Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Love Your Neighbor, Hope College

I read an article recently that disappoints me. Even after being a Hope College graduate for a year and a half, and knowing less and less students at the institution every year, life and the overall pulse at the place hasn't changed a great deal.

The article basically was over the huge flap by this guy named Dustin Lance Black, who was the screenwriter for a film called Milk, a gay rights film. The man wanted to film a new movie in Holland and had even settled in the area and had scheduled to screen the film until administration stopped it in its tracks, setting off (big surprise) a extremely vocal reaction by students and in the community. It later screened and Black met with the dean at a local theater.

I'm not sure what to make of this. Neither side is right in this instance. Black should have gotten to know the Holland and Hope College areas better before he decided it was the right place. Knowing what a place looks like is a far cry from what it's actually like in terms of personality if you're attacking a topic such as homosexuality, as evidenced by what happened. It was a colossally stupid move to film in west Michigan and all its conservatism if you think no one is going to care if you make a movie about homosexual activism. And based on what the dean said, it's yet more bad publicity for the college.

But the more I think about it, the institution did it wrong, too (if that's indeed what happened). To agree to screen but then backpedal IS wrong. Either you say, "No thanks. We're not interested." or "Name the time and place." Realizing after you agree that you're going to offend the major lines of credit is wrong, even though that is often reality. Hope, especially as a private and Christian institution, has a free (and moral obligation) to maintain Biblical standards and must do so. And while I'm glad that they aren't backing down at least in defining what the institution's official stance is on homosexuality, so to speak, they're running into major problems with their execution. To exist in a culture of fear and even outright animosity is not the way to live. It's not what the Bible teaches and as Christians (a little Christ, a shadow of Him, I suppose), we're supposed to love our neighbors, not hate them (Matthew 22:37-40).

Come on, Hope College. Your stance is fine, but do a better job in love. Cut the "you people" accusations. And as for Mr. Black... PLEASE use your brain.

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Jobs and Playing

As I sit here writing (and enjoying the fact that I'm blogging on a more regular basis again, regardless of who reads or doesn't read it), I have a number of thoughts bubbling in my head.

I'm eagerly anticipating sending off a REAL job application to an institution here in town. Like the kind doing what I want to do-teaching music to young bright minds. That sounds like so much fun to me that I can barely contain my excitement at just the thought of printing a résumé, cover letter, application, having references together, packing it up in an envelope, putting the postage on it, and sending it away and having someone even think about all that. It gets to be a drag after a short time (especially if you have to do it lots of times), but there's a certain sense of exhilaration the first time you're doing it for real. Especially now that I'm really starting to get that restless feeling of wanting to teach MY students. MY kids.

The second thought I had spinning around had to do with practice tonight. Bob had mentioned with a certain degree of irony I think on Sunday how strange or ironic that the youth are leading music on the very first Sunday of Advent and on Communion Sunday. I personally don't understand why there is a certain taboo with Advent, Communion, or why the youth would be "banned" from playing on any particular day if needed or the calendar was arranged so. If we played and sang to the Lord, with joy, as skillfully as we can (and don't sell the youth at our church short-it sounded great tonight), why isn't THAT really good enough? Isn't that what worship through music really is?

I really don't understand it myself.

Monday, 23 November 2009

DON'T PUNISH EDUCATION!

I want to be a teacher. And it's been a dream of mine for a long time.

Right now I'm working on becoming one again and hopefully that'll happen. But I've been reminded how current events rarely seem to be in favor of teachers. There's always plenty of demands placed on them, like lesson planning, grading, conferences, and all the needs of the students that aren't always so obvious, such as when parents aren't there and they rely on a teacher they trust for guidance. It seems like the work never ends.

And one of the most obvious points is how glaringly low pay has stayed for teachers. Despite costs of living continuing to increase, pay for teachers just isn't going up and with school districts everywhere having to make sacrifices, teachers are never paid well. The one potent counterweight is that teachers have great benefits.

But now Congress would love to tax the daylights out of them in order to raise money for the public health plan. How on Earth is this the right option in a recession, especially in states (like Michigan) where school districts are facing record-setting losses and trying to shield students from the losses year after year?

Monday, 23 November 2009

I come home. I go away. I return. I am thankful.

It seems I'm finally home for at least a bit of a longer stretch of time. For a while, I felt like all I ever was doing was spending my weeks doing my thing at home prepping for the weekend and weekends were spent going to camp. Or Holland. Or in one instance, both, which isn't that bad.

