Olivious

I'm really, really tired of non-friendly, non-welcoming churches. I went to two different churches today and was greeted by a total of TWO people-- and one doesn't really count because it was her job to greet everyone at the door! It wasn't like I was in the midst of hundreds of people-- this morning's service was about 40 people while this evenings totaled 19!! What's going on? Whatever happened to welcoming the stranger? Whatever happened to "...and they'll know we are Christians by our love..."?? How can a conversation with a fellow member override extending a welcome to a visitor? How many unbelievers visit churches and never return because of this sort of thing? I just don't get it. I just don't get it.

"Let our faith receive, therefore, what our understanding is not able to comprehend-- that the Spirit really unites things which are separated by local distance." JohnCalvin

Paradise

This morning I went SCUBA diving from a tiny beach on the south side of Maui. We only went to a depth of about 40', but we saw 2 giant sea turtles, an eagle ray, 3 octopus, moray eels in various colors and sizes, and lots of fish. That feeling of weightlessness combined with the silence and the beauty is... indescribable. Even when there is nothing swimming by, the sights are awesome: the sunrays through the water, the colors of sand against the blue water, the shapes of coral growing up from the ocean floor. The surroundings are so very different than dry ground that just hanging in the water is worth the effort to get there.

As we resurfaced I looked around at the folks on the beach and I began to feel a bit sorry for them. Sure, the beach is very beautiful-- the waves are fun and the sun on your skin feels great, but there's so much more that a lot of people don't see. A metaphor began to form in my mind: some people stay on the beach under the umbrella . Some people swim along the surface of the water with a mask and see the underwater world from a distance. And then some people put on all the gear, leave the shore and go deep to be among the creatures. These are the ones who get winked at by a sea turtle, who hold a puffed up puffer fish, who feel a little crab skitter up their arm-- the ones who get a fuller picture of life on this planet.

I'm glad to be one of the ones who leaves the beach and dives in. It's scary at times and maybe even risky, but from where I stand, it's so worth it.

The Beginning

Today is the first day of an entirely new life. I woke up in a new bed in a new home in a new town in a new state. After 25 years of marriage, I'm on my own and the thought is overwhelming. The title of this blog, "39 Boxes of Books" refers to the bulk of my belongings-- books. I feel at home when my books are near-- perhaps because I can trace my life through the subjects and titles. The one common thread that runs through 99% of my book titles is faith in Christ and how to face life in light of his love and grace. As uncertain and overwhelmed as I feel this morning, I need to focus on the reality that he loves me, he has a plan and he is at work...