What I never want to become...

Inspired by: a certain professor of mine


The other day I had a mid-term in one of my classes. On this mid term we had to describe what the Synoptic Problem is, and also state our own view and justify our thoughts on the topic.
Now, since all of the followers of the Observant Hippie understand what the synoptic problem is, I am not going to go into details about the synoptic problem. Let’s just stick to the basic, who wrote their gospel first, Matthew? Mark? Or Luke?
After answering the first pat of this question on my mid-term, I began the second part. I began to write down my thoughts about the synoptic problem and how I tend to lean towards the Farrer theory that Mark wrote his gospel first, but I also think there are parts of Matthew that have a lot more detail than Mark so, maybe Matthew wrote first and basically I don’t know.

After writing this, I had about a fourth of the page left to write on and I thought what better time to state my TRUE feelings about the synoptic problem? I wrote how I felt that we, as Christians, are wasting our time spending all this time and energy studying and worrying about who wrote what gospel first. I wrote that we should be learning about what is in the books and how to apply it to our own lives and impact others lives with our application.
All I could think about while I was writing this was an article I read recently in a magazine I picked up at a church I was at. The magazine is Today's Pentecostal Evangel, and the article was titled: Tragedy Ignored. The article talked about the civil war going on in the Congo and how millions of people are dying.
So as I am sitting there all I can think about was how many of these people that are dying everyday, are saved? and how many could I help? I was sitting there writing about who wrote what when, and people, not just in Africa, but all over the world and even here at SC are not even saved! Haven’t even been exposed to the idea of salvation in a life changing way! I finished writing my thoughts on the paper, finished the test and left the class.
The next day I received a note from my professor asking me to meet with him. We set up a time, and this afternoon at 2:30 we met to discuss my opinions. I told him that i didn't see the point in all of this when we could be doing so much good in the time we are sitting there learning these things that will have little to no effect on my life after the class. He told me that if I didn't study the synoptic problem that I wouldn't be credible in anyway once I got out into the world, because, even if I know what is in the book and how to apply it to people lives, if I don’t know who wrote the gospels and when they wrote them I wouldn’t be able to get my point across. After a brief conversation he called my cynical for questioning him and that was the end of our discussion on that topic.

OK, to be honest, I don't know if this is a rant about a professor that Doesn’t know how to teach or effectively communicate to his students, or if this is about how Christians get so caught up in scholarly goals and achievements and publishing books and being known in the Christian community that they forget that all of this is pointless if you don't apply what you learn to doing some good and furthering the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
It is safe to say that this blog was inspired by this professor who infuriates me more than any other teacher or professor I have ever had. But i hope I am also getting my point across ( it is hard to focus when I am so red with anger!) that is, Christians need to take their heads out of the books once in a while and try to actually put into practice the teaching of the book that have been studying for so long. I never want to become like all of the Christians who study their lives away and don't make any kind of impact outside of the classroom. I believe that a basic understanding and a child like faith are FAR supirior to year and years of books and papers and questions and answers. I am worried about going to heaven, I am not worried about who first wrote down the word heaven on paper.

P.S.
I am not proud of this blog, the writing is terrible and I am letting my emotions control what I write, making it hard for me to convey my thoughts clearly. However I am putting it on here because i care about your feedback and I am interested in what ya'll have to say

P.P.S.
On the next mission trip I go on, if anyone I meet there asks me who wrote first, Matthew, Mark, or Luke. I will publish an apology, as well as get on my knees and wash the feet of this professor.

HERO OF WAR?

Inspired by AMC
Inspired by Rise Against


It has been a week since Memorial Day, a holiday that I have come to detest with every fiber of me being. It was a painful day growing up because we would always gather as a family out at the cemetery and remember those who had died. But mostly is was just painful because we would have to take time out of our busy schedules and lives to do this. I used to think that that all Memorial Day was, a time to remember those who had died no matter who they were or what they had done in life. It wasn't until I was about 11 or 12 that I learned that Memorial day was founded as a way of remembering those who had died in the "service of this country". In fact it was even first declared as a day to be observed by General John Logan (A general in the Grand Army of the Republic) back in 1861, and even though the southern states refused to partake in Memorial Day for a long time, they eventually began after World War 1.
But enough history, here is why I got pissed off that day. See I don't celebrate this day in anyway anymore, not even to remember my own non-military family that has passed on. So last Monday (memorial day)I was sitting in my living room watching TV, now ask anyone and they will tell you that I love movies almost to an unhealthy extent, so the first channels I check when I turn on the TV are TCM (Turner Classic Movies), BRAVO, and AMC (American Movie Classics) well on this particular day these movies show nothing but war films and even though I detest everything about war with my whole heart, I am usually up for a good war flick. But AMC was doing something in particular that caught my attention. They were having a "Heroes of War" special hosted by recent Presidential candidate and war veteran John McCain. Before and After each film, McCain would have a small segment talking about the war the the film was representing and also would mention some soldiers who would be considered "heroes" from that war.

