Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem


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Different Drummer, Disney and Orange

Here is a reprint of a post I co-wrote for work about a really unique trip I recently went on.

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Recently, our friends at Different Drummer offered two of us Orange staffers a unique opportunity to spend time at Walt Disney Animation Studios with a group of amazing women in ministry from churches all across the country. These women had a variety of Orange experience, ranging from none to some to thinking Orange, which made for a lot of fun discussion. During our two-day visit, we were asked, “What is Orange?” many times. And every time we gave our answer, we would receive a thoughtful and puzzled response—”So, you don’t just work with children’s ministry?” or “I had no idea our church’s entire ministry staff could utilize Orange resources.” So, over the course of the next 36-hours, while experiencing Los Angeles and Disney Studios together, we set the record straight.

It was a wonderful whirlwind of a trip and during our brief stint as VIP’s, our little group of women still found plenty of time to chat. Our first stop was a private screening of the new Winnie the Pooh movie in its entirety and the first four minutes of The Lion King 3D, to be released in July and September, respectively. What great family movies! After the viewing, we were all able to discuss how Pooh and his friends showcase many qualities of a strong Christian family—love, trust and kindness—and do so in a cute and funny storyline. Next, we were off to the Walt Disney Animation Studios where we met with some of the directors, producers, writers and animation artists from the movie. What a unique experience to hear the background on planning, research, casting and implementation of a Disney movie. Several of them also shared their personal testimony and faith with us, and how that is lived out on the job at Disney. They have seen some very cool things happen as they pray for their coworkers.

A few of our other excursions included the opportunity to try our hand as the voiceover for Piglet, speak with an original Pooh animator who has a 50-year-plus career with Disney, tour the archive building with over 65 million sketches from all Disney films, and watch The Lion King animators at work. We even received our very own drawing to take home!

Overall, it was a fantastic behind-the-scenes look at one of the most recognizable companies in the world. We were delighted with the chance to educate those new to Orange, as well as encourage those currently incorporating the strategy. Additionally, it was inspiring for us to hear how these women were serving God and their communities. We definitely made some great friends! And hopefully, they are also now able to answer the question, “What is Orange?”

A big thanks once again to Different Drummer and Disney! And be sure to see Winnie the Pooh at your local theater July 15—it’s a movie the whole family will enjoy!


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God vs. Science – the conversation continues

Totally ripping this off another blog, but I thought it was well worth it! Don’t know if it’s true, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks, Jon!

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PROFESSOR: You are a Christian, aren’t you, son?
STUDENT: Yes, sir.
PROFESSOR: So, you believe in God?
STUDENT: Absolutely, sir.
PROFESSOR: Is God good?
STUDENT: Sure.
PROFESSOR: My brother died of cancer, even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn’t. How is God good, then? Hmm?
(Student was silent)
PROFESSOR: You can’t answer, can you? Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: Is Satan good?
STUDENT: No.
PROFESSOR: Where does Satan come from?
STUDENT: From.. God.
PROFESSOR: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything. Correct?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: So who created evil?
(Student didn’t answer)
PROFESSOR: Is there sickness? Immortality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?
STUDENT: Yes, sir.
PROFESSOR: So, who created them?
(Student had no answer)
PROFESSOR: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son.. have you ever seen God?
STUDENT: No, sir.
PROFESSOR: Tell us if you have ever heard your God.
STUDENT: No, sir.
PROFESSOR: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God, for that matter?
STUDENT: No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
PROFESSOR: Yet you still believe in Him?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, Science says your God doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?
STUDENT: Nothing. I only have my Faith.
PROFESSOR: Yes, Faith. And that is the problem Science has.
STUDENT: Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
PROFESSOR: Yes.
STUDENT: And is there such a thing as Cold?
PROFESSOR: Yes.
STUDENT: No, sir, there isn’t.
(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events)
STUDENT: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of Heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was a pon-drop silence in the Lecture Theatre)
STUDENT: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
PROFESSOR: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
STUDENT: You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light… But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and it’s called Darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, You would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
PROFESSOR: So what is the point you are making, young man?
STUDENT: Sir, my point is, your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
PROFESSOR: Flawed? Can you explain how?
STUDENT: Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
PROFESSOR: If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes of course, I do.
STUDENT: Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going)
STUDENT: Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?
(The class was in uproar)
STUDENT: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class broke out into laughter)
STUDENT: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? .. No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable and Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures?
(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable)
PROFESSOR: I guess you’ll have to take them on Faith, son.
STUDENT: That is it, sir.. exactly! The link between man and God is Faith. That is all that keeps things alive and moving!
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That student was Albert Einstein.


