January 1, 2012 in
creation, culture, humanity, life, time with
I feel so different today. It must be a New Year.
Last night I was so glad to see 2011 go. It felt exactly like it did on New Year’s Eve of 2010, 2009, 2008…
It’s the same “time” of year that we desire to be the type of person that we didn’t become last year. To make the type of changes that we didn’t make last year. But why does this cycle seem to continue year after year after fantastically-too-quick and full-of-letdowns year?
Time is something that we made up to make sense of our finitude. As humans, we are limited. We can’t grasp the idea of infinity and we struggle to think beyond the confines of our minds. So we created time. We made a calendar. We determined that the rising and setting sun and the rhythms of the seasons and harvests determine for us when we are supposed to do things. To wake up. To plant. To eat. To go.
As if humanity is not limited enough to begin with, our quantifying creation limits us even further. We’re late. We don’t have enough time. We can’t get things done. We can’t make things happen.
We can’t dream. When we sleep, it is typically too short to dream. When we are awake, we are too tired and frantic to dream. And if we do dream of something we think, “I’d like to do that but I just don’t know when I’ll do it. There’s just not enough time.”
We made clocks that tick and tock and move aimlessly into a future that doesn’t even exist. We wait for things to pass only to look back and discover what we could have done with our “time.”
What could you do if time didn’t exist? Oh, wait. It doesn’t.
November 17, 2010 in
green, life, Theology with
The western, modern church often seeks to assure that people “are going to go to heaven when they die.” I have often thought that line of thinking is somewhat selfish and incomplete when considering the vastness of God and his love. Do we really only exist for ourselves and an afterlife?
Michael Lodahl states that “clearly, a soteriology that becomes fixated only upon the human is insufficient and untrue to our identity as creatures existing inextricably within this vast, mysterious, and beautiful creation. Such anthropocentrism in Christian theology has tended to create brittle distinctions between us human beings and the complex network of creaturely existence in which we live, move, and have our being by God. It has thereby fostered an unhealthy and unbiblical alienation between human and world that undercuts respect and empathy for the resilient yet vulnerable fabric or our natural environment.”
What does it mean for us to move beyond ourselves? How do we appreciate our natural environment and seek to enact salvation and life in our current world – on this earth?
June 13, 2010 in
jesus, life, questions, Theology with
What does it mean to be Christian?
Does it mean that one confesses “sin?”
Does it mean that one acts like a good person and treats others with love?
Does it mean that a person resembles a cultural idea of what others think is Christian?
Is a Christian someone who is committed to serving in the church?
Is someone Christian if they are trying to be a follower of Jesus?
Does it mean that a person will have a hopeful afterlife?
Does it mean that one is reconciled to Yahweh through some exterior means?
September 9, 2009 in
blog, coffee, college, community, jesus, journey, justice, life, love, prayer, relationsship, religion, writing with
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.
May 12, 2009 in
adoption, Church, Ecclesia, giving, justice, life, mvnu, prayer, sarah, worship with
Please click the adoption page link here: .:: ADOPTION or above to read our latest update. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to consider our direction. If interesting in supporting our adoption please clink the link to the left to be directed to our secure PayPal donation page.
Peace,
Travis & Sarah
April 22, 2009 in
beauty, Church, college, Conference, Ecclesia, Emergent, empire, Envision, government, imagination, jesus, justice, life, missional, peace, politics, postmodern, prayer, Princeton, religion, Theology with
Click the following title to read the article by Shane Claiborne, "Why I Got Arrested on Good Friday. "
When I hung out a little with and observed Shane this summer at the Envision Conference at Princeton I found out that he likes to have fun. I remember distinctly when all sorts of intellectual-ish and rather serious-personalitied ecclesial leaders were lounging around a campus green space eating lunch together. I was sitting with a graduate assistant from Yale listening to him share about his Iranian reconciliation ministry and process a session on religious pluralism with Samir Selmanovic . I looked over his shoulder and there stood Shane dancing around with bowling pins and juggling with a friend. It was beautiful! I envision him laughing all the way to the police station all-the-while remaining internally crushed and authentically in touch with the suffering of Jesus.
April 16, 2009 in
conforming, culture, entertainment, fun, jesus, life, perspective, Philosophy, postmodern, writing with
I have had my Twitter account for a while now. At first I hardly ever used it except with a few international friends or those who are "with it" enough in the states to "tweet." I am excited that more people are now tweeting. A little birdy (ok, that was too far; not funny) told me that Twitter is the new Facebook, a name which continues to bother me since the application is not a book at all. The funniest thing about Twitter is that I have "followers." Now I really have a messianic complex since I feel like a first century rabbi in Israel. I’m not sure if I want to call my followers my "Tweeps" or my "Tweeple." Both terms are tossed around the Twitterverse so as to signify that one is "with it" when it comes to using the "with it" online connectivity tool.
What does it mean to be "with it?"
If you would like to follow me [and thereby know where I am and what I'm doing at all times (yes, i know... captivating and irresistible)] then please click the link to the right (it’s the one that says "Twitter"). Come, follow me… and I will make you ____________________.
I’m taking out for lunch or dinner whoever fills in the blank with the most creative and funniest response. Click on the comments to add your… comment.
March 22, 2009 in
Church, college, community, creation, culture, dialogue, Ecclesia, Education, Emergent, imagination, journey, life, mvnu, religion, worship with
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. Here we go…
Response to Journey Comments #1. The perception that going to a Sunday morning gathering is still necessary.
"Most church services remind me of the ‘self-help’ aisle at Barnes & Noble. i can get more spiritual depth and understanding from turning my compost pile and planting seeds in the ground." – Tom Joad.
I must recognize that Tom Joad is more of a naturalist (labeling/categorizing noted) than many. I would consider this a good thing. Turning the earth does not resonate as a "spiritual" practice for most people. I would consider this unfortunate and sad. Nonetheless, depth of teaching is a real issue for Sunday morning gatherings. When I attend a Sunday morning gathering I frequently find myself writing my own thoughts in my Moleskin simply because whatever is or is not being taught is not at all engaging. I’m reminded of a question asked by my professor Rick Ryding, "Is there teaching if there is no learning?" Too often, Sunday morning lectures are boring, shallow, mundane, uncreative, and guilt laden.
It is also important to note for other commentators that the original post is not saying anything negative about the portion of a week that is called "Sunday morning." Rather, it is critiquing that which is usually deemed (in Christian circles) as necessary during that time slot. I don’t care if followers of Jesus decide to meet on Sunday mornings or Thursday afternoons. In reality, the church is present together more often than not. The importance placed on that which usually happens on Sunday mornings is the problem. There may be very significant and "spiritual" things happening on a Tuesday morning but those things may go unrecognized as worship or as church. It is necessary for us to move our thinking away from a large, corporate, institutionalized gathering in order to recognize things like compost and seeds as things which engage humanity in worship of God.
With which is Jesus more concerned, our gatherings or acts of worship?
March 6, 2009 in
adoption, Church, coffee, college, community, confession, consumption, culture, dependency, dialogue, Ecclesia, Education, Emergent, green, image, jesus, journey, labels, life, mvnu, religion, sociology, worship with
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 
MVNU:
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.
February 18, 2009 in
adoption, art, coffee, community, compassion, creation, friends, good, life with
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.
