Chris Howlett

The Times, They Are A Changin'... I mean since this morning!

Settling In

Well, I have arrived in the Holy City, Wilmore, and have just this moment settled into the townhouse. Rev. Bob Kaylor, of Park City Community Church (UM) in Park City, Utah, was here when I arrived. Rev. Antoni Sinkfield, of St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church in Nashville, Tennessee is on his way. We three roomed together last year, as well, and found that we get along very well together. 

Orientation is at 8:00 a.m. and our first class begins at 9:00 a.m. So, I am wrapping up a couple of assignments that are due tomorrow... nothing like procrastination!!

Yes, this is a brief and boring post, but I thought I would at least get started. Hopefully tomorrow I will have more interesting things to write about. The class that begins tomorrow is the class required of all Doctor of Ministry students that will teach us how we will be developing our ministry project and writing our dissertation.

Have a blessed morning, day, or night... depending on when you're reading this.

Earth Day 2009

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” Psalm 24:1a (ESV)

Notice, the above verse says the earth is the Lord’s… NOT “the earth is the Lord.”  A vital distinction.  Acknowledging the goodness of the creation and being good stewards of the creation are essential.  If we believe the creation accounts in Genesis, that God created the heavens and the earth and called his creation good, then we would naturally want to take care of this earth that he created.  To nurture it to it’s fullest creative potential, to cultivate its beauty and its life-giving capacity.

However, in today’s atmosphere, one must make the very crucial distinction that is oftentimes not very clear in the media, in our educational institutions, and in big business.  (Yes, big business has finally discovered that it is popular and profitable to market “green”).  That crucial distinction is that God created the earth so the earth is not God.  He stands over and against that which he spoke into being.

As Christ-followers, let us take the lead in intelligent, informed environmentalism, and help people see the true motive for any environmentalist agenda must be the love of the God who creates.  Too many people are, unknowingly in many instances, confusing creation with the Creator and making an idol out of the earth.  Terms like Mother Earth and Gaia simply point us to a pagan past that ultimately, ironically, perpetuates the pain and destruction of that which we suppose we love and want to protect.

So, as Earth Day is celebrated, we Christians should probably help remind people from where the earth came and the One who desires we take care of it.

Watch and Weep

I can't embed this video for some reason, so, follow the link and enjoy!

47 year old Susan Boyle on Britian's Got Talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Mardi Gras

I've never really understood Mardi Gras. Oh, I know that "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday," that it is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and that originally it was a day when people feasted on the foods they weren't allowed to eat during Lent (this was prior to electricity and refrigeration, food would spoil, so might as well jump in and enjoy!). No, I mean the Mardi Gras of today. The Mardi Gras of Bourbon Street. The Mardi Gras of parades and plastic beads. I don't get it.

First of all, I think it's pretty much lost it's original purpose. Not many folks who celebrate Mardi Gras are going to be fasting that much during Lent. Even if they were, we have freezers now.

It's an excuse to throw a huge party. I don't need to list all the behaviors and revelries associated with Mardi Gras, you can just as easily find that out anywhere on the internet or the news tonight and tomorrow. But, you know what I mean. By the way, what's up with the beads? Again, I just don't get it. Maybe someone more enlightened can help me.

In a limited defense of Mardi Gras, I was in New Orleans several years ago (pre-Katrina) for a conference. I was staying with my good friend, Trey Harris, who, at the time, was pastoring Algiers United Methodist Church, right across the river from New Orleans, proper. It was just before the season of Mardi Gras, and public workers were busy all over the city putting up bleachers and barricades, getting ready for the various parades held in different neighborhoods. Trey noted that many of the parades are great family friendly community events that give neighbors an opportunity to hang out and have a little fun together. So, it's not all debauchery, I guess. One of the things I enjoyed about New Orleans was the laid back attitude. It was laid back, all the way back. I think Kentucky is fairly laid back compared to other places in the United States, but New Orleans puts us to shame in laid backness!

One good thing about Mardi Gras: King Cakes. Ever had one? They're goooood.

Well, I'll probably spend a rather quiet Mardi Gras. Who knows, I might run across the street to Great Harvest and grab one of those King Cakes! 

Waiting for My Kid

Well, I have never done this before. A long time ago I downloaded this app for my iPhone that allows me to post to the blog from anywhere. So, here I am, waiting for Josiah to get done swimming at the Y. I needed to run down to the hospital to make a visit, he wanted to go to the Y, so I dropped him off, visited the hospital, and now I'm sitting in the parking lot waiting. I should probably go inside and step up on one of those fancy treadmills.

