To My Four Readers...

Thanks for reading the random thoughts I have, but after 306 entries, this is my last post on Blogger. I'm not going to write as much in the future, but what I do write of this genre will be under 'Notes' on my Facebook page. So find me there, and if you're not on Facebook, join the cult.

God bless you all.

A new vision for the Republicans

My hope after the election that the Republicans would see their time in the wilderness as a time for renewal, a time to purge themselves from the radical politics of power that they have been concerned with. I was hoping that they would find their soul. However, it has often seeemed like they are intent on imploding and causing as much havoc as possible.

But maybe this is how cleansing works for a party that is in such pitiful shape. I really like this op-ed piece by John Feehery, a Republican, about what is happening. He closes with this little note:

The Republican Party doesn't do itself any favors by nominating people who pride themselves on being anti-intellectual or inexperienced. Governing is hard work. Having expertise is important. Having real experience is essential.

The Republican Party seems to be going through a cleansing process. Folks who would be president are dropping like flies, quitting their jobs or otherwise getting into a bizarre scandal of one kind or another.

But America has done as well as it has over the last couple hundred years because it has a vibrant two-party system that keeps the party in power honest. So, the Republican Party will eventually come back. It may take a while, but the Democrats will overreach, or under-reach, or fail or fall victim to its own scandals.

I think Palin's resignation is a good sign for the GOP. We can now move on to more serious candidates for the White House, and we can shift the focus from her reality-TV-like life to more serious issues that face the country.

Palin is right: She has been a distraction. Now, it is time to focus less on her soap opera and more on where the Obama administration really wants to take this country and how the Republican Party can come up with superior alternatives that will keep America strong.

I'd like to think that Feehery is right, but only time will tell.

The fabled lost chapter of Outliers...

I've been thinking for awhile about writing a Christian response to a book I read recently, Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers. It's a terrific book about success and how many of the things that cause success are not necessarily what you might expect. However, I'm still chewing through some of his points and it may be awhile before I can figure out what this would mean for the church of today.

However, I can write about failure, because it's much more easy to identify. In many ways I feel as if I fail: in my ministry, as a parent and a husband, and so forth. Daily I seek to be better than what I am and by the grace of God perhaps my failures will one day be transformed into strength.

I recognize my own failures. Some, however, do not. One of those 'somes' is the Kansas City Royals. I have obsessed over this team the last few seasons like I've rarely obsessed about any team in sports. It's so much easier to follow a team now, with the internet and almost every game being on channel 34; even though I don't get to the park like I would like, I can tell you more about this team now than probably any team in any sport I've ever watched.

And I can certainly attest that this team does not recognize its failures. Two recent stories on the team's official site, the first about three mediocre plays being cornerstones of the franchise and now today's story about a .222 hitter 'making the most of his opportunity' just infuriate me. How will you become successful when you continue to be content with such a bad baseball team? As in years past, nobody seems mad about the continual losing. Bad players continue to play. The same basic mistakes continue to happen with this team again and again and again.

You know what I'd really like? I'd love it if Trey Hillman (the manager) or Dayton Moore (the GM) would come out and acknowledge for us just how lousy this team is. "Sure, we've had injuries. But we screwed up when we built this team. This offseason we traded two quality arms for a stiff and another guy who was expendable. We overpaid for mediocre players to the point that we can't get rid of them because it will cost too much money. And even now our owner has no idea what it means to be a baseball owner...to win, you don't have to worry about losing money, which really shouldn't be an issue for a family as rich as the Glass family."

This will never happen, and as a result the Royals will never have to worry about being a chapter in a book about success. At least they have that going for them...

