apolitical follow up

Have you ever noticed the expectation of the American Christian that you and I be voters? It goes without saying that we should not only vote but our exclusive choice should be Republican. To me, this is nothing new, I have seen it for years, but the more recent observation is now that I’m apolitical, there is not only disbelief but even shock. You see, it is very un-American to choose not to vote. We may have rights that protect our choices but that won’t stop some from condemning for those choices.

Maybe it’s my new found perspective on this that has me so stunned but it could also be the willful ignorance of many. I have noted many times how foolish most people can be, especially regarding any subject with merit. Very little forethought is used on subjects of race, religion, science and politics. It’s easier to gut check everything and live moment by moment using only emotions. This reactive nature is predominant here in America where the majority is comfortable with the lifestyle of convenience. The less one has to do the better, especially when it comes to thinking.

Without thought, many jump to conclusions, which is why I suppose it doesn’t shock me to get the responses I get regarding my apolitical status. For me it took careful reflection and prayer to discern this path; it wasn’t an easy decision. Even after making this choice I struggle with the decision and continually find myself wanting to enter into a particular conversation or thread online. But like any addiction or habit, it takes time to break the chains and slowly, I have become less susceptible to those desires. Staying clear of that arena has been good for my soul.

I’m not sure this is for everyone. Clearly we need some level of government in order to manage the people and as such, there must be those with level heads and proper ethics to manage such tasks. My involvement is not necessary but at some point that may change. For now I am left to concentrate on that which is before me; kingdom work. Within that scope is a government with a solitary ruler whom I trust to make the right decisions for me. In His kingdom, all He asks of me is to believe and then love.

Could we live under that kind of rule? Isn’t that what Rob Bell pondered in the book Jesus Wants to Save Christians? For thousands of years mankind begged for a king, for a leader, for someone to be their head. God always granted the people their wish and kings came and went. Some were decent, some were deplorable and some should never have been a leader. We know now of course that God finally sent a king worthy of all praise but many did not see him, many did not recognize his authority. We have a leader today that if we would simply follow Him we would live blessed lives. But this is America.

Here in America we expect a leader that is just and who will understand what it means when we say “we the people”. We expect a conquering king who will rid us of those pesky terrorists. We demand a king who will break the chains of slavery to the oppressive regime we so desperately despise (insert your favorite ism here (socialism, fascism, extremism, etc.)). Does any of this sound familiar at all? Have you caught the point yet?

Like lemmings, we are collectively holding our breath until November at which point apparently we will somehow be saved, or possibly spared from some impending doom. You’re going to vote for a man in the hopes that he will save you from all the wickedness you see in the world. You will pin your hopes on a man with the idea that in a year or so things will magically get better. And when they don’t, your fickle nature will demand better and you will beat the drum of change until it comes time to vote again. Somehow you will expect this one person to fix everything, completely ignoring history and your own desires and their outcomes. The very definition of insanity may be inserted right here.

Your friends whom you agree with regarding these things will tell you that the only way to fix the problem is to get rid of the leader and get a new one. They, like you, have a clear picture of the perfect leader. A man who has your best interests at heart and will fill your bank account, land you the best job, complete your life and make everything right again. This mysticism is exactly what Americans hold onto every November and it is exactly the same mindset that the Israelites had about 2000 years ago.

And they missed it.

Your leader is already here and he’s been here for quite some time. He is just, He has your best interests at heart and has already made everything right again. But here’s the trick; the ONLY way to TRULY see Him is take your eyes off the flag and focus them on the cross. Your vote is not necessary, only your devotion. For most staunch Christian Republicans, I find that is simply not possible. For too many Christians in this country, pledging allegiance to the flag has become more important than keeping their eyes on Christ, in light of eternity and because of grace.

If that ever changes you will see one of the greatest revivals in the history of mankind.

In the meantime, I’m done.

My focus must remain on Him and the only way to do that is to stop putting so much focus on men, especially those who have no interest in me except what I can contribute to their ideology.

I have my family, my friends and my community. My goal will be serving those 3 in that order.

You? You’re going to vote. Let me know how things turn out, especially in about a year or so.

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My life is not mine, and yet it is mine to live for Him. Peace to you all.

