Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Jesus

Should I say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

Does saying “Merry Christmas” actually mean that you are a Christian and standing up for God? If it does why? "Merry Christmas" is not just a christian phrase. Politcally correct or not, several people say it and are not a christian, so if we challenge the church to say Merry Christmas in defense of the gospel, I don’t think the rest of the world cares, or even say,”wow those people are christian b/c they said 'Merry Christmas.'”

Further on that, but separate – saying "Merry Christmas" would not save the gospel. Does that mean give up, NO! But, we have to do a whole lot more than just say "Merry Christmas" for people to encounter the gospel for this or any other Christmas season.

Last thing I would say is – Saying happy holidays could be more Christian that actually saying Merry Christmas to someone. This could be true especially now that it is a huge media thing and has become an agenda for Christians and non-Christians to battle. For example, when we are in conversation with the cashier or the someone else waiting in line at the store, saying Merry Christmas to them could really turn them off to Jesus b/c, “Merry Christmas” is nothing but a vein agenda for Christians to have their way.

This whole issue boils down to something much larger and that is tied to not being able to teach creation in schools, post the ten commandments, and say America is one nation Under God. I am afraid that Christianity has developed this reputation of winning rights to be push our agenda of prayer, ten commandments, saying God in speeches, teaching creation, and getting rid of abortion, rather than proclaiming Jesus. Can all these things be related to Jesus? Yes, but that is not it? Lesslie Newbigin said, “The confession ‘Jesus is Lord’ implies a commitment to make good that confession in relation to the whole life of the world – its philosophy, its culture, and its politics no less than the personal lives of its people. The Christian mission is thus to act out in the whole life of the whole world the confession that Jesus is Lord of all.” [the open secret]. So, our mission is the confession, not to push our agendas. I think the issue boils down to the fact that the mission has become lesser than proclaiming Jesus, it has become about proclaiming prayer, anti-abortion, etc.

When I read about Jesus, I see him interacting with people who had agendas that they were trying to push, and he shut them down like nobody's buisness. The Pharisees came to Jesus asking and testing him about agendas all the time. Back then, they were agendas like, the Sabbath, taxes, divorce, and shaking or raising hands for a promise. If you remember, he said to them, "What ridiculous hairsplitting!.. You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment - the absolute basics! - you carelessly take it or leave it." [matt. 23].

Sometimes i think we miss the tree for the leaf, the forest for the tree.

I am Santa

This past weekend Gina, who is my wife, spent a lot of time with her best friend. Whenever they are together - look out! They come up with the most random and spontaneous ideas ever. So the idea this past weekend was to dress me up like Santa, and Gina to be Mrs. Claus trying to hit on Santa. They went to the store bought some fake sheep hair for my beard. I got some load straps from my truck that were red and made suspenders out of them. Then we went outside and took pictures in the snow. Then my neighbor came out gave me his Christmas list.

The only part that was not good, was that the sheep hair got all over me. It was so bad I had to get a shower after it.

Dear Spotting & Earrings

I have done something recently that has made me feel a little on the rebellious side... I pierced my ears. The experience was a little weird b/c I did it in the mall in one of those booths where everyone can see you. So, I had to act tough. The other thing that was weird was the smell of the place. I think the lady had just eaten lunch and I think she had tuna. I was really afraid that I was going to end up throwing up b/c the mixture of getting holes pocked into my ears and tuna did not settle well in my mind... it still doesn't.

Also, me and two friends went dear spotting @ 1 am. This I had never done before. it was a lot of fun, besides the fact that the spotter kept dying from having a weak battery. We saw a bunch of dear, and one buck. i think they like to play games with us. There was one time when we found a buck and he rand into the brush to hide but he was still staring at us. We turned around to get a better look and he was gone. Sneaky little guy!

One last thing, I went into Hot Topic to find some cooler earrings, and I decided to gauge my ear. I went from 18g to a 12g. That means I made the ear hole bigger. I was there with my wife and this other girl who was very experienced in ear piercing. I could tell she was experienced b/c she had about five or six piercing on her face alone... I trusted what she had to say.

