Driving into the New Year: “Oops, was that a stop sign?”

New Year’s resolutions are like rules: they’re here to break. Right?

Last year I made two New Year’s resolutions: First, to become a better driver, and second, to give up soda for a year. I was especially determined to keep the first.

Then I ran a stop sign.

At about 12:45 a.m., January 1.

The second lasted much longer, and was going great until after about three months, when someone offered me a free can of Coke and I caved in.

After that, I decided there will be no more New Year’s resolutions for me. We’re not supposed to make promises we know we can’t keep, right? And who really expects to keep their New Year’s resolutions, anyway?

But as 2012 approaches, I find myself once again considering my part in this infamous yearly goal setting routine.

Yes, I really should know better by now.

Believe it or not, there is one goal I set and achieve each year. I don’t like to call it a New Year’s resolution, but I guess technically that’s what it is. 

Each year I resolve to end that year in a deeper, closer and more genuine relationship with God than the year before. Then I set smaller goals working toward that larger goal, sometimes following through with them, but often failing.

And that’s alright.

The purpose of these goals isn’t to be perfect. That would be impossible. Rather, it is to maintain focus on the larger goal. Humans fail. I am human, therefore I fail. But the key to reaching the goal, even after failure, is to move on.

Failure is not the end, but it can be if it shifts our focus off the goal and onto itself.

Paul and Timothy summed it up, “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14 ESV)

I don’t think there’s such thing as a fast and easy strategy for making and keeping our New Year’s resolutions—or any goal for that matter. The parts in this verse about “straining forward” and “pressing on” suggest a need for endurance. 

I do, however, have two ideas I think will help us with the process:

Set the right goals.

First, I think we need to put more thought into what goals we are setting. 

One common New Year’s resolution among Christians is to spend time every day of the year reading the Bible and talking to God. While at first glance this seems like a great goal, I think it misses the bigger picture, and we can do better. 

The purpose of reading the Bible and talking to God is to grow closer to Him. That should be the ultimate goal and intentional focus. But when the goal is simply to read the Bible and pray every day of the year, it can be easy to focus more on achieving the goal than on the purpose of that goal. And, if just once we don’t carry it out, we’ve already failed, so what reason do we have to press on?

If we set an ultimate goal to grow closer to God, however, and make smaller goals that work toward that end—such as reading the Bible and praying every day, getting involved in a small group or Bible study and getting rid of specific sin issues in our lives—I think we will have more success.

Stay focused, even when you fail.

Of course, there will be times when we allow the busyness of our lives to get in the way of our relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Some days resisting temptation will be harder than others, and we will cave in to sin. Once-in-a-while we are going to run a stop sign.

When we do, we need to stay focused on the ultimate goal, which we’ll never reach by dwelling on our past failures, but by keeping our eyes on the future prize.

The Story That Will Never Be Written

Imagine a library bigger than any you have ever seen, bigger than the Library of Congress. It is filled with so many books no one has ever tried to count them. But it doesn’t matter how many books are in this library because people don’t go there much, and it is usually empty. Every once-in-a-while someone will stumble through the doors by accident, not quite sure how they got there, and stay only long enough to take one book off the shelf, flip through its pages, and return it to its place.  No one has ever read any of the books from these shelves, but even if someone were to try, it would be impossible.

Every page in every book in this library is blank.

Such a place exists. Figuratively, but it exists. I know this, because I’ve been there. In fact, I was there today.

The last thing I remember before suddenly finding myself in the library, I was sitting on my bed looking through a photo album. I had paused at a photo of my late Great Aunt Lettie and was trying to remember what was going on in the captured scene.

In the photo, we are sitting around a table at another relative’s house in New Jersey, and Aunt Lettie is entertaining everyone with one of my brother Eddie’s puppets. 

I remember we were all laughing so hard our sides hurt and some of us had tears in our eyes.

Eddie loves puppets and is always doing skits with them, so when Aunt Lettie started fooling around with the puppet that day, some of us started encouraging her to write a skit for him to practice with his puppets at home. She loved the idea, and promised to work on it and send it to him in the mail. Almost every time we saw her or talked to her after that, she would mention the puppet skit, and say she would be sending it soon.

It never came.

She died before she could write it.

I hadn’t thought about that day or the puppet skit in a long time until I looked at that photo. And that was then when I looked up to find myself in the library.

When I arrived, I saw a book on the shelf in front of me that seemed to stick out just a little further than the others, which were lined up perfectly even with each other. It seemed to be calling out for me to pick it up, but somehow I couldn’t. I don’t know how, but I knew, like in a dream, that this book was Aunt Lettie’s puppet skit.

