Being back in the states for a little while now I am starting to notice a disturbing pattern.  Seeing how some people interact in the states I wonder what it mean's to be christian in our world today.  So many people claim to be christians, from the winners of the Emmeys, to people with christian bumper stickers, and all of those people with christian t-shirts.

What in the world are we communicating to the people around us if they know we are christians because of what is on our car, or on our shirt, or what we say in front of people on tv.  What are we teaching to following generation of believers by espousing this kind of christianity.  Christianity in public America seems to be stuck on focusing what is on the outside, thus there is this annoying brand of quasi christianity floating around these days.

Let us not forget the teachings of the one we seek to follow every day of our lives "they will know us by our love" not our t-shirts.

I thought these t-shirts were a little wierd… 

As I read this passage I wonder what it means to belong to the all the others.  All of my life I have strived to be independent and self supporting, which for me comes from my desire not to be a burden on anyone.  At first glance, that concept doesn't look so bad, but I wonder if it is keeping me from seeing or experiencing something Christ has designed for me.

As I read the letter to the Corinthians, I learn that as individual we are designed by God to complete each other.  We are created to interconnect with each other so much that through our joined lives we reveal the one who created us.

Today let me not think of myself as my own but let me see myself as belonging to those who are around me so much that all of what I do creates a joining and interdependency that reveals Christ to all whom I meet. 

here is Sarah and Grandma Gracey holding Ezra 

Do not conform any longer

This is something that has always stumped me.  Not the "conform" part but the "any longer" part.

For me it has always been easy to not conform to the things of this world that are clearly not part of God's plan or will.  God's word is very clear on those kind of blatent issues that are so easily prevelent in our society today.  

What I have to deal with so much in my life is those kind of "any longer" kind of issues or those things that have krept into my life and haven't even noticed them.  This year being in a new environment I have been able to deal with some of those kind of issues again in my life.  It is amazing the things that have been a part of your life for so long that they don't really need to be there any more.  Things like the television or maybe even that computer (I can't believe I just said this…). 

The changes in the scenery of my life have really encouraged me to to reevaluate who I am and let me make some changes in things that I otherwise might not have noticed.

Here I am feeling very paternal with my son on my chest…