Genesis in 6 Days

Well anyone who knows me knows three things about me. One is that I am “dangerous” – But -  Not like gun-toting, I could wrestle you to the ground (trust me that would not be happening) but that I am not afraid to ask some tough questions, and stretch. Second, is that almost to my detriment sometimes I speak the truth, and wear my heart on my sleeve. Lastly I almost never do anything the easy way. (This must come from my Iron Man/Cycling days) So…..

When I decided I would start to read the Bible and let it work on me I chose the Old Testament rather than the familiar turf of the New Testament.

I have been moving slowly through Genesis over the past month or so. I find that it is just a fascinating book. With way more questions – So much more asking, and seeking, than just answers.

And I find that it has challenged me in where I stand in faith more than anything else has. I love science and love that so many scientists, turned creationists have began to ply their trade to explaining God. I find it interesting the journey of these men of no Faith into a life of Faith. How did Jesus initially move them into a life that rejected Him in order to “boomerang” them back years later equipped to argue the left on their own turf. The Fine Tuning theory, the Millions of Years Theory, and The Convergent Fossil Record Theory.

It is just plain fascinating the way that they are using the Athiestic common tools against themselves. But – - -
As fascinating as I think it is I have been challenged as to where I stand in Faith now. Am I “Six Literal Days” or “Millions of Years”?

I am Six literal days. Six literal miracle days – then Rest. Because I have to think that if I believe Millions of Years then I am departing from the Word of God. I am using the fallible opinions of man in application to God, when He clearly provides for man an infallible truth in Genesis. If I believe in Millions of Years then I am opening myself up to stretching the Word of God to fit my human needs, and understanding – versus bending my life to fit God’s will. As it should be.

What a fascinating journey….and oh so much more to write…..

Will He Ever Post……..?

Hey everyone! Grace and Peace to you all.

So we figure that from now on we are going to try to update you all weekly, or bi-weekly depending on the news flow. It seems like so much is happening and we forget to tell this person, or that person – or we feel like we keep recounting the same story ALOT! So this will hopefully keep you all in the flow…..

On the Seminary front -

All the paperwork has been submitted to Trinity and we are on our way. Now we are just awaiting the acceptance letter from the University, and then the award letter from the Financial Aid office. This will allow us to start to explore the Christian scholarships that are available out there for us to take advantage of. Also we have been talking to the Church (As Trinity has a match grant program with home Churches) and the possibility of private grants (everyone loves a tax write-off).

Once all this is in order we can begin the first core classes that they offer online – Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Biblical Interpretation in prep for the fall semester.

On the Tasha front -

God is good and we thought we were on the path we now see that the longing in Tasha’s heart was God telling her that home is the place for her. So while we cannot cut out her income totally – Ugh – and this is good stuff – her boss has decided that her going part-time will only work if she does like a Friday/Saturday 6am -  4:30 pm. (Um yeah that is just like so perfect) and I will be looking to close Fridays which will put us at the babysitters for only one day, and really minimizes the impact of work on our family. Okay – Okay now it gets really good……She also gets-to-keep-her-benefits AND her paid time off! Come on and give it up for God on this one! So hopefully today we will naiol this one down totally and know whats going on……

God is working, He knows what is important. Also I think that its funny (Not ha – ha….But ah – ha!) that Tasha will be home in time Saturday for Church services which we do as a family, and now will be able to join Jakob and I for the Wednesday OTC church services we do weekly. We give the Lord all the Praise for the way that he has lifted our family up, repaired it, and the people he has brought into our lives to restore and renew it. God is in the restoration business.

On other fronts – - -

We got the email that Charlie Dean’s church plant here in Peoria, Imago Dei has a location! It will begin meeting at the Gateway Building (Can you say just a plain cool meeting spot? I mean how does one go from not sure, maybe a warehouse, school, hotel, to a place that is sought after by weddings – - and at a price much lower than thought? – - Yeah can you say God at Work….)
So Easter weekend when we gather to celebrate the risen Christ we will also be celebrating with Charlie as he raises up the Kingdom
with Imago’s first worship service. So keep Easter weekend open. Charlie is a wonderful teacher, and a gift to Peoria.

Now hopefully the more astute will find irony in that God has landed Imago in the nicest building – nearest to the greatest need in Peoria. Hmmmm….some message going on there as to the Kingdom mission the Church is being given. We are so excited for what is happening there.

I will email with more info on times and details as I get them….but anyone who wants to know more just ask, email, knock, yell, scream, text, facebook, voicemail, carrier pigeon……you get the idea.

We want to thank all the people that have been praying for us, and those who have journeyed into our lives with words of support when we needed them. There are people that God has connected us with that are far wiser (even if they wont admit it) that have helped us understand the walk we are on. To some people what we are doing may seem foolish but we are moving in Faith – Faith that this is God’s call to us as a family, and we cannot see that as foolish regardless of the outcome. We have Faith.

