Having Two Legs: 06.03

Thursday, June 26, 2003

Of the Moon and Education

Yipes. It's been a while. If I were someone else, I wouldn't be checking this blog anymore. I have somewhat of a lunar blogger schedule it seems. Meaning, it takes me a while to work up to a full blown post. Most of the time, I'm a rather half-hearted blogger, working through my phases.

Recently, I've been thinking about education and teaching and those sorts of things. I'm currently under the impression that learning is a kind of giving. And despite the fact that we usually think that learning is a kind of receiving. There are several reasons for my credo: First, we have to understand learning in the context of Jesus learning through his sufferings (Heb. 5:8). Second, learning is imitation of a teacher or teachers (Lk. 6:40). Third, and this kind of adds to the previous reason, subjects don't exist. The subject of Latin does not exist. Neither does math or literature or science. What we study are people and their particular takes on the world and aspects of its story. This is primarily true of our faith. Christianity is not a subject to find and study. It's a person to know and imitate (Eph. 4:20ff). And imitation demands giving. We can't receive a 'pure' download of math. We have to imitate someone (in person or in a book) who shows us how to do math.

Monday, June 09, 2003

Whistling in the Dark

One common way people tend to classify themselves is by what time of the day suits them best. My friend Jon is a night owl, and my dad is definitely a morning guy. I suppose there are folks out there who can do either. As it turns out, I'm a morning person. I can stay up late on occasion, but my people skills decrease exponentially after 8pm, as do my card playing skills. But there's a certain amount of ambiguity as to when night ends and morning begins. There is of course the 'technical' am and pm, but as far as my body is concerned 1 am is still night. I've found that I can get up and be at work at 3am with relatively little pain. But the difference two hours makes is really weird. 1am is a completely different story. I physically hurt at 1am. Anyways, that's the most exciting thing in my life right now.

Wednesday, June 04, 2003

Not to Mention the Weather

I am reminded of what an amazing community Mosow is. I have lived in southern California, Alaska, Maryland, and visited just about everywhere in between. Moscow is an amazing place. Of course at the center of the community is Christ Church. Never have I been in a church that overflows with such love and kindness as this one. Never have I been in a church with elders of such stature and wisdom. Never have I experienced such hospitality, friendship, or encouragement. You cannot go anywhere in town (and sometimes out of town!) without running into Kirkers. I have been in large and small churches, and I believe this one is the largest I've ever regularly attended. But the folks here are a family as tight knit as the smallest churches I've been in. And I thought at the outset that moving to Potlatch might be a bit of a 'downgrade', living 20 minutes from the bulk of the church community. But I was nowhere near the truth. The community and hospitality has increased exponentially. What a blessing to be here right now. God has been amazingly kind to this little plot of land in northern Idaho.