Anyway, she was saying how gauging your ear does not hurt that bad, but she said that she was used to it and could endure pain. What was I going to do with that, say, "No I cant endure pain" of course I can. Honestly, I was a little nervous. But I followed through with it. I went home and got a hot shower (they said that helps it go through easier) then sat on the toilet as my wife forced the earrings through the hole that was too small. The first ear was not that bad, but the second we had to stop halfway through b/c she could not get it all the way in... I did not enjoy that so much.

Change

Jesus faced people’s slothfulness to change all the time. It seems that people were uncomfortable with the good changes as well. He cast out demons, healed the sick, forgave sins, and taught the Law in a way that demanded life change. Yet, there were was still a significant size crowd and highly respected group of people that did not welcome change and the arrival the Kingdom of God that was spoken in their language. This group of people seemed to miss it. This group of people is not merely the Pharisees, it was some of Jesus’ followers too. What was happening with these certain people, that they did not welcome change? We could say they were comfortable, they were lazy, or that they disagreed. But, I don’t think that is really getting at the heart of the matter. I think one of the heart issues was that they created something that worked, was good, and it clear and precise what people needed to do to be a God follower. So, when Jesus came into the picture, they took it personally because it challenged and deconstructed what they made.

I think that God still raises up people today to challenge what is, and I am beginning to think that this conversation is God’s doing for the Church that created a neat, clear, and clean system of doing Church. So, when people come and challenge what we have created we get miffed because it has become more about the system and the character of the system than Jesus. Even now with the emergent conversation, people are starting churches that are emergent, and are more concerned about being emergent than being Jesus. There is the guy, Sedmak, who encourages us to ask questions like, Who is Jesus to us? What does he look like? Why did he come to the place? What is his mission? Peace
josh

the mac life

Well as some of you know I have joined the mac life. Although, it was partly by accident, or God's provision... seriously!
Ben, my brother that I inherited through Engelina, gave us a late wedding gift... it was a mac powerbook. Then my wife had some money from her old bank account in MD, and she allowed me to use that money to get an ipod.


So I thought I would let you all know that I have joined the mac life. It is weird. The following explains why:


- When you see a fellow macie, it is a similar experience when you see people who have the same car or are driving a bus, and they wave at each other even thought they have no idea who the person is and will never see them again.


- When mac people get around all they do is talk about their computer.


- Non mac people are interested in the whole thing. The other day three of us (macies) were sitting in class at one table and our Prof. came up to us and said, "Is this the mac table?" and for the next five minutes we preceded to talk about the rise of mac computers. Also, when I took my mac into the the tech person to get configured for wireless internet at school, he said, "Oh! you have a mac!"


- There are websites, which I have NOT visited, that unite all Christian mac users. THAT IS WIERD!!!


I enjoy the mac life, but I dont know if I enjoy the mac cult.


Peace
jj smith
Peace
josh

Memories

Josh & Gina wedding 037,
originally uploaded by jj smith.

It has been nearly four months since we tied the knot. Good times! It goes so fast.

Our good friends the Mitchell's told us that one of the most important things to do in your marriage and even in the first year of marriage is to make memories.

So I wanted to share some of our good memories with everyone else.

- Our honeymoon. There are a lot of memories packed into this one category that deserves its own blog.

- Road trip to pittsburgh. It was great b/c we got to spend quality time with the fam and my best friend Rucc (Adam Ruccio, who i have known since middle school).

- Going to the park in the summer. There were a couple of Sunday afternoons and Saturdays that we would go and spend time in the park on a blanket. We talked, read, and relaxed. The best was when Engelina (my wife) read to me the Chronicles of Narnia.

- Laughing. There are a couple of specific memories with laughing, but overall we love to laugh with each other. Engelina is starting to laugh at my joke a lot more... I like that

- Road trip to Kings Dominion. We went to Virginia with our good friends Megan and Ryan who live in NC. We got caught in the worse traffic of my life and when we got there after 4 hour trip (what normally is two hours), we rode two rides and left b/c it was so cot-pickin hot and crowded. This was so much fun, b/c we laughed and talked in the car for about 7 hours.

