On the Final Four

I know that most people reading this don't actually care about sports but I couldn't resist. I am not even going to have the courtesy to explain the sports jargon in this post. I am just going to write as if you are all informed and can track with me.

This year's NCAA tournament has been great and it has sucked. Most of the games have come down to the last few seconds and many even into overtime. Tons of lower seeds have upset the higher seeds and have made great stories. The problem is that now that the final four is set, who really cares? LSU is a good story because they are from Louisiana and everyone still feels bad from Katrina but no one outside of LA care about this basketball team. George Mason is a good story because they are a number 11 seed that somehow made their way into the semi-finals but who even know where George Mason University is located? I think it is somewhere near D.C. but I will never need to know that again because they will never reach this level in sports again. Florida is a legitimate team to reach the final four and the only one I picked correctly, but their coach looks like a pretty boy who probably always got his way in life. He just has the look of a spoiled kid so I really don't want to see them win. UCLA is the only saving grace for this tournament and the reason is that they are a basketball school from an actual large market city. If it wasn't for UCLA I think the ratings for this upcoming weekend's games will reach an all time low.

So here's the story. I only picked 37 of the 63 games correctly. I picked UCONN to beat UW but I cheered for UW because that is where I got my undergrad degree. UW should have fouled UCONN and I think they would be in the Final Four.

Duke looked awful in the tournament and proved that having some of the best players means nothing in college.

Gonzaga should be in the Final Four but played like junior high students and panicked when they clearly had the game won. Adam Morrison is a great player but is one of the ugliest basketball players I have ever seen. That should help him though because ugly, white basketball players are usually good. (i.e. Larry Bird, Kevin McCale, Kurt Rambis, Jason Kidd [half-white])

I think this whole tournament should be played again and we will see four new teams reach the finals with a whole new set of stories. All in all, my brackets sucked but it was cool. That is the great thing about college basketball. It is a bunch of kids who love to play and who make it fun for us all to watch.

Shark Boy and God

Last Thursday my wife and boys headed to the Library to load up on books that never fail to induce a new “kick” for the month. Depending on what books they choose, our boys could come out of the Library as superheroes or Space Men. This week it happened to be books about astronauts so naturally my son informed me that he will be missing some school because he is going to the moon.

Anyway, this month they also came home with the movie Shark Boy and Lava Girl. We heard about the movie but had yet to see it so we really did not know what to expect. Friday night came, we ate our pizza, we popped our popcorn, and we settled in for movie night. From the opening scene when Shark Boy was separated from his father to be raised by sharks until the end when the Ice Princess saved the day by freezing Mr. Electricity, my boys were captivated. I don’t want to give the whole movie away because it is certain to be on your “I can’t wait to see this” list, so let me get to the point.

My son’s new hero is Shark Boy. In fact, his new identity is Shark Boy. Yesterday he told me that he was the king of the ocean and that he can feel his teeth getting sharper. He even lifted up his arms to show me where his gills were growing. (The great thing about our ribs is that they do look like shark’s gills under the skin).

I like living with Shark Boy. I like it because not only am I protected when I am near water, but also because it means that my boy is not giving into culture. He is not being discouraged by our public school system that values conformity over creativity. He is not discouraged by the fact that even though he is Shark Boy, he has to wake up and go to school and obey his parents. Living with Shark Boy shows me that there is more to this world than what meets the eye. And just because not everyone believes in Shark Boy doesn’t mean that he isn’t there.

I also like living with Shark Boy because that means that at some point during the day, I will have to give up my secret identity and morph into some super-hero that will assist in destroying Mr. Electricity and his “Plug-Hounds”. This allows me to get into my son’s world and it allows me to validate his being in that world. My wife and I talk about this often and we just really want our kids to live to the fullest. To live lives unrestricted by unnecessary boundaries and to have no shame in imagining and dreaming.

I also think this will help them some day when they really begin to understand what faith is all about. If they have been allowed to live by their rules and not the limiting rules of society, then they will be better prepared to stand alone in their beliefs. They will also be better prepared to believe in a God that isn’t confined by modern-day Western culture. Shark Boy and Lava Girl could do anything they wanted to do because they were in the world imagined by the main character, Max. Just like God can work things anyway He chooses because we are in the world that He created.