Life, death, spring

Spring is the iconical and literal season for new life. Babies are being born, trees are starting to show their new blooms, the grass is getting wild and love is in the air. Okay, maybe that last part is a stretch but who knows, maybe not. Spring is a time for newness and fresh beginnings, so death really has no place in this happy season, right? With beautiful flowers popping up in yards all over town and children laughing and playing, how can the pall of death spring up?

As inevitable as spring may be each year, death is equally so. Like it or not, death reminds us that some things must go away even when so much is just coming into existence; it’s all of that ‘circle of life’ business. Maybe the better way to put it is to say that in some cases, it is death that precedes new life. Personally, I like to think of it that way.

Death also has a funny way of helping us clear up thoughts, emotions, habits, routines and opinions. Many people have trouble with this simply because change is not always easy. We carry around a lot of extra weight on a daily basis and it is death that exposes that excess. For a brief moment following death, we carry around despair, but eventually we develop new thoughts, emotions, habits, routines and opinions. Out of death comes something new, every time.

Understanding this new direction is important, it helps us cope and manage in difficult times. Most of us do not welcome death for death’s sake, but fear it for fear’s sake. As a result, we are often scared prior to death because of the unknown nature that follows. If you grab hold of the spring that rises out of your winter, you will see the new life that awaits you.

This isn’t some inspirational speech but more of a wake up call. We all need one occasionally in order to recognize that which is still living around us. Getting caught up in that which is dead harkens to those habits and routines we carry around. When a tree loses a branch it doesn’t die, it learns to get along. That may be a harsh representation but imagine if the branch was blocking a view of the mountains. We now have a new view; an angle we hadn’t noticed before.

New life simply means new perspective. Our ideas are rarely born out of our ruts; they are usually created by plowing a new road. This is not without work mind you, but the reward is always an easier path, even if it comes with a few blisters.

As a new season dawns here in the High Desert, there are bound to be some heavy hearts that are aching with the grief of death. If you are among them, take heart, there is something new on the horizon. Welcome the spring, breathe in some fresh air and see that every day is brand new; a day that has never existed before, a view you hadn’t noticed. You may never look at spring the same way again.

hello

*This is a post from September 2009 when I was writing for a blog called Black Sheep...

So this is hello…

It’s possible we have met before but I won’t pretend that you remember. I have a tendency to blend in and look as if I belong in nearly any setting; call me a chameleon. What sets me apart and makes me memorable is when I open up in dialogue. It is then that I become something completely different, someone without many close friends, a person with deep seated convictions that run contrary to so many of the people I blend in with.

I am a leader.

My positions are numerous but I will do my best to sum up this person you now see before you. I am the oldest of four, the leader of the pack from a psychological perspective, the alpha male. I am the only person in my immediate family with a college degree. I say this because I seek to rationalize the chasm that exists between me and my sibs. There is much distance between us and it is not only miles. My faith has exposed a wicked difference in the midst of those with whom I share a blood relation.

I am a follower.

My faith is central to who I am and all those who know me understand that. I make no apologies for my understanding of scripture but instead listen close to how others interpret Jesus’ words so that I might glean further. As I dig further into the red letters of the New Testament I am moved to not only be like Jesus but to understand the minds and hearts of those who were closest to him at the time. I want to grab a hold of what went through the mind of Peter. I want to listen like John. Mostly I want to fully grasp what it means to deny myself.

I am a liberal.

Politics are one of those topics that can turn a good conversation into a mind numbing waste of one’s time. For better or worse we are all subject to politics of some sort. Whether we are talking about national stories like healthcare or we are talking about the next youth pastor at the church we attend and the troubles they may face with the existing staff, politics are a part of our everyday lives one way or another. Unlike most of my contemporaries and peers, I am not a Republican. For the sake of disclosure, I am also not a Democrat. It is important to define the word liberal first and then understand that I am a Diplomat.

I am a husband and a father.

My family is next in line after Jesus. Under this header I am also a coach, a mentor, a teacher and a best friend. I find great joy being all of those things; this is where my heart is often.

I am a black sheep.

I have been ostracized because of my public distaste for the Christian Right. I have been ridiculed because of my position against war. I have been questioned for trying to bring tough topics to the table and opening up these dialogues to atheists and agnostics. I have been outcast just because of the way I have voted in the past, especially when I admitted that I had not voted for G W Bush. I have been pushed away because of my faith.

