The rain is raining all around and I’ve started to pray about the river, which is very high, being able to stay inside its banks. Having three feet of snow melt off and then many days of rain seems like catastrophe waiting to happen. Anyway, how bout some Takes.
One
Spent the rest of the day yesterday thinking about Mr. Pence and the Billy Graham Rule, and what’s a Christian to do. Really, of course, it would be better if everyone behaved themselves and never did or thought anything bad or evil. But humanity falls into woe even when it is trying to do the right thing, never mind when it is intending to do the wrong one. It seems like Charity would be a useful Option. The man who never has dinner with anyone but his wife could maybe be forgiven for doing so. And the adulterous pastor could maybe not be cut so much slack and rehabilitated into a new multimillion dollar ministry a mere six months after being found out. The rest of us could practice not being surprised by evil nor fascinated by it.
In a world rife with sexual immorality, where no one can go to the grocery store without having to face the supernatural abs of Gwyneth Paltrow, if Mike Pence just doesn’t want to deal, I really think that’s totally fine.
Two
Because, of course, what I think must really and truly matter.
I’ll just leave that right there.
Three
I think the problem with Christianity in America is the problem of the Weirdo. Someday I’m going to do a blog series on this because I’m sure it will work as a Grand Unified Theory of Everything. Months and months ago I heard Beth Moore, in a video clip, (I will look for it over the weekend to prove to you that it exists) admonish the assembled throng not to be weird. When you’re listening for God’s voice don’t be a weirdo, to paraphrase loosely. I think she might have been saying that the Christian should try to be prudent and thinking and not reactionary and strange. But I feel like the advice is too little too late.
It’s like the evangelical way of being Christian is the Brady Bunch in the 90s remake–just not ok. That must be, at least, how the world sees it. But there are some serious problems when you examine it from the inside as well. Anyway, I will soon be exploring this important hypothesis as it relates to the Benedict Option. It’s going to be brilliant.
Four
Did you know that Easter is in like two weeks? Did ya? I bet you didn’t really know. I bet you were just carrying on thinking that everything was fine and no big deal. I bet you were just sitting back, enjoying the rain, Not Freaking Out.
Five
It appears that a smallish, one mile square slum burned down in Nairobi this week. I am hoping my mother will let me know more about it today. This slum, though nothing to make you pause as you go by, was full of interesting people trying to eke out a living in the shadow of various palatial mansions. It also housed at least three churches and a preschool that Good Shepherd, at such a far distance, has been doing a very little bit to help over the years. The children in the preschool, of course, are adorable, and have been learning to write letters and count. They are also meant to go a wild animal preserve on Monday, an outing that my own children would completely take for granted. Now these children are homeless, along with all their families. If you had some moments to pray for them over the weekend I’d be so grateful. And perhaps for all the other monumental tragedies that happen that we never even know about. Even with social media and being able to know every bad thing the moment it happens, it is actually not possible to know Every bad thing. Which is good or most of us would never sleep. But God knows, and sees, and hears, and listens when we ask for help.
Six
Did I mention that Easter is in two weeks? I feel like you’re just not freaking out and I want you to experience conviction so that you can practice repentance. I’m looking at you Matt Kennedy.
Seven
And now you should really go read more and better takes while I sit here and look at the rain and worry about the river. Have a lovely day, or whatever kind of day you feel like having.
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