The Body

The church is often referred to as "the body of Christ" - probably the best way I can think of to illustrate the unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17:20-23. However, when I read Jesus' prayer for us, I sometimes wonder why his main request for the church is unity. Why not boldness? Why not protection, like he prayed for his disciples?

I won't claim to have any definitive answers here, but the question did spur a thought process:

There are a lot of different types of bodies out there. Tall, squat, muscular, hairy, slender, etc. Most of a body's appearance and behavior is due to its DNA - the inherent genetic code at the foundation of its growth. Christ followers also have a foundational DNA - that given by the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.). Our physical and spiritual DNA is inherited, but there are a lot of aspects of the body that we can control, through two well-known disciplines:

Diet.

Think about what the body of Christ is consuming (and I'm not talking bread and grape juice). Think about a typical day - do you discipline yourself to consume daily portions of Scripture (bread), have authentic fellowship with friends (protein), and supplement that with beneficial knowledge and productivity (vitamins and minerals)? Or do you find yourself continually going back to the cookie jar for extra helpings of distraction (sweets, empty calories)? As for me, I know that all too often I'm not only taking second helpings, but I'm the one baking the cookies and cramming them down people's throats. Don't get me wrong here - there are tons of great "desserts" out there, but discipline is necessary. Entertainment isn't bad - but only as part of a balanced breakfast.

Exercise.

Each Christ follower has a specific role to play in this body - and just as in our own bodies, these parts need exercise to function at their full potential. What is your spiritual fitness level? Are you training yourself to be used to the maximum, or are you the type of body part that is content to move only when needed, and just hang out in between uses? Once again, I find that all too often I'm willing to do just what's necessary, without pushing myself to be of maximum use. Discipline is again the key here - it takes discipline to open your Bible and journal, just as it does to go to the gym and lift.

Which brings me back to unity. Why did Jesus put so much stress on this?

When one part of the body rises up against another in the church, we call it division. When a part of our physical body rises up against another, we call it cancer. Cancer is among our most feared diseases - its spread is unpredictable and its symptoms can go unrecognized for years - the only way to effectively destroy it is to catch it early. Does this sound familiar at all? It's the same with division in the church. If not caught early, division will eat away at the body from the inside, and by the time it's caught, it won't be healed without exhausting and harmful intervention (chemotherapy).

This begs the question: are we treating division in the body of Christ with the same seriousness as the medical community treats cancer? Are we vigilant in examining ourselves for lumps and cutting out the tumors? I have no answers, but I think a higher awareness is warranted.

On the bright side, one profound difference between a physical cancer and a spiritual cancer is the hope for a cure. Despite all of the work on a cure for physical cancer, it is not promised to us, whereas our spirit's cure will come in the future establishment of Christ's kingdom.

"...we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." - Ephesians 4:15-16

Harrison Barnes

So in case you hadn't heard, the top high school basketball recruit in the nation plays here in Ames - a 6'6" hotshot named Harrison Barnes. On Friday, he held a ceremony in the Ames High School gymnasium to announce to the world where he would be attending college next fall.

Now, let's be clear - I have never seen Harrison play before. I have never been to an Ames High basketball game before. But as a journalist, I take note when something newsworthy is going down in my neighborhood, so me and my buddy Justan Spaid took part of our Friday off to go wallow in the hype.

We filed into the gym with hundreds of other fans, our hearts racing as Harrison led up to his announcement. He had it narrowed down to six schools: five NCAA basketball powerhouses (Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA, Oklahoma) and one agricultural powerhouse (ISU). The odds were stacked against us, but I definitely wasn't the only one sporting cardinal and gold, ready to take it off and spin it like a helicopter just in case a miracle happened.

It didn't. Turns out Petey Pab was right - this one really was for North Carolina.

And it was the right call - I mean, seriously, when Michael Jordan meets you in person and tells you where to play ball, that's where you play ball, right? And for those who would say Harrison "betrayed" us - come on, you can't help but root for this kid. I've read a lot of articles about him during the recruiting process, and almost every one of them mentions his excellent character on and off the court. He also goes to my church, and the pastors there have said he's a classy young man who is trying to live his life for God (click here to see him dunking on college pastor Mark Arant).

So, it looks I'll root for the Tar Heels for awhile, and who knows - maybe in a couple years Harrison will even inspire me to turn on an NBA game now and then.

Personally, I'm just waiting for his breakout role as MJ's quippy sidekick in Space Jam 2...

Mr. Pusey, tear down this wall

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was 3 years old when it all went down, so I don't really remember it, and I'd say most of today's college students are in the same boat. So what better way to celebrate an event that we don't remember than by reliving it for ourselves?

Some of you may have seen a large cardboard wall standing in front of Parks Library yesterday. The ISU German Club put it there to represent the Berlin Wall, and they encouraged students to spraypaint their own messages of freedom onto it. I covered the event for the Tribune, so I approached a few students who were painstakingly putting the finishing touches on their designs.