I don’t want to turn this into a lofty theology lesson, I just want to say thanks to my one- front tooth, 6 year old, Shark Boy.

Letting Go For Lent

Now that the season of Lent is upon us, Catholics and an increasing number of protestant Christians are releasing things in their lives for the sake of Christ (supposedly).

Here are things I am giving up for Lent....

1) I will not drink more than 2 cups of coffee and one mocha per day.
2) I will give up green beans (unless they are canned with tons of preservatives).
3) I will not go running for exercise (if I am chased by something threatening I will run up to a 1/4 mile before giving up).
4) I will not watch TV except ESPN, BBC World News, Cartoons with my kids, Movies, and British Sitcoms.
5) I will not sleep through the messages at church, especially not when I am teaching.
6) I will not drink Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer.
7) I will not streak the outfield at the Angels home opener (no guarantee after that though).
8) I will not work any extra hours.
9) I will not put any money into savings (a real big change here).
10) I will not go surfing without a wet suit.

Well, this certainly looks like a formidable task but like many others who use this time to demonstrate their loyalty to Christ, I am willing to serve.

You Think it's Bad in Washington

Around 7:00 AM on Tuesday morning of this week, Orange County was passing the 17 consecutive hours of measureable rainfall mark. I was sure we would see our streak soar into the 20's, but the sun came out and dashed our hopes of matching the hard fought record that our friends in Washington attained earlier this year. The forecast is for rain again sometime during the month of March so we will give it another go.

A Tri-Athlete in a Twinkie Suit

Last year my wife and I wrote lists of things we would like to accomplish or see in our lifetime. As soon as we decided to do this I began writing furiously as the ideas and dreams flowed. Before long I had my list divided into 5 or 6 sub-lists of things to do. I have a section on foods I want to eat in different countries, I have people I want to meet, things I want to do, places I want to see, and specific experiences such as "Run with the bulls in Spain".

When I write a list like this I pretty much write it and then keep living life. When I see an opportunity to do one of the things on my list I will do it but I don't necessarily plan my life around my list. My wife, on the other hand is a bit more rigid when it comes to lists. If she writes something on a list a magical metamorphosis takes place and those ordinary words become a mandate from above. So if my wife writes something on her list, she begins organizing her life in a way that leads towards checking off the items on the list.

For example, my wife said she would like to complete a triathlon. So, she immediately found one to enter, bought books and magazines telling her how to prepare, and she trained hard all summer. Not only did she finish her triathlon, but she finished about an hour faster than she had hoped. A friend of ours who is a personal trainer came last year to watch and encourage her throughout the race and after the race she decided that she would compete in the triathlon this year. Then she began recruiting others and now has about 15 other people who said they will enter the race.

All of this has led me to add another thing on my "list for life". I now want to compete in a triathlon without ever training even one minute for it. At first I said I would compete and eat a box of Twinkies in the process... which I still might do. Then I said I wanted to run the final two legs of the race (Biking and running) in a Twinkie outfit. I don't even like Twinkies, I just think it would be hilarious to see a Twinkie passing up serious competitors as we approach the finish line. The problem with this idea is that it would only be funny if the Twinkie was one of the better athletes out there. I have daydreams of seeing a Twinkie happily running a joking with people as they agonize through the final stages. Or, maybe it would be funny if the Twinkie was crawling by the end all in an effort to finish the race. Either way, I think I will support my wife as a tri-athlete this year and join with her… and I’ll keep you posted of the Twinkie decision.

Happy Crossing Gaurd Lady

I just thought that I would let you know that Happy Crossing Gaurd Lady now blows me kisses each morning. As I said in Too Happy, this is how all scandalous relationships with 70 year olds begin.

Are We From Indiana?

Today was one of those perfect spring days when the sun seemed to come up extra early, the birds were outside the windows singing, and the chill from the night air vanished with the darkness. The forecast was for the temperatures to reach the 80's so I was pretty excited. It has been a brutal winter for us in Southern California. We have had 2.20 inches of rain since last July, the night time temperatures have been plunging into the lower 50's, and daytime temps have barely reach 70. As you can see, we are ready for the warmth of spring.

