Afterglow: The Day After Valentine’s Day

15 02 2012

I love observing men on the day after Valentine’s day. In the trucking company that I manage, I have a unique opportunity to have several conversations with our drivers in the morning while their trucks warm up. Likewise, I get to converse with these drivers at the end of their work day as well.

All week I’ve been hearing the guys gripe about having to pick up flowers and chocolates for Valentine’s day, but to hear them speak the morning after, you’d think that it was their favorite holiday of the year (secretly, it probably is).

Some went out and some stayed in, but each of the men I talked to this morning had a mischievous grin – proud to keep secret (most of) the details of the night before, a treasure to protect and cherish.

What other annual event is geared to bring you close to the one you love? Birthday’s are selfish, Christmas is a gong show (even though it shouldn’t be) and every other special event is just about having a good time. Nothing against all that, but Valentine’s day, commercial as it may be (what holiday or event isn’t), is about bringing us into oneness with our lover, the one person who knows us and is known by us like no other.

From her shoes to her hair to her dress and her underwear, everything that she put on was chosen to make her man stare. Even as we sat in a restaurant by the beach, there were a hundred beautiful women dressed to attract the attention of their lovers, and yet each man really only saw one. His.

I greatly enjoyed being in the middle of a room full of people tending to fires of love, starting with paper, kindling, and slowly adding fuel to the fire until it was blazing hot. Some were rekindling old flames some were igniting something new, but all were lost in the eyes of one.

Every provocative gesture, every double entendre, every cheesy rhyme; every touch, every kiss, every longing glance – all part of an elaborate dance that draws lovers together for one special night.

And oh, what a night!

 Love.


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Adopting Hope

18 01 2012

Hope is an expectation, an inventive vision, a dream. Hope is a desire.

Hope imagines what faith can create and build. Hope is the designer, the architect, the plans on paper; faith is the carpenter that constructs something tangible, something that you can see and touch from what was once only a dream.

When hope is dashed by doubt and fear, love perseveres…and love always has hope!

Faith, hope and love, a partnership of pursuable, learnable virtue.

As a visionary, a dreamer, hope is where I live. I wake up in the morning with hope at my side, having dreamt together all night. I try to spend time with faith and love, but hope I know.

One of my most vivid experiences with hope occurred while standing on the most eastern point of Mexico, on a tiny island called Isla Mujeres. It was September 2009, and my soulmate Brandee and I were celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary.

If God is love, and love always hopes, than God hopes. So I believe that standing at the edge of the ocean, in the warmth of the sun and of God’s love, he was inspiring me with His hope. Inspiring me to open my heart, our home, and live out our love. He was whispering hope to my soul on the rhythm of the waves.

Adoption. This was the message of hope that He was nudging into my thoughts. He was making His hope become mine. Somewhere a little girl is hoping for a forever home, and He was bringing her hope to me.

Up until this time, I’d never considered adding another child to our family, especially not by adoption. I fully supported the concept of adoption of course, but felt it just wasn’t for us. Everything changed on that beautiful beach in Mexico. Hope was sparked. I remember hearing children laughing, looking back at the boardwalk and seeing two little girls playing together, one American and one Mexican. I looked back at the ocean, contemplating the message God was entrancing me with before looking back to the boardwalk, finding that the two little girls from two different cultures had disappeared, their laughter only memory etched in my mind.

Teary-eyed, I looked back to the waves and watched them slowly roll in and I was amazed at the peace, the vision, the hope that God was filling me with. My wife asked what I was thinking about, and I said, “You wouldn’t believe it…” but went on to share what was happening in my heart. That afternoon, nearly two years ago, we began our hopeful journey of adoption.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, and on occasion it feels like we’re in the middle of the ocean with no idea which way to go, but our God is faithful, and He ignites hope when we have none. In Romans 5, we read about how suffering produces perseverance, which produces character, which produces hope.

