Life Is Now

I'm busy. Got a lot on my plate. Too much to do and too little time to do it.

Sound familiar? It's easy, even natural, to slide into the stressed-out mode. Ya know, beyond just the busy "good" kind of stress...the place where you're not enjoying life, missing out on the little moments that you'll never get back.

I saw a snapshot of my firstborn son yesterday, and it snapped me back into reality. I was on the verge of tears as I looked at his chubby no-neckness that was a year ago, realizing that he'll never be like that again. Not that I missed out on it; I enjoyed every minute of it, but it made me take inventory of how I'm living now. And if I'm honest, I've been sidetracked when I get home after work, unable to release everything and embrace my family fully.

Yesterday never comes around again. Today is a day like no other. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. So love your life now, and make forever memories everyday.

No More Silent Religion

Here lately I'd had so many conversations with people about spirituality that I'm realizing for myself what much of our generation seems to crave nowadays...the interactive search for truth. For many, just sitting silently listening to an orator leaves them feeling educated but muddled, in need of conversation to process what they've just heard.

For far too long, the various sectors of the church (denominations we call them--some might call them demonizations...ha!) have clinged to their "version" of truth as THE only way to believe, when in fact, I think it was some guy named Jesus who actually said, "I am the way." Anyhow, I know I don't know it all and I never will. In fact, the more I learn, the more I realize how small and dumb I am in fact!

While I believe in absolute truth, I don't believe in absolute process. Meaning that Christ is what is sacred, not how we get to Him. If the path to faith in Christ is meant to look a certain way, I think the Bible would say so. But again, it was Jesus Himself who said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6)

The church talks a lot. I guess my question is: are we listening too? There are many waiting to be heard without being judged, to be allowed to express their faith, doubts, and fears, and to walk their individual pathway to faith in Christ.

Missing It

Being raised in an evangelical church, I was programmed to be an evangelist...meaning that I need to be winning souls for Christ everywhere I go, constantly proclaiming the gospel message, even when people don't want to hear it--and that's where I think it got goofy.

While I believe that the message of Christ brings friction...because grace is totally counter-intuitive...I don't believe that our presentation of that message should create more friction. Somewhere along the line, it seems that a large sector of the church rose up in spiritual pride, proclaiming themselves as the torch bearers of truth, chosen as the ones to bring the light into your darkness, as well as singe you with the flame, just for good measure!

Where did we get the idea that we could jam the truth down people's throats? Where in the Bible are we granted permission to be "God's Goons," shoving people around with shame and guilt when we discover sin (or what we consider sin) in their lives? Who in the world wants to be shunned, judged, and embarrassed? And when did Jesus ever use that approach?

I'm a recovering goon...how 'bout you?