A Response to a Year of Shootings: The Madman Realized

Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!"

Friedrich Nietzsche penned these words before the dawn of the 20th century. These are the words of a “Madman”, who ran about the streets screaming that God was dead, that mankind had killed Him. He was considered insane because he was stating something to be obviously true that was obviously un-apparent to his audience, Western Culture.

“Whither is God?" he [the Madman] cried; "I will tell you. We have killed him---you and I. All of us are his murderers.”

What was he saying? Was he equating us to the religious leaders of the 1st Century who delivered Christ to the cross? Or perhaps he was condemning us as the Roman Imperialists, who carried out the deed of killing the Son of God. Even perhaps more applicably, he may have been criticizing society for the blood of the martyrs. But no – this madman was telling of the death of God in Western thought.

“All of us are his murderers. But how did we do this?”

Western society has flirted with the idea of a God-homicide for a long time. Charles Darwin declared God unnecessary for the origin of life. Henry David Thoreau proposed that man was corrupted by society, not his inherent, God-hating depravity. Friedrich Nietzsche simply put two and two together – if we don’t need God to exist, and we don’t need him to define right and wrong, we must not need Him at all. But unlike most of society at the time, Nietzsche foresaw that Western Society could not continue on as it had – things would change.

"Whither are we moving? Away from all suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are we not straying, as through an infinite nothing?"

Without God, mankind had no foundation for reality. Why is murder wrong? For centuries, the Western World believed life was valuable because humans were created imago dei, and therefore, life was valuable. Why ought we to consider one race to be just as valuable as another? Because we all descended from Adam, and therefore were all one race anyways – just with different external, trivial characteristics. Why did we respect and obey our governing authorities? Because we believed authorities originated from God, and we were to respect and obey them.

The madman saw that we now had no definition. What was up and down? What was right and wrong? Could right even exist? What was good? What was wrong? It was left up to personal or cultural interpretation.

When a man, for no apparent reason, walked into a university classroom and kills ten people, why is it wrong? This was simply survival of the fittest in action. The shooter was fit; the victims were not. Why fight natural law?

When a racist man walked into a church and murdered people of a “lesser race”, who was to say he was wrong? Given the achievements of the white society over black, why should he have valued them?

When radical Muslim terrorists coordinated an attack that killed over a hundred people in Paris, how did they know they could get away with it? They knew the politically correct West would “talk” and “negotiate” and not launch another full-out Crusade, because that was no longer acceptable in Western society.

Here the madman fell silent and looked again at his listeners; and they, too, were silent and stared at him in astonishment. At last he threw his lantern on the ground, and it broke into pieces and went out. "I have come too early," he said then; "my time is not yet.”

When Nietzsche wrote this in the 1890’s, this statement was true, but friends, the madman’s time is now. The West is realizing what it means to have no God. It means there is nothing “wrong” with killing somebody in the womb or the room, because who’s to say what’s “wrong” anyways? Wars fought over race are perfectly acceptable, because we are one species fighting another, survival of the fittest in action, and nature is a force more powerful than any of us. Why not assume that a radical terrorist is basically “good” and negotiable, when we have no solid definition of “good” anyways? Chaos and pandemonium are all that can exist, because we have no infinite, greater-than-man reference point. How can anything be true?

“Are we not straying, as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not night continually closing in on us? Do we not need to light lanterns in the morning? Do we hear nothing as yet of the noise of the gravediggers who are burying God? Do we smell nothing as yet of the divine decomposition? Gods, too, decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.”


How then, do we bring this God back to life? In the midst of this chaos and darkness we are seeing more and more often around us, how can we not only save ourselves, but those around us?

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14-16)

Stand strong. Living like a Christian is to be a light, but don’t put your light under a basket. Don’t let peer pressure, reputation, or “sanity” be an inhibitor to standing out. This is a bigger problem than apprehending criminals or controlling guns – this is a culture-wide problem. How do we answer the culture’s plight? Answer the tough questions unashamedly from Christ’s point of view, because we are quickly entering an era where people are searching for answers and foundations, for they have none. But Christ is our answer, our foundation, our direction. So while the madman frets about having no reference point, remember that we have one – Christ Jesus. His words, His life, and His truth stand the test of time; He is sanity in the Age of Madmen.

Shanghai-ed Perspective

My trip here could be deemed by some as disastrous. Having a long, unexpted delay in an international airport where almost nobody speaks English does indeed sound like a nightmare, but I came away with a great lesson, as opposed to a purely frustrating memory.

