... from the JW's (Jacoby-Wegner's) !
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
a few days to go
"history is really His story"
I love that. I just listened to Welsey's teaching on the Christmas Story. It was really good, and as I was listening to it, I was thinking about my time here in Tacoma, and the ways that Christ's gifts applied to what I've been experiencing. (of course Christ's gifts always apply) But three are brought up in the teaching: great joy, the glory of God, and peace. My time here has not been easy, but I asked the Lord that He would use this time to change me and challenge me. And its amazing how the Lord answers prayers when you ask according to His will.
The other night I was at my dad's cabin in Packwood, WA, reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, and he came home and we got in an argument (its hard for any sort of disagreement not to turn into an argument, no matter how rational I try to be) . So while there was this awkward silence, I was having to fight my own flesh that desired to just go into my room for the rest of the night, and all I could think to do was to read out loud to my dad. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I couldn't think of anything to say, and I knew I wouldn't have another time just the two of us. So I read Lewis' explanation of the Trinity to my unbelieving dad. I don't know how much of it he processed. But it started some less-hostile conversation, and therefore served its purpose. We started talking about the Bible and its relation to other religious texts and my dad's problem with all of them and how according to him the Bible is just a history book, and all these "religious texts" do is start wars and make people kill each-other. Our conversation didn't get far, but I had peace anyway. Because I died to myself, the Lord may be able to use part of that conversation. The Bible is the account of God working in our world. It is His story. And I don't care how crazy my dad or anyone else thinks I am, I will stand for the truth of God's word. It breaks my heart that he can't believe in it, because he needs joy, God's glory, and peace in his life more than anything else in the world, he just hasn't figured that out yet.
I can't imagine how someone would try to achieve true joy, glory, and peace without receiving it from Jesus Christ.
Anyway, I'll be back in Eugene on the 30th, and I'm super excited. I'm really looking forward to school this term, and the Ekklesia School of Ministry class on Pastoral and Women's Ministry. When I'm in Tacoma I feel like my life is paused. I'm just visiting. It will be good to press play again.
I love that. I just listened to Welsey's teaching on the Christmas Story. It was really good, and as I was listening to it, I was thinking about my time here in Tacoma, and the ways that Christ's gifts applied to what I've been experiencing. (of course Christ's gifts always apply) But three are brought up in the teaching: great joy, the glory of God, and peace. My time here has not been easy, but I asked the Lord that He would use this time to change me and challenge me. And its amazing how the Lord answers prayers when you ask according to His will.
The other night I was at my dad's cabin in Packwood, WA, reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, and he came home and we got in an argument (its hard for any sort of disagreement not to turn into an argument, no matter how rational I try to be) . So while there was this awkward silence, I was having to fight my own flesh that desired to just go into my room for the rest of the night, and all I could think to do was to read out loud to my dad. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I couldn't think of anything to say, and I knew I wouldn't have another time just the two of us. So I read Lewis' explanation of the Trinity to my unbelieving dad. I don't know how much of it he processed. But it started some less-hostile conversation, and therefore served its purpose. We started talking about the Bible and its relation to other religious texts and my dad's problem with all of them and how according to him the Bible is just a history book, and all these "religious texts" do is start wars and make people kill each-other. Our conversation didn't get far, but I had peace anyway. Because I died to myself, the Lord may be able to use part of that conversation. The Bible is the account of God working in our world. It is His story. And I don't care how crazy my dad or anyone else thinks I am, I will stand for the truth of God's word. It breaks my heart that he can't believe in it, because he needs joy, God's glory, and peace in his life more than anything else in the world, he just hasn't figured that out yet.
I can't imagine how someone would try to achieve true joy, glory, and peace without receiving it from Jesus Christ.
Anyway, I'll be back in Eugene on the 30th, and I'm super excited. I'm really looking forward to school this term, and the Ekklesia School of Ministry class on Pastoral and Women's Ministry. When I'm in Tacoma I feel like my life is paused. I'm just visiting. It will be good to press play again.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
music
here's some christmas music that jesiah and i recorded... thanks to jesiah's genius!
Silent Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Silent Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Monday, December 15, 2008
"stuck" in eugene
i was going to leave for tacoma today, but apparently the roads are bad... this is what its like to be "stuck" in eugene! its actually quite pleasant. i walked to the bank and read and full city, i'm going to do more reading and then go make dinner at lizzy and jena's place. oh and i've been recording some songs with jesiah, someday i'll figure out how to post them here.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
final project: artist's statement
My final project evolved into something quite different than I originally imagined and intended, which I suppose happens often and is a beautiful part of the art-making process. My first plan was to simply photograph a male in his domestic space, which I did do, yet I wouldn’t have expected to end up photographing my dad. While often times men have trouble keeping up domestic spaces on their own, my father takes this to the extreme. The space in which he lives (which is actually an office, not a residence) is dirty and disorganized and lacks a kitchen, and is a reflection of what the rest of his life has become.
Knowing that I would only be in Tacoma for the weekend, I took a lot of photos of my dad in and outside. He was very interesting to photograph: he told my roommate stories, talked about the things he loves, at times he seemed to be completely unaware of me and my camera and yet there were a few moments in which he seemed to be reflecting on why I may have chosen to photograph him in his current situation, and what that says about how I view him and how I will portray him. Because, while my goal was to have a subjective approach to photographing my dad, I am sure that my past experiences with him and even something as simple as my photographic style and aesthetic preference have influenced the outcome of this endeavor. And of course I know that as an artist, my intentions and thoughts become unimportant as soon as someone else views my work. Immediately their past experiences, conceptions, prejudices, thoughts, etc become the rules by which my photographs will be judged.
Photographing my dad was an interesting experience. I learned new things about him by interacting with him in a way that I never have before. It was both strangely intimate and impersonal at the same time. And it gave me a glimpse of the loneliness that he has found at the age of 53, living in an office in the middle of a strange, industrial part of Tacoma.
Knowing that I would only be in Tacoma for the weekend, I took a lot of photos of my dad in and outside. He was very interesting to photograph: he told my roommate stories, talked about the things he loves, at times he seemed to be completely unaware of me and my camera and yet there were a few moments in which he seemed to be reflecting on why I may have chosen to photograph him in his current situation, and what that says about how I view him and how I will portray him. Because, while my goal was to have a subjective approach to photographing my dad, I am sure that my past experiences with him and even something as simple as my photographic style and aesthetic preference have influenced the outcome of this endeavor. And of course I know that as an artist, my intentions and thoughts become unimportant as soon as someone else views my work. Immediately their past experiences, conceptions, prejudices, thoughts, etc become the rules by which my photographs will be judged.
Photographing my dad was an interesting experience. I learned new things about him by interacting with him in a way that I never have before. It was both strangely intimate and impersonal at the same time. And it gave me a glimpse of the loneliness that he has found at the age of 53, living in an office in the middle of a strange, industrial part of Tacoma.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
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