The Zoo Story

Recently in my Post World-War II American Drama and Film course we read and briefly discussed the play The Zoo Story, written by Edward Albee (whose works include; Three Tall Women, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and A Delicate Balance). In this short drama the two characters, Peter the tight upper-class man, and Jerry the loose lower eastside passerby, publicly display the meaning of a ‘dog eat dog world’. In this short play they provide a theatrical look at greed, pride, and selfish living through an argument that turns into a deadly fight over a park bench… yes a park bench. In discussion about this play the thoughts of; what love is, is love always good, and is love completely for others came about. The conversation quickly not only took my thoughts but also the thoughts of my professor to 1 Corinthians 13. Where Paul lays out what love truly is even if the standard seems unattainable. The Zoo Story paired with the truths of 1 Corinthians 13 has definitely made me question my motives for daily life and how I conduct myself.

I encourage you to check out The Zoo Story, like I say it is a very quick read, and follow it by reading 1 Corinthians 13. Let your mind wonder but if you are like me be prepared to be convicted.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here you go, the commands to recreate the greatest love story of all time:

1 Corinthians 13

Love

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Crazy Week.

Why is this week so packed?

There is so much written in my planner.... Ahhhh.

Let Me Love You.

Let me love you
Show me how
Let me love you
Share your burdens
Let me love you
Challenge my motives
Let me love you
Open your heart
Let me love you

-------
Two posts in one day... big time. - Another lame poem while diverting all my attention to anything but class today.

Fight with Not For.

Exile me.
Dont fight with me.
Fight with me.
Dont fight for me.
Fight for me.
Dont rise up against me.
Rise up against me.
Dont sell me out.
Sell me out.
Dont ignore me.
Ignore me.
Dont walk behind me.
Walk behind me .
Dont drag me.
Drag me.
Dont push me.
Push me.
Dont doubt me.
Doubt me.
Dont count me out.
Count me out.
Dont lose faith in me.
Lose faith in me.
Dont stop trusting me.
Stop trusting me.
Dont quit believing in me.
Quit believing in me.
Dont fear me.
Fear me.
Dont exile me.

-----
Yeah my mind might have been wondering in, Post World War-II American Drama and Film, class so I took a stab at poetry. eh.

Ignorance?

There is a tipping point I feel when everything seems to make sense even if it really doesn't. When things such as school become comfortable and routine or business no longer over crowds our lives but adds an element of satisfaction and accomplishment. I think I am finally embracing the fact that there are two sides to every situation. I am finally realizing that life moves at one pace no matter how quickly I believe it is actually passing me by. -- Cool things are happening because I am finally taking the time to let them happen. Opportunity is materializing because I am no longer writing it off. How is it that we seem to get caught in this cycle of self-pity, no matter the magnitude, and become okay not just with complacency but okay with laziness and lack of responsibility?

If you feel like you're in a rut or if you feel like you can be better, it is probably because you are in a rut or you can do better. Sometimes we just have to suck it up. The thing that sucks is that I am finally realizing this in my life, so now I can no longer claim ignorance.

PS charity:water I want to work for you.

What the Halloween, it's already October.

I seriously have nothing to say other than it is already October and for some reason in my mind it still feels like August. Where has the time gone?

Pizza Shuttle put up their Halloween decorations today and Dara's changed to their "Happy Halloween" fountain drink cups. I guess that means winter is soon on its way... Boo (all the pun in the world intended)!

--------------

The gospel Mark is the focus for Ichthus and that I am stoked about, by far one of my dearly favorite books of all time. The call to mission and trust is completely overwhelming and necessary all at the same time.

techno

So here is something cool. This internet thing works.

So I am in college which means that I am a religious Facebook user. For those of you living under a cultural rock Facebook is a social networking service that is free of charge targeted towards college age, and the like, people. -- So lately I have been on this kick about charity: water, which in my mind is one of the greatest people helping organizations on the planet right now. I have been selling it like it is my job on facebook, web forums, and even this site (note: right hand ad banner). Which is all well and good but does anyone really pay any attention? YES! Today I found out that a dorm of people have seen how cool charity: water and it vision is by different links and posting on my facebook page. How sweet is that?

So if I can get some people interested in a sweet organization that is saving lives by just changing my status and/or profile picture on facebook, what kind of change could we make as a generation if we engaged all forms of cybermedia that we are capable of using?

Offering

Would we be ashamed of what we bring to the altar if God was physically, flesh and blood, sitting in front of us?

Isaiah 1:11,13

"...I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me..."

What do we offer? Is our offering; sacrifices that look good, that appear holy, or, are they parts of our lives that will transcend into purity and righteousness? Are we pulling our weight?

Public Knowledge.

So here is the cold hard truth. When I came back from this summer I was living physically (and somewhat spiritually) like I had just returned home from war. Overwhelmed by what I had just witnessed and consumed by the reality that life doesn't start over when you leave the country, had me down and searching. I think most of us know what happens when we are consumed by life and its frustrations... we break, we take part in things that we wouldn't normally take part in, or at least abuse privileges that we would have previously upheld in moderation. Mine without a doubt was drinking, not a struggle that has really consumed me in quite a while but an act that was definitely an escape from reality over the past couple of months. Satan chose wisely too, because it led to a slew of other failures and moral dilemmas that I am still feverishly trying to correct.
Why do I tell you this? Why I am I spilling myself to random people that view from cyberspace? I am a believer that if you want to change you must first expose. I want to change there is no doubt about that. I am now on day five of no drinking, I am not sure for how long but it could be life... a substantial amount of time, that is for sure (I guess mug 145 wont be getting any use now since its new user is off the wagon). So an act without action does no good. I have actively quit drinking. I am now applying a part of the action; making it public. Accountability partners are great and I am so grateful for the men that relentlessly pry into my life but they cant be everywhere and I cannot trust myself to be brutally honest about something that shamefully consumes my life. So now that everyone knows where I am hiding and what my next move is, it is A LOT harder to be elusive.

Pray. India.

So it is week three of school so naturally I am already thinking of next summer. Well here is the deal, I am praying big for next summer... I mean I am praying huge. Next summer should be my first summer of the rest of my life, meaning (sadly) school will finally be over. That is why I am praying huge, huge things. India. It has been on my heart lately and there is so much to be done. One in six people in the world live without clean drinking water. India is my focus for right now. Pray big, pray for world health, and pray specifically for India with me. -- Who knows maybe we, together through this blog, support, and prayer; once again, will get the opportunity to: go, see, act, empower, love, sustain, enjoy, and bless the people of India. Show them they matter and make a difference.