Why is it that we, even as Christians, determine that it will be better for some other person if we talk about their issues or circumstances behind their backs rather than pray for them in the quietness of our hearts?
What is it about the human condition, or perhaps our North American condition, that we feel the need (or entitlement) to gossip about others...
I've been struggling deeply with this lately. I am not innocent in this. Why do we struggle so much with judgement, with gossip, with prayer?
I think that we love to be in control (well I know that) and we love to feel power, and we love to deflect things off of ourselves... I think that somehow gossiping allows all three of these to take place.
When we gossip, we're putting ourselves in control of the situation that isn't ours to begin with. We feel power when we gossip because we make ourselves believe what we have to say for another person is better than what they could ever think of themselves. When we talk about other people it allows us to further procrastinate on some things that maybe aren't so pretty in our own lives.
What is it about gossip that we are so addicted to?
Why is our first reaction to other people's circumstance or problems to beat them down verbally behind their backs, or figure things out for them, or make ourselves feel better than them rather than pray for them, asking God's guidance?
Do we really believe what we have to say for __________ is better than what God has to say for _______?
Do we really actually believe we know the heart of ____________ better than God knows the heart of ____________?
Do we really think we're helping the situation at all?
Next time you are tempted to start talking about other people in a wrong way, stop.... slow down.... remember you're not God... remember God knows that person or people infinitely better than you do.... do not play God, you will only condemn yourself.... seek God's wisdom first....don't just conjure up whatever you want.....seek God's Word....
God, I need your help with this....
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Right now I am sitting in an office at Faith Covenant Church in Breton, Alberta. I am here for Bruce and Amanda's wedding tomorrow. Those two are a beauty, and I'm excited for the life they will share together.
I recognize sometimes in these busy times that I can get tired, maybe a little dry even... and not just the Alberta dry, but the Spiritually dry.
While everyone went back to our places of residence for these days we are here, I decided to stay back at the church and crack open some scripture.
I went to one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 131, and then to the sermon on the mount in Matthew. I'm grateful for the truth in Jesus' words, "I am the bread of life." It seems that when I read the scriptures they constantly point me to Jesus, and I am fed. I am alive again, a little more ready for "what's next."
Lord, give me your heart this day. I offer my dry and dusty heart to you, give me yours instead.
I recognize sometimes in these busy times that I can get tired, maybe a little dry even... and not just the Alberta dry, but the Spiritually dry.
While everyone went back to our places of residence for these days we are here, I decided to stay back at the church and crack open some scripture.
I went to one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 131, and then to the sermon on the mount in Matthew. I'm grateful for the truth in Jesus' words, "I am the bread of life." It seems that when I read the scriptures they constantly point me to Jesus, and I am fed. I am alive again, a little more ready for "what's next."
Lord, give me your heart this day. I offer my dry and dusty heart to you, give me yours instead.
Monday, July 21, 2008
camp and other rabbit trails...
Sometimes we say things that seem to be perfectly normal to us, only to realize they either don't make a lot of sense of they come out a lot more sketchy than we thought.
Today I got to see both those scenarios played out...
I told Dana not once, but twice (yes I am a slow learner), that I "lettered the mail" she gave me. It was part of the list of things I had to do and was excited I got it done, and twice I told her that I lettered the mail. Once when I mailed the letter, and then again like 2 hours later.
Soon after that I thought it would be nice to write about camp this year, something inspiring and meaningful....and you guessed it, nothing eloquent came to mind. My wife graciously said that she'd write the blog for me, even though she was only there 36 hours or something like that. I said she could write it.
I think she liked the idea that she could write anything she wanted on here and post it and make a good laugh out of me...
This is how the blog entry she wrote went, probably making perfect sense to her (p.s. she was writing it as if I was talking in first person, even though it was her thoughts):
"I just got back from camp... I like camp
I was leading worship at camp... I like worship
I was counselling a bunch of high school boys... I like high school boys..."
I says "PARDON!"
That'll learn her for trying to be cutesy on my most serious blog entries!
Just jokes, that gave me a heck of a laugh... and for the record, camp was beauty...
