Good News

Christians are always talking about the Good News, and about preaching it and sharing it. But as with anything, eventually terms wear out and names start to become meaningless. The “Good News” may be a term that many of my readers are familiar with but one that has perhaps lost the excitement it once had. And it may be a term that many of my readers have never heard before. So I am attempting to reframe—What is the Good News? What is being celebrated? What is God telling us?

He is telling us that finally, finally, the work He began at the creation of the world can continue. Finally, the gap between us and Him can be closed. Finally, He can redeem us and we can be part of His plan to make the world as it should be.

There are many things in this world that we look at and think, “This isn’t the way things should be.” There are wars and famines and floods, people dying, old and young alike, children sick, families going hungry, people living without shelter. Our thoughts are true: This isn’t how the world should be.

But this is what we choose, unwittingly or otherwise. We choose our way instead of God’s, demand our right to do what we want. We decide that we want to go our own way and be responsible to ourselves alone. And we’ve walked away from God. But there’s this “Good News”. What’s changed?

Jesus lived and died. That is a historical fact, but Christians differ from the rest of the world because we believe He didn’t stay dead. What an amazing thought that is. For someone to die and come back to life? Impossible. But what if we were to accept that this is true? What does that mean?

Jesus defeated death.

The biggest thing that feels wrong and wasteful to us has been reversed.

“The wages of sin is death,” so says the Bible. We have all done wrong things and therefore, we all die. “But,” it continues, “the gift of God is eternal life.” Jesus did nothing wrong. But He chose to die and to use His purity to take on the sins of the world. He had no debt to pay, so His death paid for the debts of us all. And now we are the good news. We are redeemed to God. We are now a part of His work to redeem the world and make it the way it is supposed to be.

It isn’t an easy step to take, I admit, for He asks us to give up everything that we have taken. He asks us to submit once again to Him, to again do things the way that He wants and to again live our lives according to His plan.

But through this, even though we may not see it in this lifetime, we can see and live in the world God intended for us to live in, with things the way God intended for them to be.

Following Jesus is difficult. But there is joy and hope and renewal. Redemption is the process of remaking. Something old made new again, something broken made whole. He asks all, He gives all.

This truly is Good News.

Wanna dance?

This is how I spent my reading week. More or less

New Year’s Resolutions redux

On January 1st of this year, I posted a list of resolutions on my Blogger site. That post can be found here.

We are just under two months away from the new year and so I think it would be worthwhile to examine my resolutions and how (or even if) I have improved in the course of the year since making them. This is actually the first time I have gone back and looked over resolutions from the past. Other years I have made them, but they were usually on a looseleaf sheet of paper or buried in a journal or school notebook, and so I never found them again before the new year was upon us. Over the past month, I have stumbled across my New Year’s Resolutions post several times, and so I think it is important that I make some examination of it.

The reason I chose each resolution is listed in the original post. Here, I shall simply state the resolution and how I think I have or have not improved.

1. I will be more decisive.

Hmm. Well, as with anything else, it is a work in progress. But I have noticed that my conversation is moving in this direction. Rather than taking an “I don’t care, whatever” approach, I am more able to approve and forward a plan. I am also noticing a greater initiative taken in bringing plans to fruition. As well, I have become far more able to declare when I don’t approve a plan. In the past, it was often the case that I would shrug and say, “Well, whatever” if I really didn’t want to do something. And while that is sometimes the appropriate response, I am learning to be honest with my opinion and perspective, especially when the person I am talking with would genuinely like to know the truth behind where I am coming from. Unless I notice any serious changes that need to be made in the next two months, I think I can safely graduate this from the list. While it is something I need to keep working on, I think I can safely move my focus in the new year.