Till the next update!

Blessings of Renewed Hope and Joy – -

Jason, Tasha, and Jakob

What Are We Being Taught?

Man…..

So I went to Target today to return this iPod FM transmitter thing that was a gift for an upgrade because it didn’t work right at all. Now me personally I don’t connect the word “gift” with the word “reciept” to often and especially when I am also connecting it with the word “exchange” not to be confused with the word “cash refund”….

Are we tracking?

So the woman tells me that without the receipt they cannot return anything in anyway shape or form if it’s over $20. “

“Ummm…..I just want to exchange it – its broken – does not work….”

“Sorry….Thats the policy.”

Grrrrrr – -Frustration – - Low Grade Anger – - Calls to my Wife.

Then as I walk away it hits me. This is extravagant anger. This is uneeded anger. Over what? The principle? The fact that I am out an iPod transmitter thing? The fact that she would not listen to me?

No food thats frustration. No water thats frustration. There are 5 Million people in the world who have something to truly be angered by. Imagine putting your kids to bed with nothing in their stomachs because there is no food to eat. Imagine the low grade hurt, frustration, and brokenness you would feel as you watched your children, your family starve.

My iPod thing doesn’t even matter. It does not even register on that scale.

At that moment a women who is the manager offers to look up the receipt using our credit card. They offer $32.76 in cash to me. I gave it to somewhere that needed it more. I can live without my extravagant anger.

Let Jesus point us to the things that break his heart…Let Him free us from anger that is without means, that serves nothing. Let him teach us that true anger is that which can be used to heal.

The One That Got Me Killed….

“The categories of optimism and pessimism don’t exist for me. I am a prisoner of Hope. I am going to die full of hope and Joy.”

Cornell West when asked by Rolling Stone is he was optimistic about the future….

So a little back story. We have a Jewish girl, Stephanie Komen ( Yep the daughter of the “Race for the Cure” Komen ) at our place that seems nice enough. Very energetic, fun, and a good conversationalist. We have had some wonderful talks about Christianity and Judaism that gave me some much insight into the differences in the two religious views. That was till yesterday.

I have at my desk a small Nativity, and the quote from Dr. West above my desk. I think it is an excellent example of the power of Hope, and Joy in a time when people so often forget it. Well over the past week the sign has gone missing a few times. It did not occur to me at first that it was being torn down out of spite but instead maybe – just maybe someone wanted to have it to think about….So me being me I simply put a new one up when it went missing (Or on a holiday as I like to say..)

That was till I arrived at work yesterday. I was greeted at the door by my boss who said that I could not go to my office but instead we had to go to his and call HR before I could begin work. And what followed was my defending Christ, my Faith, and Myself for the better part of an hour. It seems that my Jewish Friend(sic) took it upon herself to call HR because she felt uncomfortable with my faith and that I was willing to show it.

Trying to deal with what just happened I turned to prayer and in it I found that to live a life that is like Christ – to follow so closely that when God looks upon you he sees only the Son is not an easy walk. To be Christ-like you must have a feeling of faith persecution to understand the great persecution that Jesus endured for us. That walking with Jesus is not all sunshine, rainbows, and doves flying by. That a Christ-God centered life is by nature is a much harder Way – But the only Way.
God teaching me again. And in a time when I would have at another point in my life been in despair I spent the remainder of my day filled with Joy. I was told numerous times what a great mood I was in. It was simply that Christ is with me. He gets all the Glory.

Later after reflection I am praying for Stephanie. Her life is a broken affair. Her mother is dead, and she is reminded of that everywhere that she goes. Her childhood was a mess, and she has relationships that just seem to fall apart. All this and she openly admits to all associates of being on more prescription medications that any of us would like to know. She comes to work some days so together and other in a shambles obviously just making it there was a struggle.

In this reflection is occurred to me that the quote was not offensive to her in anyway other than that it talked of hope and joy. Two central things that I can imagine that she longs to have and just cannot find.  In a moment when I should be hating I am praying and feeling sadness for this person.

Thank you Jesus for what you do in my heart.

Drive By

Okay so as a Dad I know I am guilty of something like most Dad’s. Its the unbridled shameless pride we have in our kids especially when they do something that just makes you crazy.

So we got my son this Hallmark Manger scene (He is 2..) so that he could play with it and get to know the Jesus story on his level. We talk about it with him and its colorful, user friendly, ect because in my eyes its my job to make God, and Jesus so big in my son’s eyes that he cant help but be in awe.

So enter the yellow camaro……Yeah its crickets now right? For some reason he cannot play with the Manger without having the camaro on the scene. It pulls up……He opens the doors (Like maybe Mary and Joseph will get in for a ride) and sometimes….sometimes….He even opens the doors and pulls it into the stable!

