Harvest

Latest Album!: http://picasaweb.google.com/ricki.n.pavia/BenKristenSWedding#

I've discovered that the better life seemingly is, the more I want to capture it on camera. Little wonder I took 700 pics during this weekend back in 2006.

I could have posted them on facebook, but you might have noticed that I'm looking to put them elsewhere from here on out. The pics in Ben + Kris's album are full resolution, if you enlarge them. Facebook not only takes forever to upload them, but they're basically thumbnails in my book. Unfortunately, it'll just reach less people here on picasa due to a lack of tagging, but those who care to see will find their way to them I suppose. I pared it down to 180 pics, whew. If I included the videos, it would probably take up all my alotted space, haha.

Looking back, It's starting to hit me how significant this occasion was for me. No, not on the scale of how insanely special it was for the newlyweds :), but it was at a turning point in my life. it was at the pinnacle of things I only anticipated to keep going. I didn't see it then. There were two roads I could have taken, but little did I realize how unprepared I was for the one I longed to follow. How little attention did I pay to what I saw unfolding. It would be unwise for me to discuss here all that came to be, in the thoughts and observations of the man behind the camera. I'd rather look back and smile at how blessed I was to be a part of the new life my friends were about to embark upon. It was a magical time :)

Faith promises that the greatest days are still to come, in spite of what's unwound since then. My eyes have been opened to the truth of so much more to be found, so much more to be done.

But I don't intend to do it alone. And I know the Lord doesn't intend for any of us to live life alone, in any regard. The best pictures are those that capture relationship in motion, for a good reason.

Life has it's seasons. And like every autumn, life has it's harvest season too. The funny thing about the harvest is that sowing, watering, and cultivating kinda come before the reaping. The seeds are planted... and the grain isn't ready by morning. Not even close. There's also a place where we must allow God to do some weeding too. Don't forget that step, or there might not be much left to harvest in the end. I remember when I was a kid, and some weeds looked like the coolest plants... I'm glad I wasn't the one taking care of the garden yet or I might have taken out what was meant to stay, and left the rest to grow wild.

I took around 10,000 pics in 2 years time, since that summer of Ben & Kris's Wedding. In the past year, maybe a couple hundred at best. It's proportional to some very important aspects of my life.

I have a feeling the harvest season is coming again... tho the seeds are still being sown. There's little to show for it on my albums, but so much happens before new plantings find their way to the sunlight. There's much watering and cultivating to be done.

The harvest will come, in God's time. And grown from the children who didn't know the wheat from the weeds, we'll learn to reap, together, and know the goodness of the Lord :D

Super(natural)

Suspense in movies... is silly.

Some of us watch dozens of films in any given year. As always, the good ones tend to keep us on the edge of our seat, holding our breath (figuratively or literally) and hoping the good guy makes it out alive. Wondering if the lovebirds will find a way past all the obstacles between them. And cheering for the underdog.

But WHY? We all know it's going to work out in the end. What's the worry? While watching Taken... did I have any doubt that Liam Neeson was going to find his daughter alive, kill the bad guys, and rescue her? (And don't give me any crap for spoilers, that doesn't qualify given the nature of this post!) But I promise there's no more mention of specific movies for me to ruin here ;-) And yet as the movie progressed, I still found myself caught up in the risks being taken... caught up in the moment.

We all find ourselves there... caught up in the moment. Some of us more often than others. It seems the younger you are, though, the more it rules you. Spend some time with a 3 or 4 year old. How quickly their concerns can change from moment to moment. If they're hungry, that's all that matters right now. And that's part of childhood. But what if you applied this idea to your faith life, to how it affects a relationship with the creator. What if you applied it to what rules your everyday actions. Your words. Your thoughts. And... of course, your emotions.

What's so silly? The fact that even among the faithful who KNOW the Lord is working all this for good, who KNOW he'll take care of them, and who KNOW any crisis is God's way of taking us to something greater, we still worry. We still doubt the outcome, we still stress over whether or not something will work out. So this isn't the movies, this is real life. But we still struggle with doubting God's promises even when we KNOW His love never fails. We're still caught up in the moment. We ::still::doubt::God::. wtf, mate.

The truth is, God works through the natural. Floods, plagues, miracles... were the biblical exception. Some of us look for God in the supernatural so often, that we miss the less obvious signs of grace. We look for God in the spectacular, and in turn miss the Holy Spirit. Personally, God has taken me so supernaturally into some areas and relationships in my life that when it came time to move on from them, the leaving was so natural I couldn't accept it. I couldn't see it. I was so focused on the fact that God led me to those places for some greater purpose that when those areas went from a benefit to a detriment, I missed what the Lord was calling me to move to. I looked for God in the spectacular alone. God can only work in us to the extent that we allow him to. Stop and think about that for a second. I've harped on this from previous posts for a reason... that the more alive we are in Christ, the more the Lord can do through us. The less we let Him in our lives, the less He can do. While this may be His world, His plan, His creation... it's the boundaries/walls of our decisions and faith that decide how much we can join in the celebration.