So today, we decided to take the family down to the beach to enjoy the day playing in the sand. During our grueling 8 mile journey towards the beach we began to realize that today would not work out as we had hoped. In the final 1/2 mile of the journey, the fog from the cold Pacific Ocean was so thick that we could barely see the water. But, we said we were going to the beach, so we journeyed ahead.

The beach was legitimately cold, the water was only 57 degrees, the wind was blowing, and the fog was dense. When I used to live in Washington state this would have been considered a fine summer day at the ocean, but I have long since been cleansed of that disillusion. The only people at the beach were surfers in their winter wet-suits, couples bundled in their winter coats enjoying a romantic walk, and my family in our board shorts and sandals. As my boys played in the sand and eventually in the frigid waves of the Pacific, I began to feel a little self-conscious. Days like these we usually only see tourists from places like Indiana playing in the water. You know, the people who traveled to California to go the beach and who were not going to let cold weather get in the way. These are also the people who think 60 degrees is warm for winter so why not play in the water.

Today we were the tourists. We were the ones that the locals were looking at and thinking, "they must be from Indiana". In fact, at one point a family dressed in winter coats, Disneyland hats (a tourist flag), and Virginia accents walked passed us with astonished looks in their eyes. Even the tourists thought we were nuts. Then I thought what the people from Indiana must think... having fun with family always trumps impressing the locals. It also didn't hurt that we did not see anyone we know.

G.K. Chesterton Mondays

"The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man". - 1906

"It has been often said, very truly, that religion is the thing that makes the ordinary man feel extraordinary; it is an equally important truth that religion is the thing that makes the extraordinary man feel ordinary."

"There are those who hate Christianity and call their hatred an all-embracing love for all religions." - 1906

Everything That's on My Mind

Well, maybe not everything, but some things....

1. Congratulations Seahawks for making it to the Superbowl. If I didn't live up there at some point in my life I wouldn't care, but I did, so I will cheer for them.
2. My doctor friend told me that drinking 24 oz of coffee a day helps prevent Parkinson Disease and Alzheimer's. Since then I have been drinking more coffee and my mind feels sharp. My heart is exploding from all the stress but at least my mind is sharp.
3. I am currently reading the following books; Goblet of Fire, Demons (by Dostoevsky), Between Noon and Three (it sucks), Heretics, & Searching for God Knows What. I always have several going at once, this drives some people crazy but it works for me.
4. I think people give up on things too quickly... their churches, their jobs, relationships, goals, and dreams. People who stick through good times and bad are rare. It is better to be rare.
5. I like Springtime, which for us begins in about two weeks.
6. I'm going to Uganda in May which will be my third visit to Africa. I would have never imagined that I would have such great opportunities in one lifetime.
7. Quiero hablar espanol mas.
8. People take life too seriously. Most of the things we stress about really don't matter much in the end.
9. My friend is moving to Houston because houses are cheaper there. The only other good thing I know about Houston is that my cousin and his wife live there. He better get a nice house.
10. Zelim govoriti srbski-hrvatska.
11. I am excited for the Boston Red Sox this year, but as usual I don't like that the Yankees look real good.
12. I would like to ski more, play more basketball, surf more (if the water was warmer), and spend less time working.
13. To make #12 happen, I would like to win the lottery. (I have actually never bought a ticket, which I am told is really hurting my odds of winning.)

I know there was more I wanted to say but I got distracted.

G.K. Chesterton Mondays

Religious Theme Today

"The Christian Ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." - What's Wrong With the World

"The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the 10 Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion, but, on the contrary, of its liberality and humanity. It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted: precisely because most things are permitted, and only a few things are forbidden." - London News 1920

Too Happy?

