lost journal entry: bleeding roots.

i've collected and filled (some partial, some entirely) a handful of journals over the years. most of the journals are used for brainstorming. lately, i've been looking through some of them. i figured i'd scan in and upload some entries and then blog about it.



bleeding roots.
[journal entry from july 11, 2009 while at the DCLA event in Washington]

the sun gives life to the seed that is planted.
the seed takes root.
once rooted, a new source brings growth.
the roots are watered - which brings growth.
the water is blood-like for the tree.
it is the nutrition that it needs to thrive and produce fruit.
the blood saturates the soil - giving life to all things...
making dead things alive again.

parallel:
light gives us life - shows us where true life takes place (deep within the soul). the light is of God - His Holy Spirit showing us the way to true life.
once seeds of faith are planted true growth only happens when one realizes and embraces the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. His blood drips down the roots of our soul - infiltrating our entire state of being. it is at that point when our dead-to-sin-hearts are given new life.
that new life then allows our faith to grow and eventually bear fruit - which is the evidence of the faith (in Jesus) that anchors us - deep down within the roots of our soul. we may bend and sway from time to time - but our lifeblood is rooted in Christ - giving us a strong, firm foundation.

found.

finding stuff. the more random the better.
i have a simple collection of found stuff in my office - most are mementos from days gone by; trips to here or there. some of the found things i know where found - but i know not from which they were. i simply can't remember.

a glass 946 mL milk bottle from the Caldwell organic Dairy farm (found in a soup kitchen in Portland, Maine)

a key to a lock to a door from who knows where. found in cushion of a recliner.

a green softball jersey with the number 34 and the name 'ED' on the back. found by one of my former students - given to me. now hanging on my wall.



i can't remember where i found this stick, but it's been on my desk for years. i think it has some sentimental value. i don't remember, though.

the EXIT sign was found in an old downtown church in Lexington, KY. we were doing 'demo' work - so that the basement could be remodeled into a kitchen and cafeteria to feed the homeless.






the tire tread is from the bus tire that blew just outside of Columbus on one trip south. it took hours on that Sunday afternoon to get the bent frame off and repaired.

there we sat... outside the repair shop... killing time... wasting time... frozen in time...














the Kodachrome slide was a special find - in the attic of an abandoned boarding school that at one time housed mentally ill teenagers. it's a picture of a dairy cow. i will never forget the haunting things written on that attic wall.

the randomness of found things is what makes finding them so interesting.

the more random, the better.









there are websites devoted to the like: Found Magazine is one of them.
old picture of someone's Sunday Best
letters written to mom from summer camp.
one piece leisure suits from the 70's (known to drive the ladies wild, so says the advert)
etc.

finding stuff.
because everything's got a story.
just like in the movie Amelie, when she finds an old tin box filled with a little child's trinkets and toys. she goes out of her way - many years later - to track down that child, now a grown man - so that she can give it back to him.

finding things. pure joy. because the memories associated with the finding are simply priceless.
what have you found lately?

st. patrick's breast plate

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord.

reign/rain. (lost journal entry from oct 31, 2008 - 2pm)

i've collected and filled (some partial, some entirely) a handful of journals over the years. most of the journals are used for brainstorming. lately, i've been looking through some of them. i figured i'd take a picture of some entries and then blog about it.

[the following journal entry was written while in the midst of 'worship' during a Youth Specialties training event in Pittsburgh in 2008]


worship music plays... it's praise... it's God centered.
i don't feel like raising my hands
my arms are crossed...am i wrestling with something?
what am i waiting on?

"God with us... mighty to save"

voices raised... not mine. contemplative and silent.
that is my voice right now.
'Blah' is the word to describe me.

foot begins to tap.

i think i need to express myself.

it's like i've discovered a poem written by hand in a book --
but it is not my own. i'm borrowing the words.
are they someone i know? are they psalms of David?

"You are God with us, you are victorious, you are strong and mighty to save.
for your word stands true -- there is none like you. and when all else fails you remain."

when all else fails... why do we wait until all else fails? stupid human nature waiting... not on God - but on all of the other options to fail.

same mistakes repeated.

dumb. stubborn. silly. full of ourselves. unable to be filled by God.

glass full of water.
add water of God and it spills on to the ground. wasted. not in us. we are full. of it. not Him.

no room for God. no room for God to reign.
also, then, no room for His love + grace to 'rain' down on us/in us. we are full. can't experience the filling of God's grace reigning + raining onto + into us and our soul.





