Collaborations

- Get Schooled Dodgeball Tourny (2011)

Model: Brett Taylor

Photographer: Corrie Nakamura

Design and Copy: Reyn Hiskey

Biola University's iTunes U

iTunes U (meaning iTunes University) is a platform within the iTunes store which provides content from universities across the globe in order to promote learning and showcase the wealth of knowledge available at each university.

Our goal for Biola's iTunes U was to create a place wherein the values, principles and core teachings of faith and integration which Biola University has come to stand for can be shared with the world at large. We will accomplish this by providing classes, lectures, chapels, and various outside content for free on our site.

Phoebe, And Other Musings

Phoebe O Phoebe, would that we could all see what you see. Wonderland seems to be a fantasical place. Full of wondrous creatures, full of creative grace.

I reflect on Phoebe in Wonderland and I think of two prominent aspects of the film. The first is of a child lost in her own world, a world not merely made up for her enjoyment but made up as a result of a need she felt in her life. The second is the life of two parents, shut out from their daughters world by the one thing that parents should strive to have above all else, love.

It's interesting that we see Phoebe's sister as the daughter with angst (self proclaimed even) because I believe it gives power to the way that Phoebe distances and differentiates herself. Not even Phoebe knows what is causing her to be so different and in many cases self-harmingly OCD. And when a child acts against his or his wishes, acts without self control and self knowledge, WHAT could be more terrifying for that child? I suspect that having parents who neither understand nor can adequately deal with the problem is the only thing which scares Phoebe more. Her superheroes, her parents, can't help her. Only through escaping into a world where she no longer has to be anything but curious, joyful, insightful of the most magnificently silly things (all that a child dreams to be and do) is she happy. In wonderland, Phoebe finds a place where she does not merely need to survive, she can finally thrive.

Now for those wonderfully loving parents of hers. What is the hardest thing to do when you're in a relationship? Admit to the areas of weakness in that relationship, accept that it is not perfect and that in some cases the two of you alone cannot fix the problems you face. Now multiply that by infinity, take that to the depth of forever, and you still will barely have a glimpse of what I'm talking about. Even I can't fathom the pain one would find at having to struggle with a child who's problems I not only cannot understand, but cannot fix or even sooth. The pain one feels in that situation can even become even more harmful to the child, as seen when Phoebe's father is unable to hold his tongue and asks her why she thinks they'd want another child when they can barely handle her. It's an outrageous moment that should fill most viewers with the righteous anger of the heavens. Only, then you think about it. Would YOU be able to hold your tongue if you were him. Most if not all of us would say we surely would. But the problem is that no one can be sure of that. We all like to think that we would love someone so perfectly that we could never loose our head and hurt our loved ones so badly. But think back to up above, the imperfect relationship we are so afraid to question because we are SO in love. Is that love that stops us from questioning and allows our minds to make excuses for the imperfections in each other. No, love accepts imperfections, love seeks to understand and in understanding loves the imperfections themselves. It is only once the parents are able to let go of their fear of Phoebe's differences that they are able to truly understand and truly love her.

It's not easy getting to know someone completely. People have baggage, secrets, mistake ridden pasts; we're all quite messy underneath whatever outward appearances we possess or create for ourselves. The best part though, is once you get past all the crap. It's like coming upon a wonderful forrest, one that you can't help but explore, as you go deeper however, you realize that it is covered in swamps and crawling with dangerous creatures. Many people return to the beginning and stay there, afraid of the dangers lurking in the depths of that forrest. Some people leave the forrest and never return. Still others, the great ones, press on. They can't always be sure, but somehow they have a gut feeling that will eventually be rewarded. That is because once you get past the dark, dangerous and dreary inner forrest you come upon a clearing. All people have a clearing to find. And in that clearing you find the most beauteous sights. The truest parts of a person, those parts which can no longer be hidden by any means. You press on to that clearing, you have truly loved. And if you've been to that clearing, you know, it is ALWAYS worth the journey.

