Popping my bubble

The past three days I have been immersed in mid-terms for school, and I have come to realize something.

I have been so immersed in my own life and my own little world that I have been oblivious to much of the world around me. Paying attention to the world around me is where I get 99% of what I post about, and when I am in my own bubble, I am without inspiration.

What I am concerned about is if these past three days for me are a microcosm of our greater culture (I know that is a bit arrogant to claim but I already have confessed my own messiah complex).

If we all are moving toward a more individualized culture choosing to live in our bubble and not being aware of other people's bubbles, will the world ever change?

I was at a stop light and saw a fella with ear buds listening to his Ipod. When the light turned green he did not move, unaware of the light change until it was yellow. He and the care behind him were the only ones to get through the light.

I was at Chipotle and the guy in front of me was into his Blackberry that when it was his 'turn' to order he was totally unresponsive while the line out the door was trying to get a quick lunch on their lunch hour.

I put my nose in several books looking for responses to mid-term questions and became unaware of my surroundings. I just found out about Jessie Logan, the Chinese/American naval stand off, and President Obama's reversal of former President Bush's stance on Stem Cell research.

What else have I been unaware of? What opportunities have I missed to serve, love and share grace these past few days?

I gotta pop my bubble.

Who are the ad wizards who came up with that one?

Walking by Jack in the Box today and I was struck by the level of creativity of Jack in the Box. Now I am a bit partial to the Box because I used to work there and I still love the grease tacos they have.

There was a sign posted in the window advertising "Taco Nachos". Think about that for a second. Taco Nachos. Aren't those just "Nachos"?

I called my brother and we both recalled Jim Gaffigan's bit about how all Mexican food is "Tortilla, cheese, meat or vegetables."

Finally, my brother said, "If you add lettuce to the 'Taco Nacho' you can call it 'Taco Nacho Salad'."

I suppose you could.

Kudos to you Jack in the Box for marketing the same crap food in new ways so idiots like me will buy it.

Begin to watch at 1:27

My own messiah complex

I was thinking the other day about the many times I take myself too seriously- especially with work in the church.

I often bemoan problems as I see them in the United Methodist Church and you want to know something?

What a wonderful happenstance, all the problems I see with the UMC, I feel I am the solution!

What an ass I am.

I continue to come be baffled at myself. My mind convinces me that my self-prescribed strengths are exactly what the church lacks. I convince myself that if only I were in charge I could 'save' churches.

Is this egoism/messiah complex my own issue? Is it something which plagues ministers of all sorts? Leaders? Just men or all people?

So, I write this as a reminder to myself:

We already have a messiah, and you are not it. Get over yourself.