everyone counts

Friday, February 17, 2006

TGIF

I'm not sure where to go with this. A lot is spinning around in this old head of mine.
I've lost my youngest son. He's not dead, I just don't know where he is. But it feels like he's dead, like I should be mourning for him. That someone should be mourning with me.
No, that's now where I want to go.
James Dobson was blasting bloggers yesterday. Seems he's been misrepresented, misquoted, and his intergrity as a Christian soiled. He's been called a servent of satan. I know just how he feels.
No, that's not where I want to go either.
I borrowed this quote off a comment made to one of the cites I love to "hate"
"Calvin is one of the most dangerous men to ever appear on the Christian scene with his un-Biblical, un-Scriptural, Augustinian (Roman Catholic derived) ideas which generations of Christians have blindly swallowed. Arminius opposed Calvin's theology on predestination and should be commended for that. While he did not seem to get it right either, a least he spared us the trap of the “Eternal Security” doctrine, which has surely sent more people to hell than most of the crooks on TBN put together."
Write On! Winston, whoever you are!
I've been going to an Episcopalian Church for the past couple of months.
- I really need to learn how to spell that word.

Father Carl is a wonderful Christian. And I love receiving communion every Sunday. Father Carl had something very positive to say about Rick Warren a couple of weeks ago.
Funny. I have never read any of his books. I usually don't like things that become obsessive...or trendy. I never liked the whole "Prayer of Jabeth (sp?)" nonsense. I never wore a WWJD bracelett.
I don't care much for the poem "Footprints". Although I do love Veggie Tales.
I figured all this "purpose driven" stuff was a bunch of fluff, another gimmick, and when I heard some Christian brothers bash him, I figured he deserved bashing. Now I'm not so sure. I've heard some quotes from Warren to which I had to say, "Yeah, so, what's wrong with that?". A lot of the people who have been bashing Warren, no - not bashing him...everyone in the public eye has to expect a certain degree of bashing, these people are labeling him a heretic and worse. but they are doing the same to James Dobson, Chuck Smith, Billy Grahm and the Virgin Mary. (ok, so I'm getting a little carried away here).
There was once this Christian Commedian - Mike Warnke. Ex-Satanist. He was quite the rage for a while, and then some dark shadows in his life were exposed and he fell from grace, and from the public eye. I pray that he got it all straightened out, and that he is living in peace/shalom, having been restored by the LORD that he loves. Anyway, I remember something he said once. He said some of his old friends asked why he would ever want to be a Christian. There are so many rules in Christianity....don't do this and don't be that. Mike's answer was, I don't worry about the don'ts. There are too many do's. If I focus on the do's , I don't have time for the don'ts.
I like that.
Three day weekend! Yeah!
blessings all!

3 comments:

M. C. Pearson said...

Blessings to you too! I'm so glad you've been visiting the Bible study.

For what it's worth, I've read The Purpose Driven Life and just LOVED it. I usually don't get into the fad kinda things either, but Warren has some very beautiful things to say. My church did one of those 40 days of purpose things and I grew so much during it. Just my opinion...but I think you'd like it.

I didn't know what happened to Warnke...I really enjoyed him. Hope he is okay.

Have a great week-end! God Bless.

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed Purpose Driven Life and all three by Wilkinson: The Prayer of Jabez, Secrets of The Vine and A Life God Rewards. I wonder if most bashing comes from those who also knew those things but just never wrote and published them or if it comes from those with a "religious spirit" of some kind. I don't see any works righteousness in them, just a call to bear fruit which is a call to abide in Jesus, to hear and obey his voice, to bless others as we have been blessed and to be witnesses before others of the love of God.

Gillie said...

I ran across your post today while googling how to spell Jabeth.

For what it is worth moral-support wise; I too lost a son and I share your gut-wrenching indecision about how to feel, think, act when it is not a physical death but a relational death. I lost mine two and a half years ago, the day after Christmas.
At that time, he was to ship out on his overseas duty assignment in three months, that year. He cut me out of his life with words that still pierce me. I begged him to stop before we said things that could not be unsaid but he would not.

He will be through with his tour in two weeks. Everyone in my family will see him, love him, slap him on the back, laugh and celebrate with him. I will not be included. He neither wrote nor responded to me when I send him pictures of his little sister and her new spouse.

Who can say what great joy you and I may yet be in store for someday. Until then, remember the story of the prodigal son and know that there is nowhere those two sons can go where they will be out of G*d's hand.

With regard to Christ-a-tainment;
take the nuggets of truth G*d hides in every experience and TOSS the rest onto the garbage heap for the archaeologists to figure out someday.
Affectionately,

Wandrin