Back to work...

same root ~ different fruit

A few days ago Rachel Held Evans caused a stir with her CNN Religion blog -
Why millennials are leaving the church
It set off a buzz of response ... I tried to resist diving too deep into the flood of IMHO's
I just have too much other work to do.  Is that so wrong?

I did skim through a sampling of opinions this evening.
What do Allen, David, David and Rachel all have in common?
They all want their opinions about church decline to get liked & shared...
and thus fuel the frenzy about the demise of particular "organizations".

Meanwhile the head of the organism
- the One who calls the Bride his very own -
claims he'll never leave or forsake her.

Maybe a few days of reflecting on generational stats
and the decline of western christendom is a healthy occasional break
- like the 2011 season of scolding vs. adoring of Rob Bell for Love Wins.

but...
let's get back to work...
let's go plant new churches
grafting in new branches on that ancient stock,
and leave the diagnosis of the dying
and the dissection of the dead
to those who count twitter feeds and nurture facebook stats.  
let's do what every generation has been called to do,
feed the hungry, nurture souls, preach the gospel.

let's not overthink the job, or underserve this generation.
they've got particular problems of which we should be prophetic critics,
but they've also got great passion which will draw them to new forms of organizing,
they may indeed be post-denominational and post-christendom,
but if the Spirit of the Lord prevails (as is his wont)
they will still be the Church.
let's help them grow.

Spiritus Sanctus non est scepticus

Continuing the concept of faith and doubt,
Since some people that I care about
Had some nice things to say
About my blog yesterday.
.....
I've recently had the opportunity to exercise blind faith in onions.
I couldn't bring myself to do it of course but I did have a momentary
feeling.  That rush of WOW when you read something that sounds revolutionary.
.....
My friend re-posted something she read that somebody else got from someone.
When I first read it, I thought "wow, now that's amazing - sounds to good to be true!"
So I went over to SNOPES and sure enough, another miracle cure debunked.
This one was about the preventative health power (and correlative danger) of onions.
You can read the debunking of both HERE and HERE...
a crushing demythologizing effort to be sure.
Old wives beware, the Mikkelson's are out to turn your tales on their tails.
.....
Now, I used to work on an onion farm and my family can certainly confirm
that come harvest time I smelled so bad that no one would get close to me.
This would indeed prevent me from infecting anyone with my germs, and vice versa.
Other than this repellent power however
I'm afraid onions are nothing more than very tasty tubers.
No matter what your grandmother or her ancestors said, that's about it, sorry to say.
.....
Part of me really wanted this to be true,
since most of my family just fought off the cold I had kindly shared with them,
and since none of us wants to get the flu...
I'd hoped that there was more to this than ancient superstition.

Wouldn't it be great if the ordinary flesh of a humble bulb,
could, once cut and hung in the presence of our sickness
absorb all the disease inducing bacteria that invade our homes?
.....
This indeed was the claim of the story:
a recounting of some anonymous doctor from the pioneer past
discovering healthy farmers homes full of freshly sliced roots
while all over town people were dying of influenza.
And then an anecdote from even darker days when garlic & onions
were employed to stop the plague in its deadly march across Europe.
Next thing you know someone will suggest wearing them to ward off vampires.
What's that?  Psh. I'm always the last to find out.
......
Again, I was really wanting to see a green light of TRUE! at Snopes
or at least a yellow button verifying that the humble onion had SOME superpowers
that could be verified by scientific inquiry,
even if not to the extent of this incredible claim.

