tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86735602024-02-19T06:50:46.688-08:00Culture ClashingForum for discussion of the way cultures interact, interesting observations about other cultures and reflections on our own. www.anchoredmusic.comBryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-59406427989837863472009-12-05T08:47:00.001-08:002009-12-05T08:47:52.649-08:00Why Tiger Wood's Character MattersI hear a lot of people these days complaining about people who are upset with Tiger Woods. They ask: "So what if he cheated? What does that matter to you?" This is particularly the case, it seems, with Liberals and celebrities. I personally never put much stock in Tiger Woods myself. I don't watch golf. I don't play golf. And I don't know much about golf. I'm a miniature golf man.<br />But what I do know something about is heroes. <br /><br />Right or wrong, like it or not, we live in a culture (US) that places high value on heroes. From sports athletes to presidents, from singers to actors, we constantly look for people we can hold up high and say: I wanna be like so and so. The thing we particularly look for in those people is strength of character, right or wrong, because strength of character is one of the quickest ways we can know for certain the person's integrity, and above all else, we value integrity in our heroes. Without integrity, our heroes can't be heroes because how can we look up to someone when we don't feel like we know who they are? We want leadership from someone who believes in something with passion and whose beliefs we share and know will not falter. Someone who lives what they preach, so to speak. As a result, when one of our heroes fails us, we feel let down, betrayed even. And for some people, there is a need to talk about that -- to try and come to terms with it.<br /><br />It's ironic to me when my writer friends or others in entertainment complain it's nobody's business, because this just shows me how out of touch they often are with the real American people and their cultural understandings. The truth is, we as writers (I am one) help create the hero mythology of our culture every single day. We don't write stories about ordinary people. For the most part, no one would get excited about them. We write stories about characters of extraordinary strengths. We do this because we inherently know that's what our audience is looking for. That's what sells stories.<br /><br />While I find it disgusting and sad the way the press exploit the personal lives of the famous or even slightly famous to raise their ratings and get dramatic stories, I don't think it's reasonable to expect otherwise in a culture which places such high value on heroes. While many celebrities and wealthy people live in their own culture with different rules for morality and different understandings than many of the regular people may have that does not make them superior or more knowledgable. In fact, it can often make them ignorant and insensitive and arrogant when they try and act like they are superior or more knowledgable. It lacks integrity to demand respect for your own personal life and beliefs and your own art when you show no such respect for the personal lives, beliefs, etc. of others.<br /><br />So when people ask me why Tiger Wood's Character matters, my answer is: it matters because he was someone whose talent and success made him admirable and got him notice. It matters because he and his people cultivated and exploited his family image to encourage that admiration and hero worship. And it matters because fair or not fair, he chose a life that would take him on path to possible public scrutiny and held himself up like a role model for others to emulate. Since most of the country, outside of entertainment, believe infidelity is far from admirable because it is a betrayal and a lack of respect for a committed partner, it matters that someone claiming to care about family breaks his family's trust be being unfaithful.<br /><br />To me, it's that simple, and I doubt it will change any time soon. I have been fortunate enough to meet and spend time with celebrities on many occasions in my career, and I can tell you they are just highly paid orrdinary people like you and me. They are talented, no doubt, but there was a lot of luck involved and good connections which allowed them to rise to the top of the stack, and somehow they worked hard enough and were willing to make the hard sacrifices necessary to stay there. In a culture that worships heroes, unfortunately, one of those is privacy and the right to demand that no one care how you behave in private.<br /><br />So no, I don't feel sorry for Tiger Woods because of this embarrassing scandal. He brought it on himself. And no I don't sympathize with the Hollywood whiners, either. Because if they act the same as Tiger Woods, they will bring it on themselves too.<br /><br />That's why Tiger Wood's character matters. For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-32645674927313326562009-10-12T19:28:00.001-07:002009-10-12T19:28:56.408-07:00LEave of AbsenceDue to a family emergency I am having to take a brief respite from my blogs. I will be back as soon a I can devote appropriate attention to quality postings. Please pray for us during this difficult time.<br /><br />BryanBryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-65867267063909633672009-09-18T08:08:00.000-07:002009-09-18T08:16:22.266-07:00Kids In MexicoOkay, I love kids. Always like to laugh with them, joke around, and play little games or just entertain them. I recently started teaching music classes in Mexico and 2/3rds of my piano class are girls under 10. They are all beautiful and cute. But they do keep their distance. My tendency when teaching kids is to hug and encourage them. Usually, in spite of any language barrier, this allows me to develop a good rapport. But in Mexico, they seem to keep their distance, which is a bit disappointing and hard for me to adjust to.<br /><br />A little cultural background might be helpful. In certain parts of Mexican society, there is an assumption that girls will be the subject of sexual advances from any males, even relatives, so they must learn to keep their distance and even be kept away from males until they marry. The assumption in the culture seems to be that male libidos are so hard for men to control that other actions should be taken to protect the girls, since the males can't help themselves. Before I get lambasted, I am not saying I agree that male libidos cannot be controlled. We are biblically called to self-control so clearly God holds us accountable for controlling our desires and actions. But I am saying that it seems to be a cultural point of view there. Now, ironically, I am dealing with Protestant Christians here, so you would hope that would be a little different, but so far I am suspecting it may not be. <br /><br />In any case, this presents a culture clash for me, as I have to be aware of how I interact with the kids and really watch myself so as not to offend. It should be easier, I guess, but I am so used to building rapport with kids, and often their parents, by joking and playing with the kids and just having fun. It also helps us bridge our language gap. All of these students, by the way, speak Spanish. A few know some English, but mostly it's the adults who do, not the kids.<br /><br />In any case, an interesting culture clash that seemed to fit here. Sorry I have not posted in a while. Between vacation, job changes and some new writing projects, I have not had the time.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-83522930135135616472009-08-28T16:59:00.000-07:002009-08-29T00:53:52.512-07:00Worship Leadership With The Servant's HeartWorship styles and approaches are a dime a dozen these days. Some churches feel more like concert halls. Sometimes, this is the result of the layout and design of the space where worship takes place. Sometimes, it happens in traditional church spaces because of the heart attitude of the leadership or musicians.<br /><br />I serve a small, new bilingual congregation on the U.S.-Mexico Border. I come here with a servant's heart. The pastor is not perfect but neither am I. I want the music in this church to reach a professional level, but I expect several years will be required. But I am determined to work with them to gradually grow. As important as what I do musically is the attitude I take toward relationships. How I treat people and how I treat worship matter.<br /><br />Part of the responsibility I have as lead worshiper is to be a good shepherd, herding them into God's house weekly and helping them feel comfortable there. It's not just about my musical style and taste or my demand for what I want. I get some of what I want, not all of it. I am there to serve their needs. I am there to meet them where they are, pour the love of God upon them through my example -- my passion, my music, etc. -- and help them grow to love worship more. In the process, they will come to know and love God more and better. The most important thing is that they can follow and join in as they are comfortable and that they feel loved and accepted there.<br /><br />If I have to play guitar for a while instead of piano, I don't complain about that. I am His servant and He called me here. If you come to serve on our worship team, you must believe God has called you to us, and you must humble yourself, set aside your wants and needs and serve. I want to see a good servant's heart in you by the way you volunteer to help clean up, and working with me on the tunes. I want you to be willing to do whatever is needed to help God's people worship. Whether they can sing or play an instrument or not, they need you to help lead them, and that's why God called you there.