Prince Philip the Evangelist?

This picture has been making the blogrounds for quite some time now.

I agree with the assessment most have made of it, but it makes me think things at a very different level, too.

• First I think of this post from 2005
• Then I think of the book that's been on the back burner for a bit
• Then I invite anyone brave enough to try out the lesson with a youth group to test it.

Blisters

We experienced Gross Theology #8 "Blisters" last night at youth group. This particular lesson needs a little work, I think, before it's ready for others to test out. We did have lots of fun, however. We made fake blisters using petroleum jelly, yellow food coloring, fake blood and one-ply tissue. (I didn't take any pictures, so you'll have to use your imagination.) I also taught students how to make a realistic-looking blister very quickly using a washer or a key (the hole). I got that idea from a Penn and Teller TV show from 1994.

Even though this chapter needs work, we did identify several faith issues relating to blisters.

• Play with fire, you'll probably get burned. (OK -- not faith based, but good advice nevertheless.)
• Sometimes you need to take a rest. (When we get a blister from working hard, it reminds us to take a break. The whole "6 days of work and one day of rest" commandment works well here.)
• We are frail. In our frailty we can see how strong God is. (We blister easily. But our bodies -- wonderfully created -- remind is to change things or to stop doing what causes us pain. The blisters can also remind us that we need God's healing and unconditional love.)
• Sometimes we make stupid mistakes and there are consequences for our actions. But no matter what, God will never abandon us and God loves us eternally and unconditionally.

I think that number 8 is the last chapter for this book. Now comes additional editing to make things the best they can be, graphics and the decision what to do as the next step in publishing.

Speaking of publishing, this week I put the final touches on a music-based Bible study and also a short devotion for the next Interlinc Music Loop Magazine. I think it will be published in March.

More Gross Theology

Tonight we're going to experience Gross Theology #7: Blood at church youth group. In honor of testing out the 2nd to the last lesson in the book, (at least in how it was written -- who knows what the final chapter order will be?) I've decided to make it available to anyone to try. It would be great if you give me some feedback after you read through or actually do the lesson. Have fun!

Wounds

Tonight at our youth group meeting we experienced Gross Theology #6 -- 'Wounds'. We had an excellent discussion about emotional wounds, scars, how God doesn't just "make it all better" and how God continues to love us no matter what the wound, what the reason and what the situation.
We also made some really cool fake wounds.
If you want to try out this lesson with a group -- let me know.

Blood Flow

Yesterday I finally finished the blood chapter in Gross Theology. And then I started with the blister chapter. At first I was going with the "Play with fire -- get burned" direction, but then I changed my mind and am now working on a "blisters are the result of hard work" or "walk a mile in someone else's shoes and you'll probably get blisters" direction. I'll work on that one more today.

I had a short interview for another newspaper -- this one should be in on Saturday -- the other one runs tomorrow, I think.


And I'm also dangerously close to being finished reading Soul Searching.

3 days left . . .

Winding Down

I feel like things are going a little slower for the last week of sabbatical. But maybe I'm just getting ready for them to go faster so it seems slower.

Yesterday I re-mixed B-I-N-G-O, Marching Around the Room, Old MacDonald and Don't Brush Your Teeth While You're Driving. I think the vocals and insturmentation have a better blend in each one now.

I also entered a new blog article at i.ucc.org. This one covers Mark chapters 14 and 15 and focuses on how the story is about people doing things that are good and things that are bad and how Jesus still gives life. (OK -- there's more to it than that -- you'll have to read it.)

With the blog thoughts in mind, I also did some more work on the latest Gross Theology chapter -- the one about blood. I think I have the basis done, but it seems like I get to the main point too quickly. I'll work more on that one today.

Oh, and I also watched the latest episode of that show Traci abhors last night.

5 weeks

Yesterday's blog was an April Fool's joke.

Today's simply goes over whatever it is I've been doing this week.

Songs:

• This Old Man (rock and roll style)
• The Wheels on the Bus (with advice for Daddies)
• The Itsy Bitsy Spider (more than just an itsy bitsy one)
• The Snakes are on the Plane (bad song for a movie contest)
• Twinkle-ABC-Baa Baa (all three -- different styles)

i.ucc.org

• Hopelessness Can Be Contagious (reflection on Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Website Work

• Fox Valley Association UCC (here's what it looked like before) I helped with the beginning of getting this site rejuvenated -- there's more to come!

Gross Theology

• Finished "Wounds" chapter
• Working on "Blood" chapter

Documentary

• New chapter added to sabbatical

Reading

• Still Reading Soul Searching

Movies I saw

• Failure to Launch (Fairly engaging story with a horrible and movie-wrecking animal "story" woven in.)
• Ice Age: The Meltdown (The kids loved it -- aside from the "Scrat" scenes, it was torturous for me)

One more week to go!

Show me the Cache

Yesterday I spent the morning at the Fox Valley Association, Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ's (long name, eh?) 2nd floor offices in Elgin. The mission? Help change the character of the association's web page. I worked with our new acting association minister (another long name) and we made a start. Here's what the main page looks like now -- and here's what it looked like before we made any changes. Over the next several weeks you should see more changes and a more updated site.

And after I scolded myself a little for not working on Gross Theology, I wrapped up another lesson -- this one is about wounds. If any of you would like to see and use a sample lesson from the upcoming (well, at some point) book, please contact me. Evaluations from people who have used the lessons in their rough form will help the book be better when it is finished.

Ta ta for now~

Belching

Yesterday I spent some time working on the most recent chapter in "Gross Theology." It's a series of lessons that begin with a gross or disgusting experiment and lead to a discussion about something important " (big -- or gross) about our walk of faith.

The one I worked on yesterday is all about belching. It involves making a simple belching machine, (I'm sure students will demonstrate their own belching machines too -- after 17+ years in youth ministry I've got an unofficial, somewhat random list of the best belches I've heard. Very recently I heard the second best one ever -- the best I've heard from a student is from about 1996 -- sorry -- no audio clips) showing some places where belching is mentioned in the Bible, and then leading a discussion about being full of ourselves and fully missing God's way.

Maybe I'll post a few of the lessons in the future. The four completed lessons start with vomit, peristalsis, farting (can I say that?) and snot.

Gross . . . Theology.

Farts and Faith

Just something I've been thinking about . . .

Farting: Some like it private -- others like it public -- some think it is crude -- others celebrate it
When someone farts in public, no one applauds and no one boos. (usually) They simply act as if it hadn't happened. In some instances people condemn it. In rare cases they celebrate it.

Faith: Some like it private -- others like it public -- some think that sharing it is offensive -- others celebrate it

When someone expresses an issue of faith in public, no one applauds and no one boos. (usually) They simply act as if it hadn't been shared -- anxious to change the subject. In some instances people condemn it. In rare cases they celebrate it.