Tag Archives: God

reflections on dad’s last sermon

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I know my dad’s last sermon was different from what we normally hear in church.  He had some unusual ideas that appear to stray from mainstream Christianity.  But I believe his emphasis was still on keeping Christ as one’s center, and that is the most fundamental belief we can hold as Christians.  You might agree or disagree with my dad’s non-conventional message, but I believe his message communicates something deeper than first meets the eye.

I think my dad’s message suggests that we can turn both our hearts and minds over to God.  This is a fairly common sermon, for sure, but where my dad steps outside of the box is that he believed that God has already given everyone the ability to complete that task.  From his view, God is working in each and every one of us to reveal the perfection of Christ in us, not only in our time, and from our perspective, but in His time, and by His plan.

My dad believed in “Universal Salvation.”  He didn’t believe we should separate individuals by religion, culture, or denomination.  He believed that Christ was within every human being.  He believed that in the end, God would redeem all humankind.  I know this is a hard idea to grasp from a traditional Christian point of view.  I’m not ready to call myself a “Universal Salvationist,” but I will admit that I am open to that possibility.  After all, it’s God choice as to how and when He will reveal His will to each and every one of us, and for all of His creation.

Thanks for reading this series.  If nothing else, I hope my dad’s words stimulated thought.  I hope he may have opened minds to the possibilities that can exist with God.  Next Tuesday, I’ll begin a series on something more practical and intimidating: Public Speaking.

- dan

neighbors and wise men: book review

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Neighbors and Wise Men: Sacred Encounters is a Portland Pub and Other Unexpected Places by Tony Kriz

photoI have to confess something before I write this review:  Tony Kriz, author or Neighbors and Wise Men: Sacred Encounters in a Portland Pub and Other Unexpected Places, and I seem to think a lot alike.

We both make our best attempt at being followers of Christ.  We both have had times in our lives where we felt we’d lost our faith.  We both question the hierarchies and power structures of the modern Christian church.  We’re both willing to ask tough spiritual questions rather than taking everything we’re told about God at face value.  We both believe that God is not exclusive in regards to who He loves and who will walk with Him in heaven.  With this in mind, please continue:

Tony points out early in his book that he was raised in a world of “haves” and “have-nots.”  The Christians were the “haves.”  Everybody else was the “have-nots.”  Tony believed in this world, (this lie?) as do millions, perhaps the majority of Christians today.  He became a good missionary and did what he felt he’d been taught (or programmed?) to do.  But in time, Tony felt unsatisfied with his place.  He reached a point of “burnout,” in his missionary work, and even felt he’d lost his faith.  But his journey had just begun.

The book Neighbors and Wise Men takes some of our traditional thoughts about God and challenges us to ask new questions.  Tony finds as much or more Christ-like qualities and wisdom among Muslims in Albania, beer drinkers in the pubs of Portland, Oregon, students at the so-called, non-Christian, Reed College, and many other places along his journey of renewed faith, than he ever did in the Christianity of his youth.  His book questions long-held Christian beliefs about salvation, but strengthens beliefs about creating an intimate relationship with Christ.  He opens his heart and his life to both believers and non-believers while losing the “haves” and “have-nots” mentality that he was taught to believe.

The result is a wonderful, heartfelt and open-minded Christ-centered text.  If you’re looking of a fresh perspective on the love that Jesus expects of his followers, this is a great place to start.  I recommend Neighbors and Wise Men to all, both Christian and non-Christian, and believe that all will walk away blessed for having read this insightful and honest book.

tuesdays with dad

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photoMy dad passed away in 2010.  Later that year a dear friend of his sent me a CD of dad delivering his last sermon.  It was a precious gift.  You see, my dad was a minister when I was a boy.  Even so, he and our family moved from Maine to Washington to join what wound up being a cult.  After the cult came unglued and the leader was suspected of a variety of offenses, my dad joined aother fringe group.  But here’s the thing:

My dad’s path eventually led him back to keeping Christ at the center.  In fact, I believe he always carried Christ with him.  In the last ten or fifteen years of my dad’s life, I felt like he had found a greater sense of peace and security in his spiritual walk than the majority of Christians I know.  Dad seemed to have the kind of wisdom that only comes from years of seeking God’s will.  And although he quit preaching when I was a kid, he occasionally delivered a sermon for the group “Light of the City” in Renton, Washington.  He delivered his last sermon about two years before he died.

I’ve posted ”dad’s last sermon” in seven short segments on my blog each year since the blog’s inception in 2011.  This year I hope you’ll read these short segments and post some thoughtful comments.  Dad’s ideas and perspectives were not mainstream and can seem a little abstract, but I believe he still comes to the conclusion that carrying Christ in our hearts is the ultimate answer.  Some might call dad’s ideas “new age.”  He never considered himself new age.  I’ll let you decide.