<br /><br />When I hear people express frustration that the music may not be energetic enough because of this or that or not what they like because of this or that -- to be honest, I think that comes from a self-serving place, not the heart of God. I think serving God requires us to be open to doing things however we need to do them to meet the needs of His people where He has us at any moment. It is hard to do, but it is our call. It is not about professional musicianship or sound or musical styles. It is not about worship that sounds every Sunday like it came off a CD. It is okay to want all those things and to have the goal of getting there, but coming in demanding them as the only acceptable way is not.<br /><br />You may be a talented musician and a good and Godly man, but you need to search your heart about these things so that you have the right attitude before God. Whether you serve here or end up elsewhere, your heart attitude is very important. I have to check my heart every day. I'm an artist. I have an ego. I fight that demon. But most of all I am a child of God, who has been blessed to be called to serve His people, and am daily humbled by that privilege. And God rewards us when we serve Him faithfully without concern for such things. <br /><br />I don't want people to walk away feeling like it was a great concert or great music set. I want the worship music so interwoven with the message the Lord is bringing that day that the music itself is almost incidental -- opportunities for God's people to echo their hearts' cry and speak back to him.It's not about my glory. It's not about people saying "Bryan makes great music." If people walk out the door saying "Wow. Bryan did great today," I have failed. What I want them to do is walk out the door saying: "Wow, I really felt the presence of the Lord here today. Wow, God's presence here was so strong today. Wow, God really touched me today."<br /><br />If they say those things, then something far more important than quality music has happened. If they say those things, they have had a true encounter with the real, true, living God. And not even the most professional sounding, highest energy, best written music can ever top that. Encountering God is what it's all about and that should be our entire focus and the goal of everything we do. If we get blessed in the process that can only come from God's presence not satisfying ourselves.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-18384720559026219432009-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:002009-08-19T11:06:52.303-07:00Old-FashionedOkay, call me old fashioned, but I am clashing with the consumer culture and have been for a long time. I still remember the days when parts didn't cost as much as the original item, when companies took pride in warranties and good maintenance for customers, when items were actually made to last and companies were actually sorry they let their customers down when a product was deemed inferior. It seems those days are gone, and I mourn the loss.<br /><br />The change happened, historically, after World War II. All of a sudden, inventors like Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were demoted as heroes to be replaced by accountants, business leaders and managers. These people didn't have the slightest idea how cars or machines worked or even how to make or fix them, but they did know how to cut down on costs in making them, how to cut employees, parts, or design costs to save the "bottom line." "Bottom Line" became the new buzz word. Marketing went into overdrive to convince people that buying new was better than keeping old. Everyone needs a new car, why keep fixing the old one? With this mentality, maintenance and long lasting products were not a major concern. In the process, Board meetings became less customer satisfaction focused and far more stock price/investor focused.<br /><br />I think we should rue the day this occurred. My laptop screen got cracked once, and it was over 50% of the cost of the laptop to replace it. My digital camera screen cracked once and the manufacturer suggested replacement. Replacement keys for my keyboard went up to $30 or more a piece. And they didn't seem to last they way they used to. Apparently, the way I play, care for my things, etc. is expected to change if I want things to last. Otherwise, I need to plan on upping my investment by replacing or repairing far more often. This makes me rethink what I buy, when I buy it, and whom I buy it from. And it also makes me sometimes regret not thinking harder in making those decisions.<br /><br />I still don't buy the idea that when you make and market product, you shouldn't be willing to stake your reputation on it. To me, what I put out there is a statement on who I am, and I honestly don't relate well to people who don't think the same way. It matters a great deal to me when someone accuses me of not meeting their expectations. And I think our society would be a better place if more people still cared about that and acted accordingly. Especially manufacturers and service companies. The fact that they don't is proved every time one of us spends endless time with a computer voice on the phone, trying to reach a real person who can help us resolve an issue. I have come to despise those computer voices -- so impersonal and without emotion. I miss the days when doing business with someone was like building an important relationship. It mattered more and I cared about the seller too.<br /><br />Call me old-fashioned if you want to. But that's what I believe. For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-83863230461319253292009-08-05T18:20:00.000-07:002009-08-05T18:31:23.453-07:00Border LifeIn her book, <span style="font-style:italic;">On The Border Of Opportunity</span>, Marlean Pugach writes: "I want to cross, I want to know the other side, I want to see how life is or is not like mine when I get there, or at least I want to think about it." This pretty much sums up my philosophy toward other cultures. I love to go and explore the differences, the contrasts. I love to see a new way of viewing the world and note how that differs from my own. I love to discover things that break me out of my box. I love to learn and grow.<br /><br />I have not lived in the borderland very long. But over the past few months here, and several years traveling to and from this area, I have been a bit surprised about the attitude many people here have toward the border. I am aware, having grown up in the Midwest, that many Americans do not share my fascination with other cultures or people who are different from them. Many American shun it and simply write it off as strange and ignorant. I guess I expected people who live in the border region to be a bit more open. I figured crossing over was more of a part of daily life than it seems to be for many people. Instead, people avoid it. Partially, this is due to violence, which is understandable. But even the information on that is so biased and not representative of reality that I find it sad more people are not interested in the larger city just a few minutes away by car across a few bridges. <br /><br />We love going to Juárez. In fact, we have not gone enough. I am looking forward to my classes starting in two weeks so I can go over once a week. We went there when I taught in June and to buy some groceries. But when we go, we are excited to explore. We like the new foods, musical sounds, etc. We like to explore what's different from what we know and what's similar. For my wife, this takes on different shades than for me, because she's from Brazil. The similarities to what she knows are different than the ones I see to my world. I don't find driving in Juárez as scary as I had been told. We have never felt in danger. And we generally enjoy the hospitality and friendliness of the locals.<br /><br />I hope people outgrow the fear as the violence calms, which inevitably it will some day. I also hope that some people will start being more interested in who we are as a region. You can't really hope to understand the culture of this place without understanding something about Mexico and the Mexican people. Not to mention Spanish. It's just too interwoven into life here. We have Mexican sections in grocery stores, even whole large stores of Mexican groceries. Spanish radio stations galore in every format. We have more Hispanic faces than Anglos. It is a part of El Paso's identity and it's sad to see people shunning it.<br /><br />I am looking forward to learning more. Reading every book I can find. Asking questions of people. Exploring. And I plan to continue doing that. To me, it makes me feel a part of things. I wish more others wanted to do the same.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-18785930678416824512009-07-29T12:02:00.001-07:002009-07-29T12:03:43.836-07:00Part of Leadership Is How We Present OurselvesThis came up on a forum I participate in sometimes and it is a culture clash I thought was very interesting and appropriate.<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">* Posted by J Pettigrew on July 29, 2009 at 6:00pm in Living a Life of Worship<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />This may have been brought up in another thread, if so then I apologize. My home church is not conservative, but not the most forgivig congregation either. We have had some complaints because some of the musicians on our team have ear rings, tattoos, mohawks, etc...<br /><br />So it was suggested that only when they are on stage at our church that they tone it down a bit and dress or style themselves a little more conservatively.<br /><br />These people are strong Christians who serve God with their gifts, inside and outside of the church. Should they really have to change their appearance just to please the congregation???<br /><br />All comments would be appreciated. I'm really hoping to hear from both sides to better understand why people feel the way they do.