I put things off... a lot! If you know me outside of this blog you know that I am a great procrastinator... Why take out the trash? I can just smash it down more! Why complete my paperwork ahead of time? I'll just do it the night before it is due! These are the more mild of my offenses... there are some things I have been putting off for a very long time. The biggest of these is seeking out certain people I once called friend and apologizing to them. You see, after getting married, graduating a college I disliked, moving a few times, and switching jobs once or twice... I just stopped trying.
Sometimes people just float apart... and that is true. But it is easier to float apart if one (or both) of them are just not trying. I guess that I just got fed up with things... tired of attitudes, tired of failing, and tired of being the go to guy. There was once a time in my life where I was the king of networking. Seriously! I knew a lot of people and I was a born promoter... Friends, bands, pastors, even college professors came to me and asked me for favors and somehow I pulled these favors off! Looking back, I know that I kind of winged it on a lot of stuff... and although the smarter people knew that and still didn't mind, I often wonder how I got myself into some of those situations... and more importantly, how I got out!
The thing is, after awhile I got sick of being the go-to guy and I shut down on everyone. I have been in a year of self-imposed seclusion because I just couldn't deal with friends, the church, or really anything anymore. I have kept limited communication with some friends, but there are others (even ones who never asked me for a thing) that I just cut off. Well, I am trying to change... I really do miss everybody and I have started to make my apologies. Except to those who always just kept me around for favors... that might take awhile. We will see.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
And I Thought Wal-mart Was Bad!
The plight of the coffee farmer is not a new story, but after seeing a provocative and disturbing documentary on the coffee farmers of Ethiopia… I am utterly disgusted. The film centered on a co-operative of farmers who were simply trying to get a fair wage for what they grew. What they get now for an entire bag of coffee beans is around $0.11 per bag. What they are asking for is a mere $0.50 per bag to buy their children clothes, food, clean water, & hopefully an education. More interestingly, the area of Ethiopia that grows the coffee beans for Starbucks has had to set up two large emergency medical and food shelters with various organizations that hold about 200 children each. This area, once considered a vibrant part of the country is now starving to death due to the unfair and sub-standard wage they get for all their hard work.
Now those who know me know that I have been more than harsh toward the way Wal-mart is screwing up our country and many others. And, if you really know me you know that I am no fan of Starbuck’s coffee… but this is appalling! I would never “call” for a boycott of anything because I think people need to make up their own minds about things. But, I will say this: Starbucks, you have now joined the ranks of Wal-mart in my view, and believe me that is not a good place to be. You will never again have my business even by accident. I don’t care if I am out of our normal fair-trade coffee at home and have the worst lack of caffeine headache ever!
If you think I am over-reacting here are a few films for you to watch. “Black Gold” which is what I have been discussing and while you are at it, pick up the one on Wal-mart called “The High Cost of Low Prices.” Once you have watched these two films, then try to consider even spending another dollar at either place!
Now those who know me know that I have been more than harsh toward the way Wal-mart is screwing up our country and many others. And, if you really know me you know that I am no fan of Starbuck’s coffee… but this is appalling! I would never “call” for a boycott of anything because I think people need to make up their own minds about things. But, I will say this: Starbucks, you have now joined the ranks of Wal-mart in my view, and believe me that is not a good place to be. You will never again have my business even by accident. I don’t care if I am out of our normal fair-trade coffee at home and have the worst lack of caffeine headache ever!
If you think I am over-reacting here are a few films for you to watch. “Black Gold” which is what I have been discussing and while you are at it, pick up the one on Wal-mart called “The High Cost of Low Prices.” Once you have watched these two films, then try to consider even spending another dollar at either place!
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Bar Fight with Brian McClaren
Okay, so I really do not want to fight the man... just the idea of the "Emergent Church." This has become the target of everything I have problems with in the Church. Although I agree with the missional ideas of this movement it is just that, a movement. The modern Church (specifically in the U.S.) has become obsessed with the idea of movements to solve problems. And while they may create new outlets and ease some tensions for a short time, they never quite solve anything! In fact, a lot of the time they make things worse.
