>> otherssteal <<

Graduate.

2010-07-18T12:36:00.002-05:00

Dear reader,

If you still have this blog listed as my primary address, I regret to inform you that I have moved again.

www.anothersoul.com

... and I graduated from Judson University recently, that was cool. :)

Summer is imminent

2009-05-20T16:10:00.001-05:00

Well dear reader,

It has been a while. This blog of mine has seen seasons of more usage. I apologized for this in the past. This time, I will simply let it be.

This semester has been at once a strange, wonderful, painful, amazing collection of weeks. There were weeks of great joy, and weeks of great sorrow. Academically, it went well. I received straight A's once more. Considering I had five classes that were mostly upper level for my degree concentration and minor concentration, I am very pleased with the outcome. The picture seen here I took and used for a project in one of my classes, I created a web page for the project. Check it out here.

I'm in Arizona for a few days, enjoying the heat. BTW, you can follow me on twitter @chrismwarren.

So many thoughts are swirling, and yet not one can surface enough to make meaning or significance at this point. Sigh.

Since I am reading Friedman at the moment, I will simply comment on the first few pages of his recently updated tome: The World Is Flat. Friedman contends early on that the Internet and various pieces of it have flattened the globe in a way that makes globalization kick into hyper drive and allow opportunity to be seized by anyone with a computer and access to the world wide web. He is more eloquent then I am, but by creating this post and discussing his book, I am proving his point entirely.

Anyone read the rest? What was the most impactful portion of the book for you?

What are you thinking about? What thoughts are swirling friends?

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica.

2009-01-31T16:15:00.006-06:00

Right, so I was getting excited about Battlestar tonight, and I logged onto Scifi.com to be an uber nerd about it just a few minutes ago.

This is what met me at Battlestar's homepage. I was shocked and slightly dismayed.

I couldn't believe it, they were skipping a week? Why, was it for the Superbowl? (You should come to my party tomorrow!)

Then I realized that BSG was on LAST NIGHT... because last night was Friday... today is Saturday. I am an idiot. In my own defense, I was catching up on some Office episode's last night. I finished Season 3. The ending scene where Ryan gets the corporate job and tells Kelly, "We're finished." Priceless.

Thank God, and thank God for Bittorrent, so I can get a nice copy of it.

I promised I'd write more...

2009-01-19T15:48:00.003-06:00

The semester is starting off good, even if I did miss my first quiz along with three classes today. This semester is going to be pretty heavy on the reading. Especially until I figure out which classes I can skim for and which I need to really read and take some notes for.

I have not settled into a church yet, since I have been here. This is very difficult for me - both finding a church where I will be stretched and will grow and finding a church that is sensitive to the wanderings of a post-modern generation. I am hoping to check a couple out in the coming weeks, and I'd like to post my thoughts here.

Does anyone have Fallout 3? Is it worth getting into? OXM gave it game of the year accolades, but, I'm not convinced yet. Thoughts?

Life as we know it.

2009-01-13T01:22:00.002-06:00

School starts back for the spring semester tomorrow. I think that title is a bit decieving. The weather right now reads 28 F, Haze. It snowed about 4 inches earlier, and blizzard conditions are expected between 2am and 10am. The high is expected to be around 6 F, with windchills down in the 15 to 20 below range. Spring semester my ass. Frozen Winter semester, here we come.

2008 saw some great times in my life. I spent 3 months living at a bed and breakfast in Salzburg, and had the opportunity to travel a great deal during that time. There are photos up in my Picasa Web Albums. I had a ton of good times, and met some incredible people.

2008 also saw some hard times in my life, and I'm not sure if I am ready to be posting about all that here on my blog, those of you who are close know about it anyway.

I don't really make New Year's resolutions... But, I would like to see myself more active here on my blog. I feel like I was in a writer's wasteland for a while, and churning out academic papers hasn't helped that one bit. However, grades for Fall 2008 were straight A's. This should put me on the Dean's List again, but I am waiting for them to actually post. For 2009 I would like to keep that trend up as well, 3 semesters left. I'm ready to knock it out.

Here's to 2009.

I'm in Europe?

2008-09-20T13:04:00.002-05:00

Hey Hey.

So, I am notoriously bad at updating this thing. Its a love/hate relationship here.

I'm in Salzburg for the fall 2008 semester.

I have been posting photos here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/chrismwarren

Enjoy. More photos up every Monday (ish).

Austria

2008-09-07T07:25:00.002-05:00

Yawn...

It has been a great summer. Things in my life have changed quite drastically since last I wrote here. I worked at Starbucks up the road from Judson for the summer and tried to save as much money as possible. That included me biking to work, taking the bus, and begging my co-workers for rides. I made it a whole year without a car! Currently, I have been 13 months without a car, car payment, insurance or gas... I think I chose the right year for that.

I made the Dean's List this last semester. An achivement that my mother is quite proud of - I gave her the certificate. Right now I am in West Virginia gearing up for a semester abroad in Austria. There are 12 of us in total (including the professor who is going with us), and we come from four different colleges throughout this region of the U.S.

I'm taking two history classes (a WWI, and a post WWII), elementary German, and digital photography as part of the program. The other main component of this study is a large travel element. We have 11 free weekends to travel anywhere in Europe that we can get and get back by rail. The program includes an unlimited EURail pass.

I hope to post pictures and regular updates here. I depart the US tomorrow morning. Cheers.

Midterms, Some papers from the DR, and a photo link...

2008-04-04T03:06:00.004-05:00

I promise that I haven't been simply sitting around since I got back from the Dominican.

Here are a couple of papers turned in this week related to my trip:
La Republica Dominicana (ANT271)
9 Pages from an ethnographic position.
SLEX 1 - Dominican Republic (SSC355)
Borrows from the other paper, but here I use some concepts explored in my Cultural Diversity (Sociology) class to try and examine the community a bit.

Midterm grades were solid:
SPC120 Foundations of Speech: B+
BST102 Intro to New Testament: A
SSC355 Cultural Diversity: A-
MAT111 Mathematical Investigations: A
ANT271 Cultural Anthropology: A
Chapel: F (Apparently, my exemption from last semester doesn't carry over, just some paperwork and that will be fixed.)

Here are some photos of my trip, thanks to Kids Around The World.
(I'm in one, keep scrolling)

4 weeks left. Pray for my sanity.

Lets go build a playground!

2008-03-08T01:31:00.003-06:00

Right. That is going to be me in just a few days. I depart in a couple of hours. So, I thought I would post to tell you that I love you too - even if I'm not coming to build you a playground during Spring Break.

Its been a hard week, so pray that I have some energy - mental and physical.

* Mar 8th- Depart for DR
o 4:30am, Leave Judson, travel to O’Hare
* Mar 9th – La Romana
o Church and Softball
* Mar 10th- La Romana
o Building Playground
* Mar 11th- La Romana
o Building Playground
* Mar 12th- La Romana
o Visiting churches in other Batey’s (communities)
* Mar 13th- Santo Domingo
o Excursion Day in Santo Domingo
* Mar 14th- La Romana
o Playground Dedication
* Mar 15th- Depart for Chicago

bokardo.com, I laughed.

2008-02-29T21:41:00.003-06:00

Occasionally I read Joshua Porter's blog about social networking.

He occasionally posts little comics. Above is one that I enjoyed.

My IT Family.

