Thursday, July 28, 2011

Reinventing the wheel...sorta

So at work (i'm on my lunch break) I started putting pens in my shirt pocket. I say "started" I've done it a few times scattered throughout my 6 months here. And today I am sporting the pen in my shirt. It made sense since I am in meetings where I need to be able to whip out a pen quickly and write something down, but I don't want to forget it or keep playing with it.

Anyway, I just got a gel pen from our supply cabinet because I here people praising the greatness of a gel pen all the time, but I have never gotten into it, so I wanted to try again. And as I put the pen in my shirt pocket I thought to myself: "What if the pen clicks open and draws all over my shirt? Or worse, what if it busts and ink spills all over my shirt?!? I really ought to put some sort of covering or pouch to put my pens in to protect my pocket...."

That is correct, I just thought of the idea for a pocket protector. Like I said, reinventing the wheel. My next thought was "I am such a nerd." But I still think the idea of a pocket protector actually makes sense when you need it. So I may be a nerd, but I don't have a big ink blot on my shirt. :)

And for the reference, I never got the protector, I just thought about it.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Karate Kid

I have a confession to make to my generation: I have never watched the Karate Kid. Mr. Miyagi is just a name to me. I'm sorry.



And to make matters worse, I watched the Karate Kid last night...except it was the new one with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Also, sorry.

But I think I can make it up because I got some insight into how the Karate Kid links to the Christian life. Actually it may be how it doesn't link, but we'll see.

So in the movie Jackie Chan is teaching Jaden the "basics of all that is 'kung fu'" (also side note: why are they doing kung fu in the Karate kid????). And I believe this is supposed to relate to Mr. Miyagi teaching that boy (I have no clue what his name is, and don't care enough to look it up :/ again, sorry) to clean windows. "Wipe on, wipe off." But here Chan is telling Jaden to take off his jacket, hang it up, and put it back on. This happens for days or weeks till Jaden gets fed up and tells Chan that he no longer wants to train and that Chan knows nothing about Kung Fu.

It is at this time that Chan begins to 'attack' Jaden and tell him to put his jacket on, and shows that it is a defensive move. Then hanging it up is offensive. And so on. After Jaden is entirely astounded that Chan actually knows what he is talking about Chan says "Kung Fu is in everything we do. Everything is kung fu."

That got me thinking. This is not true about Kung Fu. I know that many people around the world believe this and other stuff about positive and negative energy, but it isn't true. What is true is that Christ is in everything. Colossians 1 talks about Christ being the first born of all creation, the one from whom all things were created. All that we do reflects the image and glory of God in some way or shape.

I could keep going, but I think the point is made. If I were talking to a disciple of mine I would tell him confidently after beating him up that "Christ is in everything we do. Everything is Christ." Also, I'd call him "Little Christ"...oh wait, that's Christian...I guess that works ;)