Beginning Tuesday, February 5, I’m going to share my ”dad’s last sermon” every Tuesday for seven weeks.  I hope his message is a blessing, and I encourage you to make comments.  You may agree or disagree with some of my dad’s ideas.  Your comments can be supportive or critical.  Either way, I believe we can learn from ”dad’s last sermon.”  Thanks,

- dan

writing your faith

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A couple of days ago I posted an article titled Go Forth and Write Boldly.  One of my regular commenters, Dan Black, mentioned that he struggles with his boldness in regard to writing about God on his blog.  We briefly discussed the idea under the comments section.  Our short conversation led me to write this post.  For those of faith, this is an important topic.  How much we should include of God, Christianity and references to the Bible in our writing?  I think this is a question that we each need to grapple with on our own.  Without quoting individual Bible verses, I’d argue that we could find Biblical support for being vocal about God, and we could find Biblical support for being reserved.  What I’m about to write next is by no means advice for faith-based writers to follow, but simply my feelings and observations.

1. In general, I’ve experienced two kinds of Christians.  

The first kind of Christian I’ve had experience with are those who are on fire for God.  They constantly mention their own relationship with God.  They quote BIble verses on a regular basis.  Their reading material and other media consist of mostly articles, books, and music written by outspoken Christian sources.  They are often heavily involved in their churches.  At times, some can appear self-righteous, inflexible, and braggarts.

The second kind of Christian are those who one may never know are Christian by their words.  They are quiet, humble, and patient.  You learn of their Christian beliefs through their attitudes, actions, and behaviors over a longer period of time.  In that time, they develop honest relationships with you.  These folks also read some Christian-based writing and are constantly involved in their churches, but you wouldn’t know it until you truly know them as individuals.

I know these are polar generalities and that many Christians fall somewhere between the two extremes.  But bear with me for the sake my forthcoming point.

2. The more you talk the faster I walk.  Here’s the deal from my humble perspective.  Before I became a regular church-based Christian, I was very turned off by the vociferous type of Christian mentioned above.  They smothered me with Bible verses, Christian quotes, and continual questions about my own faith.  Their relentless need to express their own love for God convinced me only that they were fanatical and perhaps even misled.  Even today, I still get the feeling that some are trying to help me “get saved” even though I’m already a believer.  When I meet this sincere, but overbearing kind of Christian I want to run away… fast.  I know many people who feel the same way as I do.

With this in mind, let’s consider how millions of people might like to see the topic of God and faith handled within the literature they read.  I like to choose my faith-based books and blogs.  I don’t want to be bombarded with Christian arguments and Bible-based lectures.  I want to understand and experience the writer’s own challenges, changes, and diversity of experience.  I don’t want to be preached to.  I want to feel as though the writer is relating with me on a deeper level.  I want to feel their struggles, live their story, and come to my own conclusions about how faith has worked in their lives.

It all goes back to one of the most important rules in writing: show me, don’t tell me.  I think this is especially important in writing your faith: show me, don’t tell me.  I’ll repeat in one more time for good measure: show me, don’t tell me.

Questions: What do you think we should include in our writing as faith-based writers?  When does bold become overbearing?  And when does overbearing become a weakness?  Please post your responses below:

God, dog, family, friends

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Okay, so I know this blog is supposed to be about writing, but without our health we couldn’t get much writing done.  So this post is dedicated to four things that have inspired me to stay on track with my own health.

God: I’ve let my health falter at times, eating too many greasy foods, drinking a few too many beers, and not caring for my physical condition.  But when I look to the Bible, I find many rules for healthy eating and drinking.  God wants me to be healthy.  He wants me to take care of myself so that I can share His glory with others.  He wants the same for you.

Dog: I was doing good with my exercise routine from early-2010 until mid-2011.  Then I started slacking.  Last November we got a dog, Shep.  He’s an active dog that needs plenty of exercise.  Although, not as intense, he’s kept me walking for the past ten months.  Be good to your dog.

Family: When I look at my seven-year-old daughter, Annie, I realize I have to keep myself as healthy as possible.  I’m going on 50 and I need to be young and energetic to keep up with Annie.  I want to be there for her until long after she’s graduated from college.  I know there are no guarantees, but eating right and staying in shape are two positives I can practice and share with her for as long as I live.  Do it for your family.

Friends: Last summer my bicycle was stolen.  Two friends played roles in getting me new bikes.  One bought an old Nishiki ten-speed with me in mind.  He sold it to me, along with a car rack, for a more-than-reasonable price.  Another friend had two bikes and sold me his older Giant commuter for a reasonable price.  Now I have a bike on a trainer and one for the road.  Many other friends have inspired me to eat better and try different sorts of exercises.  I’m grateful to them all.  Remember your friends.