- Our recent get-a-way to Lancaster with our good friends from college. It is great to see friends.

It is really cool to see what remembering does. It has the ability to change. That is interesting.

Maybe the trouble with broken relationships between people and people and God is because we forget all the time.

Above Reproach Not Above Life

So here is what I have been thinking about. Above reproach. I think this term is used improperly and lived out to a point that it is detrimental to the Kingdom in many circles. However, I could be wrong...that is not unusual

Paul used this referring to overseers or elders in the church. He said they have to above reproach, but it goes on to say what that looks like. He says, „ the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money‰

I realized in my own life that I used the excuse of being above reproach to not hang out with people who live wrongly, or not to go certain places where people would see me or do things that had the appearance of sin. That meant don‚t let anyone see me smoke my pipe, or don‚t go to bars b/c someone just might see you in there drinking milk and think that you are sinning, thus I would not be living above reproach.

I don‚t think Paul was saying this b/c that would mean that Jesus did not live above reproach. I wonder what Christian conservatives would think today if they saw a young woman caressing Jesus' feet with her hair and Jesus accepting this behavior. I wonder what they would think when they would be rebuked by Jesus for confronting an adulterous woman. They would say he is not living above reproach by hanging out with these people, and developing deep relationships with them.

I discovered that living above reproach according to Paul is exactly what Jesus did, and the opposite of my life. He said they are to be self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, faithful to his wife, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. he did not say anything about hanging out with people who did not follow this life style. If no one spent time with them how would they know about the freedom that comes from following Jesus.

Peace my brothers and sisters

Discovering the Sabbath

Smokin' Word,
originally uploaded by Penzance.

I had read a bit of Abraham Joshua Heschel's book The Sabbath, and from that little bit I decided that the Sabbath was essential to our physical, mental, spiritual, and relational health. So we are trying to keep the Sabbath.

For us it is on Saturdays b/c we both do not have work. We spend time together resting, sleeping, eating, hanging out with friends in a relaxed manner, and enjoy not having plans. Recently the mystery and magic of the Chronicles of Narnia have captured us. While we were at the park my wife read to me.
Our faith community offers services on Saturday nights so we try to go the gatherings not having to worry about youth programs, children programs, meetings, etc. You know the stuff that Sundays usually get bogged down with for a Pastor's family.

Observations so far: we notice a difference when we are not able to celebrate the Sabbath for some reason. Two, we are still shaping what it looks like thus taking any advice from veterans, and I am (little by little) researching the Scriptures and the Jewish community for spiritual depth.

Anyone can feel free to give suggestions.

sushi

sushi,
originally uploaded by low..

now that Engelina and i have a home to live in, we needed a little extra company for when i go away and for our entertainment since we rarely watch tv.

so we got in our car and went to nationally known super market for pets, Pet's'Mart! our options were limited to aquatic creatures b/c the nice people we rent off of do not want us to have pets (like dogs, cats, etc).

my wife and i have been planning on getting a fish for a while, and calling the fish Jeffrey...after my middle name. Jeffrey was supposed to be a goldfish, which i found out after we bought a beta fish.

so we are in the car leaving the super market for pets and said, "so, this is Jeffrey" My wife quickly responded, "NO, you cannot name a Japanese fighting fish Jeffrey." I did not know the rules for nameing fish, but I said OK.

After that conversation i predicted that the next fifteen minutes on the way home will be spent brainstorming over what name would fit a Japanese fighting fish. However, my prediction was wrong. This is because i had an epiphany. I said, "We shall name him SUSHI" (i did not say that way actually, but it adds a good affect to the story). My wife laughed and agreed. I was really happy!

fifty dollars, three other fish, and a road trip from Maryland, sushi is now living with an algi sucker in a tank that has bubbles and a filter to make is life all the more enjoyable. We think he is happier because his colors are brighter. The other fish died, not from sushi but another fish, so we flushed that killer fish down the toilet.

