In an aesthetic that is both inconsistent and unnerving, Dr. Amadeus Arkham describes his own journey into madness. Intertwined with the walks down the halls of his childhood home which he converted into an Asylum for criminally insane inmates is another story.
This story is set years later. The inmates have taken over Arkham's madhouse. There, Batman (I know, I know, but I love my graphic novels) finds his way inside and is forced to confront the questions of his own sanity.
Amadeus Arkham, as the story goes on drives himself mad hearing the sounds of laughter in his head and the echoes of batwings flying around his large family mansion, that is now an asylum. One step at a time he begins killing and torturing inmates. Until, finally he is institutionalized in his own house. The same place he's been all of his life. The same place he has worked and had all of his memories, it's a place he belongs.
Meanwhile, Batman is introduced to his prison - surrounded by criminals that he placed there. While he fights for his life and peers into the twisted souls of his rivals, he is forced to wonder. Does he himself belong in the asylum? At one point, the Joker offers, "Just don't forget, if it ever gets to tough ... There's always a place for you here."
Between these two points of being insane and saving the world from insanity, that's where Batman lives. Is he crazy for doing what he's doing? Does that make him crazy on a similar level to the others he is fighting? Does his own set of personal demons haunt him enough to make him lose his mind?
While Batman is obviously a fictional character, the struggle depicted in Arkham Asylum: A Serious Place on Serious Earth (the story referred to above) is one that still hits home to a very human conflict. "Where do I belong?" or perhaps, "Who am I?" are penultimate questions. How you answer them determines so much of what you do and what your life looks like. Perhaps that's why so many people my age choose really ambiguous answers to those questions. Answers like, "I am a good person," or "I belong with my friends and loved ones." While those answers have merit, I find myself stupefied that anyone would consider those real answers to those questions. Those are answers that anyone would give.
I wonder, what makes you unique? What makes you special? Who are you, really? Where do you belong?
I say all of that without mentioning my own struggles in this area. From time to time I've been known to flounder between decisions of where my deepest goals, dreams and commitments lie. Some are a given. Christine, my lovely wife, wins the battle for my affection and time. But what who and where I dream of being in ten years, that's a lot more difficult to articulate.
While, I ought to put as much space between him and myself as possible. I can't help but find an odd form of admiration for a guy who is known for not having great character or judgment - Ted Haggard. The reason is actually quite simple. After reading this article earlier today I'm deeply surprised at the man's sense of calling and his resilience. After becoming the picture of Christian failure for his generation Haggard took heartily to restoration and jumped straight back into pastoring a new church plant. Whether he ought to have done this is up for major debate. Yet I find myself admiring his drive to do the one thing he knows how to do, and he feels like he was built to do.
Like Batman at Arkham, should we wonder, to which category will we call home?
What bit of chaos do you like to rest your head on at night? What piece of madness drives you to work harder than you think you ought to? What makes you stay up at night?
Where do you belong? What makes the rest of the world look like madness and feels like home to you?
Irenaeus, the theologian from the second century wrote that, "The glory of God is man fully alive."
I wonder, what is it that makes you fully alive? What is it that makes you look through the disorder, the rush and hurry of life? What makes your heart race?
Might I suggest, follow God into a divine dream. Follow him into an adventure worthy of having. Do something.
"Enjoy yourself out there," the Joker says as Batman leaves Arkham Island for the real world, "In the Asylum."
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Midnight Musings
Sometimes skill and substance combine to make something totally awesome. Like Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run. But sometimes simplicity and trickery combine to make something awesome. That's pretty much everything U2 has ever done.
I wonder from time to time if there is a challenge waiting for me. Am I just treading water?
Have you ever looked at old characteristics of yourself and compared yourself with them and found yourself wanting? I used to read more. I used to go out more. I used to be better at some things.
I find myself strangely content to be the bridge of support at this moment in my life.
The newest Taking Back Sunday album is edgy but pretty.
