Monday, November 22, 2010

Life is funny....admit it

I had dinner with my friend Julie Saturday night. Good friends are like a pair of old jeans that you haven't worn for a while. They feel so good to have around you and remind you of good times. (Especially if they still fit!)

We spent the first hour catching up with life since we hadn't seen each other for a while: family, work, friends, etc....

Julie took me to a delicious Middle Eastern restaurant called "Cypress" in Oregon City. Great atmosphere, great prices and memorable food.

After our meal we shalayed on back to Julie's house for coffee and more conversation. For the next two or so hours we talked about what we have learned now that we think we have grown up. Dealing with family members, moms and plans for the future. We spent some time reminiscing about the past, parties, the ways things change over time, how things stay the same.

As I drove home, following the path of a spectacular full moon, I too reflected on the conversation with Julie. We are both dealing with aged moms who at times drive us crazy. Likewise we are both trying to adopt an attitude of patience as we navigate through this time. It's good to know that others are in the same space as I am.

As the moon followed me home I couldn't help but chuckle at how nice it was to spend time with her: no one else, just Julie and I. No Wade (although he was invited). I thought about all the other things I wanted to talk about but time ran away, and we are getting too old for those late nights.

Wade was already in bed with I arrived home around 11 pm. The coffee I had consumed earlier in the evening was still coursing through my veins so I stayed up a while, watching Saturday Night Live - which is still not very funny any more.

By 1 pm I was still awake but thought maybe I could fall asleep. I crept into bed, Roxy and Wade breathing heavily, a peaceful rhythm conducive for sleep. As my mind began to drift and think about all the things that happened in that day: A wedding for a co-worker was earlier that day - I could feel my body begin to relax.

And then I got a cramp on the top of my foot.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Crutch vs Church

I’ve had a couple of interesting thoughts this week that came to conclusions after reading pages 86 through 91 in Don Miller’s book ‘A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.’

Earlier this week while typing the word church, I actually wrote ‘crutch.’
I’ve done this before.

Listening to a radio program a guest suggested that modern day, organized religion has been the source of oppression and depression as church leaders fail to empower people to become and overcome. Interesting.

Sharing and talking with a student friend this week we discussed televangelists and their silly ways; I thought out loud that it seemed to me that some pastors in churches have to find a way to keep their congregation weak so as to keep the revenue stream coming in. If people realized that they had the power of Christ on their own, then maybe they wouldn’t be so dependent upon the religious institutions.

Then I read Don’s book on how God is the writer of his life. You’ll need to read this excellent book to get the whole picture, but basically he is saying that God is writing our story and if we listen to him the ending will be far greater than anything we can imagine.

Don makes this statement: “As a kid, the only sense I got from God was guilt, something I dismissed as a hypersensitive conscience I got from being raised in a church with a controlling pastor.”

The point that Don makes is that the Voice we need to listen to isn’t slathered with guilt and condemnation, making us think we are worthless but rather a Voice that speaks softly (so we will listen) IE the Browns) a Voice that encourages us to do the right thing.

I like this description of God.