Friday, October 29, 2004



Ah-


I'm catching up on my reading- let's see, there's an article about the blogger who's a threat to national security ; there's the one about the episcopal/druid priest(ess)-parts one, two, three, and four (down the page a bit); and here's some interesting thoughts about whether to vote (and here) or not (also here).

Personally I'm not convinced that it matters who's president. I honestly don't believe that either Bush or Kerry (or any of those other folks on the ballot) will make a significant difference in the future of this country or the world. Because I believe that western culture is over the hill, morally speaking, and is on an irreversible slide into the abyss.

Which is not to say that I think we should give up and quit trying to make a difference. I just think that any difference will be made at on a small scale or on a personal, one-to-one level, not on a national or state level.

So I'm considering exercising my right to not vote. Jimmy has some interesting thoughts, not about not voting, but about why christians shouldn't care who's in office. As he says, "The church wouldn't give damm if it was good at being the church."

I wrote most of this last Friday, 10/29. I wasn't ready to post it, but intended to. And in the course of the weekend I talked about what I wrote with a couple of people, and got some flack. Which I expected.

So for awhile I considered not posting it until after the election. But, this is what I believe. I'm not trying to convince anyone, just stating my opinion. So if you strongly disagree with me, that's ok. With any luck, I won't say anything about politics for a looong time. I'm sick of the whole mess.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

God bless...

Have you ever heard a little kid pray, " God bless Mommy and bless Daddy and bless my Sunday School teacher and bless our dog Sparky..."

I've heard myself, and lots of other people pray for God to bless us, or someone else, and I've come to believe that's a silly prayer. Actually, a prayer prayed in ignorance, and maybe even in sin at times.

Did you see the movie "Twister" with Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton? Toward the end they're in a small shed as a very large tornado passes over. The special effects of the movie were great; the shed is sucked up from around them and then the wind builds until their bodies are pulled up off the ground- they're barely hanging on to some pipe and it looks like they're going to follow the shed up into the sky.

Praying for God to bless me is like standing in a tornado, or a hurricane, and asking for wind, or rain- there's already more there than I could possibly imagine or understand- more power, more of His Glory- and I am in the midst of God's blessing every moment of my life!

God blesses me from the moment of conception until I am in His eternal presence- actually long before my conception- "...In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

So why do I ask God to bless me? Because I forget, and because my spiritual vision is so very weak. I don't need to ask God to bless me, I need to ask Him to show me what He's already done, and what He's doing even now. If I knew the fullness of God's blessing on my life I would be overwhelmed, stunned to silence, in awe.

Paul's prayer in Ephesians says it best: "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

That hope, those riches, and that power, are here in my life, for my use, now!

I know you bless me every day Father, every moment I live. Open the eyes of my heart, so I may recognize and join in what You are doing, and give You glory.