Each morning I drop my son off at school and head off to work. When I leave the school I pass a crossing guard who is probably somewhere around 75 years old. But this elderly woman is not a typical crossing guard. As each car drives by, she waves and smiles. If the person in the car acknowledges her, they not only get a smile and a wave, but they get a "I'm pointing at you because we just connected". (In other words, she points at you as if to say, "thanks for returning the kind gesture back to me"). When I drive by, I make a point to give her the "wave, smile, AND the point" before she does. Now, when she sees my car in the distance I can see her preparing for a bigger "wave, smile, and point" than I can give. This morning while driving by I actually got a two-handed point and wave. I know what you are thinking, "this is exactly how all scandalous relationships with 75 year old women begin". But the truth is, I think it is nice to see someone who seems happy with life.
Happy-Crossing-Guard-Lady reminds me of another person I used to see early on in my marriage when I had to drive my wife to work. Each morning I would drive by this particular home for the elderly and an older woman would be sitting in her wheelchair waving at every car that passed by. Just like Happy-Crossing-Guard-Lady, this woman's whole body would tremble with joy if she received a smile and wave. I used to think that it was so nice to have someone trying to remind people to take some time to be nice just for a minute. I also used to wonder why so many people would drive right by without waving. For a while I actually believed that I was the only one who did wave and I realized that if I didn't drive by her each day and wave, she might not have another person respond with kindness. To be honest, this pressure of making this lady's day was a lot for me to bare.
Then one day I drove by and she was not there. The next day I drove by and she wasn't there but her wheelchair was. And near her wheel chair lay a bouquet of flowers. By the end of the week, this wheel chair was buried in flowers, balloons, and candles lit in this woman's honor. I took a day or two to get over the shock of losing this joyful friend, then I got over the shock of finding out I was not the only one who brought joy to her life, and then I had to face the reality that in this world, people like Happy-Crossing-guard-Lady and my friend in the wheelchair are rare.
Allow me to propose to you that we need more overly happy people like these. We need people like the owner of my local coffee shop who is so joyful that I am sure she drinks too much of her own product. We need people who are not fake, but who really want to be a little nicer to those around them. So next time you see someone wave at you, randomly say "hi" to you, or just give a smile and some eye contact, give it back. Catch yourself each time you get annoyed because someone seems "too happy" and just accept the fact that some people have their priorities in order. Oh yeah, and if you see Happy-Crossing-Guard-Lady, say "hi" but keep your distance, she is mine.

G.K. Chesterton Mondays

In an effort to simplify a little. I have decided to dedicate my Monday posts to some of my favorite quotes from G.K. Chesterton. My wife thinks I have an unhealthy love for his writings and I admit that I am guilty. So I will share some quotes and hope to win you over.

"An incovenience is an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an incovenience rightly considered."
- On Running after Ones Hat

Bonus Quote
"Misers get up early in the morning; and burglars, I am informed, get up the night before." -Tremendous Trifles

Is Jesus Illegal?

I often say that I wish Christianity was illegal in America because then His followers would have to become true followers. If claiming to be a follower risked imprisonment or even death, then maybe we all would get more serious about our faith or lack of faith. Just look at places like China where the number of people who are becoming Christians is greater than anywhere on earth. All of this in a place where it is illegal to speak the name of Christ.

Now, in Italy a court is accepting a case that will decide if it is illegal for churches to proclaim that Jesus existed. Although it will probably be a non-issue and there is no way that Italy would hold up a decision against Christ, it is interesting that someone is actually suing a priest for teaching about Jesus. He claims that this teaching is illegal because it is purposefully misleading others. Maybe this guy thought the "Da Vinci Code" was a non-fiction book but it is interesting that his case has made it as far as it has.
Is this just an isolated incident or could this be a step in the process of creating a culture where people are more opposed to the teachings of Jesus? If Christ's followers truly followed His example of love and service, would anyone want to oppose the teachings?

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/01/04/italy.jesus.reut/index.html

8 A.M. Budweiser

Today I want to share something that gives me great joy.
This great joy occurs because as living beings we tend to drift towards the routine. Even if we try to keep our lives spontaneous and fresh, we all fall into certain routines. I drive my son to school everyday before 8 A.M. On our drive, we listen to ESPN talk radio, we pass a donut store that always has the same dog tied up to the tree outside. We hit at least 10 red lights, we see the same "crossing guard" show up late to her position, and we park in front of the same house. This time with my son really does bring me joy, but at least once per week something happens that really gets my day started right.
Right across the street where I park, I often see an old man standing on his driveway drinking a Budweiser. I don't know why, but this always makes me laugh. Maybe because it is 8 A.M. and he is already drinking (or still drinking), maybe it is because he is a really old man, or maybe it makes me laugh because it is never a regular 12 oz. can but it is one of those 16 ouncers.
I know it is not funny that some people struggle with alcohol, and the effects of excessive drinking are not ones that are cause for humor. Please don't misunderstand that I even think this behavior is worthy of praise....
But, at least once a week I see "Old Man Budweiser" on his driveway and it makes me smile. I guess this is why I am what is wrong with the world.