[my scribbled notes - tucked into a free journal i received while attending this youth workers convention in 2008.]

This is America? (Sarah Palin, Battle Hymns and Guns Ablazin)

America is addicted to guns. the more powerful, the better. the larger the magazine the better. the more automatic, the better.

how anyone can logically justify a need of any sort of assault weapon is beyond me. i don't think it can be done. what is even more amazing is that some Republicans have stated they wish more people would carry concealed weapons so as to somehow step in and 'take out' a lunatic killer.

what do they want? the old west back? it's a fantasy - that, perhaps, some civilian will step in and kill a killer... heaven forbid one to suggest that more terror would come if more people carried guns.

our country's infatuation with guns is astounding. just because the 2nd Amendment gives us the right - doesn't make it right (or even a necessity).

what's even more astounding is that some politicians (mainly on the right) have neglected to take responsibility and/or apologize for their past 'gun-related rhetoric.' apologizing for poor choice of words does not mean you are responsible for what took place in Arizona - but it would show the country that you are capable of acknowledging a misstep. what a lesson that would be to the children and youth of our country.


And now for something completely different:

Lord help us all...


(you've got to love the open Bible just below the pulpit... who should Christians worship? political leaders first - God, second... apparently?)

one last thought: today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. a day in which i hope we have all been reminded of the unifying power of non-violence and peace. peace brings unity - not force.

it is also a day to remember where our great country once was. it wasn't that long ago when segregation and (of all things) unity was considered to be communist. remember?

i pray for peace. i pray for unity. i pray for action - without rhetoric... without hate speech. if we really want the country to come together it's going to take a revolution - but not a revolution in which some 'take back America' or 'Reload', 'not with ballets, with bullets.' it will be a revolution of love.

love is what we need. both sides. love. but that might mean thinking before speaking... that will be the biggest challenge in today's 24/7 news world.

just my 2 cents.

interactive worship: awaken/see afresh/live the change/pass it on

last year i read a review of the book Spiritual Intelligence on Jonny Baker's blog that piqued my curiosity. once the book was available in the United States i ordered it and read it last fall. Brian Draper wrote the book that looks at spirituality from a Christian perspective - but written for a wider audience.


Draper uses 4 icons to help guide the reader though a process of deepening one's spiritual focus in life.


the alarm clock icon is Awaken.
the eye is See Afresh.
the paint brush and palette is Live the Change.
while the arrow is Pass It On.

The book follows a pattern of these four icons while Draper also lists on his website a clearer understanding of what each of these four icons represents.

i liked the ideas found within the book (see my brief review on GoodReads) and felt compelled to design an interactive worship service based around the 4 themes Awaken, See Afresh, Live the Change & Pass it On. This time of worship meshed well with the natural tendencies of setting new years resolutions and what not - but i think this kind of service could work at any time.

this experience was also designed for a youth worship service - but i think it applies to all ages.

here is what we did:

introduction: God is doing a new thing.

18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
~Isaiah 43:18-19

brief overview of 4 themes: AWAKEN / SEE AFRESH / LIVE THE CHANGE / PASS IT ON

awaken: what was the top song of 2010? Katy Perry ~ California Gurls
(i played a 10 second snipit of that song on repeat)
What if this song were played on repeat indefinitely? it wouldn't take long to grow tired of it (some may already be tired of hearing it.) Why? because it would get old, etc.

it's a new year - and it's time for a new song. What will your song be for 2011?
are you awake enough to see what new things God has in store for you this year?
sometimes we need to slow down, look and listen for the the simple things in life - trying to get our attention.

showed short video Gentle Falling Snow (a simple video i made and posted on Vimeo)

see afresh: showed some photos from Steve McCurry (including his famous 'Afghan Girl" photo). talked about how art and photography, if studied and investigated - can help us 'see afresh.'
Each picture has a story behind it. What is that story? where is God in the image?

I also showed a series of 'found' images (lost photographs that have been found in random places).

this image from ASBO Jesus animator Jon Birch seemed relevant to 'See Afresh' also.

i finished up this segment with a brief reference to the Apostle Paul's transformation (Acts 9) where he was blinded on the Damascus road - but when the scales fell of his eyes - he saw a fresh vision from God. It was Saul/Paul's journey that was transformational - and enabled him to see something he had been missing (i.e. the truth found in Christ alone).