Think back through history about different movements that have sprung up to fight a cause. A lot of people jumped on the bandwagon in the 1950's & 1960's to move out to the suburbs. Now look at our cities... In reaction to that, another movement of recent years is the "Urban Renewal" program. Although this may sound like a good idea, it is in reality the displacement of the poor so that rich, white families feel safe and can also feel good about "cleaning up a neighborhood." In the music scene you have the mess of "Straight-edge" kids who take things too far now. A movement that started in reaction to drug/alcohol abuse, stds, etc. has now become somewhat of a gang in many cities that hinges on violence. Or, how about "Hippies"... yeah, don't even get me started on how ridiculous they are!
What I am saying is why does the Church think it is really any different? I have watched so many "postmodern" or "emergent" ministries and churches start for good reasons... but then crumble when they realize they have ignored the basics of ministry. (i.e. caring for the poor, the elderly, widows & orphans, teaching, etc.) Furthermore, as this movement seems to be winding down in several places new ideas that are purely a reaction have started to organize into a... you guessed it, MOVEMENT! When will it end? When I started looking up other articles and blogs about this I kept finding people who had great new ideas on how to steer the Church away from it's current path. Some even had steps & examples of how to do it, hmmmm sounds like a new movement to me! Does no one else see this?
What I am trying to say is this: If (and I do mean if) the Church is to survive in the next 25 years, it will not be a movement that pulls it out of the water! I believe the Church will always be here in some form, but if you haven't noticed... it seems to be fading quickly. I am not going to give my ideas on how to redeem what we still can because obviously if it caught on it would be a... well you know!
Think back through history about different movements that have sprung up to fight a cause. A lot of people jumped on the bandwagon in the 1950's & 1960's to move out to the suburbs. Now look at our cities... In reaction to that, another movement of recent years is the "Urban Renewal" program. Although this may sound like a good idea, it is in reality the displacement of the poor so that rich, white families feel safe and can also feel good about "cleaning up a neighborhood." In the music scene you have the mess of "Straight-edge" kids who take things too far now. A movement that started in reaction to drug/alcohol abuse, stds, etc. has now become somewhat of a gang in many cities that hinges on violence. Or, how about "Hippies"... yeah, don't even get me started on how ridiculous they are!
What I am saying is why does the Church think it is really any different? I have watched so many "postmodern" or "emergent" ministries and churches start for good reasons... but then crumble when they realize they have ignored the basics of ministry. (i.e. caring for the poor, the elderly, widows & orphans, teaching, etc.) Furthermore, as this movement seems to be winding down in several places new ideas that are purely a reaction have started to organize into a... you guessed it, MOVEMENT! When will it end? When I started looking up other articles and blogs about this I kept finding people who had great new ideas on how to steer the Church away from it's current path. Some even had steps & examples of how to do it, hmmmm sounds like a new movement to me! Does no one else see this?
What I am trying to say is this: If (and I do mean if) the Church is to survive in the next 25 years, it will not be a movement that pulls it out of the water! I believe the Church will always be here in some form, but if you haven't noticed... it seems to be fading quickly. I am not going to give my ideas on how to redeem what we still can because obviously if it caught on it would be a... well you know!
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Political Bull Shit
I apologize ahead of time for the less than stunning title. My brain has been afflicted lately with politics and I fear they are getting the best of me. As we grow closer to next year’s presidential election it seems the country will become even more divided. The many issues that face this nation (and the world) will be in debate and the mud-slinging & liable will begin. Although this may seem like an entertaining time, I am never amused by the unrelenting coverage of the media and how the public eats it up. In the end, it seems most Americans vote for the “lesser of two evils” or at least cast their vote in against the “other guy” and pick a president no one wants. No one that is, except the extremists from the far left or far right. Ah yes, the great debates over gay rights, abortion, illegal aliens, the war in terror, health care and even gun control will be had soon… and then quickly pushed aside to make time for whatever issues are plaguing the newly elected president’s lobbyist friends.
We have all heard of lobbyists and the wonderful mess their money and politician’s greed makes. It is fascinating to me that an official elected by the people can spend most of their time helping their rich buddies. Furthermore, it seems insane that there is not more of an uproar from the people about this… But then again presidential elections have nothing to do with reality TV, so why should anyone care?