2. I will remember that physical activity helps with stress management.

I don’t think it has been a conscious decision, but I have adopted regular physical activity into my lifestyle. Let me modify that statement. I have adopted regular physical activity that I enjoy into my lifestyle. As you are probably completely aware, I have taken up swing dancing, something that I do at least twice a week. I attend a weekly dance and I have enrolled in weekly lessons. As I said, it wasn’t a purposeful move. My thought process wasn’t “I need physical activity to help with stress management”; it was more “I love dancing, how can I get more involved?”. As a result, I have noticed that my stress level is reduced. Granted, it probably helps that I have completed my undergrad degree, but there is more peace and more energy in my life now than before when the physical activity I chose was less purposeful and less enjoyable.

3. I will breathe Scripture.

I composed an email several nights ago and in the course of it, I did something I have not done in a very long time: I quoted Scripture. I unconsciously quoted Scripture. I mean, I knew it was from the Bible, but my thought process wasn’t, “Oh, I think a verse should go here, wait, let me find one.” No, it was something that had been on my mind and in my heart, and so it naturally came in the course of my writing.

This, however, is one area that I know I can continue improving on. I still do not spend enough time in Scripture. It is a lot more regular than it used to be, but I am not purposeful in it, and I do not dwell in it as I would like. I re-read emails, poetry and novels with a regularity that puts my Scripture reading to shame. I do not know it as I would like. This, I think, will be something I keep into the new year. But I would like to focus on it differently. I am not sure how, but I have two months to continue contemplating this.

4. I will find a stronger rein for my tongue.

Uh oh. Yea, FAIL. I haven’t been purposeful about this one at all. This I will keep on my list.

5. I will not be afraid to make mistakes.

Another fail.

It’s funny, I have a lot to say about the areas where I feel improvement, but not nearly as much in the areas where I haven’t improved as I would like to.

If anything, I have become more afraid of making mistakes. So, this will likely stay on the list.

6. I will choose to live joyfully and full of hope.

This is a hard-earned success, one that I think is still hesitant in its display. But I think it is very worth encouraging it to bloom. You can either choose to live clouded by despair and fear or you can choose to live guided by joy and hope. I am choosing the latter. This will probably stay on the list, but I am not sure in what form.

7. I will have fun.

Yay, big success. I have had a lot of fun this past year. I wrote in my original post,

There is much to be done, much to be excited for, much to plan and hope and dream.

And how right I was. This will probably stay on, not because I have failed, but because it is important to remember. It is easy to get caught up in all of the to-do’s and should-do’s, but it is really important to remember to have fun while doing them.

Stay tuned come January 2009 for a brand new list of resolutions, and I would encourage you to think of some yourself. I think there are always ways that we can improve and by writing them down, it does then beg an examination of them later on. If you choose to write them on a public forum, send me a link, and we can see how we all are doing in the months to come.

God bless!

Kingston

So, my disclaimers first. I had not the time nor the resources to touch these up the way they deserved. Also, I am not the photo expert that my dad is. I was just playing. My primary purpose is to make all my friends jealous and to surreptitiously (or perhaps not so much ) hint at how gorgeous a town it is, and you know, try and convince ya’ll to move up there .

The view outside our hotel window

A house downtown

Another house

Keep in mind, this isn’t some of the architecture in Kingston, this is most of the architecture in the downtown area.

Some construction workers

So I was standing taking pictures looking into the park and all I heard from behind me was “hey! hey, over here!” It took me a second to clue in that someone was shouting at me. When I looked back, this construction worker at the top of the ladder was all smiles, his hands thrown dramatically over his head. “Over here!”

So I took a picture (click for a larger view)

A building on the Queen's University campus

Looking up at an old church

A different view of the church

Don’t you love it? Come live here! Or at least come visit

Benjamin Zander

Brilliant.

He is the author of the book The Art of Possibility. A very good speaker, and has lots of wonderful and inspiring thoughts to share.

Goodbye

I could write about being done. But I don’t really want to. I could write about the harried packing and goodbyes of yesterday morning. But I don’t really want to. I could write about how strange it is trying to bring myself to understand that I am never moving back to that place and never living with those people again. But I’d really rather not.

