Loose-Fish

Some wisdom from nutty Ishmael, who had better written an encyclopedia than a book:

I. A Fast-Fish belongs to the party fast to it.
II. A Loose-Fish is fair game for anybody who can soonest catch it.
. . .
Some fifty years ago there was a curious case of whaletrover litigated in England, wherein the plaintiffs set forth that after a hard chase of a whale in the Northern seas; and when indeed they (the plaintiffs) had succeeded in harpooning the fish; they were at last, through peril of their lives, obliged to forsake not only their lines, but their boat itself. Ultimately the defendants (the crew of another ship) came up with the whale, struck, killed, seized, and finally appropriated it before the very eyes of the plaintiffs. And when those defendants were remonstrated with, their captain snapped his fingers in the plaintiffs' teeth, and assured them that by way of doxology to the deed he had done, he would now retain their line, harpoons, and boat, which had remained attached to the whale at the time of the seizure. Wherefore the plaintiffs now sued for the recovery of the value of their whale, line, harpoons, and boat.
. . .
[T]he very learned judge in set terms decided, to wit, - That as for the boat, he awarded it to the plaintiffs, because they had merely abandoned it to save their lives; but that with regard to the controverted whale, harpoons, and line, they belonged to the defendants; the whale, because it was a Loose-Fish at the time of the final capture
. . .
A common man looking at this decision of the very learned Judge, might possibly object to it . . . . But often possession is the whole of the law . . . . What was America in 1492 but a Loose-Fish, in which Columbus struck the Spanish standard by way of waifing it for his royal master and mistress? What was Poland to the Czar? What Greek to the Turk? What India to England? What at last will Mexico be to the United States? All Loose-Fish.1

And so it is with our country.


1 H Melville, Moby Dick (first published 1850. Here, London: Penguin Books, 1994), 379-81.

A question

I've spend the last few days trying to work out a Project question. I'd love to do something with biblical theology, but the things I've got in mind have been done before. I'd like to start with the Bible - I don't get excited at the prospect of comparing two theologians. Any suggestions would be gratefully heard, though there's every chance they won't be taken up as I'm very fussy ;-) Now there's a challenge for someone. Oh, and it has to be fairly contained as I've only got 8000 words to play with. Anyhow, here are my two areas of interest:

1. A biblical theology of the relationship between city and nature - including Isaiah 65:17-25 and climaxing in the vision of the New Jerusalem and the New Eden/Land/Paradise in Revelation 21 and 22.
2. A biblical theology of feasting and abundant produce (including numerous Old Testament references to wine and oil, milk and honey, which reach their zenith in Isaiah 25: 6-9) - and also looking at marriage - and at how the marriage feast in heaven (Revelation 19:6-9) will eclipse all earthly blessing and marriage.

Shine like stars

The Christian message is about a gift freely received, and the Christian life is all about expressing gratitude. An attitude of thankfulness to the God who is there should be one of the hallmarks of every Christian. But it's not always our natural inclination. One of the ways I've helped myself be more thankful is to create a formalised, concrete opportunity - a book of thanks, in which, from time to time, I list things I'm thankful for. Doing this even allows me to see hard things from a different and more appropriate perspective. If you're like me, the book itself must be a thing of beauty, to symbolise the pleasure that a grateful attitude brings.

Shalom

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is like heaven. The people who receive a new home are struggling valiantly through life, but they've reached a point where they're overwhelmed and at their wits' end. Fathers have been shot in the line of duty; Mums have had cancer; houses have burned down; family members are disabled; children have died. They're living in caravans or in houses that are falling apart or that are inaccessible to wheelchairs. So their community bands together, local businesses donate their services and, in a week, a new house is built. This show is a testiment to what is good in American culture.

