Serenity

I am sitting in the sun looking out onto an indescribable vista, watching the sun dance off the pristine lake at a friends place in Kalispell Montana. The view of the mountains standing guard beside the lake, the birds, the deer, the fresh air, the warm hospitality, all warm the soul and soothe the mind. This is like a slice of heaven, and it's not a wonder that one feels close to God breathing in this experience. I'm not even sure I can write any more until my mind catches up with the amazing beauty, enjoyment of deep-spirited friends, and the wonder of this setting...

Attitudinally Challenged

I think Jesus had an attitude. Oh, sure he loved his disciples and had compassion on the weak and damaged, but think about it-- if he was REALLY human (and I believe he was) then surely he struggled or simply enjoyed the odd attitude. I'm not saying he was secretly disgusted with the religious professionals, but maybe. I'll bet he got frustrated more often than our Sunday-school minds allow us to believe. I'll bet he was funny, and sarcastic and attitudinally challenged and still very devoted to his Father and his mission. People, (mostly pious sounding religious professionals) pissed him off. That's the Jesus I love.
The more our spiritual community (BREATHE) meets together in conversation at EXHALE on Tuesday nights, the more I realize that there is a hunger and a thirst for regular, cynical, ragbag people to talk about God and goodness and virtue and life in a tone that doesn't frighten and upset you or make you feel that you were doing even more poorly than you'd thought.
If the gospel is really the gospel, then shimmering delight and throbbing disgust must embrace.

Chill

I know, I know, it's coming...