PLUNGE47

“That pretty little lake, the one you pass on the way into Kansas City International Airport? Its glassy azure surface is one of the first sights that newbies to Kansas City see…” Kansas City Star

The world we live in grows quicker by the minute. Sound bites are no longer the preview before a commercial break. Instead they are the whole story. A tweet reveals the day’s news. The 140 characters can sum up the value of a position, even define the life of person…

Obviously a tweet does not bring depth. Most people tweet to begin the conversation – with the intention of people diving deeper. But the messages fill our society and I am not sure anyone hears over all the chirping… We are not deep. But lately I am not even sure we are shallow. Most of us are just peering out onto the waters – listening to the bird calls.

No one even know what the water holds…

“But it turns out the lake may not be the best advertisement for the metro area. In fact, the lake is filled with airplane deicing fluid, and lots of it.” ~ Kansas City Star

Irony ~ My blog brings a surface rant on shallow tweets. I never went below the surface to question the cause. Because tweets can be conversation starters, if anyone was willing to have a conversation with the other side.

But we are not willing to sit down and discuss things. We would rather talk from afar. No matter that our gossip now reaches around the world… but why won’t we discuss things with the other side? Do we consider the other side to be evil? How do we overcome this breakdown in communication?

Or maybe it is just easier to put out 140 character soundbites? Because the answers are too complicated and difficult we would rather shout and rant, than actually deal with any problems.

Take politics and poverty. I often hear opinions that would cut back (or even cut off) poverty reduction efforts. “Those folks need to learn to work.” But imagine a complete cut-off. Poverty would increase. More troubling, everyone’s safety would decrease, as the violence we have conveniently cornered in government housing projects spread out. I can easily imagine European style riots…

But in the same breath I mentioned a major problem with our current strategy. We place folks into government housing bandaids. Situations that provide no healing. Just keep the problem cornered, in places we do not have to go.

Yet, try to have a conversation about this and the talk revolves around defending the status quo or ending the status quo. Viable options rarely arise.

What is more likely to arise is accusations. Words and phrases that perpetuate our thoughts of the other side as evil. Then up come barriers and separation…

BUT, this is not always the case. In healthy families the pattern plays out, even the accusations. But the barriers never form. Now topics may be avoided, but the relationships are not broken.

Why? Because in family the relationship is more important than the idea.

Now if I could just get the church to realize this… but how? Well I guess the first step is another dose of irony…  but would anyone follow me if I started a Twitter account?

funny. I only hear chirping…

“The baby makes noises.” – Phoebe

Phoebe arrived at the hospital and demanded to hold “her baby”. And I think in her reality Darcy is her possession. A new baby doll to have and hold. To occasionally toss… but this doll comes with a whole bunch of new features, one being that Darcy can make noise. This has endlessly fascinated Phoebe and she repeats the line again and again, “the baby makes noise.” I guess Phoebe really is impressed with the new line of baby dolls we are providing for her…

which leaves me a little nervous. I am not sure I should be trusted with a child – but I am certain Phoebe is not ready! Hence I repeated over and again, “be gentle” …”please do not touch her head” … “stay calm” …  actually the “stay calm” is probably for myself, because the picture reveals how well Phoebe listened to my commands!

Babies are thankfully resilient. They just survived birth, so little Phoebe is a walk in the park! And as parents we pray that our children will be more resilient. That they will be able to overcome and persevere – despite us!

And these prayers provide hope. Because as Ivy likes to say, “God loves me more than you do.” and it is true. Because the One who has come, continues to come beside and rescue us… and our children!

Want to see more pictures??
Check out our family blog ~ http://taylormadefamily.org/

“I pictured my pastor as a salesman or a magician, trying to trick the congregation into believing Jesus could make us new.” – Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz

As Christmas approaches I have become one of the relentless shoppers. Albeit one of those filling the crowded crowd-less internet. And everyday I watch the lightning deals on Amazon. This has resulted in me buying a few ridiculous items. My dad received a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree (which was then used for a sermon illustration). My family  received a boxes upon boxes of tissues at a low price. But beyond that there has not been anything too exciting. I do not have the devotion to get anything that is really wonderful and cheap. I alway find those deals sold out.

Yet I keep watching – which must say something about my valuable time… and last night I hit the jack-pot: an Obama Chia Pet… Seriously, I am kidding. Instead, I was left wondering who would want such a gift? At first glance it seems offensive (imagine the “hair” growing). So what Democrate would enjoy the gift? And yet I can not imagine Republicans lining up to pay for even the deal price of $14.24.

Of course 45% were already claimed when I made my discovery, so maybe I just do not understand this world?

But this is where my problem begins. In my highly skilled profession we set out to convince people of the gospel. Then we are left wondering why no one seems to hear what was spoken. Amen’s and head nods aside, following a sermon, we head home in the same ruts – unchanged.

Logically this seems ridiculous. Christians should live as Christ does – myself included. But in a Chia Pet Society – well, logic is left out of reality. We do things unexplainable. From materialism to racism (and Obama Chia may be a two for one deal! thanks Amazon!). So what is there to do?

Join me in prayer for this Christmas and New Year. That God will plant seeds of truth.

