Dear Wormwood

My Dearest Wormwood,

I must commend you for the work you are doing. You've distracted many from some of Our Father Below's greatest work. Now they are grumbling about "why" this so called tragedy has occurred. They are arguing amongst themselves, searching for places to put the blame. They blame their government, their laws, their entertainment, their family units, and even the makeup of their minds. And many have now lost sight of Our Father's activity almost entirely. Unfortunately I have also seen many turn to the enemy for mere comfort, and some actually believe they are receiving it. This cannot happen, Wormwood. Shame on you.

That said, you are recovering well as you have refocused many to this holiday season and its crowds, spending, and gift hoarding, instead of the celebration of our enemy's coming in this laughingly human form to supposedly save them. Those you've refocused away from the "tragedy" will easily fall into your plan of laziness and selfish inactivity.

I must forewarn you however that there will be some of their leaders in the buildings in which they meet who will claim the untruth of this silly savior. Be sure and occupy the congregants minds on visiting relatives, the gifts which help them to better their neighbors, and feeling bad about the drunken behavior they displayed at their holiday get-togethers. I'd rather them feel guilty, than special in this season.

In addition, be sure you continue to fuel the ongoing argument many have as to the existence of our enemy. This is a powerful discussion to leverage as many will be distracted to feel they must defend their beliefs rather than stand firm in them.

Don't mess this up, Wormwood. Our Father would not be pleased. These are important times.

Your Deviant Uncle, Screwtape



NOTE: This evil which reared its horrible face in Newtown on December 14th caused me to consider CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters. Its been a while since I've read it, but a lot of the conversation surrounding the Sandy Hook killings brought Screwtape's letters to mind. And how he may have written his nephew. I hope I've done it justice. My apologies to CS. May we continue to pray for the community of Newtown and the family and friends of all affected.

Stay Encouraged

Recently, a verse was placed in my heart and mind. Admittedly, I can't quote chapter and verse, so had to Google the actuals. So here goes:

Proverbs 16:9 states "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Some recent activities in my life have brought me some clarity to "why this verse". Without getting into details, I've seen heart-of man-plans, and I have seen Lord-determined-steps lead to an unforeseen bend in a road.

Pastor Bob Vann with the Atlanta Mission shared this statement a while back, and I found it befitting and encouraging. "A bend in the road is not the end of the road. Unless you fail to make the turn. God did not promise smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe arrival. We give our problems sovereignty—God is sovereign! Adversity is a purifying agent. Be gracious under attack. Not everybody likes you. Not everyone can handle God's blessing and favor on your life. What has been taken from you may be God's way of giving to you. Let God comfort you. God didn't promise you that he wouldn't let you go through what you're going through. Yet, He WILL comfort you. Let your life speak for you—just keep following the Savior"

Or as my Pastor, Crawford Loritts puts it. "Let God do what He does."

Stay encouraged...

Our Christmas Carol

Yesterday was the mass killing in a Newtown, CT elementary school.

Last night I saw my second born perform in the role of Scrooge's nephew in a local adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The director is a 5th grade teacher here in town. I can't imagine how the day's tragedy played through his heart and mind. He loves kids. He teaches kids.

So the lens of the day had Scrooge's Christmas Past, Present, and Future ghosts loom a little differently in my mind and caused me think about our future. Based on our present. Stemmed from our past. We are a crazy country, in a crazy world, at a crazy time. And we all want everything to be "fine". The problem is the methods we use to make it fine. We typically wait, blame, apply solely reason, legislate, excuse-make, suppress, or just sit on our behinds and complain. Rarely do we take action. All too often, we don't see love.

This past election season was a tough one for me. I've spent the past year volunteering once a week at The Atlanta Mission, a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta. And in doing so, I have learned a lot about myself, my Faith, my culture, and my socio-economic acumen. In addition, I've seen other perspectives, lifestyles, social and cultural realities, and societal inequalities. A revisited perspective caused me to really wrestle with my vote. My desire to truly do the right thing. I wrestled, tossed and turned, wanting to make a difference. I was for one guy, then the other. Then I decided to just vote for the one guy who hit on a couple core things I believed in. Then I voted. 

I tuned in to the election coverage for a few hours that night, and watched the networks use there cool charts, touch screens, and exit polling. Then I got tired. Went to bed. Woke up later that night and turned on the TV to see if there was some sort of conclusion. I heard Stevie singing Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Then turned it off, rolled over, and went back to bed. 