"So, what message are you trying to get across with your painting?" I asked.

One of them, looked at me, shrugged and continued to paint. "We're just trying to get our names out there, you know? Just trying to give ISU a little taste of New York."

"Oh, you're from New York?"

"Nah, man."

As inspired as some of the graffiti was, the best part of the event was at 4:00 p.m. when it came time to tear down the wall. About 30 people crowded around that makeshift bulwark of communism, and a self-proclaimed female Ronald Reagan impersonator announced, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear off this -er- tear down this wall!"

The crowd proceeded to pummel the crap out of the cardboard with two red wiffle bats. Now as a reporter, I know it's my job to strictly observe...but when they're handing out free swings at the Berlin Wall with a wiffle bat, I'm gonna take my chances every time.

Kay, I'm back

Looks like it's time to play catch-up again, so here's a quick rundown of September and October!

• I'm still working for the Ames Tribune. Sometimes I love it - I'll get an interesting story that's really fun to tell, like this. Sometimes it's not so hot - on slow news days I find myself writing stuff like this.
• Since the Ames Tribune is a newspaper, they don't have a lot of money - this means I only get to work 30 hours a week. This sounds like a bummer, but I'm actually pretty thankful for it. This allows me to keep on doing the things I love at Cornerstone Church, such as acting for D6, playing music for weekend services and Salt Co. and playing keys for Anthem. (By the way, Anthem has some great new songs in the works - mark your calendars for December 4, you won't want to miss it!)
• "James & James" is still going strong with the release of a new EP and a critically-acclaimed Halloween show, featuring a tribute to Simon & Garfunkel:
  

James and I have a ton of fun together, both on stage and off. James is a solid guy, and we've had some great times of encouraging and challenging each other in faith this semester. If you want to keep track of upcoming shows and other goings-on, join our facebook group or check out our blog, which gets updated almost as often as this one.

Looking back, I'm seeing all the ways that God has blessed me since I came back from India. It's been a tough stretch in a lot of ways - everything was so different when I came back that I really had a hard time finding "home." I struggled to find my identity as I started a new job, got over a broken relationship and experienced some pretty confusing culture shock (e.g. "Hey, why are all of these cows fenced in? Shouldn't they be standing in the middle of intersections and taking up space on the sidewalk?").

But God is faithful - He has come through for me in so many ways in the last couple of months. I've got great friends, and some wise mentors who are teaching me what it means to be an independent, hard-working, disciplined-but-still-fun-loving follower of Christ. I've got no idea where I'll be in five years, but for now I'll trust in the One who's got it figured out. I'll write stories about Iowa State's garbage to the best of my ability, continue to pursue the things I'm passionate about and have a lot of laughs along the way.

And who knows - maybe I'll even blog about it every once in awhile.

I Didn't Wanna Get a Job, but...

Take Senator Tom Harkin, a bunch of Japanese beetles and a puppet talent show, and what do you get? Well, some might say you'd come out with a better plan for health care reform than what's on the table right now, but I'll just call it my first two weeks at the Ames Tribune.

That's right - by the grace of God, I actually landed a job in the field I studied, which is no small feat considering newspapers are disappearing faster than you can say "baby panda." I applied for jobs at many newspapers in the area, though the Tribune was the only one with any openings. I also applied for some other fallback options, including construction and carpet sales (you can start out making $35,000 at this gig! The only thing is, you would be selling...carpets).

I found out I got the job while I was in India - it was such an answer to prayer. It's a huge blessing to be able to stay in Ames where I have great friends and an influential church where I get to use my gifts in the arts for God's glory.

As far as making a living goes, I get paid to talk to people, learn new things and attend events like "Puppet Idol" at the Ames Public Library.

I'm officially the Iowa State and higher education reporter, but if you've got any good story ideas, send 'em my way! And if you think your story isn't newsworthy enough for the Tribune - two words for you: Puppet Idol.

Looking back on India

As most of you know, I spent all of June and July in India and just got back around a week ago. It was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life. Honestly, I'm still trying to process it all, but this post will be about my general experience of living in another country. If you want to hear the awesome God stories, I would love to tell them - but you'll have to sit down with me sometime.


Here we are, from left to right: Lee Beukelman, Elena Noll, Laura Benson and myself. This is on the morning of June 1, when we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Our project for the summer was to hit the campuses of Delhi University and make friends with students, so we could learn about their culture and share about ours. We made a lot of close friends during our time there - by the end of the summer we could step onto the campuses and always run into someone we knew, or at least someone who knew us. We were the token white people in our neighborhood, and the media went to town with it. By the end of the summer, our team had at least 5 photos in the newspaper and one appearance on the national news (in the background). Here's one example:

I'd never been a minority before I set foot in India. It's not like it surprised me that I looked different than everyone else, but it was a feeling I'd never really dealt with before. When we stepped into a room, everyone's eyes were instantly glued to us. It was pretty common to see people pull out their cell phones and snap photos of us as we walked down the street or rode on the subway. Sometimes this was fun - I was more than willing to pose with random groups of Indian guys - but sometimes it was just too much attention. There were several times when I just felt desperate for an escape, a place where I could just be alone and unnoticed, but that's not easy to find in a city of some 20 million.