Jonah

Jonah has been coming up quite a lot in my life the last few months. In July I finally went back to my calling of serving in my church's high school group as a leader at the annual Party at Pedros. That weekend is always an amazing experience, as proven by my time there in high school as a camper, and my 3 different occasions to be a leader. That trip itself is ground for an entire blog post, so I will say only that the story our speaker choose happened to be that of Jonah. Then 3 weeks ago the high school pastor began a series on Jonah. And last night I sat in the main church service and listen to a man who i've had the utmost respect for since I met him my freshman year of high school give an very poignant sermon on Jonah. It just so happens that this man is the high school pastor at my church and was my small group leader for about 3 years of my high school experience. Funny, this was the third time i'd encountered Jonah with (if memory serves, 3 weeks in between each encounter) and all of them were with Jay (pastor). Now I won't claim to have paid perfect attention at the camp's sermons (I fell asleep during the first night's due to having to take some Nyquil) and maybe not even the second time during the high school service (I didn't fall asleep, but I was somewhat distracted by checking to see that the kids were respectfully paying attention) but I would be remiss to have missed that there was obviously something important God wanted to teach me through Jonah's tale.

Jonah's time in the giant fish was a prophetic instance which foreshadowed the 3 days and 3 nights Jesus would spend in his tomb. I have known that for quite a while, so once I started noticing all the triplets surrounding this sermon and my life for the past few months (I understand if you think I am stretching the significance of the number 3, but after all, this is about how God spoke to me and I think it was quite purposeful on his part. I tend to pay more attention to silly things like this.) So, this in mind, I sat forward in my seat and began to listen to what God was trying to tell me. The following is what I got:

"I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars [closed] behind me forever; Yet you have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD. And my prayer went [up] to You, into Your Holy Temple" Jonah 2:7

I have so much I have typed out and tried to say about his passage, but it keeps coming out wrong so I am going to start where I ended and try to explain that. Sometimes it is the case that God does not seek to solve our problems, but seeks to use our problems to solve us. Jonah's time in the belly of the whale allowed him to realize his err in fleeing from God and had Jonah not been spit up it would have been sufficient that his time in the whale had returned him to a path of righteousness and rightness with God. Here's the deal, I think that this was God giving me a reminder that even when life is going horribly, you are struggling with things you cannot understand the meaning for, you are ready to give up, He is there. He wants us to learn from our struggles and grow from them. Learn about ourselves, and about Him. Become wiser and more patient, compassionate and more understanding, loving and more giving. Jonah's psalm is similar to that of David's in Psalm 22. Even in the darkest hour the LORD is a great God and his love is always apparent.

I am struggling to find a job right now, I have been for almost 3 months. I haven't given up hope yet. I don't even feel angry at God or blame Him that I somehow being smitten by Him. So in the end I don't really know if this journey with Jonah has been just a loving reminder that I am doing well to remember to still praise Him for the great things I'm experiencing while I struggle with a job search (and let me be perfectly honest, even dirt poor, my life is more joyous than many could hope for, and it's getting better every day), or if it is an encouragement to me for the future. Either way, this was a message from God to me, and even if it's not special for anyone else, I will cherish it. It's like putting a John Deer hat on your grandpa when he leaves your house for on Thanksgiving with his arms full of left overs. When you think about it, it's just an average moment, but sometimes, with the right circumstances, that average moment can come to mean everything.

Raw and Random Thoughts

There is some quality of clouds that allows them to be two completely different things without changing their nature. In the light of day clouds are beautifully billowing emblems of the heavens. The clouds of a sunny day inspire the artful minds of man to create images overflowing with hope, incite the hands of the poet to bleed their ink wells dry with sonnets unrivaled by history's greatest poetic genius'. Yet those same magnificent clouds are able to strike almost the opposite feelings into the heart of those that behold them. The amassed clouds of the brooding storm carry no joy with tempestuous winds. Those self same clouds which only hours before were unleashing their beauteous forms among the sky have become harbingers of the frigid and damp dismality that weakens the soul and bears down upon the spirit. Clouds are a truly wondrous thing!