I learned that God's love, my love, my life, my activities, my words, cast more opportunity for impact than my cast vote.

There have been a lot of "hug your kids a little tighter" comments all over the broadcast and social medias. And I understand that. And surely we should. And maybe this is a right season for just that. We need to mourn*. But, we can't remain hunkered down in our own safe zone. There is a world out there that needs our love, our prayer, our activity.

Maybe somehow this evil, tragic, horrific, non-sense, will cause pause to visit the importance of how we live in the world we live in. I said in my post yesterday, "I don't think we can shelter and escape it." I pray that we all decide to take action in love. Move from here in love. Scrooge had an opportunity to change a future. We do too.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and in so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" - James 1:22

--------

* Ecclesiastes 3:1-7

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
A time to be born and a time to die, 

a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak

Dumbfounded

Today 20 Children and 6 Adults were murdered by a gunman in a Newtown CT elementary school.

I can't get my head around this. Does God look at us and weep and say, "My Creation, My Creation. Look at what you have made of yourselves." Does God look at us and weep and say "My Children, I too know what it's like to have lost a Son." I try to imagine the mind of GOD.

Humanity looks to attribute a reason for this. Do we blame the person? Do we blame the mom? Do we say "Well she must have neglected her child."? Do we blame the guns? Do we look at the video games our kids play "shooting and not feeling." Has society and culture numbed us to the point that someone is influenced to the point of insanity and we want to make sense of it. I don't think we can shelter and escape it.

We want to rationalize evil. We want to legislate evil. We just want somewhere to look and say "THIS is why this happened."

It is just horrible.

I believe in God, His Son, and His Spirit. But right now, I can make no sense of it. But I trust Him.

Lord, somehow bring peace and comfort....

I Abstain

November 6, 2012. Election Day. I was 12th in line, and there were about 200 or so behind me when the polls open. Its a chilly, rainy day. We are a about a week removed from the "superstorm" Sandy, which has ravaged the northeast. I know many without power and vicariously some without homes. Yet the dialogue around the Presidential election has seemed omnipresent.

I remember hearing an older generation speak as to how their vote was "a matter of privacy". Politics really weren't discussed outside of the fringe. Now things are so public. Viewpoints are spewed. Statistics are skewed. Opinions are news. And the discussion seems to bring conclusions that the end of the world is upon us (or at least the good ol' USA).

So, the votes are cast. Then we move on about our way into our country's demise.

Well....I abstain.

• I abstain from not listening
• I abstain from not speaking
• I abstain from not doing
• I abstain from not serving
• I abstain from not considering
• I abstain from not caring
• I abstain from not being in relationship
• I abstain from not sharing the love of God

And I ask that you hold me accountable.

____________

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
____________

Abstain: to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice.

Left Not Right

We are in the heat of election season. Opinions and perspectives are aggressively high. Words like "they", "them", "my", "mine", "ours", take on venomous tone. Sides are taken. Debate seems to have taken a backseat. Facebook is a battleground state for the loyal. And status updates and comment chains are lengthy. Each "side" believing they are correct.

Those that lean Right often opine that the government (or in this year's case it's worded as "Obama") wants to take more money from the folks who have worked hard and earned it, and give it away to "those" who don't work and gladly want to stay in a lesser income, or poverty, and simply just take the handouts, and drink and have babies to get more.*

Those that lean Left see through a lens of social injustice and believe that the government should serve as a vehicle to help level the playing field because people in and of themselves won't. And that people like "Romney" are racist, homophobic, and want to force women to stay in the kitchen or at the very least, earn a lesser wage and not get breast cancer examinations—and certainly don't have a heart to help the less fortunate.*

I believe that this debate is a result of failure. Not the government's (although it is easy to question the application of some of its position and influence), but ours. The Church's. Mine.**

Maybe its John Lennon-like, but I believe that if we were less concerned about what was "ours" or "mine", or "theirs" and "not ours", we would live in a better world. What if we lived under the umbrella of words like hospitality, generosity, servitude, sacrifice and joy?***

Jesus said His Kingdom is not of this world. I want my focus to be out-of-THIS-world. Surely bigger than a position and a vote. I do know that I will fall short. Dreadfully short in some cases. But I want to set my heart toward this.

