A Million Miles... A thousand copies.

I'm two for two.

I had Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years recommended to me by three different people. I figured I'd better check it out.

I went to Family Christian on the 8th and picked up a copy. I read about 4 pages and lent it to a friend. I don't plan on getting it back. I heard once that if you want someone to read a book, you should "loan" it to them so they feel the sense of urgency, then when they say how much they enjoyed it you can say, "Great! Keep it."

So, today, I went back to Family Christian (the book was on sale for 50% off, and still is) and got another copy. Then I went to get my haircut. My regular stylist told me how she was looking for a local church, and she's going through a divorce, and other things. She did a fantastic job with my hair.

As I climbed back into my car, feeling particularly sexy, I saw the book next to me. And I had that strange sense, the one that only comes out of a habit of listening to God, that I should give the book to my stylist. I thought about it, flipped through the book, read a few words, thought how ridiculous that would be. Then I got out of the car, walked back in, asked her if she reads, and upon hearing, "Yes," I left it on her station where she said she would pick it up and read before my next haircut.

So, now I'm out two copies. But I think that second event really gets at Miller's point: Are we living a story worth telling?

Stories happen when people do things that people normally wouldn't do.

Anybody have any stories lately?

Falling Off the Blogwagon

I have neglected you.

My lack of writing has, in the past, been due to a lack of what to say. A drought of ideas. A feeling that I have nothing to add to the internet, or to the reader. And so I abstain.

Not this time.

The past week, since classes ended, my mind has been a whirl. And were I to post just one line for each thought I've scribbled hastily in my journal, I would post more than you would ever care to read from me.

Maybe next week I'll settle back into normalcy. I'll be completely out of the old apartment, "settled" into my summer schedule, and ready to enter the stream once again.

And since I didn't really say anything in this post, here's a quote I ripped from The Rabbit Room:

“We obsess about the future and we get anxious, because anxiety, after all, is simply living out the future before it gets here. We must renounce our sinful desire to know the future and to be in control. We are not gods. We walk by faith, not by sight. We risk because God does not risk. We walk into the future in God-glorifying confidence, not because the future is known to us but because it is known to God. And that’s all we need to know. Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting in the promises of God.” –Kevin DeYoung

Final-ly

It's that time again.

Finals are right around the corner. The best part is that I'll be done with classes. That'll probably lead to playing more music and blogging more. Creative stuff, ya know?

After these classes are done, I only have SIX more. That's it. And my CPE internship. But, man. It's so close, I can taste it. And it's sweet. Like Fun-Dip.

The other week I had a pack of taco seasoning in my pocket. Someone asked if it was fun dip. I said they could dip it if they wanted to.

Chuckling ensued.

Va-Awkward

Last week I watched the news.

It was depressing.

This week I saw this.

I'm just confused.

Help?

People Stories

I'd leave it somewhere, and then get it when it's full.

Brilliant!

I was journaling* this morning. Once I had finished, I flipped back to the front and noticed the first page - the one where I put my name and address in case I lost my journal.

"I hope someone would send it back," I thought. "Maybe they could read it first and send it back." Yep, that's what I thought. I write as if someone else is going to read it anyway, so that wouldn't bother me. The thought progressed.

"They could even write a response in there. Fill up a couple pages. Heck, I guess they could write whatever they want in there." ...keep going... "And maybe they could pass it around to friends? Or just leave it somewhere for people to write in."

And then, it clicked.

Leave a journal somewhere. Blank, save for a page of instructions:

"Write a story about your life. Take as much space as you'd like. Funny, tragic, wonderful, enthralling, mundane. All are welcome. When it's full, please send to [my address]. I do love a good story. - Sincerely, Dan."

How amazing would that be? I'm thinking local coffee shops would be great for this type of thing. Then, when I've acquired enough stories, they could be published as People Stories.

Whaddya think?


*Blogger tells me "journaling" isn't a word. But it's also telling me "isn't" isn't a word. *sigh* Oh, technology...

Trashy

"That must have been an accident."

So I thought.

But I kept watching. And as my eyes focused on the car in front of me, I could see it was with pure intent that the greasy box once containing a burger was tossed out the window.

How could I be so sure?

Simple. As we kept driving down the single-lane stretch of construction, I saw the driver toss the fry wrapper out the window. Then the soda cup! The wrappings of this person's entire meal went from drive-thru to drive-over.

I was pretty pissed.

Where is common decency? Simple respect? Basic manners? Any of these would do. None were present. A driver throws trash all over the road. Why?