Hard to Get

I hate to take two consecutive posts and just quote songs, but I pulled out this old CD yesterday and was reminded of one of my favorite songs. I have a lot of other things I want to write about right now, but I just wanted to share these great lyrics. I especially love the third verse.

"Hard to Get" by Rich Mullins

Do you who live in heaven hear the prayers of those of us who live here on earth?
We are afraid of being left by those we love, and we're hardened in the hurt.
Do you remember what its like down here where we all scrape, just to find the strength to ask for daily bread?
Did you forget about us, after you had gone away, well I memorized every word you said, still I'm so scared I'm holding my breath. And you're up there just playing hard to get.

Do you who live in radiance hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin?
We have a love that's not as patient as yours was, but we do love now and then.
Did you ever know loneliness, did you ever know need?
Do you remember just how long the night can get? When you are barely holding on and your friends fall asleep, do you see the blood that's running in your sweat? Will those who mourn be left uncomforted? While you're up there playing hard to get.

I know you bore our sorrows, and I know you feel our pain. And I know it would not hurt any less, even if it could be explained. And I know that I am only lashing out, at the One who loves me most. And after I have figured this somehow, all I really need to know...

Is if You who live in eternity hear the prayers of those of us who live in time. We can't see what's ahead and we can't get break free from what we leave behind. I'm reeling from these voices that keep screaming in my ears. With words of blame, doubt, shame, and regret. I can't see where you're leading me unless you've led me here, where I'm lost enough to let myself be led. So you've been here all along I guess. It's Your ways and You are just plain hard to get.

Let the Angel's Wings Cover You

Today's post is in honor of my grandmother who died two weeks ago. The past three years she lived in great pain and suffering and is now freed from all of it. She lived a tough life of farming in Northern Minnesota. She lost her two sons in separate tragic accidents and lived her final years questioning God. I believe she is now in Heaven having all of her doubts answered and all of her pain removed. For her I will write selections from a song by Brave Saint Saturn...

... isn't it just like me, to mourn her passing death
when she will never suffer anymore,
beautiful her pictures, fading black and silver...

she fought to stay, but always dreamed that she could leave this place.

Let the Angel's wings, cover you tonight, hallelujah
Rest your head, against the breast of Christ, hallelujah

See you again someday grandma!

Stupid Business People

A few posts ago I poked fun at "Christian Leaders" who have called for boycotts of stores that say "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas. If stores really think they will attract more business by not saying "Merry Christmas", then go right ahead; it doesn't bother me. At least it didn't bother me. Until today when I saw a commercial that used the Christmas song, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in the background. The problem is that the song was changed and now says, "We Wish You a Happy Holiday".
Do these marketers really think this is such a big issue that now they will try to change every Christmas... sorry, every Holiday song so that there is no mention of Christmas at all? Do these marketers realize how completely ridiculous this sounds? Do they realize that they are going the extra mile to avoid talking about the very event that they are marketing? Are these stores willing to give up Christmas promotions all together? How about telling shoppers, "This business does not believe in Christmas so please only do regular shopping here".
A friend of mine runs a site called, Stupid Church People. This site is not anti church-people, it is a place that talks about how foolish some things in the church can look to those standing on the outside and ways the church can be more relevant. After seeing today's commercial, I am inclined to start a site called Stupid Business People. It is for those businesses that actually think more people will shop there if they take a stand against Christmas.
But I don't feel like starting this site... mainly because it would probably be boring. So what I do propose is that all Christians now embrace and overuse the phrase, "Happy Holidays". Except when using it, I want all Christians to focus on the fact that this word is from the Latin and does mean "Holy Days". Not necessarily holy in a spiritual sense, but simply meaning days that are set apart. So as Christians, let us say "Happy Holidays... days that are set apart from the rest. Days that we can focus on the great news that God came to us. That His love results in His wanting to be with us! I wish you the best of holy- days." Maybe if Christians could be as annoying with the use of "Holidays" as we are with things like "the Passion of the Christ" or "Narnia", then these businesses would just give up the foolishness and go on with business as usual.