2008-02-25T13:58:00.002-06:00

The following entry is copied over from our Soroti, Uganda team's blog. Its pretty terrible, I found out last Friday, and was shell shocked the rest of the weekend from it. I know that the team is responding in love, and for that I am grateful. I am still processing it... well... I'll let you read it for yourself. -CW

[Link to the original entry.]

"February 25
Major Tragedy

We want to inform you about something tragic that has happened on our team and ask you to pray with us. On Friday, February 15 our teammate and friend was brutally raped. She had been in Soroti with us for two months to do some grass-root work for a new area of ministry our team desires to get involved in – counseling traumatized children. She was also here for the purpose of doing a vision trip to look at the ministry with hopes to come back and join our team in a year. She is a counselor and has a passion for helping traumatized children. We are extremely saddened by what has happened to her.

Since Friday our lives have been consumed with medical visits; police investigation; contacting International Teams, her home church and her insurance company; and caring for our friend. On Tuesday, Richard Ojola, the man who attacked our friend, was arrested. Our friend had to go and identify the man. She, along with us, is very concerned for the man as this is a high-profile capital case and he will most likely receive the death penalty. We have never faced something this hard. The whole thing has been terribly traumatic. Amazingly, our friend is doing fair.

Currently, Angie is accompanying our friend back home for two reasons: first, our friend is unable to function properly because of the side-effects of the anti-HIV drugs; and second, the trauma has not yet hit her and could at any time. At home, she will be able to have the care and support she needs. Her insurance company is covering all of the costs, including business-class airfare for both of them and Angie’s hotel. It is very difficult for her to leave like this but we know it is best for her.

A few things you should know. First of all, WE ARE NOT IN DANGER! The attack happened at night and we do not go out at night. The people here have shared with us that it is dangerous being out after dark, which is why we stay in after dark. There is no danger in the day time; besides, we are almost always with other people. Secondly, we have been so thankful for the support of the other missionaries here, the medical help, the work and kindness of the police, our Ugandan co-workers, International Teams, her home church, her insurance company and the love of our neighbors and friends here.

Third, please pray with us:

for our friend and the healing she needs. Pray for peace as she says good bye to her friends here and as she faces everyone at home.
that Richard is HIV negative and if he is positive that the medication our friend took will prevent her from getting HIV.
for Angie and our friend’s travels.
for Richard Ojola. Although we know justice needs to take place, we also want to see this man forgiven by Christ. We hope to witness to him while he awaits the trial. We do know he was a child soldier and not right in his mind. This doesn’t excuse him but it does make us sad. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies and that is what we need to do. Our friend was able to give him a note and The 4 Spiritual Laws in Ateso, and he did respond with a note requesting forgiveness from her and from God.
for the future weeks as court matters need to be resolved (our friend may very well be summoned back to testify in court – they assured us her travel expenses would be paid for by the Ugandan government)
for us as a team here: Josh and Mandy, Angie and myself, and our children. We have all been under a lot of stress. We are tired and weak emotionally and physically. In addition to this tragedy, our children have been sick. Grace now has dysentery. Avalien has been throwing up and keeping a fever. Our water was out, our power was out, our internet is in and out…these are all little things, but when we are already under this much stress it adds up. We are thankful we have each other.
that the outcome of all this will be for the people of Soroti to come to Christ. We need to be a witness through this situation. The police thought we were crazy for not wanting him to die, for giving him a tract, and bringing him bread and water later that night after he was arrested. They wanted to know why we would do such things. They are amazed we want to share God’s love with this bad man. We pray our witness in this difficult time will transform this community. God can do all things. We pray that His kingdom will penetrate this area to the point where nights will no longer be a time of danger, but of peace.

We know evil is in this world but it does not have the victory. God rules over all and is above all! He is here with us helping us and giving us peace. We are so grateful we can trust and believe in Him. We hope you do not over react from this letter, but we really thought you should know and be praying. Again, our friend is doing fair and we are safe. Thank you for all of your prayers."

Kenyan Violence

2008-02-05T12:38:00.000-06:00

This came in today... I have refrained from publishing previous emails I have received on this topic because of details which may be too specific, but this one is 'sterile' enough. If you don't know what is happening in Keyna, navigate to your favorite news site online and it will slap you in the face there.

International Teams has been touched by the violence directly, someone connected to one of our teams was killed about a week and a half ago.

Here is the latest from Stephen Freed, the Director of International Teams/ International.

Dear Fellow IT-ers,

We are requesting continued fervent prayer for our workers in Kenya,
their families, and the entire nation.

As previously written to you, Kenya is in a condition of violent
reaction following the December national elections. Old wounds of
tribal, land, and disadvantage issues have arisen following concerns
over fraud in the election.

As of February 4, estimates are approximately 350,000 persons have been
displaced from their homes, with many homes being burned, and fear and
threats spreading. Approximately 1,000 people have been killed in a
wide variety of locations. With the potential cycle of revenge and
retaliation for acts of violence, there is much to pray for. Asking God
for the power of His restraining Holy Spirit to stop the evil of greed,
hurt, and revenge.

Our workers in the Rift Valley area have gone through much trauma and
direct threats and losses. Our teams in the Molo area near Nakuru have
had neighbors homes burned, are often sleeping outside at night to be
safe from a possible sudden burning of their own homes, have had to flee
on numerous occasions, and are desperately trying to protect those they
are serving. At the same time they are having to make difficult
decisions about staying in their immediate towns. We honor and respect
their incredible hearts of service as they minister to hundreds of
displaced persons.

Our teams in the Nairobi area are also being forced in numerous
instances to move from their own homes out of fear. Belonging to a
certain tribe, and living in an area where another tribe is in the
majority has led to threats and great risk. These teams have endured
the fear of losing contact with loved ones, and the difficulty of moving
from place to place.

Currently Nairobi is in a state of uneasy calm. Circumstances change
from day to day. Violence has decreased in recent days as opposing
party leaders are finally beginning to talk and negotiate. Our teams
are ministering to many internally displaced people who have gathered at
certain locations waiting to see how events will turn.

As of today we continue to plan to hold an East Africa Regional
Conference right in Nairobi. Some of our new African partners and
workers may be unable to travel to this conference because of safety
issues. We welcome your prayers.

Across other nations in Africa we rejoice (as we do in Kenya as well) at
the development of powerful mission movements. Please pray with us as
we welcome many new workers and partners, and find a whole new "IT"
emerging in East, Central, and Southern Africa - as well as Sudan and Egypt.

Warm regards,
Stephen

Where are all your assignments?

2008-02-04T23:03:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I'm not sure. This semester has been pretty easy so far. A bit of light reading... but nothing too earth shattering.

I have a paper for Thursday due for my New Testament class (Which is significantly better than my OT class was... Sorry Erickson, but you're boring!).

So, in the mean time... here are a couple of things for my Speech class.

Introductory Speech (SPC120). It is only an outline... I don't have audio of my actual speech.

Bonus Assignment (SPC120). I had to relay notes on a speaker that I heard publicly for some bonus credit. While I nailed my actual speech, I apparently have problems memorizing vocabulary terms. Grrr. I'm still fairly confident that I will do well in this class.

I have probably had the most homework from my Math class... But, I'm not going to make scans of that or anything crazy for you. How about I simply relay my test scores. I have a major one coming up Thursday.

I went to the Faith and International Development Conference this past weekend at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. It was good stuff. Maybe another post to follow... for now, I need some sleep.

