Some autobios are just weird

harbarger theory: sometimes allegories need more context

This is the first of my musings on the writings of CS Lewis that I will be sharing over the next year as I attempt to read all of the Christian writings of CS Lewis in the order in which he wrote them.

It wasn't until I finished "Pilgrim's Regress" that I realized that this is not an allegory of the human pilgrimage to faith like Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." Rather, this was an allegorized telling of the pilgrimage that CS Lewis himself made toward faith.

Knowing this makes this story A) more understandable and B) more enlightening as to why he chose these characters. Lewis wrote this book in the highly allegorized style of Bunyan, of course and used the device of a journey toward the "Island" as the reason for the journey.

Although some parts drag (probably because I don't possess enough insight into Lewis' life and thought to catch the inside references), it's an interesting book that makes me wonder how I would write about THIS pilgrim's progress (or regress) (or digress?) toward faith. Instead of Vertue and Reason, would I have been more likely to write about Politics or Nature or Sensuality?

What would you write about as you make your own pilgrimage toward or away from faith?

The heavy allegory made it hard to read at times, but in the end, it leaves me thinking about my own faith pilgrimage and wondering when or if I'll ever get to the end. I suspect not ... at least on this temporal plain. I suspect that the journey is where it's at, anyway. It's not about the top of the mountain, it's the climb that's the important part. It's not about reaching the end of the trail, but rather the conversation around the campfire along the way ... or the solitary sunset watched while looking over the lake that one evening. Those are the REAL gems, aren't they? I think so.

So, I invite you to journey with me or on your own as we pilgrimage our way through life seeking the presence of God and experiencing it through the company of others. The Island that John sought was just over his shoulder and experienced in the company of others.

The Kingdom of God is about relationships, not "correct doctrine" or "proper etiquette" or even big honkin' churches. It's all about relationships and the sooner we all realized that the sooner the Kingdom will come!!!

"Pilgrim's Regress" - I found it hard to slog through, but a winner in the end!!! An interesting way to start the year!!

Reading is good!

harbarger theory: my brain may explode this year.

I have embarked this year on what some may say is a foolhardy endeavor. I will say that it may tax my feeble little brain!

I am attempting to read ALL of the religious writings of Clive Staples Lewis (CS Lewis to most of us and Jack to a few of his closest friends and family). Not only did he write a LOT of stuff, but much of it is thick and weighty.

For those of you who are not a religious writings geek like me, CS Lewis held an endowed Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University. That's why I'm not reading ALL of his writings. A lot are about literature that I don't always even understand. So ... only the religious stuff for me!!!

Although CS Lewis was raised in the church, he turned his back on it and became a self-avowed atheist. However, through the patient friendship of no-name dudes like JRR Tolkein and the sort, he worked his way back to the Christian faith and became one of the pre-eminent Christian writers of our century.

Since I'm trying to read all of his stuff this year, I decided to read it in the order he wrote it. I've purchased a couple of anthologies of his books, and with the books I already have in my own library, I'm already pretty close to having his whole catalogue!!! Still need to get a few, but ... I'm on my way.

I will be blogging about each book as I read them, so watch here for more "Fun With Clive."

However, if you come into the church office and find my brains leaking out of my ears, you'll know that this endeavor has made my brain explode. Oh well, no big loss, eh???

harbarger theory: my brain may explode this year.

Showing Up

harbarger theory: the most important thing in life is just showing up

Rev. Steve Games, one of my mentors, used to say, "The world is run by those who show up."

The other night, one of the teens in our church melted down and took off and ended up in Missouri. When I heard that, I suggested that our daughter could go get her, so she wouldn't have to spend the night in the care of the police. The parents were happy to have that happen, so I called Molly.

Of course, she immediately said, "Sure! Where is she?" So, we dealt with the details and Molly was deployed. She enlisted her friends and they made plans to take the road-weary girl out for ice cream, to bring snacks and even to make an iPod Playlist to listen to after they took care of her. What a great bunch of women!!!

But, the most important part was their willingness. They had lives and plans and things to do. They could have been doing any number of things (maybe some that a dad doesn't want to hear about!). But, instead ... they immediately said, "Sure! Where is she?"

