'I must be an acrobat, to talk like this and act like that...' -Actung Baby,U2
I am Jacob Bailey. I have been writing here for a while now. I am 27 years old, on the brink of moving to Spain. I love my wife and two beautiful children. Glad you stopped by - please let me know you were here by posting a comment.
leading with QUESTIONS
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
comments for all and to all another blog!
spent some time editing things here this morning...sorry the comments thing has been limited. Well I changed that so it should be open to all who wish to comment.
Here's a link to me and Tania's new ministry jounral called the Bridge. This will be a connection for us with folks at home and a place where people are invited to interact with us and pray...
It's different than this one in that both Tania and I will be accessing it. This blog will remain my personal journal...and safe place for me to lead with my Questions.
Monday, November 29, 2004
thanks but no thanks mr. warren (day 5 PDL)
Is all of life is less like a test and more like an ivitation?
Is it not so much about if we are passing or failing as much as it is about how we are responding?
warnkes and the rest
had a wonderful evening last night with our friends the Warnkes. They just kept dumping blessing on us. First they hosted us in their beautiful home (Dash Point) that overlooks the sounds. Second they fed us (oh yeah and Jeff shared his home brew too! Good stuff!). Third they let their children entertain ours. Fourth they shared some of the the people they are growing to love with us by inviting them over too. Fithe they shared their lives with us and what God has been doing with them lately. And sixth they said that they want to help us get to spain in some significant ways - they want to be connected to us as we go...
it was a great evening...one of those that just lingers...one of those times you don't want to leave...one of those places you could stay in for a while.
This was totally refreshing after a Sunday morning filled with frustration, pain, confusion, and the rest of all that comes with doing what I do right now.
(on a different note)News of our acceptance to International Teams came this morning. Wow! This might happen. The only downer was it looks like training will have to be split between a week in Feb (instead of a month) and 3 weeks in July. Not sure how all that will work out...but it freaks me out to think of having to spend much more time here than we were already planning. I was looking forward to a full month away from this place in Feb. Oh, well...in time the kinks will resolve themselves...I just have hang on and not leave emotionally, spiritually, before physically....this is getting more difficult daily...
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
LEWIS AS PROPHET - ON POST CHRISTIAN EUROPE
Here are 5 quotes from C.S. Lewis on Post-Christian Europe (from The Quotable Lewis c. 1962. Thanks JP) –
1Christians and Pagans had much more in common with each other than either has with a post-Christian. 2The gap between those who worship different gods is not so wide as that between those who worship and those who do not… 3...many men of our time have lost not only the supernatural light but also the natural light which pagans possessed. 4But God, who is the God of mercies, even now has not altogether cast off the human race. 5In younger people…do we not see very many sparks of virtues which perhaps our own generation lacked?
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
sometimes
sometimes life sucks. And sin crouches at the door and we let it burst in and tear up the interior of our heart. And sometimes we get "stuck in a moment." And yet life goes on. And grace arrives much like a sandwhich given by one buddy to another who forgot his own (or in my case miscalculated his - thanks J.Smith!). And grace moves us on.
I find myself today having a keen knew perspective on my own garbage and how damaging my choices are and could be. It's only grace that moves me on...without it...I am not safe, the world is not safe, no of us are...
but with Grace...well then everything...
Thursday, November 18, 2004
3 stages
Andrew Jones wrote today about 3 stages of the emerging church. I find his explaining here encouraging it captures some themes I have been experiencing in my life especially the first two:
1) Barn burning (my experience over the past year and a half)
2) Dumpster diving (so experiences lately have really echoed this for me - example: celtic and catholic discoveries and much more)
The third (lego land) is a place I am not - thus the anxt reflected sometime here on this site.
Being in the nowhere land with no grid by which to understand things and a church full of people to minister to is SCARY!
Jones thoughts here are (as you can see) semi-comforting.
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
so I posted something yesterday that was so rediculous that I ejected it hopefully before any one was able to read and then conclude that I had finally lost the cheese on my cracker and cracked. What was I thinking? Well...a whole lost of stuff that I can't articulate well at this point. And that is the point:
WHY ARE WE ALWAYS TRYING TO ARTICULATE WHAT IS SO FAR BEYOND US?
Why don't we settle down into a more authentic (oooohhh a buzzzz word - I am so cool, I must be emerging! someone pat me on the back quick before I faint for lack of helium in my pride baloon.) Where was I? Oh yah, why don't we settle into something more ground level.
Maybe I will sound smart?
Maybe I will sound cool?
Maybe I will sound spiritual?
I am challenged to pull in the reigns a bit and settle some where under the clouds instead of up in them.
The photos below were my life for 3 weeks as I slaved away on our dry rotted bathroom and then Tania and i launched in painting and redecorating. Did tell you how much I hate construction? It is so....it just sucks. Anyway it's done for now.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
again
Barna Update-11/9/04
A bi-weekly e-mail from George Barna
Last week’s election focused much attention on the “values voters.” People with strong religious convictions were said to be a major reason for President Bush’s re-election.
