Priority Shift

Of late I have been heavily contemplating what my next step in life should be. I believe that I have allowed myself to fall into an inconsistency in thought, as well as having submitted myself to enslavement to time by means of worrying. Worrying about what I want to do and where I go and about wasting time…and in turn wasting time. Time isn't going to stop to wait for me to decide to do something. It goes on while I sit around and weigh my options and pick apart my desires to make sure that I truly want to do the things I think I want to do. It’s quite ironic actually.

Additionally, I have been mulling over the nature of my blog and what I want my blog to be. I have shifted around quite a bit over the last couple years, and if you have read farther back into my blog you might detect the change in style and subject matter between now and the genesis of my public writing. I went through a period of time where I tried to advocate theological positions and intentionally push thoughts out for people to mull over. Too much of what was written during that time was artificial and manufactured. I fought for words rather than writing my heart out with the natural flow of my soul. It wasn't fully me and, as a result, my writing suffered. This is a revelation that I have received in my contemplating my use of time and current perspective of life and career.

In turn, I believe it is important that I restructure my blog. I want it to be a place for honest words and thoughts, but not to the point where it becomes a place to just emotionally rape the eyes of my readers. To a degree I believe that my blog has already begun to reflect this desire. This is not a place for me to just spill emotions and rant about life. It is, however, a place to wrestle with real questions and to invite others to join me in questioning and reflection, not just me trying to advocate my opinions. When I do share my opinions, however, I am seeking to be more straight forward and honest in my doing so, rather than dancing around them (as I too often do). This place is an honest place.

It is time my friends for a priority shift and change of focus. For “life is short and there is but little time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. Therefore, be quick to love and make haste to be kind.”

Grace and Peace

Stephen

"Happy holidays! No offense..."

As I get older and spend more time contemplating Theology and life, I find that my understanding of holidays as a whole is undergoing significant change. My priorities and my focus all have shifted. Christmas is not what it used to be for me, and I'm happy that it isn't. The majority of Christmas music hurts my soul! If I hear that blasted song that says "I wanna see Christmas through your eyes" one more flippin time!!!....I'm sorry, I digress.

I have a good deal of thought concerning holidays, and I would like that Americans (particularly Christians) do not celebrate holidays enough, and when they do it isn't done well.  Lost in commercialism and selfishness, we fail to celebrate the holidays as they were meant to and, therefore, do not reap the benefits of said holidays. As a result, we suffer spiritually, physically, mentally, and culturally. Again, I digress. This is not what I wanted to focus on for my post, but I do believe needed to be said. I will expand on my thoughts in another post, but what really is my focus here is my hearing arguments about "offending" people.

Again, Christians fail at this. I'm not being critical of the Church here...I'm just pointing out a flaw in our thinking that needs to be addressed so that we can move forward and be more worshipful in our living. I've heard a lot of talk of how the Church should be as unoffensive as possible. "We don't want to offend people" is the stance that the White House took in saying "Holiday Trees" rather than "Christmas Trees", and what happened? People got offended. Possible more people than if they had stood by what they claimed to believe and said "Christmas Trees". The fact is that it is impossible to not offend someone, especially in America where people seem to look for chance to be offended and cause a ruckus ..it's a portion of the fallen nature of man that has taken hold in our culture.

To never offend someone is either to A) do absolutely nothing or to B) live life walking on eggshells and being a completely different person every time you change who you are around. The former will ultimately end in someone being offended; the latter will leave you broken and without any sense of identity or integrity and you will be enslaved to the beliefs and the stupidity of anyone that comes near you. It is an unhealthy way to live and it will destroy you. So to live healthy means that you will offend someone. If you care too much about what people say about you and about offending them, then you are probably living in fear and in sin...enslaved by people rather than living a holy and spiritual life that God desires for us. You are stripped of happiness and joy; caged by your own worldview.

The Gospel is offensive...Church is offensive...you can't escape it. To try is to dishonor our God, who had no problem offending people when it was needed. Neither should we. At the same time we should not waste our time and energy raising up arguments about "holiday trees" when there are far more important things that need to be discussed and fought for. Like our rights to bear arms and the evils of abortions.

People are offended by the death of 20 precious children and demand that guns be outlawed...while even more are offended by the murdering of hundreds of thousand of babies in the name of "human rights" and nothing is done! Stop tippy toeing and trying to not step on peoples toes and start standing for truth and for the things worth fighting for. I wish you all a Merry Christmas! May your Holy day be beautiful and full of the blessing of our Lord Christ. May you abandon your selfishness and your pride and remember to celebrate and give thanks to God for what He has done. Celebrate life by giving to those you love and be with them in unity and fellowship. Do not cry if you don't get the color iPhone you want, it will be worthless within the year. Put an end to your vain longings and set your thoughts on things that matter, like God and people.

Peace be with you all,

Stephen

Vows of Love and the Words that Imply Them

I'm not one to talk about love or relationship of a romantic nature. It's outside my realm of knowledge or comfort. Recently, however, I watched the movie called "The Vow" and it left me with a lot of things to think about. Actually I am resisting the temptation to sit here and write up three different blog posts...but I digress.

Vows: that dastardly use of words to convey loyalty and affection; to create promises of allegiance and/or self-sacrifice with the implication that one's words are trustworthy and will ever be fulfilled until a certain condition (more commonly death) has been accomplished or invoked.

Its amazing how little vows mean to society today. Especially among Christians, who seem to make more vows than anyone else (or at least by my observation). It is no longer easy to trust the words of others. A fact evidenced by ever growing need for detailed contracts with witnesses and special seals. I once heard a friend say that contracts rely on a base trust among individuals to believe that one will fulfill the written contract, but in my mind I see the use of them at all as a proof of distrust, not to mention that many contracts are left unfulfilled.

Sadly it is no different for marital vows. So many speak words without sincerity or without truly seeking to work at keeping their vows. It appears to me (and forgive my bluntness), there are far too many people still walking around and breathing in light of all the marriages that have ended just this year. Now, I'm not saying that there are not biblical reasons for divorce. I would stand to say that abuse and continual adultery are valid reasons for divorce, while still very unfortunate and heartbreaking, as well as displeasing to God. These two actions are in complete disregard to the vows that were made during the couple's wedding ceremony. A friend of mine once told me that "It is more biblical for me to murder my wife than for me to divorce her. But I would never murder her." I think that this is a beautiful and yet...disturbing, image that we all need to grasp. Murder is recognized as being ultimately wrong, but no one is willing to hold vows and marriage to the standard that they should. Perhaps it is the overwhelming pride and self-contentedness of humanity without the old cultural pressures to "make it work" that has led us to this place.

Vows are far more significant than any mere contract. It is a matter of honor, trust, reputation, and the persons very life is bound to a vow that is spoken. Christians have a tendency to make a lot of these, usually to God, but often to others in the form of false friendship and deceitful acts of love. Additionally, there is the famous phrase "I'll be praying for you!" or "Let me know if there is anything I can do!" which are both too often spoken flippantly and without being fulfilled. A great tragedy of the age. The bearers of truth showing smile and speaking meaningless words that leave people broken and hurt. Distrust reigns and sin abounds because people are unwilling to uphold integrity and follow through with what they vow.

Do not take my post as arrogant. I am just as guilty of the same crime. I call my own integrity into question and ask of myself "what vows have you spoken vainly?", "What words have you said without thinking?", and "How can I overcome this?"

May we always seek to do what we say and say what we do. That all that is said is said with intentionality and purpose rather than manipulation or disregard.

Peace be with you all,

Stephen