Steve's probably right about the world being run by those who show up. But, I KNOW that the world is rescued by the willing. By simply being willing to step into the breach, you change the world. By simply putting yourself in a position to help, you raise the chances of good things happening.

What little I understand about Quantum Physics suggests that at every given moment, there are all results are simultaneously available and only when an "observer" interacts with life is there an actual choice. (If you want more, read Max Planck and see if I'm even close!)

When we show up, we become one of the variables in this Quantum Physics understanding of life and we make one of the choices. In Molly's case, it was a good choice! I hope that your choices are much the same. But, we only force those choices by getting involved ... by showing up ... by being willing.

My friends, get off the couch, off the sidelines, out of the chairs around the perimeter of the school dance. Get out the door, into the game or onto the dance floor. Be willing! Show up! Do something good!

You might just save someone's life today. You never know until you show up!!

harbarger theory: the most important thing in life is showing up

The T's

harbarger theory: REAL men are tough, tender and true!

Much has been said and written about what it means to be a real man. Some have suggested that REAL men are the sensitive, cry-at-anything kind of a guy. Others suggest that a REAL man is like cheap toilet paper. You know, he's rough, he's tough and doesn't take crap off anybody! Still others suggest that a REAL man is the kind of guy you can depend upon for anything.

I suggest (not so humbly, I might add) that a REAL man is Tough, Tender and True!

A real man is TOUGH, meaning that he is tough enough to take the slings and arrows for the people he loves. He's tough enough to do what needs to be done and tough enough to do without. A REAL man is the guy who willingly and cheerfully sets his stuff aside so the people he loves can have what they need and want. He's tough enough to be selfless.

A real man is TENDER, meaning that he opens himself up to the feelings and needs of those around him. He listens when they need him. He holds them when they need comforting. He steps into their pain when they are hurting and feeling all alone. A REAL man is the guy who is brave enough to feel the pain of those around him and enter into it. A REAL man doesn't have to be violent or pain-inflicting. He is secure enough to be tender and loving in a dark and violent world.

A real man is TRUE, meaning that he stands with his folks. He is faithful. He fulfills his obligations. He's honest. He's the go-to guy for the people in his life. The people in his life can depend upon him to be there for them ... no matter what. A REAL man is the guy that people call when their life is caving in because they know that he'll be there for them.

A real man is not always the most "successful," because his priorities are not on himself and what society tells him is important. But a real man is the guy that others come to when times get tough. A real man is the guy that women turn to, children adore and that men come to when they are having a hard time. He may not be the most "tool-handy," the most affluent, the coolest or they guy wet dreams are made of. But, he's the guy that is the friend people come to in a pinch, the one women really want to be in a relationship with, the one children want to have as their daddy.

A real man is tough enough to be tender ... tender enough to be true ... true enough to be tough.

harbarger theory: REAL men are tough, tender and true

This is gonna hurt!

harbarger theory: it's supposed to hurt!!

Somehow, folks have gotten it into their heads that life is supposed to be easy. They got it into their head that we aren't supposed to have any pain whatsoever, food is supposed to always be available whenever we want it, jobs aren't supposed to be hard, our partners in life are supposed to meet all of our needs and we're always supposed to get a raise.

That's a bunch of hooey! Pain is a part of life. Good food takes time and is worth waiting for. Hard work doesn't hurt us and makes us appreciate the rewards. Our partners will not and can never meet all of our needs. That's why we have friends and some of our needs just may not get met by someone else. Maybe we should earn our raises, instead of expecting them because we show up and breathe.

In short, I think we've become a bunch of whiny babies who want what we want when we want it however we want it. I say, "Grow up!" Life is SUPPOSED to be hard! Sometimes things hurt. So, toughen up and play through the pain. Scars are just tattoos with better stories!

Some preachers (electronic and otherwise) teach that God will provide the desires of your heart. That's only true when our hearts are in tune with the will of God! God's not the divine Fed-Ex guy. God is ... well, GOD and we should never forget that. So, when they teach this entitlement crock of poo, then just turn the channel and watch a sitcom. It's probably got more meaning, anyway.

We supposed to hurt, and we all feel it at various times. You're not the only one. We're all in this together. Everybody get hit by the shrapnel of life and some of us carry it around in our bodies for the rest of our lives. That's just the way it works.