Peace

get your own food

Lately I have been thinking about what people say about church. Usually when people think about church it is one hour gathering that happens once a week. I am tired of people saying that the teaching is not deep enough. Even in youth groups, teenagers are saying that they NEED something deeper.

It is interesting, however, that I found the opposite discussion between church leaders and the congregation in the letter to the Hebrews. It is opposite, yet the same. They were living off of the surface teachings, the basics, but did not know what was right and how to live in obedience. They were satisfied with religion, not life change in themselves or in others.

How many times do we go to church and complain we NEED something deeper, but in all actuality, what was being taught we never obeyed or taught others. The truth is we are hungry (which is good), but we are too lazy to feed ourselves. We need someone else to do it for us…once a week.

Imagine a child who gets fed by the parents once a week. Is that a healthy baby? Now imagine that same child ten years later still being fed by the parents only once a week. Not only is that person unhealthy, but they are weird!

new job journeys

Street Scene Mural,
originally uploaded by philly_mark.

Well, it is official. I graduated college on Saturday and Tuesday I started what everyone calls life. Don't ask me what everything was leading up to this point. At the last minute Mike called and said that I could start ASAP. So I started the next day, which was yesterday.

My first day consisted of moving things around in my new office and spending 5 hours in the car with Mike. Get this we just sat in a parking lot in the car and talked. Syke! We went on a road trip to Baltimore for a meeting that. I got to go tag along and play basketball and eat free food. With cheese cake as a desert...sweet first day ha?

Well peace out to all my fans... stay tuned for more updates for Philly.

Gossip

Gossip by Norman Rockwell,
originally uploaded by Shiryi.

"Gossip is verbal pornography." - rob bell

Normal operation has resumed

Normal operation has resumed,
originally uploaded by mikep.

Normal operation has resumed because I am back at school again after spring break. As far as going to south for the typical college spring break...I made it to Maryland. We passed on going to curly haired Jason's in-laws in Georgia. However, I did get to do some really great things over spring break during Engelina's and I travels between Pittsburgh and Maryland.

Here are some interesting things that happened.

Engelina and I went to buy a simple soda at Chick Fil-A and I got charged $30 on my debit card. I complained days later and still got my money back...Honestly I don't know if I paid for the soda though...Oops!

I got to use a jack-hammer and break up a cement porch with other men. I felt real manly that day. I had to wear ear plugs, glasses, gloves, steal toed boots...It was great!

I had to dig 3ft holes 20 inches wide the same day. I felt real tired after that.

My family along with Engelina and I went to the Strip district in Pittsburgh and went to this place called Suseri's. They had really good pepperoni rolls, people who worked with the mob (maybe), and a guy who made the food with a big fat stogie sticking out of his mouth. He was so good at this that it looked like his mouth was permanently formed to fit a half inch stogie in it. It was a Kodak moment.

I did homework...Not enough!

I watched TV...Probably too much

I spent time with my nieces - Jenna the basketball player and Addy the gymnastics queen. Jenna is around 11 or 12 and Addy is around 3 or 4. Addy likes to sit on my shoulders.

Went to get Engelina's wedding band made, but the jewelers did not have the ring that we were basing it off of...That was very disappointing.

We dipped spoons into chocolate for a wedding shower.

Went to church on Easter

This is interesting ...While we were at church - Engelina and I - I saw my old girlfriend from High school...That was weird even though we did not talk.

Then we drove in the pouring down rain and almost wrecked b/c we hydro-planed...That was fun.

Peace out folks

Good things - a God thing

Well I had let you all know that I went through withdrawal the other day. The good things are that we...Engelina and I are moving are to good and exciting things. I will hopefully get accepted into seminary and persue my masters, work in a church called BranchCreek community church with my good friend Mike the youth pastor Harder. Engelina will find a good paying job, by the grace of God.

