A Trainwreck in Slow Motion ...

That's what true communication most resembles, and the few who experience it are never satisfied with anything less.

All of us are on an earthbound, linear track of cause and effect, barreling down the shortest path between misery and our illusions of future happiness. We carry the freight and baggage of our personal habits and opinions.

We've built the track with our assumptions about life, our plans and goals, the best our rational minds can produce. Some of us blindly follow that path until we die. Others see that it's going nowhere, but don't know how to get off.

We pretend that our words convey meaning, that we know each other, that we can agree. But a feeling of terrible aloneness betrays that as a lie.

Any true communication between us must jump the tracks that took a lifetime to construct. We make attempts, but the vibrations begin to shake us apart, and eventually we give up.

The only way out is to hear the Word of God.

When He speaks, the irresistible force of our will meets the immovable object---God Himself. It's a wrenching, terrifying experience---an internal train wreck. For many of us, the cars continue slamming together for years.

Though it seems like a disaster, it's really a release.

Jesus said that unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.

True communication of the Word brings death before it can bring life. This is a universal truth that science proves, but that modern humanism cringes from and that religion has forgotten.

Trinity Foundation is an organization dedicated to examining life in the light of that truth.

Though I have not looked at the site in depth, this quote really resonated. Almost three years ago, I tried so hard to communicate something difficult that I wasn't just rattled, my train derailed. I am only now getting my cars back up. I hope theses monster truck tires I'm retrofitting on them will keep me listening and speaking much more freely.

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I remember when I was just a Jr. High student, the associate pastor at my Dad's church turned me on to a little magazine called The Wittenburg Door, which is now published by The Trinity Foundation. At the time, I found the magazine refreshing and even a little naughty. I grew up in the Church and was just hitting that age when all boys start thinking their fathers are dumb as rocks. A magazine that took (loving) pot-shots at Christendom really fed into that.

For the record, I now know that my Dad is brilliant. If I can be half the father he was, I will be doing well.

Miller quote.

A quote I really like, from Donald Miller, author of “Blue Like Jazz,” “To Own a Dragon” and others. He was being interviewed for the Relevant Magazine podcast dated 022406.

Jesus comes down. He draws a circle around himself and says, "Everybody outside this circle is broken. It's obvious. Look at all of you. You're equal. You're 100% equal. Your only hope is to marry me, and if you marry me, you'll have my righteousness."

I’ve often considered getting a tattoo, but could never decide on something that was neither cliche nor would cheapen something I hold dear. Maybe a crown of thorns with the words “Broken, Equal, Needy” around it? Meh. Maybe I’ll just make a t-shirt.

Jesus Loves

Just a bitter little therapy pill I made several months ago using The Church Sign Generator. For the sarcasm impaired... yes it is. For the record, it wasn't a Baptist church and I'm not bashing them specifically. There, did I CMA enough?