We might not be little kids anymore, but we're still God's children. We still make childish mistakes, and we still risk letting our emotions rule us. We struggle to act on principle. Women in general might be more 'emotional' beings... but really, guys are just wired to suppress it. Emotions make us reactionary in nature... and if anything, I would venture to say that men are more apt to be impulsive and reactionary than women. (of course, the exception being when a credit card is involved ;-) When we allow our emotions to rule us we open ourselves to fear taking over. And if there's one thing that can be said about fear it's that it attracts the negative... while faith attracts the positive. Faith that in crisis, God is working for us, and never against us.

"Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier" - Colin Powell

In my mind, perpetual optimism is another way of telling me to steady myself in the word of God. To not be tossed about by every attack on my emotions, to remain focused on principle and keep confessing what i KNOW to be true, as it'll only multiply the forces of good that can be realized in this life.

While I may still be on the edge of my seat in the movie theater, I can walk out the doors, and peacefully through the fields of gold, eyes closed, knowing my next steps will be on firm ground :D

Steady yourself in the Word of God.

Birth of a Language

While enjoying the sights and sounds of the 2009 Lilac Festival this past weekend, my brother an I ran into an ASL interpreter from one of his classes. Since RIT is where the NTID (National Techinical Institute for the Deaf) is based, it's not unusual for the classes to have one.

I had the chance to ask about foreign sign languages, and how barriers were bridged at conferences and other international gatherings in the deaf community. The details are fascinating, but she brought up something that blew my mind surrounding the adaptability of human beings under extreme circumstances. Helen Keller is one widely known communication example that quickly comes to mind, yes. But how about a group of deaf Nicaraguan six year olds creating their own language. Completely on their own. Out of necessity, on the playground, basically. That's freaking awesome.

An ASL linguist from MIT was called in to figure out what the kids were saying to each other... since, obviously nobody else understood them. Well, when all those young minds without the ability to communicate with anyone were thrown together in a school and expected to learn their first spoken language (Spanish) through lipreading... you can see what barriers they needed to break through :) Some details at good ol wikipedia here.

I just watched the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still with Keanu Reeves. While not the best sci-fi flick ever by any means, it had its points worth discussing. It had premises i'm quite familiar with from Star Trek (think TNG and Q, for you trekkies out there)... that yes, we're destructive and violent and we suck as a race, but oooooobviously we're unique and worth saving because we have the potential to grow and love that no other race posesses! The "Hey, i've got news for ya, we're not the smartest kid on the block but dang, we're pretty much the best anyways cuz of ____" is what it always seems like ;-) Heck, even The Fifth Element got self-indulgent in that area. It makes you feel good about us as a species, especially for those who haven't found their worth through Christ yet (or a number of other faiths, even). I just find this commonality in sci-fi intriguing. Maybe I sound like I'm bashing it, but only because it seems to be the fallback anytime the possibility of other races being superior comes into play.

That's one side of the coin, but the concept provides something that any sci-fi fan can relate to, and I know you trekkies can relate to... hope. That even in our darkest hour, in the face of everything tragic about human nature, when the odds are just stacked up against ya, there's hope. The movie coincidentally sent the same message as a bunch of Nicaraguan first graders did, in it's own way. The professor put it best:

"Well that's where we are. You say we're on the brink of destruction and you're right. But it's only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice do we evolve. This is our moment. Don't take it from us, we are close to an answer."

And that's the thing. When I eventually write that post on the book we're reading for lifegroup, it'll make more sense. But the point is that, normally, it's only in crisis that we truly change. It's only at the "precipice" in a manner of speaking. There's a lot to live by in really understanding that concept. There's a lot to be said about it. And I'll say enough.

For now, bedtime.

Hearts Alive

Where glory shines from hearts alive....

~Bluetree

Radio always has a "Top 40" to count down, and in the same regard most of us have some kind of current favorite we find ourselves whistling/singing on any given day. My own tends to be, lyrically, parallel to where I am in life. It's why I'm constantly amazed at how specific groups like The Goo Goo Dolls and Jars of Clay tend to consistently put out music that narrates what I'm experiencing right then. Or, i'm just crazy. Take your pick.

...from hearts alive. The whole song might speak to me, but that verse just sticks out. Probably because I've see what's possible when someone is truly alive in Christ, I've seen what's been done through those that live with praise for God on the tip of their tongues, and it just goes along with the love for Him that they show through how they live. Through what they do. Just as my thoughts on St.Francis' words a few posts ago were getting at... you can have deeds, you can have faith, but both fall short without the other. The catch here is that you can't put the cart before the horse, so to speak. Good deeds won't produce faith... but remaining fixed upon the Lord, no matter what, leads to allowing the Lord to work through us. It excites me like nothing else to see the potential in people, when they're headed the right direction. When they're headed toward accomplishing great things just because they're being obedient to Him. Because they've found His purpose. As St.Paul proclaims, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." -Matt 19:26. Nothing is too hard for God. There's a fire that burns among the truly faithful... among those who wait upon the Lord. It's practically contagious, and it has the potential to spread like wildfire. Only, this fire doesn't burn away anything but the worthless in life. It has the power to transform a life, a community, a city. Somehow, despite thousands of years of falling short, we're meant to keep trying, to keep trusting, to throw aside doubt and believe nations can be transformed.

