escapingbabylon.com

I still have the pelota. I pulled it out of my closet today. It’s a little deflated, but it still has everyone’s signatures on it. Thank you all for being a part of that part of my life.

I really needed that.

I really love and miss the friends and types of friendships I developed at Macalester and especially through MCF. It’s rare when people invest in each other’s lives like that. It was good to be reminded.

I’m also going to miss this crop of seniors so much it will be insane.

Specifically for Ariah, but I feel we all would get a kick out of this: The Story Of Easter

My desktop isn’t working very well, so I’m communicating solely by laptop. My laptop is my “work” computer, and I want to keep it that way in my mind, so don’t expect me to be online much for the next couple of weeks.

I love hip hop and rock mixes. I will admit to being more of a rock fan than a rap fan, but I love it when there is crossover. I just watched the Jay-Z vs Linkin Park mashup on DVD. Now besides the fact that Jay-Z swears too much (what can I say, in some ways I’m still very much a conservative churchboy, shocking I know), Dirt off my shoulder/Lying from you is an awesome, awesome thing.

Being a vocalist who plays bass means that you are not going to be a one man band. That sucks because I don’t have the time/opportunity to be in the band that I would really want to be in (you know, besides 4th Avenue Jones)

And speaking of 4th Avenue Jones and bands I would really want to be in, I would like to reiterate from a couple months ago that 4th Avenue Jones doing a cover of Jesus Freak is the most awesome thing I’ve heard of in months and I can’t wait.

Ok, sorry for taking so long to get to this, part of it is because I don’t think I have an answer to this which isn’t wrapped up in my philosphy of art in the life of the believer and specifically the idea of “Christian” art.

I put the word Christian in quotations for two reasons, firstly, because of the assertion that only people can be Christians. Even though I think that reasoning is attempting to do some semantic sleight of hand, but I’ll do it in consideration of those hold to it. Outside of that, it is not the best term to describe what I’m talking about. I’m talking about art as worship (that is to say, art in response to God and in communication with God) and art as prophecy/preaching (that is to say, art that is meant to communicate what God has to say to His people). Both types of art by their very definition require the artist to be in communication with God. So the purpose of the retreat is for the artist (visual, musical or whatever) to spend some time listening to God, and also to begin the process of creating art as worship/prophecy/preaching.

On a personal note, it’s the type of retreat I would like to go on before delving into any big creative ministry, whether it is through music or through visual art (though in my case, will probably more likely be through music).

Heaven help me, I think I’m becoming a Linkin Park fan.

Just to get this “on paper”

I want to plan an artistic retreat. I’ve been doing agendas in my head for the last 2 days. It’s sort of frustrating when these things are going through your mind and you have nothing really to do with them yet, but we’ll see.

Anyway, I’m thinking of an almost 3 day retreat (evening of Day 1,  Day 2, Morning of Day 3). The purpose of this retreat would be to spend some time listening to God and responding through art as well as to better understand the interaction of our art and our faith.

Day 1

• Musical Worship
• Message (inviting the participants to partake in the vision for the retreat, and giving them permission to be hear God speak and to respond in whatever way they feel necessary, no matter how unusual it may be. Also speaking of creativity as a reflection of the creator and the power in that)
• Prayer, in small groups and as a body asking God to speak into us and through us during the retreat.

Day 2

• Breakfast
• Group (or small group) devotions
• Artistic Lectio Divina and/or Retreat of Silence (either way, a way of active listening to and for God)
• Work on collaborative piece (in small groups most likely)
• Lunch
• Break for hiking, swimming, or other fun
• More work on collaborative piece (can work individually on sections/parts)
• Dinner
• Worship, Message or Large group discussion, invitation to respond to God’s call.

Day 3

• Breakfast
• Viewing of progress with the pieces.
• Prayer and Commissioning.

 40 min to work this morning for an average speed of  ~ 10mph  and although I’ve been pushing myself a little bit aerobically, I’m not hugely tired. My back tire was feeling wierd though. Also, cars were a lot friendlier today.

http://www.chevellefranklyn.net/