Easy Life

The Easy Life.

I often find myself thinking how hard I have it.

Somehow in the back of my mind I hear 'Jesus must have had it really easy being the son of god'. 

The more I think about that, the more wrong it seems.

Jesus didn't have an easy life.  In fact Jesus physical life was anything but easy and remarkably typical.  Given the total of humanity that has ever lived his life was very typical.   It's easy to forget that from the insulated comfort of our western 'modern' lives.

Even today most of humanity doesn't have central heat, clean water, electricity, public schools, honest public safety, safe food or 'modern' medical care we take for granted.  Jesus certainly had none if these things.

He spent 30 years experiencing the difficult parts of being human.  Waking up sore and tired.  Being thirsty, hungry, oppressed, humiliated.  This was all before the crucifixion.  This was all before he even started his ministry.  I think he knew very well how difficult it is being a human.  I think he may have even been sick, injured on the job or other mundane things we imagine he must have been exempt from.

I imagine before his ministry started his hands were already scared and dirty and strong from working with Joseph as a carpenter.

So when I'm tempted to think he was without sin because he had an easy life, I know better.  He had a typically miserable human life.  But that life qualified him and taught him how to communicate the kingdom of his father.  The ideas he brought to humanity have challenged the brightest minds humanity can muster for the last 2000 years. 

These ideas came from a semi-literate, manual laborer, who never wrote a book, never commanded an army, never held political office.

Vox Dei Community Audio

Vox Dei Community Audio

Being domestic today.

After working out at the YMCA (1 hour treadmill, weight circuit, swimming, jacuzzi), I baked another loaf of bread. 

Here's the recipe. 

Here's a pic.

 

Too bad we don't have smell-o-vision on the internet.
  Notice wine glass in the margin.  Must keep the chef happy.

Also started another massive pot of chili in the crock pot.  I made the recipe on this up.  Someday I'll post it.  It's pretty traditional except it has a pound of hot Italian sausage in addition to the ground beef.

Who's this guy???

A typical baby boomer, ultra-previleged, white middle class, suburban male.

Looking back and looking around right now it's amazing how privileged and blessed by grace my existence has been.  Emphasis on the grace.  I have not deserved or earned ANY of what I've enjoyed.

From the beginning I was doted on (ask my sisters) by parents and grandparents.  When this happens expectations become distorted.  The world revolves around me.  That's the way it's always been.  Whatever I want I'll eventually get.  It may take some effort on my part occasionally, but that just makes things interesting.

So after a life of achievement and success there came a time of realization of what my life really amounted to.  I had felt I was an pretty 'ok' person.  Tried to be helpful and kind when it suited me.  And it seemed like it suited me fairly often.  But it was always from the excess.  The part that was left after I consumed as much as I wanted. 

But looking back and seeing my life through God's eyes was a total shock.  I'd been maneuvering and manipulating people and situations all my life for one purpose.  To satisfy the spoiled little child that was me.

This revelation happened after a catastrophic motorcycle injury accident.  I had been riding (with abandon) for over 30 years when two weeks after completing a solo motorcycle trip from Key West, Florida to Anchorage, Alaska, I had an accident that broke the right femur in three places and destroyed the ligaments in the left knee.  

So after months of immobility, and isolation, and limitation, and constant pain (and I was highly pain tolerant from distance running), I had a trip back to Carolina to see my parents when God began to show me what a total disaster my life had been.

I had the feeling that the Alaska trip had been a disaster but I wasn't sure why.  I had accomplished the objective, right?  But what was the objective?  Just to get from one place to another?  No.  Use your skills, determination and perseverance to over-come obstacles?  Yes. But to achieve what?  To prove what?

I knew the answer once.  But even that came too easy.  I didn't appreciate what it was.

What is the answer?

Stay tuned.

Welcome

A quote that's been attributed to J.R.R. Tolkien: "Not all who wander are lost."

This blog is about a journey and life.

I don't claim to be an authority of anything.  Just a fellow wanderer who has found a few things by the grace of God. 

I'll supply some background about where I'm coming from in future posts.  I just wanted to set your expectations (preferably low) before you spend much time on this.  There lots of more talented bloggers you can read.  I feel a little presumptuous to even imagine I have something worthwhile to say.  But you decide.