Aside from the crowds, first thing you'll notice about New Delhi is that it is boiling lava hot. Temperatures got up to 120 degrees (F) while we were there. Here's the second thing I noticed - it's dirty. There are cows roaming aimlessly in the streets, stray dogs picking through piles of trash on the sides of the road, and let me tell you - I have smelled some things this summer that I have never smelled before.

Needless to say, my first impression of Delhi was not good. The first week was difficult - I would get up in the morning, take my bucket shower (no shower heads) and dread walking out the door into the scorching heat. I questioned whether it was worth it - what good could I possibly do in a place like this? I was made to be an American - there are some people who can thrive in places like this, but I'm not one of them.

I was wrong - I knew it then, and I'm assured of it now. Sure, the living conditions aren't as comfortable as America - but is that necessarily a bad thing? People are still happy there and they appreciate what they have. The power may go out randomly twice a day, but it's a fact of life - you deal with it and keep on living. Indians have some of the strongest families I have ever seen. Family always comes first, and most children live with their parents their entire lives - even after they're married. I think America would do well to take some lessons from India in how we treat our family and friends.

However, India's strong sense of tradition is holding the people back in a lot of ways. For example, the caste system has been a source of oppression in India for thousands of years. Some say it has disappeared in the urban areas of India, others say it's stronger than ever. Both sides will agree that it still exists in the country, and still plays a big role in the social structure of the country. It seems that one's sense of identity in India is almost entirely dependent on one's parents - your parents decide your religion, who you will hang out with and, ultimately, who you will marry.

Regardless, I fell in love with the people of India. I miss my friends in Delhi and I hope for a chance to go back someday - if only to see how things have changed. The current generation of Indian students seems quicker to question some of the negative aspects of the culture, so it will be interesting to see what happens in that country in the next 20 years. That said - I thin the majority of Indian culture is amazing. The clothes are beautiful, the food is unique and spicy (I'm still partial to Chinese...) and their festivals...well, let's just say Indians know how to party.

If you get the chance to travel overseas, do it - I can't encourage it enough. It's difficult, especially when it comes time to transition back to life in the U.S., but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. We watched God move in some powerful ways while we were there and it was an honor to be used to further the work in India. If you want to hear more, I'm glad to tell it - I've barely scratched the surface.

In conclusion, here is a list of note-worthy things I did this summer:

• Got charged at by a bull on the sidewalk.
• Ate this:

• Learned how to play cricket and taught Indians football. Both equally hilarious to watch.
• Opened a can of pineapple with an Indian can opener (a hatchet).
  
• Threw up at an Indian amusement park - that's what you get for going with two Indians who aspire to work for NASA...
• Played "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias on guitar for people about 3 million times.
• Got attacked by a large monkey in the foothills of the Himalayas. I have always hated monkeys (click here), and now I have even more reason to.
• Attended the International Toilet Museum, where I learned to appreciate human waste sanitation and received my own ball of petrified human "excreta." Click here for video.
• Rode on a man-powered ferris wheel (see video below):
  

It is finished.

I took the last final of my life today. Here's how it went down.

I woke up bright and early - 6:00 a.m. The Jl MC 460 exam doesn't start 'til 7:30, but I still needed to buy my blue books and get some last minute cramming in before the test started. It's a big one - 3 essays and 10 short answers. But I put on the face of steely confidence as I walk out my front door. I'm James Pusey. I'm wearing my "Da Bears" shirt. And I'm ready.

I've been cruising in my dad's truck lately because my car was having some issues for awhile. The car is fixed now, but I still like the feeling I get when I'm ridin' high in the Nissan Frontier. On my last day, I need the confidence. Plus, my dad makes these awesome mix CD's and coincidentally the song playing as I turn on the ignition is "Takin' Care of Business." I crank the tunes, throw on my dad's "sunglasses" he got from the optometrist, and I'm off to the WestSide Market to pick up some blue books.


I arrive at the C-Store a minute early.


So I wait.
I buy my blue books. They cost 30 cents. In the next two hours, I proceed to fill every page of those two blue books with arguments about intrusion, copyright, federal regulation of commercial speech and fair use doctrine. I purge all of the information I'd binged on an hour before, knowing I won't remember much of it two days from now. I'm okay with that.

I turn in the test and walk out the door into a flood of fluorescent light, the whole world ahead of me. No more grades, tests or group projects. I think of everything I'm thankful for - God's purpose in me being here the last four years, my parent's love and tuition payments, all of the people I've met since I've been here. What a ride.

Tomorrow I will receive my degree.

But today... I will pay my parking tickets.