"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." - Luke 6:31

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" -  James 1:22

*Clearly these are generalizations, but a lot of folks vote through this lens. Of course, there are a lot of additional perspectives (like past success rates of government programs, or the reality of social inequalities) which form a voters decision making process. However, I think you know what I am talking about.

**I believe that our fallen, sin-influenced world is the primary impetus for this failure. So the failure of all else shouldn't be a surprise. But I do believe we have a responsibility here within it.

*** I guess some folks do. If you are one of them, thank you.

Gather No Moss

Sometimes I really think I am pretty smart. I've got over 44 years under my belt. Married. Two relatively teenaged boys. Worked for a while. Seen enough folk orate, status update and instigate that leads me to an all-to-often pious opinion of their matters. Surely with age and experience comes wisdom, but conceit, rigidity and narrow-focus can follow as well if we rest on laurels and "what we know."

Albert Einstein said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."

Glad life continues to put road in front of me. Winding roads with turns, and even bumps in it. And family and friends continue to show me a more invigorating, more scenic, or more efficient route. Lord, help me keep the feet churning and the wheels turning. And not to just coast.

Serious Fun

In an old sermon, after commenting on the immorality of the human soul, C.S. Lewis stated "This does not mean we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exit between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously."

As I can recall, the greatest times in my life have come alongside those closest to me. I remember a time early in the relationship with my wife. Sitting next to her, perched on a toilet (closed), watching her blow dry her hair. Now if you knew my wife, and her hair, this can be a time consuming affair. Anyway, she's standing there, the dryer is screaming away, and I proceed to make faces in the mirror. Stupid faces. Goofy faces. This is making her laugh, and I am finding it pretty amusing myself. These faces put the workings of my facial muscles to the test. I actually awoke the next morning a little sore. Seriously. My face was sore from making stupid faces.

This silliness could only be appreciated by someone who loves me a lot. Her eyes looked at me in the mirror not with a "look at this idiot", but rather an "I love this nut".

You see she loves me. She knows me. And this is a springboard for many things. But one of the best is fun.

While Faith is a serious business, don't let It's gravity be the end all be all. Surely there are seasons of desert and solemnity, and foundational rights and wrongs. But let's not be too overbearing. Like Lewis shared, if we understand the severity and seriousness of our life, and our Beliefs, it sure gives a lot of foundation for joy and fun. Or at least it should.

Joy can be serious business.

Donkeys and Elephants and We, Oh My

I have been watching the Republican National Convention. This coupled with the onslaught of far left and far right broadcast and social media propaganda and opinion has gotten me quite frustrated. Frustrated more in the people, than the process.

The other day a Yahoo reporter was fired for stating that Mitt and Ann Romney are "happy to have a party with black people drowning" (apparently he didn't realize his microphone was on). And Chris Christie's "the educational savages will only put themselves ahead of children". Really?

We are incensed as a nation. We are pissed off at "them". And the fact that "they" hate what we love. And "they" are so "greedy. And they are so "lazy". And that's just the mainstream media (yes, mainstream, Fox News. You are a part of "them").

The status update anger on Facebook is seething, and will only get worse through the election. I shake my head, and while I'd like to share my opinion (as narrow as it may be), I hold off from commenting. I DON'T want to be a part of the rhetoric. I don't want to say or write. I want to do.

I watched a George HW Bush bio piece, and really was drawn to his "thousand points of light" thinking. Say what you will, but this guy who I am sure received his fair share of lambast, had a great heart for people, and was really on to something. What if we all did and didn't say. What if we all served instead of held. What if we worked instead of sat. What if we shared instead of told. What if we listened instead of walled.

"Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" And they were amazed at him (Mark 12:17).

What if we recognized what is God's and treated it accordingly?

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-40)

What if we lived these out and hung on them?

The reality is that there's a ton...a mountain...a world of national dept. The reality is there are a ton....a mountain....a world of undereducated and less fortuned. And tons, mountains and worlds of so ons. Lets ensure we're not pointing out the specs in eyes, and doing what we can do.

Chicken Sandwich in a Pickle

There's been a lot of back and forth about Chick-fil-A and Dan Cathy's views on gay marriage. It is as hot a topic and as divisive an issue as there is today. And to be honest, I am not 100% sure of my stance.  As most know who've read my blogs before, I can be a bit of a Jesus or church guy. Perhaps I should dig deeper on this issue in the good book.

I just hope that as we status update or discuss, when we look in mirrors and examine ourselves before pontificating or protesting.

