Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

My Redneck Past Keeps Nipping at My Heels

Camp 2021

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Jeff Whittle

Somehow if they could bottle the energy and spirituality of church camp to relive it year round, it would priceless. We’d end each night with a devotional and singing of hymns under the stars. We’d know we were loved by our heavenly Father and fellow Christians. And I wonder, for those who experienced church camp as a child or teen, and now life seems to get in the way, would they go back to camp? And for those lost in this world who feel unloved what would they give for one more night of singing at church camp?

The photo above conveys how small we are in the world and even at camp itself. That’s the whole camp, that is the kids. At first I was zoomed in to get a sense of being there in with the group. However then I decided to stand up on a picnic table to get a full view and it turned out nice. I like the purple on the horizon gives an impression that there is more out there in the unknown, maybe as a allegory to the future to these campers of the rest of their lives.

Thursday night at camp we had our late night singing, this time inside the main cabin. I had inadvertently positioned myself at the front of the main cabin with the campers facing me while they sang. In their faces I saw folks who love God and love to sing. I began to look at the campers and imagined them growing into Christians adults with the teachings at Sunday school and camp as a base in their beliefs. I saw tired eyes but passionate singing. It was almost as if all of those in the room had a purpose to glorify God.

The long global nightmare is about to come to an end

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Jeff Whittle

Hanalei Bay Resort at Princeville, Hawaii

I think I’ll always associate this pandemic with Hawaii. My wife and I visited Hawaii right before the pandemic started. And this is the last photo of the day before it was declared a pandemic. Hanalei Bay Report in Princeville. I had walked down to the beach to see the sunset.

Little did I know the change to the world that would happen in the days, weeks and now year since I got back from Hawaii. This change will slowly come to an end as Monday I’m scheduled for my first vaccine. I’m optimistic and apprehensive at the same time. I want it to go smoothly.

I’ve found out alot of thing about myself and humanity during this time. One thing is that Americans are incredibly selfish. They will yell “Freedom!” and state wearing a mask is tyranny.

For me perseverance was the key. Telling myself, and having my wife tell me that there is light at the end of this long tunnel helped. Daily devotionals helped as well. Praying to God each day that this pandemic would end helped. And God does answer prayers, because now and in 5 weeks (2 weeks after my 2nd shot) this era in my life comes to an end.

Trump

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

It was in the summer of 2016 at a summer camp, when MAGA hats were rare, that I found one. For me it was the time when racism, misogyny, and conspiracy theories went mainstream. Later that summer I was shocked to see a neighbor with a Trump sign in her yard. It was a rare occasion that I saw my neighbor as someone with no morals and could with a good conscious support a candidate with no morals. I never supported Trump. I remarked to my parents that he could never become president. But sure enough he was indeed elected, partially because people disliked Hillary so much.

And now having lived through 4 years of misinformation, lies and dirty tricks, it’s time for America to move on. We need a leader. I’m not sure it is Joe Biden, but it certainly isn’t Trump. We need some kind of sanity in the White House.

Taking a Facebook Break

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

The day before the 2020 Election I decided to take a break from Facebook and news. Things had become so divisive that my stress level had become overwhelming. It had gotten bad. Some items of note include:

Missionary preacher acquaintance egging on one of their friends stating Hitler was right and the Jews fabricated the war crimes in WW2.
High school friend subtly advocating violence to solve the race problem in America. She says she’s not advocating for violence, but always advocates for loss of property over loss of life. But she didn’t comment about if her loss of property was up for grabs. Virtue signaling.
Acquaintance from church camp posting about justice for Breonna Taylor ad nasuem for several months, but as soon as football season starts, it changes to all football all the time. Again virtue signaling.
Antivaxer acquaintance from church camp. I really didn’t know that antivaxers existed, much like unicorns and flat earthers I thought they were the stuff of legends. But there it was along with a mask that says “Tyranny.” Those who’ve lived under North Korea or 1950 Communist Eastern Block would laugh as to say that a government mask requirement would be considered tyranny. Antivaxers and antimaskers have it good even with or without the vaccines and masks.

There are many others, too numerous to count. Unfortunately with Social Media you are behind the protected environment of your home computer or cell phone. People type things out that they would not dare to say in a face to face meeting. But here it is in black and white for all the world to see. And I can tell you since this break I have never become so free. There’s a sense of peace on my mind as I don’t have to worry anymore about what friends and acquaintances are saying about the election and their political viewpoint. I feel as though I am living in a bubble, not knowing the election results; not sure of which candidate won which state, and not particularly caring. The only piece of news that I want to see is when the COVID vaccine is available and when and where I can get it.

Unequally Yoked

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

When I was growing up in the youth group at church it was emphasized that we should pick mates that help you get to heaven. The bible backs this up in 2 Corinthians 6:14 when it said “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” Fast forward 10 years from those youth devotionals and Sunday school classes, and many of the Christians I grew up with did not marry believers. And I am left scratching my head wondering if they were listening to the same lesson I was listening to. Did they take into consideration when they started dating? Were they really thinking of the ramifications or were they just interested in the hear and now?

Every church has a few Christians, usually mothers, who attend church without their spouses and dutifully bring their children. Where are their spouses? Either at home or attending their own churches. I can’t imagine how difficult it is. My wife has been a rock to me, helping me see the spiritual side of things. She is helping me get to heaven.

