Coming Alive

95$ worth of Barnes and Noble gift cards were burning a hole in my pocket.  So there I am, navigating the post-Christmas crowd, with Nolan in the stroller.  I had a list of 15 books and “Plastic Jesus” was definitely not on it.  I had seen it sitting there on the shelf before with it’s “look at me” cover art and a “adjective not normally associated with Jesus” title.  I wasn’t down on the book…I just thought I already had heard the stuff it had to offer.

Then Nolan started waking up and I knew I didn’t have much time.  Frustrated with my inability to find “Jim and Casper go to Church” I grabbed “Plastic Jesus” and bolted.

A day later the only thing that has kept me from finishing this great read off has been unexpected visitors and my new Xbox 360 (Sorry Eric but Master Chief has to stop the Flood).  Eric Sandras has a comfortable writing style which has the feel of a conversation over coffee (albeit with someone who doesn’t listen so well…since, of course, Sandras hasn’t heard any of my thoughts out yet).  The chapter titles feel a bit forced, but the content is fantastic.  Sandras really starts hitting a stride in the chapter, “Keeping up with the Joneses”.  I’ll give a better review in a day or so, but I really like what this dude has to say.

Quote of the book (so far) – “We expend a lot of energy keeping our Christian doctrines all clean and form fitting, our appearances buffed up, and our lives organized around Christian meetings and conferences.  But honestly, you call that adventure?  At best, such a lifestyle is maintenance.  At worst, it’s counterfeit Christianity.”

So my first Christmas present of the year was the new Brian McLaren book, “Everything Must Change” (Thanks Vickie!). McLaren isn’t for everyone, but I happen to think that he asks a lot of really good questions…even though I don’t always agree with his answers. The particular question framed in this book is:

How do the life and teachings of Jesus address the most critical global problems in our world today?

Does that grab you? Yea, me neither…but for some reason I think it should.

Last night I went to bed at 11:15. 
(Pause for dramatic effect)

11:15.  I wasn’t sick either…just sleepy.  About a month ago I started re-reading Making Room for Life by Randy Frazee.  Since then my day has been so much more productive and fulfilling.  I was really convicted on my lifestyle.  Not only was I missing out on the designed blessing of God interwoven into the fabric of rest, but I was headed down a path that could seriously damage my relationship with my family.

It’s tough.  I am more creative at night.  My “bucket o’ thoughts” has been half-full (optimism is a side-effect of going to bed at 11:15), but more of my ideas are coming to fruition.  The other difficult aspect is turning work off.  In our society it is valued to be a workaholic.  I have heard many pastors brag about how much time they were “putting in”.  I really don’t envy them working at their desk, but as much as I would love to leave that type of “ministry” to the pros…I find myself trying to keep right up with them by working late into the night. 

I figure, in the long run, my busywork might suffer but my ministry will come alive. 

Last week I read a great little book called “Out of Solitude” by Henri Nouwen.  Its a very simple book topically broken up into 3 Christian meditations: Solitude, Care, and Expectation.  Nouwen’s chapter on care was by far the most meaningful for me. 

“It often seems that not to care has become more acceptable than to care, and a carefree lifestyle more attractive than a careful one”

Think of how often we say the words, “I don’t care”.  It’s commonplace to express our indifference in this way, but it abuses the word of its meaning. 
“Kara” – “to grieve, to experience sorrow, to cry out with”

To care is to enter into someone’s world of suffering and to live in it with them.  My approach towards the hurting has always been the emotional repairman…usually attempting to fix the problem with Biblical or intellectual tools.  This probably has more to do with being uncomfortable with the intimacy of empathy. 

“Our tendency is to run away from painful realities or to try to change them as soon as possible.  But cure without care makes us into rulers, controllers, manipulators, and prevents real community from taking shape.”
Nouwen