It serves as a fantastic moment in a amazing film to tug at heartstrings and move you. It’s also an odd realization that you’re emotionally reacting to an adopted space alien and his family’s troubles but it’s a indicator of how strong the story telling is in the film.

Yesterday’s NaBloWriMo was, “What is your favorite way to spend time with your family?”.

Well, Montana is the short answer. My brother and I were both born in Big Sky Country. When we were kids we’d make a trip up North on holidays and vacations to see family, friends and The Big Sky we’d missed for so long. Hanging around small town Montana with Grandma and Grandpa while rabble rousing with assorted cousins and town folk it came to be one of our favorite ways to spend time with our large family.

We’ve spent winters up there in -40 degrees blowing snow and we’ve sweated through hot summers and jumped at the impressive spring lightening and thunderstorms that pounded across the state. It was one of the most fun things I remember from my childhood. That tradition continues today.

We spent Memorial Day celebrating my grandfathers 97th birthday and visiting the small town my parents grew up in. We checked out old hangouts and old friends while catching up on all the wonderful things that had changed and all those we’d lost over the years we’d not made the trips up. Spending time at the graves of my grandmothers and grandpa is naturally a moment of mourning but it served as a gentle reminder of the greatness I had come from and how much more I needed to become.

Of course tooling around Fort Peck, seeing museums and experiencing a slice of history that my last remaining Grandfather can still remember with alarming clarity was an absolute bonus.

It was so much fun I’m getting ready to go back for Christmas. My grandfather’s health is slowly fading and it’s been a few years since I’ve spent a Christmas with him up in Cold Country. I’m looking forward to seeing him again and seeing what I often refer to as my second home.

Once a son of Montana, always a son of Montana.

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

³² While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.³³ Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly,³⁴ and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.”³⁶ So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses. (via BibleGateway) NIV

I share a name with a character in this section and let me tell you there are certain days I wonder if I was cursed to be given the name of the talker of Israel and Moses. This is the same guy who went on to build a golden calf and cause Moses and God to throw a Holy Fit.  So, I’ve got a complex.  Or something.

You also have to realize this is Old Testament.  This is God UnPlugged.  Or unhinged.  The Old School days were more Wild West than I think we realize.  God was the father of his Children and they were certainly keen to test his patience many time.  I think God was more Bill Cosby in those days.  You know, hit for distance, brought you into this world I’ll take you out and the eternal “What the hell are you doing?!”.  He definitely hit for something as described in the verse.  They found some guy out working on the Sabbath and picked him up.  The Lord said to throw some rocks at him and send him to His Maker and as fast as you can say one verse later he was gone and buried somewhere.

I love the Old Testament because it reminds me of how cool and crazy God is at times.  He’s out of control and wildly unpredictable.  I’ve used the comparison between Him and Aslan before and it is a stark reminder to us all.  I think some Christians out there in the world forget how brain blowing insane God can be in his plans for us.  We think we know Him and have him figured out.  Trust me folks, God’s got an understanding.  The rest of us don’t have a clue.

As the saying goes with Aslan from CS Lewis, God is not safe.  But he is good.  Remember that the next time someone tells you Christianity is safe, wonderful and filled with Rainbows.  Because God’ll be flooding that rainbow filled land.  I guarantee it.  He’s done it before.

I think if VH1 or MTV were to build a dating/tough love show around me it’d be hilarious, terrifying and touching all at the same time. I’ve got some pounds to lose and some muscle to gain so there’s the “Biggest Loser” angle. I don’t date well at all so there’s the “Tough Love” bases covered. Oh and I’m a pretty conservative guy when it comes to the physical so there’s the “Real World” topper on the top to finish it off.

I know there’s someone out there for me (God, you hear me?) and I know that I’m not meant to be alone. Part of this insane macabre 365 days of DeLay project is to help augment my weaknesses and build up my stengths. So far with 17 days in, I’m flailing with the biggest part of this project – getting out. I was thinking earlier today that I would make the month of February revolve around the subject of “Love”, “Dating” or “Relating”. Given today’s wonderful frustrational (it is a word dangnabit) spiral, I’m having a hard time convincing my heart it’s a good idea.

