A New Way Of Thinking
Everything is up in the air at this moment and being tossed about—where things that were, will land, remains to be seen.
I will have to admit that in my attempts to free myself from the religious box that I found myself in only led to another box—bigger perhaps—but still boxy and all that implies.
Let me explain.
Reading a book entitled "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller opened up my world view and helped me understand that there is more to this thing called Christianity than I had ever believed. It is a book that I was meant to read—like a mystery novel that I couldn't put down until I had finished it. It is a book that within itself has the ability to launch you like a kite on the beach—you can go as high as the length of cord you have on the spool in your hand.
I thought that I had arrived at freedom—yet I found myself still bound up with all sorts of false assumptions about the Christian faith I have been a part of all these years.
In the book he talks about passion and sharing your faith—both areas that I believe that I have struggled with in the past couple of years due to what I pereceived to be the dis-function of the local church I attended. In explaining my perceived deficiencies to a friend the other day based on what I had read, I was brought up short and almost rebuked by him.
I felt that I had not been living as a good Christian in a very global sense—at which point he reminded me that if not for my friendship, he might not have made it through a recent hard time in his life. He explained to me that I had lived out my Christianity in being a friend to him when he needed it and didn't know what would have happened to him had I not been there for him during this time.
In other words he talked me out of feeling good about feeling bad about myself all in the space of a couple of minutes.
If reading Blue Like Jazz helped me launch into the unknown, a book entitled Velvet Elvis has taken me into zero gravity by the time I reached the second chapter. What I want to know is where have these books been hiding? I guess it is true that there is a time and a season for all things—to read a book out of season is an exercise in futility. You won't read past the introduction if it is not your time to explore what the book has to offer.
Suffice it to say, the dock where my boat has been moored for the past few years has been moved and I am out here in the dark with my flashlight trying desperately to find it.
There will be more later on as I follow the path that I have been given to walk—or run—or ride.
I will have to admit that in my attempts to free myself from the religious box that I found myself in only led to another box—bigger perhaps—but still boxy and all that implies.
Let me explain.
Reading a book entitled "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller opened up my world view and helped me understand that there is more to this thing called Christianity than I had ever believed. It is a book that I was meant to read—like a mystery novel that I couldn't put down until I had finished it. It is a book that within itself has the ability to launch you like a kite on the beach—you can go as high as the length of cord you have on the spool in your hand.
I thought that I had arrived at freedom—yet I found myself still bound up with all sorts of false assumptions about the Christian faith I have been a part of all these years.
In the book he talks about passion and sharing your faith—both areas that I believe that I have struggled with in the past couple of years due to what I pereceived to be the dis-function of the local church I attended. In explaining my perceived deficiencies to a friend the other day based on what I had read, I was brought up short and almost rebuked by him.
I felt that I had not been living as a good Christian in a very global sense—at which point he reminded me that if not for my friendship, he might not have made it through a recent hard time in his life. He explained to me that I had lived out my Christianity in being a friend to him when he needed it and didn't know what would have happened to him had I not been there for him during this time.
In other words he talked me out of feeling good about feeling bad about myself all in the space of a couple of minutes.
If reading Blue Like Jazz helped me launch into the unknown, a book entitled Velvet Elvis has taken me into zero gravity by the time I reached the second chapter. What I want to know is where have these books been hiding? I guess it is true that there is a time and a season for all things—to read a book out of season is an exercise in futility. You won't read past the introduction if it is not your time to explore what the book has to offer.
Suffice it to say, the dock where my boat has been moored for the past few years has been moved and I am out here in the dark with my flashlight trying desperately to find it.
There will be more later on as I follow the path that I have been given to walk—or run—or ride.
Terry,
Maybe what you are experiencing is simply entering the reality being renewed every morning in the spirit of the Lord as opposed to waking up with a programmed way of tackling the day as a Christian. It's kind of fun once you get used to it.
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Yes, it is fun, walking in faith.
C
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You've moved from "looking" for the long ride to "follow(ing) the path,"(as your last sentence mentions.)
In spiritual terms, that sounds like progress to me, because the latter course implies a direction that we didn't have before.
I like the idea of you having two websites, one for existential angst (looking...), the other for more productive sojourning along a path that He established before the world was born.
If you can juggle the two, I will be amused, and edified, I am sure. Keep up the good work. See ya Saturday.
C
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Carey, you have always had a way of seeing things in a unique way and I appreciate that about you.
The sub-title of "looking" is "Describe Your Ride" and I guess one of the original thoughts was that it would be a forum of people sharing what their rides look like. At present it seems like mostly my adventure with several friends cheering me on from their ride...and that's perfectly alright.
Sandi's observation about two sites is that it needs to be balanced and not take Christian stuff out of "looking" because that is a part of the ride and that some may read one and not the other and might be exposed to Christ. But I guess that is a "ride" in itself. With your help I know we will land in the right spot.
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I like the two different sites. I think I will really enjoy this one!
Carey's thoughts about the difference between "looking" and actually following are well-put. I think this sums up what I've been seeing (although I couldn't put my finger on it) in your recent posts.
And as David said, it's really kind of fun once you get used to it!
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Terry, I got turned onto all of the "emerging church" authors by Greg Millsaps. I enjoyed Donald Miller and Dallas Willard. The most impacting read for me was Brian McClaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy". It was like reading my own thoughts for the last decade. I think it will be a very enjoyable read for you as well.
The 2 blog idea seems like a lot of work to me. I am curious as to your rationale behind the need for 2 sites.
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I guess the idea of two sites seemed appealing because the overtly spiritual stuff could be on one and then the everyday stuff on the other. But as I think of it now I wonder what I was thinking....Looking for the Long Ride is the everyday and the everyday is a mixture of all He shows me in that 24 hour period....I do like the colors and large type of Reluctant and might see what I can do about that and really don't know what I did to get it there. Thanks....
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