Something I love about Social Media is this push for companies to show their vulnerable/human side. In many ways, this new technological/social push in business has been about getting back to the "mom and pop" days where you knew the owner of the shop you frequented. But I want to make sure I tell you one important fact within all this that may be overlooked:

We need your prayers!

Why?

1. We're human. Sonlight may be a corporate entity, but everyone here is a regular person. While my co-workers often display super-human brilliance and abilities (which consistently leave me in awe), I think they'd be the first to admit that they don't have everything together. I know I sure don't. We could really use your prayers that God will take what little we have to offer and use it for His glory and to expand His kingdom.

2. We're doing big things. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't pray about small things--like breakfast--but that when we're striving to follow where God leads we need tons of wisdom and grace. Please pray that we will have eyes to see where God is leading us and the strength to follow when and where He calls.

3. We're working with technology. 'nough said.

June 1 is fast approaching. (Who thought it'd be a good idea to take a holiday right before the big day? That's what I want to know! <smile>) And there are so many pieces that need to come together. So many elements that are freaking me out. So much that has been stressing me to the max.

So that's, I guess, a forth reason to pray for us: I'm really high strung right now. The pressure of making this event rock is weighing heavily on me. I want it to be awesome! And I can't do it on my own.

So, between now and Tuesday--and then the days, weeks, months and years following--please pray for us when you think of it. We appreciate it. I appreciate it. And, by the grace of God, we will have at least another 20 years to serve you and your family.

Thank you.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

My eyes scan the clutter on my desk. My mind has been far too occupied with Sonlight's Virtual Meetup to really sit back and compose something worthy of sharing with the blogosphere. But I need to write about something...

My Messy Desk

Sonlight Tours--where you actually get to walk around the building--start soon. I need to get my desk presentable for that. ...or, perhaps not, now that I've shared the above picture with the world. No, I should do some tidying, even if I am good at finding things when they're in their proper pile.

I am a very organized person.

It's just that if something doesn't have a home or that home is too difficult to easily access--I'm looking at you, Laundry Hamper--then I tend to give it a new home in a carefully selected pile.

Hence the clothes next to my side of the bed.

I'm just sayin'.

We have this odd tendency, us humans, to clean up our messes when we're around others. This happens when company comes to visit, we're trying to get someone to like us--be it an interview, a love-interest, or a presentation--and at Church. In fact, Matt over at The Church of No People is talking about the whole "church thing" during this recently dubbed Fail Month. And this is odd because none of us really has it together. In fact, we'd do a lot better if we could learn from each other. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons we don't share our messes is the sad truth that there's very little to learn from them.

Let's take my pile of socks, for instance. It's there because I know I should safety pin them together before putting them in the laundry (thereby saving myself the frustration of pairing them up in the midst of a pile of clean clothes). I'm too lazy to go to the effort right before bed, so I leave them on the floor, with the wishful thinking that I'll do it tomorrow. This never happens. So the pile of dirty laundry finally goes to the basement when my wife gets fed up with it or I run out of socks. At which point it comes out of the laundry in the midst of a pile of clean clothes. I've accomplished nothing more than making my wife less than happy with me.

The lesson?

I can't think of one other than I need to get my act together. And this, I believe, has something to do with our presentation of the Gospel. There's great news that redemption is out there... but without a mess to redeem we're left rather lame... but that's as far as I gotten.

And so, because my mind is such a mess right now, I'm going to close without a definitive statement or even a well-crafted question/observation. Rather, I'm going to leave this mess here for you to see.

Thoughts?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

I'm standing in the packed Guinness Storehouse after a day of sightseeing with the family. I've turned in my token for a soda because I hate the taste of alcohol and I've got this wheat sensitivity thing. The tour was interesting, though it felt more like a trip to Ikea than, say, the old Coors tours. And now I'm tired and ready to eat some dinner before heading off to bed.

There are people everywhere. The alcohol and crowds make conversations a little more boisterous than on the streets outside.

The years have robbed my memory of any specific conversations I may have noticed then. But I'm sure that in the crowded room there must have been at least one debate, discussion or disagreement. I'm sure that somewhere in that room, over the pints of dark, swirling liquid, a pair of minds were clashing. Had I been privy to the conversation, and known enough to follow along, I'm sure I would have agreed with one, then the other, then the first again.

