Wandering

This move "back" in one sense has been hurried and overwhelming in many ways. It feels that we are still trying to get our bearings with what has occurred, all the while not really feeling settled because we have not found a physical home; 75% of our stuff is still in storage and we are crammed into a 1 bedroom condo. However, given the economy and current state of things, we are obviously thankful to have a roof over our heads and have our needs provided for.

It still doesn't change the fact that we feel a little displaced, since we don't have the rest of our stuff and we don't have our dog, not to mention that this is the first year since we've been married that we have NOT had a real tree. Instead, we have "ernie" the three foot fake pine tree. It is currently sitting right by the computer monitor on our desk, but its the only semblance of Christmas that we have in the place. Half to three quarters of our state got blanketed with snow, and it would appear that we live in the only place that got enough snow that the clouds must have sneezed by accident and gave some to us.

But enough of "woe is me" on lesser matters...there is a feeling of a prolonged winter in my heart, because simply enough, I have not been faithful to prayer and reading of the Word. Life got shoved into high gear when we moved and I have been scrambling to keep up. As each day passes, I become more and more convinced that if discipleship habits are not established early, they are harder to establish much less keep. This feels like my ultimate failing with my little boy; we did catechize him prior to bed most nights when at our old house but as things got busier up until and now after the move, it has stopped completely. My personal devotional life has all but dried up, with the exception of a few mornings when I go to the ESV site and have the Bible read to me audibly (Max McLean, specifically). When tired and needing to "relax," I find myself craving "entertainment" when what I often need is the "enrichment" from the nourishing and satisfying Word of God. (not that entertainment is bad, but it often can distract from what you really NEED)

The wandering is much like the people of Israel, wandering in the desert, persisting in their ways; I know that I must come back to the Bible and to faithfulness to the Word and prayer, but life and my own desires more than often get in the way of that. The move back has been tough because as we picked up our mat to go East, to come back here in one sense, it's not coming back to anything we know, because while the area is the same, the people we know are gone. Starting over again is tougher, because I am so busy at work and now with us trying to get our little boy to sleep by himself, it is difficult to find time with each other, much less get to know anyone else.

We have been in the condo much longer than we anticipated (I actually had to go to the mall to buy sweaters because we didn't want to go to the storage place to search through and get our winter clothes out!). Added to that is the church search, which has somewhat been up in the air since we did not know where we would live; we've tried a couple churches, but neither of them are obvious as the previous two we attended (first when we were living here at Beach the first time and then the one back where we just moved from). We attended those churches, and we just knew that it was the right fit. It has not been that way this time. So we are discouraged to come to Christmas and not have either question (home or church) answered. All this added to the fact that I have not been taking the daily bread that is right in front of me in the form of the Word.

I pray that we find a church that we can support and they support us in life-giving community; the road will be difficult enough ahead but I cannot see us doing well without such support. (I have prayed often for an older man to be a spiritual mentor, but this has not yet been granted) But the Lord is faithful and He has brought us here for His glory, and He will be glorified, whatever that will entail. Merry Christmas to everyone and may He bless you all.

How the Tiger Woods Saga Is An Opportunity to Share Your Faith

There has been much focus in the media since Thanksgiving with Tiger Woods and the stories that continue to come out concerning his affairs with other women. Many have had their opinions about him being a terrible person, that he needs help, that he needs to focus on his family, that he needs to get back out on the golf course, etc.

One thing it is very easy for us to do, even as Christians, is to sit in judgment over Tiger Woods. Especially when there is a pattern of behavior, even we wonder how one could act that way and treat his family in such a manner; or that all the people around him would allow him to "go down that road."

The thing that we forget, however, is that we are no different than Tiger Woods. Yes, I said it. Read it again. We are no different, in that we are sinners that fall short of a God that is infinitely good, just and glorious. Apart from the grace we have in Christ, we too would do such things. The restraining power of the Holy Spirit (if obeyed, of course), is an amazing thing--but it is a function of the new creation that we are in Christ. But even then temptation will continue to beckon us to sin, and we often give into these desires.

So what does this situation have to do with our witness? Well, people are very quick to take a loftier position over someone else when they falter, regardless if they harbor the same types of desires or sins in their own hearts (or even if they are practicing it in their own lives). This is why Jesus in the Gospels extended the law to include thoughts that were sinful. The law only addressed actions; the Gospel addressed actions PLUS our desires and thoughts. So when someone says to you, "Tiger should know better" or "Tiger is an awful person" turn to them and say, "you know, I've struggled with some things in my life." Sure, we're not all adulterers; but men, can you say you've never looked longer than just a simple glance at a woman passing by and taken those thoughts where they lead? When we look down on a murderer, have we ever hated someone so much that we, in passing, would wish to see them harmed or even dead? Have we not all lied to someone at some point or played fast and loose with the truth? Human nature is to ignore that we are at our base a sinful creature but instead to think we are basically good; the populace is therefore shocked at others who act sinfully. However, we are sinful and our souls are black if we were to look at them as God could see them.

Tiger Woods ultimately needs Christ, as we all do. He can surely go into rehab for any addictions that he may have to address behaviors, but at the root of addictions is a need that is not fulfilled. This can ultimately be a blessing for Tiger and his family if it ultimately leads him to Christ. We must pray for him that the grace of Christ would take hold in his heart and the Gospel would take root in his life. He is one of the most powerful and influential people in the world, but he is human and fallen just as the rest of us. But the hope is Christ. Praise be to God!