I am on the "sexy carrots" chapter, and my impression of this book so far is that he has good thoughts, but at the same time the book is a little...disorganized. Maybe not disorganized, but there is no…unity between the chapters. It seems as if it a bunch of good essays thrown together into a collection. I think that's it: it seems to me to be more of a collection of Donald Miller's essays rather than a book. There is no thread linking them all together. However, he does write some good thoughts and he makes good points.
Author's note
"Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way" (Blue Like Jazz, page 10). I really liked this idea. I think that is so very true! I have seen it in many different ways, but one way has been in traveling. Before I went on my Southeast Asia trip, I emailed my friend Anne, who's been to Thailand, and I asked her some advice about what we should do, where to go etc. she responded back, and just reading her email and the obvious enthusiasm she had about Thailand, made me so excited and so ready to go there. Last Saturday, my friend Lina and I were having lunch in the cafeteria of North Campus of Harbin University of Commerce in Harbin, China and we were talking about my trip to Xi'an next month. She went there as a tour guide during the winter holiday, and so she was talking to me about it. she actually got to meet one of the two (the other passed away) men who discovered the Terracotta Soldiers! Hearing her talk about her trip and about the soldiers, made me even more excited to go and experience it as well. I think that is something like what Donald Miller is talking about here. Sometimes, someone's passion and/or enthusiasm for something is what kindles your own passion for it. at the very least it makes you want to go experience it and/or check it out to see what the big deal is.
Chapter 2
"if you don't love somebody, it gets annoying when they tell you what to do or what to feel (Blue Like Jazz, page 21). I have to say that I do not necessarily agree with this. Myself personally, even when I love someone, I do not like it when tell me what to feel. That is mostly what gets me, when they tell me that what I am feeling is wrong and instead I should feel "this" way. Of course they do not say it in those words, and I am sure that they are watching out me as their friend. Still, it's one thing for people to tell you that they do not agree with you or think that you are not right, but it's another for them to tell you how you should be feeling instead. For example, one of the things that I am…working through is divorce. I know how Christians feel about divorce, I know why they/we believe it is wrong, and for the most part, I agree. However, the one hinge, the one thing that keeps me from sharing their belief in this point,is that…I just cannot see why someone who does not want to be married to someone anymore, someone who is no longer happy in their marriage or no longer is in love with their spouse, should stay in that marriage when they are no longer happy in it. well, I know why, marriage is a vow, in front of God, for forever, but…I just cannot seem to believe that someone should stay married when they do not want to. I have talked about this with my friends, and while they have not agreed with me, they have not told me that what I am feeling is wrong, that I am feeling the wrong thing and should instead feel this other way. They make it clear they do not agree with me, but they do not tell me how I should feel instead. So for me personally, whether I love the person or not, it does annoy me when people tell me how to feel. So on this point, I do not agree with Miller.
"he said that when we are watching television our minds are working no harder than when we are sleeping" (Blue Like Jazz, page 23). Actually, that is not necessarily true. When you are sleeping, your brain is still working; it is "awake." It's kind of like a night shift at a hospital. The hospital is not closed or anything, it's just the night shift running things instead of the day shift.
Chapter 3
"and, perhaps, I was judging the idea, not by its merit, but by the fashionable or un fashionable delivery of the message" (Blue Like Jazz, page 36). I really think this is something that in our society today, we do a lot. at my church, Southern Hills, they use a lot of video clips, power points, etc. during the sermon, and I like it, it is creative and helps make the point and it is a good supplement to the sermon. Still, when sermons or speeches do not have nice powerpoints or visuals, or even supplemental sounds, music, etc., people do not tend to get as into it. in my classes in China, my students tend to pay attention when my lesson includes pictures or powerpoints rather than just me talking, and writing stuff on the board. And when someone is giving a powerful sermon, and they do in what I call the "yelling" style, all of a sudden people get into it; they are moved by it, etc. oh, and of course, the "fashionable" Spiritual Story has to have a low moment of course. it seems as if the most "powerful" Spiritual Stories, the ones people are asked to share, to speak on, etc. are the ones where people overcome something, where people have low moments, dramatic events. No one ever gets up there and shares a spiritual story where they became a Christian; they have a good relationship with God. Not perfect, a few struggles, but good overall. How come those of us with those types of stories are never asked to speak? Because our stories would not be "fashionable." That is what I got from this quote. Sometimes, we depend too much on the dramatic, on the cool video clips, or the forceful yelling in the sermon, or the low moments in the Story. Shouldn't it be about more than that in order for it to be good?
"the decision was simple once I asked myself, is Jesus the Son of God, are we being held captive in a world run by Satan, a world filled with brokenness, and do I believe Jesus can rescue me from this condition?(Blue Like Jazz, page 37)" this is indeed simple. when we look at it in these simple statements, it becomes so much easier. And it takes away all the differences that divides us, that creates different denominations, different "camps." This is what it should be about, this is what the main focus should be on instead of what the bible says about Marriage, about Tattoos, about Homosexuality, about instruments in the service, etc. because I have a feeling that when we are judged in Heaven, on THAT day, I don't think God will be asking you about these things.
Chapter 5
"there are things you choose to believe and beliefs that choose you" (Blue Like Jazz, page 53). I totally agree with this. This is basically my being a Member of the Family in a sentence. It's almost like it chose me, like God just…gave me love for Him, and belief in Him.
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