Christmas Tidings and Good Cheer

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you and yours wishes of a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year.

I like to think of the Christ's manger bed as the real Ark of the Covenant, and the stable as the Holy of Holies, for the glory of God shone all around Bethlehem-- first out in the fields to lowly shepherds, then to the stable place where Christ was born-- Christ himself being the Shekinah presence of God.

All the priests were gathered around-- Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Magi, animals-- to form a new people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. Out of this ragtag group, God was forming a temple of living stones, raising it up to be a house for the indwelling of His Spirit.

Okay, so I went ahead and blogged. I really couldn't help myself. But Christmas always reminds me to never doubt the love of God. He lives with His people and covenants with them to forgive and forget. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests!

Merry Christmas!

The Beatles Were Wrong

The Beatles had a hit song that said, "All you need is love... love is all you need."

This is only half true. It should be corrected to say, "All you have is love... love is all you have." or "All there is is love... love is all there is."

Just because it doesn't seem like it doesn't mean it's false. When the layers of our thoughts and stories are peeled back, love is all that's left. God is love!

Never question the presence of love. Always question your perceptions.

Slavery and Freedom

I was struck by yet another thought as I was on my morning walk today:

The more enslaved you feel, the closer to freedom you are.

Paradoxes are interesting, don't you think?

What God Says on Thanksgiving

"You're welcome!"

Baby

God's solution to the world's problems was to give it a baby.

Think About This

A thought occurred to me this morning. Here it is:

The more powerful you become, the less secure you are.

Thoughts?

Jegshamash!!

I saw Borat on Monday and I thought it was absolutely hilarious! I think I was laughing harder than anyone in the theatre!

But on a serious note (awwwwww), the movie brilliantly exposed how bipolar and entrenched our country really is, and how people really enjoy being this way. People can't stand it when someone comes along and forces them out of their cubby holes. So much self-importance. But honestly, I don't know I would react if I were accosted by someone like Borat, especially if he tried to kiss me.

I understand that Sacha Baron Cohen, while playing the Borat character, got the snot beat out of him on Saturday. Sad.

Bios and Zoe

My knowledge of Greek is a little bit rusty, and I'm not even sure this entry is correct, but this is how I understand these two words that I'm going to write about today. Please feel free to offer correction or comments.

There are two Greek words that translate into "life" in English-- Bios (βιος) and Zoe (ζωη). Even though they translate into the same word, they don't mean the same thing.

Bios is basically biological life-- digestion, blood circulation, secretions-- things that can be examined. Zoe, on the other hand, embraces biological existence, but transcends it in terms of quality. It is the spiritual part of us that participates in the kingdom of God and cannot be reduced to organic terms. It includes those things which we would call heart, soul, spirit, emotions, intuition, love, etc. Zoe is not those things, but it is the qualitative aspect of those things.

When Scripture talks about "eternal life" it uses the word zoe. This means that Scripture does not promise a quality biological existence. We know that our bodies get sick, wounded, and eventually die. What Scripture does promise is a place for the existence of our depth and for the immeasureable dimensions of our being where we are in communion with God. In other words, we are promised a quality inner life through Christ.

This doesn't mean that our inner lives are going to be satisfactory to us all of the time. But it does mean that our entire being is pleasing to God and loved by God. Zoe is not dependent on what we think about it. It is dependent on God's grace and mercy through Christ. Zoe apprehends and comprehends Christ who lives in us, and then is manifested outward in a way that includes our Bios.

What does this all mean? God loves all of you, all of the time! God is not hurt or surprised or shocked or angered by you. God embraces you completely. God loves everything about you, and absolutely nothing will change this!

Election Reflection

So the House is now in Democrat control and the Senate is still up for grabs. Washington is certainly going to look different, consisting of people who ran on the issues of ethics and Iraq. I'm glad to see that D.C. is getting a little facelift, but I hope it's more than just a cosmetic makeover. I want to see real change in how the war is being conducted, especially from the Republicans who began distancing themselves from Bush.

But I remain a skeptic. If the new Congress doesn't deliver on their promises, the Bush administration will take advantage of it. Bush will declare Iraq a big mess and a failure, and then blame the Democrats for the quagmire. In winning last night, the Dems have painted themselves into a corner, so they better have plenty of turpentine with them. Not only should they do everything they can to end this war and bring our troops home, but also encourage and fund creative ways to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. There's been a recent push for coal, but that's just another fossil fuel. We need to find more efficient ways to harness the sun and the wind for the sake of the environment and the Middle East. But all of this remains to be seen, and I will remain skeptical until it's done! I hope my opinion that it's just going to be business as usual will be proven wrong. I won't mind eating crow on this one.

