no one cares what the sign says.

I've seen hundreds of people in the ocean with a sign that says "Don't swim, jellyfish"

I've seen everyone go the wrong end of the line when the sign clearly said "Line starts here". 

I've seen hundreds of people jump off rocks into the ocean when the sign said "No jumping"

I've seen everyone park where the sign says "No Parking"

I've seen everyone climb over a rope with a sign that says "End of the trail is here. Do not go any further." 

And I swam in that ocean, went to the wrong end of the line, jumped off the rocks, parked, and went over the rope closer to the waterfall. 

Signs are everywhere in life and they really don't mean much of anything. What's does mean a lot is figuring out which signs are worth following and which signs are not. And, for that, there will always be a need for other humans to point, to lead, to test the way. 

Or to be that person ourselves. 

aloha.

There is a sign in Hawaii that says "Aloha is a way of life". 

Yes, aloha means hello and goodbye in Hawaiian. Yes, any tourist can get off the plane and say "aloha!" and they would be correct in their intention and meaning. 

But, that's not the true extent of aloha. 

Aloha is far more than just a word. It's a perspective, an intention, an ideal, an attitude, and yes, hello and goodbye, but hello and goodbye with an entire culture and history behind it.

Anyone can throw out some words like Christian, God, faith, believe, and Jesus and they might even be correct in their intention and meaning.

But that's not the true extent of the kingdom of God. We're talking about a way of life. A perspective, intention, attitude and culture. 

You can be Hawaiian, Japanese, Australian, and even American and still live aloha, because it's not a superficial label, a birthright, a flag, a system of beliefs, it's... a way of life. 

It's a way of life. 

What's your way of life? 

the question.

Is this striving to be >  or  illuminating = ? 

Dark always strives.

Light always illuminates.  

the solution.

 The solution to every problem in the world, according to me.

Whenever possible, illuminate...

=

the problem.

The root cause of every problem in the world, according to me. 

The quest to be...

>

driving in the dark.

We arrived at 11:30pm which meant it was dark. We couldn't see anything except for the road, that looked like every other road. 

The next day we made the same drive at 5:30pm, in daylight. We could see the ocean, the jungle, the sunset, the green, the mountains and the entire family said "isn't it amazing we had no idea what we were missing last night?" 

Which is what the darkness always does: it hides the beauty. The colors. The enchantment. The views. And you just focus on the boring mundane road that you've seen a million times. 

emergence.

Many small things make up something larger that can't be measured just by measuring the small things. 

You are not your nose. A tree is not a leaf. The universe is not a rock. 

But...

Your nose is part of you. A leaf is part of a tree. A rock is part of the universe. 

It gets way more complicated, both biologically, philosophically, and even artistically. Too complicated. But, the general idea is that everything is made up of smaller pieces. 

Which leads some to ask what the human emergence is. In other words, what do all of us make up? 

Some answer god. Which would lead to... You are not god. We are god. Interesting. 

We could go farther and ask what everything in the universe makes up, or creates? The universe, of course. But, we could also answer god. 

The rock is not god. The rock is part of god. The tree is. The rabbit is. We are. Everything is god. Literally. All of it. 

Also interesting. 

I'm not sure you can find much about God in the Bible, or Christian history, that would not agree with the idea that God is the universe. Of course not in that kind of language, but in that kind of thinking. 

Interesting to think about. 

contradictory.

After labeling a country a terrorist sponsor, the United States just sold them 5 fighter jets. 

The Southern Baptist Convention had an easy time condemning gambling and Planned Parenthood but struggled to condemn the alt-right movement. 

I was speaking to a friend who can tell me all the reasons gay marriage is wrong but none of the reasons marrying a divorced woman (mentioned specifically by Jesus as adultery) is okay. 

It's everywhere. In politics, religion, and life: the contradictions. It's on every side, in every faith, and with us all. But it's the contradictions that drive us crazy because a contradiction is a lack of ownership of the true motivations, the actual drive, and lived beliefs. 

Own the fact, that we'll sell weapons to anyone who will give us money. Because we, as a nation, worship money. 

Own the fact that you are racist religious group who believes that laws and rules will change the world. 

Own the fact that you read the Bible a certain way that makes you personally feel better. 

Once we start owning the facts, we can actually start having productive disagreements instead of frustration at so many continued inconsistencies. And don't get upset the next time someone points out your inconsistencies - just thank them. 

weird or boring.

My daughter just asked, would you rather be weird or boring? It's a great question, because at the end of the day, they are our only options. There is no normal. 

So?
Weird or boring? 

The weird...
don't do what we expect
are rare
stand out
create change
challenge stereotypes
resist labels
invite criticism

The boring...
do exactly what we expect
are common
fade into the background
resist change
mold into stereotypes
capitulate to labels
are afraid of any kind of criticism

The weird are uncomfortable. That's why we made a word to describe them and make ourselves feel better at the same time. 

The boring are comfortable. That's why we like them and sometimes want to be them. But, seriously, they are so boring. 

You choose. 

recruiting.

"Because they all like getting recruited, but that’s completely different than playing football."

What a great line from a very successful college football coach about finding the right players. 

You can't be recruited without playing football (or whatever sport it is) but it's interesting how easy it can be to mix up the point and start thinking that recruitment is the goal, instead of more football. 

We all like money.
We all like fame.
We all like being up front.
We all like a good review. 
We all like the applause. 
We all like the article. 

