Monday, July 31, 2006

Buck Naked Faith

OK. I have to tell you about a new book I am reading. The name of it is "Buck Naked Faith." (Sorry for all you pervs who happened upon this post as a result of a misguided word search...) I am only 17 pages in, and already I'm hooked. The book opens with this statement, "Sex with a stranger wasn't supposed to end this way." You think that's intriguing? The story that follows is AMAZING. I was breathless after I read it. Won't tell you why - read it yourself.

Yes, this is a Christian book that takes a deep look into all the crap that stunts our spiritual growth. The first chapter that I mentioned previously is so thought provoking - it alone is worth the price of the book.

Here are some tiny nibbles from another passage:

"One of my deepest temptations is to practice a lifestyle that appears to be a faithful friendship with Christ but really isn't. To be a Cheese Puff Christian - lots of volume but little substance. Cheese Puffs take up space in the bowl, but crush them and you're lucky to get a tablespoon of substance out of them..."

"Have I measured the genuineness of my faith by how well I'm performing, or by how well Jesus and I are doing? Am I willing to admit that in a world of marshmallow spirituality my faith and relationship with Jesus the Master may be lacking? Something in my spirit keeps crying out, 'There must be more!'"

"Sometimes moments of tension are actually God's grace leading us to a crisis of decision."

The book starts off talking about walking the walk. Are we really who we say we are? I won't ruin the book for you, but so far I'm sold!! He is hitting my target square on. I so desperately want something more, something deeper. To be the real thing. Umm Umm Good Stuff!!

I am also reading Blue Like Jazz. I'm only about 19 pages into this one, but it rocks! I'll give you more details on that one next time. I suddenly have a stack of books to read. I admit, I have a problem. I am a book junkie. If you recommend a good book to me, in my quest to purchase it - I will probably also buy 4 others. That's what happened to me a week or so ago. But, hey. It's like Christmas in July for me. I order my books from Amazon.com and then get little packages in the mail. What fun!!

Happy Birthday Momma!!

Today is my mom's birthday. I hate to have to tell you this, but I have the best mom in the world. I know most people grow up thinking their's is the best, but sorry - I actually got the true blue, genuine, A-1, first-rate best mom on the planet. None can top her.







This is mom in 1970 in Japan. What a hottie!





Happy birthday Momma!!!! I love you (even though you gave me your middle name!).

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Boys and their toys

I have to say, men crack me up. I love how silly they can be. It always brings a smile to my face to see how grown men act just like little kids when they have something electronic, shiny, loud or fast in their possession. And if you can add fire or an explosion - all the better. I love the look that creeps across their face as their eyes widen and the grin slowly begins to form, right before they start nodding their heads and say, "Cool!" I love how crude they can be (truthfully, they are only saying what all the girls are really thinking but are too 'ladylike' to say). I love their sense of adventure, and the fact that they don't care (or even notice) if someone else is dressed like them. Most of all, I love the fact that their adventurous spirit knows nothing of age. I have seen a grandpa's eyes sparkle with fascination when presented with a new "toy."

Recently a good friend of mine emailed me to make sure I knew the new XBox SEC College Football game had come out. I don't even have an XBox. He was so excited that he left work at lunch to go pick his copy up from the store (a copy that he pre-ordered months ago, I'm sure). He then told me about how his best friend (grown man, married with 3 kids) had come to town one weekend and they spent half the weekend playing with his new "toys." He just purchased some ginormous TV. He also has a killer surround sound system that makes the walls shake. I can just picture these 2 grown men sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of this huge TV like 2 little boys. And it brings a smile to my face.

Ladies, I know we may not get as excited about fast cars, 60 inch TVs, massive stereo systems or explosives like the guys do - but we could stand to learn a thing or two from them. Sometimes, we just need to throw our hair in ponytails, forget the make-up and perfume and just go sniff out some adventure (all too often, our adventure consists of plotting to find the perfect man...). Throw caution to the wind every once in a while. Run through your neighbors sprinklers. Play a video game. Blow something up (in a completely controlled environment, of course). Sometimes we just need to let go and surrender to our inner child.

If you are sitting at home wondering why your man hasn't called, it's probably because he's out lighting something on fire with his buddies and time has escaped him. Oh, one more thing...I would also suggest you learn a thing or two about a small brown spherical object that is slightly pointed on each end and flies through the air. For some reason, this mystical creature emerges in the Fall and is worshipped by millions. Small charismatic house churches are formed all over the country in celebration of its existence. There are dance moves, chants, sometimes even spiritual bursts of exuberance, and a whole new language that must be learned in order to join this sect - but there must be something to it. It can evoke more emotion from a man than 20 Lifetime movies put together.

Ah, yes. Men. They are a magical lot. Simple observance of them is adventure in and of itself. Thank you, guys, for making us laugh and keeping life interesting. We love you just the way you are (and remember, we are always here if you ever want to talk about your feelings...)!






(This is me and my friend Ronnie. We were making mud-pies. I don't know if I was trying to domesticate him or if he was trying to ungirlify me...)

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Where was I?

I had no idea how easily distracted I am until a few minutes ago when I had to leave the computer to go look for a serial killer.

Let me explain. I am sitting at my computer, and I hear the "beep beep beep" sound that my alarm system makes when an exterior door in my house is opened. My roommate is out shopping, so no one should be coming in. Mildly concerned, I get up from my desk, assume the "let's go check for serial killers" stance, and proceed to walk through the house.

Luckily, I found no serial killers - however, here's what I did find. A pile of videos in the middle of the hallway. 5 or 6 shopping bags in the middle of the living room floor. My DVD player sitting there with the tray open, no DVD.