Bottom line: THERE ARE NO HEROES IN WAR! there are killers, murders and men who, if they did their "job" any other time they would be put in prison, but because our government says its OK they have free run to kill whoever they want as long as they aren't American. But I fucking want know, since when does killing people made you a hero!?!?! I mean look around at all these men and women who come back from Iraq and have served in WWII or Vietnam or Korea or any other war America has been involved in. We treat them like they have done us as the greatest personal favor in the world. When in reality they went somewhere killed some people and then came home. Now some anti war people would say don't be mad at the soldiers, its not their fault they don't deserve the blame. But I don't agree with that, the only ones who had no choice were the ones who were drafted and even then I could promise you that I would move to the slums of Africa before allowing myself to be drafted. I just can't understand how these men would willing choose to KILL PEOPLE FOR A LIVING? There are other men who do that and we call them serial killers and put them in prisons for life. And as far as the Governments go, yes they are ultimately responsible for the declaration of wars and the if it wasn't for the corrupt men that run them and their greed for power,(in all its forms)Basically it all sucks and this world is going to hell and it is up to us to save what we can of it.

I mean maybe it's just me but I have been reading the Bible and I am still trying to find a place where Jesus preaches things like hate and disdain and killing. I seem to keep finding instances of Him preaching Love, Peace, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control (Gal. 5)(OK so it was Paul who actually gave the Fruits of the Spirit but it was all from Jesus' teaching so just go with me here)I think that this list pretty much sums up Jesus entire message to us as followers of Him. Love is everything. There is not a conflict in this world that cannot be solved without violence. There is not a problem that killing will solve. There is nothing in this world that can be made better in anyway by taking lives of people that are no more guilty of anything than you or I. AND KILLING PEOPLE DOES NOT MAKE YOU A HERO IN ANY WAY!

Please take a minute and watch this music video by Rise Against i think it puts this idea into words more perfectly than any other way I have ever heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpnWgCVfAxw









(this was written at 4 in the morning and my emotions always tend to get the best of me when I write on such subjects so if I am unclear on anything here please talk to me.)

PEACE.LOVE.JON

Love God, Love People. NOTHING Else Matters!

inspired by Grandma Hodges


Holy crap! its definitely 4:07 in the morning and I am just starting a new post?! What am I thinking? well, I will tell you. I am thinking about my family, my "career" choice, my class that I have to go to in 6 hours, my promises, my hypocrisy, and the fact that a simple song can cause so many emotions to jump up inside you that you want hide in shame and run outside shouting for attention all at the same time.

Why am I thinking all these things? Well, its kind of a long story...but I guess that that is what a blog is for right?

My granddad died on my 16th birthday. Now, I am not trying to take anything away from anyone who has lost a grandparent, but my granddad and I, well, we were close! He was like a second dad to me, taught me to catch/clean/cook fish, drive a manual transmission, tell racist jokes, cook on a grill, use most power tools, and most importantly he taught me that there are only two things that matter in this life
1)God
2)Family
In my eyes this was not just a man. this was the man that would give you his last pair of socks so your feet would be warm, a man that would sell everything he owned if it meant being able to give you something you needed. His death shook my faith completely shattered everything I had believed in. like hard core too! I completely went from Christian with no questions, to Atheist with every question in the book being thrown up at the slightest mention of anything having to do with involving religion. (and I remained that way for about two years until I came to Sterling college but thats another story!) It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, say goodbye to the man who was in every way the role model for a great Godly man!
(I am not going to say more about what a wonderful man he was because I am going to start crying and then I wont be able to finish this post, but just know that I miss him more than anything in this world and I can't wait to see him again!)
But, while granddad was alive he bought 43 acres of land out side of town on the river. This land has become synonymous with his memory for me (as well as much of the family) we had so many good times out there with him that i couldn't count all of them even if I wanted to. and since he has passed on we have continued to share in making amazing memories out there at "The Property" as it has so lovingly become known.

