picked.

Do you feel like you need to be picked? Are you upset if they choose someone else? Is that a sign of strength or fragility? 

So why do you believe in a god that needs to be picked? 

to. day.

I'm writing this before Sunday morning but it's set to publish Sunday morning. Why does that matter? Well, this Sunday morning is my last Sunday morning speaking to some amazing people at a church I started over 7 years ago. 

I haven't begun to process all the emotions - it still feels pretty normal -  and I've only begun to dream with my wife about what is next (and where we will find paychecks) but I can tell you this: You'll be the first to know it all. Right here. 

To a new era! 

In the meantime, after watching The Greatest Showman (twice!) here are some lyrics to inspire you this morning. 

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design

'Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colors fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
A million dreams for the world we're gonna make

art.

The great thing about art is that you can interpret it in lots of ways, you can agree or disagree with it, you can try to seek context, you can learn about the creator, you can dismiss it, you can emotionally react to it - in good and bad ways - and it can alter your life or it can not. (Hint: the Bible is art.) 

With all that said, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan made this piece of art in 2016 and it's on display in the Guggenheim. It's called "America". 

React as you will. 

excellence.

We often hear something along the lines of "if you're going to do something, do it with excellence." 

I completely get the sentiment. 

Problem is, for someone like me, I like to do all kinds of things. And sometimes I wonder if doing all kinds of things, prevents me from doing one thing excellently. 

In a recent conversation with someone about this, I have a new statement. 

Live with excellence. Sometimes that means doing a lot of things pretty good. But, don't do one thing excellently if doing that makes your life pretty good.

perkins.

Tony Perkins, leader of the evangelical Family Research Council recently said that Trump gets a "mulligan" on his alleged affair(s) because evangelicals "were tired of being kicked around by Barack Obama and his leftists. And I think they are finally glad that there’s somebody on the playground that is willing to punch the bully.”

A few comments. 

1. Good for Perkins giving Trump a mulligan and/or do-over. Can we give mulligans to most of the prisoners in our current prison system as well? At least the ones that are only in there because they are black? Oh and also mulligans to Hillary Clinton? And, probably, Barack Obama for his ruthless kicking them around? 

2. Christians should never be kicked around. Definitely agree. I'm trying to think of a time when Jesus was kicked around but I just can't. He's got a great point. I'll keep trying to think of something of some kind of story where Jesus illustrates that sometimes empires and religion kick you around... 

3. I think if there's one thing we can all agree on it's that Jesus was definitely all for punching playground bullies. No doubt about that one. Equally obvious, and illustrated by great leaders throughout history is that the best way to promote change is to punch someone. 

Reasons 7645, 7646, 7647 why Christianity is a) a joke b) uninspiring c) losing more people every day. 

One more from Perkins. “Look, Christianity is not all about being a welcome mat which people can just stomp their feet on.”

One more from me. "Look, if this is how you understand Christianity, please leave fast. There are far better ways to life and spirituality, I promise."

tariffs.

Given that the United States just imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines, it brings up an interesting point: what are the equivalent tariffs for people who are beating me in my market place? Or just my life? What about that man/woman who just seems to work more efficiently and produce more creative work than I do? Or who has it together more than me? Can I impose some kind of fee on her/him so that my work will have a chance? Can I impose a fee of negativity that they have to battle more against, to help myself? 

No.

But we sure do our best. Breaking down other's reputations, trying to erode trust, encouraging more "questions" about what they do, so everything they do - and attempt and produce, costs them a little more. 

That's just wasted energy. 

Instead keep failing, keep working, keep testing, keep improving, keep trying to change the world, and keep being content with doing good work that only you can do.

We don't more tariffs. We do need more good work. 

find.

One more on the Hell stuff. This one is about Heaven. 

You don't get Heaven. You don't go to Heaven. You find Heaven. 

Ask. Seek. Knock. Find. 

Just think how that would change some theology. 

black museum.

So if you believe in a Hell, or if you know someone who believes in a Hell - where people are eternally tortured, I have a challenge for you. 

Watch. Or invite that person over to watch episode 6 season 4 of Black Mirror. It's called "Black Museum". It's dark, of course. Hell is dark. 

It isn't specifically about Hell but think of the concept of Hell as you watch. If you - or the person who believes in Hell - watches that episode and still believes in Hell - well, I'll be honest. I'd be worried.

universalism...

This is part question and part statement.

If you aren't a universalist, how can you possibly, correctly, understand the love of God? 

one million...

When I was 20

I said

I would be a millionaire

by the age of 25. 

Boy, was I wrong. 

Unless

I wasn't talking about a million pieces of paper

but instead

a million

experiences
conversations
laughs
words heard
words spoken
instances

that matter. 

Which 

is funny.

Why is the dream to collect pieces of paper that don't even exist? 

And not instances - even some boring ones -

that matter. 

today.

We bought one of those little signs that you can slide letters into and light up. You know the ones. They're big right now. 

Problem is, there is lots of pressure to come up with a wise saying that will fit into the thing - and that we have enough letters for. The pressure. We've all got to be inspired when we walk into the kitchen! 

So, how's this? 

