Rules of Flying

I was at it again, engrossed in another movie and what do you know, another spiritual insight comes flying at me.  This was from a movie I have already seen and shared some with you, but good anyway.

Being a member of the great entertainment industry I have found that being able to stay afloat and sane is sometimes the hardest thing for people to do, but what about the rest of the world.  Wouldn't you agree that surviving is sometimes the hardest thing to do? Financially, physically, socially?  Well let me propose this: Understanding who God is and that he is love here is the following from the movie Serenity

River and Mal sit at the controls of the space ship.  A rain storm ensues outside.  Mal flips switches and dials as he guides the boat through the sky.

Mal:

It ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross.  You know what the first rule of flying is?

(beat)

Well, I suppose you do since you already know what I'm about to say.

River:

I do.  But I like to hear you say it.

Mal:

Love.  You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love she'll shake you off just as the turn of the worlds.  Love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down, tells you she's hurting before she keels.  Makes her a home.

River:

Storms getting worse.

Mal:

We'll pass through it soon enough.

They wait as the ship is shaken by the storm until calm.  Storm breaks, sun shines.  Off into space.

So when the storm keeps blaring and the boat of yours should not be in the air, just know that you'll pass through it soon enough, both of you, God guiding your boat safely through it.

Who Are We To Say?

I have sometimes encountered the situation where I see fellow believers talking about their walk with God by questioning the commitment of others around them.  Why is it that this becomes the way we rate our relationship with the Father?  I find that when people want to make themselves look better, whether it is in work or recreation, the simplest of ways people find to do that is to say everything that the person they are comparing themselves to is doing wrong.  This should not be the case.  I don't care how much better you are than someone else, I don't want to hear you tell me in a comparison, rather tell me what makes you good.

I have experienced this in leadership situations where people who, in essence, may want to take over a position start to question the leadership that is already in place - whether it be government or church.  I would urge you to not be so quick to judge by raising questions about the leaders commitment.  This is not to say that accountability is of no use, but rather change your attitude from an attitude of pride to an attitude of humbleness.  Leadership is not a role of control, it is not a role of dictatorship. NO! I don't know why people feel that when they are given that role they have to be the forefront of everything, in the spotlight and micromanaging with an iron fist.

Leadership is the act of serving, and when a leader serves a leader inspires and from inspiration you can turn a team following behind you into leaders or better yet into servants.  When that happens your role as a leader changes from proving that you are better than everybody else to running along side your "teammates" and becoming a force larger than before.

So stop trying to prove yourself to others and start working on your own relationship with Christ.  You don't have to compete for Christ attention and from where he stands he sees you no different than the guy next to you.  The analogy comes to mind that is so much easier to relate to when you have either lived in San Fransisco Bay Area, know of it, or have been there. 

Two men are standing on Pier 39 in San Fransisco looking out towards Alcatraz.  They both get the notion to see if they can jump their way from the Pier to the Island.  (For those of you who don't know, the distance between the two is roughly 6,000 feet.)  The two men took a running start at one end of the Pier and when they got to the end of it they lept from the boardwalk toward the Island both landing in the Bay separated by only a few feet.  One of them said as they were bobbing in the ocean water, "I got closer than you."  But when all is said and done neither of them were remotely close to even coming close.

Romans 3:23

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Peace and Tolerance: Election '08

This is a strange thing that I have noticed recently and realized it to have been apparent for quite sometime. I notice it in America, because I live here, but it could happen in other parts of the world. What I find strange is the people, usually in reference to political opinions, that promote peace and tolerance for all are also the most vocal about their stance. I don't see a thing wrong with being vocal about what you believe and especially when promoting peace and tolerance. I believe that these issues were one of the reasons The United States of America were formed. Unfortunately, the people who are vocal about their cause do this strange thing that confuses the hell out of me and makes me to believe that their promotion of peace and tolerance is more of an excuse to not have to live by any code.

So far I have experience more anger and intolerance from people who promote what they say is peace and tolerance, can I say peace and tolerance more? peace and tolerance, peace and tolerance, peace and tolerance, peace and tolerance.

If we are to say we need peace, why riot or voice threats or show your anger attempting to show how much stupider people are than you if they believe differently. Does that truely promote peace and tolerance. The biggest issues I have discovered that people show the most hatred towards are ones that I did not vote in their favor on.

Prop 4: I voted in favor of this proposition because I believe that and adults judgment is better than a teenager. Not only am I Pro-Life but a teenage girls body should not be harmed in the way that abortion can do, plus a parental awareness is that much closer to a right decision

Prop 8: I voted in favor of this proposition because the beliefs that I have are that homosexuality is a sin, so I could not vote in favor of allowing a person to sin. Other reasons are the following: I do a lot of wedding video and photography and I run the risk of a lawsuit if I decline to provide services to a couple due to my moral beliefs. If I turn down my service to a gay couple because I don't support their kind of marriage will I be running the risk of a lawsuit. Also non profit organizations could be at risk of losing their non profit status if they refuse their services such as wedding, location services to gay couples. Why should an organization be punished for adhering to their moral beliefs. I feel that it is my duty as a Christian to vote in favor of this Proposition.

Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin: Not only for moral conservative beliefs I feel that the things proposed are far better and will be better run with a McCain/Palin administration...although I think Mike Huckabee would have made a better president. Tell me what a Mike Huckabee/Ron Paul ticket would be like - that would be phenomenal.

Anybody, who voted otherwise, God be with you and that you voted in a way that did not compromise your morals...and if a Christian, your commitment with God - even if it was different than how I voted.