Merry Christmas

Puffy Puppy

Usually my puppy, Bailey, looks like this:


When I woke up this morning, he looked more like this:


Apparently Bailey boy was bitten by a bug of some sort (most likely a spider) and his faced swelled up so that he looked like a Shar Pei Dog (pictured above). So the first thing I see as a I put my glasses on this morning is this puffy-faced puppy staring at me through little puppy eyes that were almost swollen shut!

I freaked out for a second... seeing that when you first wake up and haven't had a chance to adjust is quite startling. So off to our first Vet visit in Ohio. Two shots later (and $72 poorer), the Vet told us to use Benadryl. Like the kind you can buy at CVS or Rite Aid. She actually gave us something similar to take home and use, but said Benadryl would have been fine.

So Bailey is looking a bit more normal now. The only thing he is up to at this point is sleeping like it's his job.

Sweet Dreams Bailey-Boy.

Punk Appeal

I'm sure not too many people know this about me, but deep down inside I have always wanted to be a pierced, tattooed punk rocker. I have always thought of myself as a bit of a "freak," while in reality I am pretty straight laced. It all boils down to the fact that I have a little rebel inside me... that part of me that always wants to be different and go against the flow of normalcy.

When it comes to living out my faith on a daily basis, I want to push the limit and get as close to the edge as possible. In doing so, I believe I'm consistently chasing after God. I never want to be complacent or go with the status quo just because everyone is doing it.

I happened to watch a new show on the Sundance Channel called "One Punk Under God," that follows Jay Bakker (above), son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Jay started a church in 1994 that now has three locations in New York, Charlotte and Atlanta, called Revolution Church. At one point in the first show, Jay places a sticker on parking meter that says, "As Christians, we're sorry for being self-righteous, judmental bastards." I know, pushing the edge, but it's true isn't it? While I'm not sure I agree with all of Jay's views, I appreciate the way in which he lives out his faith. He is real and raw with who he is and where he's at in his walk. I can identify with that.

Jesus had such an amazing way about him when dealing with people. He was so hard on the religious people of the day (Pharisees), but loved and accepted the "sinners" where they were at while calling them to a better more fulfilling life. Living like that is my dream. Learning to love the unlovable. Seeing all people the way Jesus sees them; loved.

Maybe there needs to be more followers of Jesus like, Jay Bakker, Bono, Rob Bell, Tony Campolo, Brian McLaren and Jim Wallis and countless others... that live close to and sometimes over the edge. Honestly, it's all about looking at things differently... fresh perspectives on faith.

So who knows, maybe one day soon you'll see me walking up to you with a mohawk, peirced lip and tattoos all over the place... probably not, but we can always dream, can't we? Most important, I hope you begin to see me loving and accepting those who need it most so they can see Jesus right here, right now.

iPod Envy

I was talking with a friend the other day on the phone and he asked me to hold on while he signed for a package he received from Sony. He was so excited about the arrival of this package and he couldn't wait to tell me about it.

You see my friend is on a crusade against Apple. He tried to get Apple to sponsor something for his business and they declined, so now he is out to get them.

When he was rebuffed by the snotty people at Apple, he took it upon himself to begin to take down the giant known as iPod. He quickly got in touch with Sony and asked them to join him to dethrone the almighty iPod. They agreed to help.

As our conversation continued, I reminded him that Apple didn't really need to give away iPods to stir up interest because they had a 90% stranglehold on the market. He began to talk about how elitest Apple was with their iMac ads. How they think they are so cool and above PC's (and Sony Walkmans or Zunes). How dare they?

I tried to talk him down off the ledge of inferior technology, but to no avail. I'm afraid this man has been lost due to the injustice of the one and only iPod.

Michigan gets JOBBED!

Just in case you didn't notice, the University of Michigan got hosed in the BCS ratings on Sunday. There is an excellent article detailing the absurd BCS snub of a rematch between the Buckeyes and Michigan here.

We're off to the Rose Bowl to play the #5 rated USC. Notre Dame, ranked #11 are off to play the #4 ranked LSU... Ummm, can someone tell me why we are playing #5 instead of #4? Oh yeah, MONEY$$$!!

Well, until the NCAA works out some kind of playoffs, this money making BCS thing will continue to ruin college football.

P.S. I'm still not rooting for the Buckeyes.

Deal or No Deal?

I had a conversation this week that really annoyed me...

When it comes with dealing with our past hurts and pains why do so many Christians tell us to "get over it" or "move on"? While I understand that we can't just dwell in the past or let ourselves spiral down into the depths of depression because people mistreated us or called us names, can't we learn from our past? Can't we begin to see why some of our behaviors or attitudes are affected by our past?

Looking back to your past doesn't always mean that you have to look at the negative either. Jesus asked us to remember Him when we take communion. Hebrews 11 looks back at the past to teach us about faith. God reminded the Children of Israel about their past on a regular basis.

Our past molds us into who we are. The good and the bad.

Some might say that the moment we step into Faith in Christ that "the old has become new" that "the old man" is gone, very true, but a relationship with Christ - at least to me - is not like "the Matrix" where we take the little blue pill and wake up nice and safe, nor is it like taking a red pill and waking up to see how things really are. While I think both of those scenarios may resonate, neither is black or white.

Why are we so afraid of the grey?

When someone tells me that "this is the only way" or think they have it all figured out, I want to tell them they're crazy. I know I shouldn't say things like that, but I don't have time for people who think they know it all, because as much knowledge and we think we have, we haven't even begun to understand God.

God does not fit into our box. He is so much bigger and better than we want Him to be. Once we think we have it all figured out, what is the point then? Where do we go from there? Do we get to walk around with a smile on our faces telling everyone the "truth"? When you get there, you missed the boat and you're right back at the beginning again... ever heard of the Pharisees?

I'm not trying to say that believing in something or having a solid knowledge about something is wrong, but why do we always have to deal in our own form of absolutes. "What works for me must be right for you." Why would a God so creative and unique make all of us fit into the same mold? Aren't there millions of different flowers in the world? Isn't every snowflake that falls from the sky different than the others?

So tell me why we try to make the Creator and Artist of this world fit into our little formula. God can do anything He wants. He can speak to us through all sorts of things... like Balaam's talking donkey, or an angel on a stone in front of a tomb, or a burning bush. The point being, just when we think we have God all figured out, He can flip the script on us.

Don't you think that maybe, just maybe, God likes keeping us on our toes? If we know exactly how, when and where God works, wouldn't that make the relationship with Him a bit stale and boring? With God everyday can be fresh and exciting. But we like things all figured out and comfortable... black and white.

When it comes to our past and dealing with the good and the bad, there has to be a happy medium somewhere. Completely ignoring it just leads to future mistakes and pain. Dwelling on it leads to anxiety and an unfulfilled life. Jesus came to help us experience life to the fullest (John 10:10b).

Take some time to reflect on where you've been through God's eyes, both the good and the bad. Then ask Him to lead you into the future life He promises, living life to its fullest.