But then I got rather irritated that this popular person was
posting medically inaccurate information...
that 155,111 people liked it
and that 568,710 people had shared it.
Over half a million sharing a sham,
distributing digital snake oil?
This cannot go unanswered.
.....
So in a fit of ... irritation... and in hopes of quelling a dangerous rumor.
I wrote the following:

Hi _______, I don't know who you are, but apparently a lot of other people do.
 You've got over 2700 subscribers who seem to love liking, sharing, and reposting your advice.  I saw my friend ______ post your bit about onions... and I thought WOW that IS amazing... in fact that's so amazing that I'll bet somebody has already researched it.
Sure enough. Both of the ideas in your post - the "onion germ sponge theory", and the "blame the onion not the mayo" idea were quickly debunked in 30 seconds by fact checking over at SNOPES. ... may I suggest that in the future, since a whole lot of people seem to take your advice for some reason, that you do a little fact-checking before you post something that perpetuates a superstition?
I read through people's responses and I was shocked to see several people suggesting that they're going to "try onions" to keep from getting sick at work, or to help their child heal. They're a healthy veggie but nothing more, some people may think they're engaged in real prevention when in fact all they're doing is smelling up their house! Thanks for listening!

 .....
Self-satisfied and smug, I wasn't yet done with my debunking club.
I randomly selected a half dozen of her gullible disciples
and hit them with the Snopes links, hoping they'd see the error of their ways.
.....
Several realizations followed this frenzy of fact checking and "onion faith" stomping:

1. this may be exactly the same sort of thing my non-theist friends think when they see me post something about my faith in the God of the Bible.
2. there is great need for healthy skepticism among humans in general and among Christians in particular
3. faith may be beautiful, but blind faith can be deadly... 
4. and fact checking is a wonderful exercise that a rigorously faith-filled person ought to engage in on a regular basis.

I received a wonderful email from my dad in response to my last post.  He suggested among other things that what we Christians claim is actually impossible to believe without divine intervention.  Human reasoning as great as it is, can never convince a person that the Almighty God would take on human flesh to save us from our sins... unless the Spirit of God gives someone the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8).

Dad writes:  "there is  no human being who can believe this.  That God would come in damned human flesh and go to  hell in the place  of his children--this story line is more  than any human being should be required to accept.  Faith is not a human  possibility.   The truth is: it  is only a divine possibility.   ...  Doubt is our natural state as we react to the Bible's gospel, but the same Dove who descended on our Savior when he was baptized must take his place within us and he must believe in us and through us, and we believe through him.   

As Luther said: Spiritus Sanctus non est scepticus--the Holy Spirit is not an sceptic...  We can be nothing but unbelievers in ourselves, but when the Spirit of  the living Christ takes his place within our sin damaged hearts, we become believers in spite of  ourselves.  

I take great consolation that in the age of skepticism...
Spiritus Sanctus non est scepticus 
Lord save us from ourselves.
.....
I am a believer in spite of myself, not because of any virtue inherent in me.
I believe that the second person of the Trinity emptied himself of all heaven's glory
and became a human embryo, carried to term by a surprised virgin,
a Jewish girl, incredulous yet obedient,
an unplanned pregnancy that was planned before the dawn of creation.

This unique being, fully human and fully divine, in obedience to his Father,
entered this sin infested world, died a humiliating death, and was raised up Lord of Life.

Having been given the gift of faith to believe that this absurd story is true,
I now ask my yet-to-believe friends:
Wouldn't it be great if the ordinary flesh of a humble human teacher,
could, once cut open and hung in the presence of humanity's sickness
absorb all the disease inducing effects of sin that invade our hearts?
.....
It is every bit as absurd as the onion tale, I know.
Worse yet, if you fact check me,
or any other Christian for that matter,
you'll find ample evidence to declare my story FALSE.
The plague of sin seems, often, to be raging unchecked
among even the best of us.
.....
I can only offer you this:
My healing is just beginning.
.....
You see, like some omni-potent onion cure,
I must recommend both an external and internal remedy.
I point to a blood soaked body impaled to a cross outside ancient Jerusalem...
...believing this event absorbed the penalty not only for my sin but yours...
I also must point within me, for the same Spirit who gave me the gift of faith
now dwells within, regenerating the decaying cells of my soul, and declaring
"behold I am making all things new".

