LaughingSeven

There is no doubt that in revealing the fundamental fragility of the human condition, the disabled person becomes an expression of the tragedy of pain. In this world of ours that approves hedonism as is charmed by ephemeral and deceptive beauty, the difficulties of the disabled are often perceived as a shame or provocation are their problem as burdens to be removed or resolved as quickly as possible. Disabled people are instead icons of the crucified Son. They reveal the mysterious beauty of the One who emptied himself obedient unto death. Show they us over and above all appearances that they ultimate foundation of human existence is Jesus Christ.  – John Paul II

 

Kudos Matt

Some of my fellow students put together this pretty incredible video about the uniqueness of how MHGS approaches ‘the other’. It’s one of the reasons I am fond and am grateful for MHGS. 

 
mhgs what no. 2 from blaine hogan on Vimeo.
 

Our sexuality is not a mere biological function; rather it is the impulse of something far greater and more meaningful than the thrill of an orgasm can satisfy. We emote sexual feelings because we seek impact and connection. We seek to find what it is that we were created for; to get inside of someone and to have someone get inside of us. It is of no surprise that in dealing with these longings our sexual being becomes difficult to ignore. We cannot escape the arousal and excitement when the reality of these longings is highlighted. We hope to seduce and be seduced into experiencing the other in such a way that a mere biological function feels apathetic at best. While there are many biological aspects of our sexuality as humans, there exists too great of an emotional connection to our sexual being that prevents biology from reigning supreme.

I’d love to hear your answers to the following questions regarding the Sabbath:

1. When you hear the word ‘Sabbath’ — what first thoughts come to your mind?

2. Do you observe the Sabbath? If not, what do you suppose has kept you from doing so? If you have ever observed the Sabbath, what have you done that is meaningful that mark it as set aside?

3. When you consider that keeping the Sabbath is the fourth commandment -= why do you suppose God makes it such an important part of living a good life?

4. What is one central goal of the sabbath celebration?

Thanks for your time. I’ll give my responses later this week.

One of my professors, Roy Barsness, constantly gets on us for not reading the news. So this post is in honor of Roy….

Trailer Park in Florida heaven to sex offenders. Nearly half of the residents are registered sex offenders. Article Link

A Middle School (yes, that’s right, grades 1-6) in Maine is going to be offering birth control due to a recent outbreak of pregnancies. These pills will be available to girls at the school as young as 11 years young. Article Link

Four people, 2 kids and 2 adults, were killed in their sleep last night in Detroit. Article Link

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Too often I read headlines and stories like the ones above and say to myself “man, this world is so messed up.” While that is true, it completely alleviates the need for me to feel anything for any of these people. It’s easy to hate the sex offenders because they have done something that is so wrong and such a violation to those they offended. It’s easy to mock at the 11-year olds having sex and getting pregnant…and then to fire bullets at the school system for not doing a darn thing about real issues with these kids. And then it’s easy to see the murder of a family and feel next to nothing because this happens every day, in every state, country, and continent…so why should I feel something for this Detroit family when I can barely remember what it felt like for the family last week that suffered the same fate?

The Fall season is my favorite season of the year. You literally have to be blind to not see the beauty that surrounds us, and my guess is that even the blind can see and taste the beauty: The colors changing, the wind blowing the leaves around, and the air becoming crisper. This is the seasons to feel change, to feel beauty, and to feel pain. Because I know in a few weeks, those leaves are going to be brown, and the trees will be bare, and it’ll be time to bundle up and go inside. So today I enjoy the leaves, the air, the wind, and the smells of fall. And I feel the groans of the earth and of those who inhabit it.

We live in a beautifully glorious place that at the same time is dark, cold, and wet (not just Seattle). I’d rather it be one or the other, because seeing beauty and darkness at the same time is usually too much.

While cleaning out my office/desk/study/spare-bedroom, I ran across some notes I wrote to myself during Church over the past few months…
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What do we do when our most precious sacrifice and burnt offering is not our choice to give but is given on our behalf by God to Himself?

We mourn, but not as those who have no hope (1 Cor 15).

Can we know Christ in other means?

How am I teaching the concept of hope to my kids?

Are my dreams for the “why” or the “who” (or the “how)?

What are the solutions to my problems?
- Advice from others
- Forget about it.
- Explain it (the quest to feel good).

I don’t want to ask God for help because what I know of truth is that it is painful.

Justice reigns supreme.

What does it mean to be White?

It doesn’t matter if you are white or not, I’d love to hear what you think….be honest!

Re: What is this place?

It’s about the process.

If it’s about the person, then why do I, and others, feel so lost and strung along?

Because, it’s about the process.

Last semester A 3rd year counseling student told me, “Trust the process and don’t get discouraged. It works out in the end.” Yeah, and I’ll be able to run in Heaven, too.

The process is great, as long as you don’t forget that there are people involved.

Get involved in a process that is fast moving, and I can guarantee that you’ll be lost.

Stand up and say that you’re being missed or overrun by the process, and you’ll be asked why you fell that way; how are you sitting with that; and tell me more.

I’m sure the process is great if all we’re looking to do is to create drones and robots that ask “x” when “y” happens. Is that all?

The problem is, “x” is a great question and, in spite of the intentions, usually allows for great things to take place. Which leads me to my next beef…. Why do “great things” have to take place for meaning to occur?

Are we so numb to actual life that we must experience the mountain every time we sit down with someone? can we not experience a grain of sand and the impact that it has? Why does the process require of us to glorify Buber and the genuine meeting every time we sit down?

It’s about the process. Look out, you’ll end up in a ditch with a frown on your face and no smile…if you’re not careful.

There is more to be had, here at MHGS, here in my marriage, here with my kids, and more importantly, here with God.

There is more. Do you see it, do you know that you’re not getting it all? There’s more. This is not it.

Search for more. Be more. Ask for more. Invite more. God more.

Why are you doing life, not how are you doing it. Don’t how life, why it. Life is more than what works and what doesn’t, life is about bigger; about more. Not about a bigger house, but about a bigger dream, a bigger me, a bigger you…A bigger GOD.

The sum has to be greater than the parts, or the process will be the more. the process will end up being the end; and we’ll miss people. We’ll miss me and we’ll miss you.

We’ll miss God.

Why do you miss God? Don’t how the question, why it.

Why More?
Why God?

There. Is. More.

Someday you’ll be in a fight with someone, and you’ll ask them to fight for you. You’ll beg for them to fight for the only thing that you know is true, you’re you. But how can you ask them to fight for this you if there’s not sense of who or how you are you? but that doesn’t matter because you still want them to step beside you, look into your eyes, and say “lets go”. You’d cry helplessly if someone did that for you. You’d be worthless in the fight, a sitting duck and you are so afraid of them actually doing that. What will you say, what will you do if they join you on the front line seemingly asking for death?

Just think, the other person is asking you for the same thing. They want you to turn around and fight for them. Leave your desires and passions at the door, grab your sword and gloves, and walk into the battle that is raging. But realize that the fight isn’t going to make you feel better, it’s probably going to scare you and leave some wounds, and it’ll change you forever. Is it worth it? Is it worth the energy, the fear, the selflessness to fight for that which you so desperately want to be done on your behalf? Can you do it?

So then you leave, and go because there was too much at stake. Go away and find out why you got close, only to leave again. You’ve never had anyone fight for you before and more likely you’ve never asked or let someone else fight with you. So you go on with life, fighting your own wars, becoming yet another casualty on the long list of those who walk with no echo. No echo, no echo.

I ask you; what will you fight for?

Fight for glory?
for honor?
for shame?
for you?
for me?
for us?

For what?

For who?