Sometimes the dark clouds roll in and it becomes difficult to see our destination on the horizon; but it is in those stormy times that we cling to hope. Our daughter is out there, we pray for her to be held safe in the arms of God until we hold her in ours.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

* * * *

January is often a space to create new dreams and so we’re leaving the topic open and to your imagination. We believe the power of voice has tremendous capacity to inspire and give hope to people. A Synchroblog is a collective response to a particular topic. Every one of our writers writes about the same issue and then links to each other’s post. Here is the link list so far for January’s Synchroblog, a partnership with Provoketive Magazine centered around the theme of Hope. 

 * * * *

Below is a list of all the posts and participants in this month’s synchroblog:

The Trouble With Hope: John Ptacek

Hope = Possibility x Imagination: Wayne Rumsby

Little Reminders: Mike Victorino

Where Is My Hope: Jonathan Brink

Hope for Hypocrites: Jeremy Myers

Now These Three Remain: Sonny Lemmons

Perplexed, But Still Hopeful: Carol Kuniholm

A Hope that Lives: Amy Mitchell

Generations Come and Generations Go: Adam Gonnerman

Demystifying Hope: Glenn Hager

God in the Dark: On Hope: Renee Ronika Klug

Keeping Hope Alive: Maurice Broaddus

Are We Afraid to Hope?: Christine Sine

On Wobbly Wheels, Split Churches and Fear: Laura Droege

Adopting Hope: Travis Klassen

Hope is Held Between Us: Ellen Haroutunian

Hope: In the Hands of the Creatively Maladjusted: Mihee Kim-Kort

Paradox, Hope and Revival: City Safari

Good Theology Saves: Reverend Robyn

Linear: Never Was, Never Will Be: Kathy Escobar

Better Than Hope: Liz Dyer

Caroline for Congress: Hope for the Future: Wendy McCaig

Fumbling the Ball on Hope: KW Leslie

Content to Hope: Alise Wright

Hope: Oh, the Humanity!: Deanna Ogle


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Beautifully Broken

19 11 2011

I haven’t posted anything to this blog for a while, as I’ve been spending every free waking moment (and more than a few half awake moments) writing my new book, which is nearly finished! For the past four months I have lived and breathed this work, and I am so excited to share it with you! I’ve sent the manuscript out for review to a very select number of trusted advisors, close friends and family members. Once I get their feedback, it’s time for another round of revisions, and then it gets sent off to my editor. So exciting!

All the while, I am doing preliminary research work for my second book, a fresh look at the arts, faith, culture and the church, and the relationship between each. So, another awesome year ahead.

Hold it. As I wrote that last sentence, I almost lost my breath. Another awesome year? If you took a close look at the year that Brandee and I just had to go through, you might ask what I’m trying to pull. Who am I trying to fool? It’s okay, I just asked myself that same question. Over this last year we faced several very complicated and very painful life situations that caused us to loose friends, family members and sometimes our faith.

Along the way we’ve learned that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s alright to hurt, it’s alright to cry. Sometimes you just can’t put on that brave face and pretend like nothing is wrong. Today I went back for listen to a song that feels like it has become like an old friend to me:

“Beautifully Broken” Ashlee Simpson

It seems like yesterday that my world fell from the sky
It seems like yesterday I didn’t know how hard I could cry
It feels like tomorrow I may not get by
But I will try
I will try wipe the tears from my eyes

I’m beautifully broken and I don’t mind if you know it
I’m beautifully broken and I don’t care if I show it

Every day is a new day I’m reminded of my past
Every time theres another storm I know that it wont last
Every moment I’m filled with hope
cause i get another chance
But I will try I will try
Got nothing left to hide

Without the highs and the lows
Where will we go?
Where will we go?

