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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Rejoice, Sunday is Here

Friday, March 21, 2008

Saturday

What now?

I. . .WE gave it all up to follow you and for what?

Trapped in a town far away from home. Condemned as outcasts. Our own people won't even accept us. You were our hope. You promised a new kingdom. You said it was here, now. Why aren't we planning the revolution? You had the people. You had the passion. We would have died for you, for freedom, but you are the one laying in the grave.

We're scared and alone.

We should have known. The past week has been a blur. They welcomed you with open arms, laid down palm branches in your path. Caesar marched his army in the same day and didn't get the same praise and adoration.

Then the temple incident, the fig tree, and the passover meal. It all seems so surreal. Then that night in the garden. Peter reached out to defend you and you rebuked him. You REBUKED him.

Peter said the trial was a sham.

WHY DIDN'T YOU SPEAK UP?!?

You had the power to stop it. And Pilate up there all high and mighty. "I wash my hands" indeed. He knew and he did nothing to stop it.

Why the beatings? Why the degradation? Why the cross? Why? Why? WHY?!?

What are we supposed to do? We gave it all up and now . . . now we have nothing. NOTHING!

What have we done?
It's Friday

I've seen this posted to other blogs in the past, but it bears repeating.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Frustrated

Writer's block, very annoying. I'm stuck. Not just with writing, but with life in general. I churned out a podcast earlier tonight, but now I feel like it wasn't up to par and I shouldn't have posted it.

I want to write, but I have no idea what to write about.

Although the 'American Living' commercial that just came on reminds me that I want to write up a review of the Robert Plant/Allison Krauss album. I did a verbal review in the aforementioned podcast, but I feel that it too was lacking.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

The Soundtrack to My Life

This is part one of an ongoing series. I have many passions in my life. Behind God and my wife is music. Part of my writing is exploring the music that makes up the soundtrack to my life.

"Big Log" by Robert Plant

I don't know where I was when I first heard this song. I can only think it was late one night sometime in high school, but it could go back further than that. It is because of that I associate this song with night. Every time I hear it, no matter what time of day, it transports me somewhere. It is the perfect song for driving down the highway on a cool summer night, cool breeze circulating through the car. I don't know if it is the guitar or if it is the mournfulness of the lyrics. It is a song for when I'm alone. It doesn't work the same when I'm with a group of people.

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Cost? Pt. 3

When Jesus called the disciples to put down their nets and follow him it was a big deal. I don’t think we see that impact it had on their lives. Fishing was their livelihood. They weren’t out having a relaxing day on the lake, they were out trying to earn money and food so they could live. More than likely they were doing what their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers did. There wasn’t a world of opportunities like we have today.

They gave it all up on the word of a man they had never seen before.

I had trouble giving up cable TV a year ago so we could put the money towards our debt.

Now before you get the wrong idea, I'm not trying to beat anyone, least of all myself, up over this question. I don't have all of the answers. It comes down to where is God leading your heart. Our focus shouldn't be how much money and stuff we have. If you have a lot or if you have nothing I don't necesarily think it speaks to how God's blessings. Either way you go you take the risk making a God out of your focus. If you make good money, live in a big house, drive a nice car, etc. it can become God to you. If you give it all away, that very act can become God to you.

It all comes down to obedience to God. Obedience to giving time and money or obedience to giving up your self and your plans to take on a better plan.

Is it costing me? Yes, I'm sure I could have a better life in terms of every magazine cover and every television ad. I'm sure we could have a bigger house and newer cars, but that would be a bigger cost.

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Cost? Pt. 2

We give to our church on a regular basis. We hold around $35,000 in nothing but consumer debt. That debt could be paid of faster if we didn’t give at all, but I know the money is going to support other church plants in other cities that need to hear God’s word. I know that the money is going overseas to missionaries and funds to help people that truly know poverty. I wish we could give more.

I wish we were financially able to support a child through Compassion International. We just paid our last car payment and after a month or two I think we’ll be in a place to do just that.

There are people who are dying around the world because of poverty. I live in a country where I can run up $35,000 in CONSUMER DEBT in the blink of an eye. I have a few, or more than a few, extra pounds so I’m obviously not starving. For all of my complaint about the amount of pay I make or don’t make, not having had a raise in 3 years, I’m still making out pretty well. So well in fact that I can afford $20 a month for music, not to mention the used books and games I occasionally buy.

Yeah, I’m paying a huge cost.