This is the version of the story that I’m tempted to tell, that I think is the natural reaction to the circumstances:

1. We had a VERY long flight from Seattle to Shanghai.
2. Our flight from Shanghai to Chongqing was indefinitely delayed (scheduled to leave at 9 pm, didn’t leave until 1 am).
3. We had to stay in an extremely cheap hotel (think China version of Motel 6).

4. We couldn’t get the 9 a.m. flight out the next morning; we had to wait until 12:30.
5. We missed the first day of the build.

Now, in a me-focused world, this recounting makes total sense. All the ways I was inconvenienced. All the suffering I had to deal with. It’s all about me, myself, and I. Let’s try telling this story again, but with a different perspective (storyline points correspond)

1. This felt like one of the fastest flights I’ve ever been on; it went quickly and I was surprised we got there when we did.
2. We were stuck in an airport that just happened to have a hotel as part of its complex!
3. The hotel initially had no rooms, but after 10 minutes in the lobby with the four of us scanning the web and making calls for a different hotel, the concierge called me back to the desk and told me that some of their guests had just cancelled, and they had two two-bed rooms available.
4. It took us 2 hours to recover our bags from the previous airline for our final flight; something we hadn’t anticipated beforehand, which would have meant we would have missed a 9 a.m. flight. As it was, we got our bags, got to our gate, and had minimal waiting time before we took off. (And I wouldn’t have gotten to ride with this little guy… we became good friends via peekaboo…)

5. The first day was very uneventful, which meant we just had a whole extra day to adjust to the time zone with almost no negative impact to the team.

I was just reading this morning the comparison of a Worldview to glasses – how we view the things that happen around us. If Jesus really has changed my life (and my worldview), it ought to impact how I view things. I didn’t sugar-coat any of the items in the second recounting, I simply looked at things from a different perspective. I had a God up in heaven who had my best interest in mind. Even if I couldn’t understand at the time why we couldn’t get a 9 a.m. flight, God did know; before I got frustrated, I need to trust that God had a reason for this to occur.

So let's take that selfish, me-centric view and ship it off to Shanghai with no chance to return, because with every little inconvenience, discomfort, and frustration we come across, we can leave it up to Him – we never know what He has in store.

Hope for the Middle Kingdom

China could very easily be called a land of suffering. Dating back to the ancient and medieval era, multiple kingdoms and warlords waged war across the country, sometimes millions of combatants and hundreds of thousands of casualties in one battle. Then, at the end of the Renaissance, suddenly thrust upon them are foreign powers from across the sea that far out-gun them, and China suddenly recognizes that perhaps, they are not the all-powerful middle kingdom. Then came war with Japan – a devastating ordeal where they were driven back to far central China, after millions of casualties; torn apart by civil war, there was little they could do to resist. Following that, a mis-guided ruler killed millions of his own people in a “Cultural Revolution”. Today, the country has more stability than ever before in its thousands of years of history, but the people are shaped by this past of war, suffering, and death. To cope, they cling to their worldviews.

As I sit here looking at the skyline of Chongqing, I’m struck by its different attributes. Some of the buildings are very tall and outstanding, while others are only a few stories tall. Some buildings are brand new, or even under construction, while some look as though they pre-date the Great War. Some are very clearly seen from where I sit, while others are barely visible through the fog.
From what I know, this view is very similar to the religious landscape of China. Some worldviews are new, strong and vibrant, while others are more subtle, but nonetheless contributing to the inhabitants’ overall view of reality. Some are propped up by the government, some are torn down, and some are let be. I will open this piece by saying that I am in no way an expert on the subject, but I’ve been exposed in the last few days to some aspects that I have found interesting. Historical overview will, I think, provide a good foundation for what we see in modern China today.

Let us begin with Siddhārtha Gautama, or the Buddha (Enlightened One) ~500 B.C. He attempted to alleviate the suffering in the world by the elimination of ignorance, resulting in Enlightenment. Ultimately, good deeds, karma, and faithfulness would result in reincarnations, ultimately leading the immortal soul to Nirvana, or one-ness with the pantheos of the world.

Sometime near or after Buddhism’s birth, Taoism, or “the way”, which fit right into the beliefs already existing in China, came on the scene. The idea that all of reality is a struggle, a balance, between the good and the bad, while not exactly the same as Buddhism, was consistent with many of its beliefs. Morality, and your resulting reincarnation into natural or god-like state, is set by the king of the underworld. At the end of their lives, people are put on trial, and the result determines their reincarnated state.

Nearly concurrently, Confucius, perhaps the most famous Eastern philosopher, founded the worldview named for him that sought to unite oneself with heaven, or Tian. Again, as with Buddhism, this was accomplished by piety, morality, and focus.

