WORLDS ARE FORMING

Friends! It is Official. Worlds Have Been Forming for One Full Year.

Indeed.  What began as a summer blog to keep up with friends and family through updates and photographs...has turned into a monster.   No, not really a monster.  Just...an enjoyable hobby.  It really has been a fun year -- thank you.  Thanks for reading, for commenting, for not commenting, for your patience and for your encouragement.  We'll see where the blog goes in the year to come.

Once again, I'll take Worlds are Forming back to the roots...to the Meister Eckhart poem which inspired the name of this here blog...

What Color?

 

Tonight's Prayer.

"God's steadfast love endures forever."

Tonight, I attended a prayer meeting for my The Zirschkys.  Please visit their site, and pray for them.  While we were praying, the words from Psalm 136 came to mind, and this prayer was on my lips:

God, you have been faithful in the past. 
God, you are faithful now, in the present. 
God, you will be faithful again in the future. 
We trust you.

Please be praying for these friends, who are living in great trust and courage in their tough day-to-day choices regarding their complicated pregnancy with twins.

Happy Birthday, Dad! I Love You!

An Open Letter to Karl, John, Origen, N.T., Jurgen, Rowan, Dietrich, Henri & Shirley...

Dear Karl Barth, John Calvin, Origen, N.T. Wright, Jurgen Moltmann, Rowan Williams, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Henri Nouwen & Shirley Guthrie,

Bros.  I love you guys, I really do.  You've taught me quite a bit over the past few years.  But, could you not make my brain* hurt so much?  I'd appreciate it.

Fondly,
Josh

Is it bad that in the process of writing an 18-20 page practical theology paper for Dr. Migliore's Christology class on "The Significance of Christ's Resurrection for  the Christian's Everyday Life" ... my very life is being sucked from me?  Oh, sweet finals.

(*Note: In the original post, this read "brian."  Oops.  I tell you...the thing in my skull...it hurts.)

Color and Texture and Order

*Star Struck*

Have you ever had one of those times when you’ve seen someone famous, and you have actually met him or her before, and you have sort of made your meeting (twice) into something bigger than it really is?  I mean, you’ve met, and have even spent significant time together, but if that star knew how invested you were in the “relationship,” that star might hire a bodyguard?

As I was sitting in Small World this morning, journaling and sipping a cup of Earl Grey, I saw a star, one whom I even dared to call my new best friend in days gone by.  Jesse the Mac Genius.  I saw him, and I really got a little nervous!  I mean, I wrote a haiku inspired by the guy!  He is famous!  Of course, I thought, "Would he remember me?" and "What would I say?" 

“Jesse, I really appreciated your work in The Great Drama of February 2006.  It really did change my life!” 

Or I could have said,

“I was really sad that you were not cast in Crash #4 in as Many Months in March 2006!  I think it really could have been some of your finest work.” 

No, that would have been creepy. So, I journaled, sipped, and tried to pay no attention, so Jesse could have some space and anonymity as he ordered his large non-fat two raw sugar latte and cranberry orange scone.  Come on, I may be a big fan, but I am not a stalker.

Choices. Maybe I'll Stay in Seminary FOR-EV-ER!

Strike that.  So...I have to pre-register for fall classes this week.  Is it a problem that there are so many classes I want to take?

Popular Religion & Popular Culture in Modern Europe :: Interpretation of the Book of Job :: Exegesis of the Book of Exodus :: Biblical & Shakespearean Visions ::  Gospel According to Mark :: Exegesis of the Book of Acts :: The Ministry & Traditions of African American Churches :: The Theology of Calvin ::  Pastoral Care of Men :: Developing Compassionate Care in the Church :: Confession & Forgiveness in Pastoral Care :: Word & Act

That's just for the fall. There are even more in next spring that I am excited about.  Anyways, this fall, I can only realistically take 5 classes, 3 credits each, equaling 15 credits.  Choices!

Today's Call to Worship :: Hosea 6.1-3

1 "Come, let us return to the LORD.
       He has torn us to pieces
       but he will heal us;
       he has injured us
       but he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us;
       on the third day he will restore us,
       that we may live in his presence.

3 Let us acknowledge the LORD;
       let us press on to acknowledge him.
       As surely as the sun rises,
       he will appear;
       he will come to us like the winter rains,
       like the spring rains that water the earth."

A Brush with Death.

Friends, it was a very bad day.  I had a close brush with death, and I feared for my very life.

Last Thursday, I sat at my desk, window open, curtains flapping in the breeze.  The sun shone in, and it was nearly 70 degrees outside.  I was sweating, because New Jersey doesn't allow the air conditioning to be turned on until May 1st.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the morning.  Or...I was enjoying the morning.

As I sat, working at my computer, all of a sudden, I heard a loud buzzzzzing.  I looked for the source of the buzz, but couldn't find anything, so I went back to my work.  A few seconds later, buzzzzzzzz.  It was then that I saw an ominous shadow of some gigantic insect flying between my curtain and my open window.  I scolded the culprit, "Don't you dare....don't you dare come any further."  He teased me for a few seconds, then he slowly lowered his beastly body under the curtain and into my plain view.  Curse.

This mammoth of a creature, as large as a Sacajawea dollar coin, was none other than a General in the Bumble Bee Rebellion.  (Have you read what these beasts can do?! Monsters.) How dare he come in my room?!  He disobeyed my command to stay away, so I knew that I had to do something to fight this rebel.  I am not a violent man.  So what did I do?

I did what every real man would do.  I grabbed a stick.