I am beautifully broken, I am beautifully broken
I am beautifully broken and I don’t care if I show it

Everybody hurts. To be human is to feel. To be human is to be real. To be human is to hurt. To be human is to heal. When we are wounded, we bleed, but our bodies are designed to heal themselves. If we are healthy, our bodies will tighten the blood vessels in and around the injured area and send platelets to the torn vessel, effectively plugging the hole. Then, clotting proteins form a net (a scab) that keep the platelet plug in place, permanently stopping the bleeding. Next, the blood vessels that were constricted now dilate, bringing white blood cells to fight infection by destroying any germs that may have entered via the open wound. Finally, fibroblast cells gather at the site of the injury and produce collagen, and skin begins to migrate across the wound, under the scab.

It’s an amazing process, but one that is very dependent on the overall health of our bodies as a whole. If our body is unhealthy, for example it’s fighting a virus or disease or it is being contaminated by an unhealthy outside substance (i.e. smoking), then it is much less effective at healing itself.

We have to maintain our physical, spiritual and emotional health to be whole. I am convinced that to be whole we must be broken. It’s one of those paradoxes that I don’t understand yet, but I am working through. Our wholeness encompasses the scars of our brokenness.

Once the body heals, a scar almost always remains, a reminder of the painful wound but also of the miracle of healing. A balance, celebrating the healing and yet acknowledging the memory of the pain. Remembering painful situations, and not just “moving on,” helps us to calculate risk and avoid serious injury in the future. Of course, sometimes the risk of pain is worth the reward.

Above all this, we are all beloved children of God. When the hurt is too great and the pain too intense, He is all we need. This song tells of the hope we have in these desperate situations, and is always on mind during those tough times:

“Healer” Michael Guglielmucci

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in You
I trust in You

I believe You’re my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You’re my Portion
I believe You’re more than enough for me

Jesus You’re all I need
Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands

I am healed and whole and yet beautifully broken. Some who read this will understand. You know. You feel it. Embrace it and just love. May our hearts love and be loved, full of God’s love and the love of the people around us.


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Chasing Inspiration

10 02 2011

A sound.

An image.

A smell.

A feeling.

A taste.

It’s that sudden feeling of passion, that flood of raw emotion, it’s that moment when Jack stands at the bow of the Titanic and yells, “I’m the king of the world!”

Inspiration.

Like a beautiful woman, eluding her suitor, evasive with her emotion, it makes you pursue her, desire her, chase her. While her actions may be misunderstood, her heart says come find me.

Inspiration.

Where does it come from? Where does it go? How do you find it?

Are you inspired?

By what, by whom?

Do you inspire?


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Shooting Three Throws

20 01 2011

If I were to give an alternate title for this article it would be “How to feel good about making a difference while making the rest of us look dumb.”

I first heard about the “Three Throw” while listening to Christian Radio station K-Love this past Monday. Usually I am lulled into a mind-numbing coma by the repetitive, poorly-rhymed lyrics and themes of most Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), so I am surprised that I even heard the interview with the founder of the “Three Throw” movement. Along with most of my co-workers, I was caught up in the absurdity of a hand gesture to connect me to other members of my Christian faith. I quickly glanced at my calendar, is it April 1st?

Here’s how it works. Hold up three of your fingers as if you were a toddler telling me your age. There! Now I know you are a Christian! If I do it back we can both rejoice, because as we stand in the middle of a world going to hell in a hand-basket, we are secure in our belief that we’re going to heaven! Yay. Of course, I could look at you with a dazed expression that says, “what the…?” In that case, you can view the situation as an opportunity to witness to me, “this little finger is God, this little finger is Jesus, and this finger is the Holy Spirit…” Once I know the sign, I’m in! Hmmm. So that’s the “Three Throw.” For more info, check out their website: www.threethrow.com. Seriously.

I know that I am using a facetious tone as I get this message across, and while I admire anyone who actually gets up out of their pew and does something about their faith, this is just a bad idea. I am specifically referring to the actual idea of a “Christian” hand gesture, I am trying hard to ignore the fact that there is an entire line of merchandise for sale. We need Christians that will not use their faith as a marketing strategy, but as a way to affect who they are and the world around them.