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"> Reply by Bryan Thomas Schmidt<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /> <br /> I agree that striving to not offend and sensitivity to others are signs of maturity. The Christian heart attitude is tested in such times. It is similar to the case Paul writes about in Romans where mature Christians had eaten meat thrown from the temples of false gods, because it was still good and they didn't want to waste it. Less mature Christians saw this and questioned their faith. To Paul, the meat was fine and not evil or cursed. But since the immature Christians were being tested by the sight of it, he recommended the mature Christians not do it where they could be seen. Some people in my congregation are against drinking. Others have no issue as long as it is not to excess. When I go to church picnics, I leave the beer at home. When I go to events with church members, I don't drink. The same is true in my work in other cultures. I try and be sensitive in what I say, how I say it, and how I appear in presenting it. So while it may offend your band members' sense of personal freedom of expression, it is not unreasonable to ask them to show sensitivity and be the bigger persons and dress in a way that is more acceptable to those who just can't see beyond their stereotypes.<br /> The goal of worship leading, and your band members are part of the worship leadership in your church whether they say words to lead or not, is to point people to Christ, not to one's self. If your dress is flashy or your jewelry calls attention to you and not Christ, you are not being a good leader. I ask my team members to dress conservatively, but comfortably, and none of them have the issues mentioned. I don't feel uncomfortable asking them, and so far no one has complained that it was unfair. It's just a reasonable expectation of leadership.Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-80498052968405447092009-07-20T10:32:00.000-07:002009-07-20T10:33:53.772-07:00It's About The HeartOne of the challenges of the context in which I so often have been called to work is that there is so much sensitivity surrounding worship issues. From song choices, to choice of words, etc., opinions are diverse and strongly held. When you move into a new cultural context, or between them (as I so often do), you face all the more challenges sorting them out. While sometimes the same issues do appear time and again, the cultural nuances behind them are often different and harder to sort out and reconcile. <br /><br />In any case, I just wanted to offer the following to meditate on:<br /><br />Roberta King, a professor of ethnomusicology at Fuller Seminary, has said that when it comes to song: God wants to be understood, and God is receptor oriented. So sometimes the setting needs to determine not only which songs we choose but also which concerns are primary in evaluating songs. But generally, is the message clear for those singing? Is it singable (language wise, musically)? Is it something culturally relevant to their context (not only lyrically but musically), etc.<br />The advantage we have is that God understands our hearts even when our language or musical expressions are imperfect. So I guess in some ways, the joy of expression, the passion, far outweighs the linguistic and musical correctness. Certainly that is the case for God's reception of things. But then again, just as the sermons teach theological concepts, so do the songs. And many cultures (Ghana for example) use songs to teach Scripture memorization. So again, context does add to determining criteria and they way criteria are prioritized...<br /><br />But above all, beyond criteria, we are human and frail and have limited understandings. Every denomination and theologian out there, if and when they get to heaven, will find many errors in their way of thinking and interpreting scriptures which surprise them. God alone is all knowing and all seeing. We must remember that our hearts are what matters. Do we really love God? Are we passionate in our faith? Do we follow His commands, including loving our neighbors as ourselves? Are these things obvious to the world around us? If we fail in this area, none of the rest is going to matter a great deal. Being genuine but wrong is likely more acceptable in heaven than being selfish and not authentic in our faith and love for God and one another. If we spent more time focused on that than arguing details of our differences, etc. (which by the way are really little things in the overall picture), we'd be happier and more successful in our Christian walks.<br /><br />I say this as much for myself as anyone else. It's something I think all of us need to constantly work on.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-32911957231915246282009-06-30T16:23:00.000-07:002009-06-30T16:35:28.250-07:00LoyaltyI am having a culture clash with my own culture these days. It has been a while since I've written here because life has been so full of transitions that I have not often had the time to sit down and reflect, but lately I keep bumping up against a cultural norm that really disturbs me: lack of loyalty. It just seems that today people's loyalties are very fickle. In marriage, in work partnerships, in all relationships, people are not willing to stick it out and work through problems like they used to. I even find myself tempted to do the same. "It's too hard, I'm too tired or too busy, I'll just stop going or stop calling and it will go away."<br /><br />I hate when I think like that. Some of you may deem me ignorant -- I deserve that sometimes, too -- but I think there is still a place for loyalty in this world, and my culture in particular. One of the best and worst examples of it recently was George W. Bush, whose loyalty was admirable but led him to accept blame for many things others he trusted were doing. It also may have led him to follow them at times when more thought and debate was warranted, simply because he trusted them and wanted to be loyal. So, you see, loyalty can be good and bad.<br /><br />But there is something to be said for the type of loyalty where people are there for each other through thick and thin. The type of loyalty that makes people run toward each other in times of crisis instead of running away. My Grandma Nora was like that, from what everyone tells me. She was never too busy to drop whatever she was doing and pray for someone or help them talk things through. She was the kind of friend people could depend on. I don't know about you, but I could sure use a few more of those.<br /><br />There is something to be said for the husband who says "I am miserable. Our marriage is not working. I am very unhappy most of the time, but I choose to stay with you because we promised each other and God, and we need to work this out." That is a hard choice to make these days. And it is all the more rare, too, from what I see around me. <br /><br />What about Jonathan who was loyal to his friend David even as Jonathan's father, Saul, was trying to have David killed? What about Paul, whose loyalty for Christ was so strong that he was willing to face the very torture and hardship he had once imposed on others in the name of God? How hard that kind of loyalty must have been?<br /><br />Hard though it may, I think such loyalty is a quality sorely missing from our world today. That's why, despite the price he paid and the mistakes made, I admire George W. Bush for his loyalty, and I hope I can be loyal in the right times and for the right reasons. I hope my loyalty is strong and unfaltering. And I hope I can find some people who will be loyal like that for me, too. The world would be a better place.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-46237675354023218632008-11-19T07:24:00.000-08:002008-11-19T07:40:04.966-08:00Culture ShockI just heard something which is throwing me thru a loop -- some people who helped make me who I am voted for a political candidate whose entire party and whose values are opposed to all they taught me to believe in. For the life of me, I can't seem to get past feeling that I'm in an identity crisis. If they don't believe everything I have stood for and thought they stood for for 39 years, beliefs I built my life around, which effected so many decisions, even cost me heavy prices sometimes -- then who am I?<br /><br />It's a culture shock, I guess. I knew the culture was changing and the sense of base values with it. And I knew these people had become a bit more liberal in their thinking, mostly due to the confusing arguments put forth by opponents of traditional values which water them down in many people's minds. It's easy to be led astray when we fail to consult the scriptures and evaluate things in light of the truth of God's Word. How many times do we fail to go to God's Word when we are faced with moral questions which strike at the heart of our core beliefs? Operating on logic doesn't work, because our sinful nature can be confused. We have to operate on faith and let the Holy Spirit speak wisdom to our hearts.<br /><br />So many Americans who claim to be Christians voted against that this past election for reasons which I still don't understand. It still haunts me to think of so many people being misguided and leading this country down a very dangerous path. But these people -- they just can't be the same people I thought they were if they voted this way. They are too well educated, too smart... And I have lost people whom I looked up to and who were my allies when I felt alone in my beliefs. Now I feel I am alone. Not really. I know others who share my convictions, but I have never felt so lonely.