Diabetic Spirituality

I have to carry a syringe around with me all the time. It is a medication called 'Glucagon'. It is an enormous syringe in a giant red carrying case of its own. It is for emergencies. As a Type 1 diabetic, I am dependant on insulin to keep my blood sugar in balance. There are moments, though, when my blood sugar gets very low. In those moments, my body reacts and can be a bit scary. I am to have something in those moments to boost my sugars to the correct level.

Should my levels drop extremely is when the Glucagon comes in. It is for the moments my levels plummet to points when I my body can barely even operate. It is for those times of emergency low. Glucagon is outrageous sugar-water (to put it tersely).

The one syringe runs me nearly $200. So I resist buying it each year after it has expired.

The doctor explains it is like a fire extinguisher. Hopefully, you never need to use it, but having it available can save your life IF you need it.

I was going to make a connection to prayer here; in that prayer is a practice we should develop instead of only waiting for the moments of crisis. Prayer is the type of thing utilized best in crisis when it has been repeatedly practiced. Prayer is something that will save your life in crisis but only if you have put the practice in outside of the crisis when it seems routine and strange or even dull at times.

I am afraid the connection to Glucagon is a bit lost since I do not exactly 'practice' my glucagon regularly.

On the other hand, I do have to have it with me at all times. I have to make sure others are aware of how to use it should anything happen and I am unable. It can cost me, but it can save my life...

like prayer.

Favorite Poet: Buddy Wakefield

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wUoVhdN0A&w=425&h=349]

"Forgiveness is the release of all hope for a better past."

You're Welcome: Dear Photograph

This is a second installment of a reoccurring post idea here called: “You’re Welcome”.

Every once in a while you come across a website that just steals your attention right from under you. You may not even know why, but you find yourself just mindlessly clicking through because you just have to see one…more…post.

These will be things I find to share with you; things before you thank me for showing, I’ll just say, “You’re welcome!”

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A couple weeks ago I came across Dear Photograph.

Submissions are made of people going back to memorable places in their lives and photographing a well-placed older photograph of that place. The results are endearing and inspirational.

Take a break and remember.

#yourewelcome

MADE UP STATS: Karaoke

My college PSYC Professor said, "50% of statistics are wrong." According to the national survey I just made up, the top 5 Karaoke songs are [probably]:

1. Don't Stop Believing (by Journey) - Thank you, Glee, for the resurgence of this great song.

2. Anything with the "F word" in it 

3. Friends in Low Places (extended version) - People seem to love singing a song that highlights their drunken but jovial range. "This is ma'SONG!!!"

4. Ice Ice Baby - The rap song white people can perform...kind of.

5.  Bohemian Rhapsody - Thank you Waynes World for revealing the greatness of Queen to an otherwise lost generation

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What do you think are probably the most sang karaoke songs? Why? (You may NOT google it!)

Your God is not Active

Psalm 37:5 says "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this." God has a way of upsetting decisions we make without considering him, but the primary reason we do this is because we do not actually trust and consider God to be a living, active, factor in our lives. Especially when we are speaking of daily, moment-by-moment parts of our lives!

We are likely to remember and consider how active God really is on Sundays during worship. We prepare ourselves for those moments to actually pay attention to God but forget his active involvement in our day-to-day.

What about evil? What about sin? Scripture tells us that "LOVE takes no account of evil" (1 Cor. 13:5). That is NOT to say that love is ignorant to evil's existence. It means it does not consider evil as an active involvement in our lives.

When sin and evil make themselves present in our day-to-day, it is because we have not considered God to be a true active part of our lives, but have trusted in evil's involvement as more active.

When we are separated from an active (and intentional) entanglement with God, we begin to bargain with evil and sin instead.

You cannot look for the future sin either. You cannot keep telling yourself, "I am bound to mess it up again; I always do." This is not trusting God as active either.

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled." (John 14:1) Notice it does not say God will keep trouble from you. It says, "LET NOT..." Jesus' command is for you to make a choice.

Over and over in my day, I have to choose to not be troubled by my past sin or future sin. Over and over in my day, I have to choose to trust God is active, and he is more active than evil and sin.

Lessons I guess I'm still learning...