So, remember, in your own lives, to be grateful for the people and things that help you do what’s best for your own health.  Your list might be different than mine, but write it down so you remember who you have to thank.  See, it still gets back to writing!

Questions: What things are you thankful for?  Please post your comments below:

unblinded by fog

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Searching for God amongst

the sun and stars,

I saw God not.

I scanned the peak

of Mount Olympus.

God was not there.

I hiked an ancient path

through the trees

to the shoreline,

studied the foamy waves

swirling on the sand: nothing.

In the night along the Strait

I heard a sound, a bellowing,

deep and low, awakening my soul.

I stared into the darkness.

Surrounded by a drifting mist,

thick and wet, my vision blurred.

The fog horn, like the voice of God,

revealed a greater presence.

Unblinded by fog,

my spirit rose from within,

nothing obscuring my focus.

Unblinded by fog,

I found God deep within

my own center

radiating outward.

 

watching God watching

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Sun rising over Port Townsend bay,

letting warmth and light splinter on

plush forrest floor.

Sleeping beneath towering trees

calms the overactive soul

we have become.

Large water bodies free the spirit

from the pain bodies we’ve allowed.

Time away from chaotic cacophony

of sweltering city superficiality refills

the shrinking heart.

God is here: in the water,

in the trees, in the light,

through the darkness,

watching.

Even the little bird hopping sees.

Even he is watching God watching.

 

stream of humanity

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Struck by a train of thought,

stuck in traffic, driving

with the stream of humanity.

Perhaps, there is no stream

of consciousness, only

selfishness and pride

being driven by vanity.

I try, but I can’t remove

myself from what appears

to be borderline insanity.

The new-age, the old-age,

the sage, the prophet,

even they’ve lost their dignity.

So what of the dirty scoundrels

like me, beggars, perverts, and

thieves, where lies our destiny?

Nowhere without shadows

and doubts as I walk

backward, breaking my chest

and holding my breath,

waiting for God

to reverse this calamity.

 

dogged determination: when is it too much?

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I’ve got a dog.  His name is Shep.  Shep’s a great dog.  He’s friendly, he’s playful, he’s protective, he’s loyal.  Shep loves to play fetch.  Although, he’s smart enough to take short breaks to keep from overheating, I don’t think he’d stop if I threw the ball over a fifty-foot cliff.  You’ve got to love that kind of determination.  But when does too much determination become a detriment.  When does too much determination become a danger?  These are good questions and deserve a little attention.

As you know, I’ve been studying the world of social media and online marketing.  There are hundreds of great sites with information about marketing, publishing, and productivity.  In fact, there’s a major emphasis on productivity.  I see articles with titles like: never come to a complete stop, never let go of the dream, accomplish something everyday, and five ways to get more done.  Some of these articles have great advice, but the emphasis is always on more, more, more.  I hate to rain on anybody’s parade, but sometimes we can get so caught up with the idea of being productive that we forget about the important things in life.  Things like our relationship with God, our families, and our friends can be neglected if we have too much dogged determination.  Ask yourself these two important questions:

1. What’s your motivation?  Why are working so hard?  What’s the point?  If you approach this question honestly, the answer is often money, praise, or fame.  However, if those are your only reasons for producing more material and working yourself into a frenzy, you’d better go back to the drawing board.

2.  Who are you serving?  Are you serving God?  Are you serving your family?  Are you serving the greater good?  Be careful.  It’s easy to convince ourselves that the answer to all of these questions is a resounding “yes.”  Again, if we’re completely honest, that might not be the whole truth.  We might discover that we are primarily serving ourselves.

So what are some tell-tale signs of having too much dogged determination?

1.  You haven’t spent quality time with your family, spouse, or children on a daily basis.

2.  You’re letting other important things go.  Your yard, your car, or your home is in shambles.

3.  You haven’t played with your dog for more than a week.

4.  You’ve neglected relationships with friends, especially old friends that have helped you through thick and thin.

5.  You’ve neglected to pray and seek direction from a higher power.

I love my dog, Shep.  I love his enthusiasm.  I love his dogged determination.  I do my best to keep him safe, but I know that sooner or later, he’s going to get hurt.  He’s going to chase the ball into a hornet’s nest or over a ridge.  He’s going to jump too high, too far, too fast.

So what can we learn from a young, over-energetic dog?  We can learn to slow down.  It’s okay.  Which is better?  To crash on your fast-track to the top and wind up disabled?  Or to pace yourself, keep your priorities straight, and take the slower route to true success?