Today, or not today. 

That is the question.
Arguably the only one. 

If it's not today, it was yesterday or it will be tomorrow and, well, yesterday is all memories and tomorrow is all ideas about future events so really if it's not today - what is it?

We can remember today, of course. And we should. We can plan today, of course. And we should. 

But there's no use wasting time today on something that doesn't need to happen today.
And if it does need to happen today, well, then make it happen! 

hard to believe.

I just watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because my wife read the book and because it's filmed in Sweden and, well, we needed some Sweden. It's a pretty dark movie but there is a great line in it: It’s hard to believe that the fear of offending can be stronger than the fear of pain.

Of course there is the obvious fear of offending your grandparents by swearing at the dinner table but there is also the fear of telling someone no, of letting someone down, of breaking with the expected and ritualistic - when you know you are supposed to. 

life vs. money.

I was talking to a friend who said something along these lines: I've never met anyone who was sincerely pursuing the kind of life they want, who didn't find enough money. They might exist but I haven't met them or heard those stories. 

To which I added something along these lines: And I've met a ton of people who were pretty intent on pursuing money and didn't find enough life.  

I'm 44 today. Here's to pursuing life and letting the money show up where it will, instead of pursuing the money and endlessly waiting for life to show up. 

I think Jesus said similar as well... seeking first or something like that... right? 

preference.

Would you prefer to be a protégé, a prodigal, or a prodigy?

A protégé is guided by a person who is more skilled than the average. 
A prodigal is reckless - but learns - and ends up more aware than the average.   
A prodigy is gifted beyond the average. 

Each of them brings us somewhere above average but by very different means... 

Instruction. 
Failure. 
Talent. 

The good news is we probably don't need to choose. In fact, if you're lucky, you have all 3 in your life. 

mlk

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

lucky.

What role does luck play in success? What role has it played in your success or lack thereof? 

The answer to that question might determine as much as the answer to any question in how we see the world and the humanity in it. 

convincing...

There are two kinds of people in this world. 

One kind is trying to convince you of something. 

The other kind is trying to convince you of something else. 

So who are you listening to? What are you trying to convince people of? 

(And you're not allowed to say you're not trying to convince anyone of anything. In that case, you're just trying to convince people that you don't have any ulterior motives or agendas - which might be the hardest thing of all - probably because it's not true.) 

trumped.

After returning from Europe and reminding myself that we have an amazing system that limits the power of kings and that we will most likely never have a king as bad as most European countries have had, I feel as relaxed and calm about our current government as I ever have. 

That said, Trump apparently said yesterday that the United States needs to keep out people from "shithole countries" and bring in more people from places like Norway. The White House hasn't denied the statement and numerous sources have confirmed it. 

It brings up an interesting point... and it's not the fact that Trump thinks there are shithole countries nor it is it that he doesn't want people from those countries. I don't think that's shocking to anyone. 

More interesting, to me, is the fact that Trump thinks someone from Norway would want to move to the United States.

Why in the hell would anyone want to move here from Norway?

You can look up the stats on your own - it's a fun time - but the U.N. recently named Norway (again) the number one spot to live in the world. 

1. Norway — For the 13th consecutive year, Norway ranked highest in standard of living, life expectancy, and education. Thanks to the country's robust, publicly funded healthcare system, the average life expectancy is 82 years.

Now ranking countries is difficult but according to most every meaningful metric Norway is up there, if not number one. 

And, according to that same study the United States is 11. 

So, again, more important than the fact that there are perceived lower countries, it's important to remember that there might be 10 "better" countries that we can humble ourselves and learn from. 

Oh and Norway's prison system is generally regarded as the most humanizing and healing in the world. It's prison rate is 75 per 100,000 compared to 707 per 100,000 for the U.S. It's recidivism is generally the lowest in the world at about 20%. The U.S. has a rate of about 76%. 

Oh, and Norway recently pledged 1.2 billion dollars to the Syrian refugee criss which is the equivalent of $240/person. The U.S. has pledged about $16 a person. (But Norway's GDP of $97,000/person is nearly double the U.S.)

Oh, and though Norway has recently tightened up its restrictions, it has been generally been a leader in the world in accepting people from "shithole countries". 

Yeah, there is much we can learn. 

escaping reality.

You can't escape reality. Stop trying to escape reality. 

They will say. 

I agree.

Unless the reality you are trying to escape is a bad one. 

america? great?

Always have to be a little careful with statistics - as they can be manipulated to say a lot of things. 

But, you can read the article for yourself and form your own opinion. 

Children between the ages of 15 and 19 are 82 times more likely to die from gun homicide in the United States than in peer countries.

Between 2001 and 2010, researchers found that the risk of death in the United States was 76 percent higher for infants than in peer countries. In addition, the US has an infant death rate from extreme prematurity three times that of its peer countries.

If you're reading this blog, I assume you have nothing to be afraid of. You'll be fine.

The reason the numbers are becoming so bad, relative to other peer countries, is not because of the wealthy and/or middle class in the United States, but because of this growing mass in our culture called "the poor". 

I'm all for making America great again. The follow-up question is really important. 

For who?