We also need to do everything we can to make all Middle Eastern nations our allies, no matter what kind of government they have in place. I hope we can get beyond political theories and recognize that we are dealing with real people who have real fears and real concerns. We have to stop pushing our weight around the world and sit and listen to what world leaders have to say. And don't just listen to the words-- listen to the person speaking the words. Listen deeply. I think we have the resources to make friends and live in peace with all people.

Belief

In my years of ministry I've discovered that people are going to believe whatever they believe irrespective of anything I say or do. I believe certain things because they appear to be Biblical to me; other people do the same. Applying this to the big social issues of our day we can see this belief dynamic at work. People are deeply entrenched on things such as abortion, gay marriage, illegal immigration, the war on terror, etc. The polarization is immense, and we tend to focus on that polarization as if that is the big problem. And so people try to persuade others to change their beliefs through argumentation and debate, and sometimes unfortunately, threats and legislation. The thinking is that if everyone believed the exact same things there would be unity and harmony-- the whole "One Nation under God" thing.

What would happen if we stopped focusing on what people believe and began delving into who people are? There is more to people than their beliefs. People have stories which have molded their beliefs. Perhaps we need to look at the stories to find out about the person rather than trying to railroad them into a set of intellectual proposals. This will foster true harmony and unity, whereas the present way of handling things leads to oppression and uniformity.

Riddle Me This!

Q: What do the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs have in common?

A: Both have yet to win the World Series in their new stadiums!

Heeheehee! Hawhaw!!

Disappointment in TigerTown

I really believed the Tigers could've walked off with the championship, but they made way too many mistakes and their bats were silent the whole series. Ballgames cannot be won like that. The Cards capitalized when they were supposed to and certainly earned this World Series championship! Next year will be interesting for the Tigers.

It looks like Barry Bonds is headed for free agency. Maybe the Tigers can sign him to a deal!

Aw, can't I dream for a while?!

Drizzle

What a lousy day, meteorologically speaking. It's been a steady drizzle all day, kinda like what's going on in my brain.

I'm very tired today. I've felt this way all week. I wonder if I'm sleeping well. I wake up feeling like I just got hit by a semi.

I've started drinking green tea. Maybe that's the problem, but I'm drinking decaffeinated green tea, so I know I'm not overstimulated. But we'll see if it helps me lose the old spare tire in my midsection. Seriously, I look like I've swallowed a yacht! Green tea's supposed to raise the metabolism rate. I really haven't seen any results yet, as it has only been a week. I'll give it some time to start kicking in.

Tonight I go a haunted prison (yes, you read that correctly) called Statesville. It'd better be a gourmet haunted prison, because it costs $25. I've heard it's pretty intense, and it looks quite hardcore on its website. Plus, with my sensitivity to outside stimuli, it should all come together to make for an enchanted evening. I'll probably start having nightmares beginning tonight.

I think I'll go home and take a short snooze before I'm terrorized tonight. Hopefully the World Series Game 4 will be on when I get home from Statesville. That's all for now!

My Aplomb

I used to have aplomb, but I lost it and I can't remember where I put it last. I even did what I learned on Blue's Clues and went back to where I was, but it wasn't there. What am I going to do without my aplomb?

I guess there's always my apeach, but it just isn't the same.

Air America

I've started listening to Air America. They claim to be progressive talk, but it's just more angry liberalism that seeks to unseat anyone who's conservative. It's merely regurgitated "us vs. them" kind of radio, and is one more example of the deep polarization in our country. It adds fuel to the fire. That's not progressive to me.

True progressivism seeks to go above and beyond the liberal/conservative impasse, while taking both poles to a place where neither has ever been before. It takes creativity and tact to do this, and I have a little bit of both, but probably not enough to solve this problem. But I still seek and learn, and that's why I listen to Al Franken and Rush Limbaugh, Randi Rhodes and John Gibson, Mike Papantonio and Bill O'Reilly.

Faith-Based Politics

A new book has been causing quite a storm in the religio-political realm of late. I don't know much about this book seeing as I haven't read it. But I have seen interviews with the author (whose first name escapes me for the moment, but his last name is Kuo, so that's how I'll refer to him), and he seems to be an even-keeled person. He's a conservative evangelical Christian who was second-in-charge in the office of the Faith-Based Initiatives. Apparently, Kuo overheard derrogatory comments made about certain prominent evangelical leaders by members of the Bush administration. According to Kuo, the Bush administration is using the conservative Christian constituent as pawns in a much bigger game of political pandering. Kuo seems to be saying that some members of the Bush administration have absolutely no respect for evangelical leaders, calling them "kooks", "insane", and "needs to be controlled", the latter moniker placed on James Dobson. The accusation leveled by Kuo is that the Bush administration doesn't really care about their religious right constituency, as long as they help Republicans win key elections throughout the country. In other words, the Bush adminstration is using the whole idea of faith-based initiatives, promising billions of dollars in funding, in order to garner support for Republicans in general, and his administration in particular.

