Normal
Lately, I have been meditating on that word…normal. What does it really mean?
Why are so many people pursuing it?
Why are so many more running away from it?
When life exits a crisis why are we in search of a “New Normal?”
Normal is a word you want to hear after a medical exam, and is a word you hope to never hear in show business.
What about all of the normal people in the Bible? People unlike Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually rose to be second in command to Pharaoh, or David who killed Goliath with one shot and became King of Israel only to eventually commit adultery and murder a friend.
What about the men who fought with Gideon? Or the men who were sent away because they chose to drink from the stream instead of from their hands?
What about the elders of the churches that were started by Timothy and Titus and Paul? What about the people Peter, Paul, Jude, James, John and the writer of Hebrews fail to mention?
In the day and age where great leaders are celebrated and even worshiped I find myself wondering if everyone is supposed to strive to be great, or are most of us just supposed to figure out what it means to be normal Christians?
The Art of Flight
After watching this trailer I am left wanting to see the whole movie, which means it’s a good trailer. I am also left thinking a couple of things. One is, “WOW!!! These dudes took some serious risks and got some serious kicks. Creation is truly majestic.” This thought was immediately followed by, “How in the world do these guys top this? I mean how do you go bigger? If bigger is what you are chasing, then how do you do that?” I’m left feeling envious of of them for having lived so close to the edge, while at the same time feeling sorry for them because it is the edge that they live for. What a useless purpose. So, how do I live closer to the edge, but do so for the glory of God?
Grief
My grandmother, who lost my grandfather a few years ago, called my Dad yesterday on what could have been his 42nd wedding anniversary, and his first without Mom. The conversation went like this:
Grandma – “So, how many years would it have been?”
Dad – “Today would have been 42 years.”
Grandma – “Wow, that’s a long time.”
Dad – “Yep, a long time.”
Grandma – “A long time…just not long enough.”
That pretty well sums it up.
The blessing in mourning is that we loved someone enough to actually feel those words. Imagine never loving someone enough to be able to say that? What a tragedy?