<br /><br />It has always been hard to stand up in the face of the changing values of a world, drifting away from traditional values. It has always been hard to have integrity. You have to be willing to have a culture clash with the world around you. You have to be willing to be an oddball, march to a different drummer, to not care what others say or think. One high school friend said that was what he always admired about me -- I always was who I said I was. He found it reliable and he respected it, even though he was far different than me. Since then, he has come to share the same values I have now, and he often wonders how I tolerated him then. <br /><br />I have never been one who wanted to preach my values to others. I stand up for them. I am ready to explain them, but I never wanted to convert anyone or force my views upon them. Not that I don't hope they convert. I just don't treat it like a battlefield. I prefer to let my actions and my life witness rather than try and argue or convince with words. But lately, I feel such a sense of culture shock. The world has changed around me, and sometimes it seems the larger group of which I used to be a part has gotten smaller and smaller. Sometimes the majority who once shared my values, now seems like a minority. It's so disappointing, because the beliefs I am talking about have been at the core of our society and national identity. No wonder the world doesn't seem to know who we are any more or even like us. Who likes someone who doesn't stand for anything or who violates their own values? Not many, in my experience. At least not after high school.<br /><br />So here I am watching two idols fall. Not idols as in a religious object I worshipped, but people I looked up to and whose example I tried to follow. I never thought I'd stop, but that ended when I found out they were no longer the people I thought they were. And now I don't know whose example to follow. Or maybe I have just put too much into following human example and not enough into following Christ. After all, Christ should be our only idol and our example, right? That is what the Bible instructs. It is what I claim to believe. Maybe God is using this to shock me back into proper focus. Maybe this culture shock is a sign of my own straying from the goal. Am I off course, too? It's definitely time to reevaluate.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-13596994201878380232008-06-21T23:59:00.000-07:002008-06-22T00:08:03.628-07:00Don't Miss THE MIDDLEMAN<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CME%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1026"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Okay, I am going to stray from usual topics because I can't help it. I have to recommend a new show to you.
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I have never been a big fan of comic books. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">It’s not that I dislike them or don’t respect the art form. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">They just never appealed to me the way that a good fiction novel and my own imagination did. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I have read a few, mostly those with tie-ins to movies I loved like Star Wars. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">They just aren’t my thing.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">But I love science fiction, and I love tv.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">And so I must recommend the delightful new ABC Family Show “The Middleman,” which airs Monday nights. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Okay, I confess.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I am friends with the show’s creator.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">We went to college together, but we have not been in close touch for several years. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">So I am not overly biased.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Javier did, however, give me the most encouraging words I ever received during my first attempt to break into <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> as a writer. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">And I have never forgotten.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">In fact, the memory of his words is what has kept me going in my second attempt.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">But I digress.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">“The Middleman” is about a super hero, actually more of a super secret agent, assigned to investigate criminals of a supernatural, science fiction-like kind. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">And it’s about his sidekick, Wendy Watson, a wanna be artist temping her way through to pay bills while awaiting success -- like so many of us have done past and present. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The show has sparkling dialogue and great pop culture references from shows like “Planet of The Apes” to things like the Xbox, on which Wendy honed they very skills she now employs in her temp job fighting bad guys.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The actors do an excellent job selling the material and bringing the characters to life. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The production values are top notch.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">And they even got “24’s” beloved Chloe O’Brien (Mary Lynn Rajskub) to do a guest shot in the pilot as an evil scientist.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The show features everything from aliens to talking apes to human beings. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">And it stays away from cliché, by even making its cliché-like moments (which all of us find hard to avoid at times in our writing) sizzle and twist in unexpected ways. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The result is one of the best new shows I’ve seen since, well, “24” or even “Lost,” which coincidentally employed Javier for its first two seasons. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">It’s clever, it’s entertaining, and it’s just plain fun.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Don’t miss “The Middleman.” </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">You won’t forget it.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:130%;">
<br /></span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"> By the way, it even has elements of culture clash in it as Wendy is dragged into a world beyond her comprehension and adapts handily to it. While in the meantime, maintaining our connection to the world we all inhabit and was formerly her only home. It's interesting to watch those dynamics play out, and Javier being one of the foremost Hispanic writers in Hollywood -- along with the actress playing Wendy who happens to be Hispanic -- I imagine we have only seen a foretaste of the interesting culture clashes to come.</span></span>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-56463199864736890562008-06-06T22:33:00.001-07:002008-12-09T19:04:47.786-08:00Days 4 and 5my<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lzPR95khYWqYXva1opS6BGemilFWZA3p9eBbAOCHX6GyxVzES_iFrpOvA1V_K-5cjCBfUoTgVfuaWynD00K4h4C2gsDElVahW4AjQetZibbxY8YT4NRRFK0pY_Z1njH58302zw/s1600-h/100_2000.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lzPR95khYWqYXva1opS6BGemilFWZA3p9eBbAOCHX6GyxVzES_iFrpOvA1V_K-5cjCBfUoTgVfuaWynD00K4h4C2gsDElVahW4AjQetZibbxY8YT4NRRFK0pY_Z1njH58302zw/s320/100_2000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209008765072765970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Okay, sorry, I dropped the ball. Between shaky internet connectability, my wife's arrival to join the team, and the loss of my camera (which was stolen), I have had some distractions and difficulties. Our books still did not arrive, but our students did rehearse for graduation today and it was thrilling to watch people who had never had the chance to perform like this perform together, all at once, over 30.<br /><br />Ryan and Jacob led us in great times of worship the past three days, and we sent Ryan home today. Jacob leaves tomorrow, before the graduation. I wish they could be here for this, but understand well their need to get home. In any case, no new pictures for the rest of this trip, as I have no camera and have to rely on others to provide them. I will get them eventually, but for now, sorry about that. No one's sorrier than me that I have to replace it.Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-53402718297227167372008-06-04T13:19:00.000-07:002008-12-09T19:04:49.198-08:00Day Three Report<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2ebvlSB8jmygnSCjM4hdoUrCaUCFpli_5V1HplSvWPjSJN9iOWuS6-DzvAoRzN7u0YOiYAYZnaEsr3MfMg0dR0HKE3MFBC38FofMa1lWhTqCM-5GCOJu_u9yGTFHdO1JEnUcoQ/s1600-h/100_1995.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2ebvlSB8jmygnSCjM4hdoUrCaUCFpli_5V1HplSvWPjSJN9iOWuS6-DzvAoRzN7u0YOiYAYZnaEsr3MfMg0dR0HKE3MFBC38FofMa1lWhTqCM-5GCOJu_u9yGTFHdO1JEnUcoQ/s320/100_1995.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208130960534448434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPcaUVZ8wAkm42dJnw72H5zHGImRJhW_6e_25XgMfttQmJkoNZKz1N_Z5Ukng4NHgjyNQyViHT7JotZkH4rPEFn4ZIIbANqwmFX9VNcHAY00Ihd8vVHTbaX-SGMp3_z9jXDNUlw/s1600-h/100_1997.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPcaUVZ8wAkm42dJnw72H5zHGImRJhW_6e_25XgMfttQmJkoNZKz1N_Z5Ukng4NHgjyNQyViHT7JotZkH4rPEFn4ZIIbANqwmFX9VNcHAY00Ihd8vVHTbaX-SGMp3_z9jXDNUlw/s320/100_1997.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208131063613663554" border="0" /></a><br />Last night went very well. The students joined us in worship, and we had good sessions of teaching. A few late arrivals, but things went very well. We all agreed we're so focused that we aren't even noticing the heat.<br /><br />Today, we took a tour of the city and visited an overlook showing both sides of the border as well as visited the market and the original mission. We also saw several BEAMM sites. It was a good opportunity to see the context in which BEAMM works and where we have been since Sunday night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtHoTdSEXu6MVqm-lqeAL7XGemXx4d3RDub8vIl3io_jPxk2dsUl0sSr_HRa3VAvC8So_8Pb4m2YwpDWC1Poj6oqY2Fta_xD6i4xT1aI9lB_R5rWIrtxDuk0k-OKps4miRVi3xw/s1600-h/100_1987.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFtHoTdSEXu6MVqm-lqeAL7XGemXx4d3RDub8vIl3io_jPxk2dsUl0sSr_HRa3VAvC8So_8Pb4m2YwpDWC1Poj6oqY2Fta_xD6i4xT1aI9lB_R5rWIrtxDuk0k-OKps4miRVi3xw/s320/100_1987.