I do know that the more black people I meet, spend time with, converse with, through love, makes me realize that I don't know as much about black people as I thought I did. Conversely, I also uncover the lack of difference. Perhaps I need more gay friends.

I believe God can and does handle a lot more than people give Him credit for. I also believe all to often we think God is on our team. But His Providence is larger than ours. And most likely is different than what we think it is. Or ought to be.

Let our offense be love.

Today's Twelve

What if Jesus showed up for his first trip to our world here in the U S of A.  As I understand it, when He showed up at the Sea of Galilee, he called to the two fisherman brothers. But what if he showed up at the mall? Or the bus stop? Or even church on Sunday?

Now I am not a Biblical scholar, nor am I the brightest bulb, but as I understand it, Jesus went to the fishermen, the tax collector, and varied fellas that weren't necessarily revered society folk. Not sure if they even went to church.

So if Jesus showed up in our time and space and says "Follow me". Who does he ask?

Is it the golf-shirted white folk toting their Bibles to the huge building on Sunday? Is it the starch-shirted black folk "thank you, lord-ing" their way through a long sermon?

• Is one somebody sitting curbside with a joint between their fingers?
• Is one somebody who'd just lambasted their son for underperformance?
• Is one gay?
• Is one Republican?
• Is one Democrat?
• Is one a teen?
• Is one a Muslim?
• Is one a convict?
• Is one a drinker?
• Is one an atheist?
• Is one obese?
• Is one homeless?

The Pharisees couldn't believe the folks who Jesus hung around with. The folks who Jesus poured himself into. The folks who Jesus loved.

And how would you or I consider those folks?

And what if he showed up and reached out to you or me?

"At once they left their nets and followed him."

Common Nobility

"Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" - Romans 9:21

Romans 9:21 had me doing some deep thinking about myself a while back. Curious if I was okay being formed for common use. Common things are used. I look at a common piece of pottery as a bit drab, unordained, perhaps chipped. I look at a noble piece as placed on a shelf, bejeweled, looked upon. A common piece is unnoticed. A noble piece is noticed. A common piece is of everyday use. A noble piece is for special occasions.

And I think I am okay with that. I hope I am. I believe it is a moment by moment decision to be satisfied with this view of commonality. I know sometimes I like to be looked at as noble. But I am okay with common. I think. I am okay with being used. I think. I am okay being chipped. I don't want to be, but I think I'm okay with that. I am okay being unnoticed. I think I am. I want to be.

I have the above verse from Romans on my computer monitor at work. And like most things on my computer monitor. They tend to be up there and I forget about them. But this "common" idea reemerged in a conversation with some friends the other day. I realized that when we look at words like common or noble, our definitions, or moreover our understanding comes from our own viewpoint.

But what is God's viewpoint. What are His understandings of common and noble? What do they each look like to Him? What is noble to God? What is common to God?

I believe God seeks the useful. The chipped. The marginalized. The hidden. Those who allow themselves to be placed on the Potter's wheel.

Blessed are the poor...those who mourn...the meek...those who thirst for righteousness...the merciful...the pure of heart...the peacemakers...those persecuted for righteousness...

I want to be commonly noble in the eyes of the Potter.

Declare Something Today!!!

In an age of fingertip technology and media blitz, we are assaulted with opinion and news. There is a lust for attention and information. We get input in a nano second ("Do you guys know how to post videos to facebook?"), and can safely voice an opinion with relative anonymity outside of a profile pic.

I am confident we've all seen a "Friend", or moreover ourselves, provide some sort of a drop-and-run pronouncement about a controversial issue, exploit someone else's failure or looks, or slander someone's character because their opinion or lifestyle is different than ours.

It is a rarity to find someone who is willing to hold the mirror up to themselves each day. Take a long hard look. Then honestly and publicly declare what they see.

I have such a friend and brother in Stephen Kee. Kee has written a book called Declare Something Today!!!. He wrote this book for himself, and through it has stripped himself and exposed himself to the general public. A rarity today. Kee's declarations are provocative, thought provoking, and agitating—to himself, and also his readers. But perhaps the deeper need, rather than Kee's self declarations, would be our own. Will we take the kid gloves off of our egos? Will we unbutton our blouse? Will we expose ourselves within our community?

I applaud Kee's transparency and zeal. I challenge my own.