Some people listen to music and try to compare it to what it is like. I hate to admit I'm usually one of those people. Some things that some people say and do shouldn't be lumped into a category, classified and forgotten. The old school modern philosopher inside of me says things should be neat, orderly, and understood. But the postmodern screaming in my soul tells me to blur lines, and let things that used to be in their own categories bleed into each other.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12
Sometimes I imagine that my imagination is the product of somebody else's imagination.
In case of zombie apocalypse break glass ... if you want them to know where you are.
Men are all born with innate desires to explore, conquer, rescue, destroy, kill, win, dominate, and all around kick butt.
Women are all born with innate desires. I'd elaborate on them, but I'm a man. It'd all be conjecture anyway.
You know what's awesome? Explosions are awesome.
Frank Stallone had a reasonably successful musical career. Problem is, he has to go to his mother with his success looking for a pat on the back and she won't shut up about his brother, Sly.
You ever wonder what it would have been like to have been Jesus' brother. Talk about having big shoes to fill. "Your brother never lied to me," "Your brother could get us some more booze cheap and easy," Your brother could raise him from the dead."
You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Do you want to know where I got these scars?
In Alan Moore's The Killing Joke the idea is posed that we are all just one really bad day away from becoming a vigilante like Batman or a lunatic killer like the joker. The wrong set of circumstances could take any one of us from comfort to chaos. I wonder, if pressed would you go crazy to save the world or destroy it?
I can't sleep.
I wonder from time to time if there is a challenge waiting for me. Am I just treading water?
Have you ever looked at old characteristics of yourself and compared yourself with them and found yourself wanting? I used to read more. I used to go out more. I used to be better at some things.
I find myself strangely content to be the bridge of support at this moment in my life.
The newest Taking Back Sunday album is edgy but pretty.
Some people listen to music and try to compare it to what it is like. I hate to admit I'm usually one of those people. Some things that some people say and do shouldn't be lumped into a category, classified and forgotten. The old school modern philosopher inside of me says things should be neat, orderly, and understood. But the postmodern screaming in my soul tells me to blur lines, and let things that used to be in their own categories bleed into each other.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12
Sometimes I imagine that my imagination is the product of somebody else's imagination.
In case of zombie apocalypse break glass ... if you want them to know where you are.
Men are all born with innate desires to explore, conquer, rescue, destroy, kill, win, dominate, and all around kick butt.
Women are all born with innate desires. I'd elaborate on them, but I'm a man. It'd all be conjecture anyway.
You know what's awesome? Explosions are awesome.
Frank Stallone had a reasonably successful musical career. Problem is, he has to go to his mother with his success looking for a pat on the back and she won't shut up about his brother, Sly.
You ever wonder what it would have been like to have been Jesus' brother. Talk about having big shoes to fill. "Your brother never lied to me," "Your brother could get us some more booze cheap and easy," Your brother could raise him from the dead."
You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
Do you want to know where I got these scars?
In Alan Moore's The Killing Joke the idea is posed that we are all just one really bad day away from becoming a vigilante like Batman or a lunatic killer like the joker. The wrong set of circumstances could take any one of us from comfort to chaos. I wonder, if pressed would you go crazy to save the world or destroy it?
I can't sleep.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Power
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on man's wisdom, but on God's power."
I Corinthians 2:4 & 5
The Apostle Paul, who planted this church, is writing a letter full of wisdom. The counsel of this letter is so sharp that it has been included in the Bible. There is no lack of wisdom or insight here. Yet, rather than pointing to his powerful words, Paul points backward to the start of the church. He reminds those reading that the power of the Holy Spirit not only kick-started their church, but their relationships with God. Paul knows that words have their limits, but God's power has no limits.
So, I charge you, confront God's presence. Get into your Bible, spend time in prayer, grow strong in hearing his voice. Rest in God's presence. Let his power clean you, mature you, and guide you. Find a secret place to connect with him and find yourself there often. Make knowing Jesus in all his power your top priority.
Prayer
Father, help me and the young people reading this blog to find you. Help me to make a way for Your power to invade my life and theirs. I ask for your help, power and guidance, in Jesus's name, amen.
