Wednesday, January 05, 2005

School is back and it isn't very fun. It is torture to have to sit through all those classes (especially Algebra). I waste my time contemplating the mundane and so I find it difficult to score well on tests. I don't know why I am telling you this, except I don't really have much to say. We did redo the downstair's computer from a Win98 to a DellXP, which is really nice. My parents are out at Applebee's, and upon their return, my father will plug internet into my own room.

I have spent a lot of time contemplating the reasons Jesus actually came to earth. We all say he came mainly to forgive us from our sins, but I don't think that's it. I know it's major (duh), but that's not it. He came for two things: to create a new community, and restore our lives - real life - to us. I am really exploring this in my free time and it is actually some really interesting stuff. If anyone has anything to say on that, I'd like it.

Last Thursday we opened gifts with my dad's side of the family. At your family reunions, when someone gets cash or a check, does someone always say, "Let me check that out," or, "pass those gifts around," or something like that, and then everyone laughs? It always happens. My cousin gets a check, someone says, "Let me see what you got..." and then everybody starts laughing really hard. But I don't think they're really laughing. I think it's just to be politically correct. The joke isn't funny at all. I don't know why they do it every time. This year I didn't crack a smile, I just looked at the attempted-jokester with a lazy eye.

4 comments:

Mike said...

Hey anthony. it has been a while. I totally understand where you are coming from about Jesus. I am reading "a generous orthodoxy" by mclaren. in it he talks about how most Christians focus only on the birth and death of Christ. They leave out all the things he did while on earth. It really kind of marginalizes the stories of healing sick people and raising the dead, and feeding the thousands. i personally think he came to overthrow the old way of doing things, and to bring about a kingdom of God here on earth. through that he saves us, restores us, and cleanses us. i'd like to hear what you think.

darker than silence said...

I used to be really caught up on Jesus' death, but recently I've moved both forward and backward in my interest. I find Jesus' life fascinating. His words and actions speak louder than the cross, in my opinion. And I look through Acts and the rest of the NT at the community that Jesus came to create.

Rochelle said...

I think we focus on his birth and death because that's what he did "for us" The life he lived here is an example of how we are to be with others taking the focus off self and putting it on how to love and treat others ...not always easy
I always wonder how he knew it was time to go back why he only stayed 33 yrs physically

Sheila Witherington said...

I'm one of those who thinks the most important part about the life of Jesus is, in fact, the life he lived. He showed us the example of how to live, which is so different from most religious leaders, when there are so many choices and so much confusion about what to do. I've read some of your other postings as well. I wish you the best in your endeavors. As an older person, I admonish you to follow your calling, not your goals. There is no need to try to figure it all out right now at the beginning. A life of faith, is indeed, a life of faith, day by day. You do not have to be a great speaker and there does not have to be a mass audience. Everything you need to know will be provided, I think, if you look inward where you find the spirit that calls you. Then when you look outward, you will see with what and with whom have been provided for you to work.

where we're headed

Over the last several years, we've undergone a shift in how we operate as a family. We're coming to what we hope is a better underst...