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Enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Jacqueline has gone to the Goodwill to procure some deals on clothing, little man is asleep in the other room, and I am having a glorious saturday afternoon, wishing I had a way to watch some college football.

But in the quietness I am confronted with my inability to rest.  I just listened to the song “Jesus I am Resting, Resting” and just sort of rolled around in the truth that Jesus is my true rest, and provides a way somehow for me to rest in the midst of all the chaos of life.  What a glorious truth.  In direct contrast to all the religions in the world, Jesus calls Christians to REST.  To rest. I am not supposed to diligently pray five times a day, not supposed to pilgrimage to Mecca, not supposed to work to assure that I am in right standing with God, not to meditate or chant or wrestle, but just to rest.

My western culture doesn’t encourage rest.  Even as I type these words, I can think of dozens of things I could be doing.  I have work to do for the fall getaway coming up.  I have students I could call to schedule appointments.  I have potential supporters I could call to line up appointments to raise support.

But I need to rest, to enjoy the finished work of Christ for me.  My worth is no longer tied to my performance.  It is wrapped up in the life He lived, in the death, burial and resurrection He went through for me.  What a gift. “Oh how marvelous thy goodness, LAVISHED all on me!”

So, before the hustle and bustle of doctors, surgeons, and campus, in the quietness of a house with only the sounds of a fan and soft baby’s breath coming from the other room.  I am resting, resting.

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Better luck next time.

We ended up leaving without getting all the blood they needed, because it would have been too emotionally taxing on us as parents to have had a round three.  Jacqueline and I decided that we will wait until he is a little older with easier-to-find veins before we try that again.

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Carolina Blue blood

It’s a metaphor, don’t panic. His blood is normal colored, but hard to get to, it turns out. The pictures below were taken during the first attempt to draw blood. We didn’t get enough, so now we are waiting while they find a nurse who can draw blood from his ankles. I think it’s because the lady we just had was wearing an “I Love Dook” pin (she spelled it differently).  He didn’t trust her with his blood.

This blood will be used to find out if he has any chromosomal abnormalities, and to do some DNA testing (for when we go on the Maury show). In reality, they will just be to find any other potential problems that could show up in a DNA test. Now he’s got some little ankle warmers on, getting ready for round 2.

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Democratic National Convention (and other ways to increase the traffic to your blog)

There has been much hullabaloo over Donald Miller closing out a night of the Democratic National Convention in prayer recently.  Conservatives are throwing stones, saying that the DNC is just catering to the evangelical vote, and Liberals are praising Miller for bringing balance to the force, or something.

I’d like to imagine how Jesus would have prayed, were he asked to, at an event like that.  Here we have a massive room full of people passionate about their cause, arrogant about their ability to win an election, and gunning for the opponent.  (Also a pretty accurate description of the Republicans, by the way)  Without fail, Jesus knocked arrogant zealots off of their little thrones each time he encountered them in scripture.  Think of the “rich young ruler” in the gospels.  He showed up boasting about how good he was, and Jesus made him very sad.  Think of the Pharisees. Jesus regularly ridiculed, rebuked, and otherwise yelled at them.

So I can’t help but imagine Jesus’ prayer at the Democratic National Convention.  He’d have probably had his microphone turned off.  People using his name to get votes?  People who do not care at all about repenting of sin and the work Jesus did in his life, death, burial, and resurrection, but would invite him over so that others would vote for them?  I shudder to think the blistering monologue that would result.

Let me reiterate that I think this goes for both sides of the aisle.  Republicans are just as guilty.  I can’t think of the last time I’ve heard humility from anybody in the discussion, including myself.  When we start talking politics, we very quickly become players in a chess game.  I have to find the weakness in the other team and expose it.  I can’t come across as weak or like I don’t have all the answers.  We must demonize the other team and glorify our team.

Imagine if a politician were to say “hey, we are both after the same thing.  We are after justice and peace and harmony and restraining the forces of evil in the world.  Let’s figure out a way we can best do that, and stop taking cheap shots at the other guy.  And let’s not forget that government is not there to solve our problems.  It’s there to protect us from ourselves and others who would try to take away our freedoms.

Don Miller, I applaud you for having the guts to use the name of Jesus in a prayer on national television, and before a largely secular and humanistic audience.  That was a bold witness for Jesus.  But I can’t help but think Jesus would have ruffled more feathers.

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