But that's completely different than

Running a business.
Writing a book. 
Recording a song. 
Helping the poor. 
Growing the vegetables. 
Cooking the meal. 

Some football players would play just as hard if there was no such thing as recruitment. Some wouldn't. Some forget that recruiting success only means more football, more recruiting, more football, more fame, more work... 

Which one are you? 
 

they have a nice building.

I was recently at our local mechanic (who is one of our favorites) and asking him what he charged for a certain service on one of our cars. His price was half of that of the dealer.

I said "Do you know the dealer charges twice that?" to which he responded "Well... they have a nice building. Gotta pay for it somehow." 

What am I paying for? 

are you winning?

What's the game? 

Who is keeping score? 

What are the rules? 

Does your opponent think they are winning? 

Is it fun?

Is there a better game? 

more than acceleration.

Life is not just accelerating - although, arguably, that's the most fun. The wind in your hair, the momentum pinning you to the back of the seat. 

Then you have to cruise at the same speed. Or slow down. Or turn. And eventually stop. And eventually refill the car. 

To actually arrive anywhere, you can't just accelerate. 

So slow down. Enjoy the turn. The cruise. Even the stopping. 

It's the only way to arrive. 

cleaning church toilets.

About a year ago, I posted a bloog (blog/book) of 87 posts/thoughts on church, faith, god, hell, heaven, community, and all kinds of other things, including toxic religion after being a pastor for 7 years. It was called Cleaning Church Toilets.

Well that was the blog. Now for the book!  

Paperback and Kindle versions are now available on Amazon. Enjoy! Spread the word and I always appreciate reviews on any book if you read the book or even if you just read the blog posts! 

surplus.

A belt broke on my riding mower the other day so I had to use my push mower. 
And then, using my push mower, the wheel broke off. So, I had to use it with 3 wheels.
Until my father-in-law offered me his push mower and then my neighbor let me use his to finish mowing. 

So get this. 

First, I have a lawn, which was invented to prove you are wealthy enough to not need to use land for crops because you have so much extra. 

Second, I have two mowers. That propel themselves. One lets me sit on it. 

Third, when both of my mowers happen to be broken, in five minutes I have two people who instantly let me borrow another mower. 

Imagine, if instead of being incredibly grateful, I started to complain and bitch and moan about my bad luck, about the state of mowers today, and how mad I am that you can't even find a decent mower. 

It would look pretty bad. 

So, I would never do that. I assume you wouldn't either. Most people wouldn't. 

Not about a literal lawnmower.

But, about jobs, about culture, about economy, about safety in this country? 

they're louder.

It might just be me, but I've always wondered why flight attendants come across so loudly and clearly over the airplane's sound system and the pilots don't. 

Is that intentional? 
Does it speak to who is more important or vital? 

But, it does speak to a bigger issue. Why do we often hand the microphone to someone other than the one actually taking us where we want to go? 

There are some decent reasons, I suppose, but I'm more eager to hear from the woman flying the plane, than the man telling me how to buckle my seatbelt. 

a fraud.

Being a fraud.

I think it's one of, if not the, greatest fear we carry. 

We are not who we 

pretend we are
think we are
want to be
want others to think we are
are convinced we are

I don't know one person on the planet who would find it complimentary to be called a fraud. 

Funny enough, I don't think we carry this fear with the people closest to us, the ones we truly trust, the ones we know, know us and are okay with who we are. 

Find them. 

Ignore the rest. 

Be you. 

this finally makes sense.

It's been said for months that it was the working class poor whom elected Trump. While making sense on one level, it really didn't on another. 

And today, the Washington Post busts the myth. Most Trump supporters were not the working class. "In the general election, like the primary, about two thirds of Trump supporters came from the better-off half of the economy."

In fact, about a 1/3 earn more than $100,000 a year. 

So, once again we learn to:

Be careful of media representations. 
Be careful of anecdotes. 
Be careful of stereotypes, especially blaming stereotypes. 

And, of course, be careful of what a desire for more money will always do. 

the default.

The good about default

 is that it

takes very little thought 

takes very little effort

& requires very little risk. 

The bad about default

is that it

provokes very little emotion

produces very little evolution

& contains very little value. 

Some worship the default. 
Some worship the anti-default. 

Both have their value. 
We just have to figure out what we're trying to do. 

the good is everywhere...

I don't know where each of you stand, especially with your faith, with your politics, with your views on culture and its current trajectory. 

For me, I just watched most of the One Love Manchester concert that was put on in response to the terrorist attack In Manchester. 

After crying at my computer, I'm more convinced than ever that there is a lot of good and it's in a lot of places including at a concert with Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Coldplay and many others. 

When thousands of people are singing or chanting or listening to and cheering... 

don't look back in anger
tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace
love, love, love, love, love,
let's not be afraid, together we will stand
The most important responsibility we have on this entire planet is to take care of one another
they come to build a wall between us but they know they won't win

Well, you are, of course, free to think what you will. 

But, me, I'm convinced there is good everywhere and it's seeping into all the cracks and shadows and it's beautiful and divine and it's moving and growing and if you don't want to jump on board, well you can find plenty of people cowering in fear and misery, bemoaning the loss of morality in the world to sit with. 

But IT is what is changing the world for the better more than any ban, any bomb, or any call for vengeance in the name of all those holy books.