I recently heard a talk by Tony Jones, author of Postmodern Youth Ministry, that described five realities of postmodern culture. Two that linger for me are the dynamics of power in relationships and the hermeneutic of suspicion. They seem to me to be related: we are conscious of the role power plays in how we engage one another, and so we tread carefully through our days out of self-protection. It only makes sense, then, to have our antennae up about subtext and hidden agendas. No wonder I'm so paranoid.
Anyway, one way to subvert the hermeneutic of suspicion and circumvent the power dynamics that keep us from embracing one another as true friends is to declare what we want right up front. We want a range of things--many of them are noble, many are self-serving, but we want them nonetheless. So I thought I'd get the ball rolling.
I want a world where there's plenty of room at the inn. (There, now, wasn't that noble?)
I want season four of 24 on DVD.
I want to be left alone until I crave human contact.
I want another book contract.
I want to want less.
What do you want?
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To love God more.
To be as effective as possible in ministry.
A video Ipod.
To reach rank 12 in Guild Wars! lol
Godspeed, Tim.
To be working overseas in Ireland doing tentmaking within the next three years.
To do sound for a concert of someone I love such Over the Rhine, Vigilantes of Love/Bill Mallonee, The Echoing Green.
An Ipod Nano
To be a father that my 2 year old grows up wishing he was like.
To do something cool.
To see U2 in Ireland.
(wow, this was a much different exercise that I imagined...)
I want an X-Box 360
I want my son to grow up and be better than me
I want more kids to come to youth stuff
I want to know God better
I want a high def. TV
Let's see. . . I want a hamburger... no, a cheeseburger. I want a hot dog. I want a milkshake...
but then again there's what I need . . I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - I need this. The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches, for sure. And this. And that's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, this magazine and the chair.
i want someone to read my blog and go, dang - we should pay him lots of money for writing like that.
i want better headphones for my ipod.
i want to weigh less, and still carry more weight.
how's that?
I'll never be your beast of burden, Rick.
Pete: I want to go to Ireland too! Be sure to go to Captain America's restaurant in Dublin.
Steve: Is the first one Caddyshack? Check out "Here I Am" by Lyle Lovett and His Large Band for guidance on how to get the cheeseburger you need.
I want...
- freedom from my spare tire.
- a big screen TV.
- to be out of debt.
- to be closer to God.
- my kids to know my parents.
- to be a Godly man, father, husband (you know, in a spritual sense -- I don't want to be God!)
1. Yes that is from Caddyshack.
2. In cleaning out the garage this weekend I discovered something else I want: The 15th Anniversary Special Edition of "How Old Is Your Sister" by The Lizards From Afar on CD. That Frsoty the Snowman bit at the end of 3 Foot Blues still cracks me up.
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