Summer Vacation

So tomorrow we leave to visit our old stomping grounds. We have not been back to South Dakota for exactly 2 years (we moved to Michigan the end of July 2004). We are pretty excited to see friends and play in the Black Hills. After we visit SD, we are going to visit Herb and Cara in Denver. The van is packed, the kids are asleep, and we are ready to go. Good night.

I could reconfigure these protocols faster if you would just get out of my face!

Tonight we went out with our friends, Chris and Lisa. Chris works for Homeland Security and was getting calls all evening because he is on duty. I'm pretty sure it was all national security stuff. Anyway, when we got to their house, they gave me a gift they picked up 4 months ago. You guessed it, a signed picture of Chloe! Apparently, she grew up in Trenton and Chris' friend's church was having an auction. Chloe's godmother goes there and got an autographed picture donated from her. Chris and Lisa saw it and thought of me. God bless them. There is only one thing that vexes me. Since when does Chloe sign her name and put a heart over it? That is so not Chloe!

The Return of the Prodigal Son

This is one of my favorite paintings. I also love the book by Henri Nowen. Of course, they both exist because of Jesus' parable in the gospel of Luke. I love the passion of the Father for his lost son, I love the struggle towards maturity of the rebel son, and I love the lessons about life that this story teaches us. However, if I could change one part of this story, it would be the element of the older son, the good one, the one who obeys and honors his father. It's unfortunate that he gets overshadowed by the snotty young rebel. It's frustrating that there is not more focus on his remarkable character. It's just simply wrong that he gets shafted for doing what's expected. He even tries to defend himself and set things right in his Father's house only to be lectured and shafted yet again. Honestly, he's kind of a loser. He whines because he is not treated the way he thinks he deserves. He has an aire that he is better than his brother, even to the point that he tells his Father how to parent. He, in all reality, has a pretty good life, but all he can do is look at what he doesn't have and in turn demeans whatever good is happening around him because of where he is.

What am I rambling on about? Well, ever since I read Nowen's book, The Return of the Prodigal Son (about 8 years ago), I have struggled with the realization that I am very much like the older brother. That reality has never been more obvious than it is currently in my life. I recently have been struggling with the way I perceive my Heavenly Father is treating me. Almost to a tee, I have felt the feelings that the older son likely experienced. I can think of a thousand reasons why it is my right to feel this way, but it boils down to this, I am more in love with what I want to do than with whom I am doing it for. Let me explain... no, too much, let me sum up. I want to be a pastor - it's what I feel and many around me feel I was created for. Seeing that I am not makes me miserable and not much fun to live with because I feel shafted. I am getting old and in my limited view, I am going nowhere fast. My response is to be angry with God while at the same time obediently following him wherever he leads. Angry obedience - obedience with an attitude, an attitude that says, "Look at how faithful I am even when you are a jerk. See how good I am? See what great sacrifices I am making? You should notice me." That may be obedience in the letter of the law, but not the spirit. I am more passionate about "being a pastor" than being with Jesus. I HATE THE OLDER BROTHER! I wish he'd just get out of my mirror.

There is really no resolution with the older son in the story. The Father invites him in to celebrate and join authentic community and then walks away leaving the older son to make the decision. What does he decide? I hope he went in. But I'm not sure that he did. It is easier to stay outside because if he goes in, he admits that everyone else was right and that there is purpose and meaning in his life. It means that he has been the jerk. Over the last few weeks, I have had lots of encouragement and significant conversations with friends. There has been a resounding theme to the content. The theme is that they are happy that I am where I am because of what God has done and is doing through me. In my favorite words of Jack Bauer, "Dammit." Not expressed in a bad way, but in a giving in and letting go way. In the same way that the older son would have entered the house and joined the festivities with a sigh of relief that he can stop trying so hard to be right.

I have been willing to stay outside in hopes of getting what I want rather than going inside to simply be with the One whom this is all about. It's time for me to go inside.