What I would like to write about is the chaos my room in my parents’ house is in. Every year, I pack up the things from that room that I believe I’ll need to take with me to school. Throughout the school year, I add to what I’ve taken each time I visit home. By the end of the year, yes, I have an awful lot more than what I began with, but I did bring it all from the same bedroom. Upon arriving home, I realize that there is absolutely no space in my room to house all of the things that I am attempting to force it to hold. I do not understand how this works. I empty a bookshelf to take with me, but on returning home, there is not nearly enough room for all the books I have. Do I really purchase that many books while away? Do textbooks really take up that much room? Do I really forget how packed all of the storage spaces in my room are every time I come home?

One thing I will say about goodbyes is this: all of the friends I have made in these past four years have made an impact on me. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without their love and care, their jokes and silliness, their earnest attention, their unexpected passions, their desire to pursue a deeper faith. I have been encouraged and inspired and incredibly blessed. As I was driving home, that is all I could think about my time in that place. I have been so blessed. I never would have imagined the friendships I have made. They have–you have–all exceeded my expectations and my greatest hopes for the kinds of people I would meet there. I will miss everyone very much. But I am glad for the opportunities we have had to touch each other’s lives and for the grace to see God working in those connections. No matter how small, one life touching another cannot help but make a difference. Love and blessings. Numbers 6:24-26.

Celebration

I love celebrating.

I never really identified this as a terribly characteristic part of my personality, but I’m discovering, as winter melted into spring, which is now quickly gurgling into summer, and as I celebrate little events marking the season that I love celebration. Even the word is delightful. Celebration.

Today I purchased my first Iced Cap of the season. It is deliciously warm outside, and we were sitting outside basking in the glow of the sun. A friend came out, desirous of returning some books to the library, and mentioned that she was heading to Tim Horton’s on her way back. And, of course, I agreed to go with, to celebrate the arrival of spring/summer with a cool, caffeinated beverage (p.s. I could really go for a glass of water right now )

And so today I celebrate the warmth of the day with the First Iced Cap of the Season.

Two weeks

It’s slowly starting to sink in.

We had our term end banquet last night. The residence where I used to live holds one every term, just after classes end and a few days before exams begin. It is always a lot of fun: a good excuse to get all dolled up, a delicious meal, speeches and thank-you’s, dessert, a talent show and a dance to finish things off. It’s a Mennonite residence (this, not this) and so the evening begins with a chapel service. It really hit during that service. The chaplain asked some graduating students to share something of their faith journeys during their time associated with the residence, and two of those students are very good friends of mine. Both speeches were delightful to listen to, but one hit close to home especially. He is currently one of my neighbours and I think we’re both at the same place as far as graduating goes. We’ve both lived as a part of this residence community for our whole undergrad, our friends are almost all mutual friends, and we’re both preparing to say goodbye to a place and a community that has become a family to us. I appreciate the chapel services because they allow for private reflection through corporate worship. In those reflections, I realized how much I am going to miss this place and these people.

The rest of the night was delightful. At the dance, I realized that my swing technique has improved since I first learned. A better indication of the grasp I am developing of dancing is that I realize, despite the improvement, how horrid my technique actually is… The technique class I sat in for this past weekend probably assisted that realization

I also have a lot of wonderful pictures from before and during the events of the night. I don’t think I’ve ever taken that many pictures at a term end banquet before.

Afterward (12:30 or 1:00am), we went back to the guys’ apartment and sat up talking and… *cough*watching YouTube videos*cough*… until 2 or 3 in the morning.

And now it is back to routine. It’s so strange to have that ending, that good bye, but to still have two weeks before actually leaving. (Only two weeks? Really?)

1 essay, 3 exams and several dozen goodbyes…

The beginning of the end

I feel the need to justify my choice of title, for it sounds to me more melancholy than I intend. I chose it because of the poetic, if somewhat cliché, nature of it.

My convocation ceremony is in a week.