I really like seeing my friends and reconnecting with them. I believe that I have some of the greatest friends that I could ask for, and that has been reaffirmed in the past three weekends. I've developed a closer relationship with some of my camp friends as we've studied discipleship together in a Bible study and thought about the persecuted church during the month of November (and in the process, at least personally, developed a greater sense of perspective on thankfulness, especially when we celebrate being thankful for all the things we DO have with one of the biggest feast days of the year). I find a certain sense of irony in that, but I'll reserve my thoughts on that for another post, hopefully.

Staff Reunion was shorter this year, but I think Nate and I made the exact right move in going down to Grand Rapids afterward and then to Holland on Sunday morning. I'm always glad to be at Engedi for church because it's like another church family along with Cornerstone (and now Temple Hill), but this last experience at Engedi now a week ago was special. The service was a baptismal service and Nate and I witnessed something that I think very few people have ever seen. As usual, a number of people had planned on getting baptized, some with extremely powerful testimonies. But perhaps the most interesting was something that no one had necessarily intended, yet God knew all along would happen. It was an impromptu baptism. This gentleman that I didn't even know of came, said he was at home and had this realization that he knew a church was doing baptisms and that he needed to be baptized that morning. And so he went to Engedi and asked to be baptized. The part that brought me, well, joy was the fact that some of the men didn't turn him away because of church policies and Brian didn't either (though he did ask him in front of everyone the same questions about if he knew Jesus died for Him and if he was a Christian and if he wanted to make the public statement of being a new creation and living for Him). And just like with its own close members, the congregation erupted in celebration.

And then there was The Gathering. Shane Claiborne was brought in to speak at Hope College during The Gathering, which was the biggest reason Nate and I stopped in Holland instead of going straight home and meeting Leah and Jessica at Hope. And it was worth it. For all the controversy that supposedly surrounds this man, what he talked about a week ago didn't seem that wrong to me. Shane Claiborne talked about how he lives in a tough neighborhood in Philadelphia and reach out to the kids. How he gets sad when one of them gets hurt, or worse, dies. How he wanted to serve alongside Mother Theresa in Calcutta. And how he keeps a soldier's dogtags, a piece of detonated bomb casing, and bullet casing in his pocket to remember to pray for the suffering. If the American churches are upset because Shane Claiborne wants to pray for those that need help and are hurting or confused and want to know Jesus, then they're getting angry at the wrong person.

While I was at The Gathering on the 15th and this past weekend, I was also reminded of why I loved spending four years at Hope College so much. I jokingly tell high school kids that I know that Hope is one of the best colleges on the planet. But this is one reason why I loved it so much. While I was in Dimnent Chapel waiting with N-Sto and company, I saw Trygve Johnson & Josh Banner talking and I just wanted to talk and say hey mostly because it's hard to catch them and actually TALK. But then when they asked how I was doing, I was honest and said that job stuff is hard and a little discouraging. And instead of being simply sympathetic, Trygve pulled me in and said, "Tyler, let me pray for you. Right now." And we did for something like 5 minutes. That meant a lot. Instead of being one of several thousand alums he's sent off now in his time, it matters to Trygve how I'm REALLY doing even beyond my four years at Hope. To be known and then forgotten is absolutely heartbreaking, but not so at Hope. Not only have I felt like I was SOMEONE with a story rather than just a face, but to know that I have a Dean of the Chapel that would pray for me because I'm discouraged about wanting to teach and can't find the right job yet means so much.

And this past weekend playing for Nate & Caitlin's wedding meant two things. First, I had the pleasure once again of getting to play music for two more of my friends from school on the day when they celebrate the bond of marriage together. That's lots of fun in and of itself, although I always wonder a little if the music will come together and if the music I pick will be okay (thankfully Caitlin & Nate both liked it!). Better yet, it was a time to reunite with TONS of my closest friends from Hope, which is my other favorite part of weddings when they involve my friends from college. It's yet another excuse to hold gigantic parties with way too many people and act silly together. Who knew you could stuff 10 people in a photo booth?! And did I mention I saw BEN at the same iHOP where we did Bible Studs iHOP runs?!

Yes, I'm thankful to be home for a little while. But I'm thankful for four years spent at Hope College, even if it cost money, for the good influences it has had on me. God taught me a lot there through EVERYTHING. And I'm thankful for all the relationship I have there. Gosh, I miss them all so much. I just get to see them and enjoy them for awhile and then I say good-bye again. And I am thankful for music too.

