Numerous Requests

I have received numerous requests over the past few days that have inquired as to why I haven't been posting lately. As to where a response goes like this, "I don't like talking about myself a lot on here for two reasons, A) I become self-absorbed and I do that pretty good without blogging and B) Do you really care what I have to say and do I really have anything good to say anyway." Well I can say I'm not trying to be self-focused and so therefore I will speak of the times that are going on. I think I will just let the fingers flow and allow the heart to explore the gift of spontaneity.

As I've been living in this community of teaching, fellowship, prayer and breaking of the bread I've come to understand that we all long for such things in some form or another. We're all looking for teaching in aspects of money, parenting, relationships, and/or anything else that our minds can attempt to grasp or there the lack of (i.e. The books for dumbies). We are all wanting to find our nitch and place in soceity and will sometimes join the craziest things just to feel the acceptance that our soul so longs to have. I have come to many conclusions on things I don't know and need books to understand. A) Lost! There is a huge marathon going on as I type. B) Football! There has been so much football on the two televisions that we own, I wish I was invincible.

There are some great people though that live not only in this house but in this community and the fellowship with them under the head of Christ has been extradinoary and the prayer that has flowed from hearts and minds of these wonderful people have been challenging and moving all together. I spent the early morning of yesterday in Tryon, NC with my friend Paul Wilson, whom I can say that I would fight side by side any day and would know that he had my back. He yesterday not only taught me about the importance of rest and relaxation, but he allowed me to experience the importance of it and the importance to just sit and hang out with a friend. We need it and I loved it. Thanks Paul! I miss all of you back home, but have found peace in the new home that is being formed.

I wonder if people who didn't believe in Christ, not because of the historical evidence or the biblical accounts of Him, could have seen friendship in the (I believe) the purest of form on the cabins front porch would have seen the light of Christ. That at least would be my hope not only for that friendship and that experience, but for all friendships and experiences in life. During the course of this year at CDH, we are required to read a book a month from a choice of books in our CDH library. This month's reading is 'A Severe Mercy' by Sheldon Vanauken. It has to be one of my favorite books that I've ever read, well besides Vision & The Vow.

Vanauken was not a Christian when he and his wife Davy met and fell inloveness, as he calls it. There journey took them to Oxford where the Holy Spirit wouldn't stop pursuing them and where they would choose to believe and follow Christ. Sheldon wrote the following in his book and I hope that it causes you to think and encourage you as much as it did for me. It would also be helpful to note that Sheldon did not know Christ in a relational form when he wrote this, he however was on a journey to learn about Christianity and to make sense of it. Until next time, Keep your knees to the ground and your eyes on Jesus.

The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians-when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths. But, though it is just to condemn some Christians for these things, perhaps, after all, it is not just, though very easy, to condemn Christianity itself for them. Indeed, there are impressive indications that the positive quality of joy is in Christianity - and possibly nowhere else. If that were certain, it would be proof of a very high order.
-Sheldon Vanauken