Ugh…We have dubbed it “The Jesus Drive by”….It just kills me everytime. (Yep I am smiling ear to ear)

Fasting

Well I am going to begin fasting today through to Christmas eve – till Christ’s coming. In this time when everyone wants more more more I will do with less of those things and more of what truly matters most.

This will be a true test (Anyone who knows me knows I like to eat….) But I want to really work to have to rely on God. I want to really have to lean into Jesus to guide me through this.

I want to go deeper in my relationship with Him.

I want to know Him even better.

Catholicism at Starbuck’s

So two Catholics were sitting at Starbuck’s…(No its not the first line of a bad religious joke) So – yeah the Catholics. One was older, maybe in his late twenties or thirties, and the other a younger college girl. So I am trying to read and absorb the text of Donald Miller’s new book, and I just cannot help but actively listen to their conversation. Mainly because I can tell there is some sort of connection at the way that they looked at me initially due to the bible and journal on the table.

So she is talking to him (obviously he is some sort of leader in the Church) about her needs, and her feelings that she in unable or hindered in making that connection. Obviously the Sist-ah (Sister/Nun…sorry for my bad humor) is a control freak, and is not letting her plug in. Not letting her be a tool and an instrument of God at work in the Church. You could feel her frustration as she fumbled with her pants, the buttons on her sweater, it was just below the surface. I felt that she, through the constraints of her faith, could not just scream out how she felt. God wants her to join the march. God has given her a drum to beat, but no one is letting her play in the band.

I could tell that the this guy was simply listening, and diffusing the problem rather than addressing it. It was so passive, felt so practiced, so played out that it made me wonder how often this happens.  How often we as people in our perception of the laws of faith, our ego, and our own shortsightedness put out the fires that Jesus starts.
I pray for a resolution in her spiritual life – An intervention that gives her direction – And most of all that her spirit – her fire burns on no matter what.

When I think today of the role I want to take in leading youth I think of her now. I think of how could I, on the the other side of that table make a difference? I am excited, and moved about that thought.

Good Stuff

Today I met with Chris at Panera and we talked about Youth Ministry, life, His vision, and what the heck is going on with me and my journey. My walk. It was good stuff. You know when you meet someone, and its been an hour that something is at work. Rather than  sitting down and it’s crickets. (and the search for the exit door..)

I am so jazzed to be on this journey. To be walking “dusty” behind my Lord. Everybody always wants to be out front, winning, getting the accolades. Me, man, I cannot tell you what a powerful thing it is to sit here and think that no matter where I am, I am following. No matter how well I do, I could not have done it without Him.

No where else is surrender winning but with Christ.

So Chris, Coffee, Panera……Man I all in for this Ministry. The things that Chris can see for these kids lines right up with what I believe is a formula (Not “the” formula – like there is “the” formula) for getting Jesus into their hearts. I just want to get out there and beat the pavement with the Jesus message because He is just amazing, he is so relevant, he is so able to span across generations and relations.  His message is The Way. (Not “the way” like “go left then right” but The Way like “Whoa – the Way”)

Hopefully I didn’t talk to much and hit tangents….I have a tendency to do that when jazzed as I am. And it did’t help that Chris got me even more amped rather than detract from my feelings of following.

It was good stuff And there was Coffee…..

Being Amazed

Coming into someones house you can tell a lot about who lives there and the values they have without even having to have a conversation with them. If you came over to our home you would conclude after about 15 seconds in the door that a train maniac lives here. This table dominates our living room, it’s maintenance is a daily chore, and its not uncommon at any point during the day to hear many hearty “Choo Choo’s” coming from this room.(In fact given the moment “Choo Choo” could be the answer to any number of questions from do you need a diaper changed to are you hungry…) My son is just amazed at the sights, and sounds of trains.

He is amazed.

My father in law started a tradition of train watching a while back. It is his and Jakob’s intimate time that they share together. I will honestly say that I have also taken up the hobby with my son though “Opa” is probably much more fun. (He has binoculars, and a much better train spot – But I am still looking for that Golden Goose of a spot here in Peoria)

As adults I sometime wonder if we think too much, and spend too little time just being amazed. When the train comes barreling down the track and the “ding dings” go off my son’s eyes go wide, his breath draws in, which is normally followed by a huge “Whoa!”

What does he see that we miss? Or is it that he sees less and spends more time in the moment? As adults we are always trying to rationalize things. We are always using the moment as an opportunity to rethink, or out-think the moment. Instead we should spend less time in thought and more time in that moment. Like my son savoring the power, weight, and sounds of wonder that a passing train can be.

And I have to wonder do we take that into our spiritual life? Are we sitting in our moments trying to rethink, or out-think the moment instead of just being amazed at the fellowship, and the beauty that Christ offers us? As God moves through our daily life are we just thinking too much instead of feeling His weight, power, and glory?

Its something that I am intentionally thinking less about lately.

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!