The Real Meaning of Holidays

-Memorial Day: Start of summer! End of school! Go to the lake!
-Labor Day: End of summer. Start of school. Lake's too cold. :(
-Christmas: Gimme Gimme Gimme!
-Halloween: Candy Candy Candy!
-Easter: Candy Candy Candy! And for the ladies, white shoes.
-Valentine's Day: Candy Candy Candy! And for the guys, confusion.
-Thanksgiving: Stuff your face with turkey and stuffing, watch football.
-4th of July: Woo-hoo! We get to blow up stuff!
-St. Patrick's Day: Everybody's gonna get plastered today!
-New Years' Eve: Everybody's gonna get plastered tonight!
-New Years' Day: Hangover, watch football.
-MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Veterans' Day and Columbus Day: The post office is closed?

Things don't have to be this stupid. Remember how blessed you are, and remember the many who have come before you so that you can live freely.

Have a happy Independence Day.

What Would a Christian Political Party Look Like?

The Economist today had a podcast about the emergence of a Christian political party in London, though it is only polling at about 2 1/2%. Assuming God is not a Republican, which some might otherwise believe, what are some questions that might inform what an American Christian political party might look like?
-Would they believe that it is important for people to have the right to almost any lethal weapon possible?
-Would they defend the status quo concerning the physical welfare of the most vulnerable among us?
-What kind of foreign policy might they espouse towards those who have commonly been our national enemies?
-Would they build up a military with weapons that could annihilate any other nation on earth, or even destroy the earth entirely?
-Would they be offended at a higher rate of taxation for the wealthy?
-Who might they believe are the most dangerous elements of society: business leaders who cheat to build up their wealth, political leaders who destroy opponents to consolidate power, or common criminals who negatively affect their communities by their single actions, or someone else?
-What kind of policy would they have concerning state-sponsored torture?
-How would they deal with third-world nations whose poverty would be appalling to most Americans, and how might they change policy towards leaders of such countries who have not looked out for the interest of their people?
-How would an explicitly Christian policy deal with the sexual laxity of our modern society? Would it seek to implement laws that punished the immoral?
-Could those who are not professing Christians who seek the good of society join such a political party? And just who would be considered a professing Christian?

One could go on all day with these and a thousand other questions, but in truth such are generally futile questions. The kingdoms of earth are not the kingdom of God, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to fuse the two. I've mentioned before that it would be wonderful to live in a truly 'Christian' place, but Christians have rarely if ever been afforded this privilege; when they have, they have usually destroyed their own souls in the process because of their obsession with power and fear of not getting things their own way. Perhaps instead of seeking out the power that comes from political gain, Christians need to be more intent on changing the world in the small manners of servanthood.

One other thing...soon enough, a Christian political party would invariably split into two, then four, then eight parties. Why? Because sometimes we can't even decide what is the proper course of political action, even amongst those of us who claim to take faith seriously. We have hardly agreed on matters of the kingdom of God...can you imagine how fractious we would be on matters of the kingdoms of this earth? I shudder.

The Right To the Good Life

I drive a 1999 Ford Ranger. I'd like to drive a newer vehicle with more stuff on it, but I don't have that right. I live in a medium-sized 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch house with a tiny yard. I'd love to have a huge house with a swimming pool and a few acres, but I don't have that right.

However, in the minds of most today, I and my fellow citizens have the right to the very best health care in the world for little to no cost. Should I come down with a brain tumor or cancer or some other debilitating disease, should I have the right to as good health care as those who are rich, without going into a lifetime of staggering debt?

Somehow this is where the debate over health care in this country of ours has ended up. Whether one is failing health and in need of hundred thousand dollars of medical services each year in order to survive, or somebody still middle aged with children who is battling breast cancer, we've come to the conclusion these days that everybody has the right to the best of health care in order to live a life that is full and healthy. Who could politically deny such a thing? Even the most conservative within our country pause before going off on a rant about whether illegal aliens are entitled to medical care in a hospital ER; even the most uncompassionate would not refuse somebody the right to basic medical care if they were severely injured in an accident but could not pay for it.