Under a blood-red sky... I will begin again

Saw a big bright shooting star at 1am.
I was on the front porch, new pipe in hand,
welcoming the new year; missing family & friends.
Stunning view of the city, calm.
Even the gunfire & fireworks of Oakland had ceased.
Didn't make a wish, but had the following thought:
The beauty of the lights of my City by the Bay
are only surpassed by the splendor of the lights above.
......
Sad that the world probably sang Imagine as one voice last night,
along with the million cheerfully tipsy voices at Times Square...
It is truly a godless and vain anthem of a generation lost in an empty dream.
The folks now wielding power in this world have grown up believing
(or at least acting as if) "no hell below us, above us only sky"
is the most accurate and honest way to look at the world.
......
The year gone by has had gut wrenching moments of unbelievable pain.
Globally and personally it seems few were calling it a VERY good year.
I've felt the cold grip of doubt seize my mind and attempt to strangle my heart.
The love of many grows cold in these latter days.
The very existence of a Divine Community, a loving Three in One,
seems at times to be a vapor, especially when the Father's favor feels remote.
......
Doubts crept in even during Watchnight service,
to shadow my prayers, and mock my songs...
but the Word from the psalmist rang true:
"My heart and my flesh may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever"  (Ps.73)
.......
This song from scripture is relentless in it's depth, honesty and beauty.
It's not a merry melody or a looney tune for new year's eve...
but it makes a great anthem for living out the new year.
If you're already tired of my rant, take a break and go read it now.
......

With zealous vigor a young Bono once sang:
"So we're told this is the Golden Age,
and gold is the reason for the wars we wage...
though I want to be with you night and day,
Nothing changes on New Years Day"
......
Then he promptly went out and made incredible changes in this world,
convincing himself and others that Lennon was wrong.
Peace will come not by eliminating religion, or imagining higher consciousness.
Peace will come when the billion or so who claim the name of Christ...
stop pelting each other with Pharisaical pebbles,
and casting stones at those who sin differently from themselves.
Peace will come when we, the doubting;
the tiny-faith followers of a mighty Savior
chase away the shadows with deeds of justice and mercy,
and stomp the unholy trinity - devil, flesh and worldliness,
with the difficult boot of faith, hope and love.
......
There.  Now I've gone and done it.
I turned what was to be a two line facebook status update
into a blog for New Years Day.
...and in the process I've felt the Spirit rise within me.
"We were meant to live for so much more"
than the fickle, wave tossed sort of doubts that so often bewitched me last year.
God owes me nothing, but has promised everything.
I will go on serving, obeying, and trusting
even if I never feel the warmth of his embrace this year.
......
I think I'm longing for certainty, but in this moment I see
If I can merely remember the promise "Lo, I am with thee"
it will be enough.
We want more than this world's got to offer.
......
That shooting star was no mere rock falling from space through empty sky,
nor was it some portend of luck upon which I should pin a wish,
it was a little piece of creation, set in motion long ago,
by a Majesty so infinite and wise
that knew precisely when it would enter our atmosphere,
knew I would be looking up precisely at that moment,
knew it would make me smile, and inspire me to keep writing today,
writing my way out of doubt to be delivered through the door of renewed faith.
......
Go be the change you want to see.
It won't happen because of your resolutions or your resolve.
But Christ in you, the hope of glory, and the zeal of Lord will accomplish this.
Stop doubting, just believe, trust... and obey.

adolescent grace

Grace...
 forever descending
   forever becoming
She's childlike but not childish.
She says what comes to her mind.
She questions and searches and explores for the sake of joy.
She rejoices in the unsought reminders of the story that tells us who we are.

This playful rendition of the nativity pageant giggled grace to me today
and inspired the reflection that follows:

Kids bubble over with grace.
My kids do anyway...
and not just at Christmastime.

I felt Grace's presence so keenly today.  I saw her through my family's eyes.
It's personal, but you're welcome to take a peek...

Why did THAT song make me cry?

Saturday, April 2, 2011, 1:15pm

So I sit down in my office to work on my sermon.

To make the suffocation of this stained glass cubicle more bearable, 

I click on my U2 channel on Pandora.  

