harecy101

3 Easy Steps to knowing God.

2010-11-05T15:11:00.003-04:00

Today I was reminded of THE 3 EASY STEPS to living a more Godly/spiritual life. Do these and you are sure to be super Holy!!!

Step 1: Always remember that when it comes to trying to get in touch with, and grow in something as complex as God/Spirituality there are NO simple steps, it's a messy and meaingful process, it's going to take everything you possibly have, embracing failure, Denying Ego, Knowing Jesus are just a couple of the central things.
Step 2: There are no more steps.

Step 3: see Step 1.

This was inspired by this video.

Had a Bad Day

2010-04-27T13:21:00.003-04:00

Was reading through my journal and found this entry from a while back. I thought it was humorous because I am a horrible procrastinator and this day that was really really obvious.

Second thing I remember…
I called Gordon’s food service. I called them because part of our 30 hour famine is doing work projects. This year we are going to cherry street mission to help feed homeless people. I put off calling them because I’m scared of doing anything productive on the phone I guess. It’s like I know that I have to do something and so it immediately becomes my goal to not do it as well as I can. But I decided to press through and call them. It was real easy after they picked up their end of the phone line. Arlene was her name. She reminded me of a really sunny day. She basically planned the meal for me. All this took about 5 minutes. I liked that part of my day! I felt productive even though really it was Arlene who was productive and I was just on the phone with her. But maybe next time I won’t be so scared to pick up the phone to get stuff moving?

Running

2010-04-14T14:17:00.002-04:00

I'm going to start training for a marathon tomorrow.

Funeral 201

2010-04-06T14:34:00.000-04:00

Funeral 201
So after posting Funeral 101 I thought I would follow up with some more thoughts on me doing funerals.

One of the things I loved being a part of was just being there for people. I was so amazed at how many people just needed someone to hug. After the service people I didn’t even know came up to me and just hugged, not your typical quick hug, but hugs that lasted, and that really meant something. I realized that this, so many times, is what people are really looking for in these kinds of situations where loss is so evident. No reassuring words, no explanations, no “it will get better with time” statements. Good hugs communicate so much about how the person you are hugging isn’t alone in this.

And I’ve been thinking about future funerals, and the spiritual side of what I might bring to them. Whenever I’ve been to a funeral that helped me deal with the death of the person, it has been a funeral that reflected excellently on the person’s life. The worst funeral I’ve been to had a preacher practically yelling at the crowd telling them that Unless they believe in Jesus they are going to be sent to Eternal conscious torment by a God who is pure Love… weird. To say something like that at a funeral, for me, would be inauthentic for me and my connection with God.

But what about the fact that some people are going to be thinking about the frailty of Life and really dealing with their immortality, I mean, shouldn’t I “capitalize” on their vulnerable moment? ha that makes it sound like I’m going to trick people into a relationship with God. That’s really going to work.

I want to attract people to a relationship with God by the way I am present in the preparation for the memorial, the memorial itself, and the time after. Rather than try and trick them into something just as “fire insurance.” It’s probably not a good idea to enter into a relationship with someone because if you don’t they are going to hurt you.

I’m really having a hard time putting into words what I feel about this, here are a couple of statements that try and get to what I am feeling.

I feel like I’m called to be the aroma, not the bread.

If people are attracted to the God in me and are curious, than I would be honored to share with them how a relationhip with God has changed me, and journey with them in that exploration as much as possible whatever that looks like for them.

I’m not the electric current, I’m the conductor. I’m not going to try and make a something happen, If God wants to show up for somebody and wants me to be a part of it I’m more than willing. But I’m not going to “shotgun” a crowd of people who’s trust I haven’t earned yet.

This is not to say that I won’t ever talk about Jesus at a funeral. I will totally talk about him if the context is right. Part of that context is Jesus specifically being a part of that persons life. If the Family thinks it’s appropriate. And if I get the sense that people are “hungry” for the “bread,” I would talk to them individually first. I appreciate it when someone talks to me about God in the context of the relationship we have together. I am way more open to hear what the person says. But when someone I don’t know shotguns “the word of the Lord” at me I usually close right up. That might be my issue but I can only do what is authentic for me to do.

So to wrap up this long post.

I love it when a funeral director understands that there is something beautiful even spiritual in just reflecting on a person’s life. When they are really good at being the aroma. Really good at drawing people to a relationship with God not scaring the crap out of them.

Funeral 101

2010-03-10T10:10:00.002-05:00

I had the opportunity to create and lead my Aunt Barbies funeral this past Monday. So a couple of thoughts.
What an experience, I was so grateful to be able to give back something to my extended family. They have given me so much through the years, and it was so fulfilling to try and help them grieve/let go/be there for each other.
My aunt was a super cool lady, Always greeted me with a hug and Smile (and gave me pop whenever I wanted). She was a very open person, and lots of people were touched by her life.
I was extremely touched by the people from her work, from the sound of things, her getting a job where she did was one of the best things for her, they treated her like family. They never quit giving her a paycheck the entire time she was to sick to go to work, and what she said was "they treated me like an actual human being," thanks for loving my aunt like that.
It was so good to see my cousins, Eddie, Bonnie, and Lyn, some of the coolest people I know.

