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July 2, 2008

Faith Differences

Filed under: Politics, Opinion — Ryan Conrad @ 8:06 am

My friend Josh Elek recently posted this response on Ryan Kumpf’s blog. It’s safe to say that my dialog with Ryan Kumpf is mostly about our differences and very different approaches to government and foreign affairs. I enjoy discussing our differences for a variety of reasons but first and foremost, I think it’s healthy and to highlight the differences (in a respectable and intellectual way) between people of the same faith is desperately needed in today’s society. Josh, Ryan and I are all Christians but there are differences in how we believe. How VERY important this is cannot be underestimated. Christians are allowed to disagree on political issues and certainly allowed to be of varying political parties and ideologies.

I need to acknowledge that I agree with the following few paragraphs that Josh posted. At this point, based on my knowledge of the Bible and life experience, I think it is an accurate understanding of the Gospel (again, as best as I can understand it) and it brings forth many of the points that I have made in much of my writing (but Josh just happens to have a better way with words) I think Josh’s words explain Romans 12 very well, mainly that it is our response to the grace of Jesus that compels us to obey, not the other way around. But I’ll let Josh explain it, he does a better job. Thank you Josh for putting this so succinctly and again, highlighting what I believe to be one of the single greatest differences between Christians (politically speaking) in America today.

Context: Josh is responding to Ryan Kumpf’s post. They have been going back and forth a bit. Ryan’s original post was titled: “Iraq, Christian Injustice.”In an attempt to take nothing out of context, I’d advise you to go to Ryan Kumpf’s blog for a further and more detailed context of the dialog:

“…It all rests on what I expect from non-Christians. I do not expect non-Christains to behave as Christians. In fact, I do not even go so far as to encourage or request non-Christians to behave as Christians.

In my opinion, if we try to change people’s behavior before they are Christians, we run the risk of succeeding. If we succeed, and people behave as Christians without ever having accepted Christ, they will experience the peace that comes from Christian obedience, but will not experience the grace of God that comes from submission to Jesus. This would be serious indeed. I believe the thing that drives people to Jesus is the great disrupt in their hearts. They sense something is wrong, and want it fixed. If we were to lull the world with the peace that anyone can get through following the law, we would in effect drug them with the peace and rob them of the true gift of the cross, which is God’s grace.

Notice, it is the old covenant that relies on the law. The new covenant relies on grace. The old covenant began with laws and granted grace. (The law was the foundation.) The new covenant through Jesus begins with grace and grants the law. (I hope I am making sense.)

Because the US Constitution is not a Christian document, I do not expect it to behave as if it were. Therefore, I do not believe the US Constitution should behave in a Christian way. I believe the US Constitution should behave in a way that is consistent with itself. If it does so, and people see that even the beautiful US Law does not grant peace, maybe more people will look toward the grace of Christ.

My political support for issues that oppose Christianity is not meant to imply my consent for those depraved behaviors. My political support intends to support the US in what it is, a fallen broken system of the world. I do not want to pretty up US Law and make it more Christian, because I run the risk of succeeding. Again, if we did succeed, and people found peace through US Law, they may be less likely to feel the disconnect that drives men to God.”

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June 30, 2008

Gomer Pyle

Filed under: Funnies — Ryan Conrad @ 7:35 pm

A tribute to a great actor and singer in Jim Nabors. My dad and I watched a few episodes last week in Florida, it’s one of his favorite shows. I remember watching this show when I was younger along with Andy Griffith. I wondered how the two were connected and I found the scene where Andy Taylor made an appearance. This will bring back memories for some:

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June 27, 2008

Florida Campaign

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 12:02 pm

I think it’s an official record, nine days without a post. The world has experienced a reprieve from Ryan’s hot air! (as if the world is reading anyway:)

Thought I’d just remind you of the websites listed on the right-hand side of my page. I follow several other blog sites and many of my friends post some way cooler stuff than me so check them out if you’d like.

This week I’ve spent time in Florida helping out with my Mom’s County Commissioner Campaign in Brevard County Florida. On Wednesday I helped go door-to-door handing out fliers (mainly I just navigated the streets to find addresses of super-voters) and it was a full day. Let me tell you, campaigning is no joke, it takes some work and I can think of no harder worker than Jan. I think she’s got a heck of a shot at the republican nomination on Aug 27th.

