Both Now AND Forevermore

In discussions with friends and strangers, the Church seems to be in two categories in their focus on the Divine; it's either on the Now or the Forevermore (Later). You'll have a more liberal group say that God wants us to be happy, healthy and wise now; to politicize social issues like homelessness, sickness, starvation, etc... things which focus on the now.
Then, there are those who focus on the forevermore. As if we are to bide our time until forever starts, so that we'll be perfect "on that day". So they'll say, "here's books and study materials to use in order to know God as He is so you aren't surprised when you finally get to Heaven". Church is mentioned as a building where people are to gather, to be brought, to be talked to, or be changed by. The saying, "They are so heavenly minded they are of no Earthly good was talking about these".
However there seems to me a missing of the point, on both sides. The point of our existence doesn't seem to be limited to just enjoy life now as the "Now side" would think but, it's also it also isn't just a waiting period until Heaven is revealed as the "Forevermore's" act. To me it's both. Scripture says we were "saved unto good works". And Christ says to those in Revelation, "Depart from me you evil doers, for I never knew you" when they didn't visit the prisoners, feed the hungry, clothe the poor or befriend the stranger, even though they spoke many languages and drove out demons in the Name of Christ. So on the one hand we know that there is eternal life beyond even death, but on the other, does it start there? To me eternity starts here and now and continues after we leave this mortal construct! For the hungry need food, the strangers need friends, the Church needs to do more than open a door and offer a seat, it needs to offer life for both now and forevermore!! The Church needs to get outside it's walls and use it's hands and it's feet for they are the hands and feet of Christ, Himself. Christian people seem to feel no power of Christ; could it be that Christ isn't being exercised in them rather it seems that He's being exorcized out of them by either the lust of this world or the only the joys of the next, all the while missing Him in their midst. Christ said "what you've done to the least, You've done to me." Even Paul had the problem of which he'd rather do stay on earth for the benefit of his flock or be at peace in the sweet "by and by". While we are here in our mortal state we need to help fill needs of that state but not missing the needs of the spiritual and eternal one also.

May His Name be praised both NOW and FOREVERMORE!!

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Two Worlds

There's this precipice. I stand starring over the edge where there are two worlds. One above and one below. I could fall into the world of failures and folly or I could ascend to the heights of accomplishment and accolade. It's strange knowing I've been here but not able to hear before. I'm actually really familiar with the failing and the folly and even the falling. The harder part is the continuing "Further up and Further in" as one author put it. To struggle on when it's easier to fail. To push through the disheartening looks of disdain and to soldier on for the better and even great. I don't presume to think I am great...and yet I know ONE who is; and He lives in me. He knows the plans for me and which way I should take. The Psalmist said He knows when I rise or fall. So, I'll only say I know Him. Not of but actually know Him. I won't expound about someone else's research on the Divine as some old friends tend to do. I will instead continue to take each step knowing I could either fall or rise and yet also knowing in either scenario it's He who guides me and He who will, by Grace, push me on further still or, by Grace, catch me lest I fall. So, there's this precipice. I stand starring over the edge where there are two worlds. One above and one below. I could fall and be caught by the arms of Grace or I could climb on being pushed by those same arms of Grace. There are two worlds and yet this King of Grace has ahold of me still and can hold me still. I know The King of Grace...but not nearly as well as He knows me.

Incase anyone needed ideas...

I've been asked if there is anything that Carrie and I need for when we get married. My honest answer is "no". But then they go onto ask is there anything you two would like. So, if that sounds like you then you can check out our "wishlist registry". These are items that we don't need but that we'd like. It ranges from the very affordable to the not so affordable; from the pratical to the ridiculous. We figured it's a wish list. Again this isn't a "Hey buy this for us now!" list... It's a wishlist :-) So click Mark and Carrie's Registry to getany ideas, if you needed any.



Mark and Carrie's Wedding Registry

A thought about truth and friendship...

This is actually from a paper i wrote about 6years ago and was surprised at what i wrote. it was good so i thought i'd post it here for some discussion...

Background:
Two authors said that "...we percieve who we really are by seeing ourselves reflected in the reactions of others...for the reflection we percieve, or permit ourselves to see...not only tells who we are but also determines who we will become." Or as my friend once said, "You aren't who you think you are. You are not what others think you are. You are what you think others think you are."

