2020 Vision

Recently, after the same aim in which I started this blog, I went out hunting for evidence that someone is having the conversations that matter. Someone might call it observing the culture -- which must be done specifically and intentionally in an age where so many have space to make their opinion known .. and also weighed.

It used to be that such broad access to culture, to influence the massive waves of people belonging to the various groups, happened around more specific causes -- music/art, good leadership/the topic of governance, religion/beliefs. There was a space when more of those who had a hand in making those large waves had paid a price, formed the character, were masters of their craft, lived and breathed the same thing they were dishing out. And, this tends to happen around things that matter, what our next generations will be able to walk and grow and build in.

Today, all you have to do to be (instantly) seen by millions of people is post a thought on a social media page. And, whether we like it or not (for those paying attention), although the value of such instant contribution may likewise not be the same as back in the day, it is yet helping to build the ebb and flow of what is making up today's culture. My question, is anyone talking about what matters?, the things that carve out what the next generation will be looking at? For,

times are a'changin'.

An aspect of this dynamic I notice additionally, people WAIT to have these unsuspectingly weighty (instant feed) conversations with those millions of people they can't see. Having the weighty topics that progress the ebb and flow of culture as regular conversational pieces in our everyday lives with the people around us (at work, school, the grocery store, the park) are things we tend to not get too messy with until behind a screen and keyboard -- because that's the community, right? Within this dynamic, people groups are 'out there' somewhere. And, this is what I recently went a'looking into.

The truth is, there is an ebb and flow making up the culture, and it's formed by the conversations being had.

They're just not in the same format that they used to be. On a scale like never before, the unseen mass influencing what your outside experience is - the experience outside of your own immediate world and comfort zone - may not necessarily be those who have any time invested in what they're talking about, or good reference even. What they do have is that they're getting together and agreeing. This is what forms culture.

It is necessary to understand what people are agreeing about these days, to actually understand the culture we look up and find ourselves in as things rapidly change around us.

News flash -- if you haven't figured it out in reading this post (or my blog) already -- I believe you cannot watch the news to find out what is going on around you. My strong opinion contribution. And, this is exactly why I started this blog. When doing so, having a degree of nerve to walk up to total strangers and ask them to share, I was convinced that there was a place to get the real news and that the way I'd dreamed of, making real connections with those around me, was that way.

It was a task to get up and go on this recent hunt, to have to accept that mere opinion is helping to form the world I live in on an unprecedented scale in no less than 2020... and decide to go to where that opinion is being shared.

But, I went ahead, praying God willing, I would come away with discovery that allowed some hope some of those discussions, which mark the commencement of a brand new era, are not mere instant opinion ... that groups somewhere are agreeing in some sense of what a future looks like outside of a trending feed, based more in real life experience and where life is actually occurring - and likewise valued...

I found great little nooks in my venture.

As a Christian, one of those finds I appreciate greatly, led me to give a listen to a November podcast message from the lead pastor at Jesus Culture Church in California. The message was titled A Counter Culture People. It's episode #330 and can be found on the church site at jesusculture.com.

I really appreciated the message, given by Pastor Banning Liebscher

(leeb shur), because it helped bring the vision with which I started this blog into a new degree of focus. My vision - based on observing the best of humanity being revealed under pressure this year - to bring to light the everyday life narratives that are sprouting up to reveal this truth. Banning's message was rooted in Galatians 5, the well known place in Christendom for learning about the fruits of the Spirit.

A Christian believes that those things I've been trying to describe via this blog aim, to tell an honorable story of humanity, are qualities deeply, solely rooted in the One Who created us, after His own image.

In essence, as Galatians describes, God has the monopoly on everything that is GOOD. And, Galatians 5 has the list of what the treasure is. Banning went on to ask of his listeners the question -- how can we be sure we're manifesting the fruits of the Spirit? ... Answering, 'It requires that you pay attention'.

Boom.

Listen to his full explanation here.

One of the things that drew me to tell the story on this blog is complete fascination with how I could observe people in such a tense time as this being patient, kind, encouraging -- it not occurring in an observed environment, somewhere like at church on a Sunday, or while someone's boss is watching them .. but instead seriously as the evidence of what is rooted in a person. I speak of one of these encounters in my Patience post.

Met with all the messiness of a year unlike any other, in all it's expected potential and legacy, 2020, I believed it was extremely important to likewise take a look at and tell the story of what is good about this space in time.

Being a Christian and herein able to believe that the Galatian strengths I've seen around me this year are rooted in God Almighty gives me great hope for the future. And, moreover, having been able to observe these strengths in hidden nooks and corners from unsuspecting gems - people - gives me the vision that God can show up absolutely where ever He wants to. And does.

GOOD News Flash -- it does take God to pay attention in this day and age. If you have found this space and do not yet know Christ, invite Him into your heart today.

Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. John 20:29

Praying you have a wonderful holiday season, paying attention!

Love, Isie

Check out the next post for a further journey in Gal 5 and the Fruits of the Spirit .