I shared the link for the “Three Throw” website with Seattle-based author Jeffrey Overstreet, and he had these words to share:

If I remember right, the idea was that those who know Christ would be recognized by their love… not by their “Are you in the club?” exclusivity signs. Nor, for that matter, by the way they vote, their political party, their fashion, their ethnicity, their income, their denomination, their taste in art, etc… etc…

We don’t need our own sign! Nor do we need our own “Christian” Facebook, iTunes, music or bookstores…. As Christians, we are called to excel in the gifts and talents that God has given us, and share the love of Jesus organically as we live life to the fullest in the world! Rather than “Christian” authors, musicians or who-ever’s, as Christ-following authors we will write out of the overflow of heavenly inspiration, as Christ-following musicians we will be passionate about creating something that would sound sweet to the One who has heard it all. In whatever we do, we are to do it to bring glory to God. Labeling something “Christian” doesn’t necessarily accomplish this.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I am aware of how easy it is to criticize someone else’s work, and I actually believe that the founders of the “Three Throw” are well intentioned. I bet they’ve spent time in prayer and poured a lot of time and energy into this. I’d love to see that much energy and creativity poured into an effective witness for Jesus. Because of my criticism I must must resign myself to finding real, constructive ways to allow my faith to affect people around me. I hope that means living and loving life and letting Jesus shine through.

Peace.

Travis

PS – Here’s hoping the Three Throw goes the way of WWJD bracelets and Fish-shaped car decals…BE the change, don’t BUY it.


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Doing Life Together…Differently

7 07 2010

I read the slogan “Doing Life Together” on the website of a local church, and it got me to thinking. No one wants to go through life alone, yet at the same time we all have a unique identity, made up of a combination of our genetics, upbringing, life experience, and relationship with God (or lack thereof). Not one of us is the same.

One of the most amazing things in any community setting is the fact that we can coexist with other human beings at all, given the vast spectrum of individual views on any issue, be it political, religious, personal or otherwise…and yet, for the most part we can set apart our differences and interact with each other in relationship.

So…How do we maintain our own identity, while being part of a larger Christian community? Easy… (to say, harder to do). We assume His identity. By becoming Christians (or Christ’s followers, Christ-like) we emulate who He was, which was all good.

When in doubt, Love. Love your neighbour as yourself, love God above all else.

While many of us share a common stance on the major aspects of being Jesus’ followers, it’s the minor things in life that can generate the highest level of conflict and strife. We eat and drink different things, we see different movies, we dress in different ways, we exercise differently (if we do at all), we drive different cars, go to different churches…you get the picture. We’re different.

So, let’s do life together. Differently, maybe, but together in the love of Jesus, most definitely.

Peace.

Travis

Romans 14:1-23
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014:1-23&version=NLT


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Categories : Faith, Art & Culture, God and Christianity

Being Who We’re Called To Be

13 01 2010

Last night, my wife Brandee & I got to go out on a date. There is no one on earth I’d rather be with. I feel so honored, so proud, to spend time with her, to be seen with that beautiful woman. She’s way out of my league. Seriously, lucky me.

Anyway…we decided to go to a movie, after debating between “Up in the Air” and “Avatar,” we chose “Did You Hear About The Morgans,” with Hugh Grant & Sarah Jessica Parker.

After witnessing a murder, the lead characters, Paul & Meryl are forced into the witness protection program and must give up their cell phones, PDA’s, wallets, laptops, passports etc… anything that bore any witness to their fast-paced lives in New York City. The couple is then transported to a small town in Wyoming, for their own safety, while the police track down the killer. While in near seclusion, they are forced to slow down, turn their attention off of their work, and look to each other, talk with each other.

For the promise of protection, they had to give up something important: their identity. It was this point that triggered me to think of our identity as Christians, as followers of Jesus.

