Near and Far Faith

I've been going through Ezekiel now for a few months on my quest to finish the Bible (I've never read it all the way through). Today I was going through a few of the final chapters - 40-43 - and it's all about the temple dimensions and regulations. Here's what blew me away - the angel finishes telling Ezekiel all the details of the temple and Ezekiel says "The walls separated the Holy from the ordinary" (42:20). Not dirty or sinful or selfish or impure or even unholy... ordinary. How much do our lives represent just that - an ordinary attempt at representing a wholly extraordinary God?

I read 38 blogs this morning. It's been encouraging and innovative. I read 3 right now - Ben, Tally, and Perry. Keeping it simple.

So I've been asking myself lately why God's not being clear. I'm currently standing on the forge of a decently large decision and I've been asking for direction, but hearing nothing. Well not nothing, but it's not what I'm looking for.

Two reasons I believe God does this:
1. It forces us to gut check our relationship with Him. Am I really trying to get to know Him or am I just looking for answers so I can be comfortable? It's easy for us to let our own comfort - be it with ease of the future or security in what others think - take first priority.

2. It doesn't let us run ahead and miss the opportunities for growth in that moment. For right now, right here, this is the moment we're here for. So I should be here, not 3 steps ahead. When it's time for the info I need to take the next step, God loves me and will not withhold it to make me uncomfortable. Here's a post that helped me in this moment today.

One more thing - God doesn't like it when I'm not comfortable. He doesn't allow it just because He can. I need reminding of that.

I've been really inspired be Ben's blog this morning. His posts are simple and short, but potent. I often feel like i need to expound an OT book in order to have a decent post (hence the scattered posting). So here goes my new philosophy - keeping it real and simple.

Gotta love that title.

Actually, you've gotta love Crowder's writing. It's deep and humorous at the same time. This is David Crowder's (of The David Crowder Band - hooray for super-creative original band names) 2nd book (see my notes on Praise Habit).


It's really a book about death, which my life seems to have been engulfed by over the past few years. Turns out, so has Crowder's.

The book is a split study on the history of the soul and the origin of Bluegrass music. Honestly, besides Nickel Creek, I've never listen to much bluegrass and haven't liked country much. But since reading Crowder's joke-ridden descriptions of it's origin, I've been looking to borrow Bill Monroe albums from my local library (and place them delicately on my ipod - insert evil laugh here).

The book almost seemed disconnected and dare I say unfocused, but upon reaching the last chapter, it all came together. It was very Sixth-Sense-ish.

Everybody wants to go to Heaven is also peppered with 2 different literary breaks (this rocks for ADD types like myself). One section that gives you a breaks from the sometimes admitted mind strain is some I.M. conversation between David and Mike Hogan, the co-author and member of the band. The other section is what they call columns. It's like continuing short stories that make you turn the book sideways (Crowder rocks the gimmick in a not-gimmicky way).

The end of the book is not what you expect either - check out the appendices and acknowledgments for a good laugh.

So no more spoilers. If you've experienced death there is a connected camaraderie between us. We wrote this book together.

Buy it here - it's only $10.

That's me. People like Perry and Ben blog like every half-an-hour. I slack off and blog every two weeks. Oh well. I know my priorities are in order. Blogging for me is important, but I'd rather slack off there than with my family (it's a dangerous temptation for me).

But I need to take a page from some other pastoral bloggers and shorten things up. Keep things simple and then brain-dump every once and a while.

So I'm getting rid of the Miata (quick subject change... but keeping it simple). I was given a 1990 Miata by my father-in-law a few years ago and I've loved the idea of a convertible, but realized that you really only get about a weeks worth of combined fun per year out of it. I drove it all winter (smart) but now it's summer. It's hot and slightly impracticable as a family car. So it's Ebay's now. Check it out here. Just 4 days and 23 hours left!