It is this mindset that we've developed concerning our Right to the Best Health Care that will lead us to eventually have some of governmental control over health care. The final blow on this will not be about specific costs savings, efficiencies, or even about the children. In a way, I almost wonder if the conservative emphasis on Right to Life in the abortion debate has led people to this mindset, even if unconsciously. We have believed that every life is sacred, especially the lives of the most vulnerable among us; who is less vulnerable than the sick or the dying? Deep down, most people now will believe that it's time for the best health care possible; and given the mess that the system is in now, the governmental option will likely win out in the end.

I don't write this because I advocate national health care plans or even because I believe in specific policies...in truth, I'm suspicious about all the promises that such plans seem to offer. But I do believe that the national health care debate will end up with 'universal coverage' unless conservatives can change the mindset 'every life is precious'...and you and I both know that this is not going to happen. I'm sure they never would have dreamed that one ideological emphasis would have such an impact on another.

Our Christian Nation

We used to proclaim that we were going to take the world for Jesus, that revival was going to sweep over our nation like a wildfire.

Now? We simply proclaim that we have accomplished this by fiat.

Since I've joined Facebook I've gotten quite a few invitations from folks who want me to 'Tell Obama That We Are Still A Christian Nation'. Or I can join a group and put my name on a list that says that there are a million Christians on Facebook. Or I can become a fan of God, the Bible, Mexican Food, or the Holy Spirit. Yes sir, I can lend my name to all sorts of causes that proclaim that we're Christians and yes, we're not going to be silent about it, dadgumit.

Please don't get me wrong. I wish it were true that I lived in a Christian nation. As Paul said, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (Romans 9:3) We must always be ready to profes our faith, to let the world know that the news of Christianity's death has been greatly exaggerated.

Yet my experience shows me that this nation is not a 'Christian' nation and has not been for perhaps a very long time. My suspicions are not just about church attendance (most realistic estimates show that less than 1/4 of Americans are in church on any given Sunday), nor is it about abortion, gay marriage, or any number of a hundred social issues (which, incidentally, Christians seem to be losing ground on in social opinion and hence policy), issues that we so often point to as an indicator about our spirituality.

No, I fear that we are not a Christian nation simply because those who claim the faith are doing a lousy job in living it. Jesus told those who were rich to sell all they had and give to the poor (Matt. 19:21), yet we explain away his words and the actions of the early church (Acts 4:34-35) as we decry taxes that will support the poor and deny us the fruits of our God-given success. He told us to turn the other cheek when we have been struck (Matthew 5:39) but we espouse foreign policies that give us an itchy trigger finger when anybody even threatens our interests. He told us that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33), persecution (John 15:20), and evil done against us (Matthew 5:11), but we act shocked and offended when Christians face any kind of trouble and the red carpet is not rolled out in our honor.

I'd like to think that we are a Christian nation, but as I get older I'm getting much more pessimistic about this fact. Maybe we need a new tactic: instead of just simply saying it and wishing that it will come true, Christians need to start living our faith. Then, perhaps, we can become what we say that we already are.

A word of hope for small churches

Way back in my college days I learned about 'economies of scale', the principle that as companies get larger they are able to be more efficient and, in many areas, cheaper and better. Such a principle is why we go to Lowe's for our hardware rather than the local shop, and in the long run why Lowe's spread over the country while little mom-and-pop stores eventually fade into oblivion.

I'm slowly realizing that this is where we are going in the church world, if we are not already there yet. Much is made of the many ministries that large churches are able to offer, such as a growing youth group, a dynamic worship service, and a staff of specialists who are able to meet the various needs of various members. Small churches, however, are not able to do these things. Even when we are seeking excellence, we have to be much more careful about what we pick and choose to do. We can't serve every need, fill every niche. General practitioner ministries will not meet the personality needs of everybody. And when we do seek to do particular things, when we make the wrong choice it can be fatal for the church; unlike a large church that can afford to have a few failures along the way, small churches often place their bets on one ministry, and more often than not such risky decisions fail. Members get discouraged, and slowly a church dies.

