I'm so tired of saying goodbye

Greetings from Michigan, the state that sends people to other states. Given the pitiful state of our economy here, there is a slow-motion exodus out of this once-proud economic giant. Now we are just a shell of what we once were and will lose another congressional seat or two in the next census.

Our little church in Dundee will say goodbye to three families in a six-week period because of the economy. One family went to Texas, another is going to Colorado and a third is going to the Cleveland, OH area. I'm tired of packing my friends up and moving them out. I don't mind the work, but this business of being a "sending church" is wearing a bit thin.

My apologies for whining. Please pass the cheese.

I praise God for His provision for each of them. The Rister's and Stevens' are going to Colorado Springs to study for the ministry. The Doktor's and Henry's are taking jobs to do what they think is best for their families, and the Lord has provided for all of them. And I do look forward to what God will do next in our little congregation. But God, you can feel free to stop the exodus any time now. As if you needed my permission.

Unintentionally blessing someone

When we moved to Monroe, we had our first experience with garbage- picking. We inherited a bunch of unusable stuff from the previous occupants that we put out each week at the curb. Some nights we would watch out the windows with the lights off as the crews swept the neighborhood looking for salvageable items. We had never seen anything like it.

Yesterday was garbage day and I unintentionally blessed someone with a wheelbarrow. My yard waste bags were rained on and were near collapse so I loaded them into the wheelbarrow as a courtesy to the yard waste collection guys. Someone took the wheelbarrow, and carefully placed the bags on the grass. It had not occurred to me that someone would even comprehend doing that, but so be it. I'm still shaking my head.

To whomever has my wheelbarrow, enjoy it. It served me well.

Our Long National Nightmare is Over

Barry Bonds' death march to the home run record is officially over, and now we can all go back to ignoring the woeful San Francisco Giants team. Congratulations to Barry, who evidently took the "better living through chemistry" credo to new heights (and widths of his head) as he pursued Hank Aaron's record.

This record will forever be tainted because it happened in the Steroid Era of baseball, when the owners, media, commissioner and fans ignored the obvious use of performance enhancing drugs. Baseball needed excitement following the 1994 strike and World Series cancellation, and juiced-up players provided that spark. Suddenly, the league seems to have gotten religion about this and is trying to crack down on steroid use, long after the horse has left the barn.

Give Barry his props. He is the greatest of the steroid era.

More on the cosmos

I may have been a bit trite yesterday in my treatment of the Opus comic. In an email conversation, someone told me that the way we get off of it being about ME is this: "The only real way to stop believing that I am the center of the universe is to recognize that Someone Else is the center of the universe. Acknowledging that Someone else is the center of the universe occurs most easily when I realize that the Center of the universe wants a personal relationship with me."

Read this article, which reflects many of my thoughts on how creation calls us to God. My apologies for giving God short-shrift yesterday.

Isn't this the truth?

Sadly, for so many people, that is true. We can stare at the vastness of creation and it is all about us. Not about God, the infinitely creative one who made all of this, but just about me.

Things haven't changed much since Adam and Eve. It's still all about them. And us.

Longing. Hungering and Thirsting. Wanting more.

In the post-vacation avalanche of mail that awaited us was a Christianity Today magazine with an intriguing article on "hungering and thirsting" that caught my eye. Matthew 5:6 teaches "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." It seems that hunger and thirst are strong metaphors in the Christian walk, which goes will with the emphasis on fasting throughout the Bible. Anyone who has seen me knows that I am not a natural faster. I have to work at it, and don't always see the joy in it. But I do it as the Lord instructs, and it has benefited me.

There is a world around us hungering and thirsting for many things, including righteousness. The world attempts to slake this thirst in many ways. Alcohol, sex, drugs, money, power, busyness, work, other people, etc. There are countless ways to fill Decartes' "God-shaped hole" in us, and we are all trying. Some are trying to fill that hole with God. Others are trying to do it with a form of religion, such as works, trying harder, or other ways that do not rely on the grace and power of God.