Aside from the latest shenanigans portrayed in this book, this whole faith-based initiative has been a stinker from the beginning. Anytime Washington gets involved with a cause, that cause becomes politicized, and it doesn't matter which political party is behind it all. Also, when something becomes politicized, it's only a matter of time before the cause forgets its very essence and purpose for its existence. The same can be said about religion, as there are many who see the whole faith-based effort as an attempt to marry Church and State, 'til death do they part. Is the separation of Church and State constitutional or not? Some say yes, citing the 1st Amendment. Some say no, citing the 1st Amendment. To me, its constitutionality doesn't matter. The separation of Church and State is a damn good idea and is just common sense. All one has to do is study the many empires that have come and gone throughout human history to see the fallacy of Church and State becoming bedfellows. It's a disaster waiting to happen, and when it does it falls with a large crash (apologies to Jesus). Consider for a moment the Jerusalem temple. If there was ever a place where religion and politics created a very caustic mish-mash, it was the temple. The temple was destroyed for good in AD 70. If you have ears to hear, then hear!

One thing that disturbs me is that conservative evangelical Christians seem to view the Church as the institutional guardian of the moral underpinnings of the nation. This is why they seem to be so myopically focused on hot-button issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. They can't seem to change peoples' hearts and minds through preaching and teaching, and so they rely on legislation as the necessary vehicle for their moral advocacy. That's why so many see the Church as attempting to impose its morality on the entire nation.

I would love to see the day when the Church gets out of national politics altogether. It doesn't mean that Christians individually can't be involved in political processes, or run for office, or speak out when the State become oppressive and tyrannical. But the Church as a whole should stick to the purpose for its existence-- giving liberty to the captives, opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf to the very reality of Christ in us, among us, with us, and for us, Emmanuel-- being the flesh-and-blood, provisional display of Christ's presence. And stop worrying about whether or not city hall allows a manger scene at Christmastime!!

Are You Ready?

I've always been annoyed by rock bands that ask the crowd, "Are you ready?" What a dumb question! Of course they're ready. That's why they're there!! Oh well.

Sometime I'd like to hear someone stand up and yell, "No, I'm not! I didn't come here for this! I came here for the roundtable discussion on the environment and third-world debt!"

Actually, I'll bet that not everyone is ready when the band is. How about that guy in the upper tier who's upchucking the hot dog and beer he got from the concession stand? He's probably not ready. And those women in the line for the restroom? You know-- the line that goes 2 1/2 times around the arena? Not even close to being ready.

So, perhaps these rock bands should stop acting like they're worried about everyone else's readiness and just play.

More Prodigal Thoughts

I began to wonder if the Parable of the Prodigal Son was a parable Jesus told about himself. This line of thinking is beginning to make more sense the more I think about it. Jesus would be considered a prodigal to his own people, especially the religious leaders. Jesus was dead and is now alive. He was lost by crucifixion, but found in resurrection. He presented himself before his Father and was restored in glory and honor, and of course the legalistic Pharisees aren't going to be exactly thrilled that Jesus' way would ultimately be vindicated.

There are also echoes of the Jacob/Esau story in this parable. That will be another path to examine.

I'll write more about all of this as soon as I think it through more and sort things out, but if anyone has any thoughts along the way feel free to add or subtract from any of my above brain drizzles.

Prodigal

Luke 15:11-32 is Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son. There's a very interesting aspect of this parable that has intrigued me for a while, and that is, the son's request for his share of his inheritance from his father.

In Middle Eastern culture, asking for your share of the inheritance is tantamount to telling your father to drop dead. It is highly insulting to your father and to the community. The community will seek your death for the way you treated your father. Here's what's incredible to me-- the father gives the son his share of the inheritance, and then the son runs away from home. Now here's the best part:

As the son is returning home with nothing and within an inch of losing his life, his father sees him from afar, runs to him, and embraces him. He is safe! The community can't touch him because his father has welcomed him back! The villagers must treat the son as the father treated him. And then it was party time!!