My Padawan Learner

Now that Josh has symbolically taken down his first chipmunk, I though warrior should be added to the titles of hunter and gatherer. So, Sherri and I went out and bought light sabers for training purposes. This week, Sherri's sister and her two girls are staying with us because Aaron is on a mission's trip. Allison, Hannah, and Grace (Sherri's niece) are at day camp and we have Josh and Paige (other niece) at home. Paige is 1 1/2 to Josh's 2 1/2 but Paige may have the weight advantage. I think the training is coming along quite nicely!

Summer Reading

I am hoping to get a decent amount of reading done this summer. I just finished two books and thought they are worth comment. Holy Blood, Holy Grail is the non-fiction "research" work by Michael Baigent that is foundational to the Davinci Code. So here is the super simplified summary of their findings. . . Of the four Gospels, John is the only one that can be trusted to any extent, however, the Apostle John did not write it. Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha was the author and the whole raising from the dead thing was actually no death at all but an elaborate initiation to Jesus special club. Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany (Laz sister) was the same person and was married to Jesus which made Lazarus Jesus' brother-in-law. Jesus didn't die on the cross, mainly because the injuries inflicted during the scourging and crucifixion were not life threatening. The amazing thing is that at the end of the book, Baigent says that this is all a hypothesis that cannot be proven in any way, shape, or form. Yet in the next breath, he says that he knows that this is accurate and the Priori of Scion (secret society) has the proof although he has no idea what that proof is or what it looks like because no one is willing to tell him what it is.

The other book is The Phoenix Affirmations by Eric Elnes. What I initially thought would be an encouraging and engaging read turned out to be one of the weakest and watered down statements of biblical faith I have read in a long time. Essentially, this is a movement out of Phoenix of "progressive" pastors who are trying to unify religious, seekers, and anyone who is "open." Again, the super simplified summary is that the doorway of Jesus for salvation is a very good way but not the exclusive way. God is more concerned about how you express your love for God, yourself, and others than what you do with the person of Jesus. He seems to imply that everyone on a genuine "faith" journey experiences salvation no matter who it’s focused on. His main concern is the inclusion and affirmation of the gay and lesbian lifestyle into the Christian community. He compares the importance of this issue with that of slavery. Interesting thing about the book is that right now the author and a handful of others are doing a walk across the country to promote the affirmations and at the end of the walk, they are going to nail the affirmations to the doorway of America in D.C. (in the spirit of Martin Luther and the Wittenberg door).

These are two very different books coming from two very different authors, one of faith and one agnostic at best. The common thread within these books are that they try to remake Jesus palatable and in our image. The assumption is that the Bible cannot mean what it says and that what it says cannot be trusted and we need to read between the lines to find the "path of Jesus." The integrity of the researched documents and poor exegesis of the Bible (especially in Phoenix) leads to a complete mess and a theology/philosophy that completely misses the heart of Jesus. As odd as it sounds, these two books work consistently together to draw people away from Jesus rather than toward Him.

O brother, where art thou?

Wow, it’s been a while since my last post. So, first off, for those wondering where we are in pee-land, Josh is officially a big boy wearing big boy underwear (specifically Madagascar in the pic). Well, kind of. He peed on me this morning and I looked like I was lactating. Yes, he was sitting on me when the geiser went off.

We had a great time the week of the 4th. We went up north camping with some friends and set up our base camp. We spent two days with my family in West Branch and Gaylord and one day with our friends and watched fireworks in Alpena over Lake Huron. We had great seats but there was this pesky tree in the way of the less spectacular fireworks. Hannah was sitting on my lap and said during the show, "Daddy, do you know what kind of fireworks I like the best? All of the ones not behind the tree."

The most spectacular thing that happened was discovered by Allison. On Wednesday morning, Allison walked behind our pop-up and claimed she found a chipmunk swimming in our drain bucket. I dismissed her but decided to check it out anyway. Sure enough, at some point, a chipmunk climbed into the drain bucket and drowned in a cesspool of grease and soap. Josh was enamored with the event and really wanted to touch the deceased. So, here's a great shot of the boy with his first kill (he will be a great hunter and gatherer someday).

And here are a few other pictures of our week of camping. . .