The U2 song "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" expresses that thought well. They are striving for God, but it seems like they are doing it in their own strength, which will end in disappointment. It's so easy to say that Jesus is what we are looking for, and that is true. I believe we need to condition our hearts to properly search. We don't need to do more, but rely more. And that is tough, especially in the United States with the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality. Our spiritual formation emphasis should be on growing closer to the Lord, which takes time. Many of us (hear me speaking of myself here) try to rush the process and devote X chapters of reading and X minutes of prayer as if it were formulaic. It isn't. Take it from a pilgrim who has slammed into that wall many times. Take time to practice solitude and rest in the Lord. Listen more and talk less in prayer time. I wish I had done that many years ago.

Here are the lyrics and a YouTube link to the video, which appears to have been shot in Las Vegas. A place where so many try vainly to satisfy their longings. Sorry I can't embed the video for you.

I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I have kissed hardened lips
Felt the healing fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning desire

I have spoken with eternal angels
I have held the hands of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the Kingdom Come
When all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds
And you loosened the chains
Carried the cross
Of all my shame
all my shame
You know I believe it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

This is definitely worth listening to

If you have time, I encourage you to listen to this chapel service at Asbury Seminary. Dr. Steve Stratton, a professor of counseling offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking message on the difference between repentance and shame. While much of it I knew at some level, he does a wonderful job of stitching together several thoughts that do help explain how our attempts at change and the change wrought by the Holy Spirit are very different. If you want to receive the chapel services via Itunes, go here and follow the link.

My presuppositions are showing

And I think it is a good thing.

I read this article in Christianity Today and was simultaneously saddened, sickened, and surprised. I have long cast a wary eye toward any religion or teaching that claims 'God wants you to be rich" because I just don't see evidence of that in scripture. I know that the proponents of this movement have constructed a series of "Proof Texts" to support their position, but I just can't bring myself to believe that all of the suffering references in scripture are overridden by a prosperity gospel. Not everyone is going to be healthy and wealthy, and this movement leaves those people spiritually devastated because the implied assumption is that there is something spiritually wrong with them. Otherwise, God would show them favor. And I imagine deathbed counseling for someone in this situation is extremely difficult.

I'm still early in my theological education, but I have been around the block a couple of times. I cast a wary eye at any theology that uses a couple verses of scripture to make a far-reaching claim. It was for that reason that the Jabez Prayer movement made me a little nervous. It seems to take an isolated prayer and make it universal in its application, which is very dangerous.

I post this merely to make you aware of some trends in the rapidly-growing Christian church. Pray hard for sound biblical teaching, or we will devastate Africa again, as we did during the colonial era.

One of the more fun days in Colorado

Just a quick note to show one of the more fun things we did during our trip. This was one of the "necessary" items on the trip, since the kids had never been rafting with their friends. We went in 2004, but with the Duce's, not the Risters. It was a blast on a day when there was a great deal of water on the Arkansas River near Buena Vista. If you make it out here, you need to do this. It's a lot of fun.

Looking for places to bury me

On Wednesday we hiked the Crags, a spectacularly beautiful section of Colorado near Pikes Peak. The hike should have only been 3.5-4 miles, but was nearly doubled because the road to the trailhead was only open intermittently due to road construction. The additional 2 miles each way strained this flatlander to the point of fearing he would meet Jesus on the trail. I even went far enough to point out to Dr. Alan Duce and my wife Deb places that would be appropriate, in my opinion, to bury me if I succumbed to the combination of thin air and poor physical conditioning.

Deb took a great number of flower photos on this trip, which you can enjoy here. There are some birds, a few bugs and a wonderful spot that reminds me of the verse from the hymn "he hideth my soul, in the cleft of the rock, and covers me there with his hand." Alan told us that he and his wife had taken refuge in that cleft during a storm. I'm glad we didn't face that. There are also some great photos from the top of the Crags, which is at approximately 10,700 ft in elevation.