I selected a different book from a nearby shelf and began flipping through its blank pages, but immediately wished I hadn’t. Just like I’d known the identity of the other one without touching it, I knew this one the second I opened it. I thought of Tom O’Hara, a man who used to live down the street from us.

“Mr. O.,” as I called him, was an extremely talented yet unknown photographer, and would capture the image of a flower as small as my fingertip and then have it printed the largest poster size available. He also took beautiful pictures of the many old barns around the area where I live.

On several occasions, he offered to show me how to use his camera and teach me about photography. I always said yes, I’d love that, and I think we made plans a few times to start, but we never got around to it. I kept saying I’d come over one day soon, but was always busy with other things, so it would get put off again.

He died a couple years ago, and now that will never happen.

I knew as I flipped through the pages of the book that this was its story.

Again, although figurative, this library exists, and every book on its shelves is a story that was intended to be written, but never was and never will be.

The purpose of the library, however, is not for its guests to be reminded of and have them dwell on their unwritten stories that will never be, but to encourage them to take note of their unwritten stories that still can be, and finish them.

Just as everyone has past regrets, everyone has potential future regrets and unwritten stories that threaten to end up in the library with the others.

What are yours?

My Addiction

A note to those who follow this blog (all three of you...hahaha...): I haven't gotten to post much lately because life has been busy with school and work, but I've been doing a lot of writing and learning and I look forward to sharing with you all once things slow down a bit.  The following post is non-traditional for this blog, but I thought it might still be appreciated by some. It was an assignment for school. I didn't write it about any one single event, more like a combination of a few, but at the end, I've posted a short video clip of a concert I was at recently. Hope you enjoy! And if you don't, please stay tuned, as I will be back to the "normal" programming soon.

The odor of hundreds of sweaty bodies packed in tighter than slaves below a ship deck combines with the sudden rise in temperature the moment I enter. The electricity, excitement and adrenaline surround me like a current, drawing me deeper in. As I squeeze and push my way through the people, the only lights I see are those from cell phone screens, glow sticks and an occasional camera flash from off to the side.

I am now in the center of the mosh pit, but can’t get any further, as people have stopped letting me through, so I stand still and watch the crowd while trying to absorb the moment. I realize we are not simply in the mosh pit, we are the mosh pit, and soon we will be one.  

We will shout as one. 

We will jump as one. 

We will pump our fists as one. 

We will most likely get bloody noses, bruised limbs and crushed toes as one, although, I’m not so much looking forward to that part.

As the music begins with a sudden bang from the sound system and the band appears on stage, we go crazier than Times Square at midnight, January 1. 

The base is so loud, I feel more than hear it, and the vibrations pound through my body so aggressively I wonder if my heart rhythm will change to match them. As the band performs one of my favorite songs—the one I sing along with in my car with the volume turned up so high people glare at me at red lights—I scream the lyrics along with the rest of the crowd, not caring that I won’t have a voice come morning. 

By the time the show is over, I am exhausted and energized at the same time. This high will probably last a few days until I crash and my friends wonder what’s wrong with me. Some wonder why I “waste” so much money on concerts. 

My response?

Some people do drugs. 

I do music.

Restless

How do you tell a restless spirit to be still?

It isn’t easy, that’s for sure. Especially with all of the distractions that can compete for one’s attention in today’s technology-centered world: text messages, Facebook notifications, tweets, advertisements, animated billboards, smart phone apps, iPods, iPads, YouTube, The list goes on and on.

It can be so easy to lose focus.  Lately I wonder, however, if I even have a focus to lose in the first place.

See, I’ve been restless. Really restless. And I don’t know why. Part of me will want to just be still and breathe, while the other part of me won’t shut down, always looking for something else to do and somewhere else to go, devouring the distractions like a hungry dog emptying its food dish. 

When I’m busy or stressed, I long for stillness, silence, and room to just breathe, but when the opportunity comes, it drives me mad and I once again, against my own will, seek the distractions. 

I was thinking about all this the other day and wondering why it is so and what it would be like to fully embrace and carry out God’s command in Psalm 46 to, “Be still and know that I am God.” It sounds so easy, so simple, if you think of it in physical terms. But, again, how do you get a restless spirit to be still?

I sometimes envy the simplicity that encompasses a Buddhist’s lifestyle. If I wasn’t a Christian, I think I could easily embrace Buddhism.

G.R. Lewis, developer of a Buddhist website, buddhistfaith.tripod.com, explains the idea of a simple lifestyle: 

“Simplicity of life impels us to want or possess fewer things, appreciating more of what we have and using what we possess in the service of others. When we have fewer distractions in our lives then we can concentrate more in our inner realm and truly live the Buddha Dharma and manifest the nembutsu. At its core, simplicity is the living practice of reality as it is.”

