So the uproar continues over Rick Warren. They don't think anyone who has a Biblical view of life or sexuality should have any part in the public square. One of the upset individuals is the gay Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire whose consecration has been dividing the Episcopal denomination, said that the choice of Warren was a "slap in the face." He made a statement that I fear may be all too correct, though not in the way he meant it. "the God that he’s praying to is not the God that I know." Warren will pray to the God of the Bible who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. His Word is truth and is unchangeable. Here's the Article.

So, gay rights groups are angry that Obama has Rick Warren praying at his inauguration. They are mad because Rick Warren stands by the Biblical view that homosexuality is sin. They feel that is intolerant. Tolerance in this case is to have their view and only their view. Any other point of view cannot be tolerated. Interesting. Here's some quotes People for the American Way President Kathryn Kolbert told CNN she is "deeply disappointed" with the choice of Warren, and said the powerful platform at the inauguration should instead have been given to someone who is "consistent mainstream American values. "There is no substantive difference between Rick Warren and James Dobson," Kolbert said. "The only difference is tone. His tone is moderate, but his ideas are radical." Notice how tradtional ideas that held sway in America for generations and are still held my a majority of Americans, and are clearly set forth in the Bible, the best-selling book of all time, are our of the "mainstream" and are "radical." Here's the article.

Things have been so crazy lately and I just haven't sat down and written things out. Its not that things have been bad, just...I don't know...crazy. Things have been going well overall, but there are always different things that can end up weighing on you and you don't even know it at first. I think, and if you look back at some of the posts you can see the hints, that my frustrated perfectionism may have been catching up with me in ways I didn't recognize. Even when I know that I haven't really failed, when things aren't the way they are supposed to be, I can put a lot of that weight on myself. I know quite a few other people who do that too. I like to fix everything and when I can't, it can weigh on my mind, even if I dismiss it. It just sits back there in my subconscious and builds up. I think that a lot of different things began to build up and was keeping me troubled even though I didn't know why. Not all better yet, but tonight began to see some recovery. Some of the optimism and excitement starting to reappear. It feels good. Tonight I just felt like typing something, anything, and I thought I would just sort of stream of consciousness the blog with these thoughts. I think that many people have these sorts of issues where they end up struggling with their emotions or thoughts but can't figure things out. Sometimes we over and under spiritualize these things at the same time. In over-spiritualizing, we say things like, 'just pray about it', 'trust God', etc. These things are true but that approach rarely helps. On the other hand, it is too easy to not truly give burdens to God. I thought I had, but they were still sitting back there. Really giving things up and accepting HIS view of things is harder than saying it. I have not mastered it yet. I think this is part of what Paul was expressing when he expressed his frustration with knowing what he was supposed to do but finding that he didn't do it. He called himself a wretched man. I am one too. It is easy to say you are trusting God. It is easy to make it look like you are, but to have that become an emotional reality that then reflects out of you in the private and stressful moments, that is harder. I am glad that I am learning it, but I understand Paul's frustration that it is a struggle. Right now I am listening to a series of songs I just downloaded (after paying for them) by Todd Agnew. I really like his stuff. This is his Christmas album. I am going to use two of the songs at the Christmas eve service. When I was listening to them the other day, they got me all teared up. Emmanuel-God with us. Working on this service has really been touching me. God became like me. He struggled with His emotions, HE was troubled, HE had to balance passion for people with their own rejection. I have no choice in this, but HE did. HE didn't have to come, but HE chose to. Amazing Love!! What an act of humility and compassion. HE became one of us. OH Lord!! Thank you for understanding my troubled heart. You had one yourself. I find great comfort and peace in YOUR presence because YOU have been where I am, and I KNOW that one day I will be where YOU are.

Here is another interesting article about procrastination. I agree with much of the findings of this article. Concrete vs. abstract are definitely part of the problem. I think the other part for me involves my avoidance of failure due to perfectionism. When any task or activity begins to represent failure, either because I'm not sure what to do and therefore risk not getting it right, or I feel like I have already failed, etc., then I tend to avoid the task and put it off, which of course, actually increases the odds of failure. The biggest way I combat this is to try to attach success to such tasks. Here's an example, I need to send Beth this weeks bulletin. It is already late, so there's failure. Now if I can add next weeks (at least) then that will be early which will be success and make Beth happy. :) So, Beth, if you're reading this, its on the way. :) Oh, and here's the LINK to the article.

Chuck Colson has a great article today about pride in relation to the indictment of Illinois govenor Blogojevich. Here's a quote

I now realize that every human being has an infinite capacity for self-rationalization and self-delusion. Those who serve in public life are faced with enormous peer pressure and don't always take time to stop and think carefully about what they're doing. Sometimes -- absorbed in accumulating political power -- they're not interested in stopping to think. But as I learned firsthand, self-obsession destroys character. It has to. Tragically, America is continuing to rear its young to become not only self-obsessed, but obsessed with personal power. Quaint-sounding virtues such as courage, honesty and prudence -- historically considered the elements of character -- are no match for a society in which the exaltation and gratification of self becomes the overriding goal of life. If Blagojevich is guilty, the best thing that could happen to him is to be tried and convicted. He's going to have to reach rock bottom -- just as I did -- before he will be able to escape his own prison of pride, self-delusion and self-righteousness. But that's a transformation we can never accomplish on our own. I can vouch for the fact that human pride is simply too strong. Lewis was right: Pride is a spiritual cancer. And the only cure, for any of us, is to stop looking down and to look up. The cure can only be brought about in someone who has come to realize that the will and power to do good and not evil comes from God alone.

Awesome words. If you want to read the entire article, it is HERE.