We head home on Friday afternoon, so this may be the last post for a few days. God has used this trip to bring us closer together, and inspire my soul. I find that the scenery reminds me of the power, creativity, and absolute majesty of God. And I take great comfort in that. I also had some time to spend with Alan, who is my ministry mentor, and a trusted confidante to talk about how my ministry preparation is going and some of the associated issues that go along with that. I truly value his counsel. And we all were able to spend time with the Rister's, who were our closest friends in Monroe until they moved last year. My daughters have been anxiously waiting for this trip so they could spend time with their friends. You never have enough time for something like that, but we have greatly enjoyed our time together out here. Leaving will be a sad moment for all of us.

Tuesday was a killer

We had a fabulous time hiking on Tuesday. In the morning we hiked the Cutler Trail and a trail above Helen Hunt Falls and Seven Falls. The photos located here show some of the beauty that we saw and give an idea of how much fun Cheyenne Canyon can be. We had the great pleasure of hiking with Dr. Alan Duce and Rev. Jan Duce, professors at Nazarene Bible College and our former pastors. We visited the Duce's in 2004 and greatly enjoyed our time with them. The trail offers some spectacular views of Seven Falls, Cheyenne Canyon and the Will Rogers Shrine. It is a breathtaking (especially for a middle-aged, overweight flatlander like me) view in the early morning, and one of the many reminders that God loves beauty, and in His creation, displayed His creative genius.

In the afternoon we went to Waldo Canyon and hiked part, but not all, of that trail. It was different type of trail that offered some nice side views of Pikes Peak and the canyon. All totalled, we hiked about 8 miles that day, and by the end of the day, I was feeling it. We attended a Colorado Springs Sky Sox baseball game, and I could barely stay awake. And I love baseball. But it was a grand day, and better than any day in the flatlands where we live. I am grateful that we could come here and enjoy the magnificent scenery that is in this country.

Blooming where they are planted

On Monday we took the white-knuckle drive up Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs. Here are some pictures from the drive. There are many hairpin turns on a road that will make anyone afraid of heights grip their car door. But along the way, we stopped and played a little at Crystal Reservoir and climbed up a rock formation above the treeline. What is amazing is the number of beautiful flowers that can live under rocks, in shadows, and in some of the harshest environments you can find.

God makes people like that. Those who can bloom wherever God plants them are like the hardy little plants. They beautify some of the ugliest places, and make the world a little prettier place. That is the kind of Christian I aspire to be. One that makes the world around me a little better, no matter where God plants me. I hold fast to my pastor's favorite scripture, Psalm 16:6, that my boundary lines are drawn in pleasant places.

The Sunday Hike

All of the photos are here for your viewing. We took a hike in the Red Rocks Open Space in Colorado Springs. There are some magnificent views of Cheyenne Mountain, the Garden of the Gods (at left), and the Colorado Springs community. It was an afternoon hike and hot, but we all did remarkably well with the temperature. This is truly an amazing place to view creation.

Pictures from our Saturday adventure

On Saturday, we went to Buena Vista, Colorado for a 1/2 day whitewater rafting trip. The drive down US 24 between Colorado Springs and Buena Vista was absolutely breathtaking as we drove through the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Click here to see the pictures. The mountain pictures are primarily of the Collegiate Peaks near Buena Vista.

I can't say enough how much I appreciate the beauty of what God has created out here. It isn't idyllic, but it certainly shows the creative power of God. I know it is good for my soul. We are going walking this evening near the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I look forward to that.

Wikiklesia?

My classmate Derek is a contributing author to Wikiklesia: Voices of the Virtual World. Take a minute and check out the site and the book if you are interested in the convergences of faith, technology, art and the Internet. It looks interesting.

