Mountainy Adventures

Today, I got to spend all of my time in the mountains with Megan Coles.

Megan and I before our departure this morning.

Megan and I awkwardly waving to the camera at "Anna Ruby Falls."

Megan and I in front of the waterfall.

The product of our dangerous excursion to the wet rocks.

Our Christmas card.

Our folk band.

The colorful leaves.

We are now settled down in our cozy cabin...

- Tyler

Fleet Foxing

That's right. Last night I saw the Fleet Foxes live in concert. Absolutely the best concert I've ever been to. They surpassed the Civil Wars by miles. Their harmonies were spot on even when they sang things differently and they  are so creative with instruments. I am very grateful for having been able to go.

This is Robin Pecknold. 

He (and the whole band, really) inspires me musically.

- Tyler

Six Flags

I love her.

We went to Sixflags yesterday with our awesome youth group.
It was wonderful.
The Lord is really moving in our group,and i'm so excited about what He's doing and what is to come. :)
He is so good.

-Karly

Switchfoot

I made bandannas and bracelets for Switchfoot,I didn't get to give them to the band personally,but this awesome lady handed it to Jon Foreman for me,and Jon said "Tell her(me) thank you very much."
I was kind of sad I didn't get to meet them,but i'm really glad they actually have the bandannas I made.

Yeah,this was a good night. :)

-Karly

8-15-2011

This is my brother,Kyle. He left yesterday for Auburn.
I am going to miss him alot.
But i'm excited for him,and he will be back soon. :)

Also,this is my first drawing using charcoal.
It's pretty simple,but I like it. :)
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                             -Karly

Missing the Point (Rob Bell pt 2) - Gungor Blog

"Ok, so I guess I should update the blog with the fact that I have read Love Wins at this point as well as both supporting and refuting arguments from different people about it. And my conclusion... ? I'm sad.


I’m sad that the people that claim to follow Jesus are so divided against each other.  I’m sad that so much of Christianity has become about ideas and systems and theologies rather than about celebrating and moving towards the miracle, the event, the life-changing reality that is God.    Jesus prayed for us in the garden that we would be one, and here we are fighting about what happens to us when we die.  Our pastors get up in the pulpits and take sides and proclaim their biblical interpretation as the true revelation from God.  And we are secure and safe in our little bubble of self-righteous knowledge.  And it all just makes me sad.

As far as the theology goes, yes I do think that people like Rob Bell, N.T. Wright, Eugene Peterson..etc are telling a pretty different story of God than people like John Piper, Mark Driscoll, the Gospel Coalition…etc  There’s part of me that wants to try to keep all the family together and agree to disagree about a lot of this stuff, but the reformed and fundamentalists are right in seeing that it’s pretty much an entirely different story they are telling.  Most of the “left side” (if you must) is generally just too polite (or maybe afraid?) to call out specific names and why they are wrong like much of the “right side” seems to enjoy doing.

I don’t know.  Maybe Christendom is getting ready for another major split like the protestant reformation or something.  It’s happened every 500 years since Jesus, and it’s been about 500 years since the last one, so maybe we’re due for it.

All I know is I feel like on both sides of the argument, so many people have lost the point.  I don’t think the point to any of this is to have concrete human ideas about God, the Bible, salvation, heaven, hell…etc  as much as it is to live in a different kind of way in the world.  I don’t think that Jesus came to start a new religion..  He was Jewish, remember?  Jesus is the “rupture of our religion” (Peter Rollins).

Remember, it was the religious people who had God figured out, and were threatened by any word that challenged their place, power or authority that were the ones that screamed out “crucify him.”

This is of course not meant in any way to compare to Rob Bell to Christ.  I’m not even saying that I think that Rob Bell’s arguments are correct.  Rather I’m comparing the fear and the vehement ugliness that the religious community is demonstrating right now in their vicious defense of what they think is true to that of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day.  They have their book.  They worship it.  God is understandable to them.  The afterlife is clearly laid out.  Anyone that dares question their view of it should be called out as a false teacher and a heretic.  (interesting that the founder of many of these people’s religion, John Calvin, used to burn the people that he considered heretics at the stake)

Whether Rob Bell is correct or not correct, so much of the Evangelical community’s response to it is not.  Perhaps Jesus would offer some “woe’s” to the evangelical church today.  Woe to our dead churches and shallow theology.  Woe to Lifeway and Mardel’s, and other “Christian” bookstores for their fear in not even carrying a book that people might want to read in an effort to wrestle with questions like these and think for themselves.  Woe to the preachers that have gotten up in their pulpits and spewed their own arrogant judgment into the hearts of their congregants.  Lord have mercy on us.  May this old dead corpse that is modern American evangelical Christendom burn up in the fires of God and blow away into oblivion, and then let your glorious bride rise from the ashes.  Amen."

