Why I haven’t posted lately.

Patman the Pat recently accused me of being too busy with real life to post.  

Frankly, kind of true, as I spend on average 14 hours a day most days of the week working, schooling, and travelling.  Weekends are also generally a bust.  Those extra few precious hours at home? Non-working internet access.

I did want to mention one thing though: http://www.willkinchlea.com

I’ve decided to buy my own website domain and server space.  I’ve decided I need more customizability than what wordpress.com or blogspot.com or any other blogging site can offer.  I’ll be porting over stuff there soon, but for now, enjoy Tyndale University College’s 2nd Annual Summer Rock Paper Scissors Tournament as http://www.willkinchlea.com.

WK

The Daily Office

9 Days since last post. oops.

Man, it is hard to change one’s daily routine.

For the last 2 weeks, I have been actively pursuing this new Rule of Life that I have adopted. What has risen as the backbone of the rule is the Daily Office.

The Daily Office, that is daily time-set prayer, is one of the oldest disciplines used by Christians. The Psalms refer to it (e.g. Psalm 119:164), Luke writes about it in Acts (e.g. Acts 3:1), The Didache (the oldest Christian Liturgy) mentions it, The Church Fathers wrote about it (e.g. Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Tertullian) and move into the Roman Rite and Eastern Church to Now.

The Office I’m working from is the Celtic Office, found online at the Northumbrian Community’s website , a community devoted to living a monastic lifestyle. Being an ethnic Celt, I thought this one would work – plus it is free and introduced to me by my local monastic sounding-board, George Sweetman.

Devotion to the Daily Office is hard, and I’m only at 2 of the hours (there’s like, 7).  What I have found is this: I’ve found that in adopting this rule, I’ve had to start going to bed earlier, because having to focus for about 30-45 minutes of day-starting is a tough task, especially when you are a night-hawk that works in the mornings.  I think I might start doing this outside to help wake me up. But here’s the thing: structuring a daily life around set prayer times really helps orient your thinking. I’m someone whose first hour of being awake greatly influences the rest of the day.  Every morning I finish my first hour awake with these words: 

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

Being well-rested and going forward into the world with these words around me really centers my spirit for the day.  These words just hold me in a way that moves beyond cognition. It moves me beyond sentimentality.  It moves me into vision.

WK

My Lady Friend

Parting from the talk of spiritual discipline, I thought I’d talk about something that is much more pressing to me right now.  What is more pressing than my own spiritual discipline?  Well, my wedding, of course.

For the long-time readers of the blog, they may remember that for a time, I wrote a weekly column I called The Life of the Single Christian Male.  It was centered around being a young man who was discovering the joys (and hardships) of being ok with being single.  

Well, that ended a year ago last October(ish). I met a girl who was completely unlike me: mischievous, sly, super goal-oriented, and well-planned.  And hot.  Way hot.  I fell in love. Now we’re getting married.

We’ve been talking a lot about the future (as we should), mostly career/vocation-wise (though twins runs a fair bit in both family streams it seems – yikes), and I’m pretty sure we’ve decided on the ‘taking turns’ style of life-sharing. In the coming two years, we finish our (her) schooling.  After that, we’re going to do something cool, like work in an orphanage in Africa, if possible. Then, most likely, I’ll do a Master’s and get to work in a school somewhere so Christine can do what she wants, which at that point may be kids.  Not sure yet. Luckily, we’re pretty fluid.

From time to time, I’ll be referring to the Lady Friend/Wife/Girl/Her Royal Hotness in reflective posts about life, and I’m debating maybe even starting the Life of the Married Christian Male, if she lets me talk about that kind of stuff.  Point is, I felt that I should introduce this part of my life to the readers who don’t me personally.

This is Christine, and I love her.

 

 

WK

A Nightmare.

This was originally published in the 2008 Issue of the Canon25:

 

It’s dark.  I squint my eyes to adjust to what is going on around me. I’m slightly disoriented, trying to figure out where I am. 

I figure out where I am.  I’m in the school.  I don’t know how or why I’m here, but I realize something.  I remember.

“There are rumours of dark things happening in the school at night, Will, and I need to know what is going on in there.  I trust that you can find out the mysteries in the darkness.” The Dean of Students, George Sweetman uttered these words to me the day  before.  I found this strange, since I had only met him the day before, in orientation. Eager to prove my worth, I accepted his request.

I come upon a meeting.

I wait in the darkness as people begin to gather.  There are 12 people gathered around one central person.  With curiosity, I realize that the person is Josh Phillips, the Residence Director and the 12 are the Residence Advisors.  Something is going on here, so I hide and wait and listen.