I am only scratching the surface of these ancient religions; entire libraries have been written on these subjects, and there are so many unique strains that emphasize different aspects of the belief. I am doing a high-level analysis in an attempt to paint a general picture.

Finally, enter the Marxist worldview, one that describes reality as a constant struggle between ideas and more progressive ideals (dialectical materialism, for those of you who like big words). Over time, these struggles will result in the perfect society, or utopia, that lacks bad will, evil, or oppression. Similar to the previous beliefs in that it is also monistic (no difference between physical and supernatural), it is different in that Marxism believes a solid naturalism – only the physical, concrete world exists.

This is China – a culture that has evolved over time, bombarded with different ideas that have been assimilated into the peoples’ beliefs. So where does that leave us? I was asked an interesting question via Facebook that was very thought-provoking:

Ben, how do these experiences influence your prayers for the people of China? What has God been revealing to you about Himself as you learn more about Chinese culture and religion?... Are there any parts of Chinese culture in which you particularly see a reflection of the image of God?

I think that that the aggregate belief have a few consistencies with the truth. To begin with, they accurately recognize the struggle that humanity is entangled with. There is evil and suffering in the world, and humanity’s depravity is at the center of it. There is hope for a perfect place whereby evil and suffering are removed, and people can live in peace and harmony. The striving to do good in a world surrounded by evil is central to many of these beliefs.

The answer though, is not in our own goodness, or even potential for goodness. The Apostle Paul accurately states in Romans 3:

“…There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good.
No.
Not one.”

Isaiah drives the point home in chapter 64:

“…we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

A somewhat depressing thought, particularly for those who spend their entire lives trying to do good things. Mankind is, on his own, doomed to struggle, fail, and suffer through life. China has searched desperately for an answer to these realities and done its best to provide a solution. Promises of immortality, utopia, or unification with God Himself drive them to live out their faith with a devotion that puts many Christians to shame.

What then, is the answer? Isaiah supplies not just a band-aid, but a cure to our problems in chapter 53:

“Surely He [Jesus Christ] has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”

And Peter goes a step further in his first epistle, chapter 2:

“[Christ]…who Himself bore our sins in His own body, on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

Live. Healed. Returned to the Shepherd. Are these not the things that the whole world needs? Is this not the peace that we all, including the Chinese people, are seeking? Not by our own miserable attempts at righteousness, but by the free gift that He supplies. He paid the penalty, accepted all the “bad karma” that our actions deserved, to the point of death itself.

He provided an end to suffering, both for now and eternity. He gave us a hope in the midst of loss. He gave us life instead of death. When I say He gave these things to “us”, I do not for a second believe that He did that solely for the Western church.

He died for the crippled Chinese beggar on the side of the road. He made available the gift of eternal life to the “middle-class” engineer at a factory. He loves, literally to death, the Premier of China himself. China is precious to Him, every single one of its inhabitants. He knows them each by name; they are each individually His masterpieces, created in His image. He is their Shepherd, and is out looking to bring them to His fold. He longs to be reunited with them, as do they, though they do not know Him. Pray that the Chinese people would find the end of their longing for peace in Him.

Christian Music Conundrum - an Introduction

 

Music is central to much of American culture, and it is no different amongst Christians. We use music to for entertainment, socializing, and worship. It is so engrained in our lives that we seldom stop to consider anything about it. Sure, there are some old-school people that think that some music is “bad”, even so much as demonic, but this discussion often appears to be a fringe argument of the young against the old; boring dead Puritan ideals against a “living fire”; legalistic against “livin’ for Jesus”.

Many of us were raised in a home where, in music, a beat was bad. Mom and dad muted the musical interludes during movies, we weren’t “allowed” certain CDs in our house, and we all stood somewhat awkwardly during worship services when we visited friends’ more modern churches. We understood that some people just had it wrong, and we would obstinately push through life without electric guitars or drum sets.

Then… things would start to happen. A good, trusted, Christian-ly solid, friend would begin to listen to, horror of horrors, Casting Crowns. Or perhaps you began to listen more closely to some music that your family listens to and recognize, “Wait a second… this is actually just as rocky as some artists out there… even more than the Gettys!” Or maybe you finally heard a pop Christian song you could understand the words to, and thought “Wow; that’s a very poignantly stated Biblical truth. You could preach a sermon from that!” We started to ask “What’s wrong with it?”

Then we started seeing inconsistencies – the music was bad in some cases, but other songs that sounded the same to us were ok to our spiritual authorities. We would be told “We don’t listen to that artist because they’re immoral.”, yet Mozart was prominently played and even performed by members of our household. A few oldies songs with absolutely no spiritual value might be played by our parents, but our Christian songs that were just as musically subdued would be “off limits”. We started to ask “Why can’t I listen to it?”

