Seriously though...

So I just finished listening to a 15 minute Tirade about the miserable state of the Cleveland Browns. If you care, listen to it. If you don’t, don’t listen to it. Funny stuff.

But today, as Staci and I went to our very first Browns game, I started to feel like I wasn’t being a good steward of the money given to me. In fact, I said to a friend that I felt like I was wasting money on a game when there are people who need food and clothes. Friend told me that it was a fun thing to do that helps Staci and I bond. We had a wonderful time and I love our time together.

I think Friend and I are both right. The right thing is probably a balance of the two.

But sometimes I get all caught up in what Jesus said to the rich, young ruler. “You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give it to the poor…”

I am tempted at this point to say something like, “I know this world just wouldn’t work if everyone was constantly selling and giving…”

But I also don’t think Jesus kidding. In other words, maybe Jesus was serious.

So here is my question to you; what would this world look like if the Church sold everything they had and gave it to the poor? Seriously. Is it possible?

Are we too modern or contemporary or civilized to actually do that? Or are we just unwilling?

I know that not acting on convictions is just pointless… but do you really think it’s realistic?

This would be a marvelous post to comment on… hint hint hint

I wish i may...

11. 11. 11.

That has happened 20 times before. And that’s not including B.C.

Do you think Jesus wished for anything on 11/11/11?

Fact. No, he didn’t.

Wow. What about 11:11:11 on 11/11/1111?

See here is the thing that annoys me; wishes.

Do you really think your life is going to change just because there are all those 1’s? Or because you tear a dang wishbone in half? Ooooo. How about this? Pick a dandelion and blow the floaty things away. No.

Wow. Total overreaction. I am actually in a good mood. But then I perused Facebook and saw people making wishes.

A friend and I were talking about luck today. Neither of us believe in luck. Luck/wishes annoy me.

So I will rub Genie’s lamp and make my three four wishes…

1)      Don’t wait another 100 years for the next 11/11/11 to change your life!

2)      Maybe we could have an entire 24 hours where nobody in the world complained/or lets just go with world peace. (I guess I would have to delete this post)

3)      People would care more for Veteran’s Day than 11/11/11

4)      And, finally, I would love one of those knife and fork turkey sandwich things from Bob Evans

Poof!

So maybe if you want your life to be different than it is right now… GO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

(Maybe we can pretend that was motivational/inspirational and not just a rant!)

Capiche

I must say that this is one of my favorite writings that I have ever read. So good.

This is not a "I am too tired to write" post.
This is a "this other writing is too good to pass up" post.

Capiche?

So go read this. Now.

http://www.theveryworstmissionary.com/2011/11/because-bible-is-kinda-weird.html

Guest Post #1

Now THAT Is Being the Church…
by Josh Huff!!!

I hear so much frustration about the church. There is constant chatter about how the church today isn’t what the New Testament church looked like and what the church fathers had in mind when they began meeting together. 

It’s too inward focused

People in church are selfish

They are judgmental 

They are hypocritical 

On and on. I’ll be the first to admit that I sometimes contribute to this chatter. Some of it is probably true, but I’m not here to debate that. I’m here to paint a picture of the church being the church… the right way… the way that reflects its head (Christ). Since I began working at a church in the inner city, I have been blessed by several of these pictures, but I want to tell you about one in particular.

J was a great man. He knew what it meant to let God transform his life. There was a lot of transforming to do considering where J came from. But God was doing it. By the time I met J, he was well on his way to becoming the man God created him to be. He truly cared about his church family, and his biological family. He put the Gospel into practice. When God was chiseling away some of the rough edges in J’s life, it wasn’t easy. That didn’t stop J from letting God keep chiseling. 

J passed away this past weekend. It wasn’t expected at all. It’s crazy how God doesn’t think about our timing, but I’m kinda glad He doesn’t. Anyway, he left behind a wife and two young boys, one in kindergarten and one in the third grade. His family didn’t have much. There was no way they could scrounge up enough money to pay for funeral costs. 

Speaking of not having much, that’s the majority of the people I am blessed to worship with at my church. Lots of poverty. Lots of barely getting by, if really getting by at all. Our pastor made one statement: “Funeral arrangements haven’t been finalized yet because they are still about $____ short for the funeral” (amount is not important, but trust me, it’s a good chunk of change). That’s all he said. After service, the people of the church just started bringing up money. They ended the day with more than double the $____. I was absolutely blown away. These families, who are barely getting by, were so incredibly faithful to their church family that they showered them with God’s love in the form of financial support!

What a lesson for me!

I think that’s a pretty good portrait of what the church should look like.

The church is still alive, and I love being a part of it!

Change

Change.

What does that make you think of?

Change.

It is a constant in life.

Change.

What emotions does it invoke in you?

Change.

The road less traveled?

Change.

What is constant?

Change.

Who is constant?

Change.

See the thing is, my friends, that it seems as though things are always changing. People change. Times change. Relationships change. Jobs change. Homes change.

It is just the way it is. Pain heals and joys fade.

Some day I just struggle with what to do with change. Because it seems like so many people in this world get pushed around by the changes that naturally occur in this world. It is like they just wait for something to happen and then adapt.

I want to the kind of person who sparks the change. And who help make things better.

untitled

When I look at you, all I can think is that no child ever dreamed of growing up into such brokenness.

Boys dream of an adventure to face, battles to conquer and a beauty to win. Girls dream of an adventure to go on with the hero that fought for the beauty that she is becoming. We love fairy tales because they remind us of the desires of our hearts back when we were children.

But I see you. I see the ways your eyes dart around in your head like a frightened animal. I see the ways you try to manipulate your surroundings as you try to simulate safety. I see the way you lash out when you feel the most vulnerable. I see the way you run from the things that can help you the most. I see the way you hurt yourself to make yourself feel better. I see the way you become the things you hate the most. I see the way you feel you desperately need things but they never actually satisfy.

