stuff

• Lisa and I celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss on 5/22. I meant to blog about that back then but time got away from me. There's been ups and downs, there's been times that were better & some that were worse, there's been sickness & health, we've never been "rich" but we've been poor and through it all I can't think of another person on the face of the earth I would have rather spent this time with. God really new what he was doing when he put Lisa in my life and I am very grateful for that.
• I know that there tends to be a good amount of healthy (and unhealthy) criticism of politics and blind patriotism by those in the emerging church scene. I myself wrestled with recent decisions regarding the use of military force in Iraq. On this Memorial Day I remain grateful beyond words for the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives, and continue to do so, for my freedom.
• Theology matters. Understaning who God is matters. It might seem boring or confusing but it is not trivial. Asking theological questions, asking deep questions is never a waste of time.
• History matters. We do not exist in a vacuum. The bible does not exist in a vacuum. We are part of a people with a history that stretches back for centuries--and I'm not talking about all the way back to the 1500's. Understanding how the Church has interpreted scripture, what it has taught about spirituality and morality helps shape our own spiritual development.