Then… more things would start to happen. Some of our friends that had blazed this trail of listening to “modern music” would start making blatantly un-biblical decisions. You would look up one day and in shock say “What AM I listening to?” We would start looking more into the lives of these “amazing Christian artists” and questioning their real motives…

It is in this state that I begin to ask these questions:

·         What music can Christians listen to?

·         What music should Christians listen to?

·         What do I do about the people who condemn my choices?”

I will ask these questions with the following pre-suppositions; if you do not agree with these, please do not continue to follow these posts:

·         There are authorities in my life I must respect; even if they’re wrong, as long as they aren’t telling me to disobey God, I ought to honor them (Exodus 20:12, 1 Timothy 5:17)

·         God has an opinion about music – He is the author of it, and His principles that guide everything about life (including music) are in His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

·         Satan can twist anything and even deceive believers who have not imposed God’s truth on the situation (2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-14)

·         I COULD BE WRONG! I am going into this study with a certain view, but I am willing to be proven wrong; my own understanding could be incomplete. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

My Journey Far West... to the Far East

 

It has occurred to me that I have not done a journal-type blogpost for a while, and as the last two weeks of my life have been somewhat foreign (to myself as much as yourselves), I have taken it upon myself to write out an account of what has transpired over the last 14 days.

 

2 weeks ago from yesterday, I boarded a plane with a few compatriots, and we set out for the Orient. Now a grizzled veteran at this whole “travel to China thing” (which is to say, I’ve been a grand total of twice), I was quite comfortable with the prospect. A flight to Vancouver, then to Beijing, then to Chongqing were in store, and, as I found that I can sleep on a plane, the trip went rather quickly and well.

We arrived at the factory Tuesday morning. We jumped right in, qualifying parts, updating line layouts, and getting re-acquainted with our Chinese colleagues from Chongqing, Taiwan, and Shanghai. It was during this trip that I found that regional accents and dialects can be so different that initially, it was difficult for my colleagues from these different regions to communicate with each other.

This trip, I had one of my most unique cuisine experiences. At first, the proposition of eating grilled lamb seemed tame enough, but little did I know…

After consuming the lamb (which turned out to be goat; apparently, in the Chinese language there is no difference between the two domesticated animals…) over a grill using nothing but our hands (and occasionally a fork), we proceeded to the hot-pot portion of the meal.

Here, the items for our consumption got a little more interesting. All the leftover items from the barbecue were thrown into the stew, and not just the leftover meat: the skull, eyeballs, brains, heart, and intestines all, somehow, found their way into our pot. Due to their limited supply, I did not get an eyeball, but I did find that I can recommend both the heart and intestines of a goat (the brain is too mushy; wouldn’t recommend that bit…) while the flavor was somewhat bland due to the sparse flavoring in the broth, the meal was still one to remember.

The rest of the build transpired well, finishing a half-day early. We had a final closeout dinner, where my limited skill with chopsticks was put on trial and display – I don’t think I did terribly, but you’d have to ask the eight locals that were at my table. After the food we had toasts, karaoke (which wasn’t bad, but could’ve been better; I sang the last few lines of “What a Wonderful World”…), and an introduction to Mahjongg. I am still far from actually knowing how the game works, but I have had my first lesson, and I look forward to learning more.

 

Such has been my two weeks; I’ve learned a few more phrases in Mandarin, a few more foods to enjoy and stay away from, and a few more teammates’ personalities. I am happy to be home, but I look forward to going back as well!

 

The Body

I had a church service today that would, by many, be considered one of the best that could have ever occurred.

I began in a comfortable chair, a latte in my hand, and a high-quality, Bose sound system. When the worship team came on, the congregation knew they were in for a treat: we had appearances by Philips Craig & Dean, the Irish Tenors, and 4Him. They played some of my favorite songs, including How Deep the Father’s Love for Us, and The Promise. Even in the midst of China, thousands of miles away from home, my spirit was definitely lifted.

When the pastor walked on-stage, there was almost an audible gasp as John Piper began to discuss the text. One of the giants of the Faith in our age, all knew that His preaching would be Scriptural, sound, and profound. His trademark passion was not long in surfacing as he relayed the Word of God to us.

And then, the service got even better as Pastor John turned to one of my most favorite passages, 1 Timothy 3. After having completed a Bible Study a few years ago about the qualities of Elders, it has been a wonderful self-examination passage about how I, as a Christian man, ought to act. Pastor John delved into the roles of elders in the context of the Church, taking a new perspective that, while definitely Biblical, I had not considered.