Recently my grandma has come onto some very hard times and is having to sell the property. Basically it is tearing my family apart all over again, half of the family is in support and half of them are dead against the decision. We are so emotionally tied to this plot of ground and the memories it holds that seeing it leave the family will be a lot like having granddad die all over again. When I first heard this news all I could think was "Why would she let the family suffer all over again?!" I even found myself saying "If she sells that land she will lose a grandson with it!" I was so mad and full of despair and anger that I wouldn't allow myself to think about anything else besides how I hated every member of the family that supported this decision. So the other day I went over to my grandmas house to tell her just how I felt and tell her that the selling of that property would be "the end of our family" and "a desecration to the memory of granddad".
I walked from the college to her house (she lives aprox. 1 block away) and I walked around her house four times, trying to get my thoughts straight and decided just what to say to hurt her the most and get her to change her mind for fear of breaking apart the family. but as i finished my fourth lap and approached the back door, I stopped. I turned towards the road beside her house and as I watched the cars pass by I did something that I had not done since this whole ordeal began...I prayed. I have no clue where the words came from because they were the farthest things from my tongue, but I asked God to show me her side, to allow me to be open and understanding and to not say anything that I would late regret. Now, this did not make me any less mad and I was still planning on following thru with everything I set out to do. but after I finished praying I heard the door behind me open up and I hear my grandma say "Hey there mister!" just like she always does. I made it about three steps inside the house before I broke down in tears, all she did was walk over to me and wrap me up in her arms. Her arms seemed to completely understand everything I wanted to say and and everything I felt. We sat down and I honestly couldn't say a word, I don't know if it was the sobbing or the Holy Spirit, but something bit my tongue and let my grandma talk for fifteen minutes straight about the whole situation. She said that all she wanted out this was what God wanted out of it. She reminded me of all the good that we saw come from granddads passing and most importantly she reminded me that the property was nothing but a material possession, an unnecessary thing, something that is awesome to have and great to remember all the good times we had with it, but in the end it was nothing but a thing.
I really reminded me of the man named Joseph from the book of Acts. In Acts we see the beginnings of the early church and complete reliance on God that I want for my life. The total rejection of materialism and focus on spreading of God's love. Anyways, so we read about this guy named Joseph and how he literally sells his field and gives all the money to the apostles to distribute among the needy. I have always loved this short story (literally only 3 verses long!) and I love the selfless act of love and generosity, but I had never thought of it from Jo's perspective before. I mean he could have been no different than me. perhaps someone that he loved dearly purchased that land and it had been handed down several generations in his family. Or maybe this "field" is where he lived, or grew crops to make a living. This field could have been (and I firmly believe it was, I mean why else would this random guy get three verses in the Bible when it says that other people were doing it too?!) as important to Jo and The Property is to me.
I have complete peace about this situation now, and I am praying that it spreads to the rest of the family. (but any prayers are appreciated!) I think that God is beginning something big in my life. I honestly feel His strong calling to the mission field and I feel like He is helping me to learn to let go of all the STUFF in this life. The unnecessary things that we hold to such high standards and get in the way of our ultimate goal: the spreading of Christ's love and the gift of salvation to every corner of this earth!

"Don't Blindly Follow the Revolution"

Inspired by Nicole
Inspired by Shane Claiborne


The idea of "blindly following a revolution" was presented to me at my book study the other day. We are reading BECOMING THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS by Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. The book is amazing and has shown me some really cool thing about prayer (I highly recommend). But we were talking about the book the other night and Nicole Edwards, who is a dear friend and married to a dear friend, brought up the idea that we need to be careful to have reasons for all that we do. We need to not just do something because it is the newest thing. I think this is ESPECIALLY true with the college age, rebellious minded, tradition hating people such as myself. We need to be careful to not see a movement that it cutting edge and against the norm and think "hey, I should think the way they do because they are different and different is cool!".
I have read three books by Shane Claiborne and all of them have shown a "different" way of thinking besides what I was raised to believe. I love these books and the ideas that they present and I must say that I buy into them 100% But I had never stopped to think, "do I like this because it is "new" and "weird" or do I like it because I honestly believe that what this man is writing is the truth?" And its the same with everything we approach in life, we need to ask ourselves am I in this because its edgy and my friends are into it? or is this REALLY for me, REALLY what I believe and want out of life?
Its like when I was little, my family believed in and supported anything with "republican approval" so I did too. As I grew older and began to form some of my own independent thoughts, I began to run away from those "conservative" ideas and values just as fast as my feet would go! But since this idea was brought to me by Nicole, I have begun to rethink my stands on a lot of different issues, asking myself "can I back up what I think? really put my money where my mouth is? or is this all just because I wanted to rebel against my mom and dad when I was 16 17 and 18 yeas old and all my friends believed that way at the time?"
And to be honest, I am able to look at myself and say I am where I am because I honestly think this way and I am able to back up what I think. But I am glad that I have started to take this approach when looking at my beliefs, just makes you that much more grounded in your ideals.