“You know the orders.  Subvert, divide, and conquer.  This place is ours.”  The words escape Josh’s mouth in a strangely alien fashion, wholly disturbing, knowing the little I know of him.  The 12 respond with sinister smiles and go off in pairs towards their respective dormitories.  The Director melts away into the shadows.

I wait for a time, making sure that I am safe from being found out.  I become aware of the fact that I’ve found my way into something that is far above my head.  I can’t not do anything however, as the little time that I’ve spent in this place has made it dear to my heart.  I have seen the young faces around me and I know that they are like sheep to the slaughter, not even knowing that they are being led as such by the 12 and the Director.  

I wait until the way is clear and I make clear my escape. 

***

“I can’t do anything about this Will.  Not yet.  You must catch them.  You must stop them.  I can prosecute them, but only after you give me the evidence to do so.  Go, and reveal these 12 and their leader.”  The Dean seems to be helpless at this time.  I’ve been given  the duty to stop this group…but how will I do it?

***

The weeks and months pass. Slowly, within the shadows, I show the School what the 12 truly are.  Surveillance and traps won over six of them.  Breaking into their rooms brought in three more.  Spreading rumours caught two more of them.  Finally, the final one had to be caught through the falsification of evidence.  It was hard…but I had to do it for the betterment of my fellow students. Now, for the Director.

I send the Director a letter, taunting him to meet the man who destroyed his legion.  We are to meet at 4am in the Cafeteria. 

***

I wait in the Cafeteria. The tables and chairs are gone, probably due to some event that had happened that evening. I know not what, as I have been preparing for this encounter for the last 24 hours. The moon is full and its cold, old, reflected light pours in through open windows on both of my sides. The walls look a pale yellow. The room seems smaller than usual.  My senses must be playing tricks upon me. 

I see the Director walk into the room. He seems calm. If he is full of rage, he shows nothing of it in his eyes.  His eyes, in fact, seem as cold as the old light in the room.  This is not the same Director seen in the daylight. At his side, strangely glinting in the penumbral light is a very large sword.

I look to my own hand, and it also wields a sword.  I can’t remember whether I’ve held it this whole time, or where I had gotten it, but I’m thankful for it in my hands now. 

“So. You have down this, have you?  Well, this is the only way to finish this.  Only one of us will walk away from tonight.” the Director says his words in such a matter-of-fact way that it sends a chill down my spine.  He raises his sword.  We clash.

We fight for what seems to be hours, though it must only be minutes.  I say that, because the light never changed within the room the entire time.  All the while, the Director utters discouragements and taunts towards my face as the sweat pours down my face.

Finally the Director says, “Even if you destroy me, there is still another.”  At these words, I become enraged.  The Director stops his attack and stares at me.  Without asking why he stayed his hand, I plunge my sword into him.  The Director disappears and his final words echo in my ears.  As the echo fades, another sound blends into the words and overtakes them.  I hear clapping.

I look to where the clapping comes from, and I see a man walk out of the shadows.  To my confusion, George Sweetman walks out of the shadows.

“Well done, Will.  You have done everything I asked of you.”  George smiles oddly.

“However, I know what you have done to do so.  You have lied, stolen and framed people for your ends. You have even destroyed a defenseless man in rage.  You have become everything I thought you would become.”  George begins to clap once again. A horrific revelation comes upon me.  Before I can say anything, the Dean speaks once again.

“Yes.  I am the architect of this endeavour.  The Director, as are the 12, is one of my many pawns.  I have used them to get to you; to create the you that is now.  You are powerless against me now.  I used you to test my regime.  You proved that those I had were weak and sloppy.  I will get more to put in the spotlight, and I will teach them how to avoid the tactics you used.”  

Another comes from the darkness.  The Director emerges again from the shadows.

“You may be relieved to know that you did not kill Mr. Phillips.  You destroyed a spectre, to complete your character. Mr. Phillips will return to his post in the morning, and he will have the evidence to destroy you in this place.  You will be revealed as a liar, cheat, and a fraud. Your testimony will be nothing, and our plans will go forward.  You are helpless to stop me.”

12 new figures emerge from the darkness.  I am surrounded. I realize I am completely helpless to stop them; everything I’ve done is now swept away.  George begins to laugh.  It begins low and quiet, but quickly swells into a thunderous sound – something that fills the room so that it becomes the only sound I can comprehend.  Covering my ears, I look up and George’s face is consumed in a ghastly parody of revelry.  The 12 close in, and the darkness consumes me.

***

I wake up in my dorm room.  It is the first day of Frosh Week, my first day of school at Tyndale University College.