Forgotten Ways, The

2008-01-20T22:19:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I was in the habit of knocking out a few books. So here is an update of one that I am tracking with.

[Taken from my moleskin] 20 Jan 2008
Reading: The Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch.

"I've had good intentions of reading this book since it came out -- and now, coming off of Exiles by Frost; it only seemed fitting. Alas - I do not read nearly as much as I should - nor do I finish all of the books that I start.

I had this book for the entire Winter break, and simply had not read it - I renewed it from the library without reading a single word.

I cracked it on my flight to PDX last Friday, but didn't make it very far. I ended up chatting with the guy next to me. Today on my return flight I am sitting here with a mix of emotion. First, excitement, joy, wonderment, awe; but all of that is tempered by a tepid fear and a creeping anxiety.

I remarked to Jake [a fellow mobilizer here at ITeams] that this book is going to change my life, and I truly believe that after reaching about a third of the way in."

... So there you have it [minimally edited] straight from my personal journal. I'm only to about page 70, and there are 295 pages [includes table of contents, and addendum's/glossary/bibliography - btw, I hate when publishers do that!].

Creation.

2008-01-12T01:28:00.000-06:00

These guys had showed me how to stencil. [Jake B and Matty S]

These guys gave me the tutorial, gah! I love teh interwebs1!

So - I created. Here is my offering.

[first some photoshop fun, i grabbed a pic of some church doors that snapped in voronezh russia and put it through the process. came out with this, and added a couple words in stencil friendly font.]

[therapeutic]

[orth. cross stencil... yes, i understand that this design almost defeats the purposes of stencil. i get it you crazy 'scene' kids... i'll step it up on the next one, so bugger off.]

[final design]

[front]

[back]

So what do you think?? I will get another up soon, this weekend is crazy busy.

Fall 07 wrap up with grades

2007-12-26T09:17:00.000-06:00

The following is a wrap up of the classes that I took for Fall 2007 at Judson University. This post had the original listings and which books I used (and how much I paid) as well.

Quick Stats: I now have 48 credit hours to my name with a cumulative GPA of 3.375.

BST101 - Intro to Old Testament. Dr. Bob Erickson. GRADE RECEIVED: B.

I learned very little in this class. We had three grades from three tests, and that was it. I received a 93/100, a 74/100, and a 96/100, which is an average somewhere around 87/100.

College lesson learned: Never purchase all of your text books beforehand. I bought a new Bible for 29.99, and a brand new book for 22.99, both of which I did not open. I was able to borrow the main text for the class - I'm glad too, that would have been another 54.99 down the drain (Thanks David!).

HIS480 - History of the U.S. since 1945 to present. Dr. Craig Kaplowitz. GRADE RECEIVED: B+.

This was the most challenging course I took this semester and yet, it was my favorite. I am also most proud of this B+, as I feel I worked my tail off for it. I was expecting to receive a high C to low B, so a high B is especially rewarding. Kaplowitz is an engaging, approachable professor. He is extremely knowledgeable and can deliver his thoughts in a clear concise manner. He assigned a load of written assignments. I have 13 that I uploaded to Google Docs. 3 of those were medium sized papers (1800 - 2200 words), while most were one pagers. One was a research paper, but was only required to be of medium length. I read the most for this class as well. We made it through all four of the texts assigned (three were smaller volumes of primary source material, with some analysis, while one was a full text).

College lesson learned: Don't let your advisor sign you up for whatever... This was a high level class that will end up being nothing more then credit fodder as it does not count toward my final degree. And, it was stinking hard! Albeit rewarding.

HIS262 - History of Civilization II 1500 ad - 2000 ad. Dr. Craig Kaplowitz. GRADE RECEIVED: A.

I enjoyed this class. Kap did a good job with a subject that is boring to most people. (Not to me!) If you are going to take History of Civ II at Judson, and you will if you want to graduate at JU, take it with Kap. We had three medium length papers, in addition to weekly assignments, but there were NO TESTS, NOT A SINGLE ONE. We made it through the text, make use of the online resources with that text book (Worlds Together, Worlds Apart), it can save you a bit of reading.

College lesson learned: Make friends in your class. They can take notes for you when you miss, and even turn in papers when you know your going to 'be sick' that day.

MED240 - Writing for the Media. Professor A. Paul Mouw. GRADE RECEIVED: B.

Prof. Mouw is a wealth of experience, if a bit eccentric. If you are struggling with how to write, don't take this class. The lack of feedback after assignments will not help your style improve unless you seek out Mouw. If you are decent at writing, this class can show you ways to make your writing more effective. I took away a new insight for using different voices for different mediums.

College lesson learned: 8am classes stink. If you can take an alternative to a general ed requirement, do it! I took this class in place of my ENG102, and it was a lot of fun.

SOC151 - Intro to Sociology. Dr. Tim Johnson. GRADE RECEIVED: B-

Notes are critical, especially when you have a professor that writes things he wants you to know on the whiteboard. I took more notes for this class then 3 of my classes combined, the only other course that rivaled was HIS480. Johnson's notes are crazy... and they don't make sense unless you are there to hear the lecture. So, copy exactly what he writes... and then take your own notes on top of that. Johnson's tests are hard... mostly because he incorporates things from the reading that you may, or may not discuss in class, and expects you to know them. There were concepts, names, and readings that I was being introduced to for the first time while reading the study guide for the test. Without the study guides, and my notes, I would have failed every test we took (2, plus final). I am excited to expand on some of the ideas introduced in this class with Johnson next semester as I take Cultural Diversity.

College lesson learned: Get out of the classroom! As part of this class, I did an optional service learning experience. I went several times to feed the homeless in Elgin, and also went brown bagging in the city. Those experiences greatly enriched my learning.

Book total for Fall 2007 was $317.51 USD, I got back about $111.00 USD. THAT IS A NET LOSS OF OVER 200 DOLLARS FOR ONE SEMESTER. Half of the books I returned I did not read in great detail. One I never even opened. Most went for less than 40% of what I paid.

College lesson learned: Your campus bookstore is a blood sucking leech of convenience! DO NOT SHOP THERE, DO NOT RETURN YOUR BOOKS THERE! The only thing worthwhile about Judson's bookstore is that they sell clothes with the name Judson on them. I will be getting all of my books off of half.com or someplace similar for next semester. I will also try to inter-library loan as many as possible as well - you can't beat free.

So, all in all, a good semester. I'm thankful for my scholarship, and am in prayer that it will continue. If you are in the spirit of giving, you can paypal me some money and it will go for school required medical insurance and books for Spring 2008. If you want to make it tax deductible before the end of the year, you can give to my International Teams account which helps support the wage I receive and can serve to differ my travel related expenses this next Spring. Either way, an email to chrismwarren at gmail dot com can point you in the correct direction.

Cheers until 2008!

Do not turn away from me

2007-12-25T23:20:00.000-06:00

Thank you for wrapping yourself in flesh and coming to this earth.

Thank you for living, dying, and living again.

Give me courage to live like you Jesus.

Give me strength to endure like you Jesus.

Father, embrace me as your son, do not turn away from me.

More Than a Transcript Grade

2007-12-06T03:23:00.000-06:00

Ok, here is a bit of substance to go along with that random interjection from earlier... (Caution, the rest is long.) Written for my Intro to Sociology class.

