Bracket Madness, Arizona and God

If you live in my neck of the woods, you know the next 2-3 weeks are the equivalent of a national holiday - March Madness! I think there have been some studies done regarding work productivity during March Madness and found that more might have been accomplished had people just stayed home and watched the games! *Cue the proverbial IM "LOL"*

I must confess, I rarely watch many of the games. I do follow the results, but time does not allow me to watch hardly any of the games. I do have a little more incentive to watch some games this year as my alma mater (AZ State) is in the mix, but after a poor performance in the PAC-10 championship game I'm not holding my breath. Still being transparent, while basketball is fairly enjoyable to watch, it reminds me a bit of tennis... back-forth-back-forth-back-POINT! Ball in-back-forth-POINT! I much prefer baseball (whom many have said is as exciting as watching paint dry, but I disagree greatly!).

Something that did catch my eye is the fact that the University of Arizona is in the tournament despite the fact they only had a slightly above average season (there were several teams that should have probably been in over them, according to records, schedules, etc.). This has caused some pretty heated discussion among Bracketers, fans and columnists. To be honest I don't like that they're in the tournament either - but it has nothing to do with their record. They are my alma mater's rival (GO ASU!) so I have NO love for UA! I digress (before my UA tirades begin)...

My lack of love (and the rest of the sport's worlds right now, for that matter) for UA got me thinking about God and His love. It's a good thing He does not base His love for us or our ability to love and know Him based on fickle standards, partiality and team colors (which, for the record, the lighter shade of blue rings true in NC!).

God's love...

• is not based on records or the difficulty of our schedule (lives). Yes, some seem to have it easier than others, but harder or easier His love is equal and available for all (not just the rich, powerful or well off).
  

• is not based on trends or bandwagons. He is on everyone's bandwagon, so to speak (John 3:16)... it's us who choose not to love Him.

• IS fair and just and always able to be trusted (unlike the NCAA and BCS that seems to adjust their standards year-to-year)

• has far greater rewards than a temporary championship title (without googling it, can anyone name the 1984 NCAA Champ? 1990 Champ? 2001 Champ?). Titles come and go, and while they are noteworthy accomplishments, they are "perishable crowns" - but the love God offers is imperishable.

• IS available in abundance for all colors, socio-economic standings, class ranks, family backgrounds, traditions, etc.

While I still don't want UA in any tourney... I thank God that my standard (or yours) is not the standard by which He chooses whom He will love or accept.


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Confession of a Teenage Girl

First, my apologies for the delay in posts. My children and I have been trading sickness back and forth for the last two weeks, so much of my time has been consumed with caring for sick children or resting. We all seem to be getting better so hopefully posting will resume as normal.

I love teenagers! They’re the most unique species (yes, species… I know what I mean) alive, in my humble opinion. They’re bold, lack tact, speak their minds, risk big (of course, at times, sin big, too), love big and genuinely care, though not always being able to show it. I love being a part of teens’ lives as they wrestle with BIG stuff: faith, love, family, etc. Recently, in exploring the blog-world I stumbled across a real treat from a teen I’ve never met and know nothing about. While I enjoyed reading many of her entries, one in particular stood out to me. She entitled it “Father of Glory” and its honesty and depth were very profound. I haven’t been able to get it out of my thoughts, so I decided to share it with you all… I pray it blesses you like it did me.

FROM “BIBLEGEEK” (posted September 18, 2008):

father of glory

“so, i was talking to God today...

oh, it's such a relief to be able to start out a story with that! i feel like i could just leave that there and be done 'cause that amazes me. not because i haven't been doing that recently (which i haven't) and not because i think it'll make me sound cool or anything ridiculous like that. but simply 'cause i can talk to God! honestly, there's absolutely no logical reason for Him to bother listening to me. i don't deserve to be able to talk to Him.

i've been ignoring Him. though, that's not exactly abnormal for me. but i was pouting because God wasn't talking to me anymore and i was kicking myself because i hated that it seemed like i was stuck in the past and moping that things aren't like they used to be.

it came down to me saying, "God... i want to talk to You. i want to come back. but i don't want to see it that way. it seems every time i decide that's what i want it lasts for a few hours and then i slip back into complacency. i don't want to try it if it's not going to work." i didn't expect an answer. after all, i hadn't heard from Him in a while.

"stop trying so hard."

i sighed. "what else is there to do?"

"abbie..." He reminded me that trying things on my own was useless.

i knew He was right. is He ever not?

we kept on talking and i felt the reserve in His voice. i realised how much all of this had hurt Him. my ignoring... my pretending... that struck. hard. i hurt God.

"God. i... i'm sorry. i shouldn't have done this to You. it's so easy to get into Bible scholar mode and talk about You but then walk out of the room and forget to talk to You. but it's wrong."