Well, it isn’t the university convocation – I won’t be receiving my diploma – but it is a smaller ceremony with the residence I lived at in my first and second years (the residence that the apartment building I am currently living in is associated with). It will be a smaller ceremony, and each of the graduating students will say a very short sound byte of what their plans are for the future. It’s on my mind because some friends were asking when and where it was. If you’re a friend and would like to come but don’t know the details, send me a note and I’ll get them to you.

The past couple of weeks have felt a little strange. We’ve started reverting to first year in our behaviours; that is, playing cards on a regular basis, going out for ice cream or dinner, staying up late watching movies – all of those things that we stopped doing as the routine shifted more to schoolwork and household management. It’s been good, though, to get back to the fun, random things we used to do.

I was talking with another friend of mine who is graduating as well, and we agreed that a good balance was going to be difficult to find for the next couple of weeks. As much as we would like to study to do well on our exams, we also want to spend these next weeks with our friends, doing all of this random stuff.

It took all term, but I think with my speech, things are slowly starting to sink in. As much as it is the start of something new and (hopefully) exciting, it is also the end of something good, something that is going to be dearly missed.

I’ve learned…

This is a part of the speech I was preparing for. I gave it last night at the residence supper.

—————————————————————————-

I’ve learned…

…that it’s okay to be wrong.

…that sometimes it’s good to act like a kid.

…that it is better to ask and look foolish for a moment than to remain silent and likewise remain foolish.

…that different perspectives mean different interpretations of situations.

…that just because someone thinks differently from you doesn’t automatically make them wrong.

…that sometimes when someone thinks differently, they are wrong.

…that we won’t always know the difference between the two, but it is important that we strive after wisdom so that we can.

…that a wrong turn is either a mistake or an adventure depending how you look at it and it’s your attitude towards the situation that often dictates how satisfied you will be with your life.

…that every mistake is a learning experience.

…that the joy of growing older comes through maintaining the delights of childhood.

…to never stop being impressed, by new knowledge, by achievement, by beauty.

…that nothing beats going home.

…that new things are the fruit of life. No matter how strange they may look, or how difficult the skin is to break through, once you’ve done it, its sweetness is well worth the effort.

…to never be afraid to try something new.

…that it’s okay to say ‘no’, whether it’s to something you’re uncomfortable with, something you don’t want to do, or (and especially) when you have a big paper due the next day and you’ve only written the introduction.

…that procrastination is so much better with a friend.

…that the unplanned conversations are always the best.

…to always make time to be spontaneous.

…to keep a journal. It sounds lame, but oftentimes, it’s the reality check that you need, a place to release your thoughts, and when you look back on it, it is a record of where you were. With it, you can see just how far you’ve come.

…to find people who think the same way you do, who are on the same page you are, who have the same values and views of the world that you do and keep them close. They will be people who will encourage you and people you can lean on when you need it, people who can keep you centered when you’re feeling off-balance.

…to find people who think differently than you do. They will keep you sharp, give you a chance to think thoroughly about your ideas, and make you question whether you are holding onto them for the right reasons. They will be the ones who will throw you off-balance so that you can see whether the ground you are standing on is firm or not.

…to always maintain a healthy balance between the two. We need the challenge of difference, but also the support of the same. Too much of one or the other, and whether the ground is solid or not, we could topple over.

…that it’s okay to need help and that there are always people willing to give it, if only you ask.

…that you can know someone and love them and still be mad at them

…that forgiveness is sweeter than anger

…that forgiveness, even though it feels like it is for the other person, is actually for your own sake. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis Smedes

…that the price of staying up with a friend who is struggling is small compared to the price of knowing they were struggling and you didn’t (or couldn’t) help.

…that honesty is better than false reassurance, and that honesty mixed with a heavy dose of love is better than both.

…that sometimes the best of friends are made in the most unexpected ways.

…that everyone deserves a chance, that everyone, no matter who they are, has something of great value to offer those around them, even though it sometimes takes a great deal of patience to get at that something.

…that offering our own something to those around us is of the greatest satisfaction and relief.

…that if you are willing, you will always be surprised by life and the people around you.