Election Year

This is a different year. I have to believe that America has been waiting with bated breath for this election year. We are not voting for the lesser of two evils. We are voting for the best equipped leader who will bring positive change to our nation. Are we open to hear both sides with discernment, without bias? Hopefully, neither candidate will put on a show, but tell me with detail how you will bring change. For our part, vote with discernment, not based on party lines, or one or two issues. I want our citizens, our country to be less concerned about how this effects them personally; more concern"for the least of these." Because to be honest, my family and I are doing okay. Show me numerically how our nation is changing; also tell me how our nation is changing for the long haul through story, how lives are being changed. Why? The story of God has always been about the other, about the entire world. So don't be become so consumed with your story, what your pastor may say, or how your religious and political influences you. Make an informed decision based on and how this will effect your neighbor, provide care and support for them. By the way, Barack Obama's speech at the DNR was brilliant and excited not just his political party, but excited all of us about change that can and will happen. Risky and bold move by McCain to ask Palin to be his running mate. He is not an old man lacking imagination and courage.

Kingdom of God

I am a fan of Brian McLaren, so I typed his name in my google search engine. I found this clip about the Kingdom of God. Kingdom of God is anywhere God chooses to reveal Himself. However, I believe that I need to slow down to witness God's presence. I depend way too much on my preconceived notions about God, the culture, and my reality. I am tired assuming that life should be a cookie cutter reality where it fits into a particular, Chuck given mold. In Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby wrote that we, followers of Jesus - in the dust of the rabbi and Savior, are to join God where he is at work. So I have to wonder - when Jesus declared, "the Kingdom is near" does that mean that the presence of God is knocking at our door, the door of our heart - whisper to some, talking to other, or shouting - "I am near, join me in my reality, my culture, and my life."

Luke's Ego

We were driving to Broadway Theater in Pitman, NJ to see the movie Wall-E. Luke noticed that the sun and believed the sun was "following him." When asked why he believed that the sun was following him. He exclaimed, "Daddy, the sun is following me because I am the cutest boy in the world." No problem with this boy's confidence, or this boy's ego. However, I am worried that "his ego will write checks that his body can't cash."

Phillies

Are the Phillies the Statue of Liberty of Major League Baseball? Give us your tired, your weary, and simply your sad. Hey, whoever sucks on your team will take. Jon Lieber, Adam Eaton, and now their latest edition Joe Blanton. He won 14 games last year. What about this year? He is 5-12 with 4.96 ERA. We have an ace with Cole Hamels, and a veteran with Jamie Moyer. We need a second or at least third good pitcher. The Phillies could write the book on how screw up any chance to advance to the playoffs ... forget about the World Series. When I heard the news, I was far from happy. I know that the Phillies have nothing to trade for an actually good player; we have a few players from the bench that we could have traded for someone better. I don't know. I guess that I am frustrated, wishing that Phillies would be more aggressive to gain better pitching.
Phillies, please stop settling for the mediocre!

Vulnerability

The other night I saw a different side of a friend - vulnerability. Guys don't do this easily and he did not do it easily ... but he had to for the sake of himself. How did I respond? Well honestly, I did not know what to say or how to respond. I was speechless. Grateful but speechless. Then Rick talked about Mark 14:32-42. Then he shared this about Jesus, fully God and fully human:

• Jesus needed his friends around him - "They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, 'Sit here while I go and pray.' He took Peter, James, and John with him ... 'Stay here and keep watch with me.'"

• Jesus felt like dying "... he became deeply troubled and distressed. "He told them [Peter, James, and John]My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.'" Here is God wrapped in flesh, struggling emotionally, feeling alone, open with his Father in heaven about what experiencing. Being fully God and fully human. Completely vulnerable.

• Jesus was utterly transparent with God and someone else.

Rick asked the question, "How did Mark know? Who shared the temptation and the Gethsemane experience with Mark and the other gospel writers?" He would have been vulnerable with his disciples after the resurrection. God wrapped in flesh, struggling with his decision, his next step; Jesus asked God the Father (Abba Father) not to go through with the crucifixion. So how did the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John know? Jesus had to share some of those weakest moments; he being God and human became vulnerable. So being vulnerable must mean that we are living in the image of God, being like Jesus.

How would being vulnerable change friendships, bonds within community? Being vulnerable is a gift to every family, friendship, and community.

Predictability okay?

Yes, I saw Indiana Jones & the Crystal Skull and liked it. Not loved it, but liked it. And yes, it was predictable. However, I want it predictable. I purposely went to the movies with every intent to see watch Indiana Jones pull an escape out of his hind parts every time (i.e. in the warehouse, in a refrigerator). When I went to see U2 in concert, I wanted to hear their songs from "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," but also wanted to hear songs from previous CDs, All That You Can't Leave Behind, Joshua Tree, War, etc. Also I was expecting and heard their song at the end of their concert- 40. The same was with Billy Joel - I wanted to hear "Piano Man" sung at the end of his concert. I knew that if I did not hear either of those songs at the end of either one of those concerts ... I would have been disappointed.

Yes, I was not let down, disappointed by how predictable Indiana Jones. I would have rather the Speilberg and Lucas team created a short lived series for a couple seasons with Indiana Jones - but not young Indiana Jones with River Phoenix. Predictability is good. We want stories of perseverance, awesome special effects, and happy endings. Yes, we want twists and turns in our movies however with closure. We want surprise endings - but isn't that predictable? Not where aliens are involved - kind of surprise endings.

There are moments where I yearn for predictability in my life because life can seem so random and be so uncertain. Yet, I realize how bored I would become with life and how stagnant my relationship with God would become. Its in those challenges that I learn more about God's faithfulness and redemption; I learn more about myself and my lack of control of the world around me. I have control of me that is just about it.

In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul wrote, "... for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

In those challenges, I want to learn how to be content. The question is, "do I want to experience circumstances that will force me to accept what is happening around me - then learning contentment?" Will I be able to say, "It is what it is," believing that I am content? I want to appreciate my circumstances because I want to grow and need to grow as a follower of Jesus which then affects every area of life as a dad, as a husband and as a chaplain. A little pain never hurt any of us.

To quote Princess Bride, "Life is pain. If someone tells you otherwise, princess, they are selling you something."

Father's Day

For Father's Day, I received a hammock. Wow, it is the best gift ever. I lay in it after a draining day at work and stare into the sky, at the trees, and the occasional plane, circling to land in Philadelphia. I actually "space out." Literally, my psyche quiets, and I stare off thinking about nothing. Until ... I hear the shrilling voice of my youngest son Luke, you know him ... he is the "what you said" kid. The shrilling voice asked if he could lay in the hammock with me. I wanted to implement the "no talking rule" in the hammock and the "sitting still" rule. However, what I am realizing is that the greater gift is that my children, all of my children, still want to lay with me, be affectionate with me, and simply take in life with the "old man." So the real gift has been that my children presently and at least for a while longer want to hang with the "old man" and miss him when he is late coming home from work and have a meeting at church. Life is good.