Yes!

I was in Chicago this weekend and we went to church with our friend who gave up his bed 2 nights for us. It was on this trip I felt a small victory in my journey with the Lord. A resounding YES! in my heart. You see, I've reacted negatively towards various church styles in the past, maybe as early as 8th grade. I don't think it's always bad to react nor do I feel all my reactions were immature or judgmental. Some were. But that's neither here nor there... just finding my way.

The last community I was a part of caused me to engage with truths and styles of meeting with the Lord which were more formal than I'd known previously. I credit these beautiful people for teaching me the Apostles Creed , for giving communion its proper place and helping me to draw deeply and lovingly from liturgy. I never expected to want to pick up a copy of The Book of Common Prayers at the next used bookstore I see.

It actually wasn't until Friday night talking with friends in Chicago that I realized some of the beauty and weight the Anglican style carries in my heart. Then Sunday, I was given a gift. It had a lot of the same elements of the Anglican church complete with traditional hymns. Everything about the style has in the past been the basis of some sort of tension or reaction in me which had its right and wrong place. But as I sat/stood there during the hymns, the prayers of the people, confession time and communion I had absolutely NO tension. If anything, a longing for it overtook me. This was a victory people. I feel like I was healed of something. Maybe judgment, maybe cynicism, maybe poor vision, maybe something for which I should not try to minimize by finding the perfect words. Or maybe I just grew up a bit. Regardless, it felt really beautiful to not analyze how someone does church as more "Right" or more "Wrong" (thanks David for that wording) but as another profound way that God would choose to love us. Sounds elementary as i write it, but I think people involved in church do this much more than we'd care to admit. At least I've seen you do it as much as me :)

I've been thinking more lately about how God makes all things new. Maybe all the different ways to express the truth of God in a community setting are a loving expression of a God who regenerates, creates and makes all things new.

Or maybe all the different versions of church are mutations of the really simple way of Jesus. Ha! Maybe...but that's a totally different post. In the end, I still can't get over the fact that God gives us the ability to meet him for real, legitimately, purely without mistake and without mutation in so many ways.

Buckets of Babes

Because this should be seen by everyone in the whole wide world...


Buckets of Babes Music Video from Mike Varel on Vimeo.

Games

I decided a few months ago that I need to play more games. I've never liked games that much and I never really knew why. Then I realized part of it is because our family never played games so I am always the one who has to learn. I played Clue for the first time THIS year. I remember playing Sorry and Life and Monopoly but I was always begging someone to play with me.

The other reason for a strong aversion to games I've realized is the endless renditions of horribly awkward games played in youth group growing up. Maybe that's why I became a leader...I could lead the game instead of have to play it, or I could look busy enough doing something "important" to not have to play games.

In the end, I feel somewhat deficient in playing in general. I am learning and I am thankful for friends who teach me. This also means I should take advantages of opportunities to play games. I like this one.

The Game:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your Flickr name.



Answers
1. Blakely
2. Berries
3. Lawton High
4. Blue
5. Matthew Fox
6. Lemon Drop Martini
7. Australia
8. Creme Brulee
9. Chef
10. Thought
11. Complex
12. None (as in I don't have one)