Lighten Up

To Lighten up. That's my goal - both literally, and figuratively.
Lately, I have this overwhelming desire to take up less space in this world.

There are only 20 days left until my 51st birthday and the count down to my 100 mile in ninety day goal. I'm actually doing OK. My weight is down to 232lb (about a 13lbs loss). I have ran 72 miles so far. I have now graduated to 2 miles per day so I should (good Lord willing) make it with plenty to spare. It will be a nice birthday present to me from me.

I'm also on another kind of diet in my quest to take up less space. It's really more of an ego diet.
It includes things like keeping my mouth shut more and expressing my opinions less. It is coming to grips with the fact that I don't really have all of the answers, and the answers that I do happen to have, no one really wants nor needs to hear.

I am on the I Thessalonians 4:11-12 Diet:
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders ans so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

What Ever Happened to Sin?

Several years ago I asked my Sunday morning adult Bible class to list all of the things that used to be viewed as unacceptable Christian behavior (SIN) that are now considered quite tame and perfectly acceptable.

The list was pretty amusing:

Dancing
Card Playing
Shooting Pool
Men with Long Hair
Social Drinking
Eating at a restaurant that served alcohol
Buying groceries from a store that sold alcohol
R rated movies
Women wearing pants to church
Shorts
Shopping or going out to eat on Sunday
Mowing your lawn on Sunday afternoon
Lottery tickets

A few items on the list elicited moans and signs of continued disapproval from some of the older folks in the class. Most of the items on the list elicited laughs and disbelief from the younger folks in the class.

My question is this: Was it innocence or ignorance?

What do you think the list will look like in the year 2025?

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Thanks Jonathan for an Awsome Weekend

Thanks to Jonathan and Jessica we had a great time in San Fransisco. Jonathan is an awesome tour guide and an even better taxi driver. He showed no fear. I admit, I had to close my eyes a few times while flying through the narrow crowded streets of China Town. I am surprised his mirrors are still attached to his car.


It is a shame that such good friends live so far away.


If you have facebook, go check out the rest of our pictures.
http://www.new.facebook.com/photos.php?id=1385319656

Counting down the days.

I am not complaining or grumbling! I am merely stating the facts.

My preacher will get me if I complain or grumble about anything, or if I criticize or speak negatively about anybody at all.

You see Russ challenged the Maury Hills church to try to make it one whole week without mumbling groaning, complaining, criticizing, or being negative in any way. (what was he thinking?) (oops .... sorry) We are on a criticism fast.

So I will choose my words carefully.....

If my calculations are correct, this is day 50 of 90. Of these 50 days I have been to the gym a grand total of 47 times. I have racked up an impressive total (relatively speaking of course) of running 48 miles. My goal, if you remember, is 100 miles in 90 days.

I suffered a calf muscle blowout along with some pretty impressive shin splints a couple of weeks ago (fat people should not run) So, for 14 days I substituted 11 miles on a bicycle (30 minutes at a heart rate of 140 bpm) per day to count as one mile running. I am fairly well healed now and am back to running. I have stepped up the pace now to 2 miles per day. That should put me in at well over my 100 mile goal by my 51st birthday.

That is all great positive stuff! (OK Russ, you can stop reading now)


The trouble is my weight has basically remain unchanged. I started out at 244.8lbs. I am still bouncing around 336 - 237. That is pretty discouraging. I was really expecting to look like Brad Pitt by now.

I must still eat faster than I run.


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Got Faith?

I don't know why I do it. It must be some type of psychological disorder. When it comes to religion, I seem to have this warped deep seated need for everyone to agree with me - as if somehow their agreement and approval is needed to validate my own beliefs and faith.

The ironic thing about my disorder is the fact that I do in fact receive affirmation and agreement from 99% of the Christian community at large. Contrary to recent reports my ideas are neither radical nor liberal. My core beliefs line up and are right in step with most all main stream conservative Bible believing Christian Churches.

It's not that I agree with 100% of the things taught and practiced by the 99%, I just happen to agree with the important stuff - the core stuff. They all have their quirks mind you, but if you check their basic beliefs they all are trusting in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. They all preach Christ and him crucified. That puts us on the same team. That makes us brothers.