My mind knows well and good what needs to happen but the gun shy blood pumping muscle retreats when things get tough. This is a lot of why I’ve been as Hermit since June. And I’ve got to stop the cycle.

I think it’s time to step it up another notch. I’m not entirely sure what that looks like, but I’m turning to you. The nameless, faceless and at times…notevensureyouexistface readers. Your suggestions are welcomed. Consider yourself officially promoted to armchair psychiatrist. Ideas on what to do in Denver, local dating adventures that are sure to send me into a paper bag inflating frenzy or ideas on how between now and 2011 am I going to transform into something better for myself and everyone around me.

To the tale of the tape –

1 – Lose it or Die – Burned 615 Calories today doing a hour of swimming. WIN!

2 – Get out! – Rinse, repeat, etc FAIL

3 – Write it like you want it – ARG! FAIL!

4 – Rock out to more – Via NPR – Teddy Pendergrass.

5 – Get Smart-er – Pushing through Dying of the Light

Total Win/Loss for today – 3/5
Meh = completion rate.
Grade = Pbbbttt!

Rick Warren was recently connected via Rachel Maddow’s cable television program to Uganda and several people who have decided it’s a really great idea (it isn’t if you haven’t guessed that already) to enact a law that makes killing homosexuals awesome (I’m paraphrasing here as this whole thing makes me want to projectile vomit), bans hanging out with them or something and makes it cool to rat out people who homosexual and tattle on those that hang out with them.

Let’s get this out of the way. What. In. The. Wide. World. Of. Sports. Is. Going. On Here. I mean, honestly. I know things in far away countries are different as beliefs that are most definitely not Western in nature have long existed for good and/or bad reasons. There is a reason why gay marriage and homosexuals as a whole continue to struggle against much of this kinds of issues. Mind you, here in the United States we’ve somehow managed to grow towards the “tolerate” marker on the “Wheel of hate” spinner and even in the last ten years started to lean towards “indifferent”.

In Uganda, things are different. And in their zest to do whatever it is they are doing (I’m not terribly concerned with offending this particular group of homosexual hating cowards for the reason that being in that camp means you’re an idiot) they’ve brought the spotlight directly onto a guy who seems destined to dance around the edge of it for a little bit longer and for mostly the right reasons. You see, Rick Warren is a big time pastor. Did Obama’s inauguration. I mean, big time. He caught a lotta mud for that, but for the most part seems like a decent enough guy to me.

Fast forward to the last two or so weeks. Rachel Maddow covers the story, connects Warren to it and suddenly it’s Christians Hate Gay People all over again. I half expected to see the loony McCloonersons from that arse-backwards church that holds signs and screams about how God hates. Never mind that this particular brand of Christianity is so far on the fringe they’re almost kind of like the Cindy Sheehan of Christianity. My immediate apologies if that connection offended anyone, but I feel it helps illustrate what I and many think of when they hear about them.

In Maddow’s story she reports that Rick Warren responded saying he doesn’t involve himself in other countries political and domestic issues and would not be commenting further. Commence the eye rolling since I know you’ve probably already started.

Honestly, I’m not mad at Rick Warren. I’m disappointed. Here was that one chance to gather his thoughts and say, “You know what? That’s pretty insane! Of course as a Christian I’m totally against it and will do everything I can to make sure they understand how abhorrent this is!” Nope. One liner about interfering with politics.

As Christians we have certain charges given to us by God. And I imagine/believe/postulate/don’t throw stones at me please that if Jesus/God/Holy Spirit was asked that very question we’d get a pretty solid answer about eyes, two by four pieces of wood and needles through the eye and how Love, Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness are something He never runs out of no matter who He’s hanging around with.

Mind you, we all make mistakes and I truly believe this was an error for Rick Warren. He corrected it within the last 12 hours or so with a youtube video I’m linking below for discussion-ary purposes.

