When I was in college, I got along very well with my roommate. We really had only one instant where we talked about going to the “Roommate Zone” (like a talk show where people dealt with roommate problems at Furman).

I had a 6 CD changer, with of course, 6 of MY CD’s. My roommate listened to bad music, and so I didn’t give him a ‘spot.’ The CD player would play only MY music, and MY music only. One day he mustered up enough chutzpah, with the aid of some fellow hallmates, and demanded he get 1 CD in the player. How dare he! How dare them!

I was angry, but finally caved. He got his one ‘booty’ (R&B) CD. Looking back it was pretty selfish of me. Actually VERY selfish of me, and I’m somewhat embarrassed.

I wish people in churches today could ‘share spots’ in the CD ‘players.’ I think that more often than not, folks want THEIR music ONLY in church. But sometimes, when there is a diversity in worship styles in a single service, we are given the opportunity to ‘share spots.’ We get some songs we like, we get some songs we don’t like. But ‘sharing spots’ is expressing love. We will not get ALL of our songs, but we will get some. And others will get some too.

A husband decides to woo his wife, so he takes her out to dinner and gives her a list of the things he loves about her. “All those things are true. Do you see that?” The wife nods. “Well then, you know I love you.” The wife doesn’t swoon. “But everything on this list is true! If you believe the items on this list, then you should be able to accept that I love you!”

This excerpt is from Donald Miller’s Searching for God knows What, which I finished reading a few months ago. But I was reminded of this quote when reading an article about him in “Christianity Today.”

In Searching, Miller critiques formulaic methods on how to become or grow as a Christian. The problem is presented in the above husband-wife interchange. People can just assent to or agree that certain things are in fact true; but this does not lead to love. It just leads to people stating true things about God. I think the Pharisees did that a good bit, and Jesus ‘wasn’t having none of it.’

But we are given the command to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
This does not mean that we reject propositional truth like “Jesus rose from the grave and accomplished salvation for all those who trust in Him.” But rather we read these truths like they were on the next page of a great book. A book, a story, that the Author has included us in.

And so we read the truth like this: “Jesus rose from the grave and accomplished salvation for all those who trust in Him!” These aren’t boring truths that are merely factual, but they are truths woven into the narrative of redemption, and every bit as evocative (emotion) as provocative (thought). The end result of knowing more truth about God is a greater love for Him. Otherwise we just become like the husband in the parable.

There are few weeks that I could classify as “my favorite” weeks of the year. Certainly the week before Christmas is up there, but so is the Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week.” Last night I watched an actual ‘new show’ (many years they just run the same shows, but weirdo’s like me still watch them again) on the tragedy of the USS Indianapolis.

Sunk by a Japanese sub in the Fillipines near the end of WWII, the Indianapolis carried a crew of nearly 1200 people. 300 people went down with the ship, while the rest of the crew floundered in the water 5 days until rescue. Unfortunately there were less than 300 survivors when all was said and done. The wounded were eaten by sharks while exposure to the elements and lack of water killed the rest.

Can you imagine how scary it would be floating in the open ocean? The uncertainty of living through the night with sharks feeding on the dead and wounded, and perhaps coming for you? I can think of no greater nightmare than this. No greater uncertainty than this. How do you think you would respond?

Before he died, the priest comforted and strengthened morale with his prayers. Many others went insane, beat each other, and even kicked a shark attack victim off their raft. But one thing that struck me from the special last night was that people who “weren’t religious, began to talk and ask me questions about God.” Some people ‘found God’ out there on the water.

Everyday life is really no less precarious. Regardless of how secure we feel, tomorrow is never certain. Our certainty and confidence of ultimate rescue, no matter how bleak or how mundane (every day is a gift), is ultimately found in Christ.

I’m reminded of this Heidelberg Catechism Q and A.

1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my Own,but belong body and soul, in life and in death-

to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.

He also watches over me in such a way

that not a hair can fall from my head

without the will of my Father in heaven:

in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,Christ, by his Holy Spirit,

assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and

ready from now on to live for him.

