i think that it has been a long long time...

Hey peeps.

I'll skip the apologies, but i will let you know that in the place of infrequent blogging, facebook has taken over. So much so, that i nearly destroyed this blog, and closed it forever! But me and my blog have been through a lot and i'm not quite ready to do that to the Shaolin Chronicles just yet.

So, whats been happening in my life. A lot! But there are certain things you don't discuss on a blog, especially since you never know who might be reading. Basically, things are tough at work. That's my blanket statement to let you...my faithful readers or random stumblers...know that the difficulty in my life stems from work. I wish i could be more descriptive, especially since i like to think of myself as a fairly descriptive person, but i shouldn't and so i won't.

So, i'm preaching at church this next sunday, and i'm reading a couple of books, in hopes that they will supplement well, the biblical text that i hope to use. The main one i am using right now is "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" by Peter Scazzero. Anyhoo, i was reading it, and came across a statement that caught my eye. And it's one of those things about faith that i "already knew", at least intellectually. I know a lot intellectually, but in my heart, and the way i live doesn't always reflect "what i know", which makes me realize, maybe i don't actually "know" it. You hopefully know what i mean, maybe you yourself have had some of those situations. Anyway, here it is, if i can find it again, it's not my book, so i can't highlight stuff, Lame.

"Christianity is not about our disciplined pursuit of God, but about God's relentless pursuit of us"

Even though i knew that, Scazzero's words caught me off guard. I realized that for a good portion of my life, and in the life of many Christians i know, we spend our time trying to live good moral lives so that God will love us. We try and use our own will's and self discipline to change our bad habits and incorrect thinking, and we fail. We fail, we fail, we fail, and we feel like we can never live up to God's standards, and that's because we try and do it all on our own. We see Christianity as a lifelong pursuit of changing ourselves and being a better person, and we ignore the truth that God pursues us, that he chases after he lost lambs, that he loves us to the point of dying for us, just so that we could have a chance to know him, and love him back. (Calvinists might disagree with me there, but hey, when do Calvinists not disagree with me!?)

Anyway, just some food for thought. And i wish that there was a Quiznos in Vermilion, cause thats the food i'm craving for eating. mmmmm, quiznos, but i guess i'll just have to settle for Minestrone soup and a sandwhich. Also good. Oh yes, and i've finally become a real Christian. And to which you may reply, oh good...but what is the mark of a real Christian....to which i will reply, sponsoring a child through compassion. Yes Cara and I were touched at YC, and challenged to spend our money sacrificially on improving the life of someone other then ourselves, so we have bought a child his name is Ramadhan Risqe. He lives in Indonesia, he's turning four in November. He's swell. Also, we may have chosen him based soley on the fact that we liked his cool name, and his sweet Mickey Mouse outfit.

Peace and Love