I will look at myself honestly. Unpeel the onion as to the "why" within my decisions, actions and declarations. And ask God to encourage or reprimand me (though I honestly don't want the reprimand). For it is Him that I desire to serve with all I say and do. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:14. DECLARE SOMETHING TODAY!!!

Go to Declare Something Today's Facebook page and make a self declaration today. Or for more on Stephen Kee and the Declarative Community visit Kee 2 Life.

Thanks Giving

I wanted to give a quick thank you to all who participated in the food drive for the Atlanta Mission. The minivan was full and set out around 10:45 to drop off the donations. Upon arrival, a group came out to assist in the unload and one commented "Is this all for us?". Wonderful that it was.

We had a chance to have one of the guys in the Personal Development Program share his story. A story of personal failure and the immeasurable Grace of God. One I can relate to. Not the extreme of this fella's, but failure and Grace none the less.

A big thanks to all who were a part. You made a difference, and helped feed thousands.

"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?"  - James 2:15-16

To learn more about the Atlanta Mission, visit http://www.atlantamission.org/

Self Service

The compassion toward a greater domestic and world need seems to be more apparent than ever.  Perhaps because there is a greater need than ever. There's definitely a 60's quality to it. Occupy protests and ideologically-driven recommendations are debated. Lots of organizations focused on the poor, the aids-ridden, world debt. Continents and third world nations are focused upon to bring micro economies, clean water, and lifting general living conditions.

We hear of great organizations like Tom's Shoes who makes shoes and gives a pair to a child in need for every pair bought. Shaun's Shades and their buy their sunglasses and glasses are given to help the visually impaired. Matchstic, an Atlanta-based branding firm has their On the House program offering their branding and design talents to qualified organizations and non profits. And a friend of mine has recently started Mwana providing blankets for African babies to sleep well through a cold night.

These are all great organizations that are applying gifts and incredible talents in wonderful ways to serve others.

I was in a brief conversation yesterday with a guy and we were touching base on how wonderful organizations like the above have taken entrepreneurial efforts for the benefit of others. And we were speaking about the talent of the entrepreneur. Their skill set, their vision, and drive. And how we may not all possess those talents to do something like that.

But we can. It can start with our neighbor. Its an attitude.

I believe we should all carry that spirit. Not that we must start some 501c3 organization to find clean water sources to qualify. But identify the needs within our community. Our neighborhoods. Our friends. Our areas of influence. The opportunity is there.

And we need to start with activity. Not an "I should really do something like that", but just freaking do it. Steal time. Reach out. Get creative.

I am such a group follower and can be swayed and influenced by the mob. If a group movement is taking place, I'm in. But I need to stretch beyond that. These are individual decisions to act upon. And some of them may be God-breathed. We must respond. And I am holding myself accountable to this with the words on this page.

I'm not talking "pay it forward". I am talking investment.

Proverbs 21:13 “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

James 1:27 “Religion that God our father counts as pure and faultless is this, to look after widows and orphans in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

And then, let's not make a big deal about it. Facebook doesn't need to know of your good deeds.

Imagine a movement of individuals taking individual steps to reach the needy, and impact their situations. And nobody heard about it.

Mark 7:35-36 "At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone." 

Matthew 6:17-18 "But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Who Do You Say?

A week or so ago, I watched a spoken word video ( Jesus > Religion ) about Jesus being greater than Religion. As a matter of fact, the artist boldly says he loves Jesus and hates religion. And that Jesus hated religion. Definitely an interesting perspective, and a lot of it I agree with (some, I am not smart enough to understand).

There is a lot of discussion around religion. The religion of "coexistence"—whether your religion impedes on mine. The religion of performance and reputation. The religion of ideologies. The religion of piety. The religion of values. The religion of love for the fellow man. The religion of intelligence. The religion of our educations. The religion of our jobs. The religion of our health. The religion of doubt. The religion of no religion.

And we all want our religion to be "right". To win the argument.

This morning on a walk I was listening to an audio version of the Book of Matthew. I didn't think I was going to like an audio Bible, but it actually was a unique experience. While I can't reread a verse, make notes, etc. it did sort of have a real time quality which allowed me to pace along with the author. In an odd way, physically walking brought some sort of feeling like I was there with guys like Andrew and Peter.

So I walked along through the birth, the beatitudes, the miracles, feeding tons of people with a little bit of food. And the stuff Jesus said and did was amazing. Very counter-culture. Very counter-pharisee. Very healing. He is attacked by the church throughout. And reached out to by the poor, the social outcasts, and the forgotten. And he loves them. And he heals them.