Are you just living, or are you alive?

F = ma

High school taught me a lot of things, miraculously enough. It also taught me that pretty much every major physics equation can in one way or another be simplified to a form of F = ma. I wasn't the one who did a thesis on this so don't take my word for it. Such a simple equation, and yet the basis for a whole lot more.

I'm also coming to be completely awe struck at the completeness and perfection of God's message to us. There's something incomprehensibly all-encompassing and intricate in its design. No matter what the world can throw at us, within God's message lies the answer. But it all seems to point in one direction, toward one basic tenet to follow, one basic equation to solve any obstacle... that it all boils down to. Can it really be that simple? As far as I can see, here it is -

No matter what, draw near to God.

...and when necessary, use actions?

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Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.
~St.Francis of Assisi
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This commonly used quote got me thinking, as of late. Thinking of how the word of God is spread, and how evangelism is conducted. Thinking about all the good church-goers of America, from the buckle of the bible belt all the way the corners of the continent.

How we praise the Lord inside the walls of our comfortably air conditioned chapels an hour a week is one thing, but how the Truth is spread for the other 167 hours is, shall we say, slightly important?

Currently, I strive to let my actions speak for themselves; to let the aim of being more Christ-like be made evident in the way I live. I fervently pursue that which brings me closer to Him in order to succeed in this endeavor. And I pray that the right words fall into place when and where the Lord needs to speak through me. I'm not going to say that I've got it right yet, as there's more growing to be done. There's more truth to be found. As Bluetree proclaims in the song i'm somewhat obsessed with, there's greater things to be done here. But lets take a quick look at James 2:14-26:

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder"

We see all the good Christians that go to Church on Sunday, as if they're headed to the gas station to refill their spiritual tanks, and then get right back on the highway of life, without a second thought of how critical the 13 gallons of unleaded is to the next 350 miles. They're more concerned with what song they missed over the radio while standing at the pump.

Ok so i'm being insanely unfair thus far, as there's a HUGE portion of the Christian community that is far from that. But I'm getting at a trap that's easy to fall into... being spiritual, but falling short of truly LIVING it. Of honestly being more concerned with saving others than just saving ourselves. I'm not going to cover this topic in one forum post, nor could I do it justice. I'm just going for one thing here... living as you believe.

The ironic thing is, St.Francis was an open air preacher.

And I can look up any number of verses that make it how clear it is to preach the word... how about Mark 16:15 -

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Preaching, in the bible, is very clearly translated to mean talking with someone. So honestly, the ability to actually "preach" the word of God to the world is kinda necessary. As Christians, the Great Commission (i'm too lazy to go anywhere but wikipedia, lol) is pretty important. And with it is the emphasis on evangelism, and missions work. I'm pretty sure that if I had been brought up in the church, I would be somewhere in Africa or Asia right now, lol... Well really my point is that I'm no missionary just yet, and I'm not convinced that I will ever be, only that I if i was prepared, I would never have a second thought on it. We're all given gifts to use in fulfilling His purpose for us, but that's another discussion althogether. I'm just concerned about how easy it is to sing His praise at one moment, but how quickly the song stops when it cuts into our busy little lives.

I know how relatively convenient it is to take an afternoon off, or a spring break off, and attempt to do some good in the world and spread the good news by swinging a hammer. I read an account about a group of young people walking along the street downtown, clearly not fitting in there, with bibles in their hands ready to "evangelize" the inner city; Smiles on their faces as they strutted along. Of how, ever unconsciously in these situations, we're so happy with ourselves for taking a couple hours out of our comfortable suburban life, and then returning. We've sacrificed our time, we've done good deeds. But have we, really? The point of the story was that if these people really wanted others to see Jesus, then they should sell their posessions, and go down there and live with them. To be a part of their lives. The apostles threw down their nets, their whole lives, and followed Jesus.

Christianity, and more specifically evangelism itself has been described as "one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread".

I'm not saying we should all throw our current lives away and go live in a cardboard box to be good Christians. It's inspiring to see how some extremely committed people find ways of fitting a little bit more in for others, even when they're already struggling to keep themselves afloat. I admire those with such a giving spirit. But I'm asking how much we're willing to sacrifice, when we hear the call. I'm asking where your priorities are, and if that's where you really want them. I'm asking you to not be afraid of asking. And in turn, not be afraid to act. Because it's one thing to preach the gospel, but another to live it. Both are, for lack of a stronger word, necessary.

We're living in God's world. So don't fit God into your own little box. Fit yourself into His box.