More things about my life.

Boatswain’s Log September 25^th.

 

You know, I bet that school is starting soon at SPU. Young little resident munchkins are packing their things, getting ready to head to their first time in the dorms. Peer advisors are getting nervous, wondering if they will do well at the job they were selected for (implying that there are people who believe in them). Paula Green is getting ready to write disciplinary letters (hopefully not though). The leaves are probably turning brown in the Northwest…or at least red. It’s a beginning of new things. My parents can probably start harvesting their pumpkins soon. Fall starts that cycle that brings y’all through a long period of cold darkness with rain to the wonderful sunlight and freshness of Spring. You might say that we wait for Spring, but at the same time there are so many great things to be had in Fall. I guess what I mean to say by all this is that you ought to enjoy the Fall for me. Fall in the Northwest is something that I love, especially during the school year. So many new things start. Anyhow, jump in a pile of leaves for me. I dare you.

 

I was sitting in a bus today with 3 people from the South. I think 2 were from Tenessee and one was from Texas. For the first time I caught all their accents. They’re guys in my program and they’re pretty cool. They were talking about cornbread and chili and stew and biscuits and gravy…I smiled a lot. Being around people with fun accents is pretty awesome.

 

The assignments that we are issued for Spanish class are somewhat awkward. Take for example today. We had to find Nicaraguans and interview them about their experience here. The only issue is that how can we tell Nicaraguans apart from Costa Ricans? It’s a big exercise in trying to guess a people group by their skin tone. It was really awkward. Eventually we asked the people who work in the Musmanni bread store where we could find some. The lady I asked laughed and said that they’re everywhere and directed us to a few that we could talk to. Go team.

 

Class was interesting today. We had a woman come and talk to us about “liberation theologies”. She had interesting things to share about the context of theology being old, white, male, middle class theology…I dunno that I agree. Furthermore she was very pluralistic to the point of almost leaving Jesus out of the entire process of being a Christian. It was as though we could do the right things and get eternity through this. Moreover, she made this neat diagram that really served to emphasize the differences between us that in my opinion failed to fully talk about the need to emphasize the things we share in common. I wasn’t overly pumped about what she had to say. There’s an Oscar Romero thing that I’d like to place here in the blog as a response to her:

 

“If there is not truth in love, there is hypocrisy. Often, fine words are said, handshakes given, perhaps even a kiss, but at bottom there is no truth.

          A civilization where trust of one another is lost, where there is so much lying and no truth, has no foundation of love. There can’t be love where there is falsehood.

          Our environment lacks truth. And when the truth is spoken, it gives offense, and the voices that speak the truth are put to silence.”

 

Now, here Oscar Romero was speaking about the situation in El Salvador and while I cannot quote him out of context effectively (because not all of what he said applies here) I can highlight the bit about truth. I tend to agree with the man. If we’ve got the truth…I reckon it may offend some people. I don’t think that the people in the first century church pussyfooted around with what is true. Maybe we should follow their example. That’s not to say that we become intolerant jackasses, but at the same time in the process of dialogue we do not have to relinquish our hold on what is in fact true: There is only one God and His name is Jesus. Any other way of “conceptualizing” God isn’t good enough. I am forced to interact with this stream of thought quite a bit in the program, I don’t like it. Chauncey is not a pluralist who allows what is true to be subjugated to that which is not just so people can feel comfortable.

 

I was offered a free haircut today. I didn’t have time, but I might have taken the offer if I did. Here in Costa Rica there are these places that offer “unisex” haircuts. I dunno that I will ever get one. Ever. I would like a haircut that applies to me as a man. Just like pants. I want pants that are man pants. Pants with pockets that don’t hug my hips in a fierce rage.

 

Speaking of clothes, I found a shop here abouts that sells cheap T-shirts. Cool ones with spiderman and beer logos. Things like that. You either become someone who everyone considers a boozer or someone who everyone thinks should go back to third grade. My sort of place, I really enjoy giving people the wrong impression at first. Thus the reason I traveled to Costa Rica in my Moosehead Beer shirt (thanks Marcus), I wanted to make those other Christian school kids feel awkward. I think it worked.

 

After most of today happened I went to hear this old man talk about his book which was called “undevelopment is a state of mind” he had some good things to say about the role of education and parenting in encouraging development in underdeveloped nations. I thought he would actually be offensive, but it turned out that he was a mostly boring oldish man who looked a bit like a tortoise. Very nice man though.

 

On the way out of the building I poked fun at my friend Bethany who goes to Trinity Western University. She was wearing a jacket. Jackets are unnecessary here unless you go to the volcano.

 

Okay, so last thing. I am listening to Les Miserables right now. Let me tell you that this is quickly becoming one of my favorite musicals ever. So very epic and filled with Jesus in a well-written musical manner. You should listen to it. At the very least the songs are amazing.