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208128916130015490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUph0q7BqbcHmt8a8r3PMZJr-cnozNtI2jWHUxperuJ-W_p2TuKHujK6_yNbPr4eS7qj5y7XINi79nyN1pg-BmE0DPX2OIXPAkiaxO5BSS8VYicHiK0StVrV_SB9qOpiB4o3wIpA/s1600-h/100_1988.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUph0q7BqbcHmt8a8r3PMZJr-cnozNtI2jWHUxperuJ-W_p2TuKHujK6_yNbPr4eS7qj5y7XINi79nyN1pg-BmE0DPX2OIXPAkiaxO5BSS8VYicHiK0StVrV_SB9qOpiB4o3wIpA/s320/100_1988.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208128924719950098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQl52IK0d94NqFg9yzrFJy-4fxeBVrHDSlAnchPtnffzPGx1KNkEHFUulAkK21lTd4LmUsnzBtwP8zavGTdz_OJVdFMP1M0k7CGtSemMIIlQSGyCAnUWFLJDcYE5rFf22YFbpObA/s1600-h/100_1989.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQl52IK0d94NqFg9yzrFJy-4fxeBVrHDSlAnchPtnffzPGx1KNkEHFUulAkK21lTd4LmUsnzBtwP8zavGTdz_OJVdFMP1M0k7CGtSemMIIlQSGyCAnUWFLJDcYE5rFf22YFbpObA/s320/100_1989.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208128929014917410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEJHSFD15jh0vNCB5C_ujj3bdQsaUdi5Po6PQXvUv5K3HwWzmCw4F7i5eVKuBLjWArTLepyLHaDibmvdSTLl1M7IEf56zbcBrmr1Wu3DLc7nX5MthGsdhb6Z-9dzNLE8gCzIEgQ/s1600-h/100_1982.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEJHSFD15jh0vNCB5C_ujj3bdQsaUdi5Po6PQXvUv5K3HwWzmCw4F7i5eVKuBLjWArTLepyLHaDibmvdSTLl1M7IEf56zbcBrmr1Wu3DLc7nX5MthGsdhb6Z-9dzNLE8gCzIEgQ/s320/100_1982.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208127756488845538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTpEf-zDp-QuCqNBoA_gVvWuwZQ7vZRhqsdl3yD2pYTMb6Opf3IPq-1-6X21wHrlR3uL3QHnw0t145BXZSx8Ra7LEKDPVc6QU1OJ0zsKEXdrXuivXZXPOBxG49cosKBhkdiQkBg/s1600-h/100_1986.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRTpEf-zDp-QuCqNBoA_gVvWuwZQ7vZRhqsdl3yD2pYTMb6Opf3IPq-1-6X21wHrlR3uL3QHnw0t145BXZSx8Ra7LEKDPVc6QU1OJ0zsKEXdrXuivXZXPOBxG49cosKBhkdiQkBg/s320/100_1986.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208127769373747442" border="0" /></a>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-73167368933727211412008-06-03T21:42:00.000-07:002008-12-09T19:04:50.688-08:00Day Two Highlights: Fotolog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6JgPz1XMXlK3P-AO1JjzRR22_vNA3J_5xL2iLT8lGY8OQKSyW4cT-2dFpM4YL48BxVz-0jVCXwvbqB0PFiTKrTkxsFCOCEoFydY5niwLDY56kUqIy_iJdQNJ2BDQ34-DW0utUw/s1600-h/100_1930.jpg">Here are photos of key moments from tonight's sessions:<br /><br />Ryan, Jacob, and Bryan leading worship.<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6JgPz1XMXlK3P-AO1JjzRR22_vNA3J_5xL2iLT8lGY8OQKSyW4cT-2dFpM4YL48BxVz-0jVCXwvbqB0PFiTKrTkxsFCOCEoFydY5niwLDY56kUqIy_iJdQNJ2BDQ34-DW0utUw/s320/100_1930.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207888677134313666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EuHjqjcw2gDgNyVxGBJXFicyWGUHCQGadZcHP9aHLF5RD6N2C0UH7wkw_xtBFKwnbkWPK_a76ooPgNf7kkDN7lqNNCdkbCgNvqyiqpIMw_Wl6OxCzx2Tu0NXT_-iwpadDVx-Pw/s1600-h/100_1936.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EuHjqjcw2gDgNyVxGBJXFicyWGUHCQGadZcHP9aHLF5RD6N2C0UH7wkw_xtBFKwnbkWPK_a76ooPgNf7kkDN7lqNNCdkbCgNvqyiqpIMw_Wl6OxCzx2Tu0NXT_-iwpadDVx-Pw/s320/100_1936.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207888685724248274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6JgPz1XMXlK3P-AO1JjzRR22_vNA3J_5xL2iLT8lGY8OQKSyW4cT-2dFpM4YL48BxVz-0jVCXwvbqB0PFiTKrTkxsFCOCEoFydY5niwLDY56kUqIy_iJdQNJ2BDQ34-DW0utUw/s1600-h/100_1930.jpg"><br />Ryan McMillen teaching keyboards. </a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6JgPz1XMXlK3P-AO1JjzRR22_vNA3J_5xL2iLT8lGY8OQKSyW4cT-2dFpM4YL48BxVz-0jVCXwvbqB0PFiTKrTkxsFCOCEoFydY5niwLDY56kUqIy_iJdQNJ2BDQ34-DW0utUw/s1600-h/100_1930.jpg">Aaron Zapata teaching guitar.</a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Q8HwWmo6srIau5hgpnnACFF6M8qso054of8rBlBzSnN20k114_pdx4yBVFyKjIHzcSFL91x8vsmleCdLwbZ9puBe8jLbelJ5d4X5hejBzd0L1kieVsc_eD_tbys24bHwavSNMg/s1600-h/100_1974.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Q8HwWmo6srIau5hgpnnACFF6M8qso054of8rBlBzSnN20k114_pdx4yBVFyKjIHzcSFL91x8vsmleCdLwbZ9puBe8jLbelJ5d4X5hejBzd0L1kieVsc_eD_tbys24bHwavSNMg/s320/100_1974.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207887813845887122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8u7tmCsfSK6PTltn2mrf69AvTT9VpbrZF7CYM2EIo9uGKsw1agfHPf4x21PWMc8ygiLVeNOaG52GeA9-KWsTCl_p9tRkPovqoccO-9DIBcUL1WrlQBrv57hJEgKF-S-td4kynQ/s1600-h/100_1957.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8u7tmCsfSK6PTltn2mrf69AvTT9VpbrZF7CYM2EIo9uGKsw1agfHPf4x21PWMc8ygiLVeNOaG52GeA9-KWsTCl_p9tRkPovqoccO-9DIBcUL1WrlQBrv57hJEgKF-S-td4kynQ/s320/100_1957.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207887818140854434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-ZsLXMJuldTSA9bSoLmM-D1kLsS_y457F51pKHFGmJ8KgpmXLnHol6jqpcn8qlk5Ya3mHDAJR17VjmyZHZy5Jyvz9UC3mA6WbK4ssac4D0-ceJZYmE_VYASRKc1yDnmYu0rhxg/s1600-h/100_1959.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-ZsLXMJuldTSA9bSoLmM-D1kLsS_y457F51pKHFGmJ8KgpmXLnHol6jqpcn8qlk5Ya3mHDAJR17VjmyZHZy5Jyvz9UC3mA6WbK4ssac4D0-ceJZYmE_VYASRKc1yDnmYu0rhxg/s320/100_1959.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207887822435821746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfIbhJpIzGyWForm0yKrIl7sLqU1yeWymn_l1UPmiJiAejZg-x7ThlfIk8P93wQUpkeVOYJGbktdxIjayHLTaY4J8QeC5yPY4q02Cwx0gWG17N5bYoESjk61Lthx4tIAwYu2P4g/s1600-h/100_1955.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfIbhJpIzGyWForm0yKrIl7sLqU1yeWymn_l1UPmiJiAejZg-x7ThlfIk8P93wQUpkeVOYJGbktdxIjayHLTaY4J8QeC5yPY4q02Cwx0gWG17N5bYoESjk61Lthx4tIAwYu2P4g/s320/100_1955.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207886297722431602" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAcVcHT5wLGsCPe5_TFq421bxSS7cQjai1_CaoCFCGaax4wGjfP7tj48czxNye4HU3c8HwuC_7VGX-VrM4_snS9kjS05qyViEqzUXglvjUdZi2tSIsUxrH9AC0nWe5pekoDFSxQ/s1600-h/100_1953.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAcVcHT5wLGsCPe5_TFq421bxSS7cQjai1_CaoCFCGaax4wGjfP7tj48czxNye4HU3c8HwuC_7VGX-VrM4_snS9kjS05qyViEqzUXglvjUdZi2tSIsUxrH9AC0nWe5pekoDFSxQ/s320/100_1953.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207886310607333506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Jacob Tilton teaching guitar.Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-44859475250083471842008-06-03T06:17:00.001-07:002008-06-03T06:37:02.618-07:00Worship Camp 2008 Day TwoThis morning we were invited to go to a team meeting for the missionaries, but I decided it was better to stay in and rest. We need to be well rested, because we teach for four hours a night with no air conditioning and not a day this week is supposed be below 100 Fahrenheit. I am sad that the team will not meet all the missionaries, but since last night was our first class session, and we have 35+ students rather than the 10 originally expected, we have to adjust our lesson plans to the situation and the skill levels we now know of our students. And we have to rehearse and prepare for worship as well. These workshops are also intense and I want these guys to be well rested and prepared. That's more important than a fellowship time. The other reality is the meeting is across the border and the travel would take an extra two hours or so. <br /><br />But we will take a break to go out to lunch and do some shopping today. We also will have a prayer time together and perhaps even devotions. It is good to get to know my own Worship Director better. Ryan McMillen is a nice guy and very patient and gentle. But he also can be more reserved and quiet than I am (I know everyone's thinking how great that is). This is a chance to get to know each other better as people and as musicians which will help us to serve Chesterfield Presbyterian Church better when we return.<br /><br />And Jacob Tilton is so talented. I hope I get the chance to worship at his church, Fort Worth Presbyterian Church, again. We visited there last May for a BEAMM team meeting related to Mexico, and it's a great location and nice facility, but Jacob happened to be gone that week. Jaxob is also a great guy and fun musician for Ryan and I to partner with. Both Ryan and Jacob worked hard to learn songs in Spanish and we are each trading off leading songs like "Lord I Lift Your Name On High," "Forever," "Open The Eyes Of My Heart," and hymns as well. <br /><br />Last night I asked Ryan and Jacob to play two famous Mexican songs sight unseen to demonstrate to students how important it is to know music theory. They did well playing "Mexican Hat Dance" and "La Cucaracha" though I know Jacob felt like he didn't overwhelm. It was not about showing off musical skill as much as showing off the value of music theory knowledge, and both demonstrated that well. The songs were recognized and the students smiled and clapped. Here are two songs similar in this culture to our own "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" or "Old McDonald" which everyone knows. Of course, my team might have heard them, but had never played them. So for them to play them off the sheet music so well the first time, made the point I wanted made well.<br /><br />We had a large group session, post-worship, in Music Theory and I raced through the basics in an hour. Most of the students did not learn it this way, of course. A few already knew things. But the idea was not to teach it as much as get them familiar with the symbols, words, and concepts they will need to learn this week. I think that was accomplished, but I also hope we wet their appetite. I am going to tell them that if they want it, I can come back and really teach music theory. And we'll see what happens. It would serve them well.<br /><br />After that session, we broke into four classes. Basic Guitar, Basic Keyboards, and Advanced Guitar and Advanced Keyboard. Ryan had two Advanced Piano students and Jacob had around eight in guitar. We had 17 basic guitar and around 15 basic keyboard students. Jacob said he got through more than expected. I felt the same. Ryan felt he got through exactly what he planned. So that is a good first day.