Now for a side note.... I went ahead and took the liberty to change a few songs so that they don't say Christmas:
O Holiday Tree, O Holiday Tree, how lovely are your branches....
Have yourself a happy little holiday....
It's beginning to look a lot like holidays, everywhere we go....
I'm dreaming of a white holiday.... (Is this racist?)
Put on your yarmulka, and celebrate holidays.... (Not a Christmas song, but the same point)

Selfish Father

This morning I was playing in the park with my three year old son when I got to see one of my favorite things in life. That is pure joy expressed in the smile and laughter of a child. I know it sounds a bit cliche' but seeing children laugh and play without any other thoughts in the world is beautiful.
Today my son wanted to play on the swings which always means I have to stand behind him pushing him. No matter how many times I push the swing, his smile and constant laughter never ceases. Since today we only had one "Daddy pushed so hard I fell off the swing incident", the joy was pretty consistent.
Then I had a revelation. Today was the day that my son would learn how to kick his legs and generate enough momentum to move himself through the air. As he learned the technique the joy only increased. Once he had the hang of it and was keeping the swing in motion, my selfish plan had reached the point of success. I slowly walked away from him, sat myself on the next swing over, and joined in the pure bliss of flying through the air. My plan of helping my son achieve independence on the swing was purely for the purpose of liberating me from the job of pushing and to give me the opportunity to join in the fun.
I find that reminders of these small joys in life that my boys give help me understand the kind of freedom Christ wants our lives to possess. Surely the kingdom of God belongs to "such as these".

At the End of an Elephant's Nose

Last night my boys and I watched "The Grinch Whole Stole Christmas" (cartoon version). After the show, another Dr. Suess cartoon came on. It was called "Horton and the Who". Basically it is about an elephant named Horton who found a speck of dust that was talking. The speck of dust turned out to be a planet where the "Who's" lived.
The problem was that the Who's didn't believe that they were not alone. Only one progressive thinking Who believed that they were a part of something bigger. He made contact with Horton and was saddened because no one would believe that Horton existed. They believed that their speck of dusk was the only thing in the universe and no other force existed outside of themselves. On the other side of the problem was Horton. In Horton's world, everyone thought he was crazy because they didn't see the spect of dust at the end of his nose. They didn't see why Horton was so concerned about this speck of dust.
At the climax of this profound story, everyone discovered that a whole world existed at the end of the elephant's nose. Sometimes I feel like the Who that knew Horton was there but no one else would believe. At other times I feel like the typical "Who" and I believe that somehow this whole thing is about me and I doubt if Horton (or God) is there at all. And at other times I feel like Horton.... like someone trying to convince other Christians that a whole world exists outside of the "bubble".
Donald Miller, the author of Blue Like Jazz, says that he doesn't really feel that most people can be convinced that God does or does not exist (at least intellectually speaking). We either believe or we don't. We can change our beliefs but it usually happens because of something unexplainable.
I just feel like the responsibility is not in convincing the "Whos" that God exists. (Please allow me to switch analogies) The responsibility lies in convincing the elephants that the "Who's" exist. A whole world of people that do not believe and may never believe. But our responsibility to them is to protect them, to love them, to fight for them like Horton did. I pray that we can see the "world at the end of the elephant's nose".