So, I'm wondering-- What if we all told God to drop dead, ran away, and then came back? Will God punish us? It looks to me like God will throw a party instead!!

Tigers=Awesome!!

The Detroit Tigers are performing far beyond my expectations. Beating the Oakland A's in Oakland the first two games is nothing short of incredible! Now it's off to Detroit! I predicted the Tigers winning the series in 6 games, but I hope I'm proven wrong and the Tigers sweep the A's.

A note to the unconvinced-- the announcers of last night's game pointed out that teams who began a series with home field advantage and lost the first two games have never gone on to the next level. Ya hear that?! NEVER!!!

That's either good news for the Tigers or they've just been jinxed.

Mindfulness

Zen Buddhists have a practice that I believe we Christians (and westerners in general) can benefit and learn from, and that is, the art of mindfulness. Do we ever just stop to think what we are doing? Many of our actions are just automatic and second nature, and they contribute to the breakneck pace that we experience. We move so quickly that our activities become hair-raising means to an unfruitful end. We go around and around and around, and we say, "That's it?!" Thud. No wonder we're so bored.

What would happen if we just stopped and noticed that we aren't thinking, but that we are being thought? That we aren't breathing, but we are being breathed? What if we savored every morsel of food and every sip of liquid at each meal, and thought very deeply about what we are actually doing? What if we thought of every step we take as a walk through a garden or a labyrinth, concentrating on each step? This is mindfulness, and it's an art that can be learned.

I don't know about you, but I'm guessing that my heart rate and blood pressure would go down if I started doing this more often!

Cutting Through the Abortion Debate

Abortion is an issue which deeply divides our country. Most people are so entrenched on this issue that the two sides have created a no-man's land for those who choose not to take sides. It's mostly a battle over words and rhetoric, with the express purpose of making the opposing side look inept.

The people who are against abortion label themselves as "pro-life", the implication being that those who are on the other side of the issue are "anti-life", or "pro-death".

The people who are for abortion label themselves as "pro-choice", the implication being that those who are on the other side of the issue are "anti-choice", or "pro-fascism".

It's like organizations who call themselves "Friends of (fill in the cause)". Not undertaking the advocacy activities of said group implies that one is an "Enemy of (fill in the cause)."

These maneuvers with language are ways of avoiding what's really important. Seriously, I've never met one person who is actually pro-death or anti-choice. I've yet to meet a person who believes that abortion is the greatest activity in the world. I've yet to meet a person who believes that shooting clinic employees is a worthwhile cause. I'm not saying that these people aren't out there. I've just yet to meet them. But I'll have a hard time finding them.

Until we learn to use different language to identify how we feel about this issue we will continue to be entrenched. I will go on record saying that I am opposed to abortion, but I know that it will exist no matter what anyone thinks about it. I propose we investigate why people seek to have abortions in the first place and then address those issues instead of seeking to annihilate the supposed opposition. This may be conducive to an atmosphere in which abortion would be unheard of.

Tigers vs. A's

Surprise by the Tigers-- they beat the Yankees!! After losing Game 1 to the Yanks I really thought it was the death knell for the Tigers. They had no momentum going into the series, but they really hankered down and got serious. Joe Torre's future hangs in the balance. That's really too bad because he is a great manager!

Tigers and A's, Game 1, Tonight, in Oakland!! I'll be missing most of it as I am teaching Crossways tonight. Oh well.

The Latest Fiasco

The Mark Foley scandal has been the talk of the town lately. Yesterday I read online some of the text messages that Foley sent to a teenage boy and it's some of the most shocking things you could ever read coming from a US Congressman. Just about everyone is agreed on that. Now we have many representatives and congressional aides doing damage control and others trying to inflict more damage on an already incendiary situation. So who's to blame for this fiasco? The Republicans are saying that the Democrats are on a witch hunt. The Democrats are saying that it was Republican operatives who leaked the story to ABC in the first place. And what we end up with are two diametrically opposed sides lobbing grenades at each other. Everyone is on the offensive and the defensive. People across the political spectrum seem to be running up to the front lines, throwing a bomb, and then ducking for cover. But someone is being relegated to the backseat in the wake of all of this wrangling: Mark Foley himself.

A person is more that what he/she does, and Foley is no different. What kind of help is Foley receiving? What kind of help are his victims getting? Are they getting any personal support from colleagues, Republican or Democrat? Is there anyone recognizing that Foley is a severly disturbed man who needs help? Would anyone on either side of the aisle be willing to show some compassion to Mark Foley? I'm getting the impression from listening to the media darlings that none of that really matters right now. What does matter, though, is gaining political capital from this whole thing, and it just shows how entrenched people can become.

