Simple question

What does a blind man standing on the street corner in the pouring rain think about?

Leaving on a jet plane

I'm off to Ohio this afternoon. The plan is to return on Tuesday.

Why?

Describe a dream day…. I think if someone were to ask me to describe a dream day my thoughts would go to a people free beach with palm trees somewhere in Mexico or the Caribbean. The dream day would include a bright sunny day with a cool breeze (The kind of day where you could get a tan but not have to sweat for it) The sun’s ray could only tan and not burn. The water would be the perfect temperature. The waves would be killer. There would be a huge beach house with surfboards, guitars, pool, bar (non-alcoholic), and friends. Van Morrison would be the soundtrack for the day without speakers the music would be in the breeze. The dream day would end with a dinner date for two at some beachside restaurant and a long walk on the beach at sunset, letting the cooling sand and bare feet collide. In my mind there are many more details such as who the date is and what she would be wearing, how everyone would somehow have the skills of a professional surfer, the layout of the beach house, etc. I am sure that with more time to think I could come up with several other dream day scenarios; however, the one included here was the first thing to come to mind. Why is it that Heaven is not first to my mind? Why would the date be a girl instead of Jesus? I am currently thinking over these questions…more to come.

Makes me want to stay for awhile

I bought the new Matthews band album yesterday (Target has the dual disc on sale for $11.98). I am not a Johnny-come-lately fan of the band, I have been listening to their music ever since Under the table in '94 (yes I was twelve and I thought the hey la la la's on "the best of what's around" was right on). It appears the band has been introduced to a new way of recording, the producer for this album has his roots in hip-hop as appose to the rock-and -roll producers the band normally uses. I have to say that even though I miss the acoustic feel of "Lie in our graves" the new beats make me tap my feet and bob my head. Of course, Dave's voice sounds gruff as ever; however, the guys of the Matthews band have put out some new tunes that are a welcomed sound to my ears after all the live albums.

The Great Transition

Change is inevitable. I attended a college friend’s wedding this past Saturday afternoon in Taylors, South Carolina. The day was beautiful, sunshine and a cool breeze, the kind of day that makes you want to be outside just to be outside, the wedding was on par with the day. Because the bride was a college friend the wedding was in some ways like a reunion, bringing together familiar faces and nostalgic feelings. It was although I stepped into another world that was existing with the same external makeup and at the same pace in space and time, but with different persons occupying the people that I once knew. People had changed (by changed I do not mean that they were better or worse, just different.). Growth, including physical, emotional, spiritual, etc., happens in life and will happen no matter how we may try to stop it. We are all moving towards one end or another regardless of how we perceive ourselves. I think that what happens is the change that occurs appears to be amorphous to those in whom the change takes place. This is primarily because most change takes place over time and is not instantaneous (This is not to say that change can never be instantaneous, only that it appears to me that most often it happens over time). Here is an example; lets say I want to lose weight so I join a gym and begin to diet. At the beginning of this venture you leave to go to China for a year. When you return you visit me and (for the sake of the example) I have lost 100 pounds. You are amazed by the change that has taken place; however, for me I do not see my weight as a change because I did not lose the weight all at once. For a time I was 280 pounds, then 260 pounds, then 245 pounds, all the way down to 180 pounds. In hindsight, I can see major changes, but not during the transition; however, isn’t life on earth one big transition. Here is another example, a friend is overseas doing mission work, I suppose that when he returns he will have grown spiritually and I will see that in his life. However, he won’t know how much he has grown because it was not instantaneous, he had no definitive point of reference in his mind and the people that he was around were growing/changing too. Its like when your on the interstate and everyone is going the same speed, it does not appear that you are moving very fast; however, to those stopped on the overpass you are flying. All this to say that those friends who seemed to change a great deal probably thought the same of me, although I do not think that I changed. But, I have. Hopefully it is for the better.

Risk?

My roommate of two years and one of my best friends graduated from college yesterday in Greenville. During the ceremony the speaker (who donated one million dollars to the new graduate program) spoke on living life in such a way that shame does not befall you during judgment. At the beginning of his brief speech he made the comment that God took a risk in creating man because man could choose to love God or not, mankind could choose to seek after their maker or choose their own path. I began to squirm in my seat as he spoke these words of what I believe is bad theology. I for one don’t believe God took a risk in creating man, I believe He began a progress of gracious redemption that would display the fullness of His glory to those created to the praise of His glory. The cross was on the table from the foundation on the world, God is not surprised in such a way to have to conjure a plan B. The effect of the cross was sure, the righteousness of God displayed, the course of human history in conformity to the pleasing plan of the Father through the obedience of His son.

Home

During my 45 minute drive to work this morning, which was longer than normal due to a Mac truck and a small car that looked like a pile of scrap metal, I was thinking about my home. The reason being is that my house is now on the market and will someday be sold, if the Re/max man, who is like the butler in the movie Mr. Deeds with a lesser degree of tact, has his way. Allow me to digress…well… lets just say it almost turned into some late night home alone last samurai right on action.
Where is my home? What is my home? Chris and Rod have some good insight. Someone once said, “Home is where the heart is.” If this is true the question becomes “where is my heart,” for where my heart is there my home will be. This is an interesting question because Jesus said the greatest commandments were to have our hearts (love) directed towards God and our neighbor. If we are obedient does this mean that God Himself and our neighbors are our home?

Prepare to be blown away

Upon my solo trip to the library yesterday i came across The Question of God by Dr. Nicholl. I sat down among the homeless and began to read somewhere in the middle of the book. I was blown away by a quote from C.S. Lewis:

"We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the Divine love may rest well pleased."

Needless to say, I am still thinking about it...

"hmmm....I've said too much"

Ever feel like you’ve said too much. I was talking with a friend yesterday and I unloaded about four weeks worth of “spiritual processing” on him. I realized after the fact that it probably made little sense if any and therefore, could have been omitted. I think sometimes we speak and never say anything. In other words, we waste words. I suspect that words that make no sense are a waste as well. This is not to say that every word that comes out of our mouths must be profound or serious (I enjoy funny stories, jokes and sarcasm as much as the next guy). I also think that at times in my life I have just needed to say something to somebody regardless of just “speaking” or wasting words. I believe that the words that resonate in my heart and mind most deeply are words that have a realness, words that have a “heart quality” to them. All this to say, Matt, sorry I unloaded on you, but the words were coming out of a place where God is renovating.