Our differences, though many, do not make me crazy. I do not fret and lose sleep over the fact that the Pentecostals disagree with me about the subject of Spiritual gifts. I don't worry about the fact that some of the Baptist believe in eternal security. I don't care that the Church of Christ uses accappella music. In my little mind, those thing all fall under the heading of Romans 14 and do not in anyway dilute or change the message of the gospel.

But i must admit, It's that last 1% that really gets under my skin. They know how to push my buttons. They know that I can't resist. It is like waving a twinkie in the face of a fat guy on a diet. One mention of religious intolerance, Spiritual exclusiveness, or self imposed doctrinal supremacy, and off I go. When will I ever learn?

I was raised on a steady diet of sermons about how different we are, and frankly
"I am full of it" (my critics will appreciate that pun) I simply choose to live out the rest of my days focusing on how much we are the same. I shouldn't have to apologize for that.

Should I??

236/47

Baptism

The discussion that was generated on my last post has me thinking about the subject of baptism.
The discussion went way beyond the old arguments of whether baptism is necessary (essential) for salvation or not - the discussion actually was about who's baptism was good enough and who's was not.

This is just an attempt to keep the discussion going.

Listen to the words of this song, and tell me if it describes Biblical Baptism?
Could the Preacher in the song have been Baptist, or Methodist, or something other than Church of Christ? Would you accept the young man's baptism? Would you accept him as a brother in Christ? Could he become a member of your church without being re-baptized?

What do you think?


236/42

Dirty Laundry

I try to act like it doesn't bother me. But, I guess on some level, way down deep, it still affects me more than I would like to admit. I go through times when I don't consciously think about it too much, but little things , like funerals, always seem to bring it back to the surface again.

The other day Tyler, my grandson, asked me something about my mother. He had her confused with somebody else. I had to tell him that he didn't know my mother. In fact, my own children don't know my parents.

Some questions that keep coming back to me are these: When it's all said and done, who was really to blame for this situation? Could it have been avoided or fixed? What's the point?

I am sure that my parent's answers would be quite different than my answers.
Their answers, I am sure, would read something like this:

Who is really to blame?
Gary, of course. He left the faith. He caused division in the Lord's body. He followed false teachers and was led astray. He became a false teacher himself and led many others away from the one true church. The Bible teaches us to disfellowship, and have nothing to do with people like him. We are only being true to God's commands.

(If my parents ever moved to Columbia, I know a preacher that they would just love)
Sorry, I digress...

My defense is really unimportant for two reasons. First of all, my parents will never hear it, read it, or accept it. Secondly, because the only ones who ever read this blog are people who really know me, and love me, and already know that the accusation against me are false. But just in case, by some outside chance, there is a stray reader who is aware of the situation, and sympathetic to my parent's type of religion and thinking, let me set the record straight.

As God is my witness I have never disfellowshiped or shunned anyone.
Jesus taught me that sinners should not throw stones at sinners.

I never left the Faith. My faith in Jesus Christ is stronger now than it has ever been.
I did however leave a set of man made rules, rituals, and traditions that many have ignorantly deemed "The Faith".

I did not cause any division, I simply left the in-fighting and division that already existed.

I did not follow any teacher. My ideas are my own. I have had them since I was a teenager. I just kept them to myself because I knew what it would cost me.

If by chance I have taught any one, I pray that I taught them only to ask questions and think for themselves. The Bible belongs to each of us. Ask for help when you need it, but never let anyone tell you what it says, because more than likely the preople you ask don't know either.

I know that my critic are out there. They poke their typing fingers into some of the local blogs every once in a while.
Like I have said many times before, I would love to have the chance to actually face my accusers. I would love to sit down face to face and talk about this stuff over a cup of coffee. But in all reality, I know that will probably never happen. So, if all I can get is a negative comment or two on this blog, I will accept it. I will take what I can get.

Here is your chance. You can obviously remain anonymous. I will not fault you for that. I really do want to hear your questions, comments, and criticisms.


337/31