I looked around my room after reading this and tried to imagine what it would be like to own less things, less distractions. I considered my various possessions and whether or not I could get along without each of them. I concluded that most of the stuff in my room is just that: stuff. And none of it is actually stuff that I need.  

I recently went on a road trip with some friends to the Jersey shore and we stayed with a family down there who none of us had ever met, but we were connected with through some mutual friends. They were very welcoming and hospitable, and even though they live in a very small home, they shared with us what little space they have, the two girls squeezing into their parents room so that we could stay in theirs. 

Looking around their small home, I noticed that there wasn’t any clutter. They didn’t have much stuff, and they seemed happy. The father said that when they moved into the tiny house, which had been converted from an old chicken slaughter house, they came from a three-story house and had to store most of their belongings in a trailer out front. He said that they quickly learned how much they really didn’t need and could do without.

I think this is one of the secrets to obtaining peace and happiness: learning to do without and genuinely appreciating what you do  have. Always wanting more and filling one’s time and space with more things and pointless activities just makes a person more restless.

Of course, sometimes we can’t control our environments, and what goes on around us. No matter how hard we try to escape, the distractions will always be there. That’s life. It’s not always easy. However, it’s not always impossible either. 

The account of when Jesus calmed the storm comes to mind, and I wonder if the same God who stilled the waves could still my soul as well. Of course he can. I just need to let him. 

What about you? Do you ever feel restless and unable to just be still, knowing that He is God? Or am I the only one?  Maybe if we were to let God calm our hearts the way He did the storm, we would find the peace that we long for.

The Storm

(A poem I wrote a couple years ago)

I can just feel the waves all around me
Tossing the boat up and down
And I can see Him sleeping in the corner
Unaware that we’re about to drown
And I can hear myself yell

Where are You now
In the middle of the storm
Where are You now
When I need you the most
Why do You sleep
Don’t You even care

I can just see Him stand and look at me
With eyes that see in my soul
And I can hear Him rebuke the wind and waves
As the storm turns to a quiet calm
And I hear Him say to me

Where’s your faith now
In the middle of the storm
Where’s your faith now
When you need it the most
Why do you fear
Don’t you know I’m here

And I know He’s here
In the middle of the storm

A Place in the Choir

In kindergarten, my favorite song was called “All God’s Critters” and the lyrics went something like this:

“All God’s critters got a place in the choir,

Some sing low, some sing higher,

Some sing aloud on the telephone wire,

And some just clap their hands, or paws, or whatever they’ve got! Yeah!”

When you get to that last line, you clap your hands in sync with each syllable. Then at the end, you don’t just say “yeah”, you gotta shout it out, or it’ll ruin the whole song. Actually, I think I used to shout not just the “yeah”, but the whole song. I probably drove my parents nuts.

Anyway, I was recently reminded of this song as I was taking a walk and listening to the birds sing all around me. I love to just be quiet and listen to the sounds of nature. It’s a thrilling thing, in my opinion, to allow oneself to get caught up in the natural chorus of praise that shouts out God’s name all around us every day. I sometimes feel sorry for the people who don’t notice it, or even are somehow annoyed by it.

It also makes me wonder how anyone could not believe in God. How could all of this come into existence simply by chance? And how could one deny the existence of the One that it so clearly points to, so clearly glorifies, so clearly magnifies? It blows my mind.

Wanna know what else blows my mind? Crickets. No, seriously, crickets. Listen to this:

Stop trying to read ahead! Hit the “play” button now before reading any further. (Or, if the video doesn't work for you, try this link: http://www.christopherhopper.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Crickets-Soundtrack.mp3)

In case you didn’t get what that was, there are two tracks playing on top of each other. One is a recording of crickets at normal speed, the other is a recording of crickets slowed down to the lifetime equivalency of a human, as crickets have a very short lifetime. There are no voices or instruments added. It’s just the two tracks of crickets.

Pretty crazy, huh? Kinda gives me chills.

Jesus once said that if His worshippers were to be silent, the rocks would cry out. I think he meant it. Literally.

See, I believe that we were all created for a purpose, and that purpose has nothing to do with us or satisfying our wants or fulfilling our dreams. We were created to glorify God, worship God, love God. And I believe that in this only is where we will truly find fulfillment.

Of course, this may not look the same for one person as it does another, because God created each of us to be unique.

So, all of God’s critters have a place in the choir. Where’s yours?

