Tradition

I didn't inherit a whole lot of tradition from my family. Before we got into Torah, we were sorta non-denominational floaters. Never could really find a church where we felt at home. Didn't really have any special holidays--fireworks for 4th of July and a family gathering for Thanksgiving was about the extent of it. You could say Silver Dollar City was a bit of a vacation tradition. But, it's a struggle to recall much else.

I want my children to have a tradition that they can hold onto and pass on to their children, but I face the same struggle that my parents did. I don't belong anywhere. I'm not a Jew; I don't fit in with the Christians. This whole Messianic thing is, well, a mess. My family took a bit of a Karaite approach to Torah, though we didn't consider ourselves strictly Scripture only. We were not anti-traditionalists by any means.

Comments Always Welcome!

One of the things I've noticed whenever I read articles about blogging is how everyone talks about this "blogging community." To be honest, when I first heard about that, I was a little skeptical. How can blogging (which seems to be quite a solo endeavor) and community go together?

Over time I realized that blogging (and all writing, really) can be lonely. Here I am sharing my thoughts with no way to know if anyone is really reading them or what people are thinking. It's a one-man show, my own little stage. My words go out to the world, but a conversation is supposed to be two-way.

Reflections on HarvestMag

For the past one to two years, I've been a part of the HarvestMag team as a column writer. This was a project originally started by Sonja Langford and Zachary Bruno. My brother and I were among the first to join their team just a few months after they started.

When the first issue came out, I read it and thought to myself that I should try to become a regular contributor. Little did I know that I would soon have the opportunity to not only contribute my writing, but be a part of the team. By the time the second issue came out, Sonja and Zachary were putting out the call for a column writer, graphic designer, and editor. My brother Mark and I filled the first two roles, while Kelsey Bryant filled the third role. We would later be joined by Annie Braught (Kerr), Amariah Pinchback, and Rachel Hamburg. These folks were an amazing team to work with, and I will surely miss our monthly brainstorming sessions.

Redesign (or Mid-Blog Crisis)

After a brief mid-life crisis, the blogger in me decided it was time for a redesign of the site. I'll be honest--I'm still getting my feet wet in figuring out the direction for this whole "Hopeful Heretic" thing. But, I wasn't really liking the direction it was going. The title and background image all conveyed the themes of religion and theology. Which, I love both those things. But, that's only one part of me. I also love stories and life, and have a family I want to share about. I was feeling constricted by my own creation. The blog didn't feel personal anymore. I had violated the rules I set out in "On Blogging."

So, for about twelve hours, The Hopeful Heretic sat as a blank slate (literally...there was no background image during that time). After a good night's sleep, I went to work and came up with a completely new design. It's weird how much a background image can affect your mood when trying to come up with blog posts, but I feel like the new design makes the place seem more personal and homey. It better expresses me.

Family Vision

Tomorrow, my wife and I are going in for the ultrasound that will tell us if we're having a boy or a girl. It's an exciting moment for both of us. Our ongoing debate will finally be resolved (I'm rooting for a daughter).

We already have names picked out for both a boy and a girl, so after the ultrasound, Little One will actually have a name. No longer will we have to refer to him/her as "it" or "the baby." Suddenly, this whole fatherhood thing is going to become a lot more personal. A lot more real.

Messianic Vision and an Interview on "Unashamed"

You may have noticed a new link at the top of the page entitled "Messianic Vision." It's a note I wrote about two years ago on where I see the Messianic Movement and its direction. I was prompted to put it up when Chris Knight asked me to join him as a guest on "Unashamed" over at Hebrew Nation Radio.

When Chris first asked me what was on my heart to talk about, I wasn't really sure. The things that I had been working on most recently were still too underdeveloped for a live interview. And they didn't really fit the intended audience--Messianic youth. It was during dance last erev Shabbat that I remembered our role as the next generation. We are the ones tasked with carrying on this growing faith. The question we need to be asking is this: What is our vision?

So, that's why I pulled out a two year old note and posted it to the blog. It's relevancy has not diminished, and it still rings near the center of my heart. We need to know where we are going and how we can actively direct our path to get there. Otherwise, we stagnate. Otherwise, we die off. "Where there is no vision the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18).

Anyway, I had a great time conversing with Chris and Daniel on the show. The one question I stumbled on a bit, and would redo my answer if I could was when Chris asked me what I like to write about. In the interview I stuttered something about vision and where we're going. Really, I'd say my favorite topic to write about is the Kingdom. I have often found trouble expressing the things the Father has shown me about the Kingdom of God, things almost too wonderful for words. That's what our vision is all about--building the Kingdom.

Book Review: The Giver

The Giver (by Lois Lowry)

Imagine a utopian world without suffering, hunger, or war. Everyone was treated equally with fairness. Everyone worked his assigned duties and everyone is provided for according to his needs (money had become obsolete). Children were taught from a young age to respect one another and mind the rules which kept their community peaceful. Science had virtually obliterated such nuisances as illness, inclement weather, safety hazards...and emotions.

Welcome to the monotone world of 11-year old Jonas, where everything is carefully regulated to preserve the community. Everything is predictable and safe...that is, until Jonas receives his unique role as Receiver of Memory.