Who says life has to be an organized narrative.

While God has everything figured out. Our side of the sky does not seem so organized. Any framework on our part that claims "God is working exactly in this way in my life" is largely a guess.

I had breakfast with a friend this morning at a French restaurant. We talked about being who we really are in front of everyone and experiencing freedom in Jesus. It made me want a glass of chilled Zinfandel to complement my "au du ja jambon" -I'm sure I butchered that French which is supposed to mean ham cheese sandwhich thingy.

It's hard talking to people about a Bible College. Sometimes it makes me feel like I'm selling Jesus or something, then I remember it's a non-profit deal and the professors there make about as much as an overtime worker at McDonalds... then I don't feel bad anymore.

God made creation beautiful. The beach here in Sarasota is wonderful. I'm sure before we paved it all over it was a lot prettier. It also had a lot more mosquitos. I still wonder why God created those little buggers. I was enjoying the sand and surf while reading Surprised By Hope by N.T. Wright and thinking about what the recreation would look like in Florida; three twenty something guys nearby were trying to impress their bikini-clad neighbors on the beach with loud obnoxious stories about all that "crazy shit" that they were doing last night. I hope the re-creation includes silence.

I promise I'm not shouvanistic but I heard that women aren't going to be in heaven (and apparently neither will these guys) because in Revelation John says that there was a half hour of silence in heaven.... don't make a big deal out of it, just laugh, it's funny. Don't worry Courtney, I like it when you talk.

I have to go back to Ohio tomorrow. I will probably spend the afternoon with Matt, Chris, Dan, Rachel, Libby, and some random person who decided to show up. I like those guys. Random theology, spirituality, polotics, and personal issues are constantly mingled with sci-fi and various eras of history.

I bought a record player a couple of weeks back. It is sitting in the trailer in Ohio. If I could completely alter my situation right now I would be sitting on a beach with Courtney listening to Bob Dylan The Freewheelin on that record player and drinking a White Russian.... extra milk.

The band Mute Math describes my life well. "You are reaching, something that is beating, I can't believe I never noticed my heart before... till I noticed you did." Jesus noticed my heart and loved it, and still does.

Wow. My life is pretty good. Even if I'm not sure how it all fits together.

4 Minutes

What can I do with 4 minutes. Well, pretty much everything that I neglect to do on a regular basis that I absolutely love doing. Four minutes to listen to a good song. Four minutes to play my guitar. Four minutes to read at least a small piece of creative writing. 

This is obviously my first update I've done in a long time. It is unfortunate, I love to paint with words, yet I never seem to find the time. 

I'm sure I do the same with the kingdom of God. How much time would it really take for me to meaningfully love someone? Four minutes could get the job done. I don't think I'll ever 'find' the time to do all the things I love, but I know I can make the time. Make the time to laugh, love, read, write, and play guitar, maybe write my lovely girlfriend a letter.

Find the time to take in life as God meant it to be taken in. He made it for you and I to enjoy, so lets fulfill some of his purposes.

Whoops, I'm a minute over.