Both political parties now have the chance to show that they're not just a bunch of political opportunists. Mark Foley and his pages represent the opportunity to bring out the best of everyone involved. It would be nice to see Republicans and Democrats together reaching out to Foley with mercy and compassion, while at the same time trying to restore some dignity and wholeness to the pages Foley exploited. Otherwise, the shame and the guilt and the scorn heaped upon them will just drive them deeper into the darkness.

Residual Guilt

I wonder if there's such a phrase as "residual guilt". I used it the other day, and if there is no such phrase, then I will take credit for its creation. I may even have it copyrighted so I can start collecting royalties [rubs hands together, laughs in mad scientist fashion].

Residual guilt comes from a feeling that God's forgiveness isn't complete. We know that God forgives completely in Christ and can give intellectual assent to it. But there are those times when we feel we must atone for anything that may have "slipped through the cracks" of grace. It's troubling to think that grace has cracks to begin with, let alone feeling like we've managed to wiggle through somehow.

I think residual guilt comes from the inability to forgive ourselves. And I believe we can forgive ourselves. What God has declared to be clean should be declared clean by us as well-- including ourselves. Our culture has taught us that we need to make restitution for any shortcomings or mistakes that we've made. We then project this onto God and believe that God expects the same. After all, God is perfect, makes no mistakes, and has done nothing to feel guilty about.

I can't tell you how many times I've pictured God sitting around waiting for little old me to conform completely to God's standards, and making up for the places I've failed which were not covered by Jesus' blood. But this is not the picture revealed in Scripture.

God has forgiven us completely through Christ. When we learn that we can do the same, then residual guilt can be stricken from our vocabulary. I'll lose royalty fees, but I won't mind.

Myers-Briggs Typology

My Myers-Briggs temperament is INFP- Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving, which means that my inner world is where I derive most of my energy. I swim in a world of feelings and emotions. I prefer patterns over cold facts. I also don't like small talk. It's not because I don't like the person I happen to be conversing with. It's because I'd rather talk about something else. So, don't give me details about your day. Tell me how your day affected you. What happened inside of you? Talk to me about how you perceive the world and how you feel about it. If you ever criticize me, make sure you tell me it's nothing personal because I will tend to take things personally, even if you didn't intend it that way.

One criticism I hear of the Myers-Briggs inventory is that it pigeon-holes and categorizes people. I can understand that objection, but I don't quite agree. I think it can be used that way. However, it's nice to have somewhat of an explanation of why you do the things you do. Why am I so sensitive? Why do I get angry at certain things and laugh hysterically at other things?

So, what's your temperament? There are many places on the internet where you can take a free temperament inventory, and the url's escape me at the moment. But I'm interested in your type if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Detroit Tigers. Yippee.

Sheesh! What a letdown! The Detroit Tigers get swept by the Kansas City Royals at home and blew their chance at a division championship. All they had to do was beat KC once. ONCE!!! I gotta give a lot of credit to the White Sox, who beat the Twins twice (Friday and Saturday), practically handing the championship to the Tigers on a silver platter. The Tigers are still in the playoffs, but not only did they lose the division, but they also lost home field advantage. Now they have to face the Yankees in New York. Congrats go to the Minnesota Twins for winning the AL Central. They earned it.

I'm rooting for the Tigers, but they have zero momentum going into the playoffs. It doesn't look good, folks. But I'm trying to remain optimistic, because the Tigers have come a long way from being the worst team in baseball just three seasons ago to having one of their best seasons in almost twenty years.

Resurrection Again

For anyone who was thoroughly confused by my post yesterday about resurrection, here's what I was talking about:

I think resurrection is not merely the resuscitation of a corpse. It also entails God putting Israel back together again. Remember Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones? God accomplishes this through Christ, and Christ through the Apostles, and builds the Church upon this foundation. As God was doing this God was vindicating the Church as the means by which Israel was being reconstituted.

Hope that clears things up for anyone who may have been a bit befuddled.

Resurrection

Then Moses said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'" The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.-- Exodus 32:27,28

Those who accepted his [Peter's] message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.-- Acts 2:41

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"-- Revelation 21:5a

Resurrection: reconstitution of Israel, vindication of the Church, new creation!

Answering my own question (thanks Chris!)

So, how do we feed Jesus' lambs today? Seeing that lambs were sacrificed in Jesus' day out of mutual self-interest, I would say that us pastors have to stop sacrificing those entrusted to us for the sake of our own egos. We have a tendency to corral people and jam things down their throats. Instead, we need to lead people to the oases in the desert and let them explore the landscape, walk in the water, and frolic in the pasture. Lambs don't have to be told to eat. When it's really good stuff, they indulge.

