Resurrection. Frozen Yogurt. And All the Other Trends
Here is something dramatic:
The gospel is loud and explosive like the history of love songs.
It's summer. I want to change the design of this blog.
I just half listened to Malcom Mclaren's TED Talk "Authentic Creativity vs Karaoke Culture" and would recommend it, I think. I got distracted a lot, but I think anything whose message seems to be related to "failing well" is probably worthwhile.
That's been the lesson of the summer. Learn to fail well.
Talk Less. Listen More. Pray.
California is better than most things. Frozen yogurt, better trees and a more interesting selection of records.
An Ambling Paragraph about Cynicism (Featuring John Prine).
Cynicism is not truth. If what we observe does not end in the hope and reality that all of this existence ends in reconciliation and restoration. If we are not including the truth that "night will be no more." That we "will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be". Then we aren't telling the whole story.
It'd be like they never made the second part of the 7th Harry Potter movie. And that would be a crappy story.
In His simple and ancient presence we will have our light. Satisfaction and eternal worship. There will be a day when 91 people aren't senselessly murdered in Norway. Where women like Amy Winehouse will know that they are loved furiously and eternally and have no need for drug-related validation. Where abused and abandoned women like my friend Gloria I met yesterday in Berkley will be invited to reign with the Lord God forever and ever. These are all things worth praying for.
This isn't idealism.
This isn't unrealistic.
It's the promise of Jesus.
The song He puts in our throats.
And it is worth singing.
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
All are invited.
John Prine sings it well:
you can gaze out the window get mad and get madder,
throw your hands in the air, say "what does it matter?"
but it don't do no good to get angry,
so help me i know
for a heart strained in anger grows weak and grows bitter.
you become your own prisoner as you watch yourself sit there
wrapped up in a trap of your very own
chain of sorrow.
Pray for a stranger, sing songs of praise and speak to your friends in psalms. There's something deeper than creation inviting us into His fullness and He is worth putting our hopes in.
Instead of getting angry, bitter and dejected and calling it truth-let's till the soil and create something that looks like the coming Kingdom and call that truth. Cause it is.
Let's be gardeners with the most interesting plants, exotic smells and enriched soils.
Let's choose hope. Daily. And invite others to do the same.
Side note: You can apparently barbecue peaches. Who knew?
