It's Just One of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days where it is like a dream? Not a dream in a sense that there are abnormal or supernatural things happening, but in a sense that you are outside of your own self and viewing the day go by, but it's as if you're not in control. Today was one of those days for me. The entire day I kept doing things, saying things, and feeling things that I don't think I usually would and I'm not sure why.

On a lighter note, Christmas is only six days away. Here's a little clip from "A Christmas Story" to get everyone in the "Christmas" spirit.

Can't Buy Me Love

Or can you? I can't get enough of this book, Blue Like Jazz. I was reading a chapter today about loving others. In the excerpt I'm giving you, Don (the writer of the book) was at a lecture at an alumni event (even though he wasn't alumni himself). The professor was discussing the power of metaphors.

"Mr. Spencer then asked us about another area in which he felt metaphors cause trouble. He asked us to consider relationships. What metaphors do we use when we think of relationships? We value people, I shouted out. Yes, he said, and wrote it on his little white board. We invest in people, another person added. And soon enough we had listed an entire white board of economic metaphor. Relationships could be bankrupt, we said. People are priceless, we said. All economic metaphor. I was taken aback.
And that's when it hit me like so much epiphany getting dislodged from my arteries. The problem with Christian culture is we think of love as a commodity. We use it like money."

This hit me like a ton of bricks. I love people as if it is something I have to distribute and to those who I believe "deserve" it. God showed me today that I shouldn't do that. So look out for some lovin' - World.

Rational Reality?

I read this passage from Blue Like Jazz, dealing with worship, last night and it spoke to me in an enormous way. It reads:

"It comforts me to think that if we are created beings, the thing that created us would have to be greater than us, so much greater, in fact, that we would not be able to understand it. It would have to be greater than the facts of our reality, and so it would seem to us, looking out from within our reality, that it would contradict reason. But reason itself would suggest it would have to be greater than reality, or it would not be reasonable."

I am a very realistic person. Logic is a key to my life. If something doesn't make sense I attempt to make it. I like the fact that God doesn't function on a level the same as mine. If he did, he wouldn't be God. My logic and strains to put this crazy world into a working system is pointless compared to what God can comprehend and achieve. So often I try to put God in a box so that I can understand him, or as Don Miller puts it, "we attempt to chart God, because we want to be able to predict Him, to dissect Him, to carry Him around in our dog and pony show." I am cool with God as long as he fits my standards. God is awesome as long as he doesn't interfere with what I think is right. It would be preposterous to think that God knows what's best, and I am the stupid one. If for just one second I could take my selfish eyes off of what I want and focus completely on God, he would show me so much. Thank God for his saving Grace.

Minority Report

The other day I was approached by a man at my work who proceeded to state (although in the form of a quesiton): "There aren't many minorities who work here are there?" Now I was quite baffled by this man's question/statement because the meaning of "minority" has become quite subjective, especially in Southern California. In my confusion, I then asked him if by "minority" he meant black people (seeing as how he was a black man himself). I think he was slightly taken aback by my willingness to further the conversation and he kind of mumbled and left. The definition of "minority" according to Dictionary.com is "the smaller part or number; a number, part, or amount forming less than half of the whole." Now I find it interesting to note that this man's definition of "minority" was black people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau for Ontario, CA, the percentage of persons with Latino or Hispanic origins is 59.9% while the percentage of those reporting to be white is 47.8%. Therefore, by definition, his statement would be rather unobservant, seeing as how the majority of people working when he visited my place of work would place themselves in the "white" category. Many people are afraid to say what they mean and mask their words with euphemisms. It seems like the system operates in this manner as well. We cannot upset the "minority groups" and we must be politically correct. Now I, for one, am anything but racist, but sometimes I put into question the legitimacy and sincerity and some of these groups. I wonder if they're not actually helping rid the world of wrongs, but actually kindling the flame for which more wrong can be born.

Staring Contest

I've stumbled upon a bit of frustration recently. I feel as though every time I'm in public, and I'm doing my thing (eating, walking, driving, sitting, whatever) I'm unconsciously and unwillingly involved in something I've come to coin as the "staring contest". What I'm referring to is the concept that if two men meet eyes in public, it is the sole responsibility of each individual to shoot out a stern look and not look away. The one that looks away first is of course the loser. I find myself in this bout day after day while driving, at school or work: pretty much any time I could possibly come into contact with someone of the same gender that I do not know personally. The conflict for me is in this actions display of selfishness and pride. Why is it that a males' status should be judged upon the fact that he can stare at you longer than you could at him? Is what makes a man a real man the fact that he can scornfully make a face and look as though he hates you and his life? Of course this is not what defines manhood, but then why does it occur? Do men have to reassure themselves so much of their masculinity that they must feel the self-gratifying pleasure of knowing that he has won the staring contest? I guess the answer to that question is "Yes", but I would love to live in a world where it was "No". It seems like only in movies, set in England or the Old West, do people greet strangers with a friendly wave and a kind gesture to recognize a fellow human. I would love for the contest to turn into a friendly smile or wave, maybe a quick "hello". I don't see why this world has to be a place where we are all competing to be better than everyone else. Lets be the first to stop the competition and the next time you find yourself in the contest, instead of sheepishly looking away, or returning a spiteful look, try giving a smile. There's no reason why we cannot be kind, compassionate, joyful and loving and still be men. Don't let society fool you and don't let the Staring Contest last any longer.

Hello

Hey. This is my first "official" blog. I have lots of opinions, ideas, and random things going on in my life so what better place to share them than here. I also realized that all my friends have blogs and I don't want to be the guy that's "too cool" to jump on the band wagon.