Currently This Is Our God By Hillsong Desert Song see related

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

A much different retreat

So I went back to Center Lake again.

And it was so different this time. Ordinarily, it goes something like this:

-Roll in. Find people.
-HEYYYY!!!!
-Don gives us our instructions, hot chocolate, youth groups roll in, staff meeting, chapel, Taco Bell, and sleep
-Staff meeting, eat breakfast, chapel, hang out, eat lunch, Taco Bell/Caddy run, more hang out, eat dinner, chapel, sleep
-Eat breakfast, chapel, go home exhausted

Not this time. I got to go to Cadillac, sure. But not to hang out with other staffers or to Taco Bell. I didn't get any except as my lunch with N-Sto on our way out of Ludington. This time, the fall retreat was leadership/service-centric.

And I liked it. It was the smallest of Center Lake staff: Duane, Don, Jeff, Penny, D-Wag, Kris, N-Sto, Monika, and me, plus a rotation of staff in the kitchen. And instead of getting to hang out with Kris, N-Sto, and Monika (which I did to some degree), we worked. A lot more than I have on past retreats.

Friday was spent serving root beer floats after chapel. Saturday we were in the staff meeting, working serving breakfast and then getting lunch ready, followed by placements with the different youth groups (the kids from Mona Shores are a blast), and a short break before working in the kitchen again at dinner. And after chapel, N-Sto, Monika, and I were the staff on call for the evening, so... no Taco Bell run again. But it was okay. It was still fun to just hang out with the kids and goof around playing Apples to Apples or pretending to watch television. And Sunday, we helped once again with breakfast (and found our newly-finished screen printed retreat shirts!).

Was I a little surprised by how this retreat looked as a staffer? Oh yes. I had much less down time to play or do what I want, which is what I've been used to. Much more work/getting down and jumping to it, like camp in the summer.

But it's okay. The youth pastors and Pastor Ryan wanted this to be a leadership/service retreat, and I think it was for us all. And I enjoyed it just as much.

Currently Mighty to Save By Hillsong Live From the Inside Out see related

Comments(1)

Major General Music. I miss you. That is all.

Casey

Friday, 06 November 2009

Camp!

The high school fall retreat at camp is coming, and it will be awesome. I think I'd like out of here, for just a little while.

Friends. High school kids. Youth leaders. A pastor. The rock and roll-est worship band I've ever heard. And time with Jesus.

Sounds perfect to me for a fall weekend up north. Mmhmm.

Sunday, 01 November 2009

I Still Need Jesus RIGHT NOW

So the other night and in the morning, I had the unshakable feeling that I needed to pray for one of my campers from this past summer. I'm not sure why, exactly. I always wonder if it's the Holy Spirit telling me that I need to pray for someone. It was a great time in prayer for one of the guys, regardless.

I'm not sure what has been different about this past couple of weeks, but I think the biggest thing I've finally realized... again. I think deep, DEEP down I knew it but I had lost sight of it and just needed to remember.

At camp we tell our campers that they need Jesus. Because they're sinners. And that the only way to God is through Him. And that when we accept Him as Savior, we have a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit is in us, and there is no longer separation from God.

And that's true.

But what I think I lost sight of, so to speak, is that even when we accept Him, we NEVER stop needing that relationship. Just like we never stop needing air as long as we're alive. It's so simple, but so crucial.

I needed Jesus the day I wanted to accept Him. And I need Him just as much NOW.

No, it's not technically new. But at the same time, it really is revolutionary.

Currently Clouds Are Forming The Glory of God see related

Friday, 30 October 2009

Camp, Friends, Circumstances, and Church Music (Not the new DC*B CD)

I've been thinking a bit recently about my friends from camp. Imagine that.

Mike said that we shouldn't overvalue the camp experience or the people. I tried to figure out what that meant while at the same time teach it to campers who have the exact same thing happen (one of my high school guys called it a "Jesus jolt," which I think REALLY accurately describes it-thanks Darin). This time around, I wasn't overwhelmed with this sense of sadness when I had to leave or goodbyes. Although I'm excited for both Fall Retreat and for Staff Reunion, it's different than in 2008. Maybe it's starting to sink in that it's not all in the community and that we have to take joy in whatever place or circumstance we are. That said, I will still be thrilled to see my friends again because I sure have missed them and cannot wait to see them again (even the Apostle Paul missed his friends!). And it's great to have some of them here in Ludington. Nate and Korey are a scream.