Peter Rollins once shared a story about Two Chimney sweeps that proved the point "it's the journey that is most important - not the destination."

live the change: the Parable of the Sower was then shared (Matthew 13) in a modern way (a surfing story created by a co-leader, Bryan).

Christ's challenge to be 'salt + light' was added to this. (from Matthew 5). Draper talks about this in his book: "salt doesn't tell you what to do. it simply is." light is the same way. live the change means grabbing ahold of the story of Christ and His redemption and 'living it' with action and word.

pass it on: how can we/should we 'pass it on'? check out 1 Peter 3:15. check out Matthew 28 (the great commission).
one easy simple and easy beginning step is what Draper calls the 'Smile Project.' it's easy - when you walk into a room of people, smile. watch for the reactions of others. watch how a simple smile can bring change (both in you and in others). watch how it can be contagious.

after this - we finished the worship with a time of interactive worship - a time for students to connect with God.
here is a brief description of each station.

interactive worship stations:
collection of interactive stations images [1] [2] [3] [4]

awaken station (a new leaf): various leafs were cut out and placed on a table. students were invited to list the high and low points of 2010 on one side. then they were to 'turn over a new leaf' and write hopes and dreams and goals for 2011 on the flip side. then they tacked the 'new leaf' side to a bulletin board.














see afresh (every picture tells a story): this station featured 48 images from the Youth Specialties publication Every Picture Tells a Story. the instructions were as follows: look and examine the image. what stories do they tell? what are the stories of their past... their future? then 'if one were to take a snapshot of your life, what would people see when they looked at it?











live the change (salt and light): on one side of the table were some flashlights. students were to shine the flashlight around the room and take note of how the light illuminates the things it shines on. they were then asked to write on Post-it notes 'how can you shine the light of Christ this week?'

on the other side of the table were some salted and unsalted Saltine Crackers. Students were to try one of each and to note the difference in taste. Then they were to write on Post-it notes ' how can you add flavor to your life and to the lives of others?'











pass it on: 5 or six different pieces of card stock were laying on a table with words like Generosity, Kindness, Stillness, Genuineness at the top. Students were invited to write, in their own words - how living this out would be a benefit to their life and to others.










one final station had a printout of The Lords Prayer (in NIV and Message translation). along with the text i had images from the deluxe version of Derek Webb's Feedback album (an instumental album based on The Lords Prayer). the images were painted by Scott Erickson and photographed by Jeremy Cowart. (feedback video promo on vimeo)










we had a good response to the interactive stations. thanks to Brian Draper for the inspiration.
it is my prayer that all who participated and interacted will be compelled - God willing - to Awaken, See Afresh, Live the Change and Pass it On. may you be compelled, also.

collection of interactive stations images [1] [2] [3] [4]

Tim Beck
youth pastor
Christ UMC Louisville

gentle falling snow

happiness

happiness is a warm gun
the number one
or the setting sun

those $40 dollar jeans
a way to a means
the innocence of teens

your fav. television show
the seeds that we sow
a candles glow

that billboard muse
the things that we use
the delta blues

watching things grow
nostalgic radio
green light 'go'

purported rebellion
mug shots of felons
that 'one in a million'

a hip hop lyric
a writer that's satyric
a groove atmospheric

happiness is a warm gun
a fortunate son
a rhyme that's done

Best of 2010

MUSIC
best albums of the year: 2010. i don't buy as much music as i used to - and most of my music these days is purchased as MP3's rather than CD's. but below is a list of some albums that struck my fancy this past year.

Ellem - Inside Still Beats
the kind of jovial indie-pop music that finds its way into a Volkswagen or Gap commercial. chewy goodness.

Twin Tigers - Gray Waves
this music is a hot mess. i don't know if it's anywhere near 'best of' quality - but i did write a review of the album back in May for Circle Six Magazine...

Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
catchy electro-rock with mixed male/female vocalists.

Broken Bells - s/t
any Danger Mouse collaboration is worth your time.

Carney - Mr. Green vol. 1
wow is this eclectic album... at times Queen... at times Black Crowes... and Zeppelin, too. vocals similar to Jeff Buckley. Testify sounds a lot like Whole Lotta Love.

Röyksopp - Senior
i've always been a sucker for instrumental electronic synth music.

