Hospital Visit

I was at a hospital today to visit and pray with Aaron who was going into surgery for shoulder reconstruction. He seemed to be very brave, but he will be going through a very tough time of recovery. Today I also talked with another friend who will be undergoing surgery in December to deal with some cancer that is in her body. Have you ever experienced being with people in the hospital? They seem to be the most genuine and responsive at that time. The interesting thing is that you really can't do anything for them, except just be there, chat a little and offer up a prayer. It doesn't seem like much but it seems to be significant. There seems to be significance to just being a present human, and not trying to fix stuff.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is here! I love this, not just because of the opportunity to gormandize, but because of a great reminder to be thankful. I always think it is kind of corny when we go around in a circle as a family and say things we're thankful for, but we do it anyway and I like it. I like taking a moment and being thankful to the creator and sustainer of the universe for all the good gifts I have. My life is good, and I am even starting to have an attitude that is good even when circumstances are not all in order. I need to be reminded that I am not the sustainer of my universe, it's not my job. So, that leaves me to relax and enjoy my life, and to be thankful for the wonderful people in my life, the great things I see and hear every day and the way God is continually changing me to be like Jesus. I am a thankful man!

New Babies

This is just a fun announcement as I am really starting to enter a new phase of my life. The next generation is now starting to have kids. Two of my nieces have just had babies. Let me introduce Milan and Taylor. This seems kind of freaky because I know that this is now the beginning of the Grandparent or Patriarch stage. I think I might be ready.

Expansive

I was in dialogue with a friend this past week and he used a word like expansive to describe the Christian faith. That seemed intriguing to me because it seems like here in the USA it has become a faith that is secluded and turned inward, as though the church was meant to exist for the good of the people on the inside. I think Jesus had a different idea for his church. He meant us to be a blessing to all people, to take his life out to everyone. I'm not talking about evangelizing the world, I think Jesus would be ecstatic if we just loved people well. So, if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, consider being expansive and love the people around you!

Above-Average?

My family likes to watch the Amazing Race because we like geography and cultures and stuff. We're watching it last night and one of the girls in one of the competing families said, "we're Christians, we're above average!". This created a visceral response in us, did you here that?! I think the sense of arrogance was what caused the response in us. Mostly I think it was the way that the view of Christianity that allows people to think tht they are better than other people is very disturbing. This way of thinking is in opposition to what Jesus taught. This "posture" of being better or above others is a wretched, perverted and warped view of Jesus' teaching and challenges to live. Jesus challenges his followers to be servants and give our lives up for others. When did Christians start to adopt this posture of arrogance? No wonder people of our world are often repulsed by people claining to be followers of Jesus. Incedentally, the family that was eliminated really showed grace, patience and humility. They didn't mention anything about their faith, but they seemed to be 100% more like Jesus than the family that claimed Jesus. Hmmm