I hope the real world never operates like this...



My dream last night:



My friend picked me up for church. He had called me and asked if he could. I said sure but that I'd have to get there early to practice for worship. He didn't mind so long as we got a bite to eat before. We got to church had practice. Then service began. Then the musical part of the service. The music was good if not great. I wasn't leading but it was still the best I've ever played. I felt good about the music but bad about the way we were worshiping. We even ended the service with people sitting or kneeling on the ground as a sign of humility. The only problem was, it didn't seem like anyone was humbled. Somehow it felt like everyone was just as haughty as ever, which made me sad about the whole church service. As the time came for me to pack up my guitar and such I see my friend leaving the sanctuary seemly angry, not to mention I wasn't getting a ride home. I went after him to see what was up. He was angry but he wouldn't say why. I asked to wait a sec so I could get my stuff. He said, "couldn't someone else take you home. How about the lead singer from Coldplay?!" The truth was the lead singer was there at church that day, but no one seemed to pay him much attention either because they didn't know him or because they thought they were better than he was. Back to the scenario; I said "FINE!" to my friend...who wasn't being much of a friend and seeing how mad he was about stuff happening at church he wasn't doing much to counteract the trend he so despised! I turned and headed back towards the sanctuary, for I hadn't caught up to my friend until he crossed the street. On the way back I noticed the outside of the building was a gas station with lots of people filling up their cars. I saw another guy from church sitting in his car. I literally flew across the street and waved to that guy while flying. When I landed I got a lot of disgusted looks for what seemed like me being white. I said hello and went back inside the sanctuary to grab my guitar, that still wasn't packed in its case. Upon entering the building one of the elders told me we had to get out soon and pointed to the group assembling behind us. I told him I still had to get my guitar so they'd have to let me in. I got back into the building and the guy who was in charge of the group function, just another lay-person from the church, stops me and says, "Hey we have this building until 4pm you gotta get moving!" I said "Look, I am getting my guitar." He says, "Take a chill-pill, goi!" When I got further in I realized it was a birthday party. They weren't going to let me in because of a birthday party?! Lame, I thought. It took me two seconds to get my guitar packed up and leave the place.

Another attempt at a video blog...

Please ENJOY this attempt at humor!! It was fun to make and took all of 15-20mins. This isn't really what i do at all...but in my head i do this from time to time!! Enjoy!!

Little Reminders

In my office i have hanging on the wall little reminders, reminders that tell me to say thank you to God for little things, big things and even in-between things. The reminders tell me to be thankful for other's big-small things and that there are others who, like me, forget from time to time and need reminders. Reminders of God's love, care, providence, leading, etc. Mostly reminders that God is still here still in charge and still leading. These are what a small group of people were thankful for on a particular Sunday, the small group of people was everyone who showed up to church that day. I love reading them and re-reading them. It reminds me to LOOK UP! It reminds me I'm not alone in my journey. It reminds be to be thankful for things that I forget to be thankful about. From the simple to the complex, from the weird to the straight-laced, the prayers go up daily and this wall reminds me of that. So I've put the wall up here so you can read it too and maybe be reminded as well!

HIS Peace!

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