The closeout songs were Psalm 67 by the Sons of Korah, and New Jerusalem by Michael Card. As the last notes of their songs faded, I breathed a great sigh of contentment.

And yet, something was missing. The worship? Fantastically reviewed the greatness of God. The teaching? Eloquently presented with passion and joy. The doctrine? Biblically founded and consistent with the Word of God Himself. What could possibly be missing?

When we sang, there was no real “we”, just myself, no companions with whom I could corporately be in awe of God, and the worship service was nothing more than a Windows Media playlist. When Pastor John came on to speak, I knew there would be no chance to clarify and continue his sermon, because he was gone when the sermon countdown timeline hit 0:00. After the service, there were no friends to share the lesson with; nobody who could present an anecdote about how they saw God’s hand in relation to the sermon; nobody that could perhaps challenge me further, to continue to pursue God in the context of the sermon we’d heard, because I was sitting by myself in a hotel lounge. Despite the seemingly perfect service, I was incomplete.

“But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you”. – 1 Corinthians 12:20-12

I don’t think this verse is strictly talking about capability. There are plenty of one-man-shows and lone wolves out there who, especially empowered by Christ, can do anything; sometimes, we are called to this. However, it is not our “social animal” nature that makes Christians this way. We were created to be part of a body. Sustained by God’s power, an eyeball could survive on its own, but that’s not what it was created for. In the same way, a believer may survive on his own (and God), but this is not what He was created to do.

“Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25

I look forward to coming home, but not because of home-sickness, dislike of the weather, or the food not agreeing with me. I am eager to return to my Body; I thank God for it, and am blessed by it.

I’ll see you soon.

The Sovereign Plan

Have you ever thought about the sovereignty of God’s ordering?

I mean, the Westminster Catechism is extremely clear

“The decrees of God are His eternal plan based on the purpose of His will, by which, for His own glory, He has foreordained everything that happens.”

We all know this; those of us who have grown up in Christian homes are taught that God has a plan for everything that happens. This is generally told to us as a reassurance, but have you ever thought to stop and think about the amazingness of it?

When God created the universe, it’s interesting to look at the order of Creation. Earth, light, and water came before plants (because the plants needed all these things), and plants came before animals (because the animals needed all the things plants needed, and then the plants as well).

We can look at creation, God's eternal plan of salvation, the course of history and say to all of them "Wow, it's amazing to see how God ordered history." But did we ever consider how He's ordered our personal lives? His plan for each of us is just as important, intricate, and planned out as all of history itself.

Did God ever teach you something that you thought was insignificant? I mean, sure it was a “good” lesson, but didn’t really appear to have any relevance at the time. Then, down the road, you recognized it was a necessary skill to have for a challenge that God sent you through. God always paves the way – He knows exactly what we need to get through the life He’s planned out for us.

Perhaps you once received something that meant nothing to you; later, however, it became key to fulfill something God had for you to do. Sometimes it comes in the form of a skill – something you learned to do, but didn’t really end up using until you were in trouble; and it saved you. Maybe it was some role models you had; personalities that you attempted to emulate and it turned out that those were traits that you needed for a ministry.

God knows what you need and when you’ll need it, and it’s important to recognize that even when we have no idea why he brought us through something, He’s got a plan for it; likely something we never would have thought of. None of the angels could have predicted what God was planning on using water for, but when Adam first took a drink of the life-giving fluid, they understood. God prepares us for anything we’ll go through; it’s comforting to rest in that.

Fairytale Part 9 - The Thought Plickens

 

For Part 8, click here

Ben, this next bit isn't very long.

I know, it's a development section.

Why do you always get to write the shorter bits? Do you know how long it takes me to interview 7 dwarves about an event?

...you do what?...

 

The seven brothers followed Fred’s tracks up to the gates of their castle. They were quite surprised when they found the gates closed and locked. They blew their horn and hollered till they were horse. Finally, Napoleon approached the gates, and seeing nothing but 7 furious stallions, simply shrugged and told them all to shoo away. After threatening to send the dogs after them, the 7 brothers huffed and puffed and galloped away.

“What do we do now?” Alexander whinnied.

“Well,” replied Dorky, “Let’s head back to the hunting lodge; we’ll sort things out from there.”

And so, they all cantered back to the hunting lodge. Stopping at a stream, they were able to relieve their horse-ness and so arrived at the cottage in their more human form.

Upon their arrival, they were shocked to see Snow White there, sweeping, dusting and cleaning the day away (she had a natural horror of all things dirty). The dwarves, apparently no longer employed at an evil castle, decided to let her stay.