Am I right? Am I wrong? Am I half and half? Do I have anything to stand on? I’m very curious to see what the fellow believers/non believers/stone throwers/burn the witch crowds have to say on this subject.  Also, he’s posted FULL details at his website here

When I was growing up (yes Virginia, I did have a childhood) I did my share of what the Israelites did but I learned that despite everything I wasn’t going to get my way no matter how hard I tried to push the will of my parents with my pouting petulant pose.  They wouldn’t budge. This is one of the many things my parents did right as I grew up.  Considering that I’m (for the moment) a well adjusted late twenties bachelor gives proof that I was raised right.  Except for the time my mother let me roll off a changing table in JC Penny…but who’s holding a grudge?

Kidding aside, God practices far too much patience with the stubborn and childish people that are His “Choosen” ones.  Moses reminds his Creator that indeed He is “slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion” but God isn’t having none of it.  He’s had it with them and he’s washing his hands of the toddlers.  What’s hilarious (or depressing depending on how you look at it) is that some people decide they’re going to see it and forget God and all the things He told Moses.

The quote that makes me laugh out loud is found at verse 45 and it goes something like this, “Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.”  You read it right.  It was a beat down all the way to Hormah.  And if you’ve ever been to Hormah you know what they’re talkin’ bout.  It was a heckuva one sided battle.  This could also be a cool t-shirt.  ”I”ll beat you down all the way to Hormah.”

That’s for us Bible Geeks.  That’s how we roll.  Yo.

Anyway, the second part of this verse that stuck to my cerebral cortex was is a part of my devotion that asks, “How might God be calling you to live a different story – to be one who has a different spirit from others, who follows God passionately even though it might involve risks?”  It goes on to ask if I would be willing to do so even if it meant earning less money and coming to be honest about the mistakes I’ve made getting where I am now.

This is a very topical (and honestly a terrifying) question for me.  I’ve been fighting with this very issue in my heart, mind and soul.  And having three part of your body fighting over something is never pleasant or exciting.  I’m trying to get myself together to take one class in January but I think that’s going to slip by due to finances getting thrown down in front of a moving train.  Then again what does that matter?  Some would answer that I need to find a way to make it happen for if I want to serve God in a job that I love beyond belief and serves God to the ends of the Earth…I should do everything in my power to get there.

I’ve come to realize there’s a lot of things I need to change and open myself to between now and January.  I’ve never been good with shuffling out of the comfortable little igloo I’ve built.  My friend Sam basically took a sledgehammer to that over the weekend and made me realize I’ve tap danced enough.  I’ve got to break the mold and light the sucker on fire and toss a Molotov or two in for good measure.

I’ve been turning a deaf ear to God for far too long.  I’ve ignored his urging.  I’ve ignored Him.  Which is never a good thing.  He tends to enjoy reminding me in the most unusual and galling ways.

So, let the adventure begin.  I’m not really sure what that means entirely, but I think it’s time to break free.  And that means I’m putting a youtube video below this to express how I feel.  And because this song by Queen is simply astounding.

Sometimes that works, sometimes I fail pretty miserably. I can’t guilt myself too heavily except to get better at making this part of my daily life. So…onwards!

I recently read “The Shack”. This book is a must read for all followers of Christ for one important reason: it helps us understand that each of us see God differently in what he means to us. This is also where it gets tricky because some would say God’s meaning to a person shouldn’t be complicated or diversified to much because at a certain point the message and focus of God and the Faith can get muddled in lukewarm milk.

This is also where I start unfurling my massive missive of frustration with the various divisions of the Christian Church and how separated and divided we have become in such little time. The Body of Christ is crucified again and again by humanity when we divide and draw lines across the followers of Jesus. Perhaps we need to do a “back to basics” revival where the basic message and intent of God is pulled out of the fridge where it’s been reheated, recooked, mixed, mashed and pummeled and start over with fresh and pure ingredients.

Whatever the solution is we’d better find it fast. The Church as a whole is on a particularly ponderous precipice.

Anyway, off my soapbox and back to the idea of God and His Revealing. Within the verses of this particular study is a pretty cool excerpt that speaks fairly profoundly of who God is and what that means for us mere mortals. It’s found in Exodus 34:5-7 and I’ll even share it with you here,

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

The emphasis is obviously mine, but those words are what I’m taking some time to marinate on. That’s all I have for day 6. I’ll be back on day 8 since 7 is a ‘rest day”.

