Street Singing

When I first moved into the city I was constantly amazed by how many people in my neighborhood would just sing at the top of their lungs while walking up and down the streets. This phenomenon happens regardless of what time it is; although, the sobriety of the singers is called into question late at night. Not all of them are the greatest singers in the world (in fact, none of them are). But, regardless, there is a lot of singing in Hyde Park!

I had to go to Chase Bank today to fight for my rights against The Man. I felt very righteous in my complaints and was on a crusade to get what I thought (and still think) I deserved!

The soundtrack playing in my head was the Finale of Les Miserables! This is the perfect song to march to on your crusade against The Man:

"do you hear the people sing?

lost in the valley of the night

it is the music of a people who are climbing to the light

for the wretched of the earth

there is a flame that never dies

even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise

they will live again in freedom in the garden of the lord

they will walk behind the bloodshed

they will put away the sword

the chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

will you join in our crusade?

who will be strong and stand with me?

somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?

do you hear the people sing?

say, do you hear the distant drums?

it is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!"

So long story short... I lost in my crusade against Chase Bank. After catching the salesboy (nicest thing I can call him) trying to pull the wool over my eyes several times... I caved. Instead of walking out with my financial freedom... I carried out a new credit card (which I had no intention of getting, nor any intention of using now) with a ridiculous interest rate and a whole host of new aggravating problems.

Walking home, the soundtrack playing in my head was "Walk in the Reign" by Josh Blakesley. Showtunes give me courage... religious music lifts my spirits after an attack by The Man. The song goes:

"Walk in the Reign...

Showers of Love, Fall from Above...

Walk in the Reign...

oooOOOooo!"

And now the point of this story...

These sound tracks hadn't just been playing in my head. I was singing them out loud! I didn't realize it at first, I just needed the music more than I cared what the other people on the street were thinking.

What does one do when he finds that he is making a fool of himself? Obviously, he has to continue or people will judge his lack of confidence. I continued to sing.

There is something liberating about singing in public. I, like everyone else who sings in Hyde Park, have a terrible singing voice. I am sure that some people were annoyed; but they would have been annoyed anyway.

Maybe as Christians we should sing more often when we are out in public. Could there be a better way to testify to the change that has occurred in us due to God's presence in our lives?

I have to commute to class at Loyola University tonight... I am going to sing on the bus.

Peace turtles!

Frankencomputer

I work at the Help Desk of the IT Department at my school. When I took the job I had very little actual training with computers. I have always been interested in computers and have enjoyed tinkering with them numerous times, but I still had a lot to learn before I could be considered a legitimate IT worker.

In the beginning I felt so inexperienced and overwhelmed that I am sure I caused more computer problems than I was able to solve. If it hadn't been for my co-workers' ability to fix my numerous mistakes I don't know what state our department would be in currently.

But I have stuck with it and have learned the difference between a SATA and an ATA hard drive... I have learned how to install and uninstall new RAM Memory Cards... I have learned how to remove network cards from laptops and order upgrades online... I have learned how a server works and how to manage a telephone circuit room. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I am surprised at how much I now know.

Yesterday was the climax of my IT education. My boss gave me three very dysfunctional CPUs and asked that I make one functioning computer out of their. This was not going to be easy for me. I was faced with testing hard drives, swapping RAM, removing and reinstalling CD drives, disconnecting a power supply and swapping it with a new one and many other difficult obstacles.

I am sure that this task took me longer than my boss had hoped... but after many hours of tinkering I was able to push the power button on the new computer and hear it whir to life. This computer, which I have named "Frankencomputer" will always be special to me, it represents the fruit of many months of hard work.

I think that our spiritual lives are quite like trying to build a new computer. We start out with no knowledge of what we have to do... we pick up tools and advice along the way... we tinker and tinker and tinker and tinker... and then eventually we see some fruit in a new found grace or fresh outlook on life.

We are never really perfect at living a spiritual life. I will never know enough about computers to be Steve Jobs or Bill Gates... similarly, I will never be Mother Theresa or John of the Cross... but that is no excuse not to dedicate ourselves to continually learning more and more about becoming saints!

Peace turtles!

X-Men

I got the X-Men Trilogy movies from my dad for Christmas; what a great story! I'll admit it... I often find myself day dreaming that I have mutant powers (of course, I have all of their powers combined). In my daydreams: I fight bad guys; rescue people; complete death defying stunts; and even cause a little bit of mischief! Marvel should offer to pay me for my day dreams, I find them very amusing!

However, as a person of faith, I understand that:

I don't have to be Wolverine to heal people.

I don't have to be Charles Xavier to see deep into peoples hearts.

I don't have to be Rouge to connect with people in a powerful way.

I don't have to be Gambit to energize my friends and family.

I have a very charismatic spirituality and one thing that I firmly believe is that God enables each and every one of us to do His work.... to build the Kingdom. All of the gifts and powers that we will need to accomplish this task will be provided, we can be assured. St. Paul writes, "I can do anything through [God] who gives me strength." (Phil 4:13).

I still think it would be cool to be Cyclops and shoot laser beams out of my eyes... or to be Storm and control the weather. But compared to our God and those He has called to serve Him throughout the ages... the X-Men just look like party performers. The Holy Spirit is so much cooler!

Peace Turtles!

New Year's Resolutions

It's not to late to make a New Year's Resolution if you haven't done so already. For those of you who have already made them- you have 360 more days to work on them! Good luck!

A friend of mine once complained that he always needed to make the same resolutions and commitments to improve himself. "Why aren't I getting better at this? Why do I always struggle with the same things?!" he fretted.

What he failed to see (if I can use the turtle analogy again) is that we carry around the same hard shell on our back all of the time. While we can find ways to reduce its size and make carrying it easier, few of us can ever get rid of it completely (and those who do find yet another shell to carry soon after).

Let's use an extreme example to illustrate my point... Nobody would think twice if a recovering alcoholic said that his or her New Year's resolution was to stay sober all year. In fact, because the alcoholic's addiction never really goes away, it would be smart if he or she made this same New Year's resolution year after year as a way to keep this commitment always at the forefront of their mind. The resolution may never change.

Further, even if someone's resolution does change, often the new one will focus on the same issue. Someone struggling with their weight may resolve to lose 30 pounds in 2010. Because their struggle with weight will never magically disappear, their 2011 resolution may have to include not gaining the 30 pounds back. Two resolutions... same issue.

The personal issue that I always have to work on is not becoming so overextended that I abandon my prayer life. My resolutions, whether for the New Year or a retreat, always focus on: simplifying my life; reducing stress; taking deep breaths; recognizing God's presence in my life; and finding new ways to pray. I have to keep making fresh commitments to these activities because if I neglect them- even for just a week- I get lost in a sea of confusion and have to work twice as hard to get my life back on track!

Of course, I am not advocating that anyone approach their resolutions with the attitude, "I don't have to work to hard on this, because I can always make the same resolution next year." Anyone who says that is cheap- and obviously not serious about improving themselves. The goal is always to accept our resolutions with a full COMMITMENT, our complete ATTENTION and every EXPECTATION that we will be successful.

So if you have not already, spend some time this week reflecting on the areas of your life that you need to focus on this year. Don't get discouraged if you find yourself dealing with the same problems and issues that you have dealt with in the past. Accept yourself for who you are and simply resolve to become the best person that you possibly can.

Blessings in 2010! Peace turtles!