One thing that I'm going to try to do this year, as I start Crossways (a two-year survey of the Bible) next week, is to assist people in the art of making discoveries in their Bibles. I will do this by telling the story of the Bible rather than merely rehearsing doctrine.

I'll write more if I think of anything else!

Feed My Lambs

Jesus said to Peter, "Feed my lambs." He didn't say, "Hawk your wares on my lambs.", or, "Divide my lambs into labor gangs."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." How do think this should be done today?

Tigers!

The Detroit Tigers have clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1987. I was in college when the Tigers won the World Series in '84, and it was simply a blast!!

Please join me in rooting the Detroit Tigers on to a World Series Championship! I will be eternally grateful!!

Change Your Life

I'm leery of people and places that want to "change my life" or "change the world". There's actually a church called "Life Changers International Church" It sounds like a marketing gimmick to get me to buy a lot of "Jesus junk". Here's the truth as I see it:

Life changes all by itself. The world changes all by itself. How can it be any other way?

I'd rather have perspective in a changing world and my changing life. This will help me with life rather than changing it.

Silence

Life is filled with noise from within and without. Sonic booms overhead and racing thoughts in our head. The air is filled with signals and frequencies that, while inaudible, nevertheless have profound effects on everyday life. We exist and interact among a plethora of sights and sounds. Some are amazingly beautiful while others are aesthetically hideous. We hear the call of the mourning dove while leering at a neon jungle. We call it life. And we accept it as indicative of our collective identity. "We are this!"

But what if it all suddenly stopped? Would it mean that life is over and not worth living? Why are we so afraid of silence? Why is life filled with such rapid activity? Are we really that fearful of who we really are? And who are "we" anyway?

We are silence. When we are left with nothing but our whispering thoughts, we tap an inner core of our being, and this is where God works best. When we realize that our ponderances are like the clouds passing in the sky, not here to stay, we may no longer find them as disturbing as we once thought. Perhaps they are just transient, fair-weather friends. Our core of silence allows us to encounter each thought that appears with the understanding that they are not here to stay. They may traverse the cosmos to return, but they are merely travelers through life as we are.

Forget everything you have been taught and just sit with yourself in silence. It is who you are. What are you afraid of?

Don't Tell Anyone

In Mark 7, Jesus goes to the Decapolis and heals a deaf/mute. Then Jesus tells the crowd not to say anything. But verse 36 says that the more Jesus told them not to say anything, the more they kept talking about it.

Maybe I've been missing something all these years. We keep badgering people to go out and tell the Good News, share their faith, tell everyone what God has done, say that Jesus loves you, go to evangelism training, etc.

Looks to me like it would be better to tell people to be quiet. Perhaps then people would reach a point where they can't help but speak of what God has done, like Peter in Acts. Then people would freely share their faith.

Would holding people back help them burst at the seams? Is this all the evangelism training that a person needs?

I'm Back

I just got back from yet another conference where all we did was eat and sit. We had some wonderful presentations about the pastor as evangelist and preacher, but I think I gained a few pounds. The conference center fed us very well.

There is a new development in my status as a circuit counselor. The District Board of Directors approved a realignment plan of the Chicagoland circuits (roughly, a circuit is a group of congregations that are in close proximity to one another), which would make 3 visitation and electoral circuits instead of the two we have presently. Pending approval of this plan I am now the Circuit Counselor Pro Tem of the South Chicago circuit. At the District Convention back in June I was elected the circuit counselor of the West Chicago circuit. The main feature for me in the realignment plan was that I and my congregation be placed in the Chicago South circuit. So, I can't be the counselor of the West circuit if I'm not in the West circuit!

The approval of the realignment rests in the hands of the president of Synod. If he approves the plan I will have to call a caucus of the South circuit congregations to do two things: 1) Elect a clergy and a lay delegate to next year's synodical convention, and 2) Decide to retain me as circuit counselor by attrition, or elect a different one.

If the plan is rejected, I will remain in my elected position as circuit counselor of the Chicago West circuit. I find out today what the president of synod decides.

A New Hymnal

This past week I was in Milwaukee for the National Circuit Counselor Conference, with about 800 people in attendance. Each one of us received a free copy of the newly published hymnal that the LCMS Commission on Worship has been working on for the past few years. I thought that was very generous of them and I'm grateful to have this new worship resource.