<br /><br />I am having to teach differently than I would normally approach things at the request of the missionaries. They want the students to learn how to play basic chords. But teaching basic chords without the building blocks of notation, scales, etc. is very difficult. Add to that the fact that I have never taught piano before, and I need your prayers. I am winging it big time. But I am just committing it to God and letting him lead me, and the students learned 3 of 7 major chords last night. They also learned the intervals and steps needed to find any major chord. We'll test their retention today, but that is good progress.<br /><br />Add to that the fact that the terminology is Spanish, which we don't speak. And some of the translators are not always aware of musical terminology. Another challenge for the classes is that we have a mix of ages. We have kids who may well be 10 years old and we have adults in their 40s. That is both exciting and challenging. But we are very thankful just for the opportunity. It is such a blessing to share with these people. No culture clashing so far that I know of, other than perhaps a few organizational things. But God is with us and all will be well.Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-45568944239049719662008-06-02T23:00:00.001-07:002008-12-09T19:04:51.357-08:00Worship Camp 2008 Begins<p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtnz8X98KjHEA42FjCOYGOQQjAvHcukbTIgIHS-FIx4AzyjdMjXRwEVY_zl5644Tvmh3zaxmfoVIe4ELLBtU2E3trsJZZ__mP05yDJoiHS6Dent9_MgABfhKN5qyKrQFEV-2K9Q/s1600-h/100_1922.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtnz8X98KjHEA42FjCOYGOQQjAvHcukbTIgIHS-FIx4AzyjdMjXRwEVY_zl5644Tvmh3zaxmfoVIe4ELLBtU2E3trsJZZ__mP05yDJoiHS6Dent9_MgABfhKN5qyKrQFEV-2K9Q/s320/100_1922.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207529184076671074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL9akyxUUf7wigRirUDjh-97Hka38uZhRATTkTTpqubHZQhXJ8GHcr6CvgK1u0QFSsXBQPvnTY_ZpzBIyHpfnw2KRlQw-6xB5dKHRjLnna5AKcIGlZv0-8lSz1PeEBCd-7z5OdA/s1600-h/100_1924.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWL9akyxUUf7wigRirUDjh-97Hka38uZhRATTkTTpqubHZQhXJ8GHcr6CvgK1u0QFSsXBQPvnTY_ZpzBIyHpfnw2KRlQw-6xB5dKHRjLnna5AKcIGlZv0-8lSz1PeEBCd-7z5OdA/s320/100_1924.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207528342263081042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRNp3fl0y4yOUxS-54ucWsRAbxp7nbgEyDIaDUD66a2K1T7zu6Ivv9a3zzrsY67AW4pgfoDnjzrtSOxwPSgatReRzBH6DVPtLivOAfW8FOdbSdwi4DqNGEicnhbD6xu3XkP6wgg/s1600-h/100_1928.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRNp3fl0y4yOUxS-54ucWsRAbxp7nbgEyDIaDUD66a2K1T7zu6Ivv9a3zzrsY67AW4pgfoDnjzrtSOxwPSgatReRzBH6DVPtLivOAfW8FOdbSdwi4DqNGEicnhbD6xu3XkP6wgg/s320/100_1928.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207527101017532482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here we are. What a team. Worship Directors from two PCA churches and one former Contemporary Christian Singer in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to teach about worship. We got good rest today and managed to sneak in a three hour or so rehearsal of the songs for the week and talk over worship. These guys are such pros and fun to work with, that it makes it easy on me.<br /><br />We have some stresses though. Our songbooks are lost in the unholy U.S. mail, which I am going to phase my business out of, because they raise rates and promise better service and can't even make a guaranteed 6 business day delivery in 20 days. I'm not upset at all, can't you tell? Anyway, we also did not get copies made of the visuals for the Music Theory lecture and for the worship songs for the students, so Jacob drew my drawings while I taught.<br /><br />There were more frustrations than I have had in a while. None of them because of these wonderful team members. I work hard to plan and prepare and when things don't get executed or interpreted the way I intended, things don't go smoothly, and so I am a bit frustrated. But I give it to the Lord. Our travel was safe and our time together in fellowship has been a blessing. And the teaching went well. On top of that, our work as a worship team was smooth as silk.<br /><br />Anyway it's almost 1 a.m. St. Louis time and I am exhausted but here are three pics and some comments. We will post more soon. We are looking forward to tomorrow. God Bless!</p>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-38436579143407329282008-05-14T08:40:00.001-07:002008-05-14T08:40:08.194-07:00Culture Clashing Films<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href='http://www.pangeaday.org/pangeadayFilms.php'>http://www.pangeaday.org/pangeadayFilms.php</a><br/><br/>To learn about cultures around the world, view these short films celebrating diversity!<br/></div>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-87999348353633686262008-05-05T06:29:00.001-07:002008-05-05T08:42:52.016-07:00Life From The Inside...Cuba<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>A new blog worth checking out. Written by a cuban inside about life there.<br/><a href='http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/'>http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/</a><br/></div>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-22030244093406306672008-04-28T19:58:00.001-07:002008-04-28T19:58:41.843-07:00How are you today? I don't care...<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>My wife struggles with the issue of the standard every day "How are you?" So common in our culture. Not that she doesn't understand the question. She doesn't understand the reason. "Why do people ask if they don't care about the answer?" That's her question. In Brazil, when people ask, they expect a detailed, honest answer. But in the U.S. when you answer with anything much beyond "Fine" or "Ok," people act bored. <br/><br/>She has a point. Just try one day of answering that question honestly and you'll see how fast the eyes glaze over. "How are you?" "Well, actually, my cat is sick, and my car needs a new engine. And I don't know how I'm going to pay for the vet and repairs, and to top it off, I'm coming down with something..." SNORE! People will become too busy to talk really quick and avoid you the rest of the day. Okay, not most people you really know well, but any casual acquaintances you can count on it.<br/><br/>In the U.S. we have a habit of asking the question as politeness, not genuine concern. And for someone from a culture where genuine concern and interest is more than politeness, it is hard to understand that. Believe it or not, in some cultures people would far rather engage in a meaningful conversation than watch tv or movies. They would even rather be with other people, getting to know them, than eating or doing about anything else. In these cultures, relationships are top priority. So imagine being in a country where independence is the highest priority, and people tend to keep small circles and hold everything in.<br/> <br/>My wife is a friendly person who longs for community. To her, when a person asks: "How are you?" It is an investment of interest. Not a polite greeting. She took it as a genuine concern. And when she discovered people's eyes glazing over during her honest answers, she was hurt. And baffled. She doesn't get why people pretend to care, when they don't. In Brazil, people who don't want to get into a conversation or care, just greet others politely with "Oi" (hi) or "Bom dia" (good day). They make no attempt to pretend interest. It's more direct and more genuine. At least to someone from a culture where relating to others is so highly valued.<br/><br/>To me, it's a reminder that we've lost something. Our lack of community, our independent-mindedness, tends to numb us to genuine concern and caring, and separate us from one another. We guard our inner selves like closely held military secrets, and keep our lives and problems from the prying eyes and ears of all but our closest associates. No wonder politicians and others find it so easy to divide us. We hardly know each other. It is much easier to be suspicious and distrusting of people whom we know so little about. And even harder to care about them.<br/><br/>For what it's worth...<br/><br/></div>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-90462152119011135472008-04-22T08:08:00.001-07:002008-04-22T08:08:57.746-07:00Blogger Approach<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>A friend of mine recently said: "I don't get into blogs at all. Who wants to know that you're staring at the wall, wearing green socks and bored? If you don't have more to say than that, don't waste my time." I must say, I agree with him, which is why my blogs sometimes sit months or weeks with no posts. I absolutely refuse to post such tripe. I enjoy blogging. I am a professional writer, so I enjoy writing. But I have always hoped my blog posts would not be considered tripe. You might not agree with them or find them interesting, but at least they have substance.<br/><br/>Ironically, it would seem my attitude clashes with much of the blogging culture. There are an awful lot of blogs out there being posted to for weeks on end with such posts, and that's why I, like my friend, don't read many blogs very often. In any case, allow me to recommend a few which I do find interesting:<br/><br/>http://chaodai.livejournal.com/ -- This one, written by an old friend of mine who is producing a tv show he created called Minute Man, is interesting for those who like me want to write television and film or just wonder about that lifestyle<br/><br/>http://www.greyswriters.com/ -- This one is for Grey's Anatomy fans by the writers of the show. It's always interesting, but sometimes they get a little too into themselves and over think it.<br/><br/>http://timeoutforworship.blogspot.com -- this is my new devotional blog. I have been submitting devotions to magazines like <b><u>The Upper Room</u></b> and <b><u>Secret Place </u></b>with some success. Here is where I post ones which were not accepted for various reasons but which I still think are worthy for those who like devotions.