- apply sunblock - check tire pressure regularly - check oil regularly - fill the ice bucket in the freezer - write it down so you don't forget - creativity requires dedicated time - your dream requires dedicated time - test your blood-sugar after you eat....also. - workout - take the grill inside or cover it - you don't LIKE soymilk...you're allergic to it - write for the passion of it; not always just the work of it

------ What lessons do you KEEP FORGETTING? 

What would you tell yourself 10 years ago?

  That blonde California girl you meet this next school year will the pillar of grace in your life. The poem you recite to her in The Valley will be far more pivotal in your life than it will feel in the moment. Far more than a beautiful girl you crush on, your story together will be one that will wreck you on some days, but heal what is broken in you on most others.

If you are reading this a couple years from now, secret be told, she does love you. She will not admit that to you for several more years, but trust me.

Pursue her. You will want to. You will. Love her more. Love her through.

Through your parents' divorces. Through your past. Through your fears. Through your waiting. Love her through.

You want me to write you and tell you she will be your wife. You want me to write you and tell you there will be a day she will mother your beautiful daughter. You want me to tell you the future that I already know and am currently living.

But you do not get the future. You will miss the story you will one day love and I love so much now.

Open your eyes wide, and do not change a thing.

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Happy Anniversary to my wife of 7 years, and my best friend of more than a decade!

Resurrection without Death?

Karl Barth wrote, "Only where graves are is there resurrection." In our lives of faith, we have a desire to be close to Jesus, and we are often frustrated with the lack of closeness. More often than not, we are looking for that closeness without regard for what Jesus told us that intimacy would require of us.

Think of the ones who told Jesus they wanted to follow him. What did Jesus say would be required of them? Luke 9:23, right?

Deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him.

We want to avoid the obedience and still get the intimacy.

We want to avoid the sacrifice and still get the blessing.

We want the resurrection without the death.

But one does not resurrect from life.

Think of the parts of your life in which you would like to see new life (resurrection).

Realize that we only see resurrection where we are willing to first die. We only get to find the new life of real connection with Jesus when we first willingly give up our stubborn desire to live life on our own terms (die).

I want to be a pastor who...

I want to be a pastor who... ...is thoughtful, sensitive, and at ease in God's presence so that I can be thoughtful, sensitive, and at ease in your presence. (not on the run with crowded time)

...reads and studies, but is attentive and informed enough to help us understand what we are up against in a culture that squeeeeeeezes the God out of us. (not just trying harder without perspective)

...has the time to be with you in easy-going, deliberate conversation so I can understand and be a comrade to you as you grown in Christ--listening to your doubts, your difficulties, your desires, and your excitements (not always running around frantic)

...leads you in lives of worship, a pastor who brings you before God in an entangled love-affair, a pastor who preaches sermons that make scripture within-reach, current, and alive (not just busy with tasks for busy's sake)

...is able to give you a language and imagination that restores in you a sense of worth as a Christian in your homes, your schools, and your workplaces (not instilling in you a sense of being only an attender)

...is less concerned with what I think you should be doing, and more concerned with being a witness to what God is doing in you and your life.

...is patient enough with our mess to notice the forming miracles (not miss out on the day to day mystery of "us")

Jesus Does Not Work Here

Of all the stories of Jesus in the gospels, very few of them take place in the temple or synagogue. Most of them are played out in the workplace and community.  Just think of your favorite stories of Jesus. Where did they take place? A fishing boat? A wedding? A well? Someone's home? A garden over some fish sticks and bread?

Jesus very rarely appears in a temple or synagogue, and spends most of his time in the workplace and community. Somewhere along the line, we began assuming Jesus only works in the church. We began to assume this sort of partitioning with the Spirit, our faith, our story.

Our work, our school, our day to day life does not take us away from Jesus. In fact, it is those parts of our life that continue his involvement.

We have to learn to identify Jesus and his Spirit in our workplace, our homes, our schools, and our community. Once we begin to do that, we start to see our role as a true Church and congregation outside of Sunday.

no title [poem]

this is for the broken ones smart enoughto know how foolish they are this for the ones who have tried and found life lacking

This is for those not content to confess that THIS is all there is

this is for burdened ones looking outside themselves for MORE more power more energy more brilliance something more

it is for those who pass up opportunities to pursue anything inferior to themselves