More Than a Transcript Grade

“How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore on Monday?” In his book, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, Shane Claiborne describes a true life event that forever changed his life and those of the people involved^[1]. The quote from above is painted on a banner that someone had hung over the entrance, and is the first thing that greets Claiborne and a few of his friends when they meet this group. The setting is that a group of homeless people have begun to squat inside of an old vacant cathedral in Northern Philadelphia. After Shane and a few of his friends stumble onto this makeshift community, they learn that the city in conjunction with the local diocese which owns the abandoned parish are going to forcefully evict the new tenets from the property. In a flurry of grassroots activism, students from the college he was attending turned out en mass to support the fledgling community.

Shane and his friends are struck by the reality that our Lord and Savior was indeed a homeless man. The gospels even highlight several times where there is anxiety and concern that there might not be enough food for the crowds that gathered to hear Jesus speak^[2]. Jesus did not live “the good life” like so many of us in the United States enjoy. It is impossible to ignore what is becoming epidemic in this country (and many other nations as well). In the U.S. up to 3.5 million people experience homelessness in a given year^[3].

To bring some of my experience in working with the homeless here in Elgin, and in Chicago over the course of the past semester and compare it with what we have been learning in Dr. Johnson's Intro to Sociology course has been extraordinarily enriching. I often find myself in class thinking of living examples of ideas we are reading out of the text^[4].

In my first Service Learning Experience Paper (SLEx Paper), I discussed the social order of the homeless briefly. I feel that to truly dive into and evaluate that, I would need to spend more time being inside that network. Recently, Mike Yankowski was on campus leading our Spiritual Enrichment Week here at Judson University. There were five chapels that week, instead of the requisite three that there normally is. I had heard a little of Mike before he came (He is somewhat of a figure on campus, thanks in large part to him being here the year before, and his book now being required reading for some classes), and just before he came a friend of mine from Denver (Who actually works for the Denver Rescue Mission where Mike stayed) recommended his book Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America. The book is a reflection on the six months that Mike and his friend Sam spend living as homeless men in six different cities in the U.S. Mike told a story in chapel of a man they met in San Fransisco who was known among “the park people” as “The Jesus Guy.” The Jesus guy is actually George^[5]. In chapel, Mike described even more than what is found in the book. George is actually living in government housing himself, and spends much of his income on food that he brings down to the park to share with other homeless people. This stands out because it marks a clean delineation within the homeless community. This man who barely blips on the social radar of the lower class in America is actually doing well enough to be a provider to a group of homeless that live in Golden Gate Park. Instead of saving as much money as he can to propel himself higher within “normal” society, George is intentionally positioning himself in such a way to maximize what he can offer to the others who live as he recently had.

Mike also told a story of an elderly man who approached them one night with a loaf of bread. The man walked up, asked them if they had eaten, broke the loaf in two and handed them the crusty hunk of bread. Seeing that this man was frail, they insisted that he take all the bread. The man simply responded that God had provided enough for him today, and that he should share the excess with others in need. Again showing that even within the homeless community, there is a network of social support. To evaluate the effectiveness, or measure the reach of this network is not my aim here, it is simply something that is there.

Near the end of the semester in Sociology, we began to study labor markets and how they are split into two distinct echelons. The primary labor market typically being described as “white collar” and the secondary labor market as “blue collar.” We studied some of the more intricate details and some of the “why's” of this reality, but near the end Dr. Johnson spoke of “channeling” into the labor markets. I was struck in that moment that the homeless exemplify that, they are victims also of labeling. Once you are homeless, there is a what is often referred to as a “vicious cycle” of employment obtainment. Jobs are hard to find in the current economic trend, and if you don't possess the basic skills for a given job, you are out of luck. But, even when you possess the requisite skill, if you are without a permanent address or phone number, you may be denied employment as this demonstrates “unacceptable risk” on the employers part. This comes full circle when you realize that to obtain housing, one must have income.

In the end, I feel like participating in SLEx enhanced my study of sociology. You might have titled my SLEx “LIF110: Intro to Urban Problems”. The early mornings serving breakfast, and the aching legs after wandering around Chicago passing out lunches are positive memories. That along with readings from Shane Claiborne's and Mike Yankowski's books lead to true life education. I was able to experience what I was being taught. I was able to see case studies come alive before my eyes. Definitions and statistics translated into true life, theory became practice. As I have already noted, I have just begun learning about homelessness and urban problems in America, but I move on from this semester with more than a simple grade on a transcript.

Citations

1. Shane Claiborne. The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical. p. 56.

2. Matthew 14:15.

3. “http://lahsc.org/wordpress/educate/statistics/united-states-homeless-statistics/”Accessed: 06 December 2007.

4. Stark. Sociology, Tenth Edition.

5. Mike Yankowski. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America. pp. 138 – 142.

Finals - Fall 07 Edition.

2007-12-05T23:09:00.000-06:00

Bah.

Finals are coming in a week.

I just took my last test (so basically a final) in my Intro to Old Testament class tonight. I am supposed to be writing a couple of assignments for tomorrow now... But, I simply have no motivation.

Next Tuesday (which is actually a reading day) I have one paper, and one serious project (which has seen little headway in recent weeks) due by 5pm. And, I need to make up the articles for my Media class that I have been delaying.

That said... Tonight was a free meal (for commuters) at the cafeteria. That brings the grand total to meals eaten in the cafeteria this semester to three. It was decent, the ham was even good, but the salmon was awful. Seriously, I am getting sick just thinking about it. I hope no one ate it.

Free ice skating for commuters on Friday! haha.

After classes end I will finish getting all the written stuff up here, as well as provide the grades I receieved on each one... And eventually the course grades too. Good stuff.

I will be back in Tucson from December 19th to the 28th. Lets party.

Grades - Midterm Fall 2007

2007-11-09T18:18:00.000-06:00

So, I only have a few weeks left in the semester, four weeks plus finals week. We also have a half a week break for Thanksgiving... Here are my grades at midterm (a little over a week ago I got these). I should already be registered for my Spring 2008 courses but, thanks to lackluster advising, I have no idea what I need to take. I was hoping to get down to the registrar today and see about sorting it myself, hopefully I can on Monday.

If you have forgotten, here is a longer description of each class, as well as the texts used for each one.

Midterm Fall 2007:
MED240 (Writing for the media) - B
SOC151 (Intro to Sociology) - NR (not reported) but, I would guess low A on a test grade, paper grade, and work that I have gotten back.
HIS480 (History of the U.S. since 1945) - B
HIS262 (History of Civilization II) - A-
BST101 (Intro to Old Testament) - NR, but just got test back, which is the only grade we have received, 93%. So, A.

Assignments I turned in Thursday, Nov 8th 2007:
ARE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS OUT OF CONTROL? (HIS480)
Holiday Memories (MED240)

Netflix (redux)

2007-11-07T17:50:00.000-06:00

I have used Netflix off and on over the last two years (who knew! haha, I didn't until I sat down to write this post and checked!). I even blogged about it once at the old space. I obviously didn't have them while I was gone overseas, and I didn't use them while in Tucson earlier this year - because my roommate Trevor had Blockbuster.com, but I have been using them for a while... and I feel compelled to make my rental history known.

I pay $17.99/month for 3-at-a-time unlimited, I load up a bunch of movies I want to see, and they ship them to me [pretty much] in the order I want them. I keep them as long as I want (nothing is ever late), watch them when I want, and send them back - prepaid to Netflix, who ships me the next disc upon receipt. When done right, the 3/unlimited plan can deliver a fresh movie to your house almost everyday of the week. They have a wide range of plans... and now feature some streaming movies (based on hours/month) directly from their website for those instant compulsions.

