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So this blog is totally here to avoid homework and to address something.

I’m really liking the honesty in James’ Blog. I know some of the pain that he is feeling and yet I’m not mad at God. I find it really hard to be mad at God. I actually find it hard to be mad at people. Mad is something that I don’t do well.

I find it hard to be mad at God because I know that I know that when I’m mad at God, I’ll be wrong. I don’t agree with James that God is to be blaimed for our lack of fulfillment of intimacy though he created us for it. We are to blaim. It is our sin that keeps us from people. It is our insecurities. It is our fears. It is my fear. God created us for something that we will never experience in fulness because of our sin. Really the best that we hope for is someone that is as willing to put up with your frailties as you are willing to put up with theirs. There is so much pain in relationships that you have to count the cost before attempting it. You have to be willing to lose in order to gain.

I find it hard to be mad at people because I know that I make all of the same mistakes and make all of the same blunders (though they might be expressed it different ways). I know there is sin in my life. I know that there is selfishness buried beneath layers of golden tin foil wrapping.

I find it hard to be mad at people because when it comes right down to it, my knowledge of the goodness of God to forgive me and my knowledge of the sinfulness of others lets me know that I’m not alone. I used to look at my stances on movies, money, women, etc. as things that distinguished me from everyone else and I felt so alone. I was trying to find hope in reaching perfection but I found no companionship in that journey. It was the day that I realized that my stances and my striving made me no less sinful before God that I realized that I wasn’t alone. The stances are good. God calls us to increasing obedience. God wants us to live lives that are set apart but. . .

. . . we are still in process, like everyone else. We are not alone. We have a God for a friend that gives up. When people fail us, and they will, God will not. We just hold onto God and the knowledge that others are in process. We forgive as we are forgiven. People fail us and we forgive them and continue to walk with them. If they walk away, we let them go. If they return, we let them return. In the midst of all of this, one truth remains. . .

. . . God will never leave or give up on us.

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I’m totally floored about this little book called “Church Planting Methods” by David E Godwin. Here is a quote:

“A real key to seeing the sick healed is to pray for them on a regular basis.”

This quote is found in a chapter that says that all Church Planters should have a healing ministry. It is funny because I have seen God’s healing quite a few times in my life and to be honest, I have seen fewer people healed then I have prayed for. The weird thing is that I have seen people healed. I really believe in the principle that you will see more people healed if you will just pray.

It just had to be a Swedish company didn’t it. I think that I’m thrown off by that guy on the commercial. He has a swedish accent like you’d expect Freud to have but it sounds way more German to me.

I’ve really be snowed by the Swedish Chef. Argh!

Travis is saying that the guy from the ikea commercials in from Sweden, I say Germany. . . now I’m having my doubts (T-rav is just that confident).

Please, please, please, does someone have the answer?

T-rav also says that Ikea is a swedish company, I just don’t know.

Well, I just visited James’ blog for the first time and it was really good. Actually, it was amazing. The content was very personal and the layout was amazing (extremely simple and I will admit my jealousy.
It has been a while since I blogged but this one will not be long. I just feel really good right now. I’ve been pretty anxious lately and that has been a result of everything coming to a head at one time. I took 2 days of Sabbath rest and that was exactly what I needed. I spent yesterday crocheting and listening to music and Dr. Phil (I may not watch a lot of tv but that show is so awesome).

Long story short. . . I feel good this morning. I’m going to be hanging out with John-Robert this afternoon and hopefully working out with Kirk some time today.

Peace