Our Unfinished Stories

by Travis Prinzi on August 15, 2010

phantastes

As the protagonist of Phantastes awakes under the beech tree (which wants to be a woman), he reflects on his desire to stay with her, and then narrates, “I sat a long time, unwilling to go, but my unfinished story urged me on. I must act and wander.”

Isn’t that a great summary of almost every moment of life? My wife wrote some beautiful words about Hutchmoot, which I cannot even begin to parallel. Please read the whole thing, but let me quote the ending:

I am home. And while my time on this street has been short, I can clean up this neighborhood in what little time I have left. I can plant trees and I can teach people to garden and I can paint buildings. But closer to the heart of what it means to revitalize, I can tell stories. With words, I can shape a context for those roaming this bleak landscape. God comforted me with story. I will care as I have been cared for.

Tricia and I are wrestling deeply with what was, three years ago, a seemingly clear call from God to move into a tough part of the city, and what is now a seemingly clear call to leave. There are conflicting emotions: Are we leaving because we’re afraid and pulling a Jonah? (I guess we’ll find out if a whale spits us back up on Grand Avenue.) Or would hanging on here simply be an act of pride? (“What will they say if we leave – that we failed God’s calling?”) [click to continue…]

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Hutchmoot

by Tricia Prinzi on August 9, 2010

The fact that all the people I know are better writers than me often keeps me from putting ideas to page. I have a tender little underbelly that was first scraped up by Professor Sweet, creative writing expert. But it’s been, like, 17 years, so maybe I should just move on. Here goes.

I was a part of this really interesting endeavor called Hutchmoot in Nashville. It was billed as a conference on writing, music, art, and God but I knew as soon as I walked in that it was more. Before I talk about how much more it was, I want to give a reference point for the lens through which I write.

I have been in a desert following a pillar of fire for about three years. I live in a neighborhood that scares most people like me, including me. There is ugliness. There is poverty and helplessness and crime and a lot of yelling. Of course, there is brokenness everywhere in everyone, because that is the way the world looks until Jesus makes all things new. But my house is planted in a bleaker landscape. The secrets that people keep, the lies and numbing and faking that I see at work, in the grocery store or at church are much less sophisticated in front of my house. Instead of the superego taming a pained person to put on a brave face, I see the id from my front porch. I see the hurting. It is exposed. It is explosive. And it elicits a sense of helplessness in me like I have never known.

I struggle with the concept of the “calling” of God to do things. But the burden on my heart to live in this place was unmistakable; this place that needs caring for in a very practical way, like cleaning up spoons that were used to cook up crack from front yards. The fancy term is neighborhood revitalization. The truth: I am struggling to find my own vital signs in this place. I came home to find my kitchen window smashed one time. A lockbox was taken that was assumed to have drugs and money in it. Instead, it contained ultrasound pictures of my daughter. I was sitting on the porch and heard gun shots ring out one street over. The shooter ran past me and looked into my eyes with a depth that even some of my friends do not. It has broken me to live here.

So in this broken state, feeling like I could not leave fast enough, I boarded a plane for Nashville. I prayed that God would bring me back to life. I asked for a way to understand the three years in the desert.

Walking into the church where the conference was held, I was absorbed like a droplet of water into the sea. But I was still me and they were still them and the sea was not chaos, but comfort. I was in a safe place. I wasn’t alone and I didn’t have to be strong. I listened to people tell the old, old story and sing about the pain of us all and peace that is coming where He will wipe away every tear. I was given a moment of what will be eternity; a celebration of all that God has created. He has created creators with hearts to tell stories to give meaning to others too weak to imagine for themselves.

I am home. And while my time on this street has been short, I can clean up this neighborhood in what little time I have left. I can plant trees and I can teach people to garden and I can paint buildings. But closer to the heart of what it means to revitalize, I can tell stories. With words, I can shape a context for those roaming this bleak landscape. God comforted me with story. I will care as I have been cared for.