Today’s section is a the latter part of the Joseph story. This is after the brothers show up, find out who he is and have much gnashing of teeth and adjusting of sackcloth (not at the tearing of sackcloth yet) in hopes that Joseph won’t pull out a bazooka and blow them all to smithereens. Which begs the question of what each of us would do in the sandals of Joe? Would you draw and quarter? Or would you kill with kindness?

Never mind that bazooka’s were clearly not invented yet (it is a nice visual though) or that Joe was raised by a good man and nefariously inclined brothers. Or that according to some sources Joe was seriously Emo. Like cried and wept all the dang time. Perhaps this is why Potiphar’s wife was hot to trot for Joseph. Never mind the painful and terrible life that Joseph had lived since his brother’s sold him off.  Because at the moment that it mattered none of these things that could have led him down a dark path…did.

Joe made the call that God would have at that moment. A overwhelming overdose of mercy and forgiveness. Never mind that there’s a good chance the brothers made up the story of what his father told him before kicking the etherealic bucket. He still forgave them despite it all.

Even better was that this was the plan God intended. Why would God have done this? You could say this was the “old testament” God that tended to be full of vinegar, fire and brimstone but that doesn’t quite hold water either. I think the answer falls back to what I’ve said before on this subject.

God is good. All the time. That’s a verifiable fact. Billy Mays is probably in heaven recording late night commercials to preach just that line. The flip side of that wonderful coin is that God isn’t safe. He’s never claimed to be the safe cuddly teddy bear that some people seem to be content in labeling. He’s like a crazed MacGyver. Sure he ends up at the end of the mission in one piece and with a spare rubber band just in case. But he sure as hell goes through…hell to get there.

And that’s what stuck with me in this story. Joseph went through hell and back again to get where he was when his idiot (and I mean that in the nicest way) brothers showed up begging for food due to shortage in their own land. And it was God’s intended plan.

Which makes me (and it should make you) wonder…what does God “intend” for me?

I do know one thing. I’ll be watching my own brother very closely.

I’m going to return to doing this daily.  I swear.  For now, here’s wise words on love that I really do…well, love!

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (New International Version) (via biblegateway)

Love

¹If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b]says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^{[c] 21}Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (via biblegateway, NIV version)

Love is one of those emotions that has been featured in nearly every media we know. Books, movies, radio shows, music, plays, musicals and even reality shows. It is probably the biggest emotional reaction and feeling we know. To be loved and to love someone is something every desires and hungers for every day.

The first part of this verse really makes clear that sincerity must be had. Devoting yourself to someone, putting them ahead of yourself, be hospitable to those around you and do it all with the humbleness of God. That’s one very tall order. I think the best part of this verse is where it says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” When trials and tribulations are hitting you sideways you must excercise patience and prayer.

I know it seems like a simple solution to the problem, but it’s a good reminder for me that prayer and time alone focusing on my relationship with God can help make the times seem a little better. Strength is found within Him.

This verse also hits the whole idea of humbleness pretty much like a dead horse would be beaten. Do not be proud it says. Do not be conceited it implores. It even suggests you love that cursed nemesis that is your enemy. If they are hungry, cook ‘em up some chicken. Thirsty? Get ‘em some sweet tea. It makes the point that evil cannot overcome without good. It’s the old adage, “Kill ‘em with Kindness” and it works. Giving the gift of love covers so much ground in so many places of our lives I’m not sure we really understand how it all works. This verse implores us to whenever possible that we should live at peace with everyone.

Notice it says, “If it is possible.” God understands humanity more than we do sometimes. Humanity has forever been broken since the day of Adam and Eve. Perfection and Peace will never be completely had in all corners of the world. Realizing that and understanding how much love we should be giving out is a very fascinating discovery.

All in all the biggest lesson in this can be taken from the first sentence. “Love is sincere.”

That’s where it starts. The rest is a snowball affect.