Notes from the Trail

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This is not original to me today. I just completed Day 3’s assignment in Week 10 of Beth Moore’s The Patriarchs. Only two more days, and I’ll be finished. I’m considering an online Bible study blog at this point. I’m going to write it and invite participants. Let me know via the comments if you’re interested. If I get 10 who will commit to a 4-5 week study, I’ll do it.

In Genesis 48, we read of Jacob’s blessing on Joseph and his two sons. Scripture records that Joseph had arisen to greatness in Egypt, becoming Pharoah’s right-hand man. He had two sons there, and named them Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph’s life had not been a bed or roses. Talk about a dysfunctional family. Sibling rivalry had resulted in a brush with death as his brothers decided against a murder plot in favor of a money plot. They sold him. Plain and simple. (Some of you… don’t get any ideas here!) They decided to gain from their father’s loss (Jospeh was the favorite son). For 20 years, they kept the plot secret, although Jacob suspected something was rotten in Canaan…
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I’m sure to get some flack from this, but it’s been on my mind for a while. I stumbled across Al Mohler’s blog entry today called, “Are We Mere Chemicals? Happiness as a Prescription.” I encourage you to read it and the findings there. However, let me jump off the high dive here and hope there’s water in the pool.

Our society is over-medicated. No one can dispute that. Unfortunately, no one wants to deal with it, especially if it affects them personally. Me? I’m probably on the other end of the spectrum. I refuse to take an Advil unless someone else can hear the pounding in my head. When it becomes a matter of “disturbing the peace,” I pop a pill to avoid a ticket. (Now if only the bozo’s who drive by my house late at night with their bass up and their woofers thumping would abide by that as well!)

But here’s the deal… I think there are bunches (my technical term for an embarrassing amount) of people who are popping pills that have actually been prescribed for them for things ranging from depression to mood swings to anxiety to sleeplessness to… Well, you get my drift. Far be it from me to point out that most doctors receive incentives from pharmacuetical companies to promote their products. And practically speaking… you’re a doctor. A patient comes in. You have to see them. They describe symptoms that you know full well don’t have to be treated by meds but can be. You also know full well that meds won’t address the long-term problem or deeper issues going on inside. But you don’t have time to truly “fix” this patient. Nor do you want the headache caused by an angry patient who thinks they need meds when you tell them they just need to get a grip.

So it’s a terrible Catch-22.

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I first saw this while cruising some religious blogs at 9rules Communities. So… here I go. Thanks to the Lo-Fi Tribe’s blog for originally getting me tagged.

1. List three words that describe your faith.

Growing, mysterious, joyful.

2. Describe one belief about which you are very certain and one belief with which you struggle.

Certain: That Jesus is God and is love.  Struggle: Spiritual gifting… particularly why there is so much abuse and confusion about gifts like tongues, healings, miracles, etc.

3. What is your mission in life?

My mission is to magnify God as life’s ultimate joy. I try earnestly to do this through the journalist’s credo of "afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted." I hope to be used by God to free people from mindless, routine, and maintenance religion and help lead them to a love relationship with God through living faith in Jesus Christ.

4. Describe one thing that interferes with you authentically living out your faith.

Zoned in on things in which I don’t have enough contact with people (i.e., in front of the computer, books, video games, and movies too much!).

5. What is your favorite story from the Hebrew Scriptures? Why?

The story of Joseph. I’m studying it again right now as I finish up Beth Moore’s "The Patriarchs," and it makes me cry every time. Have no idea. Has something to do with a person being rejected by men and found by God. A person who gains a family back after they all learn the importance of unity.

6. What is your favorite New Testament story? Why?

I think it must be Peter walking on the water. Amazing. That Jesus’ power only held him up (or was it Peter’s faith?) and that it was Jesus’ Word alone that emboldened him to step out. Can I take Jesus at His Word enough to step out of my boat?

7. Describe a meaningful action you took because of your faith.

Started Journey Church.

8. Does your faith differ from that of your parents? If so, how?

Not that much. Mine is more expressive in the sense of being action-oriented, I guess.

9. Who or what was most important in the development of your faith.

In recent years, it’s been some things I’ve read and poeple I’ve been around. John Piper’s book Desiring God did more to teach me about the character and nature of God than anything I’ve read in a long time. I’ve just recently been deeply affirmed by A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren. In addition, the campus ministers that I hung out with for 8 years while I served as one at the University of Arkansas at Monticello remain some of the main men in which "iron sharpens iron." Guys like Neal Nelson and Ben Phillips, and Jackie Flake, as well as others. In addition, Scott Duvall and Kevin Wieser played important roles in my understanding of my call to ministry and then my application of it.

10. Pass it on! Tag at least two other religious/faith bloggers.

I?m tagging: Jim Parker of XperienceStuff and Carolyn Noble at Proof Positive.

To fully grasp the import of this "Parchment Review," you’re going to have to realize that I’m doing a little word-eating here. With relish. Back in September, I wrote about the emerging church wondering if it is a "self-described movement or a protest." I still stand (one legged) on what I said in that post. However, in the meantime, I’ve completed McLaren’s book A New Kind of Christian. I must say that I agree wholeheartedly with Andy White’s review of it at servantblog.com when he said,

"I am not exaggerating when I say that it blew my mind.  I thought my thinking was fairly well out of the box until I read this. It?s a very easy read, and there is not a single redundant page in the whole book.  It is insightful, challenging, frightening, liberating and should probably carry an Advisory Warning that would probably read ‘This book will shake the foundations of your world.’" 

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For those of you stopping by today, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This blog entry is neither profound nor even remotely informative. Chalk it up to OBES (Obligatory Blog Entry Syndrome). I hate that it’s come to this.

Have you seen the new Mac ads yet? Try em out here. My favorite is the one for iLife. Gotta check ‘em out.

In other news, I’m beginning a semi-regular "Off the Path" link to the right which will be a blog or two that I’ve stumbled upon and will link to for a day or so just so you can see what net journeys I’ve discovered and have walked down a ways.

Well. Nuff said for now.