Which is the greater discipline:
Limiting oneself to one cup of coffee per day?
OR
Committing to drinking no coffee at all?
Click comments below to… well… comment on commitment, limitations, discipline, and coffee.
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Sweden.
It appears as though my last post was published on August 11 – almost a month ago. I suppose there is a reason why I have not written in nearly a month. On August 12 I was offered and accepted a new position at MVNU, where I have served as a Resident Director for the last 3 years. I am now in the position formerly known as the Associate Dean. Though the listed responsibilities are essentially and/or technically the same as in previous years, the name of the position has changed, symbolically reflecting the change that I will/am bring/bringing. I am serving as the Director of Student Involvement and Accountability in the Office of Student Development. My title is the next-to-longest name second only to Rick Teasdale (not to be confused with an actual person), the Assistant Associate Vice Regional Director to the Chancellor of Student Services. My new role at MVNU includes serving as an advisor to the Student Government Association, chairing of the University Judicial Council and Campus Life Council, providing leadership development and mentoring to students, and handling all discipline process and accountability standards for students. I’m also the University Liaison to the Parents’ Association.
In the midst of the transition into my new position I’ve been quite wrapped up with a number of things. Sarah, Kyla, and I moved out of the RD apartment attached to Oakwood Hall. Per my request, we were able to maintain MVNU’s campus as our place of residence. My next post will tell about our move down the hill from Oakwood Hall to the Rosewood Apartments. We primarily wanted to remain on campus in order to continue living life among the students that we love, opening our home to all those who accept the invitation to journey with us, together in the struggle to learn what it really means to live in the way of Jesus.
I realized during a time of silence on our SGA Retreat (a couple of weekends ago) that the consistent and abnormal practice of solitude, prayer, and reflection is essential in the midst of all the things both good and bad that fill our lives. So… I am not particularly proud of the fact that I’ve had only 2 days off in the last 29 days but I am excited to enter a new season of life that possesses a more natural and healthy rhythm of existence. A more consistent schedule of thinking and writing will reignite the posts that are going to be published on a much more regular basis now that the time demands of transition have subsided.
I also moved into a new office. It’s name is Sweden. Stop by. We’ll share some coffee and conversation.
Peace.
Intelligent Consumption?
Intelligent consumption. Is there such a thing? I suppose there must be such a thing. We all consume. Consumption in and of itself is not inherently evil. A human must consume food to live. If one gives, another is consuming that which is given. The basic idea of consumption is not bad even though language in different Christian conversations promotes either excessive consumption based upon a terrible understanding of God’s desire to “bless” humans or the extreme opposite idea that any and all consumption is evil.
How often do we really think about what we buy? What we put into our bodies? What we fill our lives with? Every time I make a purchase I’ve been considering, “How has/does/will this purchase effect those around me? Is anyone being marginalized or hurt do to my purchase?” I may know the name of a country from where a product was manufactured or sown but I don’t know the working conditions of those who helped produce that product. I do not know the process for harvesting the resources that compose a product nor how that process effects the earth and/or other humans positively or negatively. Are my purchases enslaving a worker in terrible conditions or stimulating a nation’s economy and sustainability? In my journey to become a more responsible and good consumer I am going to offer some ideas that I have recently (or not-so-recently) been practicing:
1) Drink water.
It is common for a soda, lemonade, or tea to cost $1.49 – $2.69 when ordered at a restaurant. Order water. Add a lemon. Your two year old daughter might eat the whole thing. Plus, 2 drinks at $3.98 adds $.60-$.80 in tip to your bill.
And don’t drink water from a bottle unless it is a reusable bottle that you fill with tap water. If all the money used for the production and distribution of bottled water was reallocated toward well digging and filtration, clean water could be provided for every human being in the world. I’m glad my daughter doesn’t have to drink disease infested water. Aren’t you (that is, if you have a daughter… or if you love my daughter)?
We all wear shoes. Well, some of us wear shoes. Many in the world need shoes to prevent disease from entering their open sores, blisters, and raw skin that exist due to lack of foot protection. I stopped in the Puma store at Easton a couple of days ago and found out about a program called Souls for Souls. Here’s the deal: Take any used pair of shoes into a Puma store. When you donate those shoes to be distributed to those in need of shoes, you receive 30% off your shoe purchase. I found a very nice Speeder Mesh II shoe for $62 that ended up costing only $46.44 after tax (I refuse to pay more that $50 for a pair of shoes and prefer the $30-$40 range). I am considering taking in an old pair, buying a new pair at 30% off and immediately donating that new pair. Thoughts?
I also have a pair a Toms that I received at a leadership conference. They are very lightweight. Check out tomsshoes.com. For every pair of shoes your purchase, a new pair will be given to a child in need.
3.) Drink Socially Conscious Coffee.