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My 2011 Theme

Coming up with a theme for the year is a tradition my friends and I have done for the last few years. I really look forward to it, the process, and then looking back to see how it unfolded.

So, drum roll, please….

Word:
“Prioritize”

Now, let me explain….
I chose “prioritize” because I tend to get sidetracked pretty easily. Thanks, ADD. I am good at chasing rabbits down holes. So, I want to weed those other things out a bit better and focus. And I wanted a word to reflect both my personal and spiritual needs and goals for the year. The last couple years have been about being obedient and enlightened to this thing I now know as missional community. Everything else was in the background. While this is essentially not a bad thing, you all know I can be a bit of a workaholic, and that usually relates more to ministry than my actual full-time jobs. So, with priorities, I want it to pertain to the missional community but also my overall well-being. I need to be better at Sabbath. And my chiro, counselor and regular doctor have all told me over the course of the last year that I need to treat myself better and make me a priority. So, this is my attempt at that goal. And I chose “prioritize” over “priorities” because I wanted an action word.

Verse:
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Song:
“I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin

Now, again, let me explain…
Funny enough, as the D’s know, this song was sung at Shannon Oaks on Sunday. It immediately struck me and I was pretty sure this would be it. I asked Chad after the service what the song was and he told me. So, I downloaded it and have been listening to it repeatedly. I feel like it encompasses the “head, heart, hand” aspect of spiritual living which I believe to be so important. And I think it still goes very well with “prioritize” on both levels. I’m really happy with it. After the church service, a woman came up and spoke to the D’s. She, like everyone else, tried to get me to move to SS. Uh, no. After she realized it was a futile attempt, she asked if she could say a blessing over me. Why, of course! Turns out she is the head of their prayer ministry, D told me later. Anyway, after meditating on what she said and the words of the song, they are very similar which I thought was another good sign. Margi and D, please thank Chad and the woman for me.

Give it a listen – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_04LdPV_Q


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Emergence Journey 2010

Hey, everyone!

This year’s trip will take place from Thursday, October 21 to Monday, October 25. We sincerely hope you will think and pray about this opportunity. We would love to have you be a part of this amazing experience. Please sign up by Friday, September 10. And please feel free to ask me or Mark if you …have any questions!

Emergence Dates 2010:
– Session 1 Training – Saturday, September 18 from 9 am till noon
– Session 2 Training – Wednesday, September 22 from 7-10 pm
– Session 3 Training – Saturday, September 25 from 9 am till noon
– Session 4 Training – Saturday, October 2 from 9 am till noon
– Session 5 Training – Saturday, October 16 from 9 am till noon
– Bonus session – Wednesday, October 20 from 7-10 pm (Team meets for prayer and final details.)

Trip dates – October 21-25

Please note:

1. The training is fun, informative and intense. You will have homework before and after each session. For the trip, the entire five days will be utilized so please make sure you don’t schedule anything else those days.

2. These trips are open to anyone wanting to participate, either at North Atlanta or outside it, single or married. If you know of anyone wanting to participate in this trip, you are welcome to pass this along to them. We only ask that you communicate two things. The first is that anyone who goes must be willing to be led by God’s Holy Spirit. The second is that the person must be willing to “act as Jesus” to those they come in contact with on the trip. These two things are vital to maintain the integity, mission and purpose of this trip. Anyone willing to adhere to these things may participate on the Emergence Journey!

3. This is the only trip we have planned for 2010. However, if you can not make either of these trips and can gather a few friends for a fall trip, we will absolutely consider another one.

You can find previous newsletters, a training summary and an FAQ sheet at http://www.createemergence.org. Please let us know if you have any questions or need more information.