With that said, here's my paper:

"[Seeing himself in the eyes and reactions of God] is what allowed Job to stay strong in the face of friends who were giving bad counsel. This was his strength to hold hold to hope while his wife said, "Put your things in order." This was his strength even when the devil took it from him. When Job had no one on earth to turn to, the God of Heaven was there for him. In fact God made it His personal business to talk to him face to face. To Job this was the best answer, not answering why, but knowing that although all others fail him, The LORD of All would never leave him nor forsake him. This gave Job not only a hope but also a future to look forward to. This isn't just for Job alone but also for each and every believer. For in the Gospels [Jesus] says, "For I no longer call you servants, I call you friends."

If those authors are right about how we think of ourselves, then we should consider God as the best source. He is the One who not only sees us rightly but wants nothing but our best, and He alone knows what that is. In the end this will trully keep us sane and guide us into healthier relationships. For if God is our model then we have a [perfect] backdrop in which every aspect of every other relationship with which we can compare.

If God be our friend He will teach us how to be a true friend to others through His own example to us. He alone teaches what it means to forgive others. He himself has forgiven us of our great sin, rebellion and pride. He tells us that we no longer need to live like Hell for we will be going to Heaven on account of what He has done for us and in our place. How could we not do the same for those who don't really owe us anything? If, when we were not deserving of forgiveness we received it, than why not freely give it to others? There is no real good answer for this except that our friend and companion, not to mention Savior of our very souls, commands it. To sum up..."Whether we like it or not, all of us have to learn to love one another" -Greely pg164"


Let me know what you think about the topic or even my writing in general...i just like getting feedback.



*references

-The Bible

-The Friendship Game by Andrew Greely

The Greatest Adventure

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. I like to think of life, my life more specifically, as a great adventure. It has it's hardships and it's rewards just for being a person willing to climb in, hang on, and buckle up for something spectacular and amazing. Some of us are clouded, i get it. It's hard to think of life as an adventure when there are bills to pay, gas to get, mouths to feed (even your own). It's hard to see that as part of some adventure. Here it is though, we've been given the gift of life to experience the wide range of emotions and pitfalls that await us. Some of us, to be sure, have and continue to lead more exciting lives than we do but we all get a chance for adventure. Going on "Coastal Challenge" again has taught me that. When I was telling some of my friends about it months ago I remember telling them about rock climbing, swimming and even some cliff jumping that is involved in getting oneself from Dana Point Harbor to Laguna Beach's Main Beach. It sounded great to those friends and we made plans to go sometime in the summer.

Well summer has come and we've been in it for about 2+ months now. So we finally made it happen this past Sunday (8.10.08). Something that I didn't take into consideration was the fact that the last time i did anything like this I was about 18 or 19 years old and about 35 lbs lighter and leaner. Back then the rock climbing happened more often and so did the swimming. I also didn't have the extra life ring around the waist. This past Sunday Ander, Steve and I started ahead of Bobby, Kris and Scott, about 3:30 pm though the plan was to start around 1-1:30pm. We arranged plans to meet them at Salt Creek Beach about 1 1/2-2 miles up the coast. The first leg of the adventure isn't too hard except for the rocks to walk over and the cave to walk into and then swim out of. The experienced Coastal Challengers, Steve( aka Baker) and myself, were fairly convident in our abilities and pressed on while Ander was not so sure at first. To him the waves crahing on the rocks and the tide coming in wasn't reassuring of what lay up ahead and no assurance of making out of the cave unscathed. With a little reassurance and prodding, while in the waves and in-between pounding surf, we coaxed Ander into continuing and not turning back. Once we reached the beach we all took a knee and prayed.

You can see where we had to go into the cave and swim out in this picture by following the dotted line.

Our prayer was about the safety of the day and our friends. About those who were facing similar challenges and scared of pressing waves like work, school, home-life, relationships etc- would crush them. We prayed for wisdom for each next step for The LORD to literally guide each foot step, each hand hold, our direction. It helped us all think about our friends and families who don't get to see the danger so clearly present. At most it's usually felt. So we prayed for them. We prayed for us too. For we aren't above any issues that face our friends or family either. This moment helped shape the days adventure to seeing again, life as the great adveture.