Life here is a bit different. Yeah, sometimes I wish I wasn't. After starting to pick up work again, I realize I want to be teaching music in my OWN classroom... or doing my own thing on a regular basis. I've talked to Nate a little bit about this, and maybe I need to be open to other possibilities. As busy as I've gotten with music at church while I'm on my time between college and trying to find a job, I've learned HOW to be a better musician among a worship team.

Because honestly, I STILL stunk at it. I had a terrible attitude. I had terrible musicianship. I just plain stunk at it. (So much for thinking I had everything figured out by the end of college...)

And I'm nothing spectacular by any means, but I think I'm starting to grasp how to do it a little better and it's starting to get more fun now that we're putting it into practice. I'm on a worship team mini-hiatus for three straight weeks, which feels strange after being at it for going on close to three solid months with a break every six weeks or so. But one of things Road 423 said was that if you're going to be part of a worship team, you have to be part of the congregation and able to worship there just as well. And that sounds nice. I DO love to play and to sing. But some rest and a chance to enjoy it in church (or up at camp) sounds awesome.

And did I mention I want to learn acoustic guitar?

Currently Strong Tower (Deluxe Edition) By Kutless Better Is One Day see related

Friday, 23 October 2009

I love you, Tsinge Tsinge

I just wanted to tell her I love her, and I got my wish.

But I still didn't feel ready when the time came.

I know we made the right decision in the end, because my cat's pain will never completely go away.

But it's still hard. And I'll miss my little furry friend a lot.

I love you, Tsinge Tsinge.

Friday, 23 October 2009

I hope I loved her enough

It's after 2 in the morning and I'm nowhere near ready to sleep. And I feel like I'm doing Tsinge Tsinge a terrible injustice by not having her here in our house, even though I know she'd be absolutely miserable here. But keeping her at the animal hospital in the kitty equivalent of a hospital bed seems sad.

I wish I could hug Tsinge Tsinge right now. Even just one more great big hug. And tell her how glad I am that she's been my friend and that we grew up together. It makes me realize that I should be thankful God gave her to us for 16 and a half years to love.

Through my years at Foster School. Through the madness of my two years at OJ DeJonge Jr. High School, when everyone was "stupid" and I was at my LOUDEST. Through four years of life at Ludington High School when I managed to run myself into the ground and away from my friends, and getting Daisy May. And even though I was away for a good part of this, four years at Hope College and getting Mavis too. Tsinge Tsinge and I have been through a lot together.

I hope I loved her enough. Because she's been my friend and I will miss her so much.

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Blog Archives

So I was looking through this thing recently and it's so interesting to see how my blogging style has changed over time. Some entries make me smile and others, well, let's just say I'd rather not associate with them quite so much. I did find my old quote collections from my time in college and when you read those after 2 A.M., they're even funnier.

In other news of the unimportant, last night pretty much rocked. John Woo outdid himself when he made Red Cliff and all the heroism, manliness, and the like. 4:45 of awesomeness, and Jack, Jordan, and I could barely hold it in.

Friday, 16 October 2009

I'm STILL a Choir Conductor at Heart...

It's kind of discouraging to not be teaching right now. This time of year, I'd love to be working towards choir concerts and the like. Watching the Purdue Varsity Glee Club (it's so strange to hear that Purdue doesn't have ANY sort of school of music at all) brought back memories of Chapel Choir... tour... and singing. Oh gosh how I'd love to be in the midst of the fall rush with Chapel Choir and Collegium Musicum. It's Fall Break this weekend for a lot of universities and I'd be making a mad dash either for home or with friends. I still need to visit the crew in Grand Rapids. Time to make a road trip with N-Sto, I guess.

But I'm realizing that God, in His wisdom that is infinitely greater than mine, doesn't want me to be at university or teaching right now. I've dreamed of teaching choir for a while... and then strayed away from that for almost a year between other things, discouragement, and the like.

But I keep coming back. And back. And back again. I still can't get the image of myself as a choral conductor out of my head. As much as I have enjoyed the other things I do, at camp, at church with the youth group, at church with the worship team... I want to do something with choirs again. I miss it.

In the meantime, aagh. I press on. I've been doing a little teaching at the piano and I need to get some publicity up for teaching voice lessons HERE, though I'm still a little unsure how to do it on the cheap (NO, I'm not posting classifieds). I still need to meet with the folks at the Cartier Mansion - it sounds like such an awesome gig and now that I'm prepping for a wedding, I should have more music ready for evening entertainment soon.

