DE|COMPOSED

Portland Justice

Have you ever felt like your brain was in a “holy blender”?  I’m just now decompressing after the Justice Conference in Portland, OR.  It feels like I’ve been digesting a marathon of TED talks or watching Charlie Rose for two days straight.  I have to say I’ve not had the mental synapses massaged this much in quite a while.  It’s been a cerebral rush mixed with Holy Spirit activity.  I have to admit, I spent less time on the Skymall magazine on the flight up and more time reading my Malcolm Gladwell book in order to prepare for the overload and it helped… some.

For those of you who don’t know, in addition to my position as an associate / worship pastor at a local church, and my dedication to my entrepreneurial music venture, I’ve been moonlighting as a sales consultant for a revolutionary video / marketing / storytelling agency called Epipheo Studios.(Let’s just say that I’ve been operating under a 34 hour day for the past 7 months.)I’ll be moving on from Epipheo Studios after February to focus more directly on pastorship and music ventures but I’ve learned so much over this last season.Epipheo has had the privilege to work for huge companies like Facebook and Amazon all the way down to tech startups.While I’ve been under their canopy I’ve been able to connect them with videos for a Hong Kong jewelry manufacturer all the way over to an oversees venture with Coca-Cola.It’s been a wild ride.

The biggest personal kick has come from talking with organizations that have eternal perspective.What a rush jumping on a collaborative call with Baker Publishing and David Kinnaman and signing them to a 3 video deal for 2012 or seeing the Justice Conference video to completion.(I’ve just been the dot-connector.Animators, producers, and creative directors are the real heroes here.)

• So here I’ve been in Portland soaking in the wet weather and super-artsy culture.Just a few observations on the Pacific Northwest before we get all serious about justice.It’s been more than a duality focus for me over the past several days.It’s been a tri-ality (if that’s a word).Connecting people with video storytelling for Epipheo, challenging my personal convictions of worship and righteousness through the eyes of Christ for my local congregation, and understanding how the “All That We’re Made Of” mentality from my last album can continue in creative expression and collaboration.Wow - I’m tired.But now, some fun.

• You might think you’re cool if you wear skinny jeans, sport thick glasses, and carry around a leather satchel with a slight aire of confidence in the Ohio River valley.  In Portland you’re one of many.

• Portland loves their coffee and beer.  They are a drinking culture.  White chocolate mochas in Cincy are sweeter tasting though.

• Hipster snapshots… I now have a mental catalogue to pull from.

• The stereotypes are true… Portland walks dogs and recycles everything.  Ever corner seems to have a repurposing / recycling container and handy plastic bags for doggie “lawn-gifts”.

• Pack an umbrella next time.  What I observed in late-night “Frasier” reruns is true.

• Pacific North-Westerners like to say the word “unpack” when it comes to diving in to Biblical or intellectual discussion.  Example: “Let’s unpack the word ‘grace’ a bit.”

• There seems to be a deep appreciation for the meeting of mind and philosophy in Portland.  Aside from political orientation, locals love to digest other opinions and share their own.  The artistic life with all of its imagination and the desire for mental expansion seem to eternally married.  Yes, I spent some time at the Art Museum and lingered in the French Impression room (they have a couple of Monet’s paintings and one is worth over $50 million!) but I also overheard more intellectually stimulating conversations in the past 4 days than I’ve been privy to in the past 4 months in the Midwest.  Some of this is my own fault - time for some mental calisthenics!

• The majesty of Mt. Hood makes Perfect North look like a speed-bump.

So yeah, along with connecting in conversation with some amazing personal mentors like Donald Miller and Bob Goff (they didn’t know this prior to the trip because they’ve influenced me in book form) - Portland has been a tasty cultural experience.  By the way, Don (Mr. Miller) was just as down to earth as Blue Like Jazz suggests.  He joked about his affinity for pubs and even moved toward his own musical renditions of “Closing Time” when the lights flickered at Imago Dei Church.  Mark my words, just like the definition of Christian music as shifted to “Christians making music”, the film industry is going to start having a harder and harder time putting certain movies in a particular box.  I saw a pre-screening Steve Taylor’s venture with Miller and I’m still reeling.

Now down to the gritty nature of justice.  Here’s what I’ve learned.

• Deep Biblical study in both the First and Second Testaments reveal the the word for righteousness is not purely relegated to morality but also with maintaining right-standing with our fellow man.This has huge implications when it comes to our understanding of neighbor and what everyday worship looks like.

• There is a massive movement in the creative arts to partner storytelling through visuals or music to the story of Justice throughout the world.  This is a clear calling and Holy Spirit movement that is shaking foundations and motivating modern Psalmists to tell the story of God’s restoration in the world.

• Favorite quote of the trip:  “When you give yourself away you get yourself back-enhanced.” - Walter Brueggemann (Old Testament scholar)

• Justice / righteousness are not solely owned by any political party.  Whether you’re convinced that government needs to step in and create organizations to help the underprivileged or if you believe that the weight falls on the private sector - Jesus calls us to go in some way and serve.  Sometimes back and forth banter can distract us from doing anything.

• Side-note, if you haven’t seen the movie “Conviction” with Hillary Swank you might want to soak it in.  The Innocence Project has done some amazing things to partner with those unjustly convicted in prison.

• New songs and hymns that have been rekindled:  “This is My Father’s World” and “God of Justice: by Tim Hughes

• Lament in Scripture is a healthy example of how a sensitive soul can identify and protest injustice.  It’s okay to vent creatively.  “Creative Advocacy” is a wonderful umbrella term coined by my new friend Ken Wytsma and others.