INSPIRATIONAL TELEVISION (ON PRIMETIME fox)

INSPIRED BY MY DAD

I was at my house today, which is a once a week occurrence. (This is sad considering my dorm is only blocks away) But every Monday night I go over to watch “24” with my family and a couple friends.

–for those of you not familiar with the show 24 it follows a special agent through one day of his life in which he foils some elaborate terrorist plot to destroy the U.S.A. (usually by breaking several federal laws).

I like to watch this show because it is immensely suspenseful and makes for a good ol’ “evil VS good and good coming out victorious” hour of suspended disbelief. But this week I noticed my dad not going into the living room to take a seat for this entertainment packed hour, but instead going to the computer to do some work he had brought home from the office. I asked him, “Hey, aren’t you going to watch 24 with us?” and his response has had me thinking for the last three hours. He stated, “I’m done watching 24, I get mad at all the injustice in the world.” And he turned back to the computer.

What caught my attention was that he wasn’t referring to the child soldiers in the Sudan and Congo, who are being kidnapped while they sleep and made to fight against their own families, or the women in India who are forced into sex trafficking, or the men and women all over the world who are held in prison and tortured for their believes, or the countless other examples of injustice in the world. No, he was talking about this T.V. show world, and how the President won’t listen to this special agent, even when she is wrong and the special agent is right.

Now, I am not saying that my daddy doesn’t care about these things I have mentioned. I am just highlighting his way of dealing with the injustice shown on 24, leaving the room and not watching and putting it out of his mind.

I began to think about how injustice is just as deadly as a bomb, a bomb that is being detonated all over the world all the time and killing thousands of people everyday. Then I began to think how we would react if this world’s real injustices were brought out into the public view. If for just an hour a week we were shown the real effects of the injustices in this evil place we call home, how would we react. Would we just sit and watch? Would we leave the room and do something else? Would we just turn the channel? Or would we be moved to react, to do something worth doing, to make a difference in the lives of people we don’t even know.

I don’t have an answer at this time. I don’t know if I ever will. But the next time I see injustice I pray that I don’t just walk away, but that I do my best to change the situation to glorify God.

“if you don’t do anything to stop them, you might as well help them plant the bomb”
-Jack Bauer (main character of "24")

DTB- Defining The Blogger

OBSERVANT- /əbˈzɜrvənt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [uhb-zur-vuhnt]
–adjective

1.	quick to notice or perceive; alert.

2.	looking at, watching, or regarding attentively; watchful.

3.	careful in the observing of a law, custom, religious ritual, or the like.

HIPPIE - /ˈhɪpi/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hip-ee]
–noun

a person, who rejects established institutions and values and seeks spontaneity, direct personal relations expressing love, and expanded consciousness, often expressed externally in the wearing of casual, folksy clothing and of beads, headbands, used garments, etc.


INTERNAL- /ɪnˈtɜrnl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [in-tur-nl]
–adjective

1.	existing, occurring, or found within the limits or scope of something; intrinsic: a theory having internal logic.

2.	existing solely within the individual mind: internal malaise.

3.	coming from, produced, or motivated by the psyche or inner recesses of the mind; subjective: an internal response.

THOUGHTS - (thôt-s)
-noun

1. The act or process of thinking; cogitation.


OUTSPOKEN- [out-spoh-kuhn]
–adjective

1.	uttered or expressed with frankness or without reserve: outspoken criticism.

2.	free or unreserved in speech

WALLFLOWER - [wawl-flou-er]
–noun

1.	a person who, because of shyness, unpopularity, or lack of a partner, remains at the side at a party or dance.

2.	any person, organization, etc., that remains on or has been forced to the sidelines of any activity

I am the Observant Hippie, I am the Outspoken Wallflower.
These are my Internal Thoughts on the world I live in...