<br/><br/>I will post more, but those are a few favorites for now.<br/></div>Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-39273182737921201362008-04-22T07:06:00.000-07:002008-04-22T07:21:25.137-07:00You Want To Be In America, Speak English!<span style="font-style: italic;">Talk about a culture clash! Here I am writing professionally now, more than ever before, and I have not blogged in eight months! Time flew by! I have travelled internationally several times, but no major culture clashing incidents occurred. Except this one, so here it is.</span><br /><br />My wife recently said something that blew my mind: "You want to be in America, speak English." Now, she was referring to some Bosnians at work, who speak their language all day long. They speak English, too, but they have all these private chats amongst themselves and it was driving her crazy because she couldn't understand. My wife is a talented linguist who speaks four languages and parts of others. She loves language.<br /><br />What shocked me was, my wife is an immigrant, who frequently complains about how hard it is for immigrants in the U.S. She feels she has been discriminated against in the job market and other situations. I am not always so sure it is as bad as she thinks it is, but then I am not there when the incidents happen, and it took almost a year in the U.S. for her to find a decent job, and I had to pull strings. My wife has a bachelor's degree in English and Portuguese Literature and is a trained language instructor. So don't go thinking she doesn't have skills. But she does love to chit chat, and sometimes she seems a little strange to people. They don't know how to take her. And I tend to think this had more to do with her job troubles than the fact that she's an immigrant, but who knows. She has legitimate immigration papers. She is not illegal. I do know that people are much more wary these days of immigrants because of the government crack down.<br /><br />In any case, here's my immigrant wife, who is fluent in English, criticizing these other immigrants for not using English. Again, all of them actually speak English. They just like to chat with each other. Bianca told me: "All I hear all day is spreska forska ickska Bryan spreska forska ickska Bianca. So I started talking that way, too, and they asked me where I learned Russian." LOL. She was toying with them, but they thought it was a real language. Like I said, my wife has language skills.<br /><br />I did find it interesting to hear this from her though, given her rants about anti-immigrant treatment in the U.S., but I don't disagree with her. You don't have to lose your cultural identity to make an effort to communicate in a place you choose to live. Without effective communication in modern society, you will have a hard time getting anything done or succeeding in any way. So I agree with her in a sense. But no one says you have to speak English all the time. Especially when your coworkers are from the same culture and speak the same language. I am sure it eases their homesickness and helps them feel connected to speak amongst themselves in their language. And I take no issue with that. I never heard them speak to customers in anything but English when I was there.<br /><br />In any case, one of the issues I have seen a lot is people from other countries sticking to their own and not making the effort, and it causes problems. At the seminary I attended, the Koreans hung together so much, they could not keep up with the school work, because their English was not improving. So the school had to make rules about it, and enforce standards for language. Some might call that discriminatory, but in any country, when you attend a school, they have to teach in the native language (except for a few private school exceptions). And you must have a certain proficiency to have academic success. I see nothing wrong with that. It's why I have not studied overseas yet, because my language skills are not up to the challenge. Portuguese is my best foreign tongue, and even in Portuguese, I know I need work.<br /><br />There is nothing wrong with immigrants forming a support community, of course. Good for them! Good for them for wanting to celebrate their culture and even share it with the community around them. But they cannot ignore the need to participate in the larger culture. You cannot successfully or peacefully live amongst others without respecting and appreciating the larger culture and making some effort to belong to it. Not because you want to lose your own culture, but because you now belong to more than one culture. At least while you're there.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-74233193287880449372007-09-10T04:35:00.000-07:002007-09-10T04:52:00.919-07:00Culture Clash of Time & DistanceOne of my wife's favorite phrases to describe places in Rio De Janeiro, her hometown, is "It's next to my house." This phrase is the source of a major culture clash for us. When she says this, I am assuming, okay, we can walk there in five minutes or less. What I discovered more than once: we can walk there in forty minutes or less, if I'm lucky! <br /><br />An example happened the other day. We drove eight minutes, or around 5.5 miles to Cherokee and Lemp to the Mexican district to shop for some items. My wife kept track of the time and proudly declare that now she knew the Mexican Grocery is next to our house. I said: "It's not next to our house! It's a long way from it." She said: "Bryan! Come on! Only eight minutes! So close!" Sure. Did I mention we drove there at 65 miles per hour on Insterstate 44? Still she is determined that it's next to our house.<br /><br />In Rio, we had this problem all the time. Bianca would describe places as next to her house, but when it came time to actually getting there, it was far enough, we took a cab. To me, any place we can't walk to on our own is not close. And the term "next to my house" indicates something close. Not so to Bianca. But then Rio De Janeiro is a big city. And spread out. So maybe that's why her concept of close is different than mine.<br /><br />I wonder if this relates to the concept of time. In Ghana, Mexico, and Brazil I have experienced non-white time. What this basically means is that if something begins at eight, you show at nine or after. And it's not rude. The only exception is something like a movie, which starts on time, after the usual bevy of previews and commercials, or church services. Also, if you show up late for a job interview, it makes a bad impression. Otherwise, lateness is fine. Of course, the one your interview is with will let you sit at least an hour before he or she shows up, but you must be there on time. If you are invited to someone's home, showing up on time is considered rude, and often the host's will not be ready yet (still in the shower, still preparing). In such cases, showing up on time inconveniences the hosts. Yes, I am serious. <br /><br />Patrick Oster, in his book <em>The Mexicans</em>, quotes sociologists who describe this concept as a form of protest. Mexicans live lives so controlled by factors beyond their control (government, crime, etc.) that when they have the chance, by showing up late, they are saying: "I still own my time." And they usually trickle in over the course of an hour after we start any program there. This last time, in fact, some showed up ten minutes before the end of the program. As one who was raised to be punctual, this can drive me batty. (Some would claim batty's so close I could walk or next to my house). But I have learned, with time, to accept this reality when dealing with other cultures.<br /><br />However, it's funny how different it seems when dealing with my wife. My wife is late for everything. Not by much, thank goodness, but she'll say "let's go" fifty times before she actually heads for the door. It frustrates me so much, I often head to the car and tell her if she's not there when it starts, I'll leave her. I wouldn't do that (would I?) but it usually motivates her to move things along. That's why I tell her we have to go for most things with plenty of time to spare. I allow for an extra thirty minutes. It's the only way I have of ensuring we can leave in proper time to arrive "white time." Even if it's "next to our house."<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-26631691660642445412007-08-20T05:16:00.000-07:002007-08-20T05:59:16.517-07:00Peace and Respect For OthersIn an 1867 speech to the burgeoning Republic of Mexico, Benito Juarez, soon to be President, stated: "<em>The people and government must respect the rights of everyone. Among individuals as among nations, peace means respect for the rights of others</em>." How true that is, and how sad that respect for the rights of others seems so absent from our society today. For me, that's a source of constant culture clashes -- trying to reconcile myself with the world of today vs. the world I grew up in and often still wish it was.<br /><br />People are so divided these days. They don't see shades of grey, just black and white, and you can't be both. You have to choose one or the other. Liberals malign Conservatives as bad people. Conservatives malign Liberals the same way. I rarely find it so simple to line things up. I am a Conservative, but in my younger days I leaned more Liberal. Where that leaves me today is somewhere in the middle. I embrace the biblical traditional values that seem to out of fashion these days. I still believe that living together outside of marriage is wrong, that divorce is tragic, that abortion is murder, and that lying is a character flaw. And there are many more. These make me an odd-ball, it would seem, from looking at the world around us. <br /><br />How many people expect honesty from others? How many people are truly disappointed and upset when they don't receive it? How many practice it they way they want it to be practiced by others? Most people seem to prefer it for themselves from others, but not want to offer it from themselves to others. Living together outside of marriage and divorce have become the norm. Abortion seems to be the only one that still draws strong debate. Why?