Four Tet - There is Love in You
Kieran Hebden's post-electro-rock project. Circling is one of my fav. songs of the year.

Derek Webb - Feedback
an instrumental album based on The Lord's Prayer. this album grows on me with every listen.

Laura Veirs - July Flame
singer song writer with backing harmonies that reminds me of the Fleet Foxes. very simplistic. very enjoyable. one of my favorite finds of 2010.

Decoder Ring - They Blind the Stars, and the Wild Team
i've been a fan of this group since they did the soundtrack to the film Somersault. from Australia, Decoder Ring left their vocals behind on this album but the nearly 100 minutes does not disappoint.

Vampire Weekend - Contra
i avoided this album on purpose - mainly because of all the hype... but then, with iTunes gift cards to spend, i decided to sample Contra. What's not to like? Catchy hooks with a unique sound.

North Atlantic Oscillation - Grappling Hooks
another surprise find on iTunes and their sound is just that - surprising. described as post-progressive electronica rock, there's something new around ever corner, it seems. somewhat similar to a harder, edgier Engineers. reigning from Scotland with 'hazy vocals' and a big layered sound, NAO satisfies. Hollywood Has Ended hooked me.

Underworld - Barking
i've always been an Underworld fan - going back to the Pearl's Girl and Born Slippy days (thank you Trainspotting.) Barking was my first Underworld purchase since 100 Days Off - and although the sound of Scribble (track 3 from Barking) at first seemed to poppy for my taste - i realized that i couldn't stop listening to it. I'll be honest, i can't stop listening to this album. Always Loved Film is the best track.

Linkin Park - a Thousand Suns
start to finish, this is one fine concept album. everything flows together perfectly. most of the tracks might not be radio friendly, but who cares. i feel like this is the most creative album of the year and thus - i am listing it as my top album of 2010. for a track by track review of A Thousand Suns click here.


here is a recap of top albums from years past:

My Top Albums:
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009

BOOKS
also this year - i read a record-high 43 books. i'm most proud of this accomplishment since a few years back the only reading i partook in was Sports Illustrated. I rather enjoy reading now. to see my list of books read in 2010 click on my GoodReads page.

My Favorites include The Year of Living Biblically, Cracking the Code, Sabbath and Other.

MOVIES
I (we) watched 164 movies in 2010. i started keeping a movie log in 2007. i plan on doing a better job of that in 2011 - with more online logs and mini-reviews.

fav. movies from 2010: Toy Story 3, The Secrets in Their Eyes, the 30 for 30 documentary series on ESPN

Book Review: Jesus Died for This?

Jesus Died for This?: A Satirist's Search for the Risen Christ by Becky Garrison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Becky Garrison writes from the heart. she 'calls it like she sees it.' this is a book that is raw. i appreciated the tone that Garrison writes in. I connected with her sarcastic/satirical musings - as i, often feel the way she writes... only she is bold enough to lay it all out there - exposed... for all to see and read.

her musings on the current state of the 'church' (and all of the baggage that comes with that) are poignant and amusing. i appreciated that despite her skeptic bent, she attempted to be fair - acknowledging when God was active and present - even if in ways that she either didn't connect with or fully grasp.

Jesus Died For This is an honest book. we don't seem to get many people speaking as candid as she - so kudos to her for that!

it's an enjoyable read... worth my time... and yours.

the church is screwed up. most church's within empire building nations are probably missing the point (perhaps not intentionally) but Garrison brings to light some groups and communities that truly are uniquely 'church'... communities doing all that they can to BE Christ - with no conditions.



View all my reviews

light

the light of the world is upon us.

hope has come.

step into the light.

have you seen the star?

in the midst of your gift giving and gift receiving
may you experience the greatest gift to all.

do you see the star? look up more.


"After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."

Matthew 2

slient night

Silent.

Holy.

Calm.

Bright.

"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. "

on a night like this

it wasn't a perfect night (by man's standards).
it wasn't meant to be...

