Strange Things are Afoot at the BMV

So...I went to get a license plate for my new van today.

I found it funny when I saw identical twin women working there. I'm not sure why, but I always think of identical twins as 2 blonde-headed 7 year olds. It may have something to do with reading Sweet Valley Twins as a child.

The next thing that struck me as funny was the tight security that the BMV has its bathroom under. I kid you not.

This poor man had to use the restroom, and they made him sign a sheet and they walked him to the restroom and waited. How crazy is that? How can you go when there's a woman waiting outside the door for you???

This is what our taxpayer money is going to. Bathrooms under the security of the Wakefield twins.

How to Get to My Site

Recently, Misty did a post about some of her blog stats, and I thought I'd take a look at my own referrals to see if any kind of humorous post could result.

Unfortunately, it seems like most people get to my site by searching for Rob Bell or Meal Mixer. That's not funny.

I did, however, crack up when I saw this one:

Kentucky Law Regarding Showering - I'm #6 on the results thanks to my derogatory post.

I also found it humorous that people world-wide have come to my site over an infatuation with the bicep picture. I mean, we're talking England, Texas, Canada, Massachusetts, Ohio, Portugal, Turkey, Brazil, Evansville (which was searched, by the way, in an Arabic language...interesting), and Kuwait.

And that's just this week. Nice...

More on God Room

I thought this was an interesting read, considering my post yesterday on God Room.

God Room

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was reading Franklin Graham's autobiography, Rebel with a Cause.

Part of the DNA of Franklin's organization Samaritan's Purse, which was founded by the late Bob Pierce, is to promise more than they are humanly able to provide. Pierce called this "God Room."

It was a hard concept for Franklin to buy into. It remains hard for most people, including myself.

There's something so mystically appealing to me about having a faith that trusts that God will come through. Somehow, though, logic and math tend to get in the way often.

There was a time in my life that I saw God work every day. I saw need around me and saw God provide for that. It was in my own life and in the lives of those who I spent my time with.

I miss that time. And I miss those people. But I have a new energy for God's sovereignty, and it's encouraging to talk to new people that have this passion.

A Lesson on Love from Expressway Dodge

I often get caught up in the culture of entitlement. It's all around me, and it's hard to avoid. It's hard to refuse, sometimes, too.

Recently, Billy and I purchased a van from a local dealer. We went in with trepidation because we all know those stories, right? Well, we thought we were getting away with less than a major headache when the car salesman put in writing everything that we talked about and that he promised, which included several high-dollar repairs.

What we've run into has been beyond headache and is edging up toward ready-to-fire-a-revolver-at-the-next-person-that-puts-me-on-hold (after they spoke to me in the most sarcastic voice possible of course). Billy and I have both had the run around several times.

But the last couple of days, I've been battling with a burden on my heart for these horribly angry and unhappy people. I don't want to have that burden because they are mean. But I have it nonetheless because they are so hurting.

I realize that when I left behind my old nature, I entered into a bit of a paradoxical life. On the one hand, I'm free. But on the other, I'm a slave to Christ.

When I gave up my life for Christ's life through me, I did this not just to save myself and to secure my own destiny. It doesn't work like that. Because Christ isn't like that.

When I took advantage of the Grace of Christ, I acknowledged that that grace was something I wanted to offer to others.

Same with his humility.
And his servanthood.
And his love.

It is impossible for me to have a love relationship with Christ and to not find myself desperately loving the people that I wanted so desperately to hate.

Christ's love is too compelling, and it can't stop with just me.

A Tragic Anniversary and Morbid Parties

No matter how, you spin it, today's 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade should be a sad thing. Even for those who choose to say the case was about a woman's right to choose.

The death of over 4000 unborn a day should be something to mourn, regardless of whose choice is at stake.

I find it unbearable that people on the "pro-choice" side (you know...the ones that don't go celebrating the anniversary of women's suffrage) have parties to celebrate this morbid decision.

I found several Planned Parenthood invitations online that toted lines like, "Come and celebrate 35 years of safe and legal abortions."

Right now, I feel like puking.

In Spite of It All

I've been spending some time the last week or so reading Rebel with a Cause by Franklin Graham. He's the oldest son of Billy Graham, and I was interested in reading his autobiography because he runs one of my favorite charities, Samaritan's Purse.

The book is easy to read, and it's been cool to have some insight into who this man is and what kind of journey he's traveled.

Today, though, I read something that I had to roll my eyes at.

He was describing one of his best friends and told about a time when this friend played Christian music outside a porn shop and told people walking by, "You're going to hell. You need Jesus."

Graham was using this as a positive example of his friend's heart for God and lost people, and my immediate thought was, "Dude...if any good comes from that, it's because God works in spite of your friend."

Billy and I talk about this kind of thing a lot. We each have our own ideas about how church should be done, and what The Church should look like and focus on. We each have our own opinions of what priorities should come to the forefront and what tactics are beneficial to the cause.

Sometimes, we start to think that we can do something that will cause a person to come to Christ. What I forget is that all my efforts are filthy rags, just like everyone else's.

No one has ever been closer to God because of me. But sometimes, God chooses to work in spite of me.

Reality Check

I have a favor to ask, but some of you may not like it too much.

Can we please stop pretending that the New Testament Church was this amazing organism that functioned properly and healthily?

I mean, really...I can't begin to keep track of the number of times I've heard a rant about the modern church quickly followed by, "We just need to get back to the way the New Testament Church was."

Verses such as Acts 2:42-47 get whipped out as evidence of community and mutual love and respect and growth.

But here's the thing...

Acts 2:42-47 happened immediately after a mountain-top experience during Pentacost.

Imagine standing there with multitudes of people, gathered because of a loud raucous-y wind that was none other than the Holy Spirit descending on mere man. As the crowd grows, a man stands up, and you hear preaching in your own language, even though you are a foreigner. Through Peter's compelling message, you turn your heart toward God.

What happens next?

You come home from the gathering (i.e. the summer camp, the women's retreat, whatever it may be) and you start living in a way that is honoring and worthy of God.

And then what?

Then, the high wears off... And the body of Christ stops relying on God and begins to return to their own ways.

It's all over the New Testament, guys.

I was just reading 1 Corinthians today, so here's a perfect example.

1 Corinthians 11:17-19 "In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval."

Still sounding functional and healthy? Not so much. (For more dysfunction, check out these verses.)

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that we should be happy to live in disunity and such. Quite the contrary, I agree with Paul when he urges us to keep after the prize.

I think passages like Acts 2:42-47 are great encouragers to remind us of what we are called to. Other passages are throughout the New Testament also.

So, please, let's keep pressing on and being faithful to God, but let's not pretend our humanity is some new problem that the New Testament believers didn't fall prey to, also.

New Year, New Church, New Car

I realize that I've been conspicuously absent from the blogging world lately. But I have a good reason, really I do.

You may know that Billy's been looking for a new job for the last several months. It's been a trying process, but the dedication has paid off.

This weekend, we were busy traveling to Huntsville, Alabama, to visit our new church Chase Valley. Billy will be moving down soon, and I'll stay here for a bit longer to tie up some lose ends that need finishing with the house and my part-time job.

You can find out more about the situation on Billy's blog.

Because of this new development, we've also been busy buying a second car. We got a "new" minivan - it's a 2001 Grand Caravan in a lovely shade of shiny olive green. It has a few repairs that the dealership is working on, but we should be in possession of that this week. Unfortunately, Billy gets to take it with him to Huntsville so he can move things down with him.

Things are hectic, but good.

Hope you all had a happy new year.