Will’s Rule of Life

So I just finished The Sacred Way, by Tony Jones, to point me in the way of correct spiritual discipline.  After looking into the histories, theologies, and practices of different disciplines, I think I’ve found the ones I’m going to adopt.  What’s more, I need to develop my rule of life.

A ‘rule’, for those who don’t know, is a set of precepts that guide conduct/action.  The Desert Fathers, a formative group of Christian Ascetics situated in the deserts of the Middle East that lasted from the 4th Century A.D., until the 7th (ish) set out the Rule of the Master in which they espoused service, humility, silence, solitude and contemplation.  The next most famous Rule is the Rule of Benedict, which some would say is the basis for all of Christian Monasticism.

So am I going to become a Monk?  No. Certainly not. I’m getting married in 94 days!  But I am going to start living an orderly life.

So far, the Rule looks like this:

The Rule of William Kinchlea.

Daily:

Every morning, I’ll do Matins (from the Daily Office – pre-written prayer, based on the psalms) and 300 Jesus Prayers.  Every evening, I’ll do Compline (again, from the Daily Office).

Weekly:

I’ll spend at least 1 hour meditating and praying through an icon.  During the Summer, Friday-Sunset-to-Saturday-Sunset Sabbath will be too difficult, traveling between 3 cities on weekends and working on the Wedding, so I’m going to dedicate 2 hours a day to not working.  7×2 = 14 hours – pretty much the waking hours of a Saturday.  When the Summer’s over, this will change. 

Monthly:

At least, once a month, I’ll walk the prayer labyrinth at St. John’s Convent, down the road from me.

—

That’s the structure in which I will begin my rule, starting tomorrow.  If anything sounds weird in there (What’s a Jesus Prayer? for example), don’t worry, as I’m going to explain each one of these in time.  

*NB* Now, Service is an essential part of Spiritual Discipline, but I want to discover what that service will be in time, through prayer.  We’ll see together.

WK

Spiritual Discipline

As I’m sure the majority of you know, I am the Student Council President for Tyndale University College 2008-09.  With this post comes some pretty heady stuff – I’m still coming to grips that I am actually representing 450-odd students to Administration, Faculty, Staff, and, to a lesser extent, the Community at large.  I don’t want to go into this lightly.

So, on top of the logistical work that needs to be done this summer (a.k.a lots of meetings), I will be preparing myself spiritually in the coming four months.  To do this, I’m going to need to adopt a few spiritual disciplines.

Being a Christian University, all Student Leadership members at Tyndale are to adopt 2 Spiritual Disciplines, one of which is observing Sabbath.  The other is one of our choosing.

Sabbath, for me, is way easy.  I know how to disconnect. I’m always trying to make those boundaries a reality in life and so keeping Sabbath for me might mean an extra step. A more literal Sabbath.  I’m going to think about that one, and see if I can’t come up with something later.

The other discipline I think I’m going to pursue is the use of icons within meditation. More on iconography and the meditation of icons later as well.

I think on the whole, I’ll be looking into all of them and trying them out on a weekly basis or something.  I’m really into the old stuff these days – traveling the old ways is my pursuit for the Summer. Come join me, you may learn something.

WK

Memories

I’m a memorable person.

More accurately, I’m a rememberer.  I remember things.

This is why people think I’m smart.  I’m not that smart.  

I’m just good at remembering, and I love to remember.  I’ve been defined as a visual-learner, with a close-to-photographic memory, so people naturally assume that I simply remember the optics of a situation.  In reality, I remember emotions. I remember feelings.  I remember aches.

Aches is the closest word I can come up with.  Some would use nostalgia; C.S. Lewis would call it sensucht.  It’s something that pulls you away from the present moment into a timeless point in which you can almost grasp it before ‘poof!’ it’s gone.  What I’m trying to say is that it’s not a bad thing.  Just…a thing.

Being an ‘achey’ person, I have a hard time communicating this to people.  They generally assume I’m not happy because I miss something from years ago. But that is not the case; I’m still happy – just achey that day.

It’s important to remember. (I think I’m being objective about this, and not just placating my own freakish nature.) Remembering is the filter with which we process everything coming at us today.

The trick is using the right filter.

 

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

 

WK

The longest day.

For those few who don’t know, I’m going to be Student Council President of my University College for the next scholastic year.Today, the former President and VPs, my VP’s and I interviewed 10 people for various positions on council, from Student Activities Coordinator, to Worship Coordinator to Secretary/Treasurer.   

I woke up at 7am.We began at 8:30 and went on through, with minor breaks, until 2:45.
At this point, I worked for an hour, went to class, had another interview, had a quick bite to eat and then off to work on a paper. I’ll probably be done around 2-3am, tonight [EDIT: make that 4am].  

Yay for being the new president! 

-WK