Stuff with the worship team is going in an exciting direction recently, too. I love how it's progressed and I hope we continue doing so. Now that we're putting into practice some of the ideas that we learned at the workshop, I'm seeing some more obvious progress. It's great!

Monday, 12 October 2009

A Little Good News

So yesterday at church, the youth group served up a quite nice spaghetti lunch for the congregation right after the morning service. I was really impressed with the spread and we raised some cash to lower the cost for getting our kids to fall and winter retreats, which is a good thing. And as usual, the kitchen was chaotic with trying to get the stoves heated up with boiling water. If anyone has some extra money just laying around that they'd be willing to donate towards some new stoves in the kitchen at our church, that'd be great.

And cider presses are sehr tasty. We're loving the fresh cider here at home. And it's awesome coming from a real glass growler.

Oh, and I'm playing another wedding in November for two of my good friends. Congrats, Nate and Caitlin. I can't wait for you guys!

Sunday, 11 October 2009

Whoa, I never talked about CAMP from this summer? UNTHINKABLE!

So I never posted what I noticed at camp or gleaned from another summer at Center Lake. Life as a return staffer is so different, what with knowing life as a staffer. But it never fails to throw surprises at you. First, a brief synopsis. It's a bit like the one in my e-mail.

Week 1... Junior High Camp in Mackinaw. Pastor Ryan Huebner, speaker.
Week 1 was exciting and also a bit nerve-wracking for me as a counselor, as well as three other guys and two girls. None of us had ever counseled without a co-counselor or a CIT or up at High Point, and we were all assigned junior high campers that week up at High Point. But we went on the adventure knowing that God would guide us through it somehow and worked together to make it fun week. Even though I had a rougher tentful of guys in Mackinaw tent, and I was exhausted by the end of the week, one of my boys got saved, which was definitely a highlight of that week.

Week 2... Junior Camp with Nate in Beaver. Pastor Tom Bradley, speaker.
Week 2 was a long-distance move between cabins; after a visit from two great friends over the weekend, I moved way back into main camp to Beaver cabin and transitioned to counseling junior campers with Nate, another counselor (one of my friends from my home church in Ludington!). Even though the week was HOT and the boys felt overheated at times, they did great. A couple kids rededicated their lives to Christ during this week as well, which was exciting!

Week 3... Junior/Junior High Ranch Camp in Buffalo. Pastor Ken Nichols, speaker.
Week 3 meant another long-distance move for me, as well as counseling alone. After a week by myself at High Point, though, I was ready to work at Ranch camp! The biggest obstacle this week had was what week 2 WASN'T-cold and rainy, literally all week. The kids looked like a bunch of bananas in their yellow ponchos on the horses when they were in the riding arena. I only had 5 campers, which made finding them/keeping them together a lot simpler as a counselor. Looking back, even though the week had some ups and downs, I think my boys in Buffalo tent had a positive week at Ranch Camp and learned a lot of what it means to live for Jesus.

Week 4... Senior High Camp with Casey in Woodchuck. Pastor Stephen Cottle (and Doug Olson), speaker.
Week 4 was a completely new experience and yet another long-distance move. I packed up all my things from Ranch just as the rain stopped and the sun came out, finished counseling my smallest cabin ever, and moved way back into the rear of main camp into Woodchuck cabin and prepared for a completely full cabin of 14 high school guys (which is a tight squeeze when you're all pretty much adult size like we were), along with my friend Casey, with whom I had counseled my very first week of counseling ever back in 2008. This in particular, Casey and I were able to hold some deeper Bible studies with these guys and have some truly deep conversations with them about what THEY wanted to discuss, in the whole-cabin and smaller group settings, as well as individually. A lot of campers from this week either re-gave their lives to Christ or made first-time decisions to live for Him, which excited us all greatly.

Week 5... Junior Camp with Austin in Badger. Pastor Troy Gentz, speaker.
Week 5 meant switching gears completely. One of my high school campers was an SMT who became my CIT, but thankfully Austin and I made the switch pretty seamlessly. This cabin of 13 boys (later 12 after one left midway through the week) was a real challenge in terms of management and patience for the two of us. Every night after the kids had gone to bed, Austin and I would step outside the cabin to pray together for them and each other, as well as the rest of the camp and we constantly prayed for patience throughout the week. Neither of us lost patience with the cabin, although in praying for patience, God answered that prayer in a bit different way by TEACHING us about patience. I was completely spent from the week and running completely on the trust that the Holy Spirit would carry me through the end (because I had no strength left). What's even better, at least 3/4 of our cabin told Austin or me that they had either accepted Christ for the first time or rededicated their lives to Him.

