Pulling Weeds

While trying to determine all of ins and outs, pros and cons of buying (or not buying) a motorcycle I came to the same conclusion that Pascal came to, Edwards expressed theologically, Lewis developed practically, and John Piper explained to me. It only took four genius' to get me understanding that we dothings to make us happy. Piper says we should seek to Glorify God by enjoying Him forever... that that is the lense we should use to view the Bible, and in doing so will see that God has our great pleasure in mind when he tells us what to do. John Eldredge (using Chesterton, Watchman Nee, and Dallas Willard types) says we should follow our hearts. The Presbyterian Church in America does not like aspects of Eldredge's writings; I think they wish he made it more clear that the he is talking about a 'regenerated heart' when he says, "Your heart is not wicked"... Hopefully my old buddy Kirk Adkisson will not read this particular blog and quote the Westminster Confession to me...
So, what am I writing about and why did I entitle this blog, "Pulling Weeds"? Because I was mowing a few weeks ago and I stopped to pull some weeds. I am not a gardener; it is only in the last few years that I have become excited to make these goofy lines in my yard rather than just making smaller and smaller circles with the mower. So, there I am pulling weeds - because I want to. I want the yard to look good, so I pulled some weeds. A motorcycle is not going to save me any money. It is very difficult to save money by spending money. I think I figured that I would have to drive about 40,000 miles on the motorcycle for it to pay for itself through the gas money... But, I want one. Should this desire go un-tempered by my Christianity, my worldivew, the reality that I have a wife who is not expecially keen on the idea; certainly not. But, I do not think it is irresponsible financially (Christian), my wife added one detail to the Missouri law for a motorcycle permit holder (no highways to go along with no passengers and no riding at night); so I am now the owner of a 97' Suzuki Marauder. It is your basic motorcycle; it could go fast if I were to ride it that way (top speed to date: 44 MPH), but it is not dying to go fast like the Sport Bike I laid down about three weeks before getting married.
We will see how long I keep it. It is like anything else: IPOD, a dog, a TV: having one requires time and a certain amount of energy to enjoy it. But, I actually believe I operated under the auspices of good theology with this purchase. And, on that note, I'm hoping to eventually (I have been foiled twice so far) to attach a picture that my friends Po-Shiggity sent me for the same reason I pulled weeds and bought a motorcycle: it makes me happy. I can't get it... You will have to write him and ask to see the picture of Jim Edmonds from last night...

The Blog, the hot water, and the Decaf...

This is an outstanding game we have played a lot at Jr. High. It is called, "Criss-Cross-Crash..." for more information, please e-mail me... So, I'm still not sure about this whole blog thing. I enjoy writing it. I think it is like journaling if you used to be a famous writer or something; some people will read it, I'm writing in this pseudo-objective-I have something to say about Life that is worth reading-but, still kind of personal-style. The other English Majors who peruse my Blog will have a field day with that sentence!

Anyway, while I will still be buying a motorcycle; it looks like the Nighthawk will not be the one (featured on the last blog). When I sit on one I can't turn without getting my knee out to the side... Kind of defeats the whole, "I look and feel cool and free riding my motorcycle." So, Ed talked me into a 750 Shadow VLX. The wife is scared, but we have put down rules that will hopefully keep her sleeping at nights until she is more confident in my skills. I did lay down a sport bike 3 weeks before we got married; she isn't just being "that wife".

The Great Thing about Criss-Cross-Crash is that afterwards I got to share the gospel with those kids. I wish it were that easy with my basketball team! It reminds me of why I love my job; we get to crash kids into each other, and somehow that is the ground we need to stand on to then tell them about the Lord!

As I think about going back to school (seminary) I think of how much I will miss being on the front lines of ministry. This is why I am taking one class at a time currently. I cannot (yet?) imagine not hanging out with the Dane Stole's (8th grader) of the world. Dane thinks for himself, his parents come from very different religious backgrounds, and he has incredibly good taste in music (including his own band: Tuxedo Park). I want to hang out with guys like Dane, I love that I have a job that encourages me to find guys like Dane, convince him that I care about him simply because he exists, and then, if possible, tell him about the Lord.

There is more to it than that (isn't there always?). I am still pretty cocky about my own knowledge and abilities in vocational ministry... There was an electronic debate at the other church (the one that planted my church) over sabbath keeping and worship. Sabbath keeping is one of my favorite subjects lately because I am studying it in my own time... Yet this discussion did not appeal to me. Too many 'ication' words. Too many "I don't know too much... but, let me regurgitate the history ofthe church's keeping of the sabbath and then tell you my opinion mixed in..." Let's talk about something real: can we talk about hearts? How are they doing? No, really, our hearts... your's and mine. How do we ask others if we are not asking ourselves? Are we encouraging the hearts of our congregation? Are we loving well? What does it mean to love well? I recognize that there must be good theology under-girding what we do, but how much do we really have to talk about it? Because when we talk about it we lose most our listeners. It was certainly curious that only those with Masters of Divinity degrees responded to this debate. Am I cynical because I am on the outside or am I cynical because that language doesn't make sense anymore? As I am learning-it is probably both of those and some other reasons thrown in for good measure!

