Reasons I'm not emergent...

I found this rather funny list of the "Top 50 Possible Reasons I'm Not Emergent." Some hit too close to home... very funny. A few that amused me most:

46. I don’t like Rob Bell’s hair.

36. I heard you had to take yoga.

31. I’m not white.

30. I’m over 40.

29. I don’t have any cool, black eyeglasses.

28. I don’t like coffee or Guinness.

27. It’s immoral to smoke pipes or cigars.

24. I’m allergic to candles.

19. I’m not uber-cool. In fact, I don’t even know what “uber” means.

16. All they want to do is love. Where’s the truth in that?

11. I refuse to switch to Apple

I'm in trouble, especially since I don't like coffee or Guinness... but I have gone Mac and I'll never go back!

Spring is near...

Spring is throwing hints that it is arriving. Today was relatively warm and was mostly sunny. But more telling, I have noticed the crickets and frogs start their annual symphonic residence in the woods around my house. It brought to mind a poem I wrote years ago where the crickets and fireflys inspired me:

I Walked Among The Stars

The air was cool and damp and calm
The summer sun set to retire
The clouds - a pallet in the sky
The frogs and crickets - nature's choir.

As I meandered through my lawn
And earth did don her dark attire
My wandering gaze in awe did see
Behold, the lights! The lights of fire!

In hues of black and green and blue
My yard transformed before my sight -
A universe of smaller scale
With fireflies the stars of night.

Amazement swelled within my soul
My head and lips were full of praise
Yet silence gripped me, for I knew
No better accolades to raise.

A brighter orb transfixed my sight
And I felt drawn to this bright sun
Only to see two separate stars
So very close, they shone as one.

And in that dusk so suddenly
I thought of you, and longing grew
To hold you in my arms at night
And offer thanks to God for you.

So shall our life together be
Yes me and you, my love, my dear -
Two burning stars shining so bright
And yet so close, as one appear.

And though you may not be right here
And Sol return to bring back sight
These thoughts I'll cherish just because
I walked among the stars that night.

From the mouth of the great sage... Dolly Parton

I confess. If I remember right, my first record (a 45 at that!) was a Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers single. I know that is wrong on so many levels (what are records? I'm only 32!... Dolly and Kenny? Really?) But, I have had a strange, mostly repressed affinity for them ever since.

I continue my confession. I have been watching American Idol. Thanks to a DVR at my friend's house and some group pressure, I have been joining several from our midweek devotional time in watching American Idol after the study.

There, I've said it. I feel a little better already. At least that lays the ground work for what follows. Last night, American Idol did a "Dolly Parton" theme, where all the song selections had to be one of her 3,000+ compositions. One guy (thankfully, I don't know most of their names yet!) who I really don't like sang a song that really struck me. It was just an authentic confession of persistence. And when I had a meeting and got a "bad prognistication" vibe about my current situation at work, I thought more about that song, as a sort of anthem in my head... I just got to keep "travelin' thru."

"Travelin' Thru" by Dolly Parton

Well I can't tell you where I'm going, I'm not sure of where I've been
But I know I must keep travelin' till my road comes to an end
I'm out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it
I'm a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit
Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home
Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam
I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' on

Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we're here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth
We've all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree
And when I'm born again, you're gonna see a change in me

God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain
Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain
Oh sweet Jesus if you're listening, keep me ever close to you
As I'm stumblin', tumblin', wonderin', as I'm travelin' thru

I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru
I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin' thru

Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it's hard to travel on
But holdin' to each other, we don't have to walk alone
When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try
We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly

I'm just travelin', travelin', travelin', I'm just travelin'
Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind
Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you
As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', thru

Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I'm just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home
Oh sweet Jesus if you're out there, keep me ever close to you
As I'm travelin', travelin', travelin', as I'm travelin' thru