And every time I see you, I think about how nobody wanted this for you.

And, if I am honest, I am often tempted to feel like we are polar opposites.

It is kind of interesting. When things get the craziest for me… I think I search for life. When things get the craziest for you… you search for death. But maybe interesting isn’t the right word.

But as I watch you, I realize that every awful thing inside of me still waits and lurks to sneak out of any weak point. I know I have a shield that I use to keep things out, but I also know I have a shield I use to keep things in. And as this proneness to be vane, prideful, lustful and angry manifest into my own selfish intentions and death-dealing thoughts, I remember that we are the same. We, simply, are human. 

People overlook you, judge you and tell you to get your crap together because you are so screwed up.

People pat me on the back and say I am honorable for making a difference.

See neither of us ever dreamed we would become what we are today. But maybe you didn’t even get the chance to dream of something better. But there you are, wild-eyed and listening to people who don’t give a crap about you.

For now, our lives share the same path. For however long that will last. And as my chest starts to feel heavy, my heart rate quickens and I can’t walk away from you without hesitating, I realize something.

Beneath all the imperfect and self-centered efforts that I can muster up, there lies the deepest of loves for you. I can’t walk away from you without being prompted to pray. I can only trust that that love comes from the greatest Lover of all time.

The only difference is that once upon a time, God fixed me. More importantly, He continues to save me, heal me and redeem me. Continually and continually.

May the life, warmth and love begun in me spread to you.

Tears

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable joy.” Washington Irving

I have seen far too many tears recently. It was entirely a bad thing except for one.

But I got to teach someone that tears are not weakness… they are a mark of power. That when you’re overwhelmed, laying down in your bed, holding your head and crying your eyes out can be a great start to dealing with life.

But I don’t know. I feel like my brain is prepared to riot. Like it will refuse to think.

I think that is a good sign it is time for tears.

Sorry my friends. It’s the best I have right now.

Tell me a story

So I have this super weird idea. And it comes from this… I don’t have anything to say tonight. Good day. Good times. Tired… but good.

So here is my idea. YOU say something to ME!

Groundbreaking! I know!

But seriously. I would really love to hear what is going on in your lives.

Write a guest blog. As long as you want. It can be anonymous or signed.

Write a sentence summary of you.

Write 3 words that describe you.

Comment on this post.

Message me on facebook.

Send me an email.

Anyway… just tell me a story!!!

Seriously.

I can't find my shoes

“[The Devil’s] cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our [God]'s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

Read that 10 times.

Think about it. God doesn’t want followers who robotically do whatever He orders. God doesn’t want people to give up their minds to follow Him.

See the thing is that anyone who has tried to find God has found that it isn’t exactly like finding your shoes under a pile of laundry. You don’t just move the things that are in the way in order to find God.

We are often tested. And we should expect it.

For example, when Jesus was baptized and publicly affirmed with an audible voice from God, the very next thing that happened was that the Holy Spirit drove Him into the desert to be tested.

Jesus didn’t get to ride a wave of emotions into God’s Kingdom… and neither do we.

The truth is that eventually we all will look around at life and not see a trace of Him. We will feel as if He has vanished. And we will feel as if He has forsaken us in our most critical moment of need. That moment is where we choose to freely seek God.

See there is always freedom in God’s Kingdom. And part of that freedom means that we can abandon ship.

However, critical piece is that the Devil’s cause is never more in danger when we have absolutely no evidence, reason or motive to continue to obey, but yet we still do. Conversely, when we choose to do that, we have never been closer to God’s cause.

No longer desiring. (Sound familiar?) Yet still intending to do God’s Will.

God wants us to learn this and, therefore, He must take away His apparent presence. At that point, if only the will to seek God is really there, He is pleased even with our stumbles.

Read Screwtape Letter 8

It should be a good thing.

I must be honest with you my friends. Today has bee a rough day. I have been in just one of those “screw everything” moods. I just don’t care. I feel like I am just firing off the ugly “why” question at everything and anything, and not stopping to wait for the answer.

These mini-funks that I sometimes find my in can be a real treat. The real frustration is that I don’t really have reason.

See I think the real thing is that I have been on this journey to explore how much I need God. I have been learning several things:

1) We have all heard the phrase that when we pray for patience, God gives us an opportunity to be patient. I think in the same way, when I prayed to know how much I need God, He has shown me my limitations.
2) The truth is that I can do absolutely nothing without God. Being humbled is one of those things filled with mixed feelings. If God is the one humbling me, then I need to trust it is for my own good. I desperately need God.
3) In a cool/painful way, I have also been shown that my own need for God is the same as every single other person in this world. But as I journey into deep pain with the people in my life, it is becoming my passion to see everyone identify their need for God. We all desperately need God. More than anything.
4) The combination of all of these things has left me a broken person. I want to be in His presence all of the time. The times I have wasted away as I watch my favorite TV shows could have been spend with Him. He makes Himself so available and, yet, we simply don’t care enough to reciprocate. I need Him so badly, I feel like I can do nothing without Him. But that also tempts me to feel like I can do nothing.


See the thing is that we spend so much of our lives needing. And, most of the time, we don’t know it. We need God. And, for a variety of reasons, we don’t often feel Him. So we get caught up in this place where we feel like He isn’t there. Or He is eluding us. Or, worse yet, He doesn’t really care.

So my prayer tonight is going to be Psalm 13.

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.


So I will trust in His salvation and His unfailing love.
Blindly.
And I don’t know where that will take me.
But where He is, there I shall be also.

I am Yours, save me.

“Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms”- CSL