No, I am not going to recount every movie I have rented (presently 109 individual discs, as many were part of a series) or rated (371 titles) through them. I like to watch TV shows this way, no commercials.

So, as you look at the titles below... Do you use Netflix or similar online rental service? Does it work for you? Do you rent in the store? How much money do you spend on rentals in a month? Have you seen any of the below? What do you think? Leave it in the comments.

These three came in the mail yesterday:

Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price

Equilibrium

An Inconvenient Truth

And these represent my rental history since resuming Netflix two months ago. In order of watched. Anything stand out to you??

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1: Disc 1: The Miniseries

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1: Disc 4 (5-Disc Series)

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1: Disc 5 (5-Disc Series)

Fracture

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1: Disc 2 (5-Disc Series)

Battlestar Galactica: Season 1: Disc 3 (5-Disc Series)

Ultraviolet

Super Size Me

Stranger than Fiction

Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut

Yankowski - What are you doing NOW?

2007-11-06T18:37:00.000-06:00

Its been three months (and a few days) since I moved to Elgin. It has been a good three months... I've been in school, reading a ton, writing a ton, and learning a ton. (And working a fair clip too!)

I had approached this time as a time of training, a time for education, a time to prepare myself for service.

But - I've had that view challenged.

Mike Yankowski can to speak at Judson University last week for our Spiritual Enrichment Week which is a focused time of sequential chapels. Mike was here speaking about his experience on the streets of America as a homeless man. He spoke of the obstacles he had to deal with, and the experiences that came out of that - the obstacles that were sometimes places there by Christians, experiences that were sometimes made negative by Christians.

However, one of Mike's main themes for the week was "what are you doing now to serve Christ?" This thought echoed in my brain all week.

"The only appropriate place for us to manifest our theology is the present." - Mike Yankowski.

Matthew 25:14 is the parable of the talents. The Master has given us resources to use today. Those who use what they have earn return, and are rewarded... But, the one who simply hides his talent away while the Master is away is rebuked for at least not earning interest on the money entrusted to him. We cannot wait for tomorrow.

NOW. Yes, while you are in school.
NOW. Yes, while you are learning.
NOW. Not in the future, not next year, not next week or even tomorrow.
NOW. What are you doing today to live out your faith.

Heaven help me... Am I doing enough?

The assignments I promised (and the reasons I am sleeping in the picture above):
Essay 2 FINAL "The Effect of Colonization on the New World" (HIS262) Thanks to Stacie, Deb, and Jake who helped edit the final draft for me. I didn't get it out in enough time for a serious edit.
Article Outline - Berkowitz, "Television" (HIS480)

Same thing, two weeks later...

2007-11-06T02:14:00.000-06:00

Ha.

I was no good at updating the last couple of weeks. Even after I was critical on another's blog! Guilty. Flog me in the street!

Random:
Last week or ealier:
- Worked the PlanetWisdom Conference while it was in town. (I flirted with some girls from Bethany College of Missions, they tried to recruit me... I decided I am very happy at Judson - now, if I could just work out that flirting thing at JU... hmmm)
- House sat for my boss, she has three dogs, one of which requires medication 3 times daily. I am allergic to one of those dogs at least. More reason I don't like pets.
- Fall Break came and went.
- Got Under The Overpass by Mike Yankowski. He was here at Judson for "Spiritual Enrichment Week." More on that to come... I guarantee.
- Finished up Exiles by Michael Frost. << href="http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Halo3/Default.aspx?player=djjubei1">Here is the proof (although, my actual exp is way behind on the interwebz. Bungie! My stats are borked - again!).

Today:
- Ate at a greasy fast food restaurant called "Jester's" - Got a haircut, and got 4 bucks off the haircut (because it was monday, not because they made an 'accident').
- Learned NEVER to say "Large" at McDonald's. (This also marks the first McDonald's I have had since seeing Super Size Me... I only ordered iced coffee... and it was still wayyyyy more then I was expecting.)
- Got rejected for a library card... For the second time. Thx Gail Borden.
- "Getting an abortion is easier then getting a library card, seriously!" D. Schlager.

Assignments!! Cuz itz THURZDAY... wait... TUEZDAY!

STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH ALCOHOL (MED240)

The next one I worked really hard on... and I hope I get a good grade. The link will be updated after final edits, but here it is for review (its due in 13 hours). I better get an A! ... erm... I think my work is worthy of high marks professor... :)
Essay 2 FOR REVIEW "Colonization's Effect on the New World" (HIS262) Essay 2 FINAL.

I missed a few this past week. I have one more for tomorrow. I will get them all caught up tomorrow night - and maybe a picture of my not-so-new new haircut if you are lucky. I'm tired.

Its Thursday - That means a couple of one page papers. Woot.

2007-10-11T00:13:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of assignments due for today. If you read my HIS480 Analysis Paper from last week, this week's is a bit more objective, and less crazy. But, hey, crazy worked. I got a 9/10 on it last week... Although, Dr. Kaplowitz did suggest a new approach. :)

CRONKITE LOSES FAITH IN LBJ AND VIETNAM (HIS480)

Document Assignment - Chapter 6 (HIS262)

I am almost done reading Michael Frost's Exiles. And, I can see why a good friend of mine really liked the first two parts, but didn't stomach the next two as well. I will put a mini-review up when I am finished. I've read too much for one week, and I still have one more article (don't think 3 paragraphs, think 15 pages) to read for tomorrow. I have been reading since about 5pm, stopping only to write the two above assignments. I love being in school! Leave me a comment... I like them!

IT BEGINS WITH BREAKFAST

2007-10-10T00:42:00.000-05:00

I gulped down the last of my lukewarm coffee, it was sickly sweet with an earthy after taste. It had too much sugar, but it was the only way to stomach the weak, bitter liquid. “Would you like an egg with that?” Was the line repeated 44 times. “Yessir please,” “With extra pepper,” or a simple nod were the most common replies. I stuffed an egg and a couple of tiny packs of salt and pepper into a brown bag and passed it to the left. [read the rest here]

I have to turn in the first of three analytical papers for my "service learning experience," or SLEx, that is part of my sociology class. The above excerpt is the opening paragraph of the first one, due Thursday. It has some of my thoughts so far on serving breakfast once a week to the homeless here in Elgin.

It Begins With Breakfast, SLEx 1 of 3 (SOC 151)

I have a few more assignments that I should have written up for Thursday. I got my first test back today, for sociology, I got an 80% on it. A little lower than I hoped for, but I am happy with that result. I needed to study more for it, but I didn't have time.

Here is one I turned in last week for Media that I forgot about:
The Student Life of a Commuter is Hard (MED240)

I have a few new photos up over on flickr. Some from my city immersion last weekend. Oh yeah, if I look sad in that second photo - its cause I am. The first photo is looking into "the bean" at Chicago's Millennium Park.

Hey... Homework!

2007-10-04T00:18:00.000-05:00

Wow... Its been a week. I'm tired. Simply put.