In Just One Generation

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

In September 2018 I visited Copenhagen. During a canal boat tour the guide pointed out the ring on the tower of Nikolaj Contemporary Art Center (Danish: Nikolaj Kunsthal). It looked like a church. In fact it was a church.

The Wikipedia article states that St. Nicholas’ Church was one of Copenhagen’s oldest churches. The first Lutheran sermon in Copenhagen was preached there in 1530. However in 1795 it burned down. According to the art center’s website, the state was not in a financial position to rebuild the church and by 1805 it was no longer an official church.

So during my exploration the old town of Copenhagen I came upon it. In one portion of the church was a restaurant, and to my surprise neon beer signs lit up where stained glass should have been.

I peaked inside the church and saw the inside had been stripped and painted all white with comic book type characters.

In the middle of an empty room I saw what looked to be trash pile. After research later on I found it really was some type of art exhibit. I could have gotten in with my Copenhagen tourist card, but at the time I didn’t know this. So Passed on it.

Imagine being in the audience when the first Lutheran sermon was preached in 1530, thinking that this church building would last for many years to come, but by 1805 it was gone. This was unusual because I’ve visited many medieval churches in Europe that still function as a church. This church was the first one that had totally changed the innards. And I was not impressed.

But looking back on it, it is not completely unheard of when church buildings change from their intended use. I can recall at least twice in my own hometown when this happened.

It’s not everyday that a church transforms into a doggie day care facility

In the 1990s, folks in the Mt. Juliet Christian Church probably never thought their own church building would be used as a doggie day care facility. But it had become this by 2019.

The same thing can happen in one generation. I’m talking about people, souls. If the older generation is lax in teaching the younger generation about Christian ideals, then their belief, just like these church buildings, can vanish away.

An update of Sorts

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

We are now 5 months into this pandemic. I haven’t been inside of a church building since our March trip to Hawaii. My trips inside restaurants and grocery stores are few and very limited. It’s drive through and curbside pickups. I worry that it might be years before we see a vaccine. I worry that my wife and I won’t be able to travel for quite some time. The most scary thing is the unknown. Someone cannot give a definite time when this could end and things could get back to normal. The uncertainty is really bothering me. I miss worship services, hugs, and traveling. I want this to end soon but I know it’s going to be months still.

The Church Cool Kids Club

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

Is there a church cool kids club at church? Before we get into a popularity contest, let me explain.

There are certain ministries that do get alot of attention such as student ministry, vacation Bible school, and mission work. Those are always the ones posted on social media and written about in the bulletin. Then there are certain ministries that are more maintenance to the church that keep the cogs rolling but are rarely talked about at church. You wouldn’t exactly see a housewife posting selfies while washing baptismal garments.

It’s those people, usually introverts, who serve as background or extras on the church stage. Those introverts rarely seek out ministries. Rather they expect, in some instances long for, to be asked to take part in a ministry.

I believe there are these quiet introverts in all ministries. Even in the first ministry, with the twelve apostles how often do you hear about Bartholomew written about?

But then there is a possible fallacy, but in some instances, truth, that if you aren’t asked to be part of a ministry then it is a rejection. Even more so sometimes introverts are part of a ministry but then there are some “cool kids” (read people who are louder and more popular) who take away their ministry. It can be devastating.

I don’t think that those church “cool kids” understand introverts, or even make much of an effort to feel what they feel. Instead they kinda take them for granted, not knowing how not being asked to take part in a ministry can be a subtle rejection by a church leader to that person. That person might even feel it could be a salvation issue, i.e. not being good enough for a ministry and therefore being a bad Christian.

I hold alot of emotional baggage with ministries. I have been a part of ministries but then I was subtly asked (in one case threatened) not to be a part of ministries. It hurt…alot. I found myself becoming less involved at church due to this. Occasionally I look through social media posts on ministries that I was a part of and wonder what could have been had I not been rejected. It’s a mind game with myself. Here it is a ministry that is so much about being inclusive, and yet has rejected myself from being a part of it. Heartbreaking for myself and hypocritical for those doing the rejecting.

Missing Camp

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Jeff Whittle

Today I am missing church camp. I would have been packing for it, getting my Bible class lessons ready, charging my camera batteries, etc. COVID-19 took that away from me and many others.

Camp is a special place for me. It’s where I met, proposed to, and got married to my wife. It’s where met friends during that short week. Some were single serving friends, while others remain a part of me even to this day.

I don’t miss camp too often. Usually it coincidences with me getting a new job or literally being out of the country. Without a doubt most of the time I’m there.

Do I have a bad week at camp? Yet, but those can be rare. The vast majority of the time I come back physically tired, but spiritually refreshed, ready to take on the rest of year running on a spiritual high of what heaven must be like and what we should look forward to.

I wonder about those kids on the fringe this year. They might have been invited to camp this year and found solace from an imperfect world with a perfect will of God through examples learned at church camp. Those kids will not be joining us and I can only hope that they hold on to going next year…that is refrain from getting that summer job, joining a sports team or whatever might keep them from church camp.

Now this summer seems, for better or worse, never-ending without the bookends that church camp provides. You see to me the year is divided into two seasons, the after camp season (where you relive memories of the past camp and keep in touch with old and new friend; promising to be back next year, and then the before camp season (planning for an upcoming year). Now COVID-19 has put in a void this summer for the world to pause, stay at home and social distance.

The only thing I can do is to look forward to camp in 2021 when we’ll have a vaccine and not have to social distance. We will endure and we will learn to love the little things in life better.