Below are some pictures from my time down here. I think some much needed golf is in order this evening and tomorrow before I fly out. Here are the pics, enjoy:

Jan and Ryan ready for the big fundraiser on Thursday night. If we look taller it’s cause the bermuda grass raises you off the ground three inches

Ryan and Tom (dad) enjoy some coffee on the way to the fundraiser

Click below for the entire album and more pictures from the fundraiser in Cocoa Beach:

Campaign

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June 18, 2008

Say It

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 8:04 pm

The first time I listened to John Mayer’s song “Say” I thought he repeated the phrase, “say what you need to say” way too many times. Seriously, when you look below you’ll see that the phrase is repeated twenty-four times.

Ya, I originally thought it was a lyrical mistake and John Mayer just wrote a cheesy song with a repeated line. But, after listening to the song more and reading some of the lyrics closer, I think he knew exactly what he was doing and I think he did it brilliantly with a great message that is expressed with crystal clarity.

I wish we would all say what we need to say. The world would be a better place, less time guessing and gossiping, more time laughing and loving. Thanks for admonishing us John in a most unthreatening and beautiful way.

Say lyrics

Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems,
Better put ‘em in quotations

Say what you need to say [x8]

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead,
If you only could . . .

Say what you need to say [x8]

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You’d better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say [x24]

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June 17, 2008

Orange Moon

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 3:41 am

This morning we ran to Akron General with a trauma patient. On the way back the moon was absolutely breathtaking. It was full and setting in the western sky. The huge celestial body seemed so undisturbed in the peaceful night sky. I suppose there aren’t too many things to disturb its view at 3:00 am~

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June 16, 2008

The Complexity of Humanity

Filed under: Faith — Ryan Conrad @ 7:57 am

A quote from an episode of the “The Office” (the greatest show on television):

“If you want to reduce my identity to my religion, then I’m a sikh, but I also enjoy biking, reading and hanging out with friends.”

The guy who said this quote wore a head covering and looked like he might have been from India. Michael, the really backwards boss on the show, immediately put the building on lock down when he saw him coming. The quote was in the context of a “office meeting” on the topic of religion and what religion everyone prescribed to. It was quite humorous but I think it offers the following application:

I think we make a serious mistake when we try and define someone by what they believe and or reduce their beliefs to a few recognizable words in the english language. Come on, lets give people credit for being more complex than bean poles.

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June 12, 2008

Thoughts From The Ambulance

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 4:29 pm

Aside from the major traumas, CPR and many other chaotic events that happen, the back of the ambulance is a space where most of the time, patients, usually older, get a slow ride to the hospital. Some of these patients are literally days away from death (many times with advanced directives) and others know it’s just around the corner. Many of these patients have terminal conditions and are well aware of the stage of life that they are in. Some are familiar faces in the EMS world and others are scared because it’s their first time having to summon emergency care. I enjoy having conversations (as best I can while taking vital signs, putting on oxygen, writing my report etc.) with these patients and I think I’m going to start submitting posts of some of the words that these people say and a bit about the circumstances that they find themselves in.

Due to the HIPPA privacy policy, I certainly won’t be giving away any information that would jeopardize our patient confidentiality agreement. I suppose these posts will serve as a way for me to allow you to experience events from the back of an ambulance and probably most importantly and selfishly, allow for a release of the sometimes very tense and emotional moments that I encounter. These posts are not an attempt to over-dramatize events that occur in other’s lives and all of these posts will be a completely honest and accurate account of what happens during some of my trips to the hospital while caring for patients.

Today June 12~ A 98 year old woman said as I took her blood pressure

” I just need something to hold on to, can I hold your hand…at least I know I’m not alone, that’s the most important thing, I know I’m not alone.”

This woman couldn’t remember my name and didn’t know where she was. She just knew that she didn’t want to be alone.

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June 9, 2008

Things Happen, Because Things Happen

Filed under: Faith — Ryan Conrad @ 8:22 am

More wonderings and yearnings from the brain of Ryan~

This post will sound familiar as I continue to wrestle with the idea of applying meaning to the events in our lives. I’ve been wrestling with this issue for about a year now; and will probably grapple with it until I die.