I have in the past thought that presidential elections were a waste of time. I have only been able to vote in two elections and only voted in the first one…. (ah, Ralph Nader… Why did I waste my vote on you?). I have preached the word of Anti-Politicalness for quite some time. But no matter what you may have heard from my family, people can grow up. Despite my distrust of all politicians, I am officially announcing my candidacy for potential voter! Attention Political Scumbags: Now is your chance to impress me… so get to it! After I have gathered enough information on the major presidential candidates, I will post again on why they are all stupid.
We have all heard of lobbyists and the wonderful mess their money and politician’s greed makes. It is fascinating to me that an official elected by the people can spend most of their time helping their rich buddies. Furthermore, it seems insane that there is not more of an uproar from the people about this… But then again presidential elections have nothing to do with reality TV, so why should anyone care?
I have in the past thought that presidential elections were a waste of time. I have only been able to vote in two elections and only voted in the first one…. (ah, Ralph Nader… Why did I waste my vote on you?). I have preached the word of Anti-Politicalness for quite some time. But no matter what you may have heard from my family, people can grow up. Despite my distrust of all politicians, I am officially announcing my candidacy for potential voter! Attention Political Scumbags: Now is your chance to impress me… so get to it! After I have gathered enough information on the major presidential candidates, I will post again on why they are all stupid.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
How the Years Stay the Same... or "What the Hell"
So about three years ago... maybe more, I wrote this brief blog but never posted it on my previous place of blogdom. I found it tonight and laughed how much of it is still the same. I guess things haven't really changed that much. Anyway, it was originally called "What the Hell." The church sign referenced is from a large church on the east side of Cincinnati that still to this day posts messages that support the war in Iraq. Well, at least you gotta give them points for sticking to their guns!
I looked at him shocked and asked, “what the hell is wrong with them?” He didn’t know! It wasn’t that he was a moron, but the question simply could not be answered. The church sign was big and lit up; commanding that real Christians supported the war effort! Mark looked at me with an understanding smirk. I kept on, “I know we love the same God as they do, but don’t they see what they are doing?” “Don’t they realize how fake it all is? Don’t they want more?” Again, he didn’t know…
You see we had been having this conversation for years, not specifically with each other; but with every bleeding heart and open ear we could find. In reality I have only known Mark for a year and a half, but we bonded on the issue at hand. That is really how we gained a lot of the friends we have now… the religiously flawed, church dropout types. For some reason, these were our people and they saw it too. They knew that something was wrong with the church; it was terribly ill or something. Not from lack of people trying, no quite the opposite really. There was just something wrong that could not be helped by another religious conference or festival, or some dramatic “experience.” I had seriously grown to hate that word, “experience” it made me not want to feel anything!
No one was saying that our group was better than anyone else’s. We wore most of our flaws very openly. But we all saw the “pop-culture” church and could not help but wonder… The endless Christian magazines that advertised dozens of “events.” The thousands of youth ministers trying to stay “relevant & current.” Even the word “postmodern” makes me want to puke. A friend of mine once responded to that word, “is nothing sacred?” Well, is it? Where is the teaching, where is the ministry to others, and what about truth? So many Christians bounce from experience to experience on these natural highs, until what…? I think that would be pretty hard to keep up, and besides why would you want to? People getting rich off new Christian trends… what is this all about? Jesus spoke more about how hard it is for the rich to get into Heaven than homosexuals… No wonder the world hates us so much; we act like a bunch of drugged-up fiends, dying for another buzz from youth group! But every year, the gap seems to widen a little more, and those in the middle feel stretched-out.
This is by no means a new shift in thinking for the church. Christians young and old have been feeling this way for a while. It cannot be the “new trend” either, because that kind of mediocrity will never last. With all of this it is quite possible that I (and everyone with me) are just jaded twenty-somethings. True, maybe it is just leftover rebellion from a time that we were a little more punk-rock; I second guess it all the time. Maybe it is just rambling, but I do meet more and more people who honestly feel the same way. This is something that crosses all boundaries and denominational ties, and it gains more speed every day. But something much deeper than my brain tells me there has got to be more out there than repetitive praise choruses and books about the Apocalypse.