Perhaps cranking up "The Fly" by U2 set the emotional stage...

It's no secret that a friend is someone who lets you help

It's no secret that a liar won't believe anyone else

They say a secret is something you tell one other person

So I'm telling you child

A man will beg 

A man will crawl 

On the sheer face of love

Like a fly on a wall

It's no secret at all

Hardly know where to begin with that.

But the guitar solo combined with that phrase "the sheer face of love" ...

probably uncorked something... something powerfully distilled in my soul.  

probably uncovered something... like finding yet another hatch

    in the 3rd season of my own personal island of LOST.

Next up:  Counting Crows "Long December" ...

Is it his voice, that crooning wail?

Is it the sad beauty of those chords in just that order?

or... more likely...

combined with the above,

it is all that plus these words:

And it’s been a long December and there’s no reason to believe 

Maybe this year will be better that the last 

I can’t remember all the times I tried to tell myself 

To hold on to these moments as they pass 

And it’s one more day up in the canyon 

And it’s one more night in Hollywood 

It’s been so long since I’ve seen the ocean... I guess I should 

Suddenly my face is in my hands.

A sudden rush of beauty &  pain, joy & sorrow.

Tears wash down my face.  

Saltwater baptism.

Not enough liquid for even a sprinkling, 

but enough emotion for a full immersion.

I wonder if at 12 or 21 or 30 Jesus ever thought...

"maybe this year will be better than the last".

I wonder whether his tears for his friends, 

for the city, for me... ever confused him.

I wonder whether I can ever really fully surrender 

to him the meaning of my tears for my friends, my city, myself.  

(or if i even dare to try)

2:00pm. 

No time left for wonder.

There's a sermon to prepare, 

there's doctrine to doublecheck,

there's baptism debates to resolve...

Thanks Lord, for the last 45 minutes...

I almost felt human again.

It's been so long since I've seen the ocean,

guess I should.

An Invitation to the Prodigal God Series

Dena's Surprise

Can you spot the foreigner?

Collected some sea glass yesterday.

Finding the green pieces among the millions of stones & pebbles was easy.

The greenish blue pieces weren’t terribly hard to find either.

This is one of the best beaches I've ever seen if you want to find enormous 

quantities of sea glass ... and it's a 5 minute walk from our house. 

Among the millions of rocks & pebbles, the glass pieces seem few

and far between, until they start to add up in your pocket.

Then, among the millions of rocks & pebbles,

one white one stood out.

I pocketed it with the pieces of glass.

My pocket filled quickly, and as it did, 

I thought of that one white pebble.

Surrounded by glass, mostly green with a bit of blue.

Imported out of its comfortable majority of stones,

Suddenly isolated. 

Different.

Jostled, engulfed, immersed...

Standing out like a…

like a pebble in a sea of glass.

East doesn’t just meet west here…

it engulfs and overwhelms it,

it rarely pauses to consider your presence.

When noticed, there are stares, comments, laughter,

and the occasional bold child who wants to show off his three English phrases.

I no longer feel the difference by skin color alone, 

but rather by something almost chemical.

Picture how we think...

Living is simple.
Life is complex.

Words have such power,
yet pictures turn "pow" into "DY-NO-MITE!"

a guy who gets to dress up other peoples wordsWe just watched Tim Burton's delicious visualization of
R.Dahl's Chocolate Factory...
we laughed,
we drooled,
we oompa'd and we loompa'd
(this part gave me nightmares when i was a kid)

I dreamed aloud that my kids
(each more graphically talented than i)
would one day turn some great book into some great film.

I began to feel that gloom again,
the one that always says I've got nothing
of value to say, or write, or create...

Countdown to Simplicity

Simplicity as a standalone life-goal can actually get rather complicated.  (Note the failure rate of new year's resolutions to "simplify my life")
When simplicity is embraced as part of a package deal however the fruit can be sweet (not that I have much experience yet in this, but I like what I've tasted thus far)

In a month we'll be back in California.

"Well Done!"