#2020&Beyond

References

Gospel of John

John 1 | ESV.org

Galatians

Galatians 5 | ESV.org

A Counter Culture People

https://jesusculture.com/podcasts/show-episodes/a-counter-culture-people/

Additional

The Heart Of A Shepherd

https://jesusculture.com/podcasts/show-episodes/the-heart-of-a-shepherd/

Monday, August 24, 2020

Patience

Patience is one of those virtues that has been more of a theoretical reality in my life, save for experiences growing as a Christian.

'Christian' may be interpreted these days as a relative term... On the surface, its a term that may be used to describe a school of beliefs to some, a group of mere practices to others, or some acceptable combination of these two to yet others. A notable condition to describe about the state of Christianity ... to be able to identify a clean separation between the labeled religion and the experience of knowing God. The two do not absolutely go together 2000 years after the coming, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Knowing God (as the Christian I am) means experiencing Him as God -- as all knowing and just as He described Himself to us, incarnate in Jesus. Jesus described God as a Father. He cares like a Father, He is The Father to His children. When I say I am a Christian, it is the description of a life of this experience, one personally learning of Him Who is the One true God , by experiencing it.

In my growing walk as a believer in Christ, I've come to know that He is always ready and able to reach us... And, reaching ... is for teaching.

In the Bible, Jesus taught with parables.

When I read Gospel parables, I understand them as relevant in multi-dimensional ways.

Jesus selectively formed His teachings with semantically relevant language, to speak directly to the hearts of those in the time and place before Him ... In the richness that storytelling provides, the meanings yet grab hold of us and blossom in their meanings thousands of years later.

Recently, He's been reaching me about Patience.

I describe the things about my experience as a believer in Christ to draw out the fact that the recent reaching is simply that experience of experiencing God as a Father. He knows how to reach one in the most minutely detailed places ... that you're sure no one sees but you. It's a sure testament to the fact that you're seen and cared for in a world packed full with billions of people.

This page space is indeed for detailing the stories that matter in no less than 2020, just as I shared in my intro post. As detailed in the intro, I believe these stories include the moments where the best of humanity has shined through during this historical year, shined in all the ways that times of crisis present special opportunity to show character and virtue.

These moments all around me are like little parables being told in my own life.

I describe Patience as notably theoretical in my experience, save for the parable moments. I have heard about patience, I know what it looks like ... But, what of identifying the opportunities to Be it? All around, 'high-speed' seems to be synonymous with the ideal of victorious advance. Futuristic visionaries saw a year like 2020 as advanced by defining an idealistic swifter culture -- like having instantaneous travel and an array of technologies that would make life most 'efficient'. Where does the time and place for Patience hold fast to witness her virtue?

Well, much of 2020 has been an excellent exercise in Patience .. and for identifying all those who have this virtue stored up in their treasure chests. They have been my teachers ... Explaining my walk as a Christian is deeply appropriate here because it shines a light on the fact that God can speak to you, reach you personally however He feels. I look at all the Patience being practiced in those nooks and crannies this year and

God has been saying to me, 'Look here... this is how.'

And, this is God as a Father -- you're never past learn something He has to teach you.

So, two of those parable moments were packed within just this week. It's Monday guys : ) ...

I notice a whole lot when I'm driving on the road. Maybe because I draw some delight for looking out for those parable moments. There's hardly anything like what you can notice while driving. People are in their own little worlds and their character values become evident in split-second decisions. It's interesting just how many techniques I've seen for changing lanes ... Turn blinker on, get over when it's clear ... Turn blinker on and change lanes simultaneously ..

Ok, so I know to look out for parable moments when I'm on the road because I like to stay close to God when I'm driving. He helps me to interpret what I'm actually driving through.

That being said, something really, really simple reached deep on Patience while I was driving this week. While driving along an east and west flowing road, I slowed and stationed at a red light at the front of one lane while cars in the neighboring lanes did the same. To my left was a left turning lane in front of a light which allows the turning lane only to proceed onto a south/north road with a green arrow before the east and west receive their green light again. If you've ever seen one of these kinds of turning lanes, they're likely in place because they're needed to be able to turn from one busy main road onto another and doing so on the turning light is the best opportunity to do so safely.

Likewise, if you're in one of these busy turning lanes, you're likely going to be waiting minutes for the next turning light to turn if you don't make it through when the turning light is green. As the turning light in the lane to the left of me changed to green, I remained stationary at the red light for my lane and wondered why the person to the left of me had not taken the green light in front of them. Being at the front of the lane, I could see there was no reason except that they were likely daydreaming or distracted -- the road was clear and they were at the front of the lane.

Given the reasonable time to gather that they were likely daydreaming through the green light, I suspected that the vehicles behind that daydreamer may have had time to observe the same as I did.

There was an additional set of seconds where I also gathered that the driver may miss the green light all together, for themselves and everyone in the turning lane waiting behind them. Then I waited for someone to honk their horn ... and not one person did.

Like I stated before, it seems really, really simple. But, I was amazed.

It was not a coincidence that I was in that lane and had a front row seat for a lesson on Patience.