I Corinthians 2:4 & 5
The Apostle Paul, who planted this church, is writing a letter full of wisdom. The counsel of this letter is so sharp that it has been included in the Bible. There is no lack of wisdom or insight here. Yet, rather than pointing to his powerful words, Paul points backward to the start of the church. He reminds those reading that the power of the Holy Spirit not only kick-started their church, but their relationships with God. Paul knows that words have their limits, but God's power has no limits.
So, I charge you, confront God's presence. Get into your Bible, spend time in prayer, grow strong in hearing his voice. Rest in God's presence. Let his power clean you, mature you, and guide you. Find a secret place to connect with him and find yourself there often. Make knowing Jesus in all his power your top priority.
Prayer
Father, help me and the young people reading this blog to find you. Help me to make a way for Your power to invade my life and theirs. I ask for your help, power and guidance, in Jesus's name, amen.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Love of the Game
If you know me fairly well you know I'm a basketball fan. More than anything, a Portland Trailblazers fan, but a basketball fan for sure. One of my frequent internet stops is by ESPN's basketball blog "Truehoop." Today I read an interesting article there called "The Heart of Sports" written by Henry Abbott.
Abbott starts off the story with a reference to Michael Jordan's secret to basketball success. Ready for it, "Love of the game."
That's it. Nothing but love.
Sports analytics are a growing trend. Years ago there were simply stats. Now there are stat-hounds. Fantasy leagues are played by piles of sports fans. There are countless reasons why things on stat-sheets change over and over, but at the biggest analytics conference of the year, Abbott reports, the biggest factor in success always comes down to heart.
It begs the question of care. Do you really care about the things that you are doing?
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell (one of my favorite authors both for prose and hairstyle) writes about his theory of 10,000 hours of meaningful practice being the meter for success. When someone cares and works enough to hit the 10,000 hours mark at just about anything they cross a point where success in that field becomes much more likely. The funny thing about his theory is that it includes the word "meaningful."
Have you ever coasted through life? Ever been on cruise control? I tend to default to that place during times of frustration. Rather than putting extra and intentional effort into that thing that is frustrating me, I will withdraw a bit and wait it out. Let the frustration go and then come back to it.
Maybe one of the reasons I do a lot of things good, but few things great, is that I get into spurts of interests. I'll play a lot of music, then very little. I'll read a lot of books on one subject, then check something else out. I'll spend countless hours working on a ministry project for weeks, then I'll watch it and pull back.
Greatness comes through consistent behavior and effort. But consistent behavior and effort require love. You have to love what your doing or you'll never keep it up.
Here's the breakdown: What do you want to be great at? What do you love? What do you obsess over? Are you willing to choose a love that takes constant time and grooming to be the best at it?
Funny thing about everything I've posted so far, it applies deeper than careers and skills. Have you shown your love to your spouse today? Have you made the extra effort to show you care and want to be with him/her?
Have you taken time to truly know Jesus? I don't want to get religious on this, but isn't it right there, too? You can try and learn to hear God's voice once a week in a service, but it is a lot easier when you take time to listen and connect daily. Do you want to know the power and voice of a living God? Or are you more comfortable choosing an average relationship with Him?
I don't want average or mediocre anything, especially not average or mediocre faith. What's the point of having a faith that brings you to church but doesn't bring you to life?
Choose to Love the King, and let that love lead to obsession.
And that obsession will lead to a great friendship.
Abbott starts off the story with a reference to Michael Jordan's secret to basketball success. Ready for it, "Love of the game."
That's it. Nothing but love.
Sports analytics are a growing trend. Years ago there were simply stats. Now there are stat-hounds. Fantasy leagues are played by piles of sports fans. There are countless reasons why things on stat-sheets change over and over, but at the biggest analytics conference of the year, Abbott reports, the biggest factor in success always comes down to heart.
It begs the question of care. Do you really care about the things that you are doing?
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell (one of my favorite authors both for prose and hairstyle) writes about his theory of 10,000 hours of meaningful practice being the meter for success. When someone cares and works enough to hit the 10,000 hours mark at just about anything they cross a point where success in that field becomes much more likely. The funny thing about his theory is that it includes the word "meaningful."