Love and Justice by Michael Gungor

"I’m not sure how many times I’ve heard people say things like “Well, yes, God is love, but God is also just…”

It’s almost like they are afraid that if people believed that God really loved them fully, that they would take advantage of that and immediately run out to go on a sex and murder spree or something.  It’s almost like they believe that love is only this shallow, timid fondness that is easily conquerable and trampled over.  They say it kind of like a person saying, “well, yes she is pretty, but she is smart too..”

They say this in an attempt to communicate, “I don’t want you to misunderstand me here and think that God is ONLY loving…because then you will probably not be afraid of him and just go out and do whatever you want to.”

I think that this view demonstrates a shallow and inappropriate understanding of both love and justice.

Love can be ferocious.

I love my wife and my baby girl, Amelie,  and if anyone would try to do something to hurt those girls, I would ferociously try to protect them.  If Amelie tries to stick her fingers in an electric socket, I would be ferocious in making sure that she didn’t.  If I needed to, I would yell, or slap her hand away or do anything I needed to do to make sure she didn’t get her fingers in there.

Love IS just.

If my neighbor is being unjustly accused of something by the law, and I don’t step up and seek for his justice, then I do not love my neighbor.  If that woman can not feed her children, and the people around her love her, what do they do?  They seek justice for her.  They help her provide for her children. This is just.  This is loving.  They go hand in hand.  Justice is about setting things to right, and love always seeks justice for those who need it.

It is for these reasons that I believe that God is ONLY loving.

“Loving” doesn’t mean weak or passive.  Love is strong.  Love builds what he needs to build and destroys what he needs to destroy for the sake of his beloved.  Love is passion.  Love is justice.  Love is wrath.  Love is kindness.  God IS love.

Perfect love casts out fear.  This is because love is better than fear.  Fear gets you to obey the speed limit if you suspect that there may be police around, but love for the passengers in your car makes you drive carefully.  Fear can get you to obey rules, but it cannot transform your heart.  Religion that is based in fear says things like “well, yes God is love, but….”

No.  God is love.  Period."

The Birthday Girl

8/1/2011

Today is Karly's birthday!!! She is sixteen now! I love her so much. I'm so glad we are friends. I can't wait to see her beautimous face at small groups...

- Tyler

The Battle For Truth

This week, I didn't post nearly as much as I have been. That is because I was spending most of my time at a youth conference. The conference consisted of worship, great messages, and epic games.

Day One -

Day Two -

 It was Chief Jefe's birthday.

I got HURT in this game.

 Day Three -

Day Four -

- Tyler

This is me and Tyler. We've been friends for almost two years. We always get the best idea's when we hang  out. She is wonderful. I'm really excited about what is to come this next year. The Lord is so faithful.


P.s.The youth conference is this week.There will be pictures. :)

-Karly

July 22, 2011

This is Savannah. This is also a very old photo of us. Today was her birthday. Her sweet sixteen. I'm so glad I get to be friends with her. Joy is her middle name (seriously).

- Tyler

July 21, 2011

This is me and Karly in the band room. I'm really tired. Goodnight.

- Tyler

The Days I've Missed

Like I've said before, I'm lazy and my life isn't always very exciting. I'm not quite sure what to say about the days I've missed. I'll just post some cool photos instead.

I think the Chinchilla was a nice touch.

- Tyler

July 14, 2011

Day Fourteen -

This is Caroline. She really likes cake. Today, I went to the beach with my family to visit my moms side of the family. We used this time together to celebrate all of the July birthdays in our family. Hence the cake. We also walked to my sisters boyfriends beach house to see Jonathan's mom. She was on the balcony trying to act cool as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill sat on the balcony beside hers. This is my second celebrity sighting this summer :) We didn't get any pictures though. I really didn't want to be that guy. Mrs. Pam tried to sneak some though. Well, It's not even that late and I'm dog tired. Got work in the mornin' :)

This is Jonathan's impression of how his mom felt on the inside while talking to Faith Hill; while on the outside being calm and collected.

Verse[s] of the Day:

ISAIAH 63: 1

    "Who is this who comes from Edom,
      from the city of Bozrah,
      with his clothing stained red?
   Who is this in royal robes,
      marching in his great strength?

  'It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation!
      It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!'"

- Tyler

July 13, 2011

Day Thirteen -

This is Manicotti. I spent most of my day making this for the youth worship team dinner. It was a success, and I haves leftovers.

Verse[s] of the Day:

ISAIAH 62: 10-11

"Go out through the gates!
      Prepare the highway for my people to return!
   Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders;
      raise a flag for all the nations to see.
   The Lord has sent this message to every land:
      “Tell the people of Israel,
   ‘Look, your Savior is coming.
      See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'"

- Tyler