My last quick thought about the funeral... I wanted to create a memorial service that I would want to go to, Something that was about the person who died, recognizing who they are, and that they have moved on, and that that person is now free. That grief is an important process, and not to rush it. And that we are here for each other. I stayed away from anything to preachy, I have been to a couple funerals where the preacher ended up preaching hellfire and brimstone, and totally ruined his opportunity to minister to peoples souls, I might have gone "too far" away from anything preachy, but I will probably always err on that side, it just seems more loving to reflect on the person and be there for people, hugin on em, or crying with them, than to tell people that unless you believe like me you are going to hell..... maybe I'm wrong though.

God's got a plan, and I want to get on board and treat people like he would treat them, like my aunt would treat them.

Why a better Question? I liked the one I already had.

2010-02-11T12:15:00.004-05:00

I think we all ask ourselves questions everyday, every moment. I would suggest that the questions that we ask ourselves lead to the kind of life we will live every day.
Whenever life seems empty and shallow I start to become aware of the questions I'm asking myself. When life seems empty, I usually realize that I have been asking the question, "What do I need to do to feel better?" The good thing about this question is that the answer is mostly instinctual and unconscious. No effort needed at all to answer this. I feel bored, I should watch a movie. I feel sad, I should do something to make me happy. I feel hungry, I should eat. I feel angry, I should take it out on the people closest to me. The downside of this question is that you will just be reacting to everything, and your life will never really become about something deeper. The answer to this question is really uncreative and leaves an empty feeling when the answer has been excecuted.
What do I need to feel better, isn't the kind of life I want to live. It's totally self centered. When I realize that, that is the question I'm asking, I insert the "Why" Question. "Why do I feel empty? Why do I feel sad? Why do I feel happy? Why do I feel like I should feel better?" Why why why why? I just let out a barrage of why questions. Why? because why gets at my motivations, Why isn't knee jerk reaction, Why isn't unconscious and instinctual. Why, jerks you into reality with a whiplash. You will start to see how empty your motivations for living have been, the selfishness that permeates most of your relationships, and the jealousy you have for others who live with the why question and tackle it everyday intentionally. Why gets us to a deeper mode of living.
At first it's hard to ask why. You'll find yourself not even know what to ask why about. But the more you do it, the better you will get at uncovering the motivations you've had in the past few days and figure out a new set of motivations to live from. When I first started asking "why" it would take me 10 minutes of laborious thinking to get to a decision about something. Now it just takes a minute or two. This is a great trade off, I find myself doing more and more things that matter to me, and less things that just "get me through the day." I feel more alive. More like the person I'm supposed to be.

Another Reason to love this food

2010-02-09T14:50:00.001-05:00

Link

My leg is on You tube!!!

2010-02-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hey my leg is on you tube!!!
Found this video of Peter Rollins speaking at a conference that I went to this summer.
My leg is the one on the lower left hand corner of the screen. I totally didn't even know whoever was sitting next to me was recording (illegal people). So yeah check out my leg and whatever Pete has to say is pretty cool to.

blogs roundup

2010-02-02T15:22:00.006-05:00

Hey just thought I would share the top three blogs that I have a habit of checking at least 2 times daily.

1st off is Donald millers blog. I just found this one this past November. It's hard to believe how many years have gone by since I read Blue Like Jazz. That book was one of the few big reasons I'm still involved in the Christian Journey today. It opened me up to an awareness that God is in so many places that I was never expecting Him to be in. Reading his blog is creating that same kind of awareness all over again, but in a new way.

2nd one is (I'm almost scared to say it) Brian McLaren's blog. This blog is dangerous. especially if (like me) you come from a more conservative background. He says things sometimes that will make you have a knee jerk reaction of anger. But I think it's important to read somebody who you know you aren't always going to agree with. In fact I've discovered over the years of reading his stuff, that we have way more in common than I originally thought. He's asking the questions that religion doesn't want to have asked and, go figure, they are the questions that the spiritually seeking tend to ask all the time, and the questions I tend to want to ask but never seem to.

3rd one is a fun one if you are a nerd (i am one, if there was a pledge to the nerd flag that you could say before basketball games and stuff I would proudly say it.) Jeff Vogel is an independent RPG developer. He makes some of the coolest old school feeling Mac and PC games. He has Huge game demos on his Spiderweb software website. And believe it or not, there is quite a bit of crossover between RPG developing and youth ministry. unfortunately he doesn't post very often. But I still check it a couple times a day.

enjoy

What are your top 3 Blogs?