Meanwhile, back at the castle, Fred had introduced himself to the HR Manager. Thrilled at the prospect of employing a talking wolf, Napoleon instantly offered him a very competitive salary for Resident Evil Creature, complete with Eye and Dental plans. Fred, somewhat confused at his turn of fate, quickly accepted the offer. Because his wolfish eyes worked better in the dark, he quickly implemented a black-out policy, whereby all the shades were drawn, no more than necessary lighting was lit, and the “day” shift was to begin at 8:00 at night. Napoleon implemented all of these policies, excited that his new hire was doing an impeccable job of eviling.

After seeing Rose Red faint, the stepmother was in a state of ecstasy. This was partially due to the fact that she knew it was not from fright, but rather, while she had been backing away, she had inadvertently placed her hand on her stepmother’s spinning wheel. Knowing that the spindle was poisonous (made of hemlock), the stepmother knew that they would need assistance.

So she screamed for help.

...wait, so Ben, Rose Red is Little Red Riding Hood, who is Sleeping Beauty?

That would be correct.

...but... there's no prince to wake her!

Josh, Fred had brothers...

...oh...

The Symphony of Heaven

Imagine, if you will, that you’d never heard a song before.

Life was very droll without it, and you plodded along through life without a hope that you would ever hear it, or even comprehend what it was.

Then one day, a Man came and gave you a small piece of paper that said “Admit One” to a concert to take place that evening. After obtaining directions to the concert hall, you sat in the foyer with many other people, all nervously considering what was to come.

And then – you heard it! A moving line of a quiet French Horn coming through the doors to the hall. You rushed to the doors with many others in the room to see what had made this sound. Unfortunately, there was only a very small window on the door, and it was very nearly sound-proof. The gentle brass faded away to nothing and silence again ensued. The small crowd slowly returned to their seats, a quiet buzz of conversation now beginning to seep around the room. Soon, people began to doubt, or forget what it had sounded like. But then, you remembered the line, and hummed the few bars that you could remember. Peoples’ faced brightened at the memory, and silence again ensued.

But suddenly – a new sound! This time, a violin playing a striking, adamant motif that played so clearly that even people out on the street glanced up. Again, there was a rush on the doors to look through, but again, to no avail. The violinist finished the final measure with a brilliant stroke, and again the doors shut in any sound. People returned to their seats, humming the tune, and anticipation grew.

Throughout the afternoon, small pieces and glimpses of the great symphony came through the doors. More and more people came in off the street and waited anxiously for the concert to begin. Then, the Man who had given the ticket Himself walked up to the doors to the auditorium; removing a key from His pocket, He opened them. Everybody in the foyer wanted to go in, but they were slightly intimidated at the thought of a whole symphony. The small lines that they had heard had been beautiful, strong, and awe-inspiring. Would a whole symphony be too much to handle?

“Come in.” Said the Stranger. “I made this hall, I wrote this symphony, and I am the Conductor. It will not be too much to fathom – it will finally fulfill what you’ve been longing for. Come in.”

 

 

Fairytale Part 7 - The Fred, Red, and Lumber Jack

Josh! I found some of our notes!

Really? Which part?

The page that opens with “And directly after Snow White fell off the cliff, the queen was turned into a Newt, and Jack turned into a lantern.”

Um… Ben, that was an earlier draft.

Rats. Ok, carry on then!

It’s your turn to write, Ben.

…I knew that…

Well, word was not long in spreading that the queen had been evicted, and that directly afterwards a huntsman had been dispatched from the castle. When Snow White and Rose Red heard the news, they were unsure as far as how to proceed. Was she in fact their foe, and the huntsman was simply doing his job, or were the tables somehow turned?

They were not long in wondering, for the next morning, as they ate their bread and baked beans, the Prince’s Deeply was delivered to their doorstep. On the front page, prominently displayed, was a picture of the queen being evicted from her home being chased by the vertically-challenged. It also mentioned the fact that a huntsman had been dispatched with orders to bring back his quarry… alive.

Well, the two sisters quickly consulted themselves and each other as to their course of action. The queen was obviously in trouble, and if she was on the run, would not have had a chance to read the headline to know she was in danger. Therefore, via a coin toss (Rose Red lost when she called Asparagus and the coin landed television), they decided which would go to warn their relation.

“Now, remember our summer lodge up on the mountain?” Snow White prompted.

“Yes! The one where we would hunt for gnomes with laser tag guns.” Rose Red replied.

“Excellent – the queen will likely head there, as the huntsmen are unfamiliar with its location.”