As a small-church minister (going on 14 years now of working in churches of less than a hundred people), sometimes I get very frustrated about the seeming hopelessness we face, and my conversations with colleagues show the same stories happening in small churches wherever they are. Slowly but surely we continue to get smaller, losing members to larger churches that are able to 'offer' more and meet more of their needs. We wonder members can't stay faithful to the mom-and-pop mentalities of the small churches, even as sometimes we secretly are envious of their decisions to move on.

So where is the hope? Should we simply close up shop, because we can see the future and it's not as pretty as we would like? We've been burned enough times by failure to become pessimistic about the future, and so we continue to hang on and seek to simply maintain what we have.

I do believe, however, that God still do great things through our small, out-of-favor churches. Small businesses survive by providing solid customer service or by finding a niche that eludes the megacorps...but we have something better. We have the very Spirit of God working among us, something that is able to raise up our valley of dry bones and make there be life when it seems like life had gone away. We're not doing what we do for financial survival or so that we can 'keep the doors open' (though some would think that we are, to their own detriment); we do what we do so that, little by little, the kingdom of God continues to grow and make a difference in this lost and dying world. And sure, we might be saddened as we lose folks as they move on to the big-box church down the street, but small churches are a hearty bunch; we persevere in ways that large churches can never imagine.

Still, at times we wonder how we might 'lure them back', perhaps by showing them how much they are missing in our warm fellowship or our folksy manner. Yet at some point we have to stop thinking that the large churches down the street are our 'competition'. They may have dozens of dynamic ministries...wonderful! Let them grow, and let them meet the needs wherever God has placed them. But large churches often miss out on the small things that also are kingdom business...taking care of the widows who have been loyal to a small church, being faithful in the ministry of the Word of God, and being a local presence in neighborhoods that have seen all of the other organizational entities pack up and move to a promised land elsewhere. 'Well done, good and faithful servant' will be spoken not only to those who built bigger buildings and started new small group fellowships, but to those who loved in the name of Jesus those who were hurting and broken and to those who stayed behind in the last lifeboat when everybody everybody else left.

Our small churches are going to die, some sooner rather than later. But no matter how long we have, let's be faithful to the mission we have, no matter how small it may seem.

NOOO Springs...

Oh, how I miss MST3K.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngBNklagsHQ

What We Remember

Last night the wife and I took the kids for their semi-annual pictures. Elizabeth is just about at the age where she can sit still and look pretty for five good minutes, but Jacob? Ugh. He's old enough to be moving around like he's on a sugar rush without the sugar, but not quite old enough to know that mommy and daddy are not playing a game when we try to settle him down. Needless to say, after twenty minutes of kicking, fighting, running away and crying, we gave up and decided to roll the dice with whatever pictures had already been taken.

Surprisingly, the first two pictures turned out well. We said our thanks and ordered them for all the family members (about two weeks for those of you on the short list) and we got out of there as quickly as we could before the photographer threw her shoe at us. In a few weeks, then, we will have a handsome portrait of our son on the wall and hopefully forget about the trials surrounding last night. It only took one split-second to make the night worthwhile.

I write this because it has made me think about how we consider history. The book I'm currently working through is by historian Richard Hughes, called Myths America Lives By. He wrote it in the aftermath of 9/11 when men of genius like President GW Bush were wondering, 'I'm amazed that there's such misunderstanding of what our country is about that people would hate us...I just can't believe it because I know how good we are.'

The thesis of this book is that the United States, for all the good we have done as a nation, cannot self-critically look at itself and that we need to hear some of the dissenting voices from within (he focuses on African-American critiques of the country) so that we can better what others are saying about us. He digs into some of the 'myths' we have about our nation, such as that we are a particularly chosen nation in the mold of a New Israel, a 'Christian' nation', and an innocent nation. Thus, when bad things happen, like W, we wonder why, because of all the good things we do, there are many others out there who hate us and would seek our destruction.