Seeing America

We are now 7 days into our trek across America's midsection. So far we have gone from Michigan to South Dakota, stayed with friends for a few days and then moved on to Colorado Springs. We have seen some amazing country as we drove. We felt a tug back to South Dakota that was far stronger than I expected. And the drive from Hot Springs, South Dakota to Cheyenne, Wyoming was breathtaking. Here are a few photos of our trip so far. Enjoy.

These are just a few of the photos. Yes, there really is a Lost Springs, Wyoming. I'm not sure how an election would work there, but you never know.
God has blessed us with an amazingly beautiful country. There are places that just take your breath away, and inspire awe at the grandeur of what He has created. If you get the chance, take a trip and admire what the Lord has blessed us with. It is good for the soul. At least my soul is blessed.

Paranoia

I really don't know how to add to this story. It just demonstrates the depth of paranoia and distrust in Iraq. Man eating Badgers? That is a new one on me. The video clip at the end only seemed appropriate.

British blamed for Basra badgers

British forces have denied rumours that they released a plague of ferocious badgers into the Iraqi city of Basra.

Word spread among the populace that UK troops had introduced strange man-eating, bear-like beasts into the area to sow panic.

But several of the creatures, caught and killed by local farmers, have been identified by experts as honey badgers.

The rumours spread because the animals had appeared near the British base at Basra airport.

UK military spokesman Major Mike Shearer said: "We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area.

It is the size of a dog but his head is like a monkey Housewife Suad Hassan

"We have been told these are indigenous nocturnal carnivores that don't attack humans unless cornered."

The director of Basra's veterinary hospital, Mushtaq Abdul-Mahdi, has inspected several of the animals' corpses.

He told the AFP news agency: "These appeared before the fall of the regime in 1986. They are known locally as Al-Girta.

"Talk that this animal was brought by the British forces is incorrect and unscientific."

THE HONEY BADGER Also known as a ratel, it is a large, sharp-clawed mammal At around 100cm (39in) long it is slightly bigger than its British woodland cousin Capable of taking on a cobra, the animal weighs up to 14kg (30lb) Its Latin name is melivora capensis, and it is indigenous to Africa and the Middle East

Dr Ghazi Yaqub Azzam, deputy dean of Basra's veterinary college, speculated that the badgers were being driven towards the city because of flooding in marshland north of Basra.

But the assurances did little to convince some members of the public.

One housewife, Suad Hassan, 30, claimed she had been attacked by one of the badgers as she slept.

"My husband hurried to shoot it but it was as swift as a deer," she said. "It is the size of a dog but his head is like a monkey," she told AFP.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6295138.stm

Published: 2007/07/12 13:00:42 GMT

© BBC MMVII

A Little Light-hearted Nazarene Rap

I'm pretty sure this isn't heretical :) But I found it on The OOZE. It seems like a good sendoff as we embark on a 2-week vacation to South Dakota and Colorado Springs. I'll try to throw some stuff up while we are on the road.

Show her some comment love

Lauren, a young lady from my congregation, is embarking on a 10-month trip to Pune, India as an exchange student. If you feel so inclined, go to her blog and send her some comment love as she prepares to go to the other side of the world. I'm sure she would appreciate the encouragement.

This is a pretty big deal for her and her family. Prayers are also appreciated.

Running Away from it all

If only it were that easy. Imagine all the grief that could be avoided if you, if you wanted to run away from all your problems, could do it without having to resort to drug and alcohol addictions, extra-marital relationships and all of the various and sundry ways people use to get away from life. Some even resort to death to avoid the problems.

Jesus never promised that our problems would go away. In fact, he warned us to expect more because of our faith. But he did promise to give us a more abundant life in John 10:10. No matter how hard we try, we cannot run away from our problems. Jacob tried it. Elijah laid down and asked to die. But we can turn to the One who will always be there for us to help us do what is the best for us and in God's plan.

The comic is cute, but the issue is very real. Pray hard for those who seem in danger of being overwhelmed. All running does is make you tired and put you farther away from where you need to be.