The new hymnal is pretty good. It's structured very well and is user friendly. It also reflects a move toward a bit of balance, as there are new liturgies and hymns. It's always helpful to have some fresh expressions of the Gospel. And get this-- a guitar accompaniment version is available! This is unprecedented in the LCMS, which usually frowns on using any instrumentation other than organ, brass, woodwind, or orchestral strings. Guitars have been taboo because they're too "campfire-ish".

The hymnal also contains new rites for Baptism, Weddings, and Funerals. I don't like some of the wording in these, and I would have written them differently. One thing that I'm not too thrilled about is a phrase in the Baptism rite. It is in the prayer that is used once the candidate has had the water applied. It thanks God that the candidate has become a child of God and has been "separated from the multitude of unbelievers". That phrase concerns me, because it sounds stand-offish and arrogant. It makes it appear that the candidate is to have no interaction with unbelievers. It sounds like "us vs. them". I would've used a more positive statement, like "counted among the multitude of believers". That sounds less polemical and is more truthful.

Other than that, it's a great hymnal! Now the concern is transitioning from the present hymnal to the new one! I wonder if the congregation will go for it.

Sacrifice and Sin

I was pondering the crucifixion of Jesus and asking, "What does it mean that Jesus died for my sins?" I'd like to offer somewhat of an answer.

Luther defined sin as incurvatus in se, or turning in on self. Self-centeredness. When are people the most self-centered? I think it's when people try to appease God by offering things to him (money, food, etc.) so that bad things won't happen to them. To me, the ultimate sin is thinking that I somehow must propitiate the wrath of God. But first I must view God as an angry deity in need of an attitude adjustment.

People throughout history have sacrificed things to appease the gods-- animals, food, people. The Israelites, and later the adherents of Judaism, did the same. They offered sacrifices so that they could be "saved" (whatever they meant by that term). I think this is what the Bible means by "sin". But God took away sin. How?

God provided the sacrifice. The only sacrifice God is pleased with is God. God sacrificed himself. He gave sacrifice-loving people something to sacrifice. He gave them Jesus. Jesus died because of sin!

The early Christians understood this and stopped sacrificing stuff, but instead used their resources to serve others in need. They "died to sin", and lived out from that point. And they saw themselves as giving out of gratitude instead of fear.

We are free from sin; free from attempting to appease God. Free from viewing him as having an eternal rage. We don't need to sacrifice anything. God gave the sacrifice of Jesus.

Balloon Guys

You know those guys who make things out of balloons? Things like dogs and snakes and bicycles? You know what I would like to see one of those guys make? A human digestive system! Or a schematic of the White House plumbing system. Now that would be something worth showing off!

What would you like a balloon guy to make? (This should be fun!)

The Impossible Absence of God

You may or may not know this, but I was recently elected circuit counselor for my circuit. This means extra duty, including a conference I have to attend this week in Milwaukee. So, I'll be away for a few days and probably won't have access to a computer. But if the Milwaukee Hyatt Regency has free wi-fi and house computers for use at no charge, I'll try to find the time to post.

The internet is amazing to me because I can still communicate in writing even when I'm out of town. I can check my e-mail, post a blog, surf. I know that's probably not news to you, but I'm just now discovering all of this. What's incredible to think about for me is that I can still be present even when I'm not around at home.

I know this might be a little bit of a stretch, but I'm going to say that this is analogous to how many people view the presence of God. How often do we think that God is absent? For many, God is like an absentee landlord who just checks in occasionally to make sure everything is alright, and when God's done with his business he checks out and goes home. But God still communicates and sends out "signals" to let us know that he's okay and he'll see us again soon. "Just call if you need me!"

Most people I talk to are deistic in their thinking about God, which means that God is watching us from a distant heaven and intervenes only when God deems it necessary. When someone asks, "Where was God on September 11, 2001?" (a deistic question), a deistic-thinking person will answer, "Well, he's in heaven and he allowed those planes to crash into the WTC and Pentagon." It's like the blind leading the blind, and both will fall into a pit. I actually read recently a piece which said that God is like someone standing on a hillside who can see a road below on which two cars are on collision course. He can see that these two cars will collide, but there's nothing he can do about it. That, my friends, is deism writ large! It implies that God is absent. But that is impossible. How can God be absent? Because terrorism happens? Is God obliged to rid the world of terror? This is not the God I see revealed in Christ.

God does not deal with individuals or situations like an overworked nurse in a hospital emergency room. God deals with all of humanity collectively and covenantally. God has no favorites, national or otherwise, and God is not capricious. Through Jesus God brought heaven to earth, and so there is nowhere we can go that will place us outside of the God's presence.