<br /><br />In my opinion, there is less and less a sense of community and responsibility toward one another, and more of an every man for himself climate in this society today. And it is destructive to all of us. Maybe it's just that the most polarized people have the loudest voices or talk the most. Maybe the rest of the moderates, like me, are so shocked by what they see, they don't know what to say or where to begin to respond to it. <br /><br />For example, I am Republican, but I favor gun control. I also favor more government care for the needy, funding for education, and fairer taxes for lower income vs. favored taxation for higher income. However, I am against gay marriage, and I am against abortion. But I do not believe in bombing abortion clinics or beating up gay people (nor discriminating against them in other ways). I also believe personal beliefs have a place in politics. That's why it matters a great deal to me what a candidate believes. And why I laugh when candidates campaign on their beliefs then deny that they will unduly influence their decisions in office. I say if you really believe something, it will always influence you. A man who claims belief in things and then fails to have that belief influence his decisions is a man with no integrity and nothing to offer (no to mention, confused about his own beliefs). <br /><br />My own beliefs are complicated and have evolved over a long period of life experience, education, travel, etc. Being an adopted child, born of date rape, certainly influences my view on abortion, for example. Being well educated, influences my belief in the importance of education. My work with the poor around the world, influences my belief that taxes should not penalize those who can least afford to pay them, and that those with more wealth need to do more to help provide for those less fortunate. My belief in Christ influences my belief that violence and murder are not the way to defend your positions, and provide no high moral ground, but at the same time, I believe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sadaam</span> Hussein needed to be removed from power and Al <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Quaeda</span> needs to be fought like the enemy to all people it truly is. <br /><br />Other people have had different experiences, such as my wife. And that's okay. We don't have to agree on everything, as long as I feel respected. And that's the rub. Too often, there is no respect these days for people of different beliefs. Maybe that's why the world feels like an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">unpeaceful</span> place. Why hate seems more and more common, and public critiques of others seem more and more hateful and hurtful. People see no reason to mince words for those who embrace opinions they find completely abominable. The KKK and American Nazi party and others should welcome this change. They no longer seem so radical. They no longer have to feel outcast. Everyone else is speaking hateful things about people they disagree with, right?<br /><br />The more I have thought about this the more I have become convicted that we have to get back toward the way things used to be if we are going to get back to a sense of peace in our society. Where there is no respect, there is no peaceful coexistence. And I don't know about you, but I like peace. <br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-16734168925886702642007-08-15T09:43:00.001-07:002007-08-15T10:22:22.014-07:00Living in Fear v. Living in FaithMy wife, Bianca, lives in a world where everyone is suspect, where you cannot trust people, and where there's danger lurking around every corner. I live in a world where you should not trust everyone, caution is common sense, but one can live and move through most days without concern about being a victim of violence or crime, as long as you follow the first two rules. Yes, we live in the same house. Such is the nature of cross cultural relationships.<br /><br />First of all, a little background might be helpful. My wife, Bianca, was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, without a doubt one of the most violent cities on Earth. The latest statics I can find are from 2002 where the murder rate was 28.5 per 100,000, one of the highest in the world. Supposedly it is only rising. As a victim of Brazilian criminals myself, I can tell you that Rio is one place I do actually feel a sense of fear daily, when walking around. I have been concerned in places like Mexico and Ghana, about possible crime. After all, especially right now, Americans are targets. And I always expect that I am on someone's radar who might wish to do me harm, when I am in public places in other countries. But in Saint Louis, walking around, while I keep my eyes open, pay attention to my surroundings, limit the cash I carry, etc., I don't tend to be afraid. My car was broken into once in 7 years, and I left the back window cracked too wide. But my wife grew up in that world, where caution was a necessity. Yet she was not a victim of crime until we were robbed on the beach in 2005. And they did not rob her, just me.<br /><br />My background is growing up in a small town of 45,000 people in Kansas, where we all pretty much knew everyone else. Street crime and petty theft were not common experiences of anyone I knew. Violence was a rarity in the local paper. It was a quiet place to grow up. (Too quiet, if you ask my wife, who finds small towns very boring.) But since I left Kansas, I have lived in one city after another: Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Saint Louis. Since I am 38, and I left home at 18, that means over half my life, I have lived in cities. In that time, I have been a victim of crime maybe 4 times. Identity theft, lost/stolen cell phone, car broken into twice. Outside the U.S., I have been a victim twice: pickpocket in Ghana and robbed in Brazil.<br /><br />From this explanation, it is not obvious that Bianca should feel more afraid of crime than me. Though I am 13 years older than her, I have been a victim of more crimes. Yet I feel safer. Part of the reason, I suppose is my inherent desire to believe in the goodness of people. I used to live constantly expecting the best until someone proved me wrong. As our culture has changed, I have had to greatly revise such expectations. They have been tested many times. But nonetheless, I still believe most people are inherently good and not out to get me. Bianca tends to think the opposite. She doesn't trust anyone. Not even me. Although, I am working on that part.<br /><br />In any case, the reason seems to be more of the cultural and environmental realities in which we grew up and learned how to face the world. For someone of Bianca's background, with people being shot at in public, killed and robbed regularly, and a general sense of lack of law and order, she grew up to be very cautious and apprehensive. Certain situations, especially, trigger natural instincts of self-protection, which I don't have, because I have a different background. For someone like me, crime was a rarity. Most people were nice, friendly, and generally not prone to harming me. So I felt safe, and tend to regard people as safe until I have reason not to. This does not mean I walk around in a foolish, dilusional daze. It just means that I start out with a more trusting attitude.<br /><br />To me, I tend to live in faith in people, generally, while Bianca lives in fear. It's not that she's constantly quaking in her boots. It's more of a general expectation that people have to earn trust. They don't start out with any vested in them. This cultural clash is something that happens a lot between small town and big city dwellers, and it happens a lot between Americans and those of other cultures. In any case, it's an interesting (I think) example of how culture effects our outlook on the world -- culture clash in action.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8673560.post-27755307599737036622007-08-13T19:45:00.000-07:002007-08-13T19:52:51.825-07:00Do You Remember...?Do you remember the days when people who worked hard were rewarded to it?<br /><br />Do you remember the days when integrity was regarded as a positive quality?<br /><br />Do you remember the days when people were honest and decent to each other just because it was right, not to gain something?<br /><br />What happened?<br /><br />Sometimes I wonder. I remember, and sometimes I think I am the only person trying to live that way. Every once in a while I meet someone who reminds me that that's not true, but yet I wish it wasn't every once in a while. I wish it was more often.<br /><br />Sometimes that's why I don't blog. The blogosphere, the internet in general, can be so depressing. So many scams, liars, people being cruel and hiding behind the anonymity it provides. It seems to so often bring out the worst in people. Did I mention popups or viruses or hackers?<br /><br />These behaviors used to be the exception. Now, more and more, they seem like the rule. Why is that? I think it's a decline in our culture. I think it's a loss of our values. And with it, I think it's a loss of what made us great -- our national identity. We still try and ride the high horse like we did in the old days, only the moral foundation is no longer there. No wonder other nations mock us and hold us in contempt. No wonder we have lost our standing in the world. Who are we to look up to these days?<br /><br />I guess this is a depressing post. It isn't meant to be. It is meant to be a reminder, and a challenge. If anyone else misses those days, we can only bring them back by living them out ourselves, one person at a time. It starts with each individual. Only by example can we lead.<br /><br />For what it's worth...Bryan Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942472363470824138noreply@blogger.com0