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Archive - April, 2011

the eleventh formica friday

April 29, 2011 in formica friday with 4 Comments

It’s that time again, another Formica Friday, a treasure trove of hodgepodge, random tidbits, and a bit of this and that. What exactly is Formica Friday? Check out the tongue-in-cheek, I got away with this?, definition from the first post. Continue Reading…

jello

April 27, 2011 in bits of theological ramblings, reflections with 2 Comments

Update: I have thought over this post for quite some time. I stand by what was originally said here and I maintain my conviction about the original events that inspired me to write it, but I am also moved by the sincere hope, desire, and expectancy that redemption would have its place in these events. To hinder that would be a deep and grievous wrong, and to that end, I have gone back and edited this post. The theological content has not changed, but the circumstances have been generalized. Indeed, the problem I have seen with using God’s will in the way it was employed reach far beyond just this one instance. In some way, we should all see ourselves in these failings of rightly understanding the will of God. I know I do. Pax et bonum.

Ordinarily, I don’t pay much attention to politics. I admit to finding them somewhat silly, and I’m not a fan of what I see it do to people from time to time, or rather, what it can draw out of them that was already there in their character. However, something happened recently that made me very interested in an elections: a candidate implied that God’s will was somehow involved in the election result.

God’s will? Really? Continue Reading…

what’s happened to satan?

April 26, 2011 in bits of theological ramblings with 3 Comments

Coming this Thursday, I am going to start a series of posts called “Tables in the Wilderness,” which will be twelve reflections on faith and art, in particular the art of Story and storytelling. They’ll be snippets, mostly, lengthy as they are, as this is all going to be part of a larger work. The outline thus far is looking fairly good, with twelve total posts planned. One of them will address Satan, though it is to come rather late (it’s planned for number eight as of right now), but I already started working on it yesterday evening. In a sense, I felt a bit drained creatively once it was finished, so I’m pulling an easy out and just posting a portion of it here for you to read and pick apart. Sorry, sometimes I need to protect my creative mental space and I just can’t scrounge up enough to make it through Wednesday and Thursday unless I skimp a bit on the originality here. Tomorrow, look for a reflection on God’s will, Thursday, for the first part in this series about faith and art, which will focus on Story. For now …

What’s happened to Satan?

One year at a local church’s Fall Festival—one of the valiant, though often unfortunate, attempts to reclaim All Saints Day from the awful, pseudo-holiday of Halloween—I was greeted by a young man dressed up as the devil. At least, his conception of him. Pitchfork in hand, horns on his head, a cape on his back, and a defiant look of satisfaction on his face. He seemed rather pleased with himself, dressed as we was, in the midst of the church atmosphere of harmony and joy. Continue Reading…

formica monday? (aka the tenth formica friday)

April 25, 2011 in formica friday with 2 Comments

Since I took last week off for Holy Week, I feel like I should give a week in review up front, instead of waiting. So I’ll be back with fiction next Monday, back to regular posting throughout this week. I hope and pray that your vigil toward Easter was richly rewarding and moving. Mine certainly was.

It’s that time again, another Formica ~~Friday~~ Monday, a treasure trove of hodgepodge, random tidbits, and a bit of this and that. What exactly is Formica Friday? Check out the tongue-in-cheek, I got away with this?, definition from the first post.