Our constant effort to explain the “whys, and hows” of life take away so much of the pleasure of our existence. In this vain attempt to explain why things happen we get lost in the messiness of interpretation and analyzation. Why can’t I just leave things alone and let them be? Why can’t my mind just be o.k with events that happened maybe just because they happened? Why does everything have to have a meaning? Who gave me this busy brain and why…

There I go again…

Maybe everything doesn’t have a meaning and the only meaning I need to be worried about is the meaning I’m loosing while asking all of the meaning questions. Hm…

I’m coming to think that small things have less meaning than I originally thought. Maybe the reason my car wrecked or my kid fell down the steps was because I looked away (my eyes were diverted) and I was negligent. Maybe there is no innate meaning behind it other than the physical ramifications of pushing the accelerator two more inches towards the floor and forgetting (memory loss) to put up the gate at the top of the stairs. Maybe the good feeling I had about the last ten jobs I applied for was just that; a good feeling or positive self esteem; maybe it was not from God. And maybe the most important point to make in all of this is that IT’S O.K THAT IT DIDN’T HAPPEN AND IT’S O.K THAT GOD WASN’T INTRICATELY INVOLVED.(note that I’m not saying that God isn’t involved at all; just wrestling with how involved He really is) Like I’ve written about before, if we place God in the position of intricately involved and the causer of all things, what do we do about an infant that dies or an accident that takes our loved one’s life? It seems that we can’t have it both ways, but in my opinion that’s exactly what SO many Christians do. They attribute to God what they deem admirable and pleasant and remove God from all things shameful and painful. I think it’s easier and correct to wrestle with this perspective and achieve for ourselves a more accurate understanding of God instead of flip-flopping and in turn, confusing those that look in at our lives. (not to mention giving others a definition of God that in my opinion is thwarted)

I’m really fine with not winning that race because I know that my not winning the race was not a punishment from God. This brings comfort because if we’re really honest, how many attempts does it take to win the race or get the job sometimes? It might take many attempts and to put God in the hot-seat for every little thing in our lives cheapens Him and sets us up for devastating esteem issues. Because ultimately, our human wants, even needs, are many times not God’s needs and wants. If we believe He is ultimately greater than us and in control, why would I try to manipulate Him by applying meaning to what He does or does not do (not to mention that maybe He doesn’t “do” or “not do” things specifically)

And again, this is a tough issue and I’m certainly not a “wind the clock and let it go” Deist.

I know I’ve written other posts like this one on the subject of meaning. This issue constantly comes up in my conversations with people (and quite possibly because I’m listening specifically for it) whether it be with ordinary folks who say “everything happens for a reason” or very religious folks who claim that “God directs everything that happens” or folks who say “there is no meaning to anything.” Next time you have a conversation with someone, listen for these kinds of things; you’ll hear them and in turn, find out a bit about that person’s frame or reference or how they think about events in their lives. I think I’m somewhere in the middle of all of those statements but really not sure where. I wouldn’t be writing so extensively related to this subject if I didn’t think it’s so important to constantly be struggling/thinking about where we stand on issues of meaning/God/Faith etc. Because I think it really defines and directs who we are as people.

And like everything else I write and think about- in the end, I’m thankful for Jesus; not anything more, not anything less.

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June 7, 2008

They Find a Way

Filed under: Faith — Ryan Conrad @ 6:41 am

It seems that my attempts to keep my car cool have led me to a deeper understanding of who God is.

I like to find shade for my car in this hot summer sun and often times I park under large trees with my windows slightly cracked. Even if I can’t find trees, I always leave my windows open just a bit and over the last month, more than cool air has found its way into my car. Every kind of seed, from those helicopter thingies to the little green seed thingies to little pollen dust thingies have migrated into my car via the tiny crack of my window. They come to rest on my seats and everywhere else that they find a suitable landing spot. Even though I do enjoy looking at the many different forms, I feel bad for them. Their journey is in vain and they have severely mistaken my car’s blue interior for fertile soil. But maybe their journey isn’t totally in vain because they remind me of a few things about God.

Just like all of those seeds who really have no business coming into my car, and just like those seeds who have found a quite remarkable path into my space, so is God’s existence in our lives. His seed finds its way to us and meets us in some weird places sometimes. It finds us most of the time where we’d least expect it to and often times we don’t recognize the different forms that it comes in. It’s a mystery really and this mystery of seeds and plant reproduction seems to parallel the moving of God’s Spirit in our lives and the lives of others around us. We can’t see it often times specifically but we can see the evidence of the seed being planted. But at the same time, we really can’t explain it away, for to do so seems to somehow lessen God.