My prayers will always be with the storytellers who stay behind when we’ve moved on.

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You Don’t Have to Drink Mic Ultra: Summer Beer Recommendations

May 31, 2010

I’ve heard it lots of times: “During the summer, when it’s hot, I just like a Bud Light or a Mic Ultra.” Here’s the good news: You don’t have to drink crappy beer just because it’s hot! Here are a few basic recommendations for excellent beers that go down easy at hot summer barbeques. This [...]

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Bad Arguments Against Universalism

May 20, 2010

Scot McKnight argues that “universalism” is the biggest challenge facing evangelicalism for 3 reasons:

universalism suggests personal conversion is not finally necessary
it calls into question the importance and even necessity of evangelism as a form of Christian activism
it weakens the atoning significance of the death of Jesus if it is understood as that which separates the [...]

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Bad Arguments for Universalism

April 15, 2010

Here comes a big statement that I figure I’ll make whilst this blog is still struggling back to life and has few readers: I don’t think becoming a universalist makes one a heretic.
Take a deep breath. Another. Another. Good. Let me proceed.
I mean specifically a Christian universalism. It’s the minority position by far in church [...]

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Took or Baggins?

April 13, 2010

I recently asked at The Rabbit Room whether readers there are more Took or Baggins. A great discussion has ensued.
So what are you? Answer at The Rabbit Room.

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Weekend Report 04.10.2010: iMonk Edition

April 10, 2010

*News Theme Song* It’s the return of the Weekend Report! *News Theme Song*
iMonk’s Passing
Since news is usually sad, I’ll begin with the reminder that today is the Memorial Service for our dear friend, Michael Spencer. I am sad and frustrated that I couldn’t make the drive down to Kentucky. Keep a close watch on the [...]

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Theological Pain

April 8, 2010

I haven’t picked up a book of theology in a very, very long time.
These days I find most of my theology in story. (If you want to know what stories I’m reading, find me on GoodReads.) Honestly, I’m just weary of theology. I’m not bored with it. I’m tired. Exhausted. Worn out. I’m sick of [...]

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Getting a Grip on Life and Theology

April 6, 2010

The thing about Michael Spencer is that you so often found your own theological thoughts and struggles in his words, even when you disagreed. When you’re wrestling with theological issues, it’s good to find your thoughts in other people’s words – especially the ones you can’t find words for.
The loss of Michael means the loss [...]

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Rest in Peace, Michael Spencer

April 5, 2010

I rarely have time for this blog anymore, though at one point, I was writing quality enough material here that Michael Spencer put me in his blogroll. And he’s why I write here again tonight.
More than that, he’s one of the reasons I write in the first place. Five or six years ago when I [...]

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LOST Commentary Moved

February 17, 2010

I’m moving my LOST commentary over to The Hog’s Head, for the simple reason that the pub has literally 100 times the traffic the Perilous Realm has.
My initial, late-night response to last night’s episode can be found here.

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I’m in This

February 12, 2010
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LOST: Not Parallel Universes

February 12, 2010

In the first 10 minutes of Episode 1 of Season 6, I tweeted the phrase “parallel universes!” That stuck in my mind, especially with the free will set-up from just a few moments before in the re-cap. If free will can trump fate, then alternate universes seemed a possibility.
But a friend (hi, Jon) suggested to [...]

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LOST and Found: “What Kate Does”

February 10, 2010

So far, Season 6 of LOST has not disappointed. I want to focus primarily on the redemption stories in the series as we follow the characters through the rest of the adventure.
The parallel universes has confirmed one thing: These characters were “lost” whether or not they ever landed on an island. They are, first and [...]

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Localists in the Modern World

February 9, 2010

Ultimately, I don’t think there’s any practical way we can undo the historical, cultural and economic situation we’re thrown into. Emphasis on practical: if one wanted to be like the Amish, that option is always there. But there’s got to be a defensible middle ground between complete refusal (the Amish option) and complete, uncritical acceptance….We [...]

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