Stop “working on your relationship with God”

“I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God.”

I responded, “Why would you want to do that?”

Startled she says, “What do you mean?”

“Well, why would you want to spend any time at all on working on your relationship with God?”

“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?”

“Let me answer by asking you a question. Can you think of anyone, right now, to whom you need to apologize? Anyone you’ve wronged?”

She thinks and answers, “Yes.”

“Well, why don’t you give them a call today and ask for their forgiveness. That might be a better use of your time than working on your relationship with God.”

 

Christians don’t wake up every morning thinking about how to become a more decent human being. Instead, they wake up trying to “work on their relationship with God” which very often has nothing to do with treating people better. How could such a confusion have occurred? How did we end up going so wrong? I’m sure there are lots of answers, but at the end of the day we need to face up to our collective failure. I’m not saying we need to do anything dramatic. A baby step would do to start. Waking up trying to be a little more kind, more generous, more interruptible, more forgiving, more humble, more civil, more tolerant. Do these things and prayer and worship will come alongside to support us.

I truly want people to spend time working on their relationship with God. I just want them to do it by taking the time to care about the person standing right in front of them.

Excerpts from an article by Richard Beck - good thoughts I think.

Found the link at Mike Cope’s blog.

Rethinking Christmas: The Real St. Nick

This looks like a really cool idea for creating a bit of a different mood Christmas morning – I could use a way to think a little more outwardly during that time I think.  Anyone know a place in Regina who could use some used clean toys?

Go Read this blog! Get a lawn!

The Close family is back blogging, it’s a good read.  Oh yeah, they started up a business, and they can help you with your eco-lawn as well.

Funny picture

The Power of Music… some more

Here’s some interesting thoughts about the power of music from Mark Batterson’s blog – get the full deal here and more here:

….think about all the ways we use music. They range from putting babies to sleep to going to war. Almost every special occasion involves music. And that music sets the mood. We’re surrounded by music all the time. Whether we’re shopping or dining or stuck in an elevator, we’re being serenaded by music….
For good or for evil, I think music is spiritual in nature. It’s not a human construct. It dates all the way back to time before time. The angels, including a fallen angel named Lucifer, worshiped God with singing before the creation of man. And according to Revelation 4, there is perpetual singing on the other side of the space-time continuum.

and from the second post – great stuff…

All of creation is singing a worship chorus to God. And it’s not just the meadow lark with its 300 notes or the nightingale finch with its 24 songs. According to the German physicist and pianist, Arnold Summerfield, a hydrogen atom emits 100 frequencies which makes it more complex musically than a grand piano which emits 88 frequencies.

For what its worth, Pythagoras said: “A stone is frozen music.” Very interesting in light of what Jesus said: “If you remain silent the stones will cry out.”

My point? All of creation is singing a unique song to the Creator. And you are part of that universal chorus. No one can worship God FOR you or LIKE you. God has given you a unique voiceprint. There are millions of people praying and worshiping God in every language all the time. But your voiceprint is unique.

Homemade Advent Calendar

This looks like a cool idea for celebrating Advent with the family…

Hall of Fame Links

For the hockey fans out there, here’s a good article about Lou Lamoriello.

And this one about Lucky Luc has some good stuff in it.

Might as well toss one in for Brett Hull… 86 goals one season – that’s crazy.

And I can’t help but stick a few links up for my favorite…

• A reprint of an article from when he retired.
• Another good one

And to finish it off, Stevie Y’s top 10 goals…

The weight I carry

If you’re a male or a female, especially if you are married or married to a male or have kids… you should go to J’s blog and watch this video/read his comments.  See if you can relate – and if it gives you chills at any point like it did when I watched it both on Sunday morning and again today.

The power of music

If you’ve ever felt the power of music like I have… read this very interesting article, from Karl Paulnack, director of the music division at Boston Conservatory, part of his address to parents.  I found it while browsing the blog of Mike Cope.

Crazy batman

Ginobili has rabies shots after swatting bat out of air during game.  That’s pretty funny.