The heart similarly is wondrous. I speak not of the ventricles, arteries and valves of the organic heart - though in fairness that organ is incredible - but instead of the heart of mankind that lives within the chest yet functions on the flow of emotions, and circulation of love. I compare the heart to the clouds because the heart does not change in nature when the winds of change blow and one's hope is worn down by the cool neglection of another's heart. I am no scientist but I do remember something about cold and hot pressure creating the different types of clouds, causing clear and stormy weather. As this is true - or at least as much as what is true is aligned with what I remember - it seems obvious that the soaringly hopeful heart belongs in the illuminated light of sunshine, while the beleaguered and life-leached heart is one found in the woes of a storm.

This analogy seems to be taking root in my mind and growing with a rapidity that causes me to think two things. First, the truth in the analogy is clearly recognized by me and thus I am able to quickly move further up and further into the analogy. Second, the analogy, if it has any truth at all in it, has long since lost any meaning and the majority of my above thoughts are without meaning beyond their singular words. WELL HANG IT ALL TO HIGH HELL SAY I! I am not only an optimist, but a romantic, and therefore I shall carry on with my thoughts, or rather let my thoughts carry me on. I should note that when I say analogy I could very well mean correlation, I am quite tired and not every word chosen is perfect.

Now, I know that above I claimed to let my thoughts carry me on, and I did fully intend to. The funny thing with intentions however is how they can easily be turned astray. I am sorry to say that my thoughts have now led me to only one place. My mind must rest. I must sleep. Though the rest of a night which I recently had is not available to me, I shall rest my best and see if I cannot re-board that train of thought which I seem to have gotten off of at the wrong station.

Back In Action: Jumping In

So this is probably only going to be some quick thoughts as I have a job interview in the morning (hopefully leading to a job finally) but here on some recent thoughts on people and my relationship with them.

Lets start with this quote: "What man is a man, who does not make the world a better place?"

I am noticing that my feelings and relationships with people are much less dependent on who particular people are (character, personality etc.) and more dependent on who they want to be; this is only sufficient insofar as they are moving towards and capable of becoming who they wish to be. This may not be a typical way of thinking, but I do think the world could use more of it. It has allowed me to be a less judgmental and more loving person.

I do not know the actual quote but someone once said something along the lines of "I was so consumed with trying to do the right thing, that I forgot what the right thing was." I think that extends fully into the realm of the way we treat people. It is easy to get caught up in wanting to love people but it is equally easy to fall into the temptation of looking for people who are "worthy" of our love. This leads us to become blind to the people who actually NEED our love.

Most of my above thoughts stem from my time contemplating my desire(?) to go to law school which I think is a result of my feelings on loving the people of this world. I do not wish to sit idly by and read about the injustice of this world while swelling with anger (even if it is righteous anger, not sure if it is necessarily). I feel that I have been given the ability and the heart to make a difference and maybe even change people's views on justice and its execution. In the end maybe that's what this post is all about. I want to go to law school and I want to fight the evil deeds of evil people. I have a hero complex, what of it? I don't have the heart to fight physically, but I have the passion to fight to the death for the love of the people of this world.

God's Great Earth

This is just a few videos just show how awesome our earth and things animals that inhabit it are. Simply, amazing.

Why Wash

I just realized that I have not yet related why I chose to call my blog the wash. So I am going to try to get through this quickly and concisely. First off, everyone knows and will not argue that regular washing of almost anything is effective at showing it's true nature. A car's color is most vivid when clean, a mirror is most reflective when free of gunk and junk, etc. My meaning and purpose in creating this blog - though it was for a class - was to be able to take some free time to discourse of things which confuse me or in the very least consume my thoughts. So I will now do my best - being free from class obligations - to relate thoughts and ideas through this blog for the enjoyment of you. Thank you for joining me as I attempt to wash through the muddles of my brain and the things I see around me.