My summation; God always seems to find a way~

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June 4, 2008

G.K Chersterton

Filed under: Faith — Ryan Conrad @ 6:07 pm

This was posted on Ryan’s Blog a few days ago. It took me several reads to really dig out the magnificent truths tucked away in this little passage. I’ve been following this guy’s blog for about a year now and I love his creativity. I can’t say I always understand his very artistic and eccentric posts, but I appreciate his perspective and always love checking out his site. Here it is G.K Chesterton for your enjoyment:

Mysticism keeps men sane. As long as you have mystery you have health;when you destroy mystery you create morbidity. The ordinary man has always been sane because the ordinary man has always been a mystic. He has permitted the twilight. He has always had one foot in earth and the other in fairyland. He has always left himself free to doubt this gods; but (unlike the agnostic of today) free also to believe in them. He has always cared more for truth than for consistency. If he saw two truths that seemed to contradict each other, he would take the two truths and the contradiction along with them. His spiritual sight is stereoscopic, like his physical sight: he sees two different pictures at once and yet sees all the better for that. Thus he has always believed that there was such a thing as fate, but such a thing as free will also. Thus he believed that children were indeed the kingdom of heaven, but nevertheless ought to be obedient to the kingdom of earth. He admired youth because it was young and age because it was not. It is exactly this balance of apparent contradictions that has been the whole buoyancy of the healthy man. The whole secret of mysticism is this: that man can understand everything by the help of what he does not understand. The morbid logician seeks to make everything lucid, and succeeds in making everything mysterious. The mystic allows one thing to be mysterious, and everything else becomes lucid. The determinist makes the theory of causation quite clear, and then finds that he cannot say “if you please” to the housemaid. The Christian permits free will to remain a sacred mystery; but because of this his relations with the housemaid become of a sparkling and crystal clearness. He puts the seed of dogma in a central darkness; but it branches forth in all directions with abounding natural health. As we have taken the circle as the symbol of reason and madness, we may very well take the cross as the symbol at once of mystery and of health. Buddhism is centripetal, but Christianity is centrifugal: it breaks out. For the circle is perfect and infinite in its nature; but it is fixed for ever in its size; it can never be larger or smaller. But the cross, though it has at its heart a collision and a contradiction, can extend its four arms forever without altering its shape. Because it has a paradox in its centre it can grow without changing. The circle returns upon itself and is bound. The cross opens its arms to the four winds; it is a signpost for free travellers.

-G.K. Chesterton, “Orthodoxy”

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June 3, 2008

195 Million

Filed under: Politics, Opinion — Ryan Conrad @ 4:22 pm

According to CSPAN, 195 Million is the number of dollars that Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama have spent on their campaigns so far. Can you think of a better way to use our resources; I sure can.

I wonder how many jobs could be created and run-down schools could be helped by using even half of that 195 Million. Suppose all of our politicians decided (collectively) to give half of their campaign finances to make our Country a better place to live, work and raise our families. Maybe we should demand that they do this and instead of talking about all of the change they’ll be making when elected, they could really show us.

Ah, “but we’ve already created the monster you say”; I was afraid you’d appeal that way.

Then this question follows:

Who’s willing to stop being a monster to combat the political beast we’ve born, and can that person be heard above the dollars and sense that run our Nation as we know it?

I’m really proud of myself for this thunderous post that seemed to leap from the keys (I’m laughing a bit as I write this); I guess it’s a bit dramatic after reading it again, but oh well, I think it has some truth in its letters~

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June 2, 2008

Life, A Series of Corrections

Filed under: Stuff, Faith — Ryan Conrad @ 12:53 pm

Today, I had the chance to go golfing and my inner dialog went something like this:
“Hips still; head down; weight on front foot; blade open (thanks Grandpa); on toes; tee it higher; no, tee it lower; choke up; choke down; head still; loosen grip etc.

I know that to be a great golfer, I have to tame some of that inner dialog and still my mind enough to just take a shot. I got to thinking that the series of corrections that I’ve made in the last ten years that I’ve played the game of golf is a lot like the series of corrections and adjustments that one makes in life. You know how the saying goes; “It’s how you react to adversity that counts,” or something like that. I really think that the reality of living parallels that completely. I constantly find myself adjusting and correcting my actions when I mess up. I hit the dirt in front of the ball; I speak too quickly in a meeting at work. O.K, next time I hold my head still and stay on my toes. Next time I ask myself if it’s really worth saying what came to my mind so quickly.

Because no one is perfect, maybe the reality of living is only about those adjustments and corrections and the ability to humbly recognize our shortcomings. Or maybe we should just play golf all of the time. I vote for the second one :)

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June 1, 2008

Smithville Soil

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 7:46 pm

I’ll keep you posted on the status of my tomato plants and sunflowers. I wonder how good this “Heart of Wayne County” soil really is. Here are my Sunday gardening pictures. I dug up the little garden area on the east side of my house. The sunflowers are to the right of the small tomato plant. Going to see which tomato plant grows best the one using the eastern morning sun or the plant in the last picture in a small area in front of my garage that picks up the northwestern setting sun.