A Tale of Two Santas

Covina, California and Louisville, Kentucky; Bruce Pardo and anonymous man; hate and love. The range of human emotion and motivation is amazing and was evidenced Christmas Eve in these two men, one apparently motivated by jealousy and anger, the other motivated by generosity and grace.

Bruce Pardo dressed up like Santa Claus, traveled to his former inlaws' house where a family gathering was in progress, knocked on the door and began a violent rampage that ended in nine deaths. Among the horrific details is the fact that this family, the Ortegas, gathers every Christmas Eve and has a neighbor, disguised as Santa, over to their house to entertain their grandchildren, so Pardo was granted easy access. The source of his anger? The divorce of he and his ex-wife was finalized only days earlier and he felt her family was siding with her. Duh! What did he expect? After his murderous rampage with a gun he lit the house on fire, accidentally catching his Santa suit on fire, causing serious burns to his own body. He then travelled to his brother's house where, instead of escaping out of the country as originally planned, he committed suicide.

In a south Louisville neighborhood, near Churchhill Downs, a different Santa story unfolded. An anonymous "older man with grey hair" walked down the street knocking on doors. This was not a salesman or a pollster, he didn't want to take anything, except perhaps the sense of satisfaction that comes from doing a good deed. This mystery Santa simply wished the residents Merry Christmas, handed them a Christmas card, and went on to the next house. The neighbors were, understandibly suspicious. Who's this stranger passing out cards on Christmas Eve? But upon further inspection, each card contained a fresh fifty-dollar bill. Motivation? He said "Merry Christmas," so I am assuming his motivation was to spread a little Christmas cheer through this generous gesture.

A tale of two Santas reveals the range of human emotion and action, from utterly corrupt and evil, to incredibly charitable and loving. I only wish that someone could have gotten through to Bruce Pardo with love and grace so he could have turned his self-centered life around in time to save his life and the lives of his victims.

The world needs more kindness, more blessing, more love, more of Christ.

Barack Obama and Rick Warren

Well, Barack Obama has gone and done it now! Can you believe it? He dared to ask Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church to pray at Obama's inauguration!

Liberals are freaking out! They're angry at Obama. Conservatives are livid! They're upset with Warren.

Rick Warren is a Southern Baptist pastor who planted Saddleback Church in 1980. Today, the church hosts around 20,000 people every weekend for worship at its Orange County, California campus. Warren, who has remained amazingly apolitical all these years, did speak out in favor of Proposition 8 in California, which defined marriage as a legally binding relationship between one man and one woman. That's why liberals are angry. They think Obama shouldn't have chosen an "anti-gay" pastor. Of course, this all depends on one's perspective. If you examine his career, you could hardly call Warren "anti-gay." Besides, I thought to be liberal was to be "open-minded"??? I guess it's only an open-mindedness that is extended to positions and outlooks that are congruent with your own. Well, then, that's not really liberal, is it?

Conservatives, on the other hand, are upset with Warren because they believe he should not endorse the leadership of Obama. Let's think about this for a minute. Obama will be the next President of the United States. The Bible clearly... let me say that again, clearly says we are to support and pray for our leaders. Period. Warren's presence and prayer at the inaguration is not an endorsement of Obama's politics, but is a Christian leader offering a prayer at an incredibly important event in the life of the nation. Conservatives, read your Bible... it's a great book, especially when we live by it!

Have we arrived at a point in our nation's history when we have lost the ability to agree disagreably. If so, God have mercy on the USA!

Voted!

For me, voting's not that difficult, my polling place is the church! There are two precincts here, Palomar and Palmetto.  I'm in the Palomar precinct. I have to admit, I failed to vote for the Board of Education. I really intended to educate myself on that election, but I didn't, so I didn't vote in that one.

This morning at about ten after six, I came to the church but the line was WAY too long... I knew it would thin out. Both upper parking lots were nearly full, they had the line snaked around and out the door and even out onto the sidewalk. So, I went to my office and worked until about ten, then headed down to Wilmore to hear Shane Claiborne speak at the Asbury Seminary chapel with our own Mark Burns. I must say, I was impressed. He didn't get too controversial, but spoke mainly about being the church, trusting in God, and joining God in his mission of changing the world. Shane is one of the founding members of The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He is the author of the book, Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals , which I referenced in my message on Sunday, titled, "Jesus for President." While I don't agree with all the positions Claiborne takes, I wholeheartedly endorse the spirit of love and humility he brings to the table and his conviction that the Church needs to be the Church and we need to stop depending on the government to do what the Church is supposed to do.

Then, drove back to the church to drop off Mark, ate some lunch, headed back to the church at about 1:00 p.m., walked in and voted, NO WAITING! Wow was that easy!

So, if you're reading this on Tuesday, November 4, get out and vote. Be a "good" resident alien of the Kingdom!