I learned more this summer. First off, I think I know what age groups I WANT to teach in school, which is a good thing to know when I'm out there putting in job applications to get a *GASP real, grown-up job.

Second, after my time at camp, I realized that pride isn't a dead issue in my life. I talked about it my testimony to campers, but it's not all sewn up, and I still need help from the Holy Spirit to deal with it.

Thirdly, I wasn't fair with some campers. It's easy when you're either a brand new staffer or know nothing about your campers to give them the benefit of the doubt. However... when you have

1. That SAME camper from last year that made life a NIGHTMARE
2. That camper that isn't BAD but can drive you crazy and has THAT reputation, even if you don't really know him
3. That camper comes from THAT church?!
   

It's easy to cast judgment before even seeing the guys. I wasn't fair to some of them. Regardless if that same camper that DID make your life a nightmare does come back, what's not to say that God worked in his heart and changed him in the past year? I've tried to and still try to do that now. I needed to let others have that same chance, though it DOESN'T mean being naïve.

I also had a camper that commanded a certain reputation. One of the staffers saw one of my rosters one weeks and asked me, "Hey Tyler, how do you feel about having -name of camper- in your cabin?" and admittedly, I was apprehensive. Not only was my pre-conceived judgment way off-target, he ended up being probably one of my favorite campers I've had so far. Despite the bravado he exhibited most of the time, which I saw coming, I saw a different side to my camper that I should have been open to: a real, honest thirst for knowing God and a desire to grow closer to Him.

Finally, I had God teaching me again just a week later when I had a whole cabin populated by one church's children. I was incredibly nervous about this because I knew how some of the children from this church had behaved LAST year while I, dodging the bullet, got to hide out at Ranch Camp with slightly-less rambunctious children. Not so this time, and I took my turn. While Austin and I definitely did have some truly difficult cases, some of these boys were good kids. It just goes to show that every kid is different and you have to treat a person as an individual rather than lumping them into a collective. "You're from WHERE? Oh great." "You're from THAT family? There goes the neighborhood." "You go to WHAT school? Say no more!"

So that's what I've gleaned, in a nutshell. Among the staff, especially Mike to the SMTs, we talked about clinging being joyful in any circumstance and holding fast to what's taught at camp rather than the experience, and I tried to make that clear to my campers, too. One of them said he didn't want it to be a "Jesus jolt" and that's a good way to put it.

I miss camp.

I miss my friends there.

And I can't wait to see them again. But I'm okay. Because I am off the chain, and I am free.

Currently Speaking Louder Than Before (Special Edition) By Jeremy Camp Slow Down Time see related

Friday, 09 October 2009

American Idolatry

So WHY did the Alfred Nobel Foundation award the Prize for Peace to President Obama?

1. We're STILL at war on two major fronts.
2. We're STILL arguing about a healthcare plan that many people have serious doubts.
3. It's the same story it's always been in Israel.
4. No major education reform to undo the damage of NCLB.

* Awarding someone a Nobel prize in expectation of what someone WILL do, as Archbishop Tutu said about Obama, doesn't count in my estimation.

Sorry folks, I don't think he's worthy.

Thursday, 08 October 2009

What's Come Over Our Schools?

So at dinner tonight, I heard about one of my friends who has a teaching job down in Indiana. As I heard how she's doing, I wanted to throw my fork in the wall (and visualize it sticking to the stud and vibrating like in the movies).

My poor friend graduated from Bethel College with a major in Elementary Education and probably had high hopes for her own classroom and dreamed of all kinds amazing things she'd do once she was on her own as a teacher. Instead, she's scrambling to write curriculum while her students have NO TEXTBOOKS and what, for all practical purposes, sound like bare-bones resources to work with. Meanwhile, she's barely keeping her head above water with lesson planning, correcting papers, quizzes, tests, and the like, managing the classroom, and let's not forget that with being married, she has to be a wife too. Coming home through a half-hour commute from school to my house at 9:30 sounds AWFUL.

"Well, Tyler, surely it gets better with experience in larger districts and when you're a veteran."

WRONG. I was just talking with Dr. Richmond while I was down at Hope College during a visit after seeing Jeremy Camp in concert in GR and deciding to stick around for a short visit with friends. Needless to say, I was dismayed to hear how Mr. De Boer has been treated.