Last weekend I spent in the city with some students up from John Brown University. Saturday night I spent in a gay bar learning about the homosexual community and the problem of male prostitution. Sunday I went to an all Spanish speaking church, learned about the Hispanic community over lunch. Sunday night we talked about racial reconciliation between whites and blacks... I had some misconeceptions shattered. Namely... How whites think we have made progress toward real reconciliation, but blacks think we have not made very much progress. Monday I learned about Muslims and Hindus living in America, that they are here, and they have an agenda that is eerily similar to Christians. I also bought a Dostoyevsky book at a Russian bookstore.

I haven't really caught up yet... Here are a couple of assignments turned in this week.

Globalization in the Modern World: An Introduction (HIS262)

Document Assignment - Chap 5 (HIS 262)

JOHNSON PLAYS ON SENATE'S GRIEF (HIS480)

I got a grade back on my "Facade of Consensus." I got a B+

I am happy with that. Ok... Sleep now. Maybe after school tomorrow I can finally feel caught up a bit on homework... Wait... Sleep will have to wait a little longer... I have a Sociology test at 9:30am...

Saturday Links Serving

2007-09-29T11:12:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends.

I ended up not going to homeless breakfast yesterday. There was no way for me to get home, because they were going to be involved in moving the location all mid-morning post breakfast, and I had Chapel to get back for. Next Friday.

I have a few links to pass along... I read a lot of blogs, and most of them help you improve your life. Here are some fresh links for your weekend.

Services:

Mint >> Online Money Management (I so need this...) [via: Lifehacker]

Facebook >> Social Networking... Its not just for high schoolers. Promote yourself on the web. There are endless applications to customize your experience. I now track all the books I have read through my Visual Bookshelf. [See my Facebook here]

Google Docs >> Create, Edit, View, Share, and Collaborate your documents, spreadsheets, and now powerpoint presentations all online. [linked to your Google Account]

Blogs:

Church Relevance Blog >> Cool demographic insights, solid interviews, and wonderings about how to engage modern culture better.

Smashing Magazine >> For web developers and other tech geeks. Cool design stuff (like graphics, and fonts), and other useful applications.

Google Reader >> Ok, not a blog in itself, but, it is the only way I can keep up with the 109 subscriptions I have. That number grows at a net rate of probably 1-2/week. Here are some stats. I have only recently started to star/share/and email things. All of those emails are from the last week.

"From your 109 subscriptions, over the last 30 days you read 942 items, starred 22 items, shared 3 items, and emailed 3 items."

Ok... I have a paper to try and write before I jet off to the city. You rock.

Would you like an egg? Thoughts from Homeless Ministry.

2007-09-27T08:38:00.000-05:00

** UNFINISHED THOUGHTS FROM LAST FRIDAY MORNING // MORE TOMORROW, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU DEAR READER**

This morning, I woke up early, 6am. Ok, I know it is not that early... After all I used to open a Starbucks several times a week at 4:30am. At any rate, it is early for my college schedule.

Gene, who I work with, picked me up at 6:30, and we went down to a local church in Elgin and served some breakfast items and sack lunch items to about 40 homeless.

We arrived a few minutes before sandwiches arrived, and Toni and Tom had most things already set up. Toni is the church secratary, and is charge of this ministry on behalf of the church. A few people came in and dropped off some bananas, Tom is fufilling his community service. We had about 4 dozen hardboiled eggs, and Gene put me at the front of the 'food buffet line.'

Some homeless were already inside, patiently waiting for their food. Gene placed a large coffee server out (ironically filled with Starbucks drip coffee) and this signified that we were ready to serve. I was at the front of the line near a sign in sheet (so they can track the amount of people), a stack of empty sacks, and the eggs. With very little instruction... I was sorting out how to begin this process, do I bag an egg, a packet of salt, and a packet of pepper without asking if they even want these things? Do they have a choice, or do we just give them what we have?

Generally I would greet with a 'good morning' or a 'how is your morning' which I quickly became self concious of... I was terrified that one would retort back 'Well, I'm still homeless, what the hell do you expect?' I was unsure how to respond when a man simply grunted, and didn't look up at me.

"Would you like an egg?" was my next question. Most did, and some had a preference on the salt/pepper. Some didn't want pepper, one didn't want salt. One Puerto Rican woman, Magarita, gretted me with a "Hey baby," a wink, and a blown kiss... Then proceeded to try and get two eggs out of me. We eventually gave her another egg, but only after we made sure we had enough for everyone who wanted one.

Choice of sandwich.

Describe the coffee.

Michael.

Racial Mix.

Grateful attitude, and general cheer, but... a lack of joy?

Clean up.

??

**AGAIN, THESE ARE TOTALLY UNFINISHED THOUGHTS!**

Yay for school work!

2007-09-26T23:22:00.000-05:00

Here is a couple of assignments due Thursday afternoon.

I have an upcoming media article (expect it by Tuesday), as well as an essay for my History of Civ II (HIS262) class.

FAIR PLAY FOR THE US ECONOMY (HIS480)

Document Assignment - Chap 4 (HIS262)

And... I swear to get something about the homeless breakfast up this Friday. I swear it. I have just been distracted.

I miss Santiago.

2007-09-22T04:19:00.000-05:00

I miss this cafe.

I did some work in downtown Elgin Friday morning, we fed some homeless people. I scribbled some thoughts down, but want to work on them a bit more before I get them out to you, dear reader.

I grieve the loss of the cafe tonight. Seriously, my heart aches for that community that once was. I want to take that experiment someplace and plant my life there.

BTW -- [The cafe] is still open... but none of us have heard from the new owners. I talked with someone who goes there occasionally, and she said they have changed it in a few dramatic ways.

I also picked up a book today called Urban Ministry In a New Millennium by David Claerbaut. I got it to try and help me understand the area of ministry I am focusing on for International Teams.

History Papers - And a photo.

2007-09-20T00:30:00.001-05:00

I have written my first tougher paper of the semester for my History of US since 1945 class (HIS480). It's about 1500 words, entitled: The Facade of Postwar American Consensus.

Here is the thesis:

In the late 1940's and 1950's, America showed signs of growing popular consensus regarding what was good for the nation. This consensus, or general agreement, was shared by many flocking to suburban America and, although policy implementation among parties differed; shared by many national leaders. This is true - however, consensus was not shared by all, most notably, the impoverished, African Americans. This era of consensus would not last long. [read the rest of the paper on Google Docs by clicking here].

As this paper marks a real attempt to write a quality paper, I would appreciate all feedback. I wish it wasn't due for a week so I could revise it based on critique, but alas... It is due at 1pm, today (and I already emailed it to my Prof. haha).

I also had a primary source document assignment for History of Civ II (HIS262).

Document Assignment - Chapter 3 (HIS262)

Re: The picture. I whipped up a little Gimp/Picasa magic last night as a creative response to feeling the pressure of the paper. Stop the Traffik has been on my mind a lot lately... I have a cool story about a recruit I talked to earlier this week too... So I hope I can get that up soon.

zomg!!! Donald Miller?!?!

2007-09-17T23:59:00.000-05:00

:: taken from donaldmillerwords.com ::

I love Don Miller.

I think most of the readers here know that.

I am still waiting to read To Own A Dragon but, I have loved the meandering prose he sets forth in his other books, including Blue Like Jazz.

Wait - Did I just say Blue Like Jazz? I'm glad you brought it up! According to our friend the author himself, there will soon be a Blue Like Jazz movie among us... [here is the link to that audio clip from shine.fm]

Miller also discusses his upcoming book, but I'll be honest here... The snippet of audio here is pretty ambiguous regarding what the book is -- unless you know that the title is: Let Story Guide You. Then, haha, well then it makes perfect sense. [ht: donmillerfans.net]

[ht: relevantmag]

Media Homework

2007-09-16T20:15:00.000-05:00

The only writing I had to do for Tuesday. For my Media class.

