does mean everything. peace
from inside where you believe
like it's something that you need
like it means everything.
and i'm trying to make you feel
that this is for real
that life is happening
and it means everything
and i'm trying to make you sing.
--DCB, "The Lark Ascending Or (Perhaps More Accurately, I'm Trying to Make You Sing)"
Do you notice the artistic beauty of this lyric/poem/song/masterpiece? It ends the same way it began. A nice inclusion.
I think Christianity has earned a bad reputation. History can show you why. People, like Friedrich Nietzsche, have said that Christianity focuses too much on the afterlife. Our belief in heaven or some kind of afterlife detracts value from the world around us. This was one of Nietzsche's problems with Christianity. Of course, Christianity is going to continue valuing this afterlife, this life that is in direct contact with God, this life in heaven, but look around you. Seriously, stop looking at the computer screen. Notice the people around you, the music you are listening to, the weather, the news, your environment, etc. Crazy, huh? Why shouldn't we value our experiences in the here in now? Life is happening all around us, every second. We need to take advantage of this while we can--unless you believe in reincarnation, then I guess you will have a few more chances to enjoy it.
Don't think I'm crazy. Jesus even encouraged valuing our human experiences in the process. The gospels are full of talk about the kingdom of heaven/God. Many people, myself included, hear this word and immediately think of heaven or the afterlife. However, this kingdom is something we live, walk, run, and breathe in every day. It involves the ruling presence of God on earth. This kingdom involves every facet of your life, such as being authentically kind, losing and gaining control while mountain biking, loving God, embracing beauty, living life to the fullest, ETC. We have a responsibility of establishing this kingdom of heaven/God in areas of our life that it is currently not established--check out Jesus' prayer in Matthew 6. If that doesn't bring value to the here and now, I don't know what will.
Last semester, UBC had a fall retreat at the Student Life Center at Baylor. As part of this night, my friend Don came down from Austin and set up a worship labyrinth. If you have never done one of these, you need to. Basically, in a labyrinth, you follow a path. Along this path you come to different areas where you read/write/paint/pray/meditate. The focus is to make you slow down, listen, respond, and perhaps be changed. The one Don set up focused on the journey through the room. However, the journey in the labyrinth represented a microcosm of everyday life. That is, hanging out with friends, working in the office, going to class, biking, running, pain, sorrow, loss, laughter, love, etc.=the beginning of the journey. This journey is the destination. See the inclusion?
Here is what you need to do before you leave: open your preferred music application. Select David Crowder Band--A Collision (3+4=7)--The Lark Ascending Or (Perhaps More Accurately, I'm Trying to Make You Sing). Turn your speakers up...way up. Hit play. Enjoy the mock interview. Then, as the music fades in, let it move you. I mean, let it take hold of you from inside and enjoy every second. After all, life is happening. And for right now, it does mean everything. peace
Comments
i've been timing walkman (that's ipod 1.0 for you young bucks) to where The Lark Ascending is the last song before i finish my runs. it's been great.
hey carney and mrs. carney and singleton and sheay and the dugans... tomorrow night (saturday) harris and i have talked about having dinner at la fiesta. y'all in? it would have to be after 7, since that's when i get off. of work, that is.
Sounds like a plan. I'll chk w/ my boss and see if we can bounce wit-ya. Hey, Sin-Town, get u a blog or subject urfoolself to oliveourire.
PEACE!