Iceland is Cool

Dangerous Thinking

Having placed myself back into a traditional and Very institutional church setting, I'm coming to realize how dangerous our philosophy of church is.

The idea that one can experience intimacy with God and His people on a deep meaningful level unhindered by hierarchies, budgets, by-laws and programs is neat to think about and offers no barrier to fellowship with any other believers. That is until you have lived it!

Now, I find myself on the edge of a cliff. If I don't watch my step, I'll tumble into the void of haughty self-righteousness.

As I look around the meeting room I see people like me. I imagine them yearning for genuine friendship with real people who have real fears, sins, concerns, and real gifts. I think I see them hoping their God is real and almost believing that He wants to be intimate with them too.

I want to show them where I've been. I want to give them the gift of friendship with no strings; only love. I hope they're up for it. I hope I don't split at the seams waiting for them to want what I want. I pray for the humility to endure their system while I look for in-roads and I pray for the strength to love them even when they don't agree with me.

Bucharest, Romania

Memorial Day

Unless I think really hard about it, I can't remember the number of my friends who've died in service to this great nation. There are the ones I knew well; their faces are a collage in my mind. I can't forget them, even if I try, but I don't try. Tomorrow I'm taking my kids to look at a small memorial to one of my friends named Mike. He lost his life while riding to a deployed location in the Middle East when the C-130 he was in landed short of the runway. My other friend Jon held Mike's bleeding head in his lap as he said his last words. Jon wishes he could forget. Then there are those countless ones whom I don't know by name but have shared meals or drinks with or have joked with over the radio or on the TAC phone. I used to say that the desire to get out of the military was directly related to the number of memorial services one attends. Now, I use those smiling faces that float through my head as motivation to continue to serve with honor and do my level best to make sure the living warriors in my care get home safe tonight.

These things we do that others may live...

Small church in Hafnir, Iceland