Podcasts. And the Way I Think, Process, and Learn.

A few weekends ago, I took a quick road-trip out to Indiana for the wedding of my good friends Kate and Steve. Within a three day span, I spent about 20 hours in the car by myself, spending that entire time listening to NPR Podcasts. To be specific (and in ascending order in regards to time spent with each): This American Life, Serial, All Songs Considered, and Pop Culture Happy Hour.

Upon arrival in Indiana, the inevitable question was asked: "How was your trip?" As I was relaying the quality of my ride, I more fully realized why I love listening to Podcasts. I'm an internal processor.

With the two Podcasts to which I primarily listened (Considered and Happy Hour), the format involves professionals sitting around talking about a subject or theme. With the way I learn, I am perfectly content to listen to others (at least professionals) work out the intricacies of a particular topic while I also do the same in my own mind.

My question is this: is this a positive process for learning/processing?

Yes, a particular, albeit surface, style of learning fitted towards my mind. And the car-ride alternative is listening to music/nothing.
No, enables a passive form of learning and processing in which I should be pushing myself.

Faith and Jazz

"... I live with the tension - that I am called to tell others that they are called, yet I don't know precisely what my calling is. A jazz-shaped faith needs to be content with tension and paradox, even when it is close to home."

Robert Gelinas visited Taylor University a little while ago. After seeing a number of Taylor Tweets and hearing a recommendation from StAustin on his credibility, I thought I'd check out his book, Finding the Groove. I really loved Gelinas' analogy for our faith, helping to frame the way we can approach our faith akin to jazz. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the analogy is the commitment to being highly skilled (read: practiced, experienced, dedicated) Christians who also have the freedom to improvise.

The book read quickly, covered a variety of jazz and faith aspects, and used jazz and civil rights heroes effectively in communicating its message. Check Robert Gelinas out on his blog or give his book a read.

A Steves Weekend

This past weekend, my good friend and recent supervisor Steve Austin was in town/campus. He and Steve Ivester (from Wheaton College) flew in to have a conversation with Messiah's leadership director Ben Taylor on some best practices and sharing about how each other's schools conducted student programs. And yes, it was great to call them Ben and the Steves. And it was a pleasure to host Austin for the long weekend.

So while they were hard at work for a few days, it was great to talk in person with Austin in the evenings and then, on the weekend, to have a chance to spend some quality time with Ben, the Steves, and the entourage of friends.

Here we are at my new favorite Messiah area breakfast place, Home 231.
(photo credit to Amy Vanderwerf)

It was refreshing to have a close friend in town for a few days. Being in a new place, you adjust and are known in a specific context. But it's nice to converse with someone who has known you for a while. Steve has known me pre-marriage, as an undergrad and grad student, as a friend on the weekend, and as his GA working in TSO. In many ways, close friends can identify things in myself before I can even put a finger on it. It's a way of being known. And isn't that what we're all longing for?

So I enjoyed the weekend sharing more of my current life and being understood. And I look forward to more of that with friends at Messiah and the surrounding area.

For a few more photos, check out the Facebook album.