I looked at him shocked and asked, “what the hell is wrong with them?” He didn’t know! It wasn’t that he was a moron, but the question simply could not be answered. The church sign was big and lit up; commanding that real Christians supported the war effort! Mark looked at me with an understanding smirk. I kept on, “I know we love the same God as they do, but don’t they see what they are doing?” “Don’t they realize how fake it all is? Don’t they want more?” Again, he didn’t know…
You see we had been having this conversation for years, not specifically with each other; but with every bleeding heart and open ear we could find. In reality I have only known Mark for a year and a half, but we bonded on the issue at hand. That is really how we gained a lot of the friends we have now… the religiously flawed, church dropout types. For some reason, these were our people and they saw it too. They knew that something was wrong with the church; it was terribly ill or something. Not from lack of people trying, no quite the opposite really. There was just something wrong that could not be helped by another religious conference or festival, or some dramatic “experience.” I had seriously grown to hate that word, “experience” it made me not want to feel anything!
No one was saying that our group was better than anyone else’s. We wore most of our flaws very openly. But we all saw the “pop-culture” church and could not help but wonder… The endless Christian magazines that advertised dozens of “events.” The thousands of youth ministers trying to stay “relevant & current.” Even the word “postmodern” makes me want to puke. A friend of mine once responded to that word, “is nothing sacred?” Well, is it? Where is the teaching, where is the ministry to others, and what about truth? So many Christians bounce from experience to experience on these natural highs, until what…? I think that would be pretty hard to keep up, and besides why would you want to? People getting rich off new Christian trends… what is this all about? Jesus spoke more about how hard it is for the rich to get into Heaven than homosexuals… No wonder the world hates us so much; we act like a bunch of drugged-up fiends, dying for another buzz from youth group! But every year, the gap seems to widen a little more, and those in the middle feel stretched-out.
This is by no means a new shift in thinking for the church. Christians young and old have been feeling this way for a while. It cannot be the “new trend” either, because that kind of mediocrity will never last. With all of this it is quite possible that I (and everyone with me) are just jaded twenty-somethings. True, maybe it is just leftover rebellion from a time that we were a little more punk-rock; I second guess it all the time. Maybe it is just rambling, but I do meet more and more people who honestly feel the same way. This is something that crosses all boundaries and denominational ties, and it gains more speed every day. But something much deeper than my brain tells me there has got to be more out there than repetitive praise choruses and books about the Apocalypse.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Only in America
This month a California photographer stumbled across a enlightening story in the Mohave Desert. While he and companions were out there trying to find a museum apparently run by retired strippers, they came across what appeared to be an abandoned ranch. When they got out of the van the disgusting smell of rotted food overpowered them. What they had come across was a dumping ground for a large partnership of homeless shelters & food banks in California. They reported that the dump was full of expired food cooking in the desert sun. They found a case of egg nog, a pallet of yogurt, cases of spinach, water with fluoride (that goes bad), and even cases of toothpaste! After exploring the mess and taking pictures the “Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County” was contacted. The general manager explained to them that when donations are past their prime and no longer usable they were sent out to that location to a pig farm. What he did not know is that the man who ran the pig farm had been evicted from the ranch back in January. He did explain what they had done with these perishable items, but could not explain why no one knew there was not a pig farm there anymore or why some items (i.e. cases of toothpaste) were even brought out there.
When he was asked why donations were not used in the first place; he answered that about 20 percent of all donations coming in to the collective partners are thrown out for various reasons. In reality most of their donations come from companies trying to get tax breaks and sometimes the things donated are not even usable. This fact got me thinking. If we live in a society where companies large & small get tax breaks for donating things to shelters and food banks that they can’t even use sometimes… why do they still get the tax break? And, what kind of giving is it when you get something back? Really… I mean I hear people talk about making large donations at the end of the year so that they get the tax breaks… doesn’t that seem a little silly?
Giving should come from the heart (I know that sounds warm and fuzzy). But if you think of it, giving should come from a want to take care of your fellow man… not a want to lower your taxable income. As for the wastefulness… it blows me away that no one could use these items. I understand that we need to be careful what things we give out for free because we live in the age of lawsuits… but maybe we can look a little harder for people who can use items before we throw them out. Ah, America land of waste!