We hope that you will prayerfully consider joining the Journey!
Kristi and Mark (and Daron from Texas)

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What is the Emergence Journey?
The Emergence Journey is unconventional in that it starts with no destination or persons in mind; therefore no “preplanning” is necessary. All of the preparation comes in team-building and self-awareness exercises. This trip evolves during the journey rather than starting at the destination. The opportunities and relationships that are often overlooked or passed up when schedules are set and destinations are planned are fully experienced here, allowing you to free your mind to the possibilities at hand. A random act of kindness and open heart are the only requirements. We allow the Holy Spirit to fill in the details. Additionally, we operate from loose guidelines to allow the trip to shift as needed. For instance, we travel back roads rather than interstates when possible and avoid eating at chain restaurants, making it easier to meet local people. We also build a Safety Net of Prayer, a list of people who are praying for us every hour that we are on the road. And finally, we avoid turning on the radio and using our cell phones if possible, utilizing time rather than killing it.

http://www.createemergence.org


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Letter to a Friend

Dear, Friend –

I don’t know where quit to begin. My mind is rushing with thoughts at the moment and I feel a little bit like I’m drowning in them. The dam is about to break, so first, excuse me and second, hold on!

I’ve had drafts and revisions of this letter in my mind for weeks. Every time I thought about committing them to paper, I had a better excuse not to. Tonight I’m at the point where I cannot go to bed without doing it.

This monologue might better be served as an in-person discussion. I fully realize that thought. But you know me well enough to know that I can better express myself by writing…and well, I might cry if I saw your face as I said these things. No, scratch that. I would cry, and probably pretty hard. So, maybe this is better for both of us!

What am I alluding to, you ask? Get to the point, you say? What the heck is this all about, you wonder? Frankly, it’s about your life. Not just your “life” as, dare I say, trivial, as that may seem, but about your existence. Your daily living. Your purpose. Your story. Your freedom.

Do I have your attention yet???

We’ve known each other for years and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy and appreciate your presence in my life. You’ve been a wonderful person to me to laugh with in the good times and process with in the more difficult ones. You have always remained a source of encouragement. I can’t tell you what that means. I know we don’t use this word a lot these days, but I cherish you. And I’ve thought so many times of the letter you wrote to me last year on my birthday. You expressed how much you trust me. You told me that again recently. That fact means so much to me. I am so honored by it. We don’t get to spend a lot of face-to-face time together but I feel joy every time we do. I’m so grateful for how much our friendship has grown over the years. You are a blessing to me. In fact, I see so many reasons God has put you in my life. And that brings me to this point.

I’m not going to try and lay a sense of guilt or shame on you. I’m not even going to try and convict you or “save” you. Why would I? You already believe in God and Jesus. But what I am going to do is tell you what I want for you. I want you to know the fullness of Christ and live in His freedom.

I was working on a project with one of our common friends tonight and we were talking about values. These weren’t values that we thought were good, or even great. They were values that we’d die for. We fell on four: freedom, story, relationships and growth. Freedom means the ability that we have to fully recognize the weight and beauty of what Christ did for us on the cross and live with Him forever, starting now. Story means that I can understand how I am connected to God as well as everyone and everything else; my life has purpose and my actions affect the world around me. Relationships are important because life is lived best among people, those who do know Christ and even those who do not yet know Him. We chose growth because it’s a universal concept; everything living is growing. But it’s always a choice to grow in a healthy manner. These may not be the four words that two other people would use, which is perfectly fine, but we feel these words lay at the core of all the others. They are the reason we get up in the morning.

And as I thought through these individually and their connections to each other, I thought of you. Yes, my friend, I would die for you. I love you that much. I’m sorry if I haven’t made it that clear before now.

This may surprise you, but many people who love Christ as I do decide not to share Him with others. I don’t even think that it is a conscious choice. This isn’t at all because they are bad people. It’s usually because they are scared. Like everyone else walking around the planet, they are scared of rejection. I know, I’ve been there. Sometimes it is with strangers, but I think mostly it is with people they care about. They don’t want to lose that relationship because they value it. Seems almost ironic, doesn’t it? You don’t share something you love with someone you love because you are afraid of losing love.

When I originally started drafting this letter in my head a few weeks back I dwelt for a long time on the last paragraph. And I wasn’t afraid of losing your love or friendship. I just wanted to go at your pace. I wanted to tell you these things when you were at a place you could fully hear them. But for whatever reason, I feel God quickening that pace. I feel great urgency in gushing all of this to you as I am now. It cannot be contained any longer. Perhaps you are in a place to hear.

