just to clear something up...

I love the action on the last post. Woo hoo!

BUT, it seems that I may have put too much emphasis on something when my point was going somewhere else.

I was not trying to give credence or support to any one theory over another concerning this 'Jesus Family Tomb' thing.

Angry Old Hack, if you remember the character's name, but more importantly, his manner, was the real reason for the most recent post.

I'm tired of hanging around a church, or seeing more and more evidence of a church that puts 'being right' and 'winning the debate' over compassion and conversation.

I don't need to see it on TV, I've seen enough of it already...

There, done, that's it...

...by the way, I'm not angry or frustrated, so I hope you don't hear that being the tone of this particular post; just wanted to set the record straight :)

too long

First, let me start by saying that my lack of postings have no bearing on how often I actually read everyone else's blogs. I guess I'm just not keeping up my end of the bargain. So, now that the boy's had the flu, I'm on the mend after passing the flu bug without actually getting the flu and my wife is asleep on the couch doing the same thing, I feel like I have some time to put some thoughts down.

Out of respect for my sleeping wife, I'm in the office at our house using the Dell. Can I just say that I LOVE my Mac? It completely destroys this thing. I'm never going back...I'm such a convert that I was watching tv today and say a commercial for the Motorola Q and I was like, 'Windows based piece of crap. Where's my iPhone?' Just the other day, my buddy showed me his Q, and it was cool. I think the next time I have to get a phone, I'll hopefully be able to get something that talks with the ol'Mac a little better than my Razr.

Can I also say that the Cingular software for the razr completely blows? i guess I just did...

Anyway, Wifey and I were watching the Today show a couple of mornings ago and they set up my favorite thing that happens on television: religious 'debate' that makes for good tv. Super conservative old guy versus middle aged agnostic. Problem is it ends up making the rest of us look bad, so there it is...

They were talking about this 'Jesus family tomb' business. And this old hack comes out swinging. Not just jabbing, but throwing some serious haymakers, and I'm sitting here watching and my jaw is having a race with A.'s to see who's hits the floor first. So, angry old hack (as we'll call him) relentless bashes any sort of sound coming from the slick agnostic's mouth. And then it happened, slick agnostic says, 'there really are some strong cases for faith here, Merideth...' He goes on to say that of all the coffins in the Jesus family tomb, that Jesus' was the only one with no bone fragments or particles in it. DID YOU HEAR THAT, OLD GUY? No bones in the tomb!! Freakin' frackin' sweet, I say... Angry old hack, unphased by this sacred moment of 'seriously?!' AOH goes on to talk about these guys piggybacking on the research of some guy that everyone agrees is a fraud.

Fantastic...we 'win' the debate, but lose face...and the person...

...know what that means?

..we lose...

busy, busy, busy

That's me these days, but I did want to hop on the ol' blogger and reflect over the past several days:

I have seen joy, sadness, and numbness in those around me. Sometimes in the same person all at the same time.

I have looked at my little family and felt the pure joy that comes in moments you never think about having when you're dreaming about what your life will be like when you're a kid.

I have stared at the ceiling of my house and thought, 'How the crap did I get here?'

I have become more keenly aware that God's idea for life here involves me DOING something and not just waiting for it to happen, and it excites me and paralyzes me all at the same time.

I have written music that people tell me they like, but sometimes I don't believe them. Mostly though, I do. In the end, it doesn't matter much...

I love my wife.

I love my boy.

It's clear that God is a God of grace because I don't deserve them...

...but I do get to enjoy them; God is a God of blessing.

Probably more than ever, it's in my tiredness and depravity that I most keenly aware of God's power, God's faithfulness, God's love, and God's character. While I see it in my own life, I see it in the lives of brothers and sisters in the midst of unspeakable pain.

Who can stand in the light of God's glory?
Who is like God in faithfulness?
Who's eyes have seen the face of our Creator?
Is there anyone? Anyone at all?

Despite all my doubts and fears that I lay at Your feet,
You've made me and You've held me and you call me complete
You call me

You say I'm Your Beloved

Hail to thee dear Bluffton College

You are all in my thoughts and prayers.