So there you have it.  I’m on the plane home now.  My impulsive $5 umbrella purchase has been left at the hotel front desk for the next Pacific Northwest “newbie” to be blessed.  My head is full and my heart is heavy.  I’m looking forward to spending time with my new bride and talking about how we can incorporate “doing justly, walking humbly, and loving mercy” into our everyday lives and family creed.  I’ll leave you with the following words.

“Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstance confronting him.” - St. Thomas Aquinas

Let that be our challenge!

Our Engagement Story…

It was Christmas Eve-Eve in 2010.  Brent and Karen had already shared several Holiday celebrations together through the years and personal traditions had crept into place.  They were off to one of their favorite dinner “haunts”, Maggianos, and were decked-out in their formal best for their yearly Christmas dinner.  After being seated, their server made an uncomfortable assumption.  (Keep in mind that Brent made no sort of plan to pop the “big question” while indulging in chicken pesto linguine.)  

“Congratulations on your engagement!” said the server as the young couple blushed and quickly diffused the situation with a rebuttal of some form like “Oh that’s actually not us.”  Awkward moments followed when the server evacuated.  Brent quickly explained to Karen that he didn’t intend to ask for her hand in marriage there that night.  

Now you have to understand that every time a Birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Canadian Boxing Day (any holiday of any sort) would pass on the calendar, the couple would become tense with the pressure of assumption and anticipation.  

Back at the dinner table, Karen began to get slightly emotional.  Brent attempted to diffuse the situation by saying, “Let’s just try to enjoy our Christmas dinner date.”  At the same time, his insides started to churn and his brain synapses connected over and over - charging a million miles-per-hour.  He knew what the rest of the evening entailed.

It wasn’t the most talkative ride back to Brent’s home on Prospect Street in Bellevue, Kentucky.  This was the gift-giving hub for the young couple over the holidays.  So, they decided to jump into the familiar.  ”Do you want to rent a movie?”, Brent playfully nudged the issue.  Back at the house gift-wrap was ripped apart, bows were strewn on the ground and the customary “oh that’s nice.  I love it!”  floated through the air.

Finally Brent presented his last gift to Karen.  As she pulled away the wrapping she discovered an ornate mirrored box.  Within the box was a rustic looking, wax-sealed letter.  The letter contained thoughts on love, devotion, and desire to love and devote for decades to come.

He knelt on one knee.

He pulled out an unopened jewelry box and asked Karen Marie Keuper to marry him.  

She said a definitive, “Yes!”  

She laughed.  She cried.  She smiled and cried and laughed and couldn’t contain herself.  (She forgot about the ring enclosed in the box so a second swell of emotion hit the room when she discovered the super-sparkly gift.)

Karen tried three times to take a break and go upstairs to use the restroom.  She inevitably kept having to retreat partway toward her destination only to return to the living room to hug and release a happy explosion of smiles and emotion.

They had waited years for this moment.  Karen and Brent were in their future home, surrounded by the familiar, wrapped in the love of the season.  They exchanged temporal gifts.  They exchanged the gifts of their unending devotion for each other.

This was only the beginning of their journey toward life-partnership.  This night and the years prior were simply the prologue and first couple of chapters in their book.  A wonderful path was laid out in front of them.  The uncertainty waned and the excitement began to build.  The lives of Brent and Karen Reed were about to begin!

Our Imperfection, His Beauty

I always seem to have an insatiable need to write when things are hectic.  It’s when my brain is in decompression mode after a large event like Easter Sunday and I’m trying to play catch-up that unfamiliar ideas pop into my brain.  Recently I’ve been thinking about the beauty of brokenness.

Within the past few months I took a journey out to the unbrideled western state of Arizona.  I was able to schedule a surprise visit to see my super-cool, always alive grandfather.  He’s in his 80’s and hasn’t stopped flirting with girls, bartering goods, or working on random electronic or carpentry projects.  He’s a real renaissance man. 

While travel through the Pheonix airport I was able to soak in a breathtaking collage of colored shards of glass.  These were fashoned into an ornate stained glass hanging high above an ancient aircraft on display for the weary travelers to enjoy.  Of course, I took a picture.  That’s what I do now that I have the ever-present-life-documenting camera on my phone.

Just this past week or so I was walking through our spacious worship center at my place of employment in Kentucky and my eyes were drawn upward once again.  In the corners of each peak in the roof of our sanctuary are two beautiful collages of green, white, and pale pink compiled into a representation of a modern stained glass.

In the midst of the craziness of Easter preparation the epiphany came to me…

When we’re broken we have the opportunity to allow Christ’s light to radiate through us.

When we’re stained with our own inadaquacies or imperfections God sees an opportunity to create beauty through our colorful past and flawed human nature.

When we surrender to the master craftsman he can polish the rough edges and make us part of a beautiful tapestry that, from a distance, models a bigger picture of his macro-plan for humanity.

His light, our stains.  His molding, our rough edges.  Our imperfection, His beauty.

The next time I find myself staring up into the expanse, appreciating the way the light of the sun compliments whatever it chooses to shine through, I’ll think of my westward visit to see my grandfather.  I’ll think of the soul-stains of humanity and the majesty of God’s beauty through us.

Are we translucent enough?  Are we transparent enough?  Are we surrendering our lives to the hands of the “Master-Craftsman”?  It’s only by God’s amazing grace that a wretch can be made into something truly beautiful.