December 8, 2008
A quote from Wikipidia (pardon the language). As Megan Nix recently pointed out in her blog, The Nixionary, someone bothered to log this:
piss and shit in some cases may be acceptable among informal (and usually younger) friends (while they almost are never acceptable in formal relationships or public use).
September 9, 2008
Been a long night!
September 9, 2008
It is now 4 am. I sit, sleepless and anxious as our baby slowly (and I do mean slowly) but surely makes her way into this world. The hospital at night is a fascinating place. Creepy, quiet, still. The hallway carpeting here muffles sound like a fresh snowfall. No, I’m not trying to be melodramatic, it just does. This blog frustrates me sometimes. I feel that I need to relate to you all of the spiritual metaphors and realities that are transpiring here tonight. To explain how the birth of a child under the most uninviting of circumstances speaks to the trauma of our age and how just as surely, the new creation that is being born in the midst of it because of Jesus’ resurrection.
There is much that I want to say, but I just can’t articulate it fully. So for now I’ll just say that the good people who run Swedish hospital ought to consider redesigning their waiting rooms in the labor and delivery wing. I’m not sure anything speaks to the fact that our world is still imperfect quite like them.
July 16, 2008
I’ll never forget that spring afternoon, sitting in Noodles and Companyon Colorado Blvd. that my friend Wei got the phone call from his sister back in Malaysia that his mother had fallen ill. I don’t think it was more than a week later that Wei had given away virtually everything he owned and boarded a plane bound for his childhood home. He wouldn’t make it. His mother had died before he had the chance to say his final goodbye and the trip effectively ended his long fight with the U.S. immigration department who had built a case that Wei was no longer welcome in this country. I miss my friend. I received more bad news today–news that he would discontinue his blog, “Torn Notebook”, one of the finest pieces of theological internet blabbery (and I mean that in the best possible sense) out there. While I respect his decision to move on, the internet world is loosing a crucially sane and honest voice. More than anything, I’m sad to see it go because Wei taught me more than most people in this world have, and with his blog, I was able to hold on to some of those conversations I so enjoyed during his years in Denver. Please, if you get a chance, check it out one last time. Explore. It will make you think–I promise.
May 28, 2008
To anyone who reads this blog with any regularity, my apologies for the prolonged absence. Things have been something of a whirlwind lately. Two weeks ago, I graduated from graduate school and immediately afterward, my wife and I left for a much needed vacation in Puerto Rico where we camped on the pristine–and tiny–island of Culebra for a week. Outside of that, some profound sadness to report. My good friend (one of my best, in fact) Wei, who had been facing deportation back to his home country of Malaysia for some time now due to a technicality in his work visa, was forced to return home because of the sudden sickness, and, I’m sad to report, untimely death of his mother. This departure from the U.S. effectively ended his immigration appeal process leaving him in Malaysia indefinitely, and leaving me without one of my dearest friends. You can peek at his blog “Torn Notebook” for a bit more about, and a window into the head of Wei.
Other exciting news involving a possible adoption for my wife and I (as soon as August!!) has all combined to leave my world a bit topsy-turvy at the moment. In addition, we’re launching our new high school and middle school aged summer adventure camps in a couple of weeks so you’re prayers would be greatly appreciated on that front as well.
Some time ago, I promised excerpts from my Masters dissertation called “A Longing for Home; Rethinking a Biblical Ecological Worldview” which will be forthcoming–likely to keep you busy during my absence at camp through June and July. I’m pleased with it. My new understanding on how the first century Jewish audiences of Jesus, Paul and John may have understood the concept of a ”new heavens and new earth” has left me feeling inspired, guilty and indeed, stupider for my (and the collective Christian) lack of understanding of the complex Hebrew worldview. Hopefully expansion of the project will be enough to keep me busy through the rest of my Ph.D. studies.
So there you have it. Please keep visiting. As I said, I will be taking a brief hiatus during most of June and the first half of July, but I’ll try to fill this space during that time nonetheless. Thanks for your patience and keep looking for more here.
April 8, 2008
A good friend of mine, over at his blog, Bumi Dipijak, has compliled a helpful guide for non-experts who want to read and actually understand the Bible. As he notes, the Scriptures are often seen as dangerous and intimidating territory for many Catholics. Others–many of whom I know personally–would like to read the Bible more, or even more deeply, but lack a sane approach that doesn’t consist in just starting in Genesis and trudging through to Revelation (indeed, Leviticus and Numbers have left many causualties along the way, and many Bibles on their shelves). Some simply don’t know where to begin. This guide, which I imagine will continue to grow with suggestions and tools is a great place to start. After all, as St. Jerome says, “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”
The link follows here: http://wanweihsien.wordpress.com/scripture-for-the-non-experts/
March 26, 2008
March 11, 2008
Over the weekend, my wife and I had the chance to sit down at dinner with two of our dearest friends. One is a very well-known and respected priest from the east coast where he teaches at a prominent Catholic seminary and college. The other is a fellow teacher with me at the Catholic Biblical School (at least until our government forces him back to Malaysia–an act which seems all but imminent–perhaps more on that later) and a consecrated layman. I so treasure getting together with these friends because I feel that we are all somewhat ennigmatic in our various social and professional spheres. Namely, to conservatives, we seem terribly liberal, and to many liberals, our religious affiliations make us seem terribly conservative. Indeed, I shouldn’t complain; this, I think, is the only proper stance for a Catholic. Nevertheless, the conversations were fascinating. From ecological justice to homosexuality to immigration to sacramental realities we went, happily enjoying the rare occasion of being truly understood and appreciated.
March 7, 2008
On that note, I also enjoy cycling, skiing, backpacking, reading, cooking, gardening, coffee shops, microbrews and having good times and good conversations with family and friends. So again, welcome. Please make yourself at home and try to avoid and forgive any clutter that might develop along the way.