OK. You’re right. The coffee itself is not socially conscious but the means of growth, harvest, trade, transport, and consumption is. I stopped in at Ten Thousand Villages, 
an organization that focuses on friendship with global artisans, to check out their fair trade coffee. I came upon organic, fair trade coffee which is also certified CarbonFree®. The smell of the Sumatra “Telong” from the Aceh province in Sumatra, Indonesia captured me as did the certification that ensures that coffee farmers are working in shaded conditions and receiving fair wages for their work.
I am also trying out Costa Rican Tarrazu from World Market. It is Fair Trade certified and especially useful for any of you who are attempting to complete a M.A.R. in Missional Leadership whilst being a loving husband, devoted father, interactive Resident Director, loyal friend, SGA advisor, adjunct instructor, and compassionate follower of Jesus.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Do as little as possible.
Since my commitment during the Lenten Season involves (among other things) drinking only unadulterated black coffee, pure black, green, or red leaf tea, natural cranberry juice, orange juice, and high quality H2O, I ordered a tall black coffee from Starbucks in lieu of my typical half cinnamon vanilla latte or chai tea latte with a shot of espresso. The sleeve on my cup was advertising Tazo brand leaf tea and included a inspirational saying that read, "YOUR NEXT ‘ACTION ITEM’: DO AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE." I agree and disagree with the catchy and quasi-gimmicky phrase. I’ll sum up my thoughts in two short sentences and leave it there for your comments and reflection.
Apathy is violent.
Sabbath is elusive.
Driving on Empty.
After receiving a number of comments (some online and some in conversation or e-mail) about the "Why MVNU Students Go To Journey" posts, I think there is great value in responding to some of those comments.
Response to Journey Comments #2. The 20 minute drive from MVNU in Mount Vernon, OH to Howard, OH .
The concept of locality and proximity has centralized within my processing of ecclesiology. Proximity is a loaded concept for the church. I didn’t feel like I fully articulated all that cycled through my head while briefly expalaining "#2. The 20 minute drive…" Particularly, I think I was too cordial with a positive spin.
While a core desire for connectivity exists, are attendees of a larger, corporate, and institutionalized gathering really connecting? External from the gathering I would suggest that connection does happen here and there but that connection is primarily within pre-existing relationships that are not generationally diverse. Some may value the wisdom and kindness of chronologically older people but many simply do not tolerate the perspectives of a different demographic.
The Chavez noted in a comment that carpooling is "a way to build more connection than gathering around the coffee urns and picking through the nasty, cream-filled half long-johns can ever provide. It would provide opportunity to digest and dialogue about the mornings [teaching]." This is a step in the right direction both for environmental/creation care and for learning. If we are to proceed further from this concept would we be able to confess that our lack of sustainable connectivity stems from a fear of deeper connection with others? Resultantly, "it is possible to attend a service and appease ones conscience by claiming that ‘I went to church.’"
Driving a far distance to "attend church" seems mostly to be a means of staying unconnected and uninvolved. It doesn’t require any effort except for depressing a pedal and refilling an empty fuel tank. Empty. Empty … irony?
And just for the fun of it…
Would Jesus drive a BMW… or a green Honda Element (not an "either/or" question)?
#5 of 6: Why MVNU Students Go To Journey.
Many MVNU students have been attending the Sunday morning gathering of Christians who call themselves "Journey Church." Here is the fifth (5th) of six (6) reasons why MVN(azarene)U students have been so highly attracted to the non-Nazarene gathering place that is Journey.
From post #4 of 6
[There is also
]
5. The idea that everyone is doing it.
I’m not precisely sure what defines a trend except the idea that "everyone is doing it." After a discussion with my friends Nate Okuley and Lee Yowell in Nate’s car on the way to Hunan Garden for some dialogue and General Tso’s Chicken (insert another prepositional phrase here), I am offering a list of cultural and branding trends that exist within 
North Face : These branded jackets may be seen on many students walking around campus. I do wonder if North Face jackets worn in warmer spring and summer weather are symbols of one’s need for identity to be justified by a trend/brand.
Chipotle : I had never tried the oversized burrito from the McDonald’s Corporatio n owned mexican grill until I worked at MVNU. I will admit, I likes me some Chipotle even though I loathe McDonald’s and even have a hard time saying the last name of a certain clown named Ronald without having moderate to severe reflux in my esophageal tr act. Flour tortilla, rice, cilantro, chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and cheese. Trendy and tasty for a mere 950 calories, 28.5 grams of fat, and 43% of my daily intake of iron. I heart you Chipotle (but I hate your mother).
Mac : The musical group/band/singer Feist would be relatively unknown if Mac had not used the now popu lar "1, 2, 3, 4" on a quite catchy advertisement for the th en new ipod nano (Am I supposed to capitalize the word "nano" or the "p" in "ipod?" What is the trend?). I confess that I do own a very nice, new generation, large capacity ipod Classic which I enjoy very much ("Classic" is capitalized just in case I got it wrong the first time. I want to be justified by my trendiness.). I also have MacBook envy. I have battled lust for the new aluminum cased media and 
online connectivity machine largely do to the slow proc essing and occasional random shut down of my now archaic HP Pavilion. I am also wanting to use iLife 09 for video and picture editing of my daughter, Kyla. I simply can’t quite justify spending $1299+ on a laptop when we’re trying to save and raise money to adopt internationally . It’s not easy fleeing green. "Tell me that you love me more. Buy me, Mac."