I believe that much of the problem is that like last night's photograph of Jacob, we forever remember the one split-second of goodness while not remembering the bad things that surrounded it. We frame that momentary joyfulness (it really is a great picture!) even as we try to block out the rest. For instance, as a nation we congratulate ourselves on continually saving the 'Free World' while (mostly) forgetting that we rounded up many Japanese-Americans on baseless suspicions of treason during WWII, or forgetting that in our desire to balance the Soviet commies we propped up many despotic dictators during the 1950s, actions that have laid a foundation for much of the world's distrust of us today. Yes, hindsight is 20/20...but history should also be a tutor, so that we don't continually keep making stupid mistakes!

These practices then trickle down to the rest of us. People of good intentions can continue to put out misleading material like 'The Silencing of God' DVD or continue to spout nonsense about how torture might be justifiable. We want to think of the momentary good without seeing all the surrounding garbage; like the woman who continues to return to her abusive boyfriend because 'You don't see him when he's being so sweet', we want to continue to believe a lie.

Perhaps all of us are optimists and continue to believe in the inherent goodness of our own human nature. As for me, I've seen too much to continue believing that this is the case. I love my country dearly, but I'm tired of the lies we continue to believe about ourselves.

Evil in the name of Good is Evil

The notorious abortion doctor George Tiller was shot to death today. It's not the first time he'd been shot or threatened but this time he was killed.

There are some who today are celebrating the death of one they considered to be a wicked individual. For them, Tiller's murderer, who was caught later in the day, will be considered a hero who perhaps saved the lives of many late-term babies who might have been killed.

For others, those who believe that abortion should be safe and legal, George Tiller will instead be the one to take on the role of martyr. For almost a quarter-century he had been 'persecuted' for his practices, and finally he was murdered, presumably because he provided a service for women who did not want their children.

In the end today's actions will not bring about any sense of peace for those in these warring camps. Each side will 'celebrate' their chosen martyr. Each side will continue to be suspicious of the other side. Each side will continue to make bold denunciations of those who do not hold to their passionately-held views. Today's actions will not increase the love that people should have for one another; Satan is today celebrating the hatred among mankind that causes us to devalue the life of another.

What I fear the most about today's events, however, is that the name of Christ is once again going to be dragged through mud. Ironically, George Tiller was at church when he was shot; what kind of Christianity could he practice and still in good conscience do as he did? Though this has not come out yet, I would also suspect that the one who killed Tiller today did it in the name of Christ, believing that his love for the lives of some authorized him to take the life of another.

Today is a reminder that evil still exists in the world, that evil is a great danger for those who would wish to be good. I suspect that no good can come from today's evil actions.

Questions, Too Many Questions!

One of the reasons I've always said that I'm a member of the Church of Christ, rather some other denomination of God's family, is that we've got most of 'the answers' right. Though I often disagree with the methodology that some have come up with defend their answers, I think we are right about baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the non-use of mechanical instruments in worship, an understanding of men and women in which on principle men are to be the leaders in the church and family, and a whole host of other 'issues'. We might not always apply those answers correctly (in part because the methodology to get there was faulty), but generally speaking I think we've done a good job of knowing our responsibilities.

What happens, though, when you start hearing of questions that we in Churches of Christ have not been asking? Maybe we do not ask such questions because we've never thought about them (hand raised), maybe we've not fully finished the task of 'restoring the NT church' or 'rightly dividing the truth' (that is, there are parts of the Bible outside of our traditional canon-within-a-canon that we just haven't read because we're too busy with combing over Acts for the 863rd time), or maybe we've had people in our fellowship who have tried answering them but haven't liked those answers and have decided to stay quiet and instead 'contend for the faith' by focusing on the things we've become certain about.