When he was asked why donations were not used in the first place; he answered that about 20 percent of all donations coming in to the collective partners are thrown out for various reasons. In reality most of their donations come from companies trying to get tax breaks and sometimes the things donated are not even usable. This fact got me thinking. If we live in a society where companies large & small get tax breaks for donating things to shelters and food banks that they can’t even use sometimes… why do they still get the tax break? And, what kind of giving is it when you get something back? Really… I mean I hear people talk about making large donations at the end of the year so that they get the tax breaks… doesn’t that seem a little silly?
Giving should come from the heart (I know that sounds warm and fuzzy). But if you think of it, giving should come from a want to take care of your fellow man… not a want to lower your taxable income. As for the wastefulness… it blows me away that no one could use these items. I understand that we need to be careful what things we give out for free because we live in the age of lawsuits… but maybe we can look a little harder for people who can use items before we throw them out. Ah, America land of waste!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Living In a Me Centered World
Everyone is a victim these days… from simple peer pressure to the all too famous phrase, “the devil made me do it.” It seems no one is to blame for his or her own actions. Kids take weapons to school and violent video games & movies are to blame. People mess up their lives, and they blame their parents. A couple gets a divorce and they blame each other, but no one takes any responsibility.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are several atrocities in the world and what hardships a person goes through will always be with them at some level. But it is fascinating (in a horrible way) how we have become a society were people do not have to be held accountable, or even admit they were wrong. All they really have to do is pass the buck! In my line of work I see a lot of people who take advantage of the system. To me, when that many people are floating by doing nothing and living off my damn tax dollars… that means the system is broken! Just a thought…
Now don’t get me wrong, there are several atrocities in the world and what hardships a person goes through will always be with them at some level. But it is fascinating (in a horrible way) how we have become a society were people do not have to be held accountable, or even admit they were wrong. All they really have to do is pass the buck! In my line of work I see a lot of people who take advantage of the system. To me, when that many people are floating by doing nothing and living off my damn tax dollars… that means the system is broken! Just a thought…
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Why I Don’t Care What Rich/Famous People Do
Originally, I was going to make this post the night of the Oscars… but of course things got in the way. After reading a post by my good friend Dustin and some recent statistics, I guess the term “rich people” applies to me as well… at least on a global scale. But what I am talking about now are the rich & famous people of America. You know, the celebrities of movies, sports, music, politics, and glamorous lifestyles.
What rekindled my interest in doing this post is a story I heard on NPR of all places. I am used to them talking about movies, music, & of course politics… but today’s story was ridiculous. They mentioned an online entertainment news site that I had never heard of. That is no big surprise because we have 5 TV channels at my house and we stay away from shows like “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” and the like. It is getting increasingly harder to not hear these stories... they are even on the nightly news for Pete's sake! What frustrated me about this story is that I listen to NPR for news and interesting stories about “real” people. I say “real” because I honestly do not care about who wins awards, who is dating who, and what scandal is currently taking place.
I guess that is yet another difference between me and the rest of this country. You see, there are certain actors, actresses, musicians, and other famous people that I really admire their work… but, and let me make this clear, I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES!!! What they do with their time is their business.
Furthermore, when they get involved in some kind of awareness or campaign for something I do not see the point. I mean come on… you are an overpaid entertainer! That’s nice that you give a shit about something other than your huge house and fancy cars, but what do you want a pat on the back?
I guess the real question is: Why is it so important for Americans to emulate rich celebrities? I just don’t get it… would someone explain it to me? In a way, I feel the answer all boils down to Capitalism… am I right?
What rekindled my interest in doing this post is a story I heard on NPR of all places. I am used to them talking about movies, music, & of course politics… but today’s story was ridiculous. They mentioned an online entertainment news site that I had never heard of. That is no big surprise because we have 5 TV channels at my house and we stay away from shows like “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” and the like. It is getting increasingly harder to not hear these stories... they are even on the nightly news for Pete's sake! What frustrated me about this story is that I listen to NPR for news and interesting stories about “real” people. I say “real” because I honestly do not care about who wins awards, who is dating who, and what scandal is currently taking place.
I guess that is yet another difference between me and the rest of this country. You see, there are certain actors, actresses, musicians, and other famous people that I really admire their work… but, and let me make this clear, I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES!!! What they do with their time is their business.
