The Tip of Unbelief

It's difficult to discern where people stand in the eyes of God. Well, it's probably none of my business. But how close are the people who refer to themselves as the Church to the...well, how close are they to really being the Church?

Take this interesting, o.k., alarming article about a church in Canada.

(Thanks to Richard @ Family: The Final Frontier)

The Reverend Gretta Vosper, of the West Hill United Church has some thoughts on the Bible that might differ from yours:

She says there's been virtually a consensus among scholars for the past 30 years that the Bible is not some divine emanation – or in Ms. Vosper acronym, TAWOGFAT, The Authoritative Word of God For All Time – but a human project filled with contradictions and the conflicting worldviews and political perspectives of its authors.

Now, lets just pretend just for a moment that this was Ms. Vosper's web site. There would be no mocking of the aforesaid opinion. There would be supportive thoughts and collective ideas to sway the reader towards the sanity of her position. The bold redefining of "Church" would ring with finality. The Rev. Vosper would lay out her desire to save and heal through humanistic principles.

But I ask you, as it is my blog, if you move a boat to dry land and adapt it for dry land purposes is it still a boat? Haven't you changed its purposes and limited its function in such a way that a name change would be in order? I have little desire to condemn West Hill United Church's direction. They are just victim to the disillusionment that much of Christiandom faces. I would question why they want to continue to lay claim to the name "Church."

The "Church" is the body of Christ, belonging to Jesus and fulfilling the purposes of the same. Should you consider this Jesus (or his present characterization) a fictional character, you still must recognize that the story line puts the Church with Jesus and Jesus with the Church. If you want to challenge the "historical documents" and the "traditions" why do you want to borrow so heavily from its language and terms and yet reject its story line?

Well, my own little answer to this question is that the name "Church" still rings with hope and people want that hope without the whole complicated package. Ms. Vosper would be up a creek without a church had she just hung out a shingle for "Fellowship for Humanists" at her Canadian home.

I am sorry for my own part in making that package of today's Church complicated. The Church wasn't meant to have all sorts of institutional qualities about it.

I, however, still believe the story line.

Guest Columnist - Zachariah: What makes me happy

I'm stealing some time away from my busy schedule to share deep thoughts with you all. Having lived in this home for most of my life, I find myself in the enviable position of knowing everything of import that takes place here. When brothers and sisters are making a lot of happy sounds, I want to be there. I'm not sure what all the primitive activity means to these big people but I'm sure it communicates a wealth of love. So I drag myself into their presence and show my approval. They seem to understand. The whole bunch of them gathers around me, presumably to hear some seed of wisdom. Sometimes they step on me and tip me over, but the risk is worth it. These young vulnerable ones need the adoring looks and dribblings that I make available during these special episodes. So good people, make noise and be happy.

Road Sage

If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Lewis Carroll

"Now where am I going?" I say to myself as I head out to my first job of the day. This happens quite often. It's like a premature launch. I get dressed, shaved, vitamins, coffee, toast, out to the truck - oops, comb my hair, back to the truck - oops, get my keys. Then I'm off to somewhere in Downey. But where?

I suddenly realize that there is a mantra ringing in my head. ...Lakewood, left on Florence, left on Downey Sanford Bridge... I've been repeating it since I left the computer to grab my coffee and didn't hear it till now. It's like a loop running around in my head waiting to catch my attention. Now I know where I'm going.

It was so cool to have instructions in my head, I thought I'd check out if anything else was in there (I'm ignoring your comments). I remembered that I had an all powerful God to face the challenges I would be having today. "Be strong and Courageous!" I put aside the gnawing in my stomach and rested in the Lord's ability to get me through it all. I have all his leadership and creativity at my right hand. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Squeezing the Lemon of Time

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once."
Albert Einstein

Had a full schedule yesterday...oops, had to move a big customer to today, now yesterday has a wandering schedule and today has enough work for a week in it. Hmmm. Tomorrow is content, lets drag a small customer from today to tomorrow. Now tomorrow is unhappy, but doable and today probably won't even feel the weight loss but at least I did something about it.

I think this would be a good time to walk away and read to the kids.

What's not making the Six O'Clock News

Little did I know that this day would bring such drama. McCain sets up Obama and Clinton as straw man (er & straw-woman) against his pro-Iraq ("We're succeeding") stance. Jose Canseco's new book somehow vindicates him while dissing his former teammates in the steroids world. Some young, rich and character weak woman has succumbed to another act of despair and drug induced activity. And, unfortunately, it would not be a news day if ______ (fill in blank) had not killed his family members in a heartless way in the city of _____(fill in blank).

Well, O.K. I knew all that would probably happen. If you can get over the yawns, I have the real heart shaker for you. The drama of Jesus walking with me today is pretty intense. He's going with me into the mundane and the stressful. He's the living, acting, hope invigorating person of note standing with me today.

Yes, it would be drama if I could keep it all in mind. The mind wanders, you know. May God transform the mind of the weak.

Grrrrr!

Wow, am I stressed! I can't seem to check off sufficient items on my "to-do list" or run willy nilly like a headless fowl enough to ease the tension.

I know I've been here before--I recognize the anxiety. It's that "can't settle down-can't rest-on the edge of an escape frenzy" kinda feelin'. What it really means, I suppose, is that I'm not in control. Again.

Well now, I'm going put that beast down. Yessir! That's how you fix a situation like this. You don't pander to it, let it take you out for jelly donuts or help you go kick the dog. You just declare war and put it in the cross hairs.

I will NOT be in control.

Whew! There. Boy do I feel better.

And not only that, but I got my first blog written since last October.