After we met up with the other three at Salt Creek we continued to one of the hardest parts of the journey. We had to swim around the point near 3 Arch Bay where it's tresspassing to even walk up onto the hilltop to scan what's around the point!! So we swam blindly as it were. Kris and Scott (aka Prayer Partner and Scotto) pressed on ahead knowing that they could handle whatever the waves could throw at them. Ander-Calrizyin, myself and Baker weren't so sure. While BOBBY! had no question we could all do it. The Security Guard after telling us if any us set foot on the rocks we'd be immediately arrested, said the beach was only 400 yards to shore...but it was way longer or at least it seemed it when waves pounded overhead, undercurrent pulled the opposite way and rocks threatened to break you to pieces. This is also the place where Baker couldn't go. He turned around in the middle of the waves and fighting currents. We weren't sure if he had the strength to make it back onto the rocks where we jumped in. Soon the waves covered his path and we couldn't shout loud enough. We also couldn't go back through the most dangerous part through which we had just come. Hands and feet began to start feeling like lead. Hope seemed to be ebbing like the sand in my surfing booties. Then the guard let us know Baker made it to the beach shore, because we hadn't stopped yelling when we hadn't seen him come out onto the rocks to let us know he was ok. But we couldn't turn back now. Were we going to meet up later? Should we wait on the beach? Was he going back to the car? We had no way of knowing and we said a prayer and hoped for the best.

Something that I learned around here was that the waves that looked so huge and ominous looked manageable while under the water. I kept duck diving the waves and realized the waves just pass over me while they crash into rocks later. They looked as if they would pound me to Davy Jones' Locker. Under the surface though was different story. I could see the waves merely traveling up and down, almost unthreateningly. It was almost peaceful if i didn't need air to breathe. Each time I reached the surface for air I had a little more comfort knowing the waves weren't going to crush me onto rocks I couldn't see, because i knew where the rocks were I had seen them under water!

Once on the sand of the next beach we reached another blind swim but it promised to be more unforgiving than the last one. So Ander, Bobby and I found our way to PCH. My surf booties were not made for walking on cement nor hard ground...never-the-less we walked 1/2 -1 mile to Salt Creek Beach. I was still feeling down about leaving Steve back in the ocean waves and was wondering if he was at the car missing out. Also was wondering how far ahead Kris and Scott were. Once on the beach again we started making good time. We heard some faint yelling turned around to see Kris and Scott waving. The 3 of us cheered. Then a silhouette appeared from behind the other two. The cheering stopped. Then recognition, it was Baker!! The cheering continued but louder this time from all 6 of us!! Brothers reunited. From this point we made a reconnection point incase separation happened again, in front of BJ's Pizzeria until everyone had arrived.

The next sectioned involved a rock/cliff climb which Bobby and Ander elected to swim around through crazy waves. Scott and Kris made it up over and into the ocean and onto the rocks. While Baker and I trying to rock climb the dirt and pebbled rocks. When clinging to a single hand-hold within the rocks Baker made the decision to walk the last 1 and 1/2 to main beach Laguna. I thought that was a great idea, since at that moment the sun was setting into the deep blue.

When the two of us reached main beach we looked very odd indeed. Everyone dressed to the nine's and here we were in no shirts and I in weird booties I refused to take off before having my sandals with me. Steve and I recounted times we just had and recalled times doing the Coastal Challenge before and the difference. The main difference besides our stature and shape was our view of getting hurt. It was a lot easier for us to get hurt this time and this time we cared more about not getting hurt where 13+ years ago we didn't care at all!!

Then it happened. We heard it...very clearly. It was the other four. There they were in the sea of people, now, waiting to cross the street near where we were looking as ridiculous as we did; no shirts only sandals on the feet while everyone else was dressed to impress. Steve and I on the wall facing the street stood and cheered and went to welcome them! Once back to the car we made calls to tell people were not dead and very much alive even though we were about 3 hours later than we had planned on being done. It was 9 pm and we were tired and hungry. So we went to dinner and talked about the days adventure that let us live, both figuratively and literally. We thanked God for letting us survive, for friends, family, enjoyment and for the days adventure that reminded us of our lives of adventure that have all the same elements in it. From fears to failure to disappointment to success to triumphs to joy in the journey, to knowing that you have friends like family and family like friends, where one day we will be reunited with brothers and have a celebration over a meal and the Host is God Himself and we be thankful that it was He who guided the steps we took. What a day that will be!! Until then we continue the greatest adventure He could have placed us on!!