God is good, so are Dana's mishaps.
Today I got to see both those scenarios played out...
I told Dana not once, but twice (yes I am a slow learner), that I "lettered the mail" she gave me. It was part of the list of things I had to do and was excited I got it done, and twice I told her that I lettered the mail. Once when I mailed the letter, and then again like 2 hours later.
Soon after that I thought it would be nice to write about camp this year, something inspiring and meaningful....and you guessed it, nothing eloquent came to mind. My wife graciously said that she'd write the blog for me, even though she was only there 36 hours or something like that. I said she could write it.
I think she liked the idea that she could write anything she wanted on here and post it and make a good laugh out of me...
This is how the blog entry she wrote went, probably making perfect sense to her (p.s. she was writing it as if I was talking in first person, even though it was her thoughts):
"I just got back from camp... I like camp
I was leading worship at camp... I like worship
I was counselling a bunch of high school boys... I like high school boys..."
I says "PARDON!"
That'll learn her for trying to be cutesy on my most serious blog entries!
Just jokes, that gave me a heck of a laugh... and for the record, camp was beauty...
God is good, so are Dana's mishaps.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
goin' to camp
If I'm lucky, each year around this time, I get to drive 3 hours west and a little north and go to camp. I've been heading out that way to Covenant Heights Bible Camp on clear lake for probably 15 or 16 years now. It's been a while since I've been a camper, but I can still very clearly remember the incredible experiences each year I was there.... Experiences that moved me, changed me, made me laugh.... Experiences that caused me to redirect my life towards God once again.
It's a very beautiful place. Not just it's scenery, but also the idea of it..... How many other times in a year do you get together with 50-70 other folks, most of whom you only see that one week a year, and just live life together with the epicenter of the week being on the very much alive God that we serve.
I know it's not all about feelings, but there more than any other place, you feel God. You know he is alive. It's unmistakable. You simply can not go to that place and come back home the same.
This year, like every other year, there will be a whole new unique group of folks gathering.... We will make history, as there has never been this group together in one place in one time, and there will never again be the exact same group of people there in one place, in one time...
I want to make the most of this historical experience. I want to understand what it is about a simple camp that seems so close to heaven.
If you remember, pray for Covenant Heights Bible Camp this week....
It's a very beautiful place. Not just it's scenery, but also the idea of it..... How many other times in a year do you get together with 50-70 other folks, most of whom you only see that one week a year, and just live life together with the epicenter of the week being on the very much alive God that we serve.
I know it's not all about feelings, but there more than any other place, you feel God. You know he is alive. It's unmistakable. You simply can not go to that place and come back home the same.
This year, like every other year, there will be a whole new unique group of folks gathering.... We will make history, as there has never been this group together in one place in one time, and there will never again be the exact same group of people there in one place, in one time...
I want to make the most of this historical experience. I want to understand what it is about a simple camp that seems so close to heaven.
If you remember, pray for Covenant Heights Bible Camp this week....
Friday, July 11, 2008
Observation #3
99% of the conflicts that I hear about on the news or otherwise all come down to money....
-whose money is it?
-who has the right to the thing/land/money/oil?
-who is trying to make more money of something someone else owns or lives in?
-what is best for the investor, or owner of something, rather than the whole community?
Why does it always come back to the almighty dollar?
-whose money is it?
-who has the right to the thing/land/money/oil?
-who is trying to make more money of something someone else owns or lives in?
-what is best for the investor, or owner of something, rather than the whole community?
Why does it always come back to the almighty dollar?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Elementary my dear wa....
I think it was John Wesley (or one of those famous Wesley's, probably not Wesley Snipes though!) who said,
"Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin..."
He was speaking of the bible. Now I realize that it's probably the most elementary sounding thing to speak of when talking about Christianity... Read your bible... However, we never seem to get it.
Wesley forgot to add that blogs keep you from the book too...
So if you're reading this (which I highly doubt you are) then get off the computer and read 1 John or something.
Right on.
"Sin will keep you from this book, and this book will keep you from sin..."
He was speaking of the bible. Now I realize that it's probably the most elementary sounding thing to speak of when talking about Christianity... Read your bible... However, we never seem to get it.