He forgave me, of course. but i still felt sad.

the conversation continued, but it was subdued, quiet. but a good quiet. i had a lot to think over. but at one moment i mumbled something and then regretted it. not because it was something wrong but because my mind immediately flipped the words around in my head and came up with a better way to say it.

"err... sorry. God, why do i always do that? why do i flip words around in my head? it's not like someone's going to write a book about everything i think and then criticise my sentence structure."

"because you're a writer. that's what I created you to do."

i bit my tongue and decided not to argue this time. "are you saying You want me to write this down?"

"I want you to give Me glory."

"hrm..."

i thought about that for a while and said, "God... honestly, i don't know if i want to give You glory."

"abbie, do you love Me?"

what an absurd question... "yes!" i cried, "You know that i love You."

"then do you want to give Me glory?"

i did love God. and because of that, i wanted to do what He wanted. "yes. yes, i do."

after a while. "God?"

"yes?"

"You know that verse i've memorized for bible class today... in it, paul calls you 'the Father of glory.'"

"yes..."

"so i've been thinking about that. if You're the Father of glory... then... it's not like glory's Your kid... but in the very least it belongs to You... exclusively, right?"

"yes."

"so... when we give glory to something else... like i've been giving it to myself recently... does that mean we're stealing from You?"

He didn't give me a verbal answer, but He knew i didn't need one.”

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Should/Can All Religions Coexist?

Yesterday my wife and I were driving home from a weekend trip to the beach (awesome trip!) and we saw the above bumper sticker with various religious symbols arranged to spell the word “COEXIST” (maybe you’ve seen, or even own, one of these bumper stickers). “Bumper sticker theology” (the art of expressing one’s theology on a bumper sticker) is a particularly favorite topic of mine for various reasons, but that’s a topic for another day. This particular “theology” bumper sticker got me thinking: “What do they mean by ‘Coexist’?”

#1 Keep believing what you believe, but don’t be hatefully judgmental toward those who believe differently?

OR…

#2 Find that all religions are seeking the same thing and agree that we are all on the same team?

If it is the first statement, then I agree. Yes, there are dramatic differences in belief systems, but to be hateful or spiteful is reprehensible!

However, while I think the first option is part of the package, I think the intention of the sticker is more of a theological statement (#2). Theological in that it attempts to say more about God than any of the religions on the bumper sticker teach.

To say that all religions are virtually the same is absolutely incorrect. If they were, there would be no conversation since all religions would teach the same thing: “Coexist.”

• Buddhism doesn’t teach that belief in Jesus alone is the only way to heaven (“enlightenment”), therefore, those two cannot reconcile their differences theologically.

• Judaism doesn’t teach the only way to heaven is to become one with everything (“enlightened”); therefore those two cannot reconcile their differences theologically.

• Islam doesn’t teach that life is an endless cycle of reincarnation; therefore it and Hinduism cannot reconcile their differences theologically.
  

• Christianity doesn’t teach anyway to heaven is fine as long as you believe in something; therefore it and any religion that teaches that cannot reconcile their differences theologically.

So now what do we do? There are only three options:

Either

Only one of them can be correct.

Or

Pretend that they match up (or make them match up by distorting various parts of them) by making up your own religion and blending the religions.

Or

Make up your own religion from scratch.

The major problem with the second and third options, however, is that neither would be truly credible because it would make the one blending/making up the religions god (since they would be the one making the rules).

I applaud the intention of the people who designed the Coexist sticker, but unfortunately it is not a realistic possibility (from a theological standpoint). However, this does not mean that a royal, religious rumble ought to take place among the various faiths, either. For most of the faiths mentioned, such hatred actually goes against their basic teachings.

Theologically speaking - we have come to a fork in the road. What do we do???

Simple (yet life altering):

a choice must be made.

NOTE: I always welcome dialogue, so feel free to leave any related comments!!! Please be respectful!

Until next time…

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My Hope (and Prayer) for Audacity

Obama promises change. McCain promises change. So with the economic structure of the country in flux both candidates have boldly risen up and said... nothing.

At least both sides do truly have one thing in common - they're both playing the politics game. The same "game" both have campaigned against for the last year. If either of them had one clue how to truly "change" the game, NOW would be the time to rise up and outshine the other. If either Obama or McCain could deliver the "change" they are promising, they would have spoken up by now (and better yet - back it up by going to Washington and voting on President Bush's economic plan, whether for or against it). But they won't. They'll sit back and watch... from a distance... hidden behind speech writers and more people with agendas. Why? Because that's how the political game is played.



Right now America's chief concern is money. Why wouldn't it be? It's what we've built our foundation upon as a nation. What happens when that foundation is washed away (or shaken, as it seems to be now)? The hope of the country fades... because they placed all their eggs in the basket that has no real value or answers. It is also the reason both Obama and McCain will remain silent... True Hope can't be sold (God already gave it away - free!).

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matt. 7:24-27)

"Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" (John 14:5-6)


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