Some More Thoughts...

Small Group went really well last night. I've found that I have one perspective and it differed from the one that was offered up by Tina; she illustrated that in problems she waits to see what God is going to do next. I've said that when I deal with problems I question God about why I have to go through the same thing again - like, why aren't his blessings permanent so we aren't ever in need of the same thing twice. In reading Mark 8, Jesus fed the 4000 when before that he had just fed the 5000. Even Jesus lamented that the people would never be able to receive a sign because they couldn't acknowledge the signs that were already presented to them.

Loneliness is one of the worst feelings on the planet; I think we all experience it at one point or another. The chasm the feeling creates is hard to overcome sometimes.

One thing that I find amusing is the show Parental Control. I like to watch it before SportsCenter sometimes. The black men are never picked when the parent's daughter is not black. Sometimes I get the impression the parents are saying to themselves, "As bad as my daughter's boyfriend is, she could do worse if she were to date a black man." Amusing, and tragic at the same time.

My dad graciously provided me with a quote by Anais Nin, "We don't see things the way that they are, we see things the way we are." I wonder what my previous opinion says about me?

I grew up in church and remember hearing my mom tickle the ivory and sing:
Jesus is the answer, for the world today
Without him there's no other
Jesus is the way
I heard that my whole life, but still struggle to believe it. The only way "the way" will work is if you allow him to lead.

Tina made a great comment last night, "The man who stops moving is the man who becomes bored with life and questions God." Life is not meant to be lived on the sidelines; we are to engage in it.

A friend and I laughed pretty hard last night, in fact most of the laughter was directed toward me. I was trying to parallel park, I backed up, pulled forward, turned the wheel, changed direction, waited for cars to pass, looked in the rearview mirror, peered over the edge of the hood when I heard, "How long is it going to take you to park man!?" We got out of the car and as we made our way down the hill on foot, laughter bellowed from our mouths. Who knew bad driving could be so funny.

A good friend of mine asked me if I could write about something that makes me happy as opposed to the angst ridden, pessismistic realism that often paints me as a cynic; if only the world were a better place, if only I truly believed what Jesus says!? Knowledge is an adherence to a fact, belief is the application of that knowledge. Knowlege without application is folly. Love is received when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable. To trust God means making ourselves vulnerable to his love by applying the knowledge we learned which build up trust to encourage and support our belief. I'm glad that grace is the first gift he gave.

I believe that life is to be lived and enjoyed, embraced and overcome and everyday is a gift. Anais Nin also said that "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." I'm blessed to have known and know people who look at everyday as a blessing and live like each day is a gift.