The Creation Crowd

I put my car in park and leaned out the window, trying to see the front of the line of vehicles we’d been sitting in for the past ten minutes. A few kids got out of a van a little ways up the road and started tossing a Frisbee around. Beyond them, the road disappeared around a curve, and all I could see were trees. To the left of the road was a big, grassy field, and beyond that, rolling mountains. To the right was a corn field, and then more mountains. I eased back into my seat and let out a sigh, staring out the window at the corn stalks.

 

“The corn is doing really good,” I said absently and to no one in particular.

There was a short pause and Brittani, who sat in the passenger seat, answered, “I like corn.” After another short pause, we both broke out in in a fit of laughter, startling Mark, who had been dozing off in the back seat. For the rest of the trip, all one of us had to say was, “corn,” and Brittani and I would start laughing, not even sure what was so funny about it.

Brittani (left) and I

I don’t think that any of us really minded being stuck in traffic, because with every inch that we rolled closer to Agape Farm, Mount Union, Pa, our excitement (and perhaps our silliness as well) grew by miles. As the back window of my car proudly proclaimed, for us, it was, “Creation Fest or bust!”

Founded by Pastor Harry Thomas and Tim Landis in 1979, Creation Festival is now the largest Christian music festival in the world. The easiest way to describe it is as a “Christian Woodstock.” Thousands of people go and camp out for four days to hear 50+ of the top Christian bands, artists and speakers of today. Some of this year’s lineup included TobyMac, Third Day, Skillet, Newsboys, Chris Tomlin, Owl City, The Almost, The Letter Black, Lecrae, Loui Giglio, and Brad Stine.

Creation founder Pastor Harry Thomas leading an impromptu worship session in the Late Night Tent while awaiting the arrival of comedian Brad Stine

 The banner which hangs above Creation’s Main Stage each year reads, “A tribute to our Creator.” Not only is the festival itself a tribute to our Creator, however, but the people who attend (and I say this in general) are as well. 

While driving down Hallelujah Highway (one of the dirt roads that run through the farm) in search of our camp site and the other members of our group, I could tell that the Creation crowd is a unique one. And I’m not just talking about the interesting hairstyles (like the father and son with matching bright red mohawks or the girl who fashioned her hair to stand up straight around a soda bottle and then sprayed it green), the different ways of dress (like the guy with the tail or the guy in the banana outfit), and the other unusual sights (like the ambulance converted into a mobile tattoo parlor we passed on the way in). 

I’m talking about people’s attitudes. I didn’t see anyone get mad about having to wait in line or hear anyone complain about the rules. I’m talking about the spirit of community. Strangers offered each other assistance without being asked, people walked around with “free hugs” signs, everyone smiled and nodded or waved at each other as they passed. And I’m talking about the openness and sincerity that was felt among friends. In general, people didn’t seem to be out to impress each other as much as they are in the ‘real’ world. They were honest to each other about their struggles and shortcomings and showed grace to others regarding theirs.

Yes, Creation Festival 2011 and the crowd that attended was definitely a tribute to our Creator. But the question that I have for myself and all those who were a part of it is, “Is it still?”

Are we taking what we learned from all of the amazing speakers and implementing it in our lives, or did we simply apply what it means to our lives while we were at Creation, but forget about it after returning home?

Brittani and I with Christopher Hopper, who spoke about arts & the church

 Are we living in a constant state of worship right now, or have we gone back to the complaining, the distractions, the apathy? We all have great memories of worshiping God together for four days non-stop. But what happened after all of those thousands of candles that helped unite us on the hillside burned out? Are we still a city on a hill? A light that can’t be hidden?

Are we still carrying the atmosphere of Creation into our daily lives at home? It’s always hard going back to ‘real life’ after an experience like Creation. People in the ‘real world’ are harder to get along with. It’s not as easy to worship God back at work than it is when you’re with thousands of other believers surrounded by the majestic beauty of God’s Creation being led in song by Chris Tomlin or Tenth Avenue North, or one of your other favorite bands. But really, no matter where we are, isn’t it still our choice? Shouldn’t we be able to carry that experience back with us? And in doing so, might we be sharing that experience with others who weren’t able to be there? It’s just a thought.

I realize that I’ve been writing mainly to people who attended Creation, but this applies to those who didn’t as well. Maybe you’ve recently been on a church retreat, a mission trip, or a week of camp. Or, maybe you were impacted by a song you heard on the radio or something your pastor said in church. What are you doing right now to continue applying what you learned?

Or maybe you’ve read this far and you’re not really much into religion or Christianity. Maybe you think I’m crazy, or maybe you think it’s cool but not for you. Well, that’s ok. Thanks for reading anyway. I hope that someday you’ll understand what it’s all about and let Jesus be your best friend like He is mine.

And to all you crazy Jesus freaks from Creation Festival 2011, will you join me in carrying this tribute into 2012 and beyond?

Main Stage