A Picture Paints a Thousand Steps

Looking at this picture it takes me back. Maybe it's because this picture was taken that way. I had just spent the day at this beach pretty much alone and undisturbed. It was a more chilly than beautiful day. Though the water was clear my thoughts seemed more clouded, that was until i just took it all in. I was at a beach in the middle of the day. Peace filled in the empty places. Loneliness replaced by the seeping rays of sunshine and the idea that i was alone on a beach but not lonely. Like Jack Kelly said in Newsies, "I'm alone but i ain't lonely..." It started to become real for me. I read the signs. I read the graffiti on the walls telling the non-locals to go home and the ones that say "ride the rail" "harness the wave" scrawled in surf wax. Written in passion. written with a purpose. Written to be known. The day seem to make an impact on me even though i had no big epiphany no vision of the future just a sense that I was in the Maker's hand and He loved me still and loved me in this stillness with which words failed to express, to grasp, to grant a way to see what happened within on a very ordinary day.

Ascending, what is known to locals as, the Thousand Steps I stopped turned looked back to what I just walked up. The shutter snapped this one. It shows the sea i played on and watched and reflected in. It shows the steps that seem to be grouped together in the most random of ways, groups of three sometimes five or ten. It doesn't allow you to fall into a rhythm of climbing. It makes you adjust your steps as you walk on higher with each step. I in this moment appreciate the heights I had climbed because I climbed something else that day and this picture allows me to remember that. To remember that the ocean day-break is at the end of steps. That the struggle to get there helps form us once we are there. That we should reflect on where we were to assure us that we are still making new ground. I feel like that. Like i've been to the depths and that when I got there it wasn't as dark as it looked and then there was healing, playing, love and comfort. With that hope i could ascend the Thousand Steps that still await me to take me to new heights and new adventures, maybe more depths but I know that too can lead to peace! His Peace to you, my friends!!!

something that matters

i love music. i don't know many people who hate music. every society, primitive to modern have a music of their culture. from the simple drum beat to the complex melody lines of many artists both in our times and from ages ago. music says things that people can't. musicals would be somewhat silly if that happened for real, people sings and dancing as if they all knew the steps and lyrics of a thought of one lone person struggling. but that's the thing isn't it? why couldn't it be like that at least in part? we are all people, we all struggle, we all have pain, we all cry, we all have victories even if minor ones, we all have been loved if by no one else by The God of All that is. That alone should make us sing!

not sure why i've even started writing. i just wanted to write something important, something that mattered. i do that a lot. i sit to write a song, a blog, a prayer script, a letter to a friend, a poem, anything. i want to write something worth writing. i realize i speak a lot of words and none of them matter very much, so when i write i want it to matter. i can erase these ones and write new ones, make it sound just right. though i rarely do.

maybe this goes to my core and attempts to interact with the Eternal, The One and Only, The Creator who creates still. who speaks with a whisper to move mountains, who teaches us to do the same. who asks simply to follow, trust and obey; not out of rote duty, not to belong to some high-roller's club, but to do so out of love, devotion. To mimic that which He's already done. to love the unloved, the unlovely, the burned-out, the burdened, the weak, the dismayed, the lost, the fearful, the ashamed, outcasts, the sinners, my friends, your friends, our enemies, each other, and ourselves.

sometimes the noise of the outside is mistaken for music. that music won't move you to action though, it merely distracts and detours. True Music comes from the Divine Conductor. He moves souls who are listening. Are you listening? am i? can we possibly hit pause on the music of the outside and listen to what's already being played within? i want to move to the rhythms of remarkable, the melody of the Maker, the tunes of Truth.

"it's too hard" i hear myself and others say. some even say, "what's the point of a church?" "...full of hypocrites. why should we bother with organized religion?!" my response is if we can't stand people who are supposed to love us what are we gonna do when we meet those who hate us? we are supposed to love them too...especially those who hate us, "for what gain is it if someone loves those who love them, doesn't even the evil person do that?" Jesus(loose paraphrase), "..no, instead love your enemies and bless those who curse you, bless and do not curse."

my hope is that my words become less even in writing, even in my speaking, my hope is that the music moves me even as i complain that no one moves. the music being that which is His and not mine, not yours; but in time i hope that it is mine and will be yours...that's my hope. i hope that this matters to someone more than me, it matters to me at the very least. pray for me even as i pray for you.

His Peace...That's Something That Matters


for a good read The power of a story

Why Don't We Move?