Conversation with Amy just prior to bath. Random, fun, precious:
Amy (impulsive, loud voice): “Daddy, I have to peepee.”
Amy (tender, kind voice): “I love you, Daddy.”
Amy (impulsive, loud voice): “Op, I gassed!!!”
Amy (passing washcloth to me): “Hold this, Daddy.”
Amy: “All done.”
I am here at Caribou this morning for a few hours (jealous, Jamie? hee hee). I had a large dark, no big deal. So I go back for a refill (yes, I have a coffee problem) and ask for a cup of water as well, “just from the tap is fine”. The barista completely stopped what she was doing and said, “What? Are you sure? It’s unfiltered!”
Based on her reaction, I too was startled that I had requested tap water. From her pause and the look on her face, I was not sure what was actually going to come out of the faucet behind the bar! I confirmed that yes, in fact, I did want to have some water from the tap, without ice. I am drinking it right (pause) now. I think it tastes wonderful!
Do we drink our scripture straight from the tap? Or do we prefer that it is filtered through our pet authors or preachers or commentaries or study bibles? Do we joyfully and confidently drink right from the tap, or do we fear the things that make us uncomfortable, or that may be hard to swallow? (Don’t push the illustration with the idea of “impurities”, etc. I am of course not using that as the illustration; God’s Word is infallible, breathed out by him, perfect and sufficient.)
I am co-teaching our Leadership Class this spring with BD. It is a wonderful exercise for me to review so many of these truths and to prepare for licensure in this way (every bit helps). There are sometimes truths in scripture that many readers have a hard time with. Last week was election (thanks Brian for doing such a great job!). Sometimes we have a hard time drinking truths like these, we want them to make sense, we want our water to be filtered so it tastes nice. But you know what, there are many truths in scripture that may “taste bad”, but are necessary for survival.
Those minerals, that fluoride and the other chemicals that are good for my body have been unfortunately removed from water by filtration. And we have weaker water, we have better tasting water perhaps, but we no longer have what God has provided for our health and nourishment. Have we not often done this to the very Word of God?
Surfing is a dangerous thing, you find yourself on websites like these (Apple.com). And it corrupts your heart.
Can’t believe someone is dumb enough to do this! :)
It’s been a long time since I have blogged, so yes, this is a cop-out (Keith). I have been trying to update and maintain another blog for our church’s small group ministry. Here’s the link, it has some helpful resources in the margins and in the post/body area, perhaps some material that may be helpful in your area(s) of ministry.
Please feel free to post/comment/give feedback to me directly on how to better the blog and incorporate sound, biblical material for our church leaders.
I still feel weak and am hacking up a lung repeatedly, but the fever is gone as are all the aches and dizziness. Thankfully. I have a busy week getting back into things over at church. Being gone for a couple of weeks adds to the pressure of that first week back. Ugh.
The first ride and the last ride that we went on in the Magic Kingdom was “It’s a Small World”.
If you have ever been, you know how impressive the ride is, the detail, the variety, the color. Hundreds of miniatures dancing, singing, playing drums, from nations all over the world. You also would know that the ride ends in an enormous room of all the nations in sort of a white and sky blue, winteresque view of the world.
We were talking about it in our boat, and I was not quite sure what to make of the experience, was this a white-washing of all the cultures, that “It’s a Small World”, means we are all the same, or should be all the same, was it some sort of afterlife, where everyone goes to heaven and sings and dances together? There were some characters who had what looked like wings attached to their person. If either is true, I find it disappointing.
If what Disney intended to communicate was heaven, it was simply a propagation of a very limited view of heaven. I don’t think heaven is going to be white-washed and boring like this display was. Revelation 21’s description of heaven is incredibly colorful, not boringly white. And in Paul’s chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13, he writes, now we see dimly, and one day we will see face to face, we will see clearly. We will see our Savior face to face, we will see things as they really are, undimmed by our sinful condition. It seems the new heaven and new earth will be very colorful and beautiful indeed.
This past week we were in DisneyWorld. We spent several days between all the parks, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. I think I enjoyed Magic Kingdom the most, just because of the wow factor for my children. However, I think Epcot showed me the most spiritually.
At one of the areas of Epcot is a Nemo Adventures area, with a huge aquarium and several smaller aquariums with all the tropical fish from Finding Nemo. I was struck with a comment I had heard several times in my life about loving and serving a wild, untamed God. I had often disagreed with the concept, I did not like the idea of a wild God, untamed and unbridled. It made me uncomfortable, the thought of an idea of God that was not confined by my terms was a bit threatening to me. I am still flaking out this issue in my mind…
Anyway, I am standing in front of one of the displays as I am in line to meet and talk with Crush (the EAC surfing turtle from the movie). The tank next to me said, “Great Barrier Reef” and had about 50 fish in it of all kinds, colors and sizes. I chuckled thinking to myself because Disney went all that way to package the Great Barrier Reef and bring it to me for a cool price. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the effort, and it is incredible to have this little bit of the Reef in front of me to enjoy. However, the Reef is mammoth, unbelievable beauty stretched for over 2000 km off the eastern coast of Australia, often called the largest living organism since it is all coral. The Reef is untamed, wild, enormous.
In contrast, I often prefer that God remain limited, shipped into the States, stuffed into a small aquarium so I can appreciate Him from a distance. I want to walk around in circles observing him from all sides noticing the colors and pretty fish instead of wading into the deep, shark infested ocean that is God. It is not safe there, it is not safe at all. He may ask what I feel is too much to bear, he may give, he may take away. This God demands my worship, I cannot help it.
The little tiny tank is neat, but it is not impressive. It is controlled, limited, small, mastered by humans, it does not demand my worship. It is simply novel.
I don’t want or need a novel God. I want and need more than that.
I don’t think I am going to be able to head to the cottage this year. As much as I want to be there, for rest, for reading, reflection (all the re-‘s), in order to encourage my soul, I doubt it will happen. There is so much happening here at the church right now, so much in my own life (added to the fact that I have been out of town recently), there is no way I can take more time away for this. Unless there is some bizarre, or divine, change of events, I’ll be here this winter, no trip to the Northwoods for me.
I enjoy reading through the old posts from the time I spend there. I know that in the past God has done some things in my heart–even in spite of my sin–to change me, grow me, shape me into his pattern and liking rather than my own.
The time spent with five other men a couple weeks ago was good for my soul. I was telling one of my students this today, that the time spent with these men is encouraging, uplifting and really joy-giving. When I am with them I am challenged in all areas, from family and fatherhood to politics and social/communal responsibility. I need this trip for my betterment, for my heart, for a more responsible, well-thought way of living in the world.
I’d like to think that my family benefits from the time too, in the same way that I hope they benefit from the time I spend alone in WI during the winter (which I am sure I will miss this year). I hope that they can see that I am different as a result of spending time with men of God that challenge me, either very explicitly in face to face confrontation/challenge, or from witnessing how they spend their time and energies.
Now, of course, not every decision is mimicked in my own life. I know that there are things I must do that they will not, and visa versa. But the challenge from them to really see, understand and absorb their reasoning, their understanding of biblical manhood (and subsequently, fatherhood, husbandry, social responsibility).
It was good. It is honestly difficult to be back. Often, time with family for me is so beneficial, I have a hard time returning to the normal course of life, work, family here at home.
my northwoods 
