The Tiger's Playground.

If one blog is good, two must be better, right?  Right.  So I started a second blog, The Tiger's Playground.  As the name suggests, this is a site where I can write about, well, whatever comes into my head.  I will still definitely maintain TGMB as my primary blog, but every so often I get an idea in my head that doesn't deal with theology, philosophy, culture or music (yes, I am surprised, too), and I wanted an avenue of expression for such ideas.  

Who knows what will end up on the Playground.  I sure don't.  So if you want to read something serious and thought-provoking, check out TGMB.  If you are in the mood from something of the genre "weird", try the Playground.

Conversion.

I am currently reading a book on Christian conversion for a class that I will be taking in the Spring.  This books highlights nicely what I have come to believe over the course of my life: Conversion is, for many people, not a simple, one-time event.  Though there are certain things that all conversions have in common, the timeframe can be an instant or a decade.  Furthermore, for those of us who had a gradual conversion, we may not be able to say with certainty the moment in time we "switched sides" (perhaps it was not even a temporal event at all?).  

I illustrate this with a common occurrence at the church I attended as a youth.  Immediately after opening announcements and a song or two, we were instructed to greet those sitting near us.  This was a tall order for us introverts.  Sometimes, in an attempt to help generate conversation, we were asked to tell one another when our "spiritual birthday" was.  This rather cheesy term referred to the moment in time we were "saved" (never mind that in addition to the past tense [we were saved], there are present tense [we are being saved] and future tense [we will be saved] descriptions of salvation in the Bible).  Many people spouted off the date in question instantly.  March 21, 1974.  September 4, 1992.  I always responded with, "I don't know."  I always felt a little guilty about this.  After all, If I don't know my spiritual birthday, how can I know I'm saved?  

As a five- or-six-year-old, I made a decision to accept Jesus and got baptized.  Of course, I was a small child, so I didn't fully understand the implications behind this act.  Over the next ten years,  there were several important events in my life that were relevant to my spiritual condition.  Even as a veteran seminary student, there was a particular series of events that perhaps has had the most impact on me spiritually.  My relationship with God changed drastically (for the better).  

So when was I saved?  When did I cross over?  When I was five?  When I was 25?  I can't really answer that question, and I'm not even sure that it has an answer.  The only thing I can say with certainty is 

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

Weddings and Divorces.

Today is Jessica's and my second wedding anniversary.  As I was driving home to pick up a card for my wife, I was alerted by the radio that today is also National Divorce Day, although I have not been able to verify this claim.  Regardless, I listened to several callers talk with a divorce specialist about why they wanted a divorce.  One woman was cheated on by her husband, but still loved him dearly.  He loved her with "98%" of his heart.  On the other end of the spectrum, another woman, as far as I could tell, just didn't want to be married anymore (and she seemed pretty nonchalant about the whole thing).  She guessed that maybe her husband knew this,  but she hadn't bothered to tell him yet.

These two cases angered and saddened me, especially today.  When I stood at the altar of the church two years ago, I made a commitment before our God, our families and our friends to my wife that I would honor, respect and love her forever.  Though I am not perfect, that is what I attempt to do every day.  It angers and saddens me to see people tearing down what I am attempting to build up.  I understand that there are certainly times when one should pursue a divorce (even Jesus said as much), but that doesn't mean it is any less damaging to its participants.  I also understand that being divorced doesn't make one a bad person, but it does make one a hurt person.

Well, my wife just got home from work, so I must end this post.  And honey, I'm looking forward to at least 58 more years!

Mainstream Media - Jon LaJoie

Sometimes other people express ideas much better than I can, although those people are still usually named Jon.

The Legend of Christmas

Once upon a time two thousand years ago, or so legend has it, in a little town of Bethlehem, a baby was born.  Pure and innocent, the baby was wrapped in pure white swaddling clothes that smelled like fresh lemon and laid in a pristine manger in a well-kept and sanitary barn, because there was no room for his family in the local inn.  The very night of his birth, the baby was visited by three wise men from Afar.  They presented him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And there were some animals and angels in there somewhere, too.  Oh, and shepherds.  Can't forget the shepherds.

Nowadays people celebrate the birth of this baby boy, who I guess grew up and did some stuff (I think he told people to be nice, except when it wasn't convenient or they didn't want to), by giving each other gifts on Christmas.  We also put up lights on our houses and write letters to each other.  Some people even go to church on Christmas Eve, I guess out of obligation or because it makes them feel good.  But mainly we all get stuff.  

Getting stuff: The true meaning of Christmas.  Or maybe it's connecting with friends and family.  Putting up lights, perhaps?  Wait, didn't I say something about a baby?  Man, am I confused.

And that is the legend of Christmas.  

As we perform all of the traditions of Christmas, let's remember what we are celebrating: The birth of the Son of God, who came to make things right again.

Politics of Politics.

I have to be honest.  I am getting sick of politics*.  Every political campaign brings a fresh battery of negative or deceitful ads assaulting my eyes, ears and soul.  Republicans are criticized because they are Republican; Democrats because they are Democrat.  So-and-so had a child out of wedlock.  So-and-so voted to starve old people.  "George Bush is stupid." (Wow, what enlightening political commentary that is.)  

I serve an omnipotent God who concerns Himself with redeeming men's and women's souls.  He is fighting a battle with eternal ramifications.  The laws of any nation are words are here today, gone tomorrow.  

I am a committed Christian, and all my life I have been told that responsible Christians vote.  I am a registered voter, and I do vote.  I become less apt to do so with each passing day.  I hate the divisive nature of politics.  I hate the attitudes and actions of the power-mongers who populate the governing bodies.  I don't see it getting better anytime soon.

Here is my question: Why should I be concerned about our nation's political scene, as a Christian (my allegiance is to Christ first)?  If being involved in politics can be a good and moral activity, how so?  In other words, why should I care about our government when there are people within my sphere whose lives I can make better?

I want to be a follower of Christ in this country.  I need a little help on this one.

*I am speaking of state and national politics, not so much local politics.

Taking a Deep Sigh of Relief.

PHEW.  Finally, the end of the semester.  After taking a year off from seminary, I went back to school this Fall.  This time around, however, I am also working full-time.  I learned a few things about the experience this semester (which, alas, I will repeat twice more):

• (40 hours of work/week + 6 hours of class time/week + 6-8 hours of study time/week)*16 weeks = 1 brain-dead zombie.
• Seminary does not necessarily bring one closer to God.  In fact, it is my experience that the opposite can be true.  
• There is a half-way house for people with psychological issues right next to the seminary.  There is also a road connecting the two places.  It is there for a reason.
• During my year away, Denver Seminary did not cease to be a difficult place to complete a master's degree.  Being in my fourth year, the actual content of my classes is now pretty easy.  I've been doing it long enough that it's just variations on a theme.  However, the workload is still trying at times, especially for someone with a job and a family.
• Seminary does not help a person to be physically healthy.  Proper diet and exercise falls prey to staring at the wall while pretending to read.  
• Strangely enough, I believe I learned more while not in seminary than while in it.  I think this has something to do with the difference between reading what I want to read and reading what I have to read.  Also, this is evidence that the seminary is doing what it is supposed to--mold its students into life-long learners.

I still think Denver Seminary is an excellent institution, and I know that going there has and will continue to prepare me for vocational ministry.  Also, I would still encourage anyone who wants to be challenged to go there.  But know this--I'm going to throw one heck of a party when I'm done!