As we read through the Word, there are many statements and promises made about what is to come, about who we are as followers of Christ, about our identity. We are called children of God, friends of God, righteous, sanctified, redeemed, blessed, chosen and so much more. It is said that we are heirs with Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit, near to God and citizens of heaven!

Many times as we read about who God has called us to be, we read and become encouraged by the promises, but manage to skim over the conditions.

Like Paul & Meryl, whose promise of protection came with a price, so do many things in the Kingdom of God. While I believe that God’s love for us is unconditional, and that He desires all to be saved, I don’t believe that salvation comes without cost. While Jesus paid the ultimate price, there is a price to be paid by each of us to become who He has called us to be.

And so the question is raised: What will it cost to become who He’s called me to be? The answer? Check the price tag.

In John 1, it is written that we have been given the right to be called children of God. The price? We must receive Him and believe in his name. Later on in John, Jesus talks of himself as the true vine, and of us as his branches able to bear much fruit! The price? We must remain in Him, if we do, He will remain in us.

In Romans 3, it is written that we are justified, and that we are redeemed; all we have to do is have faith in Jesus. Romans 6 outlines our freedom from slavery in sin, all we have to do is die…to self, and live in Christ. In Romans 8 we are promised life and peace. The investment required for promise of such a great return? We must set our minds on what the Spirit desires. We are called children of God, and heirs to His glory later on in Romans 8, if we kill the sinful desires of our bodies and become led by the Spirit.

I choose to live as one raised from the dead, for I have killed the sinful man I am and have been raised into a new life in Jesus. I desire to live according to His will, as without Him I have already perished. I have given up my own identity, died to myself, a small price to pay to find my true identity, and life, in Him.

Peace.

Travis


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Categories : Faith, Art & Culture, God and Christianity

Taste the Miracle

26 05 2009

Brandee, Topanga, Tehillah & I recently returned from a weekend away in Naramata, BC, with 52 members of my family. It was an incredible weekend of family. Most of us work in the same family business, so it’s nice to get away from work and just have fun together.

Naramata, located in BC’s Okanagan region, is often referred to as Napa North, as the wines from this region of BC rival those found in California’s Napa Valley. One of my life dreams is to own a vineyard, and as we drove for thirty minutes through beautiful vineyards, my mind was wandering, simultaneously daydreaming of both the future and a time long, long ago….

In John 2:1-11, we read about Jesus’ first miracle, the turning of water into wine at a wedding in a place called Cana. The long and the short of it? Jesus took dirty water and instantly, miraculously turned it into the finest wine! 

When I read that passage, and think about it a bit deeper, all I can do is wonder what it tasted like…what would wine made through the miraculous power of God taste like? It had to have been amazing! The guests of the wedding confirm this, praising the director of the feast for saving the best for last, rather than switching to the cheap stuff once everyone had their fill.

Jesus’ first miracle often gets ignored, or at least passed by quickly by teachers/scholars because of our tendency to go all self-righteous on Jesus, getting caught in debate over whether it was alcoholic wine he made miraculously, or whether or not he drank it…or, whatever! It was a miracle, an amazing act of power by an amazing God. We spend more time reading the commentary one these verses than we do reading the words of Jesus. The fact of the matter is, He did it. He turned water into wine. And that is amazing.

Don’t let Jesus’ miracles become lost in a sea of self-righteous-red-tape! Maybe that’s why we experience miracles less today. 

Stop spending all your time reading the labels. Taste the miracle.


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Categories : Faith, Art & Culture, God and Christianity

Cross Culture

11 05 2009

Cross Cultural – adj. Comparing or dealing with two or more different cultures.

Genesis 1:31a
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…

At the garden, we fell from God’s grace, separated from him by sin; yet, at the cross, Jesus redeemed us, giving us an option of choosing life in Him, putting us back in communion with God through Him, our saviour. He defeated the curse of sin & death, replacing us to our pre fall-of-man relationship with the Creator.