Backtrack with me a moment. I went shopping this morning with a friend. I came home from shopping, and dropped a bunch of bags on the living room floor. My plan was to sit down and wrap some gifts. I decided to pop in a movie to watch while wrapping. I got up, ejected a movie from the DVD player and went into the hallway looking for a new selection. As I looked, somehow I decided I needed to weed out my movie collection and toss some in the yard sale pile. After doing this, my DVD shelf had more room and some of the shelves needed to be re-arranged. I got up to come into my office to look for the extra little brackety things you use to adjust the height level of the shelves. I didn't find them, so I decided to sit down and check my email. Somehow I ended up blog surfing and here I am. The trail of unfinished projects I left behind is still winding through the house (and I still haven't found the little brackety things).

I'm always joking with my friends who have children and telling them that I probably shouldn't be allowed to have kids. I can barely get myself out the door with all my clothes on (and on time, no less) - much less with someone else to worry about. I hate to think what today's scene might look like if I did have kids. I can just see one of them all soaped up in the tub - turning all wrinkly because I left to get a towel and ended up re-arranging the living room furniture.

So Melannie, when was it that you needed me to watch Emily for you?

Monday, July 10, 2006

True Worship

I have to tell you about a worship experience I had the other night. I went to a contemporary praise & worship service at a local church with a few friends. They had a band, big screens with the words to songs on them, smoke machines, the works. While it was all good, it faded into the background when I noticed the most beautiful angels sitting on the row in front of us.

We sat maybe four rows from the front. The row in front of us was inhabited by one family - what appeared to be a single dad and three daughters, all spread out. The lights were dim, music was loud, everyone was singing, a few were even dancing. Several shouted "Hallelujahs" from the rows in the back. As we stood to sing, I looked down and the youngest child had fallen asleep with her head in her father's lap. She had the most beautiful, sweet expression of complete peace on her face. How she could sleep in the midst of all the noise is beyond me. But there she was, completely out of place with the environment around her. Her father gently stroked her hair as he sang. And I worshipped in that moment. Pure love exhibited so clearly right before my eyes.

As the evening rolled on, the music never got quieter - only slower. Before long, I noticed another of the daughters. She was sitting close to the end of the row, a little separated from her older sister. She couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 years old. A white bow in her hair that could have been angels wings. One of her hands was malformed, it looked as if it had not developed properly. At one point during some song that I can't recall, she clasped her tiny little hands together - one healthy and normal, the other withered and misshapen. She clasped those perfect little hands together and bowed her head. No one had prompted her to do this. Everyone else was still singing. And there she was. And I worshipped in that moment. Pure unadulterated worship displayed right before my very eyes.

Oh, God definitely showed up that night. But it wasn't in the worship leader or the praise team. Not in the smoke machines or the fancy screens. I couldn't even tell you what the pastor spoke about. But those 2 little angels right there in our midst - that's where I saw Him. It was so vivid, so alive. His presence was so powerful, that the guitars, drums and keyboards all faded into the background. And all I could hear was the brush of angels wings mingled with the sounds of children's laughter. You know - the sound smiles make that can only be heard by the heart.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Salad Shooter days

Sometimes life is a Salad Shooter and you are the veggie. My recent grand proclamation of rest was followed by one of the worst weeks I've had in a while. All hell broke loose at work. I almost lost $2.4 million. We had a Home Office audit (aka a week long root canal and/or rectal exam). My dog had a barfing spell. And the brakes on my car went on the fritz.

They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That week just made me tired. Luckily I had a 4 day weekend over the 4th. The rest I had planned for the week prior did finally come. Funnily enough, now I am so well rested that I can't sleep at night.

Taking a step back and looking at life on this earth from a broad brush perspective, we all have Salad Shooter days, weeks, months or even years. I know that one won't be my last. But it's all part of life. And somewhere along the way, God uses it all to make a tasty salad or slaw that will bring glory to Him.

When Joseph's brothers threw him in the pit in Genesis 37, I'm sure he wasn't thinking, "Oh boy! I am about to be sold into slavery. Woo Hoo!" And so he was pressed through the blades of life. While he did come out on the other side a kaleidoscopic version of his former self, he was the better for it in the end. He recognizes this in Genesis 50:20 when he tells his brothers, " You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done..."

Rather than working through difficult times, seeking to learn what we can or looking with hope to see how God might use our trials, so often we get stuck between the blades focusing on our plight - never going anywhere. Maybe the sounds of our groanings echoing off the walls of the blender become some twisted form of comfort like the wooshy wub wub sounds of the womb. Who knows. But if we set up housekeeping in the blades of the Salad Shooter, wallowing in our troubles, never learning or growing from them - we will begin to stank like rotten cabbage.

Maybe we will continue to go through the grinder until we are ground as fine as sand. If that is the consistency we need to be in order to fit God's recipe for us, then probably so. Avoiding the process altogether won't do us any good either. An uncut head of lettuce sitting in the middle of the salad bowl doesn't do anyone any good (and it makes the host look a little crazy). Truthfully, I'm not sure we could avoid those blender times even if we wanted to. Much of what makes those times so cutting is the lack of control we feel, or the injustice we suffered that placed us there in the first place.

Whether you're dodging the blades at the bottom of the blender, being slung out of the Shooter and into the bowl, or getting a little slimy from hiding under a blade, it doesn't always feel like these circumstances will be used for God's glory. But I would like to leave you with these verses from the Message Bible:
"Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner." -1 Peter 4:12-13

Have hope. Be of good cheer. God has a plan, and He is not asleep!