The Bible

2009-12-13T11:40:00.002-05:00

The Bible is what POINTS to God. It is not God itself. I wonder if I end up worshiping the Bible more than I worship what the Bible points to?

"Blast this Chrsitmas Music! It's joyful and triumphant!" The Grinch

2009-12-02T12:38:00.003-05:00

So normally I can't wait for Christmas music to start playing on every radio station, in every mall, on my guitar, through my brain. but this year it has been hard to get into it. I think it has something to do with how this year has gone so fast for me it feels like it should be February of 09 not December. Just not feeling it. Until I came across this song. It's so pimp for a Christmas song. and now I have the whole album, might be the best Christmas album since Mannheim Steamroller, rolled his sweet beats. So BLAST this Christmas music wherever you are and get into the Christmas beats.
Harry
P.S.
This song isn't really a Christmas song but it is also so sweet.

New posts.

2009-11-24T18:12:00.001-05:00

new posts coming soon.

My favorite version of the bible.

2009-10-28T16:33:00.002-04:00

I just found my new favorite version of the Bible, Here

Hellbound :-)

2009-10-27T17:10:00.004-04:00

I was at one of "those" conferences again. (tears and pain)
By "those" I mean the kind that try to prove God created the world, and the way they do this is by disproving evolution. The whole idea that you can prove one thing by disproving something else has always confused me just a little.
Normally when I have experienced this kind of conference, (I get really annoyed and try to get sick so I can leave) I have a hard time because the speakers themselves seem to be downright rude and so unempathetic. Their intentions seem to be good, but the way they go about it makes me never ever ever ever want to be like them. This is sad because ultimately they are trying communicate there is a God who loves them, and they suck at it. But this time it was different at first, The first speaker Ron Carlson (the video on this link has a ton of eastern religions mentioned in it) actually was really..... I don't know..... normal.....ish. ha. Granted this is the ONLY time I have ever heard him speak but, he seemed like a human who loves other humans anyways. I was surprised that I was able to learn something from him. Like how this graph is leading you to believe that based on the layers of rock you can figure out how old a fossil is. but check it, the layers of rock in no way have ever appeared in that order anywhere on the earth. I just thought that was cool and awkward. so yeah even while talking about people who have a different set of beliefs he was really respectful, I totally could learn from that.
BUT THEN......
speaker number 2 got up and this was exactly the kind of person I was expecting at this kind of conference. Really flamboyant, not in the good way, really rude, and ready to let you know all the problems with the world but 0 solutions. I composed a list while he was talking of all thing he thought were heretical, and was not very surprised to find that most of the things he mentioned were things that I practice in my Christian walk. for instance
-a Contemplative life style, because it has it's root's in eastern religion.
Meditation specifically, eastern religious practice
-working toward Social Justice. Because Social sounds like Socialism. I'm being completely
serious.
-Yoga, because you will start writing books that daemons dictate to you...... but more inportantly..... it comes from eastern Religions.
ladaladalada
-Listening to rob bell, I think it's because he has an E in his last name, and you do you know what phrase starts with an E???? Eastern religion.
there's more but I will spare you. (and I don't know if I'm ready to give away all my heretical practices yet.
There was this thread though with the problem being Eastern Religions. And this is the point of this whole post I guess. I really get a kick out of it when people in general talk about eastern religions in general like they are the worst thing on the face of the earth. I just want to remind them in a loving sort of Jesusy way that, Christianity has it's roots in an Eastern Religion. I guess were all going to Hell :-)

But at the end of His talk he got less angry and more level headed and said that ultimately his goal is to see more people including himself live and embody who Jesus is. Even though the way he goes about it is way different than the way I do it. I can appreciate that, and realize that he is just as needed in the body of Christ as I am. (so maybe not at all ha)

peace.

Grape Juice

2009-10-20T22:45:00.007-04:00

I was reminded about a certain person who while I was growing up who told me that,
"Jesus didn't turn the water in to real wine, It was really just grape juice, Jesus wouldn't do that kind of thing because wine leads to evil acts."

So I thought I would correct the bible in several areas. Obviously whoever translated the bible didn't have this important wine/grape juice information.

Genesis 9:20,21 (HHB) (harry's heretical blogging) concerning Noah.

Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its grape juice, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.

Moral: no more grape juice while camping with the family, talk about awkward.

Leviticus 10:9
Concerning The priests
"You and your sons are not to drink Grape Juice whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.

Moral: Oh crap I took communion last sunday

1st Samuel 1:17

and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your Grape Juice."

Obviousy this grape juice stuf is more potent than I originally thought.

And my personal Favorite

Song of Solomon 7:2

Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended Grape Juice. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.

ummmmmm

Well that's all for now, I dare you to find some better verses referring to the grape juice.