Lead/Open Paragraphs 10-20 (MED240)

Another assignment that kinda seems out of context... Mostly just an exercise.

The Classes, The Books.

2007-09-16T01:06:00.000-05:00

Right, so I said I would give a brief about each class... Here it is.

BST101 - Intro to Old Testament. Dr. Bob Erickson. A survey course exploring the "older testament." The nicest man you have ever met, is also the slowest speaker you have ever met. Class meets Wednesday nights 1730 - 2030.
Books: The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, ISBN 0-19-528883-4 (New - $32.99 USD); Encountering the Old Testament by B. Arnold and B. Beyer, ISBN 0-81010-2176-6 (Used - BORROWED) ; Readings from the Ancient Near East by B. Arnold and B. Beyer, ISBN 0-8010-2292-4 (New - $22.99).

HIS480 - History of the U.S. since 1945 to present. Dr. Craig Kaplowitz. My only upper level course this semester, I am thoroughly enjoying it. We picked up right at the end of WWII, with a brief touch on the 20's, and 30's for context. Interesting stuff for sure. I love learning about the Cold War, and it is fun to be learning about America during that time period. Class meets Tuesday/Thursday 1300 - 1415.
Books: The American Paradox: A History of The United States Since 1945 by Stephen M. Gillion, ISBN 0-618-66086-0 (Used - $47.75 USD); Lyndon B. Johnson and American Liberalism by Bruce J. Schulman, ISBN 0-312-42633-4 (Used - $12.00 USD); The Rise of Conservatism in America, 1945 - 2000 by R. Story and B. Laurie, ISBN 0-312-45064-8 (Used - $16.00 USD); The Movements of the New Left 1950 - 1975 by Van Gosse, ISBN 0-312-13397-9 (Used - $12.00 USD).

HIS262 - History of Civilization II 1500 ad - 2000 ad. Dr. Craig Kaplowitz. General history... But, I think Kap makes it interesting (And there are some cute girls that make it quite bearable!). Class meets Tuesday/Thursday 1430 - 1515.
Book: Worlds Together, Worlds Apart by R. Tignor et al. ISBN 0-393-97746-3 (Used $68.00 USD).

MED240 - Writing for the Media. Professor A. Paul Mouw. It is replacing my upper level English requirement, and it much more interesting my opinion. Class meets Tuesday/Thursday 0800 - 0915.
Book: FeatureWriting.Net by Michael Ray Smith, ISBN 0-9748319-2-1 (New - $19.99 USD).

SOC151 - Intro to Sociology. Dr. Tim Johnson. It was Intro to Psych. or Intro to Soc. Enjoying it so far. I will be doing a "service learning experience" as part of this class. Class meets Tuesday/Thursday 0930 - 1045.
Book: Sociology, Tenth Edition by Rodney Stark, ISBN 0-495-09344-0 (Half.com - $65.00 USD).

So... Yeah... That is the brief. Book total was $317.51 USD. I had enrolled in a math class also, but then I was going to have to pay extra tuition... so I dropped it, but not before I dropped $105.99 USD on the text book off of half.com. I'm just going to keep it, I will take the class next semester. I got out alright with the near $320 total for books, but I actually spent closer to $475 with the math book, and I was able to borrow one and return that book for some money back. $300 is reasonable, $500 is not.

I'm also reading a book for a small group that I have started going to. I'll write about that next time.

Forgot a couple...

2007-09-14T00:45:00.000-05:00

Here are some more assignments from my MED240 Class... Writing for the Media.

Lead/Open Summaries 2-9 (MED240)
*Examining how print writers use leads and opening paragraphs. We have been given a packet of 20 stories, mostly in detail form. We use the existing details to craft an opener.

... Well... I guess only one more... as the other document is having issues. Oh well, its the same as above... only paragraph 1.

On School...

2007-09-14T00:13:00.000-05:00

In my last post I put forth and responded to a question of poverty. It was required for my Intro to Sociology class... I wanted to post it here, and I decided to... But, that got me to thinking... I am beginning to write a lot for my various classes. So, that lead me to decide that I am going to publish anything that I write up for a class on Google Docs. Some things are trivial, some things will seem disconnected unless I explain the context of the assignment. I have chosen to publish everything in an ongoing effort to be transparent in all I do, but more importantly... I want your feedback.

Feedback. Below are links to all the articles/papers I've written in the first three weeks of class. Most of them are outlines and one pagers. I have my first extended history paper due in a week. But, I love interaction. You have a viewpoint that is different than my own... but is valuable. Maybe I missed something huge, tell me. Maybe something struck you as funny, tell me. Maybe I am flat out wrong, I pray you tell me.

Out of the six documents below, by far the Poverty one seems the most important one for a discussion. The others are either outlines, or written "as a columnist," which may or may not truly represent me. One specifically (Sept 13th Analysis Paper for HIS480) was written from the perspective of a happily married columnist in the mid-1950's.

In the future, I will put links to new articles/papers in their own posts for easy feedback commenting.

Edgar Outline (HIS480)

Sept 13th Analysis Paper (HIS480)

Sept 6th Document Assignment Chapter 12 (HIS262)

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Report (MED240)

Edgar Article (MED240)

Poverty Question (SOC151)

In my next post... I promise I will tell you something real. Like... What school I am attending, how things are going, and what the heck HIS480 is and why I am in it. Promise.

Poverty?

2007-09-14T00:05:00.000-05:00

Below is copied in full a short write up I turned in for my Intro to Sociology class Thursday morning. Here is the link to the same article on Google Docs.

Warren, Christopher M
Dr. Johnson, Tim
SOC151 T/Th 0930 – 1045
September 13, 2007
Q: Poverty?

Q: If poverty exists, does it have a positive effect on society?

Poverty does exist in our world today, its effects are undeniable. What if your newspaper headlines read “15,000 dead in one day,” what if they read “30,000 in one day?” The startling truth is, these headlines could appear in your paper today. Its saddening that they do not. In the second paragraph of his introduction Dr. Jeffery Sachs writes that: “Every morning our newspapers could report, 'More than 20,000 people perished yesterday of extreme poverty'” (Sachs 1).

But, our question today is not just, “Does poverty exist?” It is “If poverty exists, does it have a positive effect on society?” This is hard. Identifying poverty is simple enough, data from the World Bank shows us that there are many places in the world that live in “Extreme Poverty” on less than $2 a day (less than 750 $/yr). The majority of poor people live in three regions East Asia, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. (Sachs 21). Does it have a positive effect on society?

Without a doubt, the existence of developing nations helps under gird the economy of the United States of America. The US has increasingly been involved in the world economy since the end of WWII, and the end of an era of isolationalism. Southeast Asia is the primary location of textile factories, the cheap labor in this area directly translates into a lower price point for imported clothing. Check your t-shirt, where does it come from? Many have campaigned against these aptly named “sweat shops,” but Sachs instead says that these jobs offer an important step in the economic ladder out of poverty. Instead of closing down the sweat shops, we should campaign for better wages and benefits for these workers. As the world explores Globalization more and more everyday, we see the positive effects that poverty has on the world economy. It is cheaper for workers in Mexico to manufacture cars than it is to pay a union worker in Detroit. It is cheaper for Swiss Air to send all their paper documents to India, have them sorted and translated into spreadsheets then sent electronically back to Zurich, than it is to pay a worker in Switzerland to do a simple data entry job (Sachs 179).

