I'm Running Late This Week
I have been very busy these last couple of weeks. After months of design, I have my first prototypes that I am getting up and running. This is really when my company will see whether I actually know what I am doing or not. You can fudge your way through the design part, but when the actual hardware arrives everyone will know if it works of if it doesn't. Things are looking really good right now with no major mistakes, but I have a long way to go. There is a big trade show mid-September where four of my newly designed products will be released. I have to provide working samples of all of them (yikes)!
Fortunately, I've been doing creative things as well as working. I have been able to write a few new songs over the last few weeks (songs that I actually like). I may post links to them so that I can get some feedback. I also recorded some harmonica parts for an old SLC friend, Chris Gino Dean, who is working on a new album. Chris impresses me, he is continually writing new songs and recording new albums. It seems like it was just a few months ago that I was playing at his first CD release, but really it was a year ago this past February.
I have also finished another book, "Orthodoxy", by G.K. Chesterton, which had been recommended by a couple of friends. I really enjoyed the book. Chesterton goes through and explains how he came to believe that Christianity is true, and he looks at some of the essentials of the Christian faith. Mostly I liked it because it was filled with great individual quotes. The kind of lines that you can pull out and they sound incredibly witty and intelligent. For example: "We should thank God for beer and Burgundy by not drinking too much of them" and "Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason". I may dedicate a future post to quotes from this book.
Last week I suffered my second major wreck on the bike ride home from work. The first wreck, if you didn't hear or don't remember, ended up with myself and my bike half submerged in the canal in the dark in the middle of winter. This time there was no water involved, but I tore my left knee apart and sprained both of my wrists. I'm glad I always wear a helmet, because I took a severe knock to the head as well.
So, my post is a little bit scattered this week, but that is the way my life is right now. Next Thursday, we hop on a plane for a few days in Paris. I am definitely looking forward to a few days of good food and relaxing.
JE
7 Comments:
"Chris impresses me..."
John, YOU impress US. :)
I still have many opportunities to feign anger at your leaving Utah and taking your immense talent with you.
Not to mention working on cool audio toys that I can't afford.
I could be a beta tester, though the prototypes would never make it back to you. ("It was held up in customs! I swear!")
Once again Danny, you are too kind. But don't be too jealous. Working on cool audio toys is not nearly as fun as playing with cool audio toys.
JE
In your estimation; what "is" "Christianity?"
"In your estimation; what "is" "Christianity?""
Hello Anonymous - Thanks for the question. I think you phrased it correctly in asking "in your estimation", because different people certainly have different views of what Christianity is. Having said that, I think I have a somewhat traditional view of Christianity that most others who call themselves Christians would agree with.
A Christian is someone who believes the following things: That Jesus Christ, who walked on this earth 2000 years ago, was human, but he was also the only son of God. He lived a sinless life, he was put to death, he rose from the dead in three days, and he ascended into heaven. The undeserved death of God's perfect son, takes the place of the death that I deserve as a sinful being. The life of a Christian is not about doing good works in order to earn my way into heaven. It is a life in which my goal is to have a closer and closer relationship with God. And this relationship with God is only possible because of the forgiveness that I have received through Christ's death. Just because I have this forgiveness, does not mean that I have free reign to do as I please. In fact the opposite is true, because I am forgiven, and I have a relationship with God, I want to do his will in order to walk closer with him.
I suppose I have not exactly answered your question since you asked what in my estimation is "Christianity", not what is a "Christian". I would say that Christianity is the name for the belief system (that I summarized above) of those who call themselves Christian.
I would like to add one more thing. There are many Christians who shudder at the name "Christianity" because it brings to mind so many things that are not really Christian at all such as all of the judgment, hypocrisy, self righteousness, and ignorance evident in some of those that call themselves Christians.
I hope this answers your question about what my estimations are. It is a very short answer to a question that volumes have been written about. Feel free to post here with more questions, or to email me.
JE
johncelliot at yahoo dot com
John,
I'm exploring the possibilities of having you play the upcoming CD release party for me... I'm thinking 3 webcams in your place and several monitors at the venue...
Chris - I think a plane ticket would be easier:) Good luck wrapping up the CD.
JE
I'm a Chestertonian myself. I suggest moving along to "Heretics" and "The Everalsting Man." Is it any wonder this guy had such a lasting impact on C.S. Lewis?
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