The longer I stay in ministry, and the more I get to study the Bible, and the more I continue to learn from others, I'm learning that there are a LOT of questions out there that I've never really asked, and a LOT of Biblical answers that might well make me uncomfortable with some of my church traditions. Some of these are of a practical or ecclesiological nature, others are more theological in order. I'm not going to list these questions I have been having (my blog has been full of these for years), but the list of questions in my in-box continues to grow larger each day.

Maybe everybody else has grappled with these things and I'm just stupid, who knows. But these questions and a thousand other questions are not about making us uncertain in our faith, but instead about helping us to see that there are things about God which are unknown, that mere human intellect can never make us right with God. To assert that we can know it all is at best foolish and self-deceptive and at worst placing ourselves in the place of God, which is a bad form of idolatry.

We are saved not because we answer all the questions right, but because we have the grace of God. I will not be denied entrance into heaven because I did not properly study for the final written examination that brings about admission, and I'm learning that others will not be denied because they misunderstood some things that I in my brilliant intellect was able to figure out correctly. All who enter will do so because of God's grace, may God be praised. All who are denied will do so because they rejected that grace, may God be praised.

Sarah Sarah Sarah

This post will be either several months too late or several months too early to be relevant. But it's been on my mind today since I've been home with my son and can't handle anymore Baby Einsteins videos, so I will write it.

It's about Sarah Palin. Some people think she's Reagan in a skirt, some think she's a feminized version of Satan. She's a polarizing enough figure that I do not think that she will ever be president of this country, but I think I've finally figured out why she has a very loud following.

1)From what I can tell, almost every person that strongly supports her is a male. Now, most women I know are not as vocal concerning politics as men are, but I do believe that this affection that some have for her amounts to something of a mass-crush. Sarah Palin is just the type of woman that many men wish they had in their lives...she hunts, loves the outdoors, and is so darn, well, frisky. (Please, don't think I'm being sexist here...but she seems this way, doesn't she?) I believe that this was the initial attraction that many had for her several months ago, but there has to be more than just this.

2)Who else is the Republican party going to run out there at this point? Everybody wants to follow somebody, to put a face on the direction they hope this country will go, and almost every other potential Republican leader is, to put it mildly, a nincompoop or does not have a wide enough following. Deep down I doubt that there are very few hardcore Republicans who think that Rush or Dick oughta be the face of their party...and if they do, they too are nincompoops. So who's next? Charlie Crist and his George Hamilton suntan? Bobby Jindal's striped tie? Actually I still like Mike Huckabee, though his Faux news show looks like it should have instead been a Nashville Network show from 1991.

3)What stands out as the strongest strength of Palin, however, is the feeling of discontent and outrage that she is able to cultivate and then give expression to. This is why I'm not so sure that she can be discounted in the political arenea...she has natural political gifts, much like Obama. Unfortunately while Obama seems to try to bring out the good within people, Palin seems more in her element when she can inspire people to anger. Republicans might be more realist about human nature and politics, but they live in fantasy world when it comes to the reality of their power. Before the current cycle Republicans had at least some (if not all) of the reins of power for 26 of the previous 28 years, yet they always feel as if they are outsiders who are not heard. Though they are often the wealthier and more powerful, they ultimately see themselves as the voiceless and put-upon. They complain bitterly about 'mainstream' news without seeing that their news network is by far the #1 rated network. For all their success, they seem to be happiest when they can consider themeslves insurgents fighting for Truth and Right, and Palin gives them a voice they have not had since perhaps Newt Gingrich. Ultimately I still don't know that she can attract enough of a following to win the presidency, but she can continue to be a lightning rod and a symbol of Republican resistance, and maybe that's what the Republicans need most of all as they continue their march in the wilderness.

Maybe I'm wrong about this whole Sarah Palin thing. If any of my four readers wants to take me to task on this or point out her other stregnths, go right ahead. I can always be convinced by good arguments...but for now, I just don't see it.

