Looking Into My World

So, I have been meaning to write an update to my whole church-searching ordeal. Since Brad and I moved here, we have been looking for a church. It's hard since many weekends we are in Wichita. Then, there are some weekends we decide to sleep in. But really, we want a church because to be part of a community of faith is really important to us. Plus, I feel that it will be a way for us to meet people, and to make friends with whom we hold things in common.

So, Sunday we went to this new church. It is a church plant, which means it is not even an official church, really. But basically it is...they are just still in the formative stage. It probably had about 50 adults, and then some children in the back...not sure how many. Everyone was really nice. And it was diverse. Most people were young...teens to early 30s. But there were a few older people, gothic kids with piercings and black hair, and then your average joe or jane. I like the emphasis they take on not judging, but rather loving people, showing Christ's love in the community. I think that is reflected in the composition of the congregation. The music was great, too...a worship band that didn't try to manipulate people's emotions...they just led the music. The whole downside to the service was the length, largely caused by the sermon. The sermon was not a formal sermon...more conversational in nature. But how the Chuck, the pastor, got from his original scripture to his ending point...I have no clue. It was scattered, not very coherent, and long. Church lasted 2 hours. When I went to the Nazarene church, church was sometimes 1 1/2 hours, but since I attended a Presbyterian church with Brad, I got used to the 1-hour service. I really think there might be a place for us at this church, even with the length of the service. I justify it in that we have no problem watching a movie for 2 hours or playing a video game for 2 hours. Therefore, if our faith is a priority in our life, shouldn't we be willing to spend 2 hours at church? Yes, I wish the pastor was a bit more polished. But there is a genuine message of love and grace that I sensed. So, we are going to stick it out and see how it goes.

On a separate, but somewhat related note...why do Christians automatically assume Jesus was a republican? Why do evangelical Christians limit their view of politics to the stance someone takes on abortion or homosexuality? If you think about it, how many times did Jesus talk about abortion or gay people? Never. How many times did Jesus talk about loving your neighbor, and helping the poor and oppressed? All the stinkin' time! The whole heart of the gospel is loving others and showing that selfless love through meeting the needs of those around you. How can politically conservative Christian people feel that they are being faithful to what God wants, when they align themselves with a political party that doesn't advocate for the very people that Jesus held most dear? And this trend of being a "Compassionate Conservative" is a joke. It is basically just encouraging faith-based charity, rather than truly being interested in what happens to people. While I believe that churches and non-profit organizations have great potential to help other people, I also don't think it is their sole responsibility. What about people who are working but cannot afford health insurance? Once I am married, it will cost me $400/month to cover Brad on my health insurance. That is 25% of my salary, and simply out of the question. What about people who need particular medications, but cannot afford them? When I worked at the pharmacy in high school, we often had people who would not get their medicine when they found out the price, regardless of how much they needed it. I'm sorry, but Jesus did not hold the philosophy of "do it yourself." Nor did Jesus only help those who "deserved it," whatever THAT means. Do we forget what grace is?

I don't see politics only through the lens of my faith, but I do think that somewhere, they merge. Yet how I apply my faith differs a bit from how some people.

A few days ago, I noticed that my car registration was on the floor of my car. I asked Brad if he had been in my glove box for any reason. He said no. I thought that maybe when we opened the trunk with the auto switch in the glove compartment or when we were getting something out, perhaps the registration fell out. I briefly considered the fact that someone had been in there looking, but I didn't take the thought too seriously.

Then, I came home from work last night and peaked into my car. Lately, Brad and I have been carpooling, so it has been several days since I have been in my car for several days. I noticed things were on my front seat. At first, I thought they had fallen out of my car and someone put them on the seat, so they wouldn't get lost. But then, I realized that what was on my seat had been in the center console of my car. I know this for a fact. So...someone has been in my car, once and most likely twice. I feel rather violated, and remotely freaked out.

Yet, what concerns me even more is WHAT was on the seat of my car. When I first moved here, and I was trying to get financial aid squared away, I had to verify my taxes from last year. I was faxing it at Kinkos, and then running other errands, so I just threw the tax papers in my center console. Well, those are what were on my front seat. My papers with my name, work history, social security number, and previous addresses. Also, I tend to throw junk mail in the front seat of my car...you know, those cards you get with missing children info and coupons for an oil change on the other side. So, they also potentially know my current address. In this day of identity theft, I am concerned, but not sure what to do. The person was likely quite stupid. They should have either put things back or taken them with them, but by leaving it on my seat, I now know they were in my car. So, I am doing what I should have been doing all along...locking my car. My car is a piece of crap and I have nothing of value. But I have learned my lesson, and hopefully it's a lesson learned with no real harm.

It's snowing a little here in the state of OK. And the funny thing is, how just a little snow affects folks in the south. In Indiana, the weather forecast would say something like, "Snow showers, with accumulation of 1-2 inches." Here, they issue a snow advisory. Crazy! And earlier, when it was just flurrying, someone refered to it as being "blizzard-like conditions." What?! Granted, it was windy. But there was no snow to be a blizzard. Southerners!

I enjoy reading letters to the editor in the local Stillwater NewsPress. Why? Because a lot of them are amusing, and I guess I enjoy the back and forth banter that sometimes emerges. But today, I read this one:

"We can take it to them or they’ll bring it to us. Fortunately, we have a choice. President Bush is a modern Alexander the Great. He is taking Christ’s love to the world as the great commission was to go unto all the nations teaching them the love of Jesus. That love is the basis of freedom. Freedom to be creative, to take your talents and put them on the mountain top. That is what made America the greatest nation in history.

Our greatness is no accident. Alexander set up the Hellenistic Age that civilized the barbarians in a search for worldwide brotherhood. In a civilized world, the Romans built the roads down which Peter and Paul carried the message of Christ to the West, the Gentiles, the sons and daughters of Japheth.

Every morning, thank the creator you are an American at such interesting and challenging times when you have the freedom to be your greatest self.

Pray for Bush and his staff to “stay the course” and for our military as they are wounded and suffering. More than 400 have paid the supreme sacrifice to carry God’s will to all people.

As we mold other nations to be great, we become the image of our design."

WTF?! I am all about liberation. But what we are doing in the name of the U S of A is NOT liberating. Sure we can say, "They are better off than before," but it is all quite relative. I think it is scary when we start equating the 'will of god' with democracy. So, 400 people carried out the "supreme sacrifice" to carry out 'god's will"? What about the Iraqis who lost their lives? What about the unarmed civilians? What is their sacrifice?

God's blessings are not only reserved for America. God's favor rests not only upon those who live in democracies. God's will is not waging war and rebuilding countries so that they mirror your own. Do I want liberation for all people? Yes. Do I believe that the hope for all people is that they might be free? Definitely. But perhaps liberation and freedom extends beyond political systems; as it encompasses so much more than can contained within any structure.