So we visited a few times. I still have not come home the right way yet. Getting lost is a hobby for Engelina and I. Anyway, the last time we visited was on a spur of the moment because Mike the youth pastor Harder called me with an apartment to check out. So I called the owner...we wanted to go check it out. We went and checked it out. We liked it. We got it. We start paying on it in April - thanks to Engelina's parents who are helping us out financially. It really is a God thing because we prayed specifically for God to provide for us in a certain way and He did...above and beyone what we asked and expected. Good things - a God thing.

We are waiting to hear more information from BranchCreek Community Church with the details on what my role is going to look like in the youth ministry there.

I still have to finish my application for seminary. yeesh, I love applications, Syke!

Some people are wondering why I have to leave. Sometimes I asked the same question. But after seeing how God is providing for us with good things like an apartment, I am becoming more and more confident that Philly is where we are supposed to be going. We are not sure why yet...ask us in a few years. It is one of those times when you can only see a few steps in front, then we have to trust that the path and the light will lead us as long as we keep trusting them - the light; the path.

Withdrawal

Today, along with my good friend Buhrtrane, went and cleaned out my stuff from Church. I was an intern for about 3-4 years now. It was a little sad. We sat that there telling stories, laughing, and shootin the poop. It was fun. I am really going to miss Rev. Jason, Acting Chad, Singing Holmes, and mother Joyce. You really get to know people when you spend hours upon hours with them day in day out.

People say that it is life. I say it too. But is it? Is it life just moving from place to place meeting people, starting over, breaking off... We say that it is life b/c it happens, and we choose sometimes/most of the time to have it that way. Is it us? Is it the culture? How much should we let the culture determine how we live? People are considered cowards when they choose people and staying close to friends and family - is that what they are? I know it depends on context, but maybe our society has it all wrong. Will it change or will we? Should it change or should we? Should it stay the same?

I know...you are probably saying, "This guy is crazy. You are only moving away, you will make new friends." I might be crazy. That is okay because this is unrated rantings baby...I just write...with a spell check on the end.

love

Descending

Lately I have been thinking about Easter. Mainly because it is Lent and this year I have decided to participate in the rich tradition. I decided to give up deserts. I failed a few times, but for the most part I have been keeping up with the fast. This journey is really helping me to discover selflessness. To deny myself. Nouwen would call it - living the descending way. Not only is Lent affecting my diet, but I have sought to live this descending way and discover what it really means. So, here is what I came up with so far.

Prayer is descending myself spiritually before God. I have noticed this past week when I was struggling with sin over and over that I avoided God. I felt that I had to fix myself before I went and talked to him. Just like when you broke something and you tried to fix it before you talked to your parents. "I can do it myself." "I don't want anyone to see that I screwed up."

Community is descending myself before others. When Engelina and I were in marriage counseling we talked about Adam and Eve and how they made fig leaves right after they sinned b/c they realized that they were naked. Sometimes I think that it would not be so bad to be naked with a women. But think about it...Someone you don't know at all - that is a little awkward unless you are intoxicated. I know Adam and Eve knew each other, but never had seen each other before the way that they saw each other after they sinned. Their eyes were open, everything was exposed to them. So they covered what was different between them. Now I look at that and think what a shame...Two attractive people who are attracted to each other are not able to be naked with each other. The nakedness was only the beginning. Next it was their feelings, their thoughts, their actions, and their mistakes. Living the descending way means stripping myself in front of others. Not my clothes, but everything else. That way I cannot hide who I am and what I struggle with. Living the descending way siphens the grease off our heart and frees it to be in commune with others and God. Only Jesus loves me purely and can show me how to love others the same.

Love is descending myself. Whether it is to God, friends, family, strangers, or enemies. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of how love is allowing for the greater good of others by my personal actions and attitude. Love for Engelina is not the fuzzy feeling inside...that is diarrhea...love for Engelina is not using her to please myself in any way. It is to build up, to forgive, to serve, to pray for...on and on. That is the descending way. Love is it! Once I learn to love God, others, and myself then prayer and community is life and breath of living the descending way.

Peace to you all
jj smith

intro

Thoughts. Mystery. Questions. Soap boxes. Encouragement. Stories. My life. Others' lives. Politics. Church. Jesus. Friends. ...who knows