Here’s another paradox of sorts for you: I care so much about you that I’m willing to risk my relationship with you. That’s right. I’m willing to throw all those years of memories down the tubes because I love you that much. What do you think of that? My dear friend, I am desperate for you know Christ as I do. He is not a great man from a large book who lived a long time ago and did some awesome things. He is a living, breathing Savior. He endured separation from God, the Creator of the Universe, for me…and you. And He is literally dying to be in an intimate relationship with you. I hope this doesn’t sound too “out there” or anything. It isn’t meant to be. I just want you to understand the depth and weight involved in this process. Again, I know you believe in Him. But do you believe Him? Do you trust Him as you would me?

Let me give you a great example from my favorite movie of all time, The Wizard of Oz. I feel like most people, even many Christians, walk around stuck in the black and white of Kansas. After all, over 40% of the US population says they are Christian. How many truly live by that ideology, though? Wouldn’t it be an amazing place if they did? To this group, everything appears a little dull and lifeless, whether they realize it or not. There is good and there is bad. And there’s even a lot of gray to navigate, which is where we get stuck a lot. There is a routine to life and tasks to perform. But inside all of us, there is a desire to be over the rainbow – to know and live and be somewhere bigger than ourselves. It’s a beautiful place but it’s not quite attainable. And we know it’s not quit attainable because we are constantly trying to buy or do or see or feel more to get us over there. But all we can see is black, white and gray.

There is another side, though! When we fully understand who Christ is and who we are in Him, that is who He designed us to be and what purpose we are specifically to live out, we open the door. (Yes, it does usually take the cyclone to get us there!) And on the other side of that door is color like we’ve never seen or imagined! We get over the rainbow and we didn’t have to die to do it! Sure, it’s not heaven so there is still pain and suffering and hardship. But there is also a group who travels with us to encourage us along the way and make memories together. We do life together and we experience it more fully because we have a common purpose and we are not alone.

I think that Dorothy could be trying so hard to get back home because the other people she loved, her family, where stuck in black and white. She still saw how beautiful over the rainbow was, despite it not being exactly as she imagined. I think when she went back home she had a greater understanding for the black and white life, yet she carried the color in her heart. It had changed her. She grew in the process.

Maybe that’s all a bit of a stretch for you, but let’s roll with it, ok?

But that’s a little story of what I want for you. Color floods my heart and I dream for it to flood yours, too.

We’ve talked on a couple of occasions about some of the damage that’s been done to you by people who called themselves Christians, and within the walls of a church. My heart literally aches and my eyes fill up every time I stop to think about it. But all I can say is that I’m sorry. I would tell you a thousand times if that would simply fix it. However, what I am telling you with everything in me that is not the way Christ designed His Church. It should be a place of love, grace, mercy, compassion and Truth. It should be the expression and embodiment of who He is here on this earth. But as long as He allows imperfect people to become members, including myself, we are stuck with that predicament. All we can do is learn from the past, live in the present and look to the future.

I hope and pray that you have learned a different meaning of the Church from being around my friends and me. At least, that is what you said, and I am taking you at your word. I trust that you would tell me the truth. We are very broken and imperfect people, but we strive to be the Church that Christ calls us to be. I want you to see that there are other models out there. All are only replicas of the original, but each is trying in their own way to look like the masterpiece. I desire for you to more frequently be the Church with us.

So, I think I’m running out of thoughts, or at least words. I guess that leaves me with expectations…

I expect you to respond to this in whatever way works best for you. That may mean we talk about it, email about it, allude to it – or we don’t. I respect your choice 100%. After all, it’s yours to make. Please do not feel any pressure or obligation. I didn’t write it for that purpose. I wrote it to express my heart to you, as I feel God asked me to do, and that’s it.

There are also a few expectations you can have for me. The first is that, no matter how you respond, I will still love you as a dear friend. You may be very ready to talk about this or you may never be ready to talk about this. Either way is for you to decide. The second is that I will not bring this up again unless God asks me to. The ball is in your court. And the third is that, as I have done for years now, I will continue to pray for you. I pray for you because I genuinely care about you.

Ok, guess that’s about it. I’ll be seeing you soon, hopefully over the rainbow.

Love,
Kristi