Are you crazy?

Do you spend your life longing for the day that it will end? Do you spend time pointing to another man?

Do you find hope in dying with promises unseen? Do you want to learn ways better than everything you were taught to be?

That just sounds crazy.... Or does it?

Do you boast about filthy rags made clean? Do you see the glory in your Saviour's suffering?

Do you live your daily life trusting Him for everything? Do you only take a step when you feel Him leading you?

Isn't that crazy?

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe... For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-21, 25)

I want to be one of the craziest people around....
(Thank you, MercyMe, for reminding me about being crazy)

Positive Post Tuesday

Well, it is Tuesday and I'm jumping on the Positive Post bandwagon. Brody Harper started all this a while back and I'm just now getting around to it.

Today, my positive post is about my homie Tim Keeler from my hometown. We became friends in high school and I always admired Tim. Mainly because he knew who he was and what he stood for.

You see, Tim was a Christian when it wasn't "cool" to be a Christian out in public. You know, to unabashedly talk about God and Jesus and how He affects your life. He chose to be himself and not someone the crowds pushed him to be. And the most amazing things happened. People loved Tim and they never stopped. His easy way of sharing Christ and His love was so profound. I know I'm not the only one who Tim influenced like that. He lives out the words in 1 Peter 3:15:

But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have

Tim is a musician and an educator. I guess he always has been. Several years ago, with the help of a few friends (like Anthony!), Tim recorded and released a CD called "Passing Conversations" that I can highly recommend.

Just recently, Tim has set out on a journey halfway around the world. He has moved to Japan where he will teach English as a second language. I'm positive that he will end up teaching more than that while he is over there.

God bless you, Tim Keeler, and Godspeed to you.

Slogging through the desert

Do you know Sisyphus?

I do. The past few weeks I took over for him so he could get a break.

Seriously though, I've been in a rut.

And, as per my usual behavior, I've tended to make myself comfortable in it. And that's not a good thing. So I started beating myself up for getting comfortable. And that's not a good thing either.

But then tonight, I visited some of my "regular" blogs (Evan and Eddie) and they kick started my brain.

Evan talked about uncertain and alone in a dark place which helped jump start my thinking about my own situations. And then Eddie pointed me to a new blog from Edwin Crozier (which will also be one of my regulars now). In Edwin's blog I was reminded that I'm not as bad as I think I am sometimes.

So, after some soul searching, I decided to talk deeper about it with my wife (quite a wonderful woman, I might add). See, that's important because when things get rough and I start beating my self up, I feel shamed. And when I feel shamed, I go silent. I also want to be alone. A lot. So talking about these deep, dark feelings with anyone is a change from my typical behavior.

She was nice enough to listen and then, without being condescending, remind me that God uses times like this for our benefit, too. We talked about Moses on the back side of the desert and how God used his exile from Egypt to prepare him for the Exodus.

At that moment I realized that not only had I cut myself off from a lot of the people around me but I had also started squeezing God out as well.

Whoa! Time to stop that. I'm headed for some quality time with God. It's time to get serious about active prayer again and stop treating the Bible like a reference book and more like the eternal Word of God.

Anybody want to keep me honest on this?