(from my English Chapel 9/30/09)

Matthew 2:14-30
14 JESUS SAID: “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them...


Today I would like to continue with the unofficial theme of the week, which has been reflecting on the ministry of our president Dr. Sung-su Kim.
This parable is often misquoted and misunderstood but I think it applies to what we have seen and experienced this week.   We all want to hear the master say WELL DONE. 

Hello From Busan!

Yeah this is where we live.
We're movin' on up...
to a deee-luxe apartment in the sky...

perspective. on grace.

Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes Grace comes in the dress of perspective.
She smiles but her eyes reveal sadness.
She cries but the tears taste like joy.

What does grace, freelancing as perspective look like?
sorta like the yin and yang...
even when things are bright and cheerful
there is that black spot of doubt...
even when things seem black and hopeless...
there is that spot of light.

Lil' Brudders... sure grow fast!

2005 Master Lim with Joshua & Caleb
Originally uploaded by nederdave

Hard to believe this was less than four years ago! Joshua and Caleb started learning Tae Kwon Do in the fall of 2005. We've seen lots of growth - physically, relationally, mentally, etc. - and Master Lim has been a constant source of challenge and encouragement.

Lim just recently returned from Korea himself where he made a special trip to Busan to find a suitable TKD studio where the boys can continue their training. Joshua just earned his black belt in June and if they manage to keep in shape this summer we figure Caleb will be testing for his black belt sometime while we are in Korea.

NederNews 07.18

The first edition of our MissionYear Updates!

purpose-less

Purpose?
We're all supposed to have one.
Preachers are supposed to preach.
Evangelists share the gospel.
We are to do these things effectively
... while seeing everyone
(rich, poor, beautiful, ugly)
... the way that Jesus did.
today... right now... i don't feel it..
i've lost my purpose.
and feel i've lost my way.

"Lord have mercy on me, according to your unfailing love"

Image via Wikipedia

Bridges
&
CityScapes

Where we're heading ~ Busan, Korea.
Some things will look very familiar.
Others... not so much.
Let the adventure begin!

Image via Wikipedia

NederKids crack me up.

at GG Park ~ on our 20th Anniversary
June 10, 2009

GRACE for a web-building NOOB!

ack!
ok - when they SAY that it's website building for dummies...
they really DON'T mean to insult us...
but...
then there are those of us who struggle just to pay attention long enou...
OH LOOK A PUPPY!!!!

:)

THE NEDERHOOD FAMILY PAGE is up ... finally ... at

www.nederdave.com

Mission On My Mind...

we're less than two months away from our departure
for the greatest adventure our family has yet experienced.

we have been invited to korea ~ i will be teaching seminary
students at kosin university and deb will be teaching english
at the nearby maritime university.

our mission year is described in more detail on the page below:
www.nederdave.com

the scarlet grace...

todays blog inspired by my dear friend amy.
who mused through the impulsive media of instant message...
that churches are easy enough to find,
but grace, lovely grace, is so much more elusive...

we can't help but look for her,
indeed, every religion, every human heart secretly longs for her,
but she often eludes our grasp.
indeed she ALWAYS eludes our grasp.
for she was meant to be experienced, not experimented on.
appreciated for her beauty, not bottled up and dispensed by man.
she may take hold of us,
but how could we ever hope to keep her to ourselves?
(better yet why would we even try?)

grace reminded amy of the cry from Scarlet Pimpernel...
may i paraphrase?

we seek her here.
we seek her there.
we churchies seek her everywhere.
is she in heaven?
is she gone without a trace?
that damsel, elusive grace!

i propose a new secret society.

the league of "scarlet grace"...

grace notes

Yancey says: "A composer of music may add grace notes to the score. Though not essential to the melody–they are gratuitous–these notes add a flourish whose presence would be missed. When I first attempt a piano sonata by Beethoven or Schubert, I play it through a few times without the grace notes. The sonata carries along, but oh what a difference it makes when I am able to add in the grace notes, which season the piece like savory spices."

~ from "What's So Amazing About Grace"