Tim Tebow is my fantasy football quarterback. This is not to make a statement – I would much prefer Aaron Rodgers. Instead his place is the result of injuries and necessity. When you add in his ground game he always scores more than any other quarterback on my team – so he is my quarterback. Though, as I said I would much prefer someone else – hence my dream team’s 5-6 record. I have only the slightest hope of a play-off spot. Unlike the real Tebow who plays in the decrepit AFC West.

Because of this I find myself paying more attention to Tim Tebow. It seems a majority of the press world hates him. Not for anything he does on the field – though they are startled he wins. Instead they hate his constant witness. And I will confess, my first reaction is to cringe. I would rather not see Christians ridiculed in the town square. Plus I wonder if the witness is more show than effect. [Tim Everly sent me a great article on Kurt Warners reaction to Tebow - Which I agreed with Warner.]

Granted the NFL is all about show. Did you see Stevie Johnson’s touchdown dance, pretending to be shot in the leg. He was mocking Plaxico Burress who accidentally shot himself in the leg at a night club. From this perspective Tebowing makes more sense. While it would be ludicrous  for us to bow after a successful job running copies – everyone in the NFL is promoting themselves, so why not blatantly promote Christ?

It is rare for us to lament self-promotion – at least with the NFL. Most of the time I do not even notice. So why all the fuss about Tim?? Really why does anyone care? On this I read another article and it has a great line toward the end, “The level of discourse about religion in this country is frankly embarrassing, a b—— child of political discourse.”

Some might cringe at this quote, but it is truth (unfortunately, it can be true of discourse inside the church!). But because of everyone’s overreaction I am left wondering what is effective witness? As I see it play out in the press, with pro-Tebow and anti-Tebow shouting at one another – my Christian friends seem evenly divided by Tebow, I am left wondering what does God want? How does He want us to witness?

This is the place I think most Christians find ourselves. We want to witness, we know we are supposed to witness, but we are not quite sure how. Plus, what we see happening to Tebow, can happen on a smaller scale to all of us. Just bringing up God can end conversations. Can end friendships.

Now some of us will have answers. Live the life style of Christ. Build relationships. Be more bold in individual relationships, rather trying to shout in the crowd.

And yet, all of the polarization, has left many of us scared. Unsure. We debate all of Tebow’s words, but our own voice of witness is…

silent.

When get so passionate on one side of Tebow or the other we are debating the wrong question. There is no reason to ponder Tebow’s witness. Buying his t-shirt misses the point. Because our support is owed to another. So, instead of the Tebow debate, we should spend time pondering our own witness…

or lack there of.

When was the last time you witnessed to someone? Not invited them to church, but witnessed. Moved beyond an example of actions to words. Words that give meaning to your life. 

As we await the arrival of little Darcy many have reminded us that each child arrives a little quicker. The tongue in cheek comment is I should be ready to deliver (more likely I would pass out). My mom, the first of seven, related the story of her younger sister’s arrival in the upstairs of their house. Of course the hospital, not missing an opportunity, still sent a bill for the delivery. I can only imagine what Gramps said to them over the phone!

Not so long ago every baby was delivered at home. My Granny related the story of another birth. Growing up Granny’s parents did not share details with the children. So Granny, still little, did not know her mama was pregnant. The children did worry as their mom got bigger and they asked why? Granny’s mom responded, “I am filling up with water and if you children do not behave I will pop!” Thankfully, Granny was not around when her mom burst; instead, she remembers being outside when her dad called from the porch, “Do you want to come and meet…”

Can you imagine not having nine months to prepare for the arrival of a baby?

While the world moves faster and faster around us, the ebb and flow of God’s design is slower paced. It takes nine months for a baby to arrive and then years for the baby to slowly learn to be an adult (not that everyone takes advantage of this time). God realizes the importance of the journey, the mistake of shortcuts.

So, when God set forth to bring salvation He could have brought out of the dirt a fully formed person. The messiah could have wandered in from the wilderness and began to preach, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” What was the purpose of the thirty years before?

For that matter why did the years have to be so challenging? Born under suspicion and into poverty. Soon a refugee… and he was just a toddler. It would be years before he would deliver the message.

There were easier ways. But the best is not easy. God could have snapped His fingers and made us submissive. This would have demonstrated He was God. But He did not come to deliver that message.

Instead He came to deliver the message that He is love. But love is not quick. It can not happen in a snap. Love is a journey. To know someone you must walk and toil together. Even struggle together. And to love, you must be willing to sacrifice.

In this love new life arrived – bursting forth to all of us.

_________

Rambling on… It is surprising that a faith built on such love: Such preparation. Such work and toil. Such sacrifice. That this faith wants things to be quick. Easy. We want to worship in Spirit and Truth NOW. We want salvation and life change NOW – especially for our neighbors.

And for that matter, we want it all outsourced. Why worry ourselves when we can hire someone to take care of the details? In this way we can arrive and be fed (rather than finding it ourselves)… but it is in this way that we are left with nothing to share.

Faith that delivers life is not easy. It can not be outsourced. It can only happen when we come together with Christ (as he came together with us). To work and toil. To sacrifice. To love.

Are you wondering why the church is not bursting? Why worship seems common? Why is there tension between groups? Or why…  Do not look outward.

It is easy to turn on others. But the answer is not them. The answer is you. Or as you read this – I write it – the answer is to say, “I am the one to deliver new life.”

Then we should ask, “Have I taken time to prepare?”