I wish I'd thought of this...

for once, a short post....

You HAVE to read Donald Miller's review of Love Wins.
Thank you Donald Miller. [it had to be done!!!]

B

A question posed to Rob Bell, that’s not about his book

MSNBC handed Rob Bell [pastor, author, speaker in the NOOMA videos] the question of
“Is God all powerful, & unfeeling/caring? Or… Is He caring, empathetic, yet unable to fix everything?”
This has everything to do with Japan & Libya, yet nothing to do with his newest book. I guess I would answer that with a question of my own. Do you believe Rob Bell is God? If not, why are you asking him a question that only God can answer? Let me quickly be clear here, I’m not mad that the question is being asked. Rather, I’m perplexed that the interviewer cannot ask God himself. God is rather used to people being angry/frustrated/confused with Him, & vocalizing/praying about it to God’s face. [See the book of Psalms] I cannot ask a human to answer a question that I’m really asking God. God knows each human better than any group of humans understand our entire species. I understand that the interviewer felt like Mr. Bell was side stepping the question. However, I cannot speak for another human. So it stands to reason that I cannot answer for God, whom I have a very primitive, rudimentary understanding of. I accept that there are a great many things about God for which, if He came here, sat on my futon [next to my pc], & explained, at great length, His reasons for why some things are the way they are, I’d simply reply: “huh? I don’t think I get it”. And, since He’d be explaining it inside of space & time, I might be a quite older individual by the time He was finished. Which, by the way, may be a reason why He never explained it to me in the first place. There are many questions that are posed by people who don’t know God, & cannot wrap their mind around such a being. What, I believe, is one of the silliest is: “can God make a rock that God cannot lift?” regardless of your answer, He is not omnipotent. …my first question, if you were omnipotent, would you bother? Does making a rock, solely to prove you cannot lift it, make a good story? Ah, no. It is brief, but no.
Now, being the smart aleck that I am: Yes, God can make a rock that God cannot lift, yet be able to lift it.
[this, of course, goes against the “do not test the Lord your God” verse]
How?!?! You ask. Simple. God, the father, makes a rock. Jesus, God the son, cannot lift it. Jesus prays to the father, & the rock is lifted. [either by Jesus, or by The Father. Or, perhaps it is “unmade” & thus “lifted”]
So, I can think…does that matter? Depends a great deal on what I think about…& what I do after thinking it. What you have is not nearly as important as what you do with it. [or, perhaps better still, what you have is not as important as what you allow God to do with it. …it is much easier to make this statement than to live it]

It is one thing to see the land of peace from a wooded ridge,
and another to tread the path that leads to it.
-St. Augustine III

Do I like Rob Bell? Yes, this isn’t based on time spent together, of course. I like what he’s written, spoke in videos, et al. I have not read Love Wins. I won’t comment on a book I’ve not read. If Mr. Bell & I spoke for a while, on matters of God, & the universe God has artistically fashioned, I imagine we’d have things we whole heartedly agree on. We would also have things that we would not agree on. If Rob Bell agreed with me, on everything in the universe, I would cease to read his books [watch his videos, etc.]. We would have no reason to spend time together. I already live with myself. [which, sometimes, isn’t as much fun as the “brochure” says it is.] Mr. Bell causes me to think. To think in directions that I maybe never thought in before. This would be why I like him. Sometimes, this is the reason I like Living Word. Maybe I always believed what they are saying… yet never thought to say it the way it’s being said.
I do not spend time with pushy people, who want to tell me what to think. I want to learn to think better. [so much could be said on that statement alone] People who threaten violence because you do not believe the way they do, or threaten because you have to “do what they say” or else. I usually pick else. It’s kind of mean, really. Yet, I’m just wired that way. I sometimes have to take time to think, am I just doing this or going this way because a bully doesn’t want me to? Or do I actually have a real reason?
Mr. Bell isn’t perfect. Yes, it takes one to know one, & I am one. [imperfect, that is]
I could go on…& on…&…
Love Wins, perhaps not today, but yes

[I have run out of time on here, so I didn't fix the font issue that shows up half way through this, sorry]