I hope this is what I would think of if I were floating out on the open ocean. But I hope that I think of it even now, while I’m not.

I must admit that I have never read any of the Harry Potter books or seen any of the movies. And I know that puts me into the 1 percentile category of people breathing on the planet. But I was watching the interview with JK Rowling on “Good Morning America” or “The Today Show” and was intrigued by this panel of young lads and lasses asking her questions about her novels.

Meredith Viera mentioned something to Rowling about several characters dying off in her books. And then she asked Rowling if she ever thought about killing off Harry. How she responded was very interesting and quite telling. She said something to the effect of, “I thought about it a bit, but realized how many people would be utterly devastated.”

And she’s right. How many folks would be utterly devastated if their young hero were to be ‘no more?’ What power this woman has! Money gives people power. But so do words. She has both so I guess that makes her the most powerful person in England.

She can ruin someone’s day (although, I’d say week or two) by killing off a beloved character or make someone’s day by killing of a ‘bad’ guy. What power.

Unfortunately we have just as much power, if not more, with the spoken word to ruin people’s days, weeks, and years. But the spoken word of encouragement can be just as powerful for good, even if it is just a few ‘pages’ of spoken words. So in some ways, without the luxury of a 700 page, billion dollar book, we’re just as powerful as Rowling. So let us take caution and be reminded of Spiderman’s maxim “with great privilege comes great responsibility.”

Sometimes people need a cup of coffee to wake up in the morning. Other times it takes something traumatic, like a frog in the toilet. As I was getting the coffee ready, Amy interrupted my routine with the claim of a giant frog in the toilet.

So I calmly surveyed the situation, and she was in fact correct: it was a frog in the toilet (I don’t think her contacts were in because she thought it was something that usually belongs there at first). Then I grabbed some disposable gloves, a bucket, and a bit of courage, and made my way to the frog’s newly found residence.

As I reached in there to coax him into jumping nicely into my bucket, his springy legs propelled him onto the shower wall. Then to the mirror, and then onto my chest hair. My chest hair proved to be only a short stay as I, with gloved hands, pushed him into the bucket and tried to cover up as much surface area as I could with one hand.

I yelled for Amy to open the front door, and I threw him out. He landed softly onto the wall outside, and I headed quickly to the shower. My chest hair needed a good washing, since the frog had spent the night in our toilet. Not the best place to lay your head, or whatever it is that they lay.

I really didn’t need any coffee this morning, except to keep me from getting a caffeine headache.
And we learned a valuable lesson: look before lifting.

You may have heard of the referee-gambling situation in the NBA. The man who is now wanted by the Feds (and the mob), happens to have a house in Lakewood Ranch. Apparently, allegedly, Tom Donaghy has been involved in tampering with games during his tenure in the NBA. But even stranger than that, I played basketball with this man at the ghetto YMCA when I first moved here.

Now I have played basketball at Furman University with an NFL safety, linebacker, WNBA star, but playing with an NBA ref wanted for fixing games and scores was obviously a first. However, I didn’t notice any ‘fishy’ activity at the time. But looking back upon those games, who knows if they were really ‘legit?’ I mean, how do I know he was really giving his all (he probably was-he was a tough player who didn’t like to lose)? But why was he playing so tough? Had he bet on himself? Since pick up basketball games are self regulated, and players become the ref’s, I’ll always wonder on the legitimacy of my wins and losses (mostly losses).

This could cast a dark cloud over pick up games of all sorts, from ultimate frisbee, church league softball, all the way down to jumping rope and tetherball (which is already deemed a ‘dirty’ sport by some these days). Who knows if the mob has infiltrated our ranks? We won’t. And that’s a thought-not a scary thought, or even an educated one; just a thought.

