God. News. Life.

The ‘hip’

tommydfromthecity — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:14:38 +0000

Recently I found myself admiring things that are called ‘hip’. Moreover, I grew to admire the people doing the calling. They prefer not to be known as anything in particular. However they can be identified by both their following and their detractors as “hipsters”. Hipsters belong to an unofficial network of bloggers, journalists, and niche aficionados who search and scour the globe, and the web for new and progressive culture. They can be stereotyped by their urban style, the music they do and don’t listen to, their zeal for the unique in all areas of life. They receive praise for their creative minds and passion for a counterculture that restores the human element to all areas of life. Hipsters collectively attach this buzzing adjective by their actions to the things that resonate loudly from their pitchfork of cool.

More than a year ago I stood squarely outside this subculture and admired all of its trends without understanding the heart of it. Shortly thereafter I became a trendspotter; one who thoughtlessly adopts whatever is projected from the collective center of cool-dom. I was a cool consumer. I loved the idea of being praised by my new found soul-mates and subconsciously loathed the praise that came from those who clearly were not. I failed to understand that the heart of this movement is led by those who desperately want to rid their lives of the mechanical, plastic, and meaningless output of mainstream culture.

These leaders are neither consumers nor purveyors of a new and attractive trend. They are generators of the truly cool. James Deans in their own right. Their passions are not driven by the always changing trends of anti-establishment nor the goal to be on the cutting edge. In fact, they probably hate being identified by their commercialized drones.

I was a drone. I was on the edge of my toes watching the horizon for the next thing… before it got big. Then I noticed an attitude of discontentment quickly coming from all of my latest “discoveries”. This is coming from a person who believes that Jesus Christ satisfies all of the soul’s desires. Don’t get me wrong, He does. However, like anyone with a heartbeat, my own sinfulness got the best of me. I was driven to find the next thing that would temporarily give me the feeling of being “on top” which I somehow wrongly associated with being content.

This movement is not all bad. I believe their are many leaders within this subculture who, with their passion and creativity, are beginning create inroads which have the capacity to demonstrate the gaping holes in a consumer-driven society. I pray that we, as believers in Christ, would herald this strength, follow in their path and be bold enough to lovingly share that it is Christ who fills these gaping holes. Not as a satisfying object of consumption, but as a personal loving God, who is glorified most by our reveling in His glory.

In the end, I believe that the spirit of ingenuity that follows those who aren’t afraid to march to the beat of their own drum is a good thing. The burden for me, is to watch that I am not blindly following any drummer, but carefully considering which, if any, of the beats I hear I should follow.

Vines

tommydfromthecity — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:50:18 +0000

There are many vines
Swirling around their organic trellis
Twirling tall and strong
They weave themselves through the holes in it
Through the whole of it

Thorn laden vines
Diligently swaying the faint hearted
Piercing rivals
Devouring the host soil’s nutrients
Suffocating

The gardener, a worthy opponent

Locking their limbs
Thorns reach out; cutting, piercing their pruner
Bloodsweat falls down
Thorns settle in as roots atrophy
Power secedes

Decimate these thorns
Ravish, rip them from their fleshy terrain
The heart spews its pain
Devastated and frail, nourish it
New growth emerges

Satisfaction

tommydfromthecity — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:53:39 +0000

The sun shines furiously upon eyelids that resist their waker
A glimmer, a glance
Turning away, I remember

Rest
The night filled the heart
It toiled and trained to achieve

Flash
Transcendence in the palm of my hand
A new glimmer feigns sunrise and becomes status quo

Dim
Another setting, another gem
Gems set toward each other, each acclaiming the other’s beauty

Moonlight
Reflects, one hundred times
My eyes are fixed

Daybreak
Reflected light lowers its intensity
Gems become stones and announce hope for this day

Waking
Settings melt, stones turn to the sun
Each stone reflects, refracts and reveals the passion of their new jeweler

Flames
Thrown from the sun, expelling the night
“Break, blow, burn. Make me new!”

Brilliant colors cascade across the horizon
My heart overflows
True beauty, the light of day

Olympimania

tommydfromthecity — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:21:12 +0000

If you haven’t been following the Olympics this week you might not know that whitewater kayaking is among the official Olympic games, or that an an American man and his wife were tragically stabbed by a Chinese man in Beijing on Saturday. One thing cannot be missed. American swimmer Michael Phelps is making Olympic history and is firmly proving once again that America is the best country in the world (as if it was needed). Or is he? While this claim is bulletproof, what does one athlete’s achievements really say about his/her home country? Surely the amount of athletes put forward by a country is indicative of the people’s competitive spirit, and value of hard work and skill. But is that athlete proving anything or just bolstering national pride?

Americans do love their country. We root, rant, and rave from half way around the world for “our” athletes. And why not? With swimmers like Phelps it is so easy. Once every four years the media networks get to be positive and put on a show on the world’s stage, which is great.

The Olympics are all about the show. But let’s not let that go to our heads. There are big problems with our, and every other country, that participates on the Olympic stage. At such a time as this, let’s not be blinded by the glory of Mr. Phelps and forget that there is much to be done. People all around us need help. The homeless on the streets need food and clothing, workers need fair compensation for their labor, the environment needs to be recognised as a stewardship for which we are responsible, the many people who feel like there is no hope need to have friends who will affirm the truth that there is. I have found hope in Jesus Christ, and I’m confident that if you seek Him, you can too. As my savior said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst… For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35, 40)

No matter what your cause is, one thing can be said. It isn’t going to be finished on it’s own. Work hard at it, and help make this a truly great country.