The Smallness

Yes, I joined facebook (cue sinister music). It's been interesting, coming across people I have not talked to (and in a few occasions even thought about) in fifteen or twenty years. And I like it, as I realize that my old pattern of making friends, moving away, and starting all over again maybe hasn't been the best way to do things. There has to be some continuity to my life and though I'm grateful for my beautiful wife and children and for my birth family and for the church universal, facebook has been good at filling in some of the other gaps.

But facebook has also showed me the smallness of my life. Though I've known this before this new exercise has again revealed to me that there are literally hundreds of people who share my name. There are millions upon millions of people that I do not know and will never know. To think about this could well lead me into an existential crisis, for I'm one of billions on a planet that is in a star system that is one of billions. Me, I become the character on that map of the Milky Way galaxy that pinpoints our existence on the far edge, 'you are here'. Smallness personified.

Yet in all this, I serve a heavenly father who knows my name. I've read a lot of the psalms lately and though some of them are communal it is good to see the individual, personal psalms. Words that speak a petitition for me (e.g. Psalm 28). Words that speak of comfort for me (e.g. Psalm 23). Words that speak of confession I need to say (e.g. Psalm 51). Words that speak of my desire (e.g. Psalm 101). Continually scripture tells me that I am more than just a blip on the radar of the universe, more than just a gnat that deserves to be crushed. Jesus loved people as they were, from the demon-possessed to the sinners to the fishermen to the rich young folks. And he loves You, singular, wherever you may be.

Maybe I'm just a bit too full of myself, but somewhere, like all sentient beings, I need to know that I mean something. In so many ways I know that many of the pursuits of life are futile, that the things I have put my trust and my time into are meaningless, meaningless. But God, the creator of the universe and the sustainer of the unfathomable thing known as existence, takes note of me and one day will say to me, 'well done, good and faithful servant...welcome home!'

Prayer: God, may you comfort all who this evening are confused and hurting and unsure of themselves, who believe the lie of the deceiver that they are meaningless. May they see your love to them as persons, that they may be fully enveloped within you. Thank you, Lord, for giving us Jesus, who gives us life and life that is full. May you be praised as you continue to give us meaning that is more than the smallness we feel.

Another journey in the family truckster

Near as I can tell, the Bible says absolutely nothing about vacations. Sure, Jonah took an ill-fated cruise, Jeremiah went and buried a loincloth in a far-off land, and Paul saw most of the Mediterranean, but with the exception of the feasts and festivals required of the Jews several times a year (which would be akin to making the Tulsa workshop or Abilene lectures mandatory these days), we don't see any sort of 'pleasure' trips being made in the Bible. People might have luxuries and servants and influence, but it doesn't appear that they were spending two weeks on the beach to get some sun and downtime.

This, however, has not stopped good Bible-believing Christians like myself from going on vacation, and tomorrow we leave for nine glorious days of vacation to south Texas. Away from preaching, away from the pressures of work (if I could only drop my cell phone in the gulf like my wife did with our digital camera two years ago...if only), away from routine of life, it will be nice to go. Nice to spend uninterrupted time with my wife, and nice to be able to sit with my family in church. Of course, it wouldn't be a real trip unless I was going to a seminar, which I am for three days on the way home. And of course our trips are not like the kind you see of beautiful people lounging on a beautiful beach with no cares in the world...my 1 1/2 year-old son is always in 'escape' mode and my 3 1/2 year-old daughter is only a misplaced hair away from a tantrum. My wife and I have pledged that for our ten-year anniversary we are going to Maui without the kids. Grandparents, you are on alert, but not for a few more years.

But still...it's a vacation, and I am grateful to God that we get to go.

Bad economy or clueless employees? You decide

I walk into a store today and not two seconds after I come in I'm greeted by an employee: "Have you found everything OK?"

Dude, can I at least look before I determine whether I've found what I need?