I have been at Kayak's now for almost four hours. I had a good house Group meeting, one mocha, one cup of Half-Decaf/Half Regular, and now I am working on a Half-Water/Half-Decaf and blogging. Do I have anything worthwhile to say? That is up to the Anonymous readers...

Nighthawk

This is the motorcycle that I will hopefully be riding by the end of the week. I'm crossing my fingers (and the nub with a regular finger) that my parents won't find out until I have it. The deal is (with Rachel, my wife), that I cannot take other people and I cannot ride on the highway. I think that that is very fair.

So, the blog... It is hard to blog. My laptop is the only computer at my disposal which will allow me to blog. But, it is fun; even when some of your friends use it to flirt with each other electronically.

So, why a motorcycle? The ad on the Honda Web-site says something like, "This is rel freedom and adventure..." or something like that... "real life". I've taken some counseling classes, I read everything John Eldredge writes; one would think I wouldn't be a sucker for the ad. I am. I want to feel the way I feel riding a motorcycle (Iahve ridden one before... in fact, wrecked one right before my wedding!) ; even if it is just on the way to work once or twice a week. I want to 'feel' Wild at Heart, not just 'be'... Whatever that means...

My wife is pregnant, and so I certainly wonder whether I am attempting to compensate for the loss of my youth. I don't think so. All I am, is excited about the baby, and I do not feel that my life philosophy should change. I know I know I know... All people with children will tell me that my life will change, forever, more than I could imagine (insert big sigh for emphasis)... All I mean is, I hope I'm living the right way regardless of whether or not we have a child. I don't see buying or not buying a motorcycle as a good or bad decision based upon those things.

My car broker likes to talk about 'emotional decisions' that people make when they don't buy what he would consider a reliable automobile. Yet, he is freely willing to admit that he feels emotional every time he gets to drive a Subaru WRX-STI. I think John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, Pascal, etc. would contend that that is why we do things anyway. Even if we are buying the most reliable car on the planet (like the one I recently bought my wife), isn't that still an emotional decision? Whether it is logical, smart, frugal, and or stewardly I am certainly doing what will make me happy (or my perception of that).

What the heck am I talking about? One of the big questions: what are the desires of my heart and how do I follow them. I am not quite yet cocky enough to think I have answers to even half of the questions that gnaw my heart, but I know that to question my desires has always helped me. I find the deepest parts of my heart there (embedded in my desires), I make sure that I am listening to them and not to some addiction or passing fancy, then I try to follow them. The result: a cheap, but kind of cool-looking motorcycle...

Love, Life, Passion, Anger, and Choices

You would think with that kind of title I would have something to say... Not so much today; I'm just trying to get the hang of blogging!

And, I love the picture of my wife imitating a Joshua Tree! I have a picture of myself trying to look cool (no doubt a subconscious reference to the the U2 album)... But, I don't know how cool I look, and I do know how much more fun it is to look at my wife.

I know that I am working on getting an entire congregation to pray for the kids in my youth group (That is what I do, I'm a Youth Pastor). It is humbling, tiring, wonderful, and tedious.

I know that I read about 8 reviews of "Velvet Elvis" (a trendy new Christian book); it is incredible the amount of hate the Christian Community can generate all by itself, towards itself. I'm not judging or condemning... no, I am, but I'm not going to blog about that. The whole thing just made me sad. I still bought the book for the third time (I keep loaning it out, then wanting to continue reading).

Alright, my last paragraph will be devoted to why I am trying (and kind of think most Christians should also) to stop recommending books to people. First of all, is that really what our friends and aquaintances need? Jeff Fox says we need a better Jesus, not better books. I can only think of one or two times I successfully even got someone to read a book I recommended, and the most glaring example is a friend who TOTALLY missed the point of the book and followed it to ever greater pain in that area of his life. I mean, don't you think we should spend that time (The time where we tell them how awesome this book is and how it is THE BOOK that we can give to everyone who doesn't know Jesus) listening to our friend? If we're in such a hurry that we can't listen to them, we have to recommend a book to save time (this is me to a 'T'!!!); then we don't get to recommend anything because we're obviously not loving them well! And, that is the only place to begin; whether the friend knows the Lord or not. Furthermore, can't we set a better and higher bar? Seriously, there are some great books out there! But, instead of just recommending them and moving on; shouldn't we learn to listen better (to the friend and to the book) and then share the message of whatever book to our friend in a subjective, sensitive way that they can hear without having a Barnes and Noble Discount Card? I think that is a better and a higher bar. And finally, I have found that there are people who are so excited about their faith that they are ASKING for recommendations. By all means, we should point these young men and women (usually in college) to the great stuff that is out there... But, waiting on them to ask means we are waiting until we have the right (by listening and loving them well) to recommend.

What we should actually DO, for those of you who want the application... Is ask them what they think we should read. Then, we should ask again, discuss that book with them (whoever 'Them' is), and repeat the process until they are blown away by how interested we are in them and in their heart!

A strange soapbox to have you say? I totally agree!