Why did they have to pee in my end of the pool?

You know when you're a kid you long to feel safe? Wether it be in your mothers arms, sleeping with your teddy bear or when you're  wearing those arm floaties in the pool. You know, it's mid summer at least 110 degrees and you are ready for a day at the pool. Sunglasses, batman swim trunks and your floaties. You take that first step into the pool and you get little chill bumps and you ease into the water. There you are in the shallow end with your floaties knee deep, seeing clearly to the bottom. You splash and even sit with your head above water. It couldn't be more perfect when all of sudden.....you see....could that be? Ewwww  and its yellow......Someone peed in the pool! 

This is how I feel about my understanding of God. There I was....safe. I could see everything clearly. I was at the surface with my floaties. Had all the answers. At that point I wanted to feel certain rather than be correct. I wanted to be told what to do and what not to do. But as I started soul seeking and growing up I began to see the theology I believed was hurting people. The things I were taught sounded good but practical application was shaky. The single mom, the gay friend, the Buddhist, and the female pastor all came and peed  in my end of the pool. Why did they have to come and pee in my end of the pool?! Now I had to get out and go to the big people pool, with the deep end! 

But that pee made me take my floaties and pushed me to go to the deeper end. Away from the shallow end. At first I was scared. I couldn't see the bottom, it seemed uncertain. After some time I liked the deeper end. It challenged me and forced me to work on swimming and after time the floaties came off! I've learned that God wants me in the deep end. The things that have made me think critically, throw books and make me uncomfortable push me to seek God in a whole new way. It's exciting! 

I encourage you take off the floaties and dive in! Seeking God doesn't always feel safe.

Don't take as long as I did to get to the deep end. Don't wait for someone to pee in your end of the pool. 

God is not a terrorist

As the suit and tie from the pulpit proclaimed: The Lord will return to unleash a righteous wrath amongst the people to show his fathers glory. To rapture those who are his unto himself and others will burn in an eternity of hell....

Really? Righteous wrath? Killing to show the father in all his glory? Terrorist  much? 

Is it against unrighteousness  or unrighteousness  people? Will he abolish those things that hold us captive as humanity in a sinful state? He comes to restore, to redeem, to put back together. So why are we claiming that he is coming back on a horse or a trumpet or a cloud to destroy the very people he wants to save?  It will be joining heaven and earth together all that is wrong will be now made right. No more tears, no more sickness, no more sorrow, no more shit. 

As I study scripture and discover who Jesus is and how he is the picture of God I don't see the war lord we have claimed he is. God is not a terrorist! God is not a war lord! God is not a military leader! No! I have experienced a God who wants his people to experience life. A God that says be at peace with all men. A God who wants us to be a part of the upside down kingdom where the first will be last and the last will be first. A God who does not use scare tactics to draw people to him.  I see a father who loves his children who would do anything to see them be apart of the story of reconciliation. How can a father who desperately loves his children want to strike them down? Is it he loves his people and hates what sin has done to them? Has he come to rescue us not from us but from the devastating effects of sin and the choices we have made? 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 

More to come.

We get stuff done

How does one have her cake and eat it to? Can it even be done? I think so, to a point. There is a way to be fab and diva without being rude and a bitch. I think I've proven this. I've been a high performer at my job without sucking up or stepping on people. I do this by sticking to the following:

1. Be fierce, intense but fair
2. Develop people to be smarter than me
3. Open communication, not one sided but real street
4. Assume positive intent, not everyone is out to get me
5. Never get bored, be self aware if I get bored its time to mix things up and reboot

Bread of life

As I was giving the conversation a week or so ago I stated that god never gives up on humanity. After church someone asked me but what about the flood or if we choose to walk away.

Fair question.

Which I responded with 2 things

1. I don't see the Old Testament as god breathing fire and wrath on his people rather the people of the time and their viewpoint of who and what they thought god was

2. Even if you see all these happening as gods direct reflect..he still soared Noah. So humanity as a whole he doesn't give up.

As I have thought and studied more on the subject I have still arrived at the same conclusion:

Jesus doesnt give up on humanity.   

- religious leaders 

-Judas

-Us

I cant tell you how many conversations we had with people this last week. That you dont have to live in guilt and condemnation. It wasnt like we handed them a track and started quoting verses...no this all came up in natural conversation with multiple people. people are seeking and they dont know that they can give up the control, the bitterness, the hate, the guilt. that has all been put to death and now its time to live. 

- From the beginning Adam and Eve he could of easily said well that escalated quickly lets just start over no. Even after they mess up God says im still here, he makes them clothes and still talks to them. He doesnt throw them out on the street and remain in Eden. no he follows us. Even though sin was raging he saves noah to continue the beautiful story of humanity and tells him how to build a cruise ship to save them and the animals cause Gods an animal lover. David lies cheats steals kills and yet a man after Gods on own heart and i could stand up here all day and give you all examples in the bible and outside the bible that will show you that no matter what happens God doesnt abandon his people...ever... we might try to abandon him but he says this is part of the story. Hes still there.

so if you dont take away anything else from this morning please listen to me when I say God has more for you. Whatever you are seeking he wants to give it  to you in abundance. Peace, happiness, restoration....he wants to give you the bread of life.

Justice

I've heard it said they'll get what's coming to them.....

But what if its not in the way you think? I have nothing to back this up but what if god just takes all that stuff away. Instead of repaying the evil with wrath we have created in our mind but instead  that he took away all the hurt, the suffering, and tally marks? We feel that we have to repay....but justice is making everything right. Wrath vs reconciliation. What if he just takes it all away and restores both parties..just something to think about before we begin to harbor bitterness  in the name of Jesus....that's dangerous 

Because in the upside down kingdom it is not an eye for an eye but rather

 for every hurt a loving embrace 

 For every death a sea of peace

For every pain a song of joy 

A song I wrote

What would you do if the world ended today

Would you look back and say you did all you could do

Or would you laugh a littler longer cry more tears

 Maybe even have one more beer

Wish upon another shooting star in the sky 

Peace like a river

People live life as time can be used again 

They don't know that people can be gone in a flash 

Don't say what they really think 

But I bet that thought never even crossed your mind 

Tell em that you love them and they mean the world to you

Love like an ocean

One day you hear those cruel words

Here one moment in your arms and gone the next

As they lower her into the ground wind blows (skip)

dirt hits the ground 

Start to even wonder what your own souls worth 

Joy  like an fountain

What would you do if your life ended today

Would you look back and say you didn't do all you could do

Or would grab deaths hand give him a kiss 

Start the long stroll towards eternal blissful 

Never even looking  back to try to say  goodbye

Peace 

Love so much it hurts

Jesus is god he needs no defense 

Loved us so much. The people he created that now want to kill him, so he wants to die for them to save them.

God never gives up on humanity. No matter what. It can't be forced. God loves us so much that he gives us freedom. 

Give each other a chance, he gave you more than one