Lessons Learned in a Year
August 26th, 2008
I’ve been at Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle for one year as of this week.
Every day I take the bus to school from my house in Capital Hill. The #8 bus is the most direct bus, but I started taking the #11 because it goes right through downtown and drops me off in the Public Market. I love walking through the Market, smelling the ocean and the fish and being able to buy fresh fruit all year round. The Public Market is also interesting because, while it’s a huge tourist attraction, it’s also where locals shop daily.
Two things I feel like I’ve learned on this walks to school last year:
Walking through the Market has taught me to rub shoulders with the rest of humanity.
&
Seattle’s weather forces me to deal with my emotions.
These walks in the last week have given me time to think about my first year at MHGS. This last year has been one of the most terrible years of my life. This last year has been one of the most beautiful years of my life. It has forced me to rub shoulders with humanity and it has forced me to deal with my emotions.
In the last year I left my home, family, and friends in the Midwest and moved to Seattle, had my laptop, iPod, camera, lenses, wallet, and mobile phone stolen, been held up at gunpoint and hit in the head with a gun (then had to pick out the guy from a lineup at the police station), started dating a girl whom I love and who loves me (Hi Kenz!!1!), started going to Wits End (our church) and found authentic community and conversation, wrote papers, read books, walked in the rain, drank more coffee than is healthy, and have become completely ok with run-on sentences, as of right now.
I have learned that you can’t get to Sunday without going through Friday.
I have learned that each individual’s story plays into his or her experience of God and of reality.
I have learned how important it is to be environmentally aware and active.
I have learned that it matters how I treat the earth and treat my body.
I have learned to see more Both/&’s and fewer Either/Or’s.
I have learned that good wine is really, really important.
I have learned that I can go into other people’s stories only as far as I’m willing to go into my own.
I have learned that my doubt validates my faith.
I have learned that when I live into my questions I typically find myself living into the answers.
I have learned that silence can be deafening.
I have learned that it is possible for the Bible to get in the way of Jesus.
I have learned that it is possible to put myself in the way of Jesus.
And I have learned that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.
“i have learned that silence can be deafening”
…..and a non-response speaks volumes.
beautifully written.
“I have learned to see more Both/&’s and fewer Either/Or’s.”
you sir, are awesome.
your blog was one of the first i subscribed too, and it is still one of my favorite things to see pop up in google reader. thank you so much for sharing your journey.
I have learned that I can go into other people’s stories only as far as I’m willing to go into my own.
Exactly. Well said.
I have learned that “shake the can” is best done in community. :)
Its good to see all of these thoughts expressed here. I am thankful for you being a part of my learning as well.
the last sentence is great. your posts always cause me to become pensive. i like that. thanks!
i really appreciated this post. reflection is really important and very easy to ignore. i liked what you said about being able to go into the stories of others only as far as you’ve gone into the story of yourself. i really need to think about that.
Hi There, my husband Daniel & I have stopped by your blog randomly and have enjoyed your pictures and random thoughts. This post more than any does a good representation of Seattle, (we were both born and raised here) specifically with the weather causing you to deal w/your emotions, the smell of the air and also your comment about the weather is never bad, its the clothes. There was another comment you said that has been hitting home for me personally; that you’ve learned that bible can get in the way of Jesus. I wasn’t born into the “church” but accepted the truth and jesus as my Lord at the age of 19, shortly thereafter I met my husband @ the Art Institute of Seattle and well he was raised in the church. We’ve been brought to a place now where we’re both learning to live a life free from traditions and/or unspoken rules especially in how our faith transpires into every day and just in how we live our life. I’m rambling now; but my point is we’ve enjoyed your blog and especially this one, because you’re shared a peice of your life and been a little vulnerable which I think is the very essence of following jesus; that we’re real and not afraid to be open what do we have to fear….Thanks, in HIM ~ Heather
This is awesome. It’s really good to hear that you have used so much of the past year. It feels going into a new year of school, I’m moving really fast and going going going. This makes me think, especially about “that it is possible to put myself in the way of Jesus.”
“And I have learned that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”
Hands-down one of your best posts yet
PS. The 44 takes you someplace real sweet ;)
All I can say is that I miss you friend.
You make me think. That makes me happy. :)
“I have learned that when I live into my questions I typically find myself living into the answers.”
…this is a good way to live.
thanks for sharing.
And I have learnt that *thelongbrake is amazing.. Wait. I already knew that!
I’ve been following your blog for about a year now, You probably get this a lot, but I’d just like to thank you for who you are. You’ve made a phenomenal impact on my faith, life and photography. That might sound crazy, I’m 8,181 miles away in Melbourne, Australia, I’ve never met you and yet I think your so inspiring. One thing I love about you is I see the Father’s light so clearly in you, His light just beems through your honesty, It’s fantastic. If you ever come to Australia, I think a trip to Barossa Valley is instore, one of the best wineries in the world :-)
Wow, that sounds like a great school you go to. Maybe someday I will get to go to a school like that.
good lessons.
was waitin for a pic of the bad clothing. ;-)
Wow, it’s been a year already. I started following your blog a little over a year ago, then. It’s amazing what we learn in a year’s time. These things, that you have written are precious. Some of them hit deep; real deep. Deeper than I’d honestly like to admit, but somehow, it’s all okay
Thanks for your devotion to keep us laughing, guessing, thinking, wandering(notice the spelling), and simply updated on your life and what God is doing with you. My prayers are always, and earnestly, with you.
I’ve learnt that my list looks a lot like your list….
Love this post. Thanks for keeping me thinking and keeping me thankful for a lot of rough but awesome lessons learnt
I have learned that a good roommate is hard to find, but when you do find one, you better teach the dog to shit in front of his door before he does the same to you. (oh, when will that joke ever get old…maybe now, yes, now, it is old, but still funny in its old age…not laugh out loud funny, but funny nonetheless)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” John 1:1
I enjoy your blog and find your photography and random thoughts interesting. I am surprised, however, that virtually no controversy or disagreement is ever reflected in your reader’s comments. As a discerning Christian I have to respond to your statement that the Bible can get in the way of Jesus. The Bible is the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Old Testament being the New Testament concealed while the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. Our Lord is showing Himself to us on every page. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 tells us, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Revelation 22:18,19 warns us of the dire consequences awaiting anyone who adds to or takes away from the words of this book. My prayer for you and all your readers is for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to His Truths as we dig deeper and deeper into the Word of God.
great blog. great pictures. great story still being written…
i have learned that my doubt validates my faith.
That’s a very scary thing but He’s always on the other end, offering logical and illogical explanations. Faith.
yeah, i agree with john. perhaps those who comment know you better and therefore know your frame of reference, but on the surface, some of these are really confusing to me.
this post bums me out that i didn’t have an opportunity to know you better. great thoughts and great photos. thanks joshua! cheers.
i love the idea that you can’t get to sunday without going through friday…. and am curious if you had something particular in mind…