And his disciples are a part of this. Seeing all of this. This Jesus is amazing to them. He is healing people. And saying ground breaking things. And he tells them to go out and do all of the same things. Heal. Love. Serve. All very cool.

Then Jesus asks the disciples what other people say about him. Some say he is a prophet, a great teacher, John the Baptist, maybe even people said he was an example of how we should treat others. Or someone like Mother Theresa. Or somebody really nice. Or an exclusionist. Or a blasphemer. Or the devil himself.

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Jesus heard their answers and seemed to be pleased with what they said.

Then he tells them he is going to die. Oddly, by the request of religious people in the church. And the hands of government officials.

Now I don't know that I hate religion. Hate is a strong word. There is so much confusion, piety, reputation-concern, vanity, pride, oppression within all aspects of religion. And in life, we judge each others' faith and actions.

But Jesus is fly in the religion soup. Who do you say that He is?





Note: Clearly there is atonement of relationship with God through Jesus' sacrificial death and the grace which follows is beyond our understanding. My intention is not to belittle the magnitude of this with a "soup" comment. Just using some creative freedom to make a point about Him being an agitation to society and religion in general. 

New Year's Evolution

Spent the holidays driving through much of the northern midwest with the family. The four of us in our Xterra. Boys in the back playing a portfolio of video games on hand held and rigged devises. My wife as navigator and status updater. We spent nights in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. With a few day trips to a handful of others. Pleasantly, we didn't encounter too much of the wintry stuff. Sure it was cold, but only short moments of the rip-through-your-skin and seek shelter winds. And just enough snowfall to allow for a day of skiing (I as an observer from the chalet bar) and a dreamlike New Year's Eve of snowball fights, snowmen and oddly enough, a snow recliner. A beautiful time with extended family mixed with intimate moments of the four of us. We racked up nearly 3,000 miles. A long haul.

We have always been the road warriors. My kids are one of a handful that believe you are actually close to something if you have an hour and a half car ride ahead of you. The trips have gotten better and better. The percentage of down time to complaining time has drastically decreased over the years. And I really enjoy it myself. I do the driving. My wife does the managing. The boys have grown tolerant and find joy in the journey themselves. One of the major highlights for me is the open road. Miles and miles. Hours and hours of time to: Weigh life and all of its nuances, challenge my attitude and activities, and do a heckofa lot of daydreaming.

The daydreaming. The thinking. The internal "what if" sessions are even more intensified on these long trips when they fall at year's end. Visions of resolutions mixed with "is this really what I want to be doing with my life" pepper in and out. I love this. I believe too many of us don't take this time to self examine for a long duration. Sure we have our moments in the dark, face up on the mattress, but hours and hours on end are unique.

So as for my thoughts going in to 2012 (Wow, 2012. Thought we'd be in flying cars by now.).

• Clearly I could lose a few pounds
• Need to achieve a better work/life balance
• Need to exercise more
• Yadda Yadda Yadda

What really stands out for me is my attitude. My person. Not that I am walking around pissy. I just want to be less meddlesome, less wrongly concerned, less worried, more considerate of others, more giving of my talents, more active, more serving, more adventurous, more bold, more available for whatever.

All those things for me (and I'd think most) are clearly unsustainable as a resolution. Or with a strategic plan. Or by pulling up my bootstraps. I believe I'd have to evolve into a being more like Jesus. I guess that's a tall order. Being like Jesus. Perhaps even one I might regret. After all, He had a rough go of it. Really rough.

But THIS road. This long road of evolution. Takes more than gas and a map. It requires the road of Calvary. And of dieing to myself daily. It requires a deeper understanding of Jesus himself. And I can't travel that road and don't have the fuel to do so alone.

I can't do it. I need Him to.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.* I can't go THIS evolution alone.

We can't evolve without other influences or agents which cause appropriate change. Be it a Darwinian-believed reach requirement evolving a giraffe's neck. Or me becoming less an ape.

I need Jesus to make me be like Jesus.

He's done the redeeming work. Allowing God to be able to see us clean, and as his own again. Now I need to let him evolve this ape out of me. And transform me into something better. More adapt at understanding, dealing with, and leading within this world. Moment by moment. Decision by decision. Action by action.


*Referring to Philippians 1:6