Journey Church : "If everyone’s going there and says it’s sweet then I’m going to go check it out." Is this a good enough reason? No previous connection with the gathered community? No theological research?
This of course leads me to the number one (#1) reason why MVNU students go to Journey…
TO BE CONTINUED.
^ This post is dedicated to Lee Yowell.
Nouns and Verbs that are Good.
I present to you, "Nouns and Verbs that are Good."
11. Confession.
10. Coffee Beans.
9. Sunlight.
8. Life.
7. Drinking tea through a black straw next to the sea.
6. Compassion.
5. Instrumental strings with deep, mellow clarinets.
4. Adoption.
3. Friends.
2. Creating art.
1. My wife and child.
Am I right or wrong? Is anything above not good? What is left out? Please comment with your list of 10 Nouns and Verbs that are Good.
PHILA + JERSEY.
I arrived last night into Philadelphia PA and drove through Trenton and Princeton on my way to Somerset NJ to stay with my Aunt Dayna, her husband Ken, and my cousin Addy. They have been so very welcoming and it is good to reconnect with family. The home here is amazing. It was built in the late 1700s or very early 1800s and though updated extensively possesses a sense of permanancy and tranquility. We fed the geese this morning by the pond out back and then shared a meal of eggs on English muffins. Aunt Dayna helped me with a morning workout on the Nintendo Wii Fit Pad.
I’m leaving now for Princeton to visit the University before checking in for the Envision Conference. As time allows I’ll be adding posts throughout the day updating the experience and sharing dialogue for online interaction for those who couldn’t attend and are interested in the vision and direction of the church. I have a great sense of peace combined with an overwhelmed feeling right now. The interactions coming in the next couple of days will stretch, bend, twist, and shape me as I absorb from and interact with some of the leading authors, academics, and practitioners in missional thought and living. I also have about 6 other ideas for posts right now so there may be some quite random thoughts thrown in here and there.
(1) THING (twice).
(1) thing that I like about Christmas: People.
There could be some valuable sociological studies conducted by means of mall observation. When I had the unfortunate displeasure of going to Easton Town Center on December 21, my introverted self found itself tucked away in some corners simply observing people. I am not sure that I can even articulate my thoughts so I will include a few examples and allow you to formulate your own perspective:
A) Two sisters walking side-by-side wearing matching wreath-printed turtle neck shirts under fluffy “Christmas” sweaters.
B) A two-hour line to have a child’s picture taken sitting on the lap of an unknown man dressed in a large red suit with fluffy cotton lining and beard.
C) Anxious and self-indulged expression of teenage girls trying to pick out just the right outfit. In a matter of 20 minutes, 15 other girls painstakingly picked out the same exact outfit.
(1) thing that I don’t like about Christmas: People.
There are (3) groups of people that drive me crazy during the holiday season:
1) Parents.
a) who buy there children everything that they want.
b) who scream at their children in stores.
c) with strollers.
2) Drivers: Who determines who is able to obtain a Driver’s License anway?
3) Teenagers in Starbucks: See upcoming post entitled, “Who invented the Frappucino?”
DISCLAIMER: It is important to note that I fall into category 1C. Sarah and I use a stroller (see pictured) when in public and walking any extended distances. I actually ran into a girl’s bag when she stepped out in front of me. Fortunately, the bag was from Hollister so I didn’t mind hitting it. Secondly, it was her fault for not yeilding to oncoming traffic. Who determines who is able to obtain a Baby Stroller Driver’s License anyway? Rather, who determines who is able to obtain a Teenage Girl Walking in Mall License anyway?
This post is dedicated to LEE YOWELL.
IN RESPONSE: part 3 (iii).
3. Waiting in line and making new friends. When waiting in line for so long with other people you just end up chatting and sharing stories. One of the ladies in front of me, while waiting in line at Target, made a Starbucks run at 5am and surprised me with a cup of delicious hot chocolate. I was very appreciative and was able to return the favor around 5:30am, when they held my place in line and I ran to a nearby McDonalds to use the restroom. I returned with a bag of hash browns and we all enjoyed an early breakfast snack.
OK, waiting in line to make friends on Black Friday is as good as putting a coffee shop in every church gathering place’s lobby, vestibule, narthex, atrium, foyer, etc. Must we make such excuses to form relationship? I am all for relationship and even while standing in line, however, I do not find successful justification for consumption here. Now the rest of the story is wonderful except for the fact that I throw up in my mouth at the thought of McDonalds. And who buys hot chocolate from Starbucks?