Why? Because, unless I have a very firm belief about something, I tend to be swayed by the latest information given. Proverbs speaks of this. If you present a strong case, it sounds good to me. If you are countered with an even stronger idea, that sounds even better. Counter that again and, well...

I'll likely get to one of two points: Decide I like one side over the other--for any number of reasons--or decide that I won't figure it out for a long, long time and that the issue isn't settled. You could keep going back and forth with your friend and I would wander off to eavesdrop on another group.

And in my blog wanderings today, I came across this post. While the post itself was interesting to me--since it concerned an event held at my Alma Mater--the comments were even more noteworthy. I found myself reading along and thinking, 'Oohh! Sting!' and then, with the rebuttal, thinking, 'He's got him now!' only to read the next response.

On and on it went.

Eventually, my head was spinning as if I'd imbibed a stein or two of Guinness. It reminded me of a post I'd read just a few minutes before about why Christians get so upset by Old-Earth views. We Christians like neat and tidy answers. We like to know we're teaching our children the Truth. And all this back and forth is maddening, frustrating and more than a little intimidating. In short order we're ready for some dinner and bed.

As the social face of Sonlight, I find myself in between two groups. One side decries our science materials as lies from the Pit of Willful Ignorance, and the other side worries that we do not come down hard enough against the lies of Scientific Propaganda. Here I sit, watching the back and forth, and I'm glad for Sonlight's science programs. In fact, I'm glad for Sonlight's educational philosophy which influences all of our programs:

We're here to educate, not indoctrinate.

When people have been indoctrinated--which, sadly, some equate with education--they are unwilling to accept the possibility of tension. The facts and figures and ideas others toss their way must be shot down as lies and false. May we never get there. The fact that Jesus spent time realigning His listener's interpretation of Scripture is caution enough for me to hold my ideas with humility.

There comes a point, however, where we must--for the time being--decide where we stand today. We like a particular side--for any number of reasons--and that's where we stand. The issue may not be settled yet, but we're happy where we are.

May we always seek the Truth. May we always be open to learning more. And may we rest peacefully where we are with an open ear to the two sides of the conversation around us. Because, if we are always willing to learn, we will find the Truth. ...it just may take a little longer than we'd wish. The good news is that, as Sonlighters, we've got our whole lives to learn.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

My pulse skyrockets.

I can feel my heart beating in the glands under my jaw. I'm ready to take on the world if it came after me. I feel attacked and I'm ready to defend myself and, in so doing, take down my attacker.

...and then I pause.

I was just about to smack down a friend with The Truth which happens to have an additional +12 to Righteous Indignation and a chance on crit to deal 6 snark damage. Reminds me of the jokes we used to make about our Bible Thumping Jesus at Biola:

Jesus Ready to Thump You

"Respond, don't react." The maxim seeps into my consciousness. My pulse begins to slow, though my face still feels flushed. I don't want to escalate the situation. Well, I do. But only because I want to "win." But in my attempts to do so I'd merely give them reason to come back at me with The Truth--and +12 Righteous Indignation with a chance of snark. Which in turn would inspire me...

No.

I must be the mature one. I need to eat it and just let it go.

I'm here to help. I'm here to encourage. I'm here to share what is true wherever possible. But too often, far too often, I can't. For whatever the reasons I am just not on the same plane. I'm talking past the issue and missing the point. And I simply can't hear what the other is really trying to say and failing to communicate to me.

"It's their fault," I tell myself, hoping I'm right. But a major part of the problem is that I'm simply not in their shoes. I don't know what's really driving the frustration, anger, mistrust. I'm hopelessly clueless and there is little chance of them taking the time to get me up to speed because it would take too long; I'm a little slow sometimes.

It hurts me to not respond. I like responding. I love the feeling of adrenaline coursing through my system. I enjoy telling people that I'm right. It thrills me to take on the world and "win."

But there are no winners here. Not today.

I say nothing and move on.

I'm here to encourage and to help. And if that's not what I'm doing, I should probably keep my mouth shut. I like giving answers, but if it's not a real question then I'm not helping anyone by jumping in.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father