Don't Spit on the Sidewalk

The other day I was walking through the city and stumbled across a great phenomenon. I was innocently walking down the street to the beautiful smell of fried hot dogs wrapped in bacon (only in L.A.), natural gas fueled buses, and two dollar Chinese buffets. I was minding my own business until I noticed a sign that read "Do not spit on the sidewalk".
Other than when I am playing baseball, I am not the kind of person who walks around spitting. But somehow, after reading this sign I could think of nothing other than the pressing need I had to spit. Not only did I feel an overwhelming need to spit, something inside me told me the only satisfactory place to spit would be on the sidewalk. I began thinking about the psychology of this sign and its effectiveness. I assume there once was a spitting problem in this city, but has this sign reduced the problem or made it worse? Has it really helped to make those who spit, to spit somewhere else or has it raised up a whole new generation of "sidewalk spitters"?
I then began thinking about all of the ridiculous things our "National Christian Leaders" say. Things like, "boycott Starbucks because they have poetry about homosexuality". Or, "Don't shop at stores that say 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'". What really is that proving? If they said, "boycott Starbucks because they don't practice fair trade" then I would be listening. If they said, "avoid stores that exploit their workers and that practice shady accounting" then I would heed the call. The problem is that these "leaders" are fighting the wrong issues. They are fighting for the popularity of God instead fighting for things that are the heart of God. As my wife says, "they are blaming the dark for being dark". And in the process they are missing the point.
So as Christmas approaches let us use our time and energy fighting for God's causes, not God's popularity. He doesn't need our help to keep Himself in the limelight. He doesn't need us to alienate ourselves from the homosexual community and to disassociate with people who say "Happy Holidays". In fact, I think we should do just the opposite. So stop by a "fair trade-practicing coffee shop, visit some good o'l non-Christian stores, and have a "Happy Holiday"!

Back Alley Saint

I have been maintaining two other blogs used for ministry purposes. This one is for the purpose of my own ramblings.

What is wrong with the world today? G.K. Chesterton answered this question one hundred years ago with a profound answer that still applies today. Only now it is a new author representing a new generation with the answer. What is wrong with the world? "“Dear Sirs, I am."”
Am I in the "Truman Show"? Probably. There is no other way to explain my amazing wealth of wisdom and understanding that only applies to the reality in which I live. Someone decided to write into the script that I must be restless. That I must be the one to see the world the way I see it while the rest of the world drifts blissfully unaware. I think it odd that God has given me the privilege to know what I know and then He gave me even a greater privilege of being tested by the ignorant world.
Drugs, violence, or the decline of morals cant match the injury I add to this broken world. I am called and gifted by God and I can'’t seem to fulfill even a small portion of this calling I have received. I believe that I am 100 percent saved but I will eagerly await the final verdict moments after I breathe my last. When I get to heaven I hope to hear "“well done", but if I do I'’m sure it will only be as I listen in on some other conversation. I will be in the back row, the back alley, or the back yard of heaven. I will patiently wait for just a glimpse of my Savior. While I wait I will be content to pick up the heavenly dog poop. In fact I would have it no other way.
Everything in me cries out for the limelight, the front row, the front door, and the front yard of heaven. That'’s why all the more I don't want it. Give me a broom. I will hang out with the sinners and clean the floors. We will clean the floors that the true saints scuff as they prance through the streets with Jesus. I know I am undeserving of the same privilege to get my Savior's ear. I will listen in on his musings, I will sneak around and hear the latest gossip about all that happens in heaven. At night I will return to the back alley and find comfort with my friends. The sinners who got to heaven smelling like smoke. The gays that just couldn't break their addiction even though they loved Jesus on earth, the murderers who repented just before getting the chair, the betrayers, the liars, the no good hypocrites who convinced Jesus that their love is real but who had no bodily discipline to consistently prove it.
While I'm in this world, I will continue to be the problem. Through people like me, the world will never be sure what to think about Jesus or Christians. Through people like me, the curse of sin will remain alive and well although I fight it. Even if I ever happen to dive deeper into love with my Savior and begin to be the example of a true follower, I will remain the problem. It is then that I will forget that the message of Jesus is because I am what is wrong. If I was not the problem in the world then why would Jesus have come to die? Why would he need to come if all believers were good enough to go through all the perfect motions of religion? The OT law could remain and "“perfect"” people would keep succeeding as followers.
Instead, Jesus came because I am the world. I am called by Jesus but I cant even say that I want the people I lead to live like me. That is why Jesus came. I love that He relentlessly pursues people like me and I pretend to yield but I'm not sure that I ever really do. I am an amazing dichotomy of a person. There are days the Lord must just shake his head and wonder how much longer he should stick with me. The world would have less wrong with it if he just took me from the world and gave me my broom.
I guess I will keep waiting and maybe one day I will get this life figured out. But that would require more than just complaining that I am unworthy...…and that'’s a lot to ask of back alley janitors.