The culture of the world and culture of the Kingdom are very interesting. Sometimes, they are at such polar opposites that it is easy to distinguish where we as Christians stand. Other times, these two cultures are so closely aligned that either position could be considered “christian.” 

Whether recognized or not, Jesus is Lord over every culture. In Genesis 1 there is a Kingdom mandate: Take dominion of all creation for the glory of God. We’ve been redeemed to a place where we are equipped and authorized to fulfill this mandate!

It’s time to move into becoming proactive, and away from being reactive. It’s time to spend less time nitpicking, less time fighting the little battles ourselves, and letting God fight our battles. 

My daughter, Topanga (she’s 3), when frustrated with her sister, Tehillah (she’s 2), asks her beautiful mom,  “Mom, can you fight my battles?” and sometimes, “Mom, can you fight my battles…and win?” Topanga noticed that handling these conflicts herself usually results in both girls in tears and heading to their room for a nap, however when she rises above the conflict, turns to her higher power, her mom, she usually gets the outcome she’s looking for.

1 Corinthians 4:20 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” In Romans 14, Paul says that “the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” In John 17, Jesus prayed over his disciples (us) and did not ask that God take us out of the world, but protect us from the Evil One. 

Perhaps we need to look at this whole thing differently. A word picture comes to mind from the movie Armageddon:

Imagine a firecracker in the palm of your hand. You set it off, what happens? You burn your hand, right? You close your fist around the same firecracker, and set it off. Your wife’s gonna be opening your ketchup bottles the rest of your life.

Don’t attempt to influence a culture you refuse to be a part of! All we do is burn bridges and annoy people. Let’s get inside our culture and make a real difference!

We need to realize that we need less movie/music boycotts, less poorly made art with a thinly-guised Christian agenda, and more talented, artistic believers infiltrating the industry, influencing culture from the inside! Sure, we may be in the minority, but once we’re in…BOOM!

James 3:4
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.



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Church: Being or Going?

16 04 2009

The church is (or should be) a group or community of people following Jesus. That’s it. 

Yes, the corporate gathering of believers is important, but not at the expense of a feet hitting the ground & kicking up dust kind of personal walk with God. Worship in a church setting is great, but how often do we worship God individually or with a small group of friends/fellow believers? Fellowship (for lack of a better word) is important, but we’ve got to make real time for for people, developing relationship & community with them. Accountability is important, but just how accountable are we, slipping in and slipping out of a group of three hundred believers on a Sunday morning.

We’ve learned to lean on the church (the institution) as a crutch, or maybe as a pill; a way for us to get all of our spiritual needs & obligations met & fulfilled in one place, in one or two hours. Get in, get ‘er done, get out. 

This is where I want to shift my mindset. Stop doing church, stop (merely) going to church, and start being the church. This is what we were called to be!

I’m including an excerpt of “Understanding Ministry” by Dennis McCallum & Gary DeLashmutt, to help illustrate what I am thinking.

Church

The word translated “church” in the English Bible is ekklesia. This word is the Greek words kaleo (to call), with the prefix ek (out). Thus, the word means “the called out ones.” However, the English word “church” does not come from ekklesia but from the word kuriakon, which means “dedicated to the Lord.” This word was commonly used to refer to a holy place or temple. By the time of Jerome’s translation of the New Testament from Greek to Latin, it was customary to use a derivative of kuriakon to translate ekklesia. Therefore, the word “church” is a poor translation of the word ekklesia since it implies a sacred building, or temple. A more accurate translation would be “assembly” because the term ekklesia was used to refer to a group of people who had been called out to a meeting. It was also used as a synonym for the word synagogue, which also means to “come together,” i.e. a gathering. 

I wish you could hear my laughter as I write; excited, mischievous, nervous all at once. Ha ha! We are getting closer! Love God, and love people. Do it on your own time too, not just in a once-a-week, pre-allotted two hour time period. Amen. Obviously, I’ll be writing more on what I think this means soon. Just stirring the pot for now…


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