Again, I have strong "religious convictions" (evangelical too) that led me to vote for the Senator. As if people who did note vote for Bush do not have values? That's odd. I think many of the values held by voters who voted for Kerry indeed are remarkable. Here are a few:
Care for the poor and destitute vs. securing fortunes and lifestyles of the rich and selfish
Avoidance of war at all cost vs. preemtive aggression (which to this day is unjustified)
Anti - imperialistic vs. American Sovereignity around the globe
Sober patriotism in light of global concerns vs. patriotic idolatry
Concern for justice beyond the borders of the USA vs. solely looking out for american interest
Basic human rights for our global community vs. ignoring those less fortunate than ourselves
Do we have a global responsibility to love our neighbors in this day an age or not? Dare we try and justify ourselves by saying as one hypocrite once did "Jesus, who is my neighbor?"
this isn't me
This isn't me.
I am not with these guys. My roots are evangelical and my values, I hope emerge from the Bible...more specifically from what we see of Christ in the gospels...I am a "values voter" too, but I voted the other way.
It is sad to see a such a huge majority of the "chrisitian" population be so easily and arrogantly swung in one direction. There is so much more to the story than just abortion, homosexuality and stem cell research. These are not single issues that go away when a guy like George W. is elected. how can we be so blind to the bigger picture? Did abortions increase or decrease during our presidents last four years in office? they increased. Why? Because the economy flopped. Moby keeps asking questions of what he interprets as the "christian voice" of right wing conservatives. And they are good quesitons:
ok, i know we're in our time of repose and healing and whatnot, but i was watching the reverend jerry falwell on tv today and he was talking about 'christian values' and i was outraged. his 'christian values' are:
1-anti-gay
2-anti-women
3-strong national defense
4-pro-death penalty
i've said it before, and i'll say it again, how in the world can the christian right call themselves christian? where in the teachings of christ does christ talk about:
1-homosexuality
2-abortion
3-patriotism ?
the election was decided by the christian right, but how in the world are these people actually christians? i'm sorry, i don't mean to judge, but i've read the gospels quite a few times, and it seems pretty clear that 'christian values' are: 1-humility
2-non-judgementalism
3-caring for the poor
4-compassion
5-love
6-serving god
don't get me wrong, i'm not presenting myself as a virtuous, upstanding christian. i'm just saying that it outrages and baffles me that so many millions of americans call themselves christians but yet have belief systems that are seemingly antithetical to the teachings of christ. i'm going out on a theological limb here, but i do think that christ would be
1-anti war
2-anti death penalty
3-anti capitalist
4-pro environmentalism
5-pro programs that help the poor
so, not to make a pun, but what the hell? how is it that millions of americans call themselves christians but don't seem to incorporate any of christ's teachings into their lives? what do they teach in their churches? how do they get around christ's teachings on: love, forgiveness, pacifism, compassion, anti clericalism, anti-capitalism, etc?
at some point i would really like to debate some conservative christian leaders and ask them how they can call themselves christians and not actually incorporate christs teachings into their teachings and beliefs and actions. and again, i'm not presenting myself as a fantastic, upstanding christian. but just as i'd be dismayed to hear about vegans eating beef i'm also dismayed to hear about christians who are vicious, divisive, pro-war and pro-death penalty." -moby (from Moby.com)
Monday, November 08, 2004
As our US forces enter Falluja today and begin a major offensive battle (of this level not encountered since Vietnam - according to CBS) I can't help but connect dots to Bushes re-election and re-vamp of force and dominance. What are we doing? How many will be lost? And for what purpose? I fear until the violence comes home again we will continue to act in this manner confusing freedom with dominace and power with real peace.
And there is the beauty of a God who chose incarnation as a way to mediation. To "enter" the pain, to indentify with others in there suffering changes everything.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
today
The sun still rose today. It's november 3, 2004 the day after. The election is over but the nation stands defeated. What will the days ahead hold for us as americans who try and live our lives in a divided nation?
I can only speak for myself.
I find myself in a precarious position, stretched out in crucifix posture, holding the tension of both sides. The polarization is haunting as both sides call for my allegiance. I dare not sit comfortably in either camp. I am wondering how it is possible to make peace in this place. It seems as if we have laid a seed bed of hatered and soon a harvest of destruction will emerge around us. WE are all so blind. Our blindness is killing us. Through our blindness we can do no better than to kill each other. Jesus help me see. Help me escape my fear that keeps me hiding and help me see and act as you see things and long to act in humanity.
liminal space is transformative space is Other's space is our place.
Monday, November 01, 2004
inspired by an artist
I have recently discovered the life/work of William Congdon. I am totally captured by this man and what he has left behind. Below are some of his words toward the end of his life. I am so very grateful today for the left brained people who call us deeply toward the Imanent One who stands strongly veiled behind history and creation....here are Congdon own words:
"I started painting again a month ago. I hadn’t been for four months [...] it was very painful! Then someone brought me some photographs of Venezuela, of the coastline. Such beautiful photos! That moved me, it motivated me to paint, starting from what the photo revealed — a ship that was abandoned on the Venezuela coast for forty years.. And if someone asks me "why an abandoned ship?" I say "I always paint what I am - not what I see, but what I am." If I have painted 14 pictures of the ship, it means that an abandonment of the ship is in me. I am the abandoned ship[...] "abandoned" means the extreme, the ultimate company. It is not the lack of company[...] It’s the ultimate company. There is no better company than that of the so-called abandonment. Because abandonment means to abandon oneself and all that is comfortable and convenient. I have abandoned since the first day I picked up the colors to paint. That was the beginning of my abandonment, of my company, of my true company. Because God so disposed. Because the ultimate company, what accompanies the abandonment is Christ. The extreme company, the ultimate company, the total company is Him; painting is the expression of this extreme company."
(From http://www.congdon.it/wca/hislife.html )