For starters, he's now in the last two schools he can picture himself possibly teach in that he hadn't already worked in the district. I know I find that ridiculous that the district has shuffled its music specialists that much and never let them settle with their resources/establish themselves in their own space. But what really gets my goat is what he has to work with in one school in particular.

My host teacher is a loyal employee. I'm not sure how many years he's worked in Holland, but in his time, he started the elementary choirs, the Ensemble (which has sung for the Detroit Pistons), established a friendly working relationship with the Hope College Department of Music, and there's more. Now, my teacher (who taught ME so much as well as a teacher-in-training) is now forced to work off a small cart in each teacher's room for music class. He doesn't even HAVE a classroom in one school.

I can't imagine how I'd feel. I always had at least a ROOM to work with during field placements and student teaching. If I didn't have a space... what to do? How do you TEACH music when the students can't even move from their seats and do anything besides listen?

I think of my friend's plight and being almost in over her head with planning and my mentor's plight of not even having ample space to work with. As much as I want to start teaching (and I was recently reminded how much happiness it can bring me), those kinds of prospects REALLY frightens me. If all I'm doing is staying up late working on lessons and cramming myself/students into tiny spaces that don't teach much, I'm not sure how much I want to be involved.

Currently MMHMM By Relient K Be My Escape see related

Wednesday, 25 February 2009

The Lifespan of Praise & Worship Music

So recently, I've been working on adding some more stuff to my computer's library of praise & worship music for when I'm helping leading music at church and at camp, too. Needless to say, my archives have grown significantly since I've started keeping and looking for music a bit over a year ago when I started helping lead at InterVarsity at Hope College. I'm kind of proud of myself, but it also frightens me, because like any teacher, especially in the fine arts, I'm an unbelievable pack rat.

When Lifted Voice, the youth praise band at church, leads music on Sunday mornings for the congregation, we tend to mix styles a bit. We definitely tend to lean towards modern and more updated styles, but we usually throw in an old hymn, and often, a throwback song from the early 90s or even earlier. I've been adding those too my library too, because... well, that's what a library is, after all. But it has had me thinking a bit, too.

One of the songs Lifted Voice did probably back in November that I just uncovered in the living room was a song that I remember doing when I was in... 3rd grade? It was new then, but I can tell by praise and worship music standards, it's vintage. I looked it up on YouTube and it definitely sounded like it, too. I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. I even went all geeky on myself and listened to another song in the same key from one of the Hope Chapel CDs to just de-tox my ears and my brain, something that I think I'd rather use for a service anyway.

That little analysis, as it were, really made me marvel at how short of a lifespan a praise and worship song really has. The song I listened to after this vintage one was a modernization of an old hymn. One that's several centuries old, actually. Maybe this "step forward," the "progress" in church music, isn't so much progress after all.

Wednesday, 11 February 2009

The Imaginary Xanga Post

Dear Xanga,

Today my brothe rwas REALLY STOOPIDD lol. SometimesI really wish my brother would stop being so STOOPID and let me be awesome instead off him being really stupid. He's SOOOO STOOPID. LOL. Wow he's stupid.

Well I gottago. Lololol! Bye.

(My brother has made this allusion in real so many times I thought I'd finally oblige him and make it come to life. So there. In fact, he did it JUST now.)

Sunday, 04 January 2009

Lessons Learned from the Weddings

I've spent a lot of time at weddings in the past three weeks. Recently, I haven't been to that many in a year, let alone a month. But, I guess that's what happens when all of my friends schedule their weddings at almost the same time and I grow slightly afraid that I'll miss one because they're all so close together.

One thing that I always think about a little bit is seeing how the couples have grown together as one to reach the altar, when they either recite their vows (or listen to them from the pastor), and then how they say "I do." I saw three very different moods. Three very different approaches to the wedding that each have merit in their own right and show how each couple has its own personality, sense of style, and approach to life, including marriage.

I really admired how Brandon and Stephanie each wrote their own vows, completely independent of one another. What was so remarkable, though, was how similar they were. These vows were a reflection of how they saw their marriage-my two friends had grown through each other, grown into better people since knowing one another, and they wanted to be better people and better Christians and wanted to have a God-centered marriage. It's clear that they wanted their marriage to be help maybe bring someone closer to Christ. And when the time for them to say, "I do," to take each other as husband and wife, it was incredibly sincere. They meant it. Completely.