I'll never know.

If I believe in karma I'd suspect that driver'd be hit by a garbage truck or something.

But I don't. So, instead I'll just think about how glad I am my parents brought me up well.

Prayer Asthma

I wrote this up for my church's blog today. Enjoy!

If praying is like breathing, I have prayer asthma.

Sometimes I breathe just fine. I can stretch out my arms, open my mouth wide, and breathe in the goodness of the world. But sometimes, in certain seasons, I'm coughing, weezing, gasping.

Can you relate?

I've been gasping lately. In fact, several people I know have. Not only gasping for breath because of the unusually high pollen this season. But also for God's presence, because of the unusually high busyness of life.

It seems that prayer asthma is impartial. You can be a pastor, layperson, worship leader, college student, seasoned or newly initiated Christian. It doesn't really matter. Prayer asthma is also caused by several roots. Maybe you've never learned how to pray. Or, maybe you've been taught prayer over and over and over again, and now you're frustrated thinking, "Will I ever get this right?"

It's discouraging, eh? I know it is for me. But are you and me the only ones that have this issue? Is there any hope to draw in fresh breath freely, instead of weezing?

Take heart.

There is hope.

It's comforting to hear these words, "Lord, teach us how to pray." (Lk 11:1) The disciples, like many of us, saw a man of prayer and figured, "Hey, maybe he can help my prayer asthma. I'm strugglin here."

I was encouraged this past week at Pastor Sam's home, when about a half-dozen of us confessed that we have prayer asthma. We gathered together to be taught about prayer, to be encouraged in ways to pray, and most importantly, to spend time in prayer. That gathering was a deep breath from an inhaler, opening up the blocked passages, reminding me what it feels like to breathe.

I think the most important thing I learned that night is that we, like the disciples, shouldn't be embarrassed if we don't know how to pray. Those following Christ, 2,000 years ago or today, can still humbly ask that question, one alongside the other: "Teach us how to pray."

We'll be continuing this group for the next three weeks. If you think you might have prayer asthma, come on out.

I know I'm breathing easier.

Processing Video...

Has anyone used Blogger to post videos?

I'm trying to upload one and it's taking forever to "process". More than 12 hours, in fact. It's an .mp4 file, so it should be compressed reasonably.

Any experience out there?

Who's putting the FUN in Funeral Home?

We are!

Because in about a month, my roommates and I will be moving into the upstairs apartment of a funeral home.

Seriously. This is not a joke.

John knows a guy who lives there now, but his wife and he are moving out. So, vacant apartment, two blocks away, twice as big? And the price is much better than our current situation.

So, soon and very soon, we are going to live upstairs of dead people.

There's allegedly a balcony, and a grill. But I'm guessing we're not supposed to grill during wakes.

Too bad.

Renewing Your Mind

What's with all the chapter/verse stuff?

One of the best parts of my seminary education is learning to look beyond chapter/verse markings in Scripture to try and make connections.

The crazy thing is that connecting the dots this morning is better attributed to the work of Andrew Peterson than my efforts at school.

I've been working at Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." I love how these two work together. If you want to break from the patterns, from the formation that culture gives us, you have to actively seek counter-formation by renewing your mind.

This could be done through reading Scriptures, discussing what God's doing in your life, singing songs that seep into the earth of your soul, doing things that reflect Jesus' mission of justice in the world, and more - "offering your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." (12:1)

This morning, as I was looking over those two verses, I looked back at 11:33-36, which is a doxology, or statement of praise:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Then I started singing an Andrew Peterson song from Appendix A that sings that doxology almost exactly. As I was singing (quietly... still not much of a voice) I kept reading over 12:1-2, and noticed the end of 2, "Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

And it hit me: These two sections go together. We see them in different chapters, but they're totally one piece. First, Paul tells the church in Rome how wise God is, how we have no idea what's going on in his mind, and we can't tell him what to do. "Therefore" (that should have been a clue), renew your mind by worshiping God, and you'll be able to test and approve God's will!

It all goes together.

It's encouraging right now. I'm trying to figure some stuff out, and the more I think about it, the more I find I have no clue what the future holds. Then I'm reminded to renew my mind, not by adding new information, or by thinking harder, or by talking to people over and over about it, but by offering myself as a living sacrifice.

That doesn't make any sense at all.

But, for those who have been following Jesus for a while, we know it makes perfect sense.

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise..." 1 Cor 1:27

Having a tough time figuring out life? Tired of talking it out?

Maybe it's time to worship.