Have you ever coasted through life? Ever been on cruise control? I tend to default to that place during times of frustration. Rather than putting extra and intentional effort into that thing that is frustrating me, I will withdraw a bit and wait it out. Let the frustration go and then come back to it.
Maybe one of the reasons I do a lot of things good, but few things great, is that I get into spurts of interests. I'll play a lot of music, then very little. I'll read a lot of books on one subject, then check something else out. I'll spend countless hours working on a ministry project for weeks, then I'll watch it and pull back.
Greatness comes through consistent behavior and effort. But consistent behavior and effort require love. You have to love what your doing or you'll never keep it up.
Here's the breakdown: What do you want to be great at? What do you love? What do you obsess over? Are you willing to choose a love that takes constant time and grooming to be the best at it?
Funny thing about everything I've posted so far, it applies deeper than careers and skills. Have you shown your love to your spouse today? Have you made the extra effort to show you care and want to be with him/her?
Have you taken time to truly know Jesus? I don't want to get religious on this, but isn't it right there, too? You can try and learn to hear God's voice once a week in a service, but it is a lot easier when you take time to listen and connect daily. Do you want to know the power and voice of a living God? Or are you more comfortable choosing an average relationship with Him?
I don't want average or mediocre anything, especially not average or mediocre faith. What's the point of having a faith that brings you to church but doesn't bring you to life?
Choose to Love the King, and let that love lead to obsession.
And that obsession will lead to a great friendship.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Idols
"Therefore since we are God's offspring we should not think that the diving being is like gold or silver or stone - an image made by man's skill."
In times past, men worshipped gods they built from materials. While today we may look at the idea of worshipping something we built as lunacy, in truth, we see it all the time. Rather than building our gods from silver, marble, or gold, we prefer gods that we build inside of our heads.
Some worship gods like money or power and spend their lives avoiding their own internal hell of having neither. Inside of our heads we make plans to reach these gods and we consider how happy we will be when these gods are with us. Have you ever said the phrase - "I will be so happy when ..."?
That phrase is an idol identifier. When I have money, or sex, or control over my life that my parents can't take back - then I'll be happy. Because the life that follows inevitably is built around reaching that goal.
Idols aren't necessarily evil things as much as they are things that our hearts choose to place on higher priority than Jesus. The one we love most is truly our god. The one we serve and arrange our life towards reaching - that is our god.
How do we avoid idolatry? The answer isn't necessarily swear off things that can become idols. For some idols can be food, fun, clothing, or other things that are actually good and God made to be good. If you want to flee from idolatry the real answer is to get more Jesus. Spend more time with Him. Know him more. Read your Bible. Pray. Listen to Him. When Jesus is number one in your life the rest of your interests land in the appropriate place - below him.
Prayer
Father, have all of me. Every last bit. Be first in my life and first in the lives of those reading. I ask for your help, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Acts 17:29
In times past, men worshipped gods they built from materials. While today we may look at the idea of worshipping something we built as lunacy, in truth, we see it all the time. Rather than building our gods from silver, marble, or gold, we prefer gods that we build inside of our heads.
Some worship gods like money or power and spend their lives avoiding their own internal hell of having neither. Inside of our heads we make plans to reach these gods and we consider how happy we will be when these gods are with us. Have you ever said the phrase - "I will be so happy when ..."?
That phrase is an idol identifier. When I have money, or sex, or control over my life that my parents can't take back - then I'll be happy. Because the life that follows inevitably is built around reaching that goal.
Idols aren't necessarily evil things as much as they are things that our hearts choose to place on higher priority than Jesus. The one we love most is truly our god. The one we serve and arrange our life towards reaching - that is our god.
How do we avoid idolatry? The answer isn't necessarily swear off things that can become idols. For some idols can be food, fun, clothing, or other things that are actually good and God made to be good. If you want to flee from idolatry the real answer is to get more Jesus. Spend more time with Him. Know him more. Read your Bible. Pray. Listen to Him. When Jesus is number one in your life the rest of your interests land in the appropriate place - below him.
Prayer
Father, have all of me. Every last bit. Be first in my life and first in the lives of those reading. I ask for your help, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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