The Lost Sheep (or iPod)

Last week wasn't a good one for keeping things. At the beginning of the week I thought I had lost some music--Sufjan Stevens, who I've really come to enjoy. I let someone (I don't remember who) borrow the CD thinking it was on my computer. When I went to look for it, it wasn't there. I racked my brain for a couple of days trying to remember who had the CD and why the music wasn't on my computer. Then I thought to look on my computer at work. Wouldn't you know it, there it was! Found!

Then a couple days later I wanted to go for a run and was looking for my iPod. It was nowhere to be found. I dug around my room, no iPod. I retraced my steps in my mind. I had worked out a couple days earlier and I distinctively remembered walking back to the locker room listening to music, so I knew I had it after my workout. Beyond that things got fuzzy. Did I put it in my locker? Did I wear it to the car (which I almost never do)? I decided to check with the people who work around the building to see if some honest soul had turned it in. As I asked various people I got the same look, a look that said "Do you really think someone would turn in an iPod if they found one?" They all looked for me in their respective lost and found piles. The searches' results were all the same: no iPod. As I thought of where I might have left it and what it would cost to replace it, I realized that I would have gladly lost several CDs of music if I only hadn't lost the iPod. Finally I decided that I should search my room from top to bottom one last time. Not five minutes into my search I spotted it, underneath a Kleenex box underneath my dresser. Whew! I was elated! The lost had been found!

As I thought of these two things I lost last week I was reminded of the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son in Luke 15. I read a book by Kenneth E. Bailey on Luke 15 once called The Cross and the Prodigal: Luke 15 Through the Eyes of Middle Eastern Peasants. The book gave amazing insight into the parable of the Prodigal Son. I highly recommend it. Bailey talks about how the three stories go together, each one telling of a more valueable loss. That thought is what triggered my memory: first I lost my music then I lost my iPod. Maybe the next in line would be the loss of my hearing.

The book also emphasized that in each story there was celebration over the item (or person) when it(he) was found. I have rejoiced over the finding of the things I lost, but I haven't celebrated. The people in these stories really celebrated. The lady who found the coin called all her neighbors and they had a party to celebrate her finding it!

Lastly, of course I am reminded of how lost we were. (Sometimes I feel like I still am in my understanding of different issues, especially grace.) And our Father runs to us as we, with unsure steps, walk towards Him. He takes our shame and welcomes us as sons while we are completely unworthy. He even throws a party in our honor and rejoices with us that He has given us something we could never deserve!

Dr. Horrible and other cultural phenomenons

While I'm don't know much about blog etiquette I feel like I should apologize for not posting here for a time. I'm still alive and kicking. If you were worried about that, then see my post below about worrying. You might want to take some time and see what's at the root of it. ;)

Like most people, I find myself wondering where the summer has gone. I went on a wonderful vacation in Colorado where I enjoyed the mountains, shopped, read, and slept. It doesn't get much better than that! The temperature and humidity rose as we drove back to Kansas and I asked myself, "Why am I doing this again? It's so beautiful and unhumid in Colorado!" Since I've been back home I've discovered that Kansas is sometimes hotter (and most times more humid) than Saudi Arabia! One upside to this is that you don't get spoiled by the weather when you live in Kansas, it toughens you up!

As soon as I got back from vacation I started a seminary class called Cultural Literacy. As the name implies, we are learning to read culture. What do trends in a culture tell us about who people understand themselves to be? What do they tell us about their view of others? Of God? We are studying American pop culture as an example, but the questions we are attempting to answer can be applied to any culture. We've had some fascinating discussions and I feel much more ready to engage culture (my own and others) as a result.

Just last night we learned about Mixed Martial Arts (http://www.ufc.com/), Twitter (www.twitter.com) , and Superheroes. We watched part of an entertaining new superhero musical blog (http://drhorrible.com/). Topics slated for the rest of the week include online dating, road rage, increased anxiety, and others. I will keep posting tidbits...