Ah, Spring Break.
The time of year when students get to take a break. The time of year when we all get to forget our school work for a week and focus on relaxing.
Then again, maybe not.
This week I have way too much to do. I finished an 11-page paper yesterday, I'm at work today and Thursday, I have an 8 page research paper to do, a list of resources for my youth ministry class, a 5 page single spaced outline for Old Testament Theology, and a brand new Wii to enjoy (Credit Card rewards are kind of nice).
Ok maybe that last one isn't a necessity.
But really, sometimes we can just get so bogged down with what we have to get done that we don't take time to rest. Spring Break can be a nice reminder that sometimes we should stop to enjoy life. Sometimes that is difficult for me. My weeks have been so full ever since I started graduate school that I don't think I've taken nearly enough time to appreciate the life that God has given to me. But while I have important things to get done, I also need to take time to rest.
Sometimes I forget that God didn't make me to write papers and read textbooks. I spend so much time wrapped up in what I have to get done that I forget to look at the big picture. My whole life becomes about this chapter I have to read, or this outline I have to write, or this class I have to prepare for church. I don't take time to step back and look at the big picture. But this week I get to do that.
Really, in the grand scheme of things, this one Wednesday night class won't be that important. I probably won't even remember this 8 page paper by this time next year. But how I spend time before God this week will always be important. I just have to be willing to extract myself from business to place myself before an Almighty God. If I can do that, maybe he will mold me to be like him in ways I could never do on my own--especially by my own work.
May you rest in the presence of your Creator and be refreshed.
--Tyler
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Phantom of the Opera
I saw Phantom of the Opera last night in Dallas. It was kind of epic.
I'm not sure if my favorite part was the explosion of fire from the stage, the broken chandelier piecing itself back together and flying itself on up to the ceiling, or the floating candles appearing out of the stage only to disappear seconds later.
Oh and the singing, acting, and storyline were nice too.
I mean, the story is nothing new. I've seen the movie more times than I care to count and the stage musical once in London.
The singing was good, but not the best Phantom of the Opera I've ever heard. Of course, I listen to the Original Cast Recording on a pretty regular basis.
And the acting was fine, but let's be honest--watching not-so-famous actors who are so far away you can't tell if they're good actors or not is not the ideal situation.
But the special effects... those are incredible. To watch an actor appear in a mirror, shoot fire at another character, and disappear off the stage leaving nothing but a glowing mask behind... that makes the whole experience incredible. Part of what makes this kind of theater (theatre? Are you supposed to type it the British way when discussing a British play?) so fantastic is the sheer wonder of the production that makes you say, "How the heck did they do that?"
But you know, I really don't think I want to know how they did it. I think I prefer to wonder. Because it's the wonder of the play that actually brings the play to life. If I knew how they did everything, the play would lose a lot of its excitement. I think it might even kill the whole play.
There's this old saying that "Curiosity killed the cat." People say it to you to keep you from being to nosy. What I wonder is, whose curiosity killed the cat? For instance, if Billy was curious what turpentine would do to a cat, it would be Billy's curiosity that killed the cat. Not the cat's curiosity. I really think this is where the truth lies in the old saying. Because sometimes (read: most times) I think it's our curiosity that can be harmful to everyone, not just ourselves.
In fact, some day, not too long from now, I think the statement will probably become "Curiosity killed God" because we seem to be getting over our need for him. Our curiosity about God and his creation is quickly causing us to lose our wonder and fear of God. I think we need to stop every once and a while to admire the beauty of Creation as it comes from God without putting it through all kinds of tests and experiments. I believe we should continue to study theology in order to become more familiar with the personality of God, but sometimes we just need to realize that God is beyond our understanding, and to stand before him in fear and wonder, worshipping him in his incomprehensibility. That wonder and fear of God is what gives life to our relationship with him.
May your relationship with God be filled with wonder and excitement
--Tyler
I'm not sure if my favorite part was the explosion of fire from the stage, the broken chandelier piecing itself back together and flying itself on up to the ceiling, or the floating candles appearing out of the stage only to disappear seconds later.
Oh and the singing, acting, and storyline were nice too.
I mean, the story is nothing new. I've seen the movie more times than I care to count and the stage musical once in London.
The singing was good, but not the best Phantom of the Opera I've ever heard. Of course, I listen to the Original Cast Recording on a pretty regular basis.
And the acting was fine, but let's be honest--watching not-so-famous actors who are so far away you can't tell if they're good actors or not is not the ideal situation.
But the special effects... those are incredible. To watch an actor appear in a mirror, shoot fire at another character, and disappear off the stage leaving nothing but a glowing mask behind... that makes the whole experience incredible. Part of what makes this kind of theater (theatre? Are you supposed to type it the British way when discussing a British play?) so fantastic is the sheer wonder of the production that makes you say, "How the heck did they do that?"
But you know, I really don't think I want to know how they did it. I think I prefer to wonder. Because it's the wonder of the play that actually brings the play to life. If I knew how they did everything, the play would lose a lot of its excitement. I think it might even kill the whole play.
There's this old saying that "Curiosity killed the cat." People say it to you to keep you from being to nosy. What I wonder is, whose curiosity killed the cat? For instance, if Billy was curious what turpentine would do to a cat, it would be Billy's curiosity that killed the cat. Not the cat's curiosity. I really think this is where the truth lies in the old saying. Because sometimes (read: most times) I think it's our curiosity that can be harmful to everyone, not just ourselves.
In fact, some day, not too long from now, I think the statement will probably become "Curiosity killed God" because we seem to be getting over our need for him. Our curiosity about God and his creation is quickly causing us to lose our wonder and fear of God. I think we need to stop every once and a while to admire the beauty of Creation as it comes from God without putting it through all kinds of tests and experiments. I believe we should continue to study theology in order to become more familiar with the personality of God, but sometimes we just need to realize that God is beyond our understanding, and to stand before him in fear and wonder, worshipping him in his incomprehensibility. That wonder and fear of God is what gives life to our relationship with him.
May your relationship with God be filled with wonder and excitement
--Tyler
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)