For the Christian Ed hour this past Sunday, one of our college students led a discussion on the Harry Potter series. The idea was to discuss “Christian” themes present in the book. Regardless of whether not she intended any such “themes” or pictures (and I’m sure she didn’t), any piece of good literature will inevitably illustrate the main ‘themes’ of the Christian story: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation. Whether we realize it or not, we are all somehow affected by the elements of this larger Christian story. And because of that, every good story will somehow display at least one or more of these themes. On the same note, not every book is the bible. To be specific, only one is. So it is profitable to critique a book such as Harry Potter as well, and consider some of the negatives. Then we won’t be oysters and suck in everything, or isolationists, and have NO impact on our neighbors (whom by the way we’re called to love). By the way, where was mine on Sunday, instead of at church? Reading the latest Harry Potter book.

I’m preaching on the providence of God this upcoming Sunday. It’s probably one of the most comforting doctrines in all of the bible. That God is somehow involved in all of life, behind even human choices, is pretty cool.

For some people, this might be seen as an invasion of privacy. And I guess it is. He wouldn’t infringe upon the rights of His created people would he? Well, I need him to. And I think most people would welcome this invasion of privacy at least at some level.

For instance, if some crazy PETA member (and this is just a hypothetical, I think) is coming to blow up your house because you like to eat veal, then don’t you want God to “invade his/her (let’s not be sexist) privacy” and make them change their mind? You wouldn’t want to place all your hope in a fellow PETA member convincing them that killing people is actually worse than killing animals, would you?

I for one am glad that God can change people’s minds. I certainly need Him to change my mind all the time. Fortunately God invades my privacy, and does it a lot. He’s been doing it for some time now, and I need him to “will” and “to work” (Phil 2:13) until He completes the work He’s started (Phil 1:6). Invasion of privacy is my only hope for sanctification.

Unfortunately I listen to a lot of sports talk. Once I get an IPod, I’ll probably listen to a lot more edifying stuff, like sermons, when I’m behind the wheel. Maybe that will help with road rash, I mean, rage.

But the topic of conversation on pretty much every station, at every time of the day, is centered on one thing: Michael Vick and his dog fighting.

In case you didn’t know or care (and that is certainly an option), Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcon’s QB has been indicted for conducting dog fights on his property in Virginia. Apparently the shitzu’s and the pugs, who fought not so bravely, were executed in a number of horrible ways. Actually they were pit bulls, but thinking of it now, lapdog fighting might be a little safer for both sides. Nipping and yapping can only do so much damage, you know?

Anyhow, Vick is innocent until proven guilty, in the court of law. But in the court of every Tom, Dick, and Harry, (and Geoff too) he is guilty until proven innocent. But is this a Christ-like attitude which me and Tom, Dick and Harry all share?

I just read last night how Jesus forgives those who recognize their need, even if they feel/we feel they are the worst of sinners John 4 (adultery), Luke 7 (serial adultery) and 1 Tim 1 (Paul for persecuting the church). But in this case, there is no confession, so not really an answer.

But if you go with the need for two witnesses (2 Cor 13:1; Deut 17:6; and I guess the Fed’s when they bring the goods to trial will count as ‘two’), then I probably ought to wait for the evidence. After all, both Jesse Jackson and I were led to believe the Duke Lacrosse players were guilty when they weren’t. The only other principle I can think of is the trumping love principle: love neighbor as yourself. If I were innocent, I would want others to withhold judgment.

But what if I were guilty? I guess I’m jumping the gun again.

I can remember some time last year encouraging Amy to read more, or really at all. Recently that has paid off, for me, as much as for her. I purchase several books from Amazon every 3-4 months or so, and recently I purchased some books by Mark Driscoll. He’s the “cussing pastor” of Blue Like Jazz.

Anyhow, before I have even finished Ordering Your Private World (which she already started and finished before me while I was out of town on the mission trip), she has been digging into ‘my’ books before I even have a chance to tell her about them! And she’s reading it alongside an Edith Schaefer book as well.

Long story short, it took my wife to get me back into the discipline of reading again. And while I’m not moving along as quickly as I’d like, fortunately I can count on her example challenging me. It shows the blessing of having someone (not necessarily a spouse-though you do get double word score) in your life who can challenge you sometimes without saying a word, but rather reading one.