So, band together. Share the pain. Bandage each other's wounds. But keep going. Play through it. Limp if you need to, but keep going.

We live in a wounded and painful world and we need to keep helping others to live through their pain. It's in the shared pain that we find REAL community and we grow up and become adult human beings. It's in the bandaging of other's wounds that we start to heal ourselves. Life is meant to be lived together.

That's where the joy is. It's in the journey ... together. All of limping down the road together. That where the joy is.

harbarger theory: it's supposed to hurt!

harbarger theory: there's always a "now what"

harbarger theory: there's always a "now what"

One of the dirty little secrets about pastors is that we're usually exhausted by the time Easter's over. The whole process of getting ready for these powerful and holy times of worship like Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, SONRise Service and, of course, Easter worship services tend to wipe ... us ... out. At least ... it does to me.

It sort of reminds me of what the Disciples went through after that first Easter ... but maybe theirs had a LOT more confusion and more overwhelming.

Their Lord ... their Messiah ... their inspiration ... their everything had died. He was gone. They had no idea that he was coming back. He was just ... gone.

Then ... he CAME BACK!!! Can't you imagine what was buzzing about in their brains? Wha?? How can this ...? I can't believe ...! I'm not sure they could have even finished a sentence. At the same time ... life was going on.

So, the question came percolating up. What's next? How do I live now that my Lord has resurrected? In their case, they changed the whole world, spent their life at it and then gave their lives for it.

In my case, what do I do next? Where do I lead next? What do I throw the weight of my attention to? How do I spend my time? What gets my attention?

Hmmmmm. Good questions. I know where I want to go in general. I want to be an even better husband and father and son. I want to lead the church I serve where it needs to go next. I want to continue to try to figure out how to find life balance between ministry, family and personal time. I've never been good at that last one. But maybe .... maybe not!! = )

In the end, my "now what" is to live a life that is reflective of the resurrection. You know, second (and third and fourth and fifth and ...) chances. Treating all people as if they are worthy of the the Son of God giving his life for them ... without exception. Making reconciliation a lifestyle, not a task. Finding joy in the darkness, peace in the storm, love in the loneliness. My 'now what" is to focus on sweating the big stuff and focusing my life on what God declares is important.

What is your "now what?" How will you live out the Resurrection? How?

Dieting Stinks!

harbarger theory: shortened games and potholders make for a lousy way to live

One time, a skinny sports-loving kid told me that all I have to do to lose weight is to just eat less and exercise more. As most confirmed big guys would do (well, the less violent ones, anyway) I just gave him "The Look" and walked away.

But, then I thought a LOT about his suggestion and came up with an analogy that might help him understand why dieting and exercise is a problem for guys like me.

Since he LOVES sports (and I mean lives, sleeps and breathes sports!), I used it as my focus.

I told him that dieting was like being able to only watch SOME football games, but not all. And not that many of my favorite ones. AND, when I did actually get to watch a great game, I could only watch it to somewhere between half-time and the end of the third quarter. And then, I could NEVER know the outcome of the game. Or the stats. Or anything else. No matter HOW MUCH I wanted to know more. I could not ever, ever know anything else. And that would be the ONLY way I could EVER watch a ballgame again.

Then (since exercise is SO much fun), at half-time, I would get the opportunity to knit potholders! yea. i'm so very, very excited. really. woo. hoo.

Yep, for a Foodie and a guy who likes to be active, but hates to exercise ... dieting and exercise is like watching half a game and knitting potholders.

I hate it. But, then again ... I'm an adult and it's time for me to get healthy (and by healthy, I mean thinner and in better shape!). So, I'll deal. That's what adults do. We do what needs done.

But, for all you athletic types and you thin types ... pipe down. At least, until you start watching only half-games and start knitting a whole boatload of potholders. For the next few years.

I know this sounds harsh. But, we fat foodies do get a little tired of being told how to lose weight by people who have never had to do so. You don't get it. This is taking away one of our great loves and replace it with something we don't like. So, until you walk a few miles in our fat shoes, you just won't understand. But, don't worry ... we're still jolly fat fellas!!!!!

harbarger theory: shortened games and potholders make for a lousy way to live