And, I savor the wonder of it. I savor the reality that met me in those few little minutes. Patience is alive and well, and I discovered her on a busy road on a bright sunny day in Iowa.

Only a day later, I was on the phone on hold with the benefits office for my area to check on an update. When I called in, I was nicely informed by the automated system that there were 170 people waiting in the que. I waited, and not very long. A man connected with the call to assist me, answering my questions about the update I'd called in to ask about. I knew he was probably answering the same question for me as he may innumerable times that day for others. Yet, with a treasure of effort he reached out with what I heard in his voice was sincere effort at communicating what he felt was the best advice of the call. Not routinely, he spoke to me, 'The best thing to do is to be patient.'

He said it more than once, each time as though letting me in on a secret treasure. And, I took it to heart, especially after the call. A man with perhaps many reasons to reflect the same impatience as may have been coming at him from those calling in to the benefits office yet took the time to reassure me with the best he had. God helped me to discern it, and I consider it a treasure from Him. I write these things with a central story to share on this blog space... And, that is to communicate what I've been discerning through this season. Virtue can never be taken for granted. It comes from somewhere Divine, it is a Strength.

This season, Patience is the treasure being placed into my hands like a beautiful precious stone. It rests in small, unsuspecting gestures without a search of reward. It makes the world around me beautiful, like a rose bush growing in a bed of rocks.

God bless the Patient.

Reference

Gospel of John, Holy Bible

John 10 | ESV.org

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Back to the Future

I remember when Vision for what the future would look like was playfully helped along

to the tune of movies like Back To The Future and The Adventures of Bill and Ted.

The furthest time-forward travel the writers dreamt up for McFly and Doc's travels in the DeLorean was 2015, the year the two traveled to when Back to the Future II was released in 1989 (just 30 years ago). Those movies are among the classics because what the future looks like will always be a grand invitation ... if we allow it to be.

We as the human race have now made it well past the futuristic year that was highlighted, before its time, in the dreamatic scenes of Back to the Future II ... As we live ahead of that fictional picture of the future to shape the one that will actually make it to the books, one momentous idea from one of my favorite authors lays it out best for defining Vision -

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are." - C.S. Lewis, Writer

I love this quote. It's so packed with food for thought, being in itself invitation.

One invite I "see" in Lewis' idea ... is to take a look at where you have been for gaging where you are going.

It's something a good historian or a wise elder may say to you, and it's excellent advice.

The year 2020, for many, seemed to have especially called for such a gesture, well before Jan 1st arrived this year. The number arrangement itself calls for a grand look into what's ahead, used in the medical field and widely known for being the description of perfect vision. Having 20/20 vision denotes having sharpness of vision from a specific distance . Essentially, your clarity rating is established based on your identified distance to what is being viewed.

Without a doubt, the idea of the year 2020 effortlessly ushered in the sentiment for taking a good, anticipatory look at what awaited in the distance. Leaning on the medical definition of vision, I consider that one may be able to yet still look out into the future, to even see what they dared to see out in the distance on Jan 1st. Yet, what is then evidently left to consider also is how can one accurately establish their clarity without first identifying their distance to the target?

The year has definitely called for us to adjust our ideas of distance ... literally and figuratively.

With the sentiments of C.S. Lewis close to mind, I identify great opportunity to shape our ideals about the future in ways that the mainstream may have at times tried to succeed in beating us to,

as it produced coverage on the crisis that we met us this year, unfolding in its various stages.

Mainstream narrators stuck to what they know best ... for business. President Donald Trump on many occasions called the crisis as one against an 'invisible enemy'.

In a war with physical borders and weapons, I question if it would be as popularly unquestioned for mainstream to cover the death toll of the friendly side on a daily basis along with the range of other hope-challenging facts, most of which could be labeled with the blanket title, '~~virus~~ gets close up with 3D, red carpet treatment.'

While part of dealing with the crisis this year arguably involved proportionate efforts of weighing the relevant facts with the picture being delivered at large, what shined forth in this effort was the humanity right in my 'backyard' ... things that matter to the thriving of life and well being around me, in retrospect to most of my attempts at dishing up a sane report in the channels that task themselves with telling the story that matters. I was able to fine tune things like smiles and patience displayed in complete strangers I found myself more closely observing at the grocery store or park, in the immediate spaces around me.

There has been a class of media to rise up since the crisis began that has at least attempted to take decent responsibility for their influence on the culture, with titles like, 'Here's How to Manage Your Anxiety After Quarantine', and 'Fun Things To Do This Summer While Social Distancing'. Yet, if we want to get back to the 2020 picture of vision, these are not topics that elicit distance clarity - unless you've decided to shape your distant future around the existence of the crisis we've been navigating this year.

Even more relevant to the point, these titles do not denote the things that safe gaurd the true win that I stronghold as the narrative for my distant vision, the stories of humanity all around me this year, 2020... ones I will share on this blog.

It is my prayer that as you read you will get juice for your 2020 vision, clear vision on what's ahead, and that this style of narrative will find a bright stronghold amongst the ways we decide to accept the story of humanity being told - and valued - around us ... for a beautiful stepping out into the future.

Love,

Isie