Friday, April 27, 2007
How Loud Are You
So FSM has a spring retreat this weekend and I have been getting ready to say something theological and meaningful to everyone going. it has been hard to sift through my thoughts because there is so much I want to say. So as I am narrowing down the other day it hits me that God really does want us to pursue him with mad devotion and crazy anticipation. And if we do that we can't help but stick out from the crowd. But how loud and 'stick-out-ish' should we be? Should we be more vocal? Should our actions speak louder than our words? Does God favor good speakers/communicators over quiet humble hearts? Do you have to be vocal to madly pursue Christ? I think yes and no to all questions. What am I talking about? I say we should be vocal and active.
I have been really taken aback by American Idol's 'Give Back' program they launched this week. I think of it along the lines of 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition'. Over 70 million called in to vote and over 65 million dollars has been raised to benefit the ONE.org (among other things). Let me throw that back out--over $65 million!!! That's not a church sponsored event. That is News Corp, Fox, ONE.org, and others joining together and doing what they can to help kids, adults, lost, homeless, needy, poor, people in some of the poorest parts of our WORLD!! They are doing something!! Mean while I am struggling with what to SAY to people about madly and wildly following the Creator of the Universe. I am not sure I know how to tell people how to do that. But think I can point to places that God is actually working (even if those that he is working through are not regular 'church' folks).
Jesus seemed more interested in helping the poor, homeless, down and out, helpless and the like than he did making sure we have the right color walls in our buildings or enough pizza at our next function. Jesus' call is the same 2000 years ago as today:
Go, Disciple, Baptize, Teach, Follow Me, Serve, Love, and Worship. How many of those do we do really well? Or, how many of those do we see as the most important thing to the detriment of the rest?
How loud are we? I guess we answer that question by first asking ourselves, how loud is God screaming at us? How loud is God in our lives? How much does he have to do to show us that whether we unite behind Him or not, his Will, will be done here on earth?
How loud indeed.
I have been really taken aback by American Idol's 'Give Back' program they launched this week. I think of it along the lines of 'Extreme Makeover Home Edition'. Over 70 million called in to vote and over 65 million dollars has been raised to benefit the ONE.org (among other things). Let me throw that back out--over $65 million!!! That's not a church sponsored event. That is News Corp, Fox, ONE.org, and others joining together and doing what they can to help kids, adults, lost, homeless, needy, poor, people in some of the poorest parts of our WORLD!! They are doing something!! Mean while I am struggling with what to SAY to people about madly and wildly following the Creator of the Universe. I am not sure I know how to tell people how to do that. But think I can point to places that God is actually working (even if those that he is working through are not regular 'church' folks).
Jesus seemed more interested in helping the poor, homeless, down and out, helpless and the like than he did making sure we have the right color walls in our buildings or enough pizza at our next function. Jesus' call is the same 2000 years ago as today:
Go, Disciple, Baptize, Teach, Follow Me, Serve, Love, and Worship. How many of those do we do really well? Or, how many of those do we see as the most important thing to the detriment of the rest?
How loud are we? I guess we answer that question by first asking ourselves, how loud is God screaming at us? How loud is God in our lives? How much does he have to do to show us that whether we unite behind Him or not, his Will, will be done here on earth?
How loud indeed.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Be quiet and sit there
I have always been a rythmic person. It is hard for me to sit and relax for very long (without any distractions like TV, movies, music). Can you do it? I mean really just sit in some place where you will be alone and it is very quiet and you can actually hear your thoughts. Give it a try and tell me how it goes. I bet you can't do it for very long at first or without falling asleep. More to come...
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
What's Up?
Well, I have been on a break for about a month and am now ready to get back in the blogging game. My first thought is that I am glad it is Spring and that Baseball season is upon us. My next thought is that I am glad that Summer is just around the corner and I can't wait for my new baby to be born!! My last thought is: Always read the label of pain medication before you take what is inside.