Furthermore, when they get involved in some kind of awareness or campaign for something I do not see the point. I mean come on… you are an overpaid entertainer! That’s nice that you give a shit about something other than your huge house and fancy cars, but what do you want a pat on the back?
I guess the real question is: Why is it so important for Americans to emulate rich celebrities? I just don’t get it… would someone explain it to me? In a way, I feel the answer all boils down to Capitalism… am I right?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Is There Any Room Left In America For Me?
Obviously I have established myself already as a “comic book dork.” That being said, this last week was sad for me… and some people at Marvel comics too. Steve Rogers (the original Captain America) was killed. I know what you are thinking… it is just a comic, and I will get to that. Also, knowing the pattern of comics, Marvel will probably bring him back at some point. The reason I am writing about this (again) is that the comics I have been reading lately have reminded me of a question I have tried to bury in the back of my mind. Well, really a lot of different questions.
First of all, has the country changed enough that there is no room for a person like myself? The sharp divide in the U.S. over, well every damn issue, has reached a boiling point. We have red versus blue states, left versus right, and all kinds of division today. The battle between those who want personal freedom and those who want protection is growing. I see friends who once used to stand with me in the middle being pulled to one side or the other.
Secondly, was I born in the wrong generation? Yes, I believe so. Not just because of my music and literature preferences, but specifically because I still uphold “outdated” values when it comes to today’s standards. You see, I believe in personal freedoms with the responsibilities they demand. I am not willing to trade my freedom or my safety, and in our current climate that puts me in a small minority. People have said that I can’t have both, and maybe that will be true soon… but I cannot condone hostile governments or chaotic republics.
Third, will these feelings clear up when the current president is not in the office anymore? Here is my two-sided answer… No, because it is not just him and his administration that are screwing up this country. Okay republicans are stuck on things like abortion, wars, & not taxing their rich buddies… But democrats are not the answer either! They are stuck on being a damn reaction to the republicans… and a lot of them are rich pricks too! The other side of that answer… do you really think our country and possibly the world will last that long? You tell me!
I know there have to be more out there like me, but I wonder if anyone else worries about our current direction as much as me… as for the idea that it is “just a comic” part of me agrees, but read my previous comic post for that.
First of all, has the country changed enough that there is no room for a person like myself? The sharp divide in the U.S. over, well every damn issue, has reached a boiling point. We have red versus blue states, left versus right, and all kinds of division today. The battle between those who want personal freedom and those who want protection is growing. I see friends who once used to stand with me in the middle being pulled to one side or the other.
Secondly, was I born in the wrong generation? Yes, I believe so. Not just because of my music and literature preferences, but specifically because I still uphold “outdated” values when it comes to today’s standards. You see, I believe in personal freedoms with the responsibilities they demand. I am not willing to trade my freedom or my safety, and in our current climate that puts me in a small minority. People have said that I can’t have both, and maybe that will be true soon… but I cannot condone hostile governments or chaotic republics.
Third, will these feelings clear up when the current president is not in the office anymore? Here is my two-sided answer… No, because it is not just him and his administration that are screwing up this country. Okay republicans are stuck on things like abortion, wars, & not taxing their rich buddies… But democrats are not the answer either! They are stuck on being a damn reaction to the republicans… and a lot of them are rich pricks too! The other side of that answer… do you really think our country and possibly the world will last that long? You tell me!
