In God's Image ?

"There's nothing wrong with loving who you are" She said, "'Cause he made you perfect, babe" "So hold your head up girl and you'll go far, Listen to me when I say" I'm beautiful in my way 'Cause God makes no mistakes I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way Don't hide yourself in regret Just love yourself and you're set I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way -- Lady Gaga

Was that the sound of hell freezing over? Did Steven just post a melody on a Saturday?  Did Steven just post Lady Gaga?      (Doubt it, yup, yup.)

For years, I have wrestled with my depression.  Some days better than others. 
And God knows I have two great questions.  Why and how. 

• Why am I afflicted with this dark cloud?  (Not so much a "Why would you, oh God, let this / inflict this on me", as a "what factors have conspired against me")
  Is it genetic - a predisposition that could be found on my DNA?  Is it merely a chemical inbalance in the brain?  Is it a result of environment, the way I was raised or what I was taught?  Is it something I'm more inclined to because...I'm smarter than the average bear?  Did something happen to me to affect me so severely?  Or is it merely a rational reaction to stress and/or isolation in my life?
• How...how do I break these clouds?  What must I do to be delivered?  Is it nothing more than a point of view that can be defeated with the right argument?  Can I think myself happy?  Or do I need to find the right preacher to pray for me, lay hands on me, etc?  Or is this my 'thorn in the flesh'?  Is it a right mix of pharmaceuticals with damnable side effects - or some concoction of vitamins, herbs (legal ones), and/or minerals?  Or do I just need to make sure I don't go too long without meat?

People have debated for decades whether various mental abnormalities are born or bred.  Damned if I know.  Maybe some birth defects aren't physical. This is not a perfect world. 

I've always wanted to host a game where I'd give a Carnac-like clue, and the answer would be the name of a #1 single.  So, if the answer is "born this way", the clue would be "naked, screaming, and a lot shorter"

A point in space and time

In an episode of "The Big Bang Theory", one of the characters refers to "If my life were expressed as a function on a four-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, that spot, at the moment I first sat on it, would be (0,0,0,0)."

And so, because it's just interesting enough to make my blog...I wonder what my location and time would be.

• The hospital I was born at / the day I was born
• My grandmother's house in Leavenworth / not sure what date I'd call 0 date
• The dorm room I called home for four semesters / first day I was there
• The church I attended for ten years, met and married Ivy there / first day I was there
• The house I've lived at for almost ten years / day I moved there.

I believe...

Once upon a time, the church made a bigger deal of the Sabbath.  Or usury.  Or the Lord's Supper (specifically, the definition of "This is my body / This is my blood".)  Or whether it was acceptable to go to the movie theater.  Or the significance of the bodily resurrection of Christ.  Or the wrath of God.  (Oh, wait, we're still discussing that.)  Or drinking. (Hi EYS.Ners!)

I desire a timeless faith.  And I desire a guide to properly understand both the Word Made Flesh and the Word as revealed in Scripture.  To understand how I should live in the light of the red letters, the advice of the apostles, and the blessed hope.  To know, how then should we live, specifically as a man who seeks to follow Christ living in the US in the 21st century.

And, for the love of God, a way to balance my heart and my mind; to be able to identify the voice of God as opposed to my own mental or emotional stirrings (whether divinely, savagely, or neutrally inspired). 

What does it mean to say, as my brothers in Christ through the centuries, that Jesus is Lord?

Random theological thoughts.
1.  John 21:15-17 reads much differently if you realize that Jesus said "agape" in 15 and 16, while every other mention of love reads as "phileo".
2.  I wish I knew which of the statements of Christ only referred to the siege and sack of Jerusalem in AD 66-70.
3.  I think we can agree that if Christ tarries to AD 2100, there will be a lot of people who look back at some of the interpretation of prophecy in the late 20th century...and laugh.  For example, the idiots who thought Gorbachev was the antichrist.

The best sports in town...

There are 21 metro areas in the USA that have 3 or more major league sports teams. 
Anaheim-LA, the NYC area, the "Bay Area", and the DC-Baltimore area.
Also, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas
Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis
Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa.

So, for each city in this list
    for each sports club in the metro area
        for each of the last five metro seasons
            award points based on finish
            10 for a league title
            6 for runner up
            3 for making conference finals
            1 for making final 8.
Then, for each city, find out which club has the highest score, and declare them "King of the City."

The clubs that can say that they're the kings:

NFL: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens*, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers*. MLB:  New York Yankees*, Philadelphia Phillies*, SF Giants**, St. Louis Cardinals*, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers. NBA: Miami Heat**, Lebron James in Cleveland. NHL: Boston Bruins*, Chicago Blackhawks**, Detroit Red Wings. MLS: Colorado Rapids*, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy**, Seattle Sounders, Sporting KC. * marks number of titles in the last five years.  (The Cavaliers only saw playoff appearances with Lebron, and with his departure, the Cavaliers fell back to standard Cleveland heart-breaker levels)

Last one out, turn out the lights.

Once upon a time, there was a social network called Xanga.  (Ok, it's still there.)
And for a brief moment, over 100 of my fellow church members were on a Xanga Webring. Currently, there's 86 names on the webring, only three of which updated their Xanga this year.
I tried to be somebody there.  I posted on all the "ish" sites (except one), trying to become a Xangalebrity. 
Didn't work.  

Once upon a time, there was a social network called Foursquare.  (Ok, it's still there.)
And, back in its heyday, I didn't have a phone that could check in.
But, now I do, and I've got a fine functional vehicle...
And I'm the mayor of seven different locations.  (As of 8/23, subject to change)

1. Home.  (Yeah, I made a foursquare spot for the house.)
2. City Hall.  (See above.  I may not be mayor of Severance, but I'm the mayor of the City Hall.)
3. Gas Station near Ivy's job.  (They also sell pizza.)
4. Nearest WalMart.
5. Nearest McDonald's.
6. One of the McDonald's in St. Joseph (the one on South Belt)
7. The church I currently attend.  (They're relocating next month.)
8. The DAV thrift store in St. Joseph

Conclusion:  foursquare is dead.

Maranatha

Once upon a time, a dear friend pointed out the teachings of a very-well-known preacher, currently still alive.  This preacher has made certain claims about events later this decade.


Fine.  Because of my close relationship with my dear friend, I will make no comment against this preacher.  I will bite my tongue about the questions I have about the preacher's claims.

But, fine, let him be weighed by the outcome.  Let us reach the end of the decade, and go back and say, "this preacher said thus and thus would happen this decade, in these years."  And, if it came to pass, maybe I'll start watching him every Sunday.  And if not, let his interpretations of prophecy be ignored, along with the other fools who have brought disrepute upon Christ and His return.

Donne was wrong

During one of my blogging breaks, I wrote down some thoughts.

The big man.  I've always wanted to be the big man.  I had it at college.  In classes, at least.
But not in the dorms, the clubs.  Not at work.  At home.  In town.  On Xanga.  Or at church.  The one recognized.  The one admired.  The one loved.  The person people wanted to hang out with. 

I used to say that "If I went off-grid, I'd be forgotten in 90 days."  But I was wrong.

I've already been forgotten.