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May 29, 2008

Be Honest With Them Kids

Filed under: Opinion — Ryan Conrad @ 4:36 pm

The thoughts and opinions in this post have been brewing for some time now but Ted Strckland’s address to the State last month cemented these thoughts. In his address he said specifically that “every child should not think that high school is the end, but should be focused on a collegiate level of education.” He also was quoted as saying that “A high school education is not enough.” As if this wasn’t enough of a catalyst for the many thoughts that have been stuck inside of my brain concerning this issue of our young people, a recent episode of the office included a clip of Philis (sorry for those of you not tuned into the office, you really should be!) Anyway, Philis made a comment about how her mother told her she could be anything she wanted to be and now at forty-five she is finally figuring out that maybe that’s not true (it was funny but it put the fuel on the fire in my, I was ready to write) So here it is, Ryan’s thoughts on interacting with young people:

Don’t tell them that they can be whatever they want to be, it’s o.k if they can’t. Don’t give them the illusion that life is wide open, that’s a trap. Give them an honest account of the truths of life and what they can expect to find. Don’t talk to them like they are naive or ignorant; use respectful non-verbals not condescending actions to give them knowledge. Let them know that their heart is important, but there is a much larger world out there and some that will take advantage of that big heart. Give them the tools they need in an honest and straight forward way.

As a teacher, I can tell you that young adolescents and even much younger children than this (you parents know this) pick up on everything. They most likely know it _______ insert whatever issue you might be addressing with them. I guarantee that they can feel it even if they can’t articulate it way before you think they should be able to. It’s a mistake to think that just because they can’t articulate it they aren’t aware of it.

Don’t lie to them, be real with them about what life is like, share your stories of successes but also of failures, so they know it’s o.k to fail and flop. Remember, they will already most likely know your weaknesses and some of your failures even if you’ve only had a limited relationship with them. Because of this, I think it’s best to model honesty and transparency regarding failures in your life because to not say anything, is to say a lot about what life is supposedly like. The absence of words, in my opinion, is maybe most damaging in a young person’s life because they’re just left to wonder.

On another note and again in my most humble opinion, our schools and other social systems seem to feed lies about higher education, the job market, and the pursuit of happiness that only leave a vacuum in our young people’s lives. Some students are not equipped, nor will they ever be equipped for higher education. Some students would do better in a trade or specific skill and to tell those students otherwise, is to give them false hope and ultimately leads to an incongruence between what they think they should be and what they perceive themselves to be.

Our school systems seem to be molded around the limitless possibilities of the World, the “go out and tame the big World idea” The only problem with this philosophy is that it’s not true. To constantly re-iterate the idea that someone can do anything in this big World and that the World provides limitless opportunities, is false, and in my opinion, only feeds the ego’s of the instructors that preach this false doctrine of free will. They think that by preaching this doctrine they will inspire and empower young people; what they fail to realize is that young people want honesty, not fluff and unrealistic fairy tale stories. I know this sounds strong and will probably be misconstrued as cynical and jaded but I believe it’s the only way to interact with our young people and give them a chance at achieving for themselves a meaningful life after high school. Too many times our young people are alienated because they don’t resonate with the “untamed World” machine. They don’t see the World as something to be tamed and taken, they see it as something to be enjoyed and lived in humbly. So they turn to drugs and other addictions to cope with the fluff and unrealism that’s shot at them from their high school’s guidance office or from home, television, churches etc. All the more reason for honesty; not cynicism mind you, but honesty.

I believe people are free enough to determine the paths that they take but are certainly gifted in uniquely different areas unknown to the general categories normally recognized as gifts and or calling in our society. Where would our society be without certain jobs that seem (or are categorized by our society) as low end or not successful. Come on, we all know it’s out there and we all know that we are so guilty of defining people by what job they work at. I’m so guilty of this. I no sooner get to know someone and I want to know where they work because I size them up using that instrument. How unfair is that and how shallow am I in basing my opinion on someone based on their job? I am to blame for this but I think it’s a problem unique to our very wealthy Country in many ways.

So, what does it mean to be successful? Is anyone in charge of directing the paths of our young kids really concerned about answering that question? I know I am…

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May 27, 2008

China

Filed under: Stuff — Ryan Conrad @ 5:15 pm

When I think about China and the thousands of dead and homeless, I feel like a bloated bastard who’s virgin skin has never been caressed by real suffering. Tonight I really hurt for those people and lament my selfish and care-free life.

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