I know there have to be more out there like me, but I wonder if anyone else worries about our current direction as much as me… as for the idea that it is “just a comic” part of me agrees, but read my previous comic post for that.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
I Was a Pre-Teen Werewolf or Deals with God Don't Work
Have you ever tried to make a deal with God? Most people have in our modern society with all of our modern issues. Did you come to find out it didn’t really work? Yeah, that is most people as well. Let me tell you a story:
When I was 8 years old, a neighborhood bully tormented me regularly. He liked me especially because at the time my dad was a cop. Tommy was bigger and meaner than all the other kids on our block, and although he only hit me once I was pretty terrified of him. Furthermore he had me in a bind because he also threatened to beat up my sister, who was at the time my closest friend. So, too scared to talk to my parents and afraid of the impending doom that was every morning that summer I tried to play sick. My mother, who could always see right through me, did not let me play sick for long… and it seemed I had no choice but face the terror that was Tommy. That night, I actually tried fasting at dinner. I had no idea what fasting was, but I had overheard my parents talking about it because of a sick friend. It seemed to me that it was a good idea to not eat and pray about something, especially when my mom had made a vegetable medley including mushrooms that night. Unfortunately my mom did not understand how important this was, and made me clean my entire plate… eww, mushrooms! Later that night after my parents had tucked me into bed and my dad left for the night shift I decided to give God one more chance. I got out of bed, got on my knees and prayed with all my might that God would save me from the evil bully Tommy. I prayed so hard… I prayed for safety, I prayed that he would see the error of his ways and start being nice to me. Most of all, I prayed if nothing else God would give me the power to turn into a werewolf, break into Tommy’s house a few doors down, and let me kill this evil bully. I promised if God gave me this power I would only use it for good, after that night. To my disillusionment, God did not grant me the power of the werewolf that night. And to my knowledge, he never has…
You see deals mostly come out of haste or necessity. And even when the deals aren’t as silly as those of an 8 year-old, they still might be silly! We don’t always know what we need, and we really never know what is coming around the bend. Sometimes the things that seem so important now… are not that important later. Sometimes, we need to go through certain things (even bad things) to become the person we need to be later on. Maybe your idea of a deal with God is not out of fear, or being a dumb kid. It could be the deal you try is even out of selflessness or to help someone else. But we need to remember that God is not some overpriced lawyer we can negotiate contracts with.
There have been too many references to God as just some guy on our level; you know the “buddy Christ” type of God. The fun-loving hippie who is just one of the guys. Not true, look it up… and show some reverence.
The funny thing is, every time I hear someone talking about cutting a deal with God; I chuckle and try to think of myself as an 8 year-old werewolf boy. Now you can too!
When I was 8 years old, a neighborhood bully tormented me regularly. He liked me especially because at the time my dad was a cop. Tommy was bigger and meaner than all the other kids on our block, and although he only hit me once I was pretty terrified of him. Furthermore he had me in a bind because he also threatened to beat up my sister, who was at the time my closest friend. So, too scared to talk to my parents and afraid of the impending doom that was every morning that summer I tried to play sick. My mother, who could always see right through me, did not let me play sick for long… and it seemed I had no choice but face the terror that was Tommy. That night, I actually tried fasting at dinner. I had no idea what fasting was, but I had overheard my parents talking about it because of a sick friend. It seemed to me that it was a good idea to not eat and pray about something, especially when my mom had made a vegetable medley including mushrooms that night. Unfortunately my mom did not understand how important this was, and made me clean my entire plate… eww, mushrooms! Later that night after my parents had tucked me into bed and my dad left for the night shift I decided to give God one more chance. I got out of bed, got on my knees and prayed with all my might that God would save me from the evil bully Tommy. I prayed so hard… I prayed for safety, I prayed that he would see the error of his ways and start being nice to me. Most of all, I prayed if nothing else God would give me the power to turn into a werewolf, break into Tommy’s house a few doors down, and let me kill this evil bully. I promised if God gave me this power I would only use it for good, after that night. To my disillusionment, God did not grant me the power of the werewolf that night. And to my knowledge, he never has…
You see deals mostly come out of haste or necessity. And even when the deals aren’t as silly as those of an 8 year-old, they still might be silly! We don’t always know what we need, and we really never know what is coming around the bend. Sometimes the things that seem so important now… are not that important later. Sometimes, we need to go through certain things (even bad things) to become the person we need to be later on. Maybe your idea of a deal with God is not out of fear, or being a dumb kid. It could be the deal you try is even out of selflessness or to help someone else. But we need to remember that God is not some overpriced lawyer we can negotiate contracts with.
There have been too many references to God as just some guy on our level; you know the “buddy Christ” type of God. The fun-loving hippie who is just one of the guys. Not true, look it up… and show some reverence.
The funny thing is, every time I hear someone talking about cutting a deal with God; I chuckle and try to think of myself as an 8 year-old werewolf boy. Now you can too!
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