"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."
Luke 2

out of darkness

⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. [John 1]


"out of darkness comes a great light."

and heaven and nature sing

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2

the literal journeys from here to there and places in between [2] westbound and down

the road west is long, straight and a bit wasted.

the first thing that comes to mind when i think of the road west is abandonment. have you ever been west of the Mississippi? have you ever been through Texas? New Mexico? Arizona? wide open empty spaces liter the landscape. and then, in what seems like a mirage, a building appears in the distance - only this structure is almost camouflaged by the weeds and debris that surround it.

the old west is a cataclysmic terrain of emptiness with pockets of civilization once booming, now looming. and yet so many are drawn to its lure. perhaps its because we all know what lies beyond, just a few more miles down the old road... the pacific. the land of opportunity. the land of celebrity. California. and California, for so many, represents hope.

my views of this road west, is slim. so forgive me for calling it like i have seen it - but driving along the mother road - Interstate 40 and off to the most historic of roads - Route 66 - all that is seen are memories of what once was. it's the past that has yet to catch up with the present, eons away from the future. because many moons ago, Americans were curious, and traveled across the country - living the dream, like Jack Kerouac's On the Road. Route 66 was the road of choice and boom towns sprung up along that sacred path - and they flourished. Then, in the 60's, Eisenhower's interstate system was implemented and old 66 was bypassed for the four lane super highway, connecting the east to the west, north to the south.

depression was left in its wake.

now that i've wasted three or four paragraphs painting my interpretation of history - what is the point? because i have, on a few occasions, traveled that road - both roads. and those experiences are monumental.

on one encounter - with the family, we traveled to Phoenix, to drop my sister off at an Indian Reservation school, where she served as teacher. the memories of that family trip, when i was about 20 - proved to be an experience right out of the script from the movie Vacation. It's as if my dad was Chevy Chase - bound and determined to make the trip exciting and fresh. but alas, everything went wrong, the least of which was the motel room in Tulsa. the Roadside Inn (not a 5 star hotel in the least), had a bed that was slanted (broken box springs) and a sound-scape of gunfire outside our motel door.

on another encounter - i was heading towards hope - and hope was discovered just past painted deserts and canyons so grand; through the intense, dry heat of Vegas followed by 300 miles of nothing... and then, with all its beauty shined the lights of the big city: the hopes and dreams of Los Angeles were right in front of me.

the journey was riddled with mistakes and bad food and the unmistakable stench that was Amarillo, Texas - but the backdrop of sun, rolled-down windows and U2 on repeat was redeeming enough.

there were 5 and dime's along the road - in small towns not fit for a truck stop. in one of these we stopped for a drink. i think they sold the Coke in the old glass pop bottles still. Time moved on, except here. our journey brought us to a stop. one couldn't help but reflect. the radio was stuck in 1958. the grass was faded, burnt by the sun. The pick up trucks were rusted, the old feed mills, closed. even the stop light didn't work. this was a town drunk from nostalgia in a shot glass - and i drank it up, too. i remember its vintage hues, its passing winds. the flat terrain allowed for the eye to gaze upon the Rocky Mountains due west and a bit north. i remember wondering if the inhabitants of such a town knew what was beyond that horizon? did they dream of opportunity like i did? did they long to escape? had they held on to any innocence? had they longed for a return of simple things? like jobs and passer-bys... and hope?

but my stay was not long. after a quick meal at some unknown shack where the hostess was the waitress and the waitress was the cook, we were on our way again. it was getting dark and a storm would soon be upon us. as Kerouac once said: "one fast move or I'm gone." the storm came quickly (as they tend to come out there). i was gone.

hope was ahead of me. despair was in my rear view mirror.

yet i have never forgotten that scene. that place. those places along the road, the road west.

what happened next was an adventure of a lifetime. Los Angeles. Hollywood. 3rd Street Promenade. The Pacific Ocean. Film School.

it was this journey that - in part - shaped who i am today. my values. my vision. my dreams. all fleshed out in the warm California sun. 6 months later i was back home again. i don't remember anything about the journey home. i remember that i made it back (that's about it.)

i returned with few regrets, clinging to hope - a hope that survived the journey west and the desolation of abandoned towns and crappy motels; a hope that survived the tragedies and dramas of life in the hills behind the Hollywood sign. for me, the destination was the journey.

Book Review: Story Signs and Sacred Rhythms

Story, Signs, and Sacred Rhythms by Chris Folmsbee




this is a nice book that equipped me to help explain the story arc of the Scriptures... the story of God is something i feel most students do not connect with. it appears to be difficult for many to connect their story with God's story.



