a thought

a thought that needs to be interpreted and analyzed:

"The civil religion is obviously involved in the most pressing moral and political issues of the day. But it is also caught in another kind of crisis, theoretical and theological, of which it is at the moment largely unaware. “God” has clearly been a central symbol in the civil religion from the beginning and remains so today. This symbol is just as central to the civil religion as it is to Judaism or Christianity. In the late eighteenth century this posed no problem; even Tom Paine, contrary to his detractors, was not an atheist. From left to right and regardless of church or sect, all could accept the idea of God. But today, as even Time has recognized, the meaning of “God” is by no means so clear or so obvious. There is no formal creed in the civil religion. We have had a Catholic President; it is conceivable that we could have a Jewish one. But could we have an agnostic president? Could a man with conscientious scruples about using the word “God” the way Kennedy and Johnson have used it be elected chief magistrate of our country? If the whole God symbolism requires reformulation, there will be obvious consequences for the civil religion, consequences perhaps of liberal alienation and of fundamentalist ossification that have not so far been prominent in this realm. The civil religion has been a point of articulation between the profoundest commitments of Western religious and philosophical tradition and the common beliefs of ordinary Americans. It is not too soon to consider how the deepening theological crisis may affect the future of this articulation. " - Robert N. Bellah

cleveland rocks

Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotion. First, I found out in the afternoon that the brakes on my corolla essentially had been destroyed through months of wear and tear. Apparently the brake pads on my car had worn down so low that brake drums started grinding into each other, which left my front brakes destroyed and my rear brakes to overheat, melt, and crack. As a result, my engine sensor also got destroyed. This was all totally unexpected--I thought I was going into the toyota dealership to get a sensor problem fixed but instead got over a thousand dollars worth of repairs done on my car. At that point, I was frustrated and angry, but I didn't know at whom to be frustrated and angry with but myself for letting it go on for so long.

In the end, I thought of Crystal and how she kept saying "it could have been worse" after breaking her ankle in a freak accident. (Like my car, she had surgery yesterday too--5 screws and one metal plate). It could have been worse. I'm thankful that I didn't drive anywhere during spring break because my brakes could have cut loose at any point. (The weather was so crappy that I didn't go. Thank God for keeping me safe.) In a way, it felt refreshing to get some brake work done on my car, knowing that it could last me for the next few years.

So after that short emotional drive, I found out right before small group that the regional/divisional directors in great lakes east came to a conclusion about where I would be placed. They had prayed and deliberated for close to 3 weeks. My placement is in CLEVELAND, OH. I haven't gotten a chance to really process the prospects of moving to ohio, but I just wanted to start getting the word out. I'm relieved that I finally know where I might be next year.

intervarsity cohort

Jeff called me yesterday with good news--I will be joining IVCF for my first year as an intern. I'll find out about my placement in the next several weeks. It's been sort of an emotional roller coaster--I'm ready to move out of Ann Arbor, but I love Ann Arbor and know the campus... God has opened up my heart to going to Columbus/Cleveland, but then again, it's Columbus/Cleveland... I trust that the staff will place me at a good campus for my first year.

I'm excited because several of my friends have also applied for campus staff positions. I'll be starting my intern year with a good cohort of people! Sara and Tim have applied from U of M, Calvin has applied post-Urbana/NSC for GLW, Ginny and several other U of I seniors are staffing in GLW, Laura at Flint, Dan in the Chicago area, Matt at UF, et al. It's great to keep up with the other bros/sis that God is calling to campus ministry.

joerrbs

-I found out yesterday that I didn't get the offer from Teach for America. Initially, that was disappointing (as all rejections are), but I had thought about it while I was in Detroit and figured that I would not be a good candidate for TFA. I don't think I 1) am called to it or 2) want it badly enough to toughen up for two years as an untrained teacher in an urban school district.

-I'm waitlisted for the MPA program at Columbia. That's fine too; at first I was disappointed (as usual) but then realized that getting waitlisted was more than I expected. I half expected to get in, but I also didn't think I would based on my lack of work experience.

-I had my InterVarsity interview this morning. I felt like I wasn't 100% prepared again, much like my TFA interview. (I think I was interviewed out after I did a study on Asian Americans and higher education yesterday.) However, the interviewers tried to understand and make me feel at home even though they asked some tough questions. I love how IV staff are so encouraging and gracious though--I will grow and learn so much by working with them.

Unless God brings me to something else, it looks like I'll be joining IVCF Staff. I can really see myself working hard and loving this job after graduation. Now I have to wait and see where they will place me.

sometimes...

i wish i could be snuggly and huggy like other people. i think i can be at times, but it's not my nature and i wish it were. i feel like i'd be able to relate to other people better, to be less aloof and stand-offish. but wouldn't life be boring without such awkward-turtle moments like the awkward half-hugs that people give and receive?