The show's like heaven because these people receive a free gift out of someone else's generosity - and because that gift is extravagant. The houses are opulent and designed to delight and satisfy the needs and wishes of the family. (Check out photos of a house, a little girl's room and a couple of master bedrooms.) It's also like heaven because of what the recipients say:

My wife is my best friend. Through this tragedy she's been there with me from thick and thin and this master bedroom is just a quiet place where she can escape to and she is finally going to be able to relax a little bit, and that is, it's just a huge blessing.
Carlton Marshall

When I first walked in the house, I was blown away. The old house was filled with stress and worry and the new house is absent of any of that. It's filled with joy.
Nathan Montgomery

I don't think I've ever been as happy in my life until I was at that moment right there when that bus moved . . . the thought that I'll never have to sleep in that trailer again - it's a wonderful feeling - the new home is more than I've ever dreamed about - and it's so beautiful. It screamed 'Here's your future, and it is bright'.
I was speechless when I walked in that front door - it is the most beautiful house I've ever seen . . . . I feel like I can take a deep breath and feel comfortable. That's the greatest gift ever.
Joey Stott

Having this new house, life is going to be 100% better, and I'm forever grateful to everybody who helped build a new home for me.
James Terpenning

I thought the direction of my life had come to an end, but after today I quickly
realised that I still have a life. The life you've given me back is a tremendous, tremendous thing.
Carlton Marshall

I will be thanking everybody for every day for the rest of my life.
Joey Stott

These words are a shadow of what is to come:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Revelation21:1-5

So Moses blessed them

Noland also talks about how to lead artists. His points are:

1. Be gentle and sensitive - "not because they're fragile but because they're vulnerable. When you're an artist, you constantly put yourself on the line." You must be especially careful to listen to their feelings and thereby gain their trust
   
2. Love them - "take an interest in their talents and take an interest in them as people."
   
3. Exhort them - "We need to urge our artists to achieve all they can for the glory of God, to fulfill their calling, to flourish in their giftedness. Listen to their ideas and their dreams and urge them onward. If you can't use something they do, urge them to do it outside the church, with your full support and blessing."
   
4. Encourage them - "You don't have to tell them they're the greatest; just remind them that they're gifted and that God's using them in a mighty way. Artists really respond to encouragement . . . . If an artist falls short, be honest about his or her shortcomings, but reaffirm the artist's talent and future. Many artists go through self-doubt when they fail. They start feeling incompetent and wonder if they've lost their giftedness. Be there to tell them that one failure doesn't mean they can never be used again."
5. Implore them - "We want the truth. If it's done in a loving way, your honesty will help us to be better artists. It will help us to live up to our potential."1

Mikey always says he doesn't know how to lead artists, but reading these points, I have to disagree :-).


1 Quotes from Noland, The Heart of the Artist, 264-69.

Oddball leaders

Ministry and study both take a lot of emotional energy. They both come with certain structures and tasks you are expected to follow. This is the way of most work. I never really enjoyed my work or my study until I changed jobs and started my church apprenticeship. I wasn't unhappy before, but I wasn't thriving. I think it was because I'm a creative sort of person and I feel stifled when my time and 'procedures' are (too) prescribed. I can't be myself unless I'm allowed some space and freedom. Happily in ministry - and even study - it is possible to carve out, or to be given, these two. But you've still got to make sure you've got enough emotional energy left to engage your creative side.

Rory Noland touches on this in The Heart of the Artist. He talks about feeling that being both a leader and an artist was impossible, and yet he did not know which to choose. Then he saw that God had called him to be both.

[T]he secret to doing both is that we've got to stop seeing ourselves as half artist, half leader. We are full-time artists and full-time leaders . . . . How do you balance the tension between being an artist and being a leader? By throwing yourself into doing both.1

1 R Noland, The Heart of the Artist (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 249.

The things you have heard me say entrust to reliable men

It's not just missionaries who are working out how to cease from being arrogant colonialists and become something better - I was reading a Communication Therapy International study day report, and it said things like:

Both Gender and HIV/AIDS messages no matter how important and responsible were met with great resistance initially, because the messages imposed from western ideology and science were not disseminated in a way that respected cultural social structures or that allowed time for messages to be interpreted, absorbed and transformed in local cultural practices.1

The Brundtland Commission through looking into environmental issues defined sustainability as ' Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.'2

We also noted the difficulty of having to decide between working with a patient/client with an immediate need versus taking time out from direct work to plan for sustainability.3

Sounds very much like what Christians are saying about how to work appropriately in another culture.

1 R Gondwe, "Disability Services in Malawi" in Communication Therapy International Study Day Report 15 Nov 2008 Disability Projects in Developing Countries . . . the bigger picture
2 ibid
3"Sustainability Workshop" in the above publication