The task of ridding the world of terrorism is not God's job. It's ours. How? We must address the terror within ourselves instead of always looking for it outside of ourselves. Jesus revealed the terror that resides in the human heart. Look what we did to him. We nailed him to a cross! When we see that, we realize where the real problem resides. God wants us to see it because his specialty is in cleansing our hearts! And having our hearts rid of terror we are in a position to help others rid their hearts of terror. That's God's peace plan, and it's the only one that works!

Something I'm Tired Of

I'm getting tired of letters in the editorial section of the newspaper that contain the following:

"As a (fill in the blank), I (fill in the blank)..."

For example:
"As a former school superintendent, I'm very concerned about the condition of our schools."

What kind of grandiose crap is this? Must I be a former school superintendent to be concerned about the condition of our schools? Only former school superintendents have the capacity for such concern?

I see at least two letters every day that contain similar phrasing.

I know it's a losing battle, but I consider such twaddle to be grandstanding.

All of God

Kevin had some interesting thoughts on his blog and he used a phrase "all of God". That blew me away because I've never thought in those terms before. I cannot begin to think what "all of God" means. How can there be "all" of endless infinity? The word "all" doesn't really cover it, but it's still the best word that can be used to describe the presence of God. Since God is "all in all", there must be a way to depict this with imagery, and I'd like to offer one that I find helpful.

I think of God's presence as an Infinite Ocean, and myself as a fish in that ocean. To the fish, there is nothing but the ocean water in which it swims, breathes, and lives. The fish is surrounded by the water, but not smothered. The water passes into its mouth and out its gills. The fish is not the water, but is one with the water. The fish maintains its identity and otherness, just as the water does.

Some of you may have heard the term panentheism, which means "all in God". It's a good term to use, but I don't know enough about it to make it part of my everyday vocabulary. I know Kevin has proposed the use of the word agapetheism, so perhaps we can combine the terms. Agapanentheism? Panagapentheism? What word can be used to communicate "all of God is love"?

I'll continue to struggle with language to describe the reality of God.

Photo Explanation or Yes, That's Me!

I feel I should explain my profile photo, in case anyone was curious.

This past summer my family and I took "The Orlando Plunge" and went on a vacation to Florida. We stayed at the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando because my boys like to watch some of the programs on Nick, and they saw the ads for this hotel. They begged and pleaded with me and my wife about going there for a vacation, and we finally obliged.

Every night, the Nick Hotel has live shows in which they pull volunteers out of the audience to participate in some goofy competitions. There was one in particular where they needed two kids and two adults. They picked the adults who screamed the loudest and most enthusiastically. I was picked. Hey, I never pass up an opportunity to have a captive audience!

Long story short, I had to dress up like Wanda the Fairy Godmother from the show The Fairly Oddparents. And then I had to come out a do a little fairy dance. The picture was taken during my fairy dance.

That picture also cost me $25 from the hotel photo shop. But I consider it well worth it if it gives you a chuckle at my expense!

Second Post-- The Tao of Yardwork

I don't like yardwork, especially when there's so much to do. For the past few days my wife and I have worked very hard but have little to show for the effort. That sucks. But I know that if we keep tending to our tasks we will have a beautiful yard once again.

I remember as a kid when we got slapped with a citation for not weeding and cleaning up our part of the alley over the backyard fence. Apparently some of the neighbors bitched that it looked sloppy and complained to the Department of Public Works in Detroit. We honestly didn't know that we were supposed to keep it weeded. Ignorance is no excuse, however, and we got the good news in the mail.

Which leads me to a conclusion-- you show me a guy who complains about his neighbor's yard, and I'll show you a guy who's trying to maintain equity.

Equity. The meaning of life. The bottom line. The real reason that yardwork exists.

My New Page

I deleted my old blog because I want to blog from my office instead of from home and I had forgotten all of my ID's and passwords and I didn't feel like fishing for them. Plus I wanted a whole new look on Blogger. My old blog was entitled "Reflections on Following Jesus", but I didn't write about following Jesus very much, and so this change will more closely reflect an attempt at some honesty.

I hope I can break free from the fear of being transparent, and I hope that what I write can resonate with many hearts who find it confusing to live as a Christian in this breakneck pace society. Believe me, I'm just as confused as you are.

My source of faith is Scripture because I believe that God truly speaks through it, and most loudly through the life and ministry of Jesus. Jesus is very real to me because his story fits so nicely in the sweep of the Biblical narrative, and I love exploring the various nuances of the New Testament writers as they reflect on this Jesus who has so influenced the world in which we live.