Mitt Romney's Mormonism- IT IS A PROBLEM!

The danger of hiring such a man had not previously run across my mind. It was the interview that sealed it for me. Up to that point, I was focusing on him as ‘the one’, the choice, the hope. But as I was listening to the interview, I heard another sound….the sound of waves shattering moorings.*
The interview? Hugh Hewitt interviews former religion editor and NY Times Op Ed contributor Kenneth Woodward. SO WHAT? Yeah, I never heard of him either. But he wrote this article about Mormons; and included a bunch of vague generalities….Hugh accused him of religious bigotry. Blah, blah, blah; but the point is this: If Mitt Romney is the key choice for republican presidential candidacy; then Mormons get a lot of (mostly) positive exposure. Even hearing Hugh speak, it sounded as though he was equating Mormonism with other equal Christian denominations. It did not sound as though he had any concerns about it being a cult.
Anyway, I started writing this early in April. Since then, I see that Pastore’s got an article up saying the same thing…..Definite food for thought in the midst of such an important election.
*Okay, it's way over-dramatic. But that's the fun of the writing process.....face it; you'd get way way bored if I wrote differently!

God?

What do you represent?

Stopping To Smell The Roses

I've been fighting the last three weeks to reestablish periods of stillness and contemplation into my life. In that light, here's an amazing (true) story about folks that missed out on great beauty...while running to their other commitments.

I'm Up Late on Good Friday So......

I'm in a kind of funky, mellow mood today. On the way home Dobson was playing a sermon by Dr. Tony Evans. Good stuff. It put me in the mood to hear some more good preaching. So I went home and listened to some "classics" on the internet. Sooo, if you're in the mood, (I realize that not everyone's wired into listening to sermons as I am) I'm linking to two really good sermons that have touched my life. The first, is the late Dr. E.V. Hill preaching at his wife's funeral. If you're having trouble trusting God, this sermon may help.
The other is kind of a Good Friday message; but it's a bit heavy. If you're feeling content in lukewarm Christianity and your middle class lifestyle, this message won't help....but it'll get you thinking.
There you have it. Food for thought on a late Good Friday night. Now I probably should go to bed. I've got a men's ministry breakfast on the plate for 7:00 a.m.
Good night!

Passover: Shoulda Shipped Out the Yeast AND the Beast

On Monday I drove up to my Dad’s house for Passover. Hailey is on vacation visiting the cousins not far from dad’s. So they dropped her off there as well. Strange mish-mash of folks there for the holiday as always. Dad and grandma Ethel, Ethel’s daughter and husband, Ethel’s son-in-law (longer story there), Jeannie, Felicia (a friend of the family..., “Her mother and I knew each otha since the first Exodus”), the kids, and myself.
The guys put on their Yamukahs. We sit down to read the Haggadah.
We get to the plagues, then stop. Time for dinner. What? Where’s that Moses fella? I thought he figured in here somewhere? Like in that movie with the guy from Soylent Green. You know the one. BUT NOOO, the Jews never get out of Egypt. Later on I remind Hailey that the Jews really do get out of Egypt (which oddly enough is the reason for the holiday celebration). I also assure Hailey that, “Yes, we can eat normal bread for the next week at my house.”

So, dad and Ethel have this dog, I think it’s called a ‘Mahjong Freejew’. Anyhow, it has a number of issues. One is that when the mail is dropped through the front door mail slot, the dog grabs the mail, flicks its little head and flings the mail across the room. So, all night long the adults and the kids were dropping catalogs and envelopes into the slot to see the dog go ballistic.

The dogs’ second issue is that, sometimes, on occasion, he attacks the legs of men. Attack with teeth, not attack like your thinking.

So, my brother-in-law Duane, and his wife Denise come over to pick up Hailey. They come on in to chat a while and be social. Grab some desert. Then, outta nowhere, the dog attacks. Draws blood. Duane has numerous marks on his legs. None too bad. But still.

And that’s how I spent my Passover this year.

Quote of the Month-"A Good Story"

"A good story is one that isn't demanding, that proceeds from A to B, and above all doesn't remind us of the bad times, the cardboard patches we used to wear in our shoes, the failed farms, the way people you love just up and die. It tells us instead that hard work and perseverance can overcome all obstacles; it tells lie after lie, and the happy ending is the happiest lie of all."
Kathleen Norris, from Dakota, A Spiritual Geography

Reading Between the Lines

Did he say Mitt? Re the upcoming presidential election: I heard Gregory Koukl today say that we need to choose someone who holds to the same principles as we do. We do not need to vote for ONLY someone who holds the same 5-point, sola scriptura, pre-trib position that we do. To quote, he said we are voting for a president, not selecting a pastor. Good point. Too many Christians get hung up on the latter. I believe it was Martin Luther who said it's better to elect "a wise Turk" rather than a stupid Christian.

Hurt-Early Beginnings

It was a strange sound. The wooden legs scraping on the wooden floor, the furious rocking back and forth of the mattress, and the strained wheezing sound. In the darkness it would be a puzzle to piece together. Given some light one could make out the boy lying on his side, violently rocking back and forth, gasping for breath.

On many mornings, I’d wake up with my stomach and ribs aching from the workout, the inside of my stomach hurting from all the air I’d gulped down the night before. Somehow I’d manage to actually go through a ‘normal’ morning routine, eat breakfast, and head out the door to elementary school. I don’t know how I got through the days without collapsing in the classroom from extensive exhaustion. Perhaps I caught up on my sleep during nap-time, or during extended games of “Heads-Up, 7-Up”.

I wondered before, and wonder more now that I’m a parent, where in the hell were MY parents? Granted, my dad left to work out of state for long periods of time. But wasn’t he there some time? I truly don’t remember; probably blocked it out. Or it fell out during the extensive knocking of the bed. And mom. That’s a mystery too. She couldn’t have had alcohol related blackouts all of those nights, right?

It’s been knocking around in my head for about a year now. I’d managed to keep it pretty much suppressed for most of my life. At this juncture of the journey I’ve had opportunity to reflect (some of it chosen, some of it bestowed). So I ask questions. Some have answers. Some don’t. And some of the answers will be evident in time. And maybe some of the questions need to be asked of others, though I’m not excited about doing the asking.

So much for stringent psychological testing....they do that; don't they?

Space cadet......

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/06/1170524077454.html?from=top5

Eeyore Theology Vs. Christian Hedonism

“Perhaps God just wants me miserable.” That’s my wife’s current view of the world. Eeyore theology. My view of the world: Christian Hedonism.

As I’ve been pressed toward God, I’ve found my joy running ever deeper. The rich, from-down-deep-in-your-soul laughter is truly much richer. And happens much more often. And so too does the ‘waiting for hot chocolate’ kind of joy.

On a backpack trip many years ago, camp was at the end of twelve miles of trail. That’s twelve miles of trail through snow and ice. On that particular day my level of hiking comfort ended at mile eight. Miles nine through twelve were a blur, except for the thought that at the end of the trail lay a warm tent, change of clothes, and hot chocolate. Only the thought of hot chocolate kept my legs and body moving forward.

The experience of Christians on the whole is recorded in Psalm 16:
You will make known to me the path of life,
In Your presence is fullness of joy,
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.