And so, donning a hooded cloak, Rose Red ran as quickly as she could in the direction of the summer cottage.  Of course, when running, one tends to exhaust rather quickly, and so she came to rest along the trail. Whilst sitting there, she was confronted by a wolf.

Now, dear reader, you will understand that this was no normal wolf, but rather, Prince Frederick in his animalian form. Seeing what appeared to be a damsel in some sort of distress, he sought at once to help her.

“Hello, Red.” He growled (for he could do no other). “How are you today?”

“Oh,” She said, rather frightened at being spoken to by a wolf. “I am fine, thank you.”

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Fred continued.

“To my step-mother’s house.” Red replied.

“Hmm. Well, I hope you have a safe trip. Be careful, there are some dangerous animals in these woods.”

Red just stared at him.

As soon as she was on her way, Fred thought frantically about how to help. He had read his brother’s headline that morning, and quickly recognized that Jack, the huntsman, was probably out to do the queen in. In addition, he knew where the cottage was, and knew he could get there very quickly. Therefore, he at once went as quickly as he could to the cottage, taking the short-cut, in an attempt to help the queen if he could.

It was not long before Jack came to the same place where Red and Fred had had their consultation. He instantly recognized the wolf tracks, and shouldering his axe, began the trek to follow Fred’s path.

Ben, this is getting scary again…

Ok… you may need to make the next part… less scary somehow.

Sounds good. Stand by...

Chongqing - the Second Journey

Well, while I’d intended to do a blog post every few days, it would seem that I am constrained to only one per week. That said, there’s definitely lots to discuss as far as my trip here thus farly.

My trip here was uneventful – 20 hours of flying with limited sleeping makes Ben a sleepy boy. However, only one day was rough for jetlag, so I was able to hit the ground running, though I’m afraid that my trip back will not result in as much tireless-ness.

The first week has been very busy with few tangible results. We are still sorting out a lot of things about processes here, so we have actually completed very few printers compared to the amount of time we’ve put in. We have, however, made many fascinating discoveries whilst here.

First – Orange Juice in this country tastes like Tang and has the ability to electrically shock you. No joke – everybody was zapped upon making contact with the fluid. We put an ohmmeter to it and found that there was likely a very high metal content in the juice. And I thought you only needed oranges to make orange juice…

Secondly – Hot Pot is still definitely hot pot. This region is famous for its spicy food, sometimes with a delayed reaction. Somebody will put a bite of food in their mouths and, when no fire appears immediately, continue the chewing with ease. Seconds later, however, his comrades will be treated to some exclamation of surprise, such as “Oh boy…” or “uh-oh...” (or others, that I won't mention here...) as the fire surfaces in his mouth and he frantically reaches for a water glass, but to no avail. Moments later, sweating, huffing and puffing, and sure he will never taste anything ever again, the burning will finally subside, and the person can again breathe easily, now more wary of what else he puts in his mouth.

Thirdly-most – this city is beautiful when decorated for Chinese New Year. Those of you who have viewed my FB have seen many pictures of this city at night. Since it has been windy and rainy, the air is surprisingly clear, making for very nice evening outings.

Fourth – there are pigs in the shopping malls here. Pig petting zoos, in the mall. No hand sanitizer anywhere nearby. Enough said.

Fifth – there is a cable car whereby one crosses the river. It was a lot of fun, though an accidental, illegal viewing of the engine room left us wondering ever so slightly as to the robustness of the system. However, we did enjoy the trip, as well as our unplanned excursion down 5 stories of steps that led us to said engine room in an attempt to find an exit. Needless to say, we needed to retrace our steps back up the stairs to re-enter the permissible zone.

Well, I hope you did not finish this memorandum bored, and perhaps slightly lighter after laughing. Excuse me now, I must return to my hot chocolate as I prepare for the day tomorrow. Tsai Chi!

Fairytale Part 5 - A Pig and a Cottage

See here for Part 4
“Josh, this next part could be kinda scary… should we warn the kids?”

“I don’t think so, Ben. If they want, they could cover their eyes and wait for the scary part to be over.”

“Um… Josh… if their eyes are covered, how will they know when the scary part’s over?”

“Hmm… maybe they should get their parents.”

“Good thinking.”

“Thanks.”

“Certainly.”

“Any time.”

“Rose Red and Snow White!” Khan began in his monstrously very-normal voice. “As employees of an evil system, we have been required to evict you from these premises directly!”

“Oh dear!” Replied Snow White.

“Oh elk!” Replied Rose Red.