Then there was Mark and Becky. I didn't recall specially written vows, so that part sounded a little more familiar. What sticks out in my mind from this wedding is the incredibly joyous approach to marriage. When Pastor Carlson asked Mark if he took Becky to be his wife, he practically shouted, "I DO!!!!" Becky wasn't quite as exuberant with her response to if she took Mark, but to be honest a little hard to top her husband-Mark is one of the happiest guys you'll ever meet. What I admired is Mark and Becky kept a perspective on their wedding day that even though it IS serious... it's a celebration, too! And they were excited. Rightfully so-they got married and were surrounded by all their best friends in their home church. How much better can it get on that their "someday," as Becky called it.

Finally, there was Leo and Angela. I really appreciated the symbolism in this particular wedding of the couple's first act as a couple of kneeling together in prayer together after the pronouncement, even before the husband was told to kiss the bride. It shows, in my opinion, like Brandon and Stephanie's wedding, how I think Leo and Angela want to grow closer to God in the process of growing closer to each other. Pastor Carlson mentioned the lesson from Ecclesiastes about how three threads are not easily and how in marriage, that third thread, in addition to the husband and wife, is God holding them together. That was well-represented by the prayer. I really liked it.

All the best in your new lives together, my friends. I hope everyone who sees you looks at your marriages and sees them as examples of how love should look in a world where too often, love shatters. But I hope everyone sees them as even more than that. I hope your marriages are seen as a symbol of Christ's love for His people.

Saturday, 03 January 2009

A look back at Christmas

I was talking to a friend last night, and even though I said I should go to bed, I had to write about this right then. Sorry Austin. I went to bed right afterwards.

I love Christmas. A lot. I knew or maybe wanted Christmas to be different this year. After the economy turned so toxic, I figured I wouldn't have as many presents. But in a way, I was kind of okay with that. Mom had asked me what I wanted and said, "Make a list! I don't know what to get you." I strained to think off the top of my head what I wanted. I did come up with some stuff, but it was kind of impulsive and a rather short list, honestly. I didn't know what I wanted or what I'd get and even though I like gifts, I didn't care as much this year. I don't remember now if I just prayed to God directly for a different kind of Christmas or what exactly, but I just didn't want just another Christmas like in years past. Could this one be different?

As Christmas got closer, maybe I stopped caring about gifts. I had so much else to think about. I had done some shopping but there was the big community Christmas concert with all the church choirs. Follow the Star. Stephanie and Brandon's wedding. The Christmas Eve Service & the annual Malburg Christmas Eve Party following. This year, Jordan and I were the starring cast members, portraying two angels (Gabriel and his apprentice, Simiel-a name I uncovered that comes from the angelic tradition somewhere; it's the name of an archangel). Following lots of edits and revisions, somehow Jordan and I pulled off the skit on Christmas Eve.

Christmas comes. We had a tasty breakfast and opened stockings. The usual gag gifts, and we were all ready to open the Christmas tree presents when a close friend messaged me that it wasn't such a good day. With her wedding ring thought to be lost and Christmas celebrations all done the day before, her Christmas day was kind of ordinary at best. It sounded kind of sad to me. Sad is no way to celebrate Christmas. I knew Mom and Dad would want to open presents and all and I couldn't just tell them no, but I wanted to help. But how? So I said that she should call us and that we'd see if we could go look for the ring. It had to be somewhere and if it was in the snow, we'd try and find it. And that's what we did.

Christmas presents-I got some nice things which I really do like. I love the new coat especially. But then out Jordan and I went to hunt for this ring in a giant snow pile with Becky and her family. No success, but I wasn't a bit sorry I spent part of my Christmas helping a friend look for something that special to her. And then my friend joined us for dinner, the first non-family member to join us on Christmas. Not bad. A reading of the Christmas story followed by a homemade prime rib dinner with all the fixings. Plus enough pie and homemade cookies till we could pop.

The story, thankfully, has a happy ending. She found her ring in a desk drawer, even though she doesn't remember putting it there. She told all her friends and they were all just as happy as she was when she found it. Just like the parable of the lost coin. All her friends rejoiced with the woman when she found her lost coin.

I think about this story and this Christmas. It was different. I spent it a little differently-with a friend who needed her friends. Even though we didn't find the ring that day, I know now that we were supposed to at least be there for her because... if I was in my friend's place, I'd want someone to come help me, too. Because really... isn't that was Christmas is about? God coming down and being there with us when we needed Him most?