May His grace drip from your fingers,
B

a rough post Christmas post

Christmas was wonderful. I hope it was for you all. I finally got to get my butt out of bed & help my Mother put the turkey on for our Christmas dinner. A goal I’ve had for at least 5 years now. We also made Sandtarts together.
LW has a wonderful tradition of giving for Christmas. Which is such a wonderful tradition to have. Our older tradition, is giving away our Christmas Eve offering. The goal was $134,000. We ended up with $143,000. LW began, a few years back, doing “giving trees” [they don’t call them that, but I’m not sure what –if anything- they do call them]. Each tree is for a certain charity or objective. One was reading glasses that will be taken to another country [don’t know if I should say here what country, so I won’t]. they needed 200 pairs. 1 person donated 200, so we ended up with 700 total. So very cool! There were some growth groups who did different things on their own as well. Helping needy families in our “neck of the woods”. I don’t mean this to brag or anything, I just think it’s wonderful.
Serving on the Sunday after Christmas, I heard all kinds of statements & questions. “any returns to do?” “my wife takes our tree down on Christmas day.” Figuring the holiday is over.
For me, I procrastinate taking the Christmas decorations down. In previous years, I guess the thought of “it’s over [sigh]” was just too much of a downer. I’m just learning [ok, at least I hope I’m learning] to enjoy where I am. After all, I won’t be here all that long. I have shared all kinds of song lyrics over the Christmas holiday, so here’s one for right now:
[I first heard this on First Call’s Christmas cd: Beyond December]

After December Slips Away

The season comes
but once a year
A gift
of precious wonder
For all
who hold
it dear
But past the sights
And colored lights
Lord,
far beyond December
I will
remember

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away

Years ago
beneath a tree
Fell the drops of crimson
That set the faithful free
The gift was life
sent in love
Lord,
far beyond December
I will
remember

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away

No matter how bright
the glitter shines
No matter how many
hopes come true
I know that
all I have
Begins
and ends
with You

After the carols fade away
After the Yule fire dies down
When there are no longer dreams
to open and see
Because You are hope
and joy and peace
Because You're the only gift I need
In my heart
the season will remain
After December Slips Away
In my heart
the season
will remain
After December Slips
Away

May you have a Wonderful New Year,

Enjoy the journey,

B

a quick post

...just a quick little musing, at least for now.
if you go on over to Over the Rhine's website you can click on their music player & hear the newer of their 2 wonderful Christmas cds [snow angels]. Just go here, then click on the OtR record player... & enjoy.

take care for now...

a Random post for a random act.

One of the blogs I like has this posted, from youtube.
And it seems both appropriate for my 12 poems of Christmas posts, as well as for the season.

A Random Act of culture, "Hallelujah!"

"and he
shall reign
forever
and
ever..."
hallelujah

Christmas memories

I've been flipping back & forth between 2 radio stations playing Christmas music.
one played a song this week called "snow". It's from the classic movie White Christmas.
you can watch the clip here. Vermont is cool. White Christmas is one of Mom's favorite movies to watch at Christmas. We'd watch it Christmas eve, after getting home from church. This song is probably my favorite song from it. I think my favorite comedic line would be between:
Danny Kaye: grabbing Bing Crosby's lapels & pulling him close "how much is 'wow'?"
Crosby: "ah, it's right up there between, ah, 'ouch' & 'boing"
Kaye: "wow"

AND

Crosby: "I'll get around to that someday." [referring to dating]
Kaye: "my dear partner, by the time what's left of you, gets around to what's left of them. what's left of them, won't be worth getting. Whatever it is you've got left."
Crosby: "if I figure out what that means, I'll come up with a crushing reply."

So many memories...
oh, the one with Mick that I previously mentioned.
We were newly married, & she was frustrated with trying to buy "the perfect gift".
[I know none of you have EVER had this problem, thankfully.]
she told me. So I said: "Honey, just put a bow in your hair & sit by the tree."
Christmas day I came down the stairs, & there she was with a hunter green bow in her blond hair. That image will stay in my head forever.
"is this ok?", she said.
"perfect".

I think of that every time I hear Mariah Carey's "all I want for Christmas is you".
Merry Christmas
7 days till we celebrate Jesu's birthday.

2 not so typical Christmas songs...

ok, so over on Bought "as is" I posted another "classic carol". So I decided to go with another "newer", more obscure song on here...

After December Slips Away
[by First Call, from their cd: Beyond December ]

"after the carols fade away
after the yule fire dies down
when there are no longer dreams
to open & see
because you are hope & joy & peace
because your the only gift I need
in my heart the season
will remain
after December slips
away..."

to go with it, I'm putting a link to Robert Fripp doing silent night "frippertronics style"
It's not like any other way you've ever heard it. Fripp is very different. I tend to think of him as a guitarist version of an impressionistic painter. If you like what you hear, #1. you can purchase some of Fripp's stuff over at his record label's site: dgmlive. #2. you should hear it live! talk about "surround sound". Fripp & Krimson are bands you "step inside of". Kind of like ..."if a room [or the Grand Canyon] could sing". [or, perhaps, the musical equivalent of 3D]. Yeah, you could say I like them. Some of Fripp's stuff is very meditative, at least for me.

Well, it's late. I had a fun night, but I have to try to sleep now...