“No, their season isn’t for a few months yet.” Yacovarol replied. “But regardless, we are here to see you off! Immediately! Now… can we help you pack?”

The next two days were spent assisting the princesses pack their belongings into condensed suitcases they could easily handle. Dorky, who was on duty the next day, proved most helpful in this situation, advising the princesses on which pieces would create the largest number of matching combinations. The princesses, naturally, were very grateful.

After the rigorous packing, the princesses were escorted to the edge of the forest, where Dorky took his leave.

“Very well, my ladies!” He said, bowing deeply, hat-in-hand, “I wish you a very good vacation! Remember, the cottage is easily traced by following the path; the pig you will find within is most hospitable. I hope you return soon!”

And with that, he departed, whistling “The Old Goose’s Gullet” as he skipped back to the castle. Upon his arrival, he was immediately confronted by the Human Resources Manager, who was in a most vexed state.

“Huntsman!” He snorted, whilst waving the manual in the air. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I haven’t a clue.” Dorky replied. “I’ve never read it myself.”

“Huntsman, you were supposed to kill the princesses, not send them off on a summer vacation.”

“Hmm.” Dorky replied. “Well, my shift is almost over. I will pass the instructions on to my brother. What token does she require to ensure the job is done?”

“Her heart.” The Human Resources manager replied.

And so it was, the next day, Jack set out to carry out the task. However, being the benevolent sort, he intended to fool the queen and bring back the heart of a pig, and he knew just how to do it. Axe in hand, he tramped through the forest to a spot he knew well – the lane of the three cottages: one of straw, another of sticks, and another of brick. He stomped up to the first door and called out:

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in!”

“Not by the – oh, never mind.” Came the reply. “I thought you were a wolf. Please, enter!”

Despite the fact that Jack had not expected the pig to speak, three spare-ribs and two frying pans of bacon later, Jack had retrieved the heart and returned it to the queen. He also informed his brothers that there was now a new, vacant cottage in the forest that they could use as a hunting lodge. Dorky turned very pale.

December, 2015

It has been a long time since I’ve done some sort of journal-ish entry on my blog – alas, one of the downfalls of having a Facebook account is that many. Many small updates do not necessarily account for more detailed entries – I’ve learned this from finding old friends on Facebook and, after scrounging their pages, seem to have no idea about what’s actually going on in their lives.

That said, I plan here to account for the past month or so of my life… for any of those interested…

Before vacation could officially begin, we had an OPAYCO Alumni concert! Ok, well, actually, it was just the Christmas Concert, but a tradition began a year ago whereby all the alumni are invited back to come play some of the closing pieces! It was great to get to see people again, and, honestly, Sleigh Ride, Christmas Festival, and Hallelujah Chorus never get old!

 Christmas vacation began a few days before my official HP vacation – December 19^th and 20^th were spent preparing for and actually getting my best friend, Daniel, married to his best friend, Lizzie. I had the honor of being best man at the wedding, and I’ve scarcely been more excited, and finding out that two of my other good friends got engaged the same day didn’t do anything to keep a smile off my face.

Shortly thereafter came Christmas, ushered in with a Christmas Eve service at our Pastor’s House. We’ve only just recently started having this service, which was complete with a hymn sing, Christmas memories, cookies, and a discussion of evangelism and apologetics with the young men and our pastor.

Christmas itself was fantastic, with grandparents being present the whole day, with friends from Church coming in the evening for Fondue. We did our classic Secret Santa (thanks, Emily!), and the boys got a game that’s some sort of mix of Axis and Allies, Risk, and the movie Last Samurai.

New Year’s Eve was celebrated with the traditional Gym Night – always a blast. New Year’s Day brought about our annual New Year’s Day Ball. Since our home was recently carpeted, we switched venues to a grange, which was a big success. Note to all of you Emcees and Dance-Step-Callers – if you have a sore throat, I don’t recommend 2 hours of previously listed occupations. It does terrible things to your gullet.

 As if that wasn’t enough, two days later we were off to our semi-annual Fort Vancouver Day! Josh organized this one, which was awesome, and we spent a good day volunteering, interpreting, dancing, whittling, eating, and generally enjoying each other’s company.

 That evening, we rushed up to another annual event – our church’s annual Youth Dinner. Arriving in formal apparel (or… some of us changing from our fort garb upon arrival) we enjoyed a delicious, 3-course meal. Between and following the food, we played word games, created a Western-Shakespearean drama, sang hymns around the fire, and recounted what we were thankful for this past year.

It’s been a crazy last month, and tomorrow I return to work and “real life”. I am extremely blessed by family and friends, and its times like this past month where I really recognize it. Thank you, Lord!