Wesley forgot to add that blogs keep you from the book too...
So if you're reading this (which I highly doubt you are) then get off the computer and read 1 John or something.
Right on.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Canada Day 911
On Canada Day (a few days ago) Dana and myself were watching the movie "The Pink Panther" with Steve Martin (which I thought had some hilarious moments) when we looked out our window to see billowing smoke...
Lot's of it.
I jumped up to see what was going on outside and I saw tree branches, leaves, and grass all on fire. The city goes around each year and prunes certain trees in certain areas and it seemed that this is what was on fire, a bunch of green freshly cut tree leaves.
The thing is there was nobody around the fire. It looked as if it somehow caught fire and nobody knew it was happening... So I decided it was my time to do something I'd never done before.
"911, what is your emergency." The lady asked calmly.
I told her the situation, that there was brush on fire outside our house, that there was nobody around that was watching it, that my car was close and I was afraid it would blow up... and as I'm talking this legendary old dude with only a garden hose comes out of nowhere and aims the trickle of water towards the fire.
I told the 911 lady that someone just came out and looked like he was going to put this thing out... But she told me to go and tell him to not put it out as the fire fighters were on their way...
Let's be honest, who wants to go and tell someone they've just called the fire department on them and that they'd be there any second... Especially this dude, because whether he had the fire in control or not, he was definitely breaking some rules by having a brush fire right in the middle of Old Saint Boniface.
So I go out sort of sheepishly to the guy, "Is everything alright?" The guy didn't even acknowledge I was alive! I figured he just didn't speak English and decided to not tell him the fire fighters were coming.
I went back in the house and sure enough a couple minutes later I see a massive firetruck pull in front of our place... Four or five fire "people" (I guess they weren't all men) came out of the truck.
Then one guy climbed over the waist high fence, and shook his head. I wasn't sure if he shook his head in dismay that someone would be so stupid as to light all this brush on fire in the middle of the city, not covered or anything... or if he found it so stupid that someone would actually waist their time for this...
I think I got my answer when he grabbed the small garden hose and put out the fire with it.
Looks like I was the nigit in the whole scenario, but alas, what if no one ever came, the fire could've gotten out of control.
My car could have blown up.
Lot's of it.
I jumped up to see what was going on outside and I saw tree branches, leaves, and grass all on fire. The city goes around each year and prunes certain trees in certain areas and it seemed that this is what was on fire, a bunch of green freshly cut tree leaves.
The thing is there was nobody around the fire. It looked as if it somehow caught fire and nobody knew it was happening... So I decided it was my time to do something I'd never done before.
"911, what is your emergency." The lady asked calmly.
I told her the situation, that there was brush on fire outside our house, that there was nobody around that was watching it, that my car was close and I was afraid it would blow up... and as I'm talking this legendary old dude with only a garden hose comes out of nowhere and aims the trickle of water towards the fire.
I told the 911 lady that someone just came out and looked like he was going to put this thing out... But she told me to go and tell him to not put it out as the fire fighters were on their way...
Let's be honest, who wants to go and tell someone they've just called the fire department on them and that they'd be there any second... Especially this dude, because whether he had the fire in control or not, he was definitely breaking some rules by having a brush fire right in the middle of Old Saint Boniface.
So I go out sort of sheepishly to the guy, "Is everything alright?" The guy didn't even acknowledge I was alive! I figured he just didn't speak English and decided to not tell him the fire fighters were coming.
I went back in the house and sure enough a couple minutes later I see a massive firetruck pull in front of our place... Four or five fire "people" (I guess they weren't all men) came out of the truck.
Then one guy climbed over the waist high fence, and shook his head. I wasn't sure if he shook his head in dismay that someone would be so stupid as to light all this brush on fire in the middle of the city, not covered or anything... or if he found it so stupid that someone would actually waist their time for this...
I think I got my answer when he grabbed the small garden hose and put out the fire with it.
Looks like I was the nigit in the whole scenario, but alas, what if no one ever came, the fire could've gotten out of control.
My car could have blown up.
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