This is who I am in a nutshell. I will ask hard questions and demand an answer. I will push the very edge of the envelope. I will not toe the line. I am hungry for debate but believe it or not, I am desperate for your side of the story. I will not suppress this Jesus who lives in me.

This is hello.

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My life is not mine, and yet it is mine to live for Him. Peace to you all.

D

Passion...

**This is a post from October 2009 when I was a guest blogger on a different site....

Without looking up a definition to this I am struck by the immediate thoughts of steaminess and lovemaking and silk sheets and candles and a rug in front of a fireplace. This all sounds great but is that all there is to passion? Could there be more than that of my libido? Maybe that’s all we need is passion like that, to think of sex and pleasure that is fulfilled by having such a desire. Why dwell on the subject, why search the dictionary for an alternate meaning when we can enjoy some carnal thoughts about that sort of passion in our lives?

To me, passion is the culmination of emotion, mixed with love, sprinkled with insanity and wrapped in an intensity that is incomparable with any other feeling.

Passion is a deep word with deep meanings but I look less for what Webster has to say and more for what my own friends have to share. Passion is not just a desire of the flesh; it is something you want with heart, soul, body and mind. When we are passionate about a particular subject matter, even if it is another person, we have a great desire to be around whatever it is, as often as possible.

Passion is a longing. Those things that we long for are regular attendees of our minds. When we wake up in the morning, it is not long before our thoughts drift to that which we long for. Are you longing for a connection with another person, or just dying to get back out on the soccer field? You can have a passion for many things by simply longing for them. The passion comes when you apply your heart and then chase after it.

Passion is also a hunger. Not unlike your favorite ice cream or favorite cut of steak, food is more than just essential to most of us. We crave certain things and sometimes we make late night runs just to have them. Passion is just like that. It is at the top or near the top of your mind at all times. It is something you concentrate and dwell on in a way that brings out a hunger; a thirst for more.

Let’s go deeper yet…does passion have to have reins? Think of it this way; is passion, without control, a train wreck waiting to happen? There are times when our emotions take over regarding something or someone we care deeply about. In those moments we have a heightened sense of passion as we are so singularly focused on one subject while exhibiting an emotion that is raw.

There’s another thing though and that is the refinement of passion in our lives as we age. Under the age of ten I would suggest that a person is infatuated or possibly developing senses of strong interest, but there comes a time when that interest turns to a passion. In our twenties and thirties it seems we try our best to manage emotions that are in fact raw, but intensely powerful. We are physically strong while also mentally aware of new feelings and motives.

As we age it seems to me that we refine our passions to concentrate on one or two specific desires. I really think that when we are young we are passionate about more than just a few things, it is only as we age that we narrow that field to something we can manage. It is then that our passions become so clear to everyone else. The progression of passion in our lives can be like a puppy. In the beginning we tend to jump on everything but as things change we learn to be selective about where and when to jump.

I have this realization right now that I am passionate about a few things. My desire is that I am seen for having those passions and staying true to them. My fear is that what I feel is a passion is more of an infatuation and time will strip me. Maintaining clear motives towards deep seated feelings will determine the reality of my passions.

I am convinced that where there is passion there is a heart that is beating wildly. My prayer is that my heart never outgrows its mo-hawk and tattoos.

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My life is not mine, and yet it is mine to live for Him. Peace to you all.

Grampa Jack

My name is Drew. I am the oldest grandson to grampa Jack.

Yes, he was my grampa, but every friend I ever invited over referred to him as grampa.

His classic sense of humor seemed to eliminate any need for stuffiness. Quite simply, I remember him as always being in a good mood; always happy; always full of life.

 

Once when I was about 8, I asked grampa if I could drive his truck. He immediately said "fat chance". Instead, he suggested we get some ice cream. Seemed like a good alternative.

Later on when I was about 13, I remember being old enough to sit at the adult table for dinner. That first meal grampa lamented that he wouldn't get any because I was going to eat it all.

After every visit, gramma and grampa would stand faithfully in the front door and wave as we drove away. I always waved. So did he.

Grampa was the only person I knew who watched Lawrence Welk.

Grampa enjoyed beer, which worked out well for me when I was a toddler.

Grampa and his rocks, what more is there to say.

 

Grampa was truly blessed by his family but more importantly, he was a blessing to his family and that was most evident in his love for gramma.

Thank you grampa for your example. Thank you for the joy you brought this family for so many years.

We love you