Folmsbee tackles this issue with this book. i have been drawn to 'story' and have tried to help my students connect with theirs and God's... but often i've wondered if they really are getting it.



i don't know that what i read was anything new - but Chris Folmsbee does do a good job connecting the dots, so to speak... connecting the God story and the Gospel story with Our story. he also gives guidance for any youth leader who may be courageous enough to use 'story' as a backdrop of teaching students about God and themselves.



this book takes the reader from Revelation to Foundation to Implication to Integration and finally to Application.



the most practical part of the book was his overview of the Story of God - from creation thru restoration. that was refreshing and simple.



After reading, i have some things to think about and digest.



This book fits with where i think God has been calling me in leadership and discipleship of students.



View all my reviews

Book Review: The House Church Book

The House Church Book: Rediscover the Dynamic, Organic, Relational, Viral Community Jesus Started by Wolfgang Simson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


i found this book to be easily digested, easily read and easily understood. Wolfgang Simson has written, perhaps, the quintessential book on the House Church. Simson shows the simple side of the house church movement - a movement he suggest pre-dates what we currently know as church. with roots in the early, new testament era churches - the house church can be a movement that grows 'sideways' (as he puts it) rather than upward. house churches can also be low cost churches, small in size and stature - yet able to grow at faster rates than most mega-churches.

for anyone curious about new church planting or the house church movement - this is a must read. i'd suggest any and all potential church planters read this book as well. there are many practical thoughts that may aid in the development of new church starts.



View all my reviews

Maker Moment # 77: Look Up More

chances are you probably know about Improv Everywhere - a performance art group from New York City. They were formed in 2001 by Charlie Todd and their slogan is 'we cause scenes.' Basically, the group carries out harmless pranks or 'missions' as they call them, in public spaces around the city. once missions are developed, they use social media to get the word out - then anyone who wants can participate in the missions. these 'flash mob' scenes are aimed to bring about 'chaos and joy.'

Frozen Grand Central Station is probably IE's most famous (and creative) flash mob gathering.



Improv Everywhere has spawned copycat flash mobs - to the point that the flash mob idea is gaining a cult-like following. Just YouTube "flash mob" and you'll see what i mean.

recently a flash mob video from Macy's department store has gone viral - with over 14 million views on YouTube in just over 3 weeks. This Christmas Food Court Flash Mob consists of shoppers standing up and singing the many parts of Handel's Hallelujah chorus.

What makes Improv Everywhere and other Flash mobs so appealing to people? I think it has to do with the idea that people want to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves. these friendly mobs are a picture of true community at its best. strangers coming together to bring goodness, delight and joy to the masses. people connected with something in common. people united for simple, some-what child like enjoyment.

mankind was wired for this! to be connected. to be in community with others. God wired us this way because at the core of the human heart is a need to be wanted, appreciated, needed and connected.

this brings me to the Christmas season of which we are now in the midst of. at the heart of the Christmas story are disconnected people being brought together because of the shining light that entered the world, in the form of a humble, innocent baby boy - born in a dirty, smelly stable.

there's an Improv Everywhere mission titled 'Look Up More' in which participants of this flash mob stand in the store front windows of a large, multi-story shopping mall. After doing a series of harmless stunts in unison (jumping jacks, pointing, dancing, etc.) the members in the middle section of windows hold up letters spelling out the phrase: L-O-O-K U-P M-O-R-E, to the amazement of the spectators who have gathered outside, across the street.

a simple reminder to 'look up more.' perhaps a reminder for all humans to look around and see the world - to see it's beauty... to see it's innocence, and to enjoy what God has given us all.

think of the group of shepherds on the hillside of Bethlehem, tending their sheep that special night 2,000 years ago. The looked up to the stars and an angel appeared - to proclaim the good news of a savior's birth. Think of the wise men - who saw the star in the east (Matthew 2:1-2) and followed it to the foot of the Messiah. They 'looked up' and the great light brought them not only together with each other - but together with the new born King of Kings. By looking up, the shepherds and wise men were instantly connected to Jesus.

and so God got there attention - and the attention of others. and so a connection was made. and so Christ-centered community was created.

and so it continues today. the innocence of the birth of our Savior connects us and reminds us that we long to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. we long to belong!

Improv Everywhere reminds us... flash mobs remind us... and this Christmas season, may the story of the birth of Jesus remind us: to truly belong - we must look up. see the stars. understand our role in the story. recognize that God is shining down upon us. every night. trying to get our attention.

just like the flash mobs referenced above: may we draw attention to the One greater than us all - who longs for us all to be a part of a his community, filled with grace and hope and love.

forever and ever.
amen.