Classes for Winter 2009

Many people have been asking me which classes I'm taking this term. So... here they are:

• The Meaning of Sacraments
• An Introduction to Preaching and Worship
• Soul of Ministry: Becoming Persons-in-Relation
• Empowering the Church for First World Re-Evangelization: Theological and Missional Themes in the Books of Acts
  

Some Nicknames Aren't Permanent

Since moving to Vancouver, I have received the nickname Pocahontas from new friends of various circles. I suppose it had to do with my dark complexion and long hair. At first, I was a little indignant because I'm not a 13-year-old girl who ran off with a 35-year-old man who came to invade my people's land. But, I quickly got over such foolishness when people merely meant the nickname as a compliment because they were thinking about the 1995 Disney film. In fact, I was getting so used to the nickname that I actually answered when people called me Pocahontas.

Last Friday, just before leaving LA, my mom insisted that I cut my hair (because she's convinced that I'm going bald due to the heaviness of my hair). So, I let her take me to her hairdresser, Annie of Annie Hair Design. I took off well over a foot of hair to donate to Locks of Love or Pantene Beautiful Lengths (I haven't decided yet). This is the 4th time I've cut my hair for donation. Usually, after initially getting my hair cut, I am in shock and don't like it at all. This time, however, I love it. My mom's hairdresser is really good.

When I returned to Vancouver, many friends were disappointed to find that I am no longer Pocahontas.

Sorry. Nicknames based on appearance aren't permanent.

What Happened to the Wave?

I just spent 3 weeks down in California. While I can get around via public transportation in Vancouver, I cannot do that in Los Angeles. Driving is absolutely necessary in LA. On one particular day, I had many errands to run. These errands included several cities, various freeways and many local streets. Because I was not in a rush to finish my errands, I was very generous about allowing cars to merge in front of me... especially when it looked like they were stuck in the wrong lane. During different times and places, I let in 10+ cars. Each time I allowed a car to come in front of me, I expected a courtesy wave. Isn't that part of proper driving etiquette?

But I only received one courtesy wave!

What happened to the wave???

A Definite Don't-Read

I just read The Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan. Don't let your kids read it. It's a wanna-be Harry Potter book, but far more dangerous. For example, the main character gives burnt sacrifices to Greek gods and prays to Poseidon as "Father" (supposedly because Poseidon is his biological father, but still not good). The writing is just fine and the author is imaginative, but the storyline is dangerous for kids who are not emotionally and spiritually mature enough yet.

A Definite Must-Read

This term, I'm taking a class called "Books, Children and God." I get to read a lot of children's classics in chapter books, picture books, fairy tales, and poetry. Then, I also get to read some books that I have never heard of. Since they are children's books, I easily breeze through most of them with little thought (except when having to write about or discuss them). But, today, I read one that really struck me.

This short chapter book is called What Child Is This? by Caroline B. Cooney. It has been a long time since I've read a book that caused me to have an emotional pit in my stomach. It has been a long time since I've read a book that made me cry. It has been a long time since I've read a book that caused a paradigm shift in my perspective on life and people. But this book did all those things. I highly recommend it. It's a great book to read aloud or quietly... for children and for adults. For a little preview, here is what's on the back cover:

Katie, a foster child, wants only one thing for Christmas: a family. Who can bring such an immense gift? There are no wise men coming from the East. There are no shepherds watching in the fields. But there is Matt Morden, age sixteen, who believes he is doing a good deed. There is Liz Kitchell, also sixteen, whose family decorates and celebrates but leaves Liz wondering where the meaning of the holiday has gone. There are Mr. Knight and his son, Tack, who run an inn and put up a tree on which children's wishes will hang, waiting to be granted.

It's the season of joy, hope, and miracles. Is the Christmas spirit strong enough to bring about the impossible?

Here are some things I pondered while reading the book. (If or when you read this book, please let me know other things you pondered.)

• I have so much. How can I give more?
• Maybe it's okay that kids in the Angel Tree Project have asked for expensive things after all.
• How does my church impact the community... the world?
• What does it truly mean to know God? How should this be reflected in my life?
  
• Maybe that odd guy in high school has more to his story... maybe I should have taken the time and energy to find out.

I don't know if this book in available at your typical Borders or Chapters. I had to specially order it from Vancouver Kidsbooks.

Occasional Updates

Please note that I occasionally update my blog posts below the original entries. Therefore, if you want to, you can scroll back and sometimes find updates.

Value in Fiction

Last week at church, the speaker told a heart-wrenching 9/11 story. Some of the college students in the congregation looked up the story on the internet and found out it was actually an urban legend. Today, our pastor used this example to emphasize the importance of distinguishing truth and lies.

As he preached today, I thought about the story. It was indeed a moving story, but the "facts" were not facts at all. However, the lesson behind the story did not lose its value because the story was fiction. After all, don't we read fables, fairy tales and parables? Although they are works of fiction, they have true lessons to be applied in our real lives.

Therefore, I think it would be unwise for us to throw the baby out with the bath water anytime we realize that someone has told us something false (whether intentionally or unintentionally). Instead, we should determine whether or not there is any lesson we can learn from it. Then, we can discard the untruth, but we can still learn.

In no way am I condoning lies or the intentional retelling of urban legends, but I believe that if we completely throw away the morals/lessons along with the untruths we hear, we lose out on the opportunity God gives us to become better people.