Poverty creates the existence of social classes by forcing divisions along economic lines, is it right that we exploit these differences? I think one could argue 'yes' if he says that we are bringing the economically lagging societies along. But I resolutely say 'no' if they are being left behind, as this only perpetuates the existence of poverty.

Cited: Sachs, Dr. Jeffery D; The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. The Penguin Press, New York, 2005.

Life Update

2007-08-15T13:47:00.000-05:00

Hello dear reader.

I've neglected all of you. I have not written. I'm not sorry about it.. it just hasn't happened. I do miss all of you.

So, here is the update of the blog, for your consumption.

I have moved. Tucson is but a heartbreaking memory. Chicago now fills my vision, my thoughts.

I'm out here in Elgin, IL (its a suburb - like Marana, but without the cowfolk...). For those that don't know, I will be attending this fall at Judson College with a focus on Inter-cultural studies. Tuesday, I start a new position with an old friend. I will be in the Mobilization department here at International Teams.

Revolution by George Barna - Part 3

2007-05-29T12:29:00.000-05:00

Webster, not one to succumb to societal pressure to exaggerate, defines a revolution as "an overthrow or repudiation and through replacement of an established government or plolitical system by the people governed." It adds that a revolution may also be a "radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure." [p.11]

Already 20 million strong [p.13]!?! A "growing sub-nation" within Christian society. Is it really possible?

... Revolutionaries are embarrassed by language that promises Christian love and holiness but turns out to be all sizzle and no substance. [p.14]

That rings deep with me. Just before this, Barna says that Revolutionaries are not impressed by degrees and Christian colleges and seminaries that are produce graduates who are "incapable" of devoting their lives to others or of defending the Bible. As I prepare to enter into a degree program this fall - I am paying close attention to that.

**tangent** For those wondering, things look like everything is on track for me to be enrolled for the fall semester at Judson College in Elgin IL. Hopefully working at International Teams.[I should know more in days.]

By the end of this second chapter Barna warns Revolutionaries to "count the cost." He parallels modern day Revolutionaries to the prophets of old. He reminds us how Jesus was persecuted.

The mere presence of Revolutionaries makes the typical American citizen - yes, even the typical churchgoer - uncomfortable. [p.16]

Thoughts? In the next part I will outline what Barna calls the seven passions of Revolutionaries.

Revolution by George Barna - Part 2

2007-05-26T12:02:00.000-05:00

Here were my initial thoughts, if you missed it.

I have been thinking about this book all week. I have had the chance to discuss it with several people (only one had read any of it, and that only after I was talking about it).

I just want to highlight some of the points that I am beginning to take away from the book. Many of you (in Tucson especially) know that I have been discontent with my local church for some time. There are a few reasons for this, and that may be fodder for a future post, but I still don't think I understand the reasons well enough to fully digest at this time. I certainly have not approached the leadership in regards to these concerns, and that is my fault alone. So, before I go ripping into my longtime church home - I need a more balanced outlook on the subject. That said - I feel a large disconnect from my home church.

The first chapter of Revolution illustrates two men who have both walked away from their home churches for nearly identical reasons. They are in similar stations in life, and are friends who meet at least once a week. In approaching their disconnect, they took different paths. David, chose to keep up his spiritual disciplines, and continued searching for ways he could bless others. Michael simply "chose to call a truce with God and simply get on with life, sans church." [p.2] David is representative of a Revolutionary Christian.

They are not willing to play religious games and aren't interested in being part of a religious community that is not intentionally and agressively advancing God's Kingdom. They are people who want more of God - much more - in their lives. And they are doing whatever it takes to get it. [p.7]

Michael is representative of a backsliding Christian; he is losing touch with everything spiritual by walking away.

He loves God, has prayed that Jesus Christ would save him from his sins, and believes many biblical doctrines. But Michael's life is more about living for Michael than it is about living for God. [p.8]

Barna goes on to say...

The United States is home to an increasing number of Revolutionaries... The key to understanding Revolutionaries is not what church they attend, or even if they attend. Instead it's their complete dedication to being thoroughly Christian by viewing every moment of life through a spiritual lens and making every decision in light of biblical principles. [p.8]

The first chapter introduces you to who a Revolutionary is, and proclaims loudly to all Revolutionaries...

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Thoughts? Questions? Let's talk.

IJM >> Sharon Cohn

2007-05-25T19:42:00.000-05:00

I'm listening to the latest Relevant Podcast. [listen here, its an embedded mp3]

Its absolutely stellar (as always, dear readers, as always...), and this issue is especially amazing because it has an interview with Sharon Cohn from International Justice Mission.

The podcast is over an hour long... skip to 9:50 to get the beginning of the interview... its about 11 minutes long.

Subjects touched on: trafficking, slavery, justice, getting involved.

**UPDATE:: 26 May 07 ::**
The back half of the podcast deteriorated into meaningless banter. Funny, but pointless. After the 'in studio' performance of Jonezetta, go ahead and stop listening. That is all.

The Third Way.

2007-05-24T07:49:00.000-05:00

Maybe, as followers of Jesus, we are called to be people of the third way. People who transcend categories, stereotypes, and extremes. People who are not owned by one ideology, perspective, or party. People who rise above polarization to find creative, compelling ways to bring bits of heaven to earth.
[taken from ben irwin]

This is a bit of a fresh perspective on a well known verse for me. (Matthew 5:39-41).

Thanks Ben.

I head down to Elgin tonight to hang with some ITeamers. This morning/afternoon will be spent with Stacie Shopp sightseeing in the city here.

Thoughts of Revolution still bounce in my head.

Revolution by George Barna

2007-05-22T12:28:00.000-05:00

Today I am in Antioch, IL visiting with NorthBrigde Church, and members of the Russian team who I served with last fall. The team is meeting all the members of the church staff this morning. As a "get-to-know" each other activity we are answering random questions.

My question was "What is the most impactful book you have read in the last six months?"

I read it on the plane last Saturday. Revolution by George Barna.

Barna hashes out the tough data that he has been tackling during the last 5 years. He basically predicts a coming revolution within the church. This revolution will be made up of younger people (1965-2002), who are discontent with the current model of congregational faith based communities.

This book challenged the reader on multiple occasions to examine whether or not they were a revolutionary themselves. But, before Barna even asked me... I found myself saying "That's me!" or "I think that too!"

I will post up some excerpts and comment on those in the coming week. In the meantime, YOU need to go get this book from your local retailer, and read it. Seriously, if you are a conservative, progressive, modern, postmodern... where ever you believe you fall.

The revolution is coming.

New Direction

2007-05-19T15:31:00.000-05:00

Previously, I have blogged over at chriswarren.blogspot.com, but, I have decided to head a new direction with my blogging.

So here it is.

otherssteal.blogspot.com

"Some pray for, others steal." from U2's City Of Blinding Lights, album: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. [full lyrics from u2.com]

I'm just picked up George Barna's Revolution. Two chapters in, and I am convinced that the book will be relevant to my life. [read an excerpt at barna.org]

My next post will be some thoughts on that.

Bookmark me, add me to your RSS reader, and check back soon. Peace.