The Woman at the well.

I received an email from a friend that works for the missionary for the organization that I went to
Kenya with. Long story I know but she sends a weekly update out about her mission work. Sometimes she put scripture in the update, today.

 

John 4:7-15

 

7-8A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?” (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.)  9The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, “How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans.)  10Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”  11-12The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?”  13-14Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”  15The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”

Now I have read many times, but for some reason reading this passage today I saw it differently than I ever have before. I am not going to write a whole commentary here but just a few thoughts.

I think it would be interesting to have a conversation with Jesus. I don’t think it would be a regular conversation, I mean once you get past the whole talking to God thing. But as you read through the gospels if you pay attention to the conversations that Jesus has with his followers and others he does not just talk about sports and the weather. He really challenges people. The people that talk to Jesus in the gospel seem like they are talking to Jesus like a regular guy.  Yes Jesus was human but he was also God. And he was there to teach people about him and God, not for a game of backyard football. When I read this passage it seems like the woman is talking about water (H20), Jesus is talking about the living water. Which is more just for a drink. And a way of life. And I think too many Christian (myself included) don’t take on that mentality. Without getting into this too deep I guess I am saying maybe is had huge tattoo that said I am a “Christ follower” we might live our lives differently.

But the bottom-line in this verse is that the woman understood that Jesus was not talking about water she found out that he was talking about a life following him.

Something Fun!

So this might sound stupid but it is actually fun. I found this website called BeAnMM.com. You can actually create an M&M that looks like you. I did one and it was fun. I could not  figure out how to post it but you will get the idea once you go on there.

Through the Door

I have been going to a church called Matthew’s House here in
Durango for the last 3 years. Finding Matthew’s House has been such a blessing me. It has been a place that I can feel comfortable at. Finding a church that I feel comfortable at has been hard in the past.
My buddy Dave Lazzeri (I think I butchered the spelling of his last name) has been playing worship for a while now. I am convinced Dave is one of the guys that you will see playing his music all over in five years. Someone just needs to discover how talented he is. Dave writes his own music, some of which are worship songs that he plays at church. Now I don’t have a musical bone in my body.

(Just ask my old roommate, (I am a shower singer). But I do have an ear for music (despite what Matt Shedden thinks) Dave’s songs are amazing.

I have put the lyrics to one of his songs below. Know I have not asked Dave what the lyrics mean to him or what the song is actually about.

This song has really helped me through a tough time that I have been going through lately. Briefly thinking about the mean of this song I think of God being with us no matter what we are going through in our life. My a broken relationship, a situation that you know you should be in…
I think these words are saying it doesn’t matter what we are going through God is with us no matter what. I know for me every time I am going though a rough time, I think why is this happening to me? Thinking about those situations I think that is pretty selfish of me. I mean Jesus died on cross. Is there a greater sacrifice? When I think about that my little problems are pretty petty. And instead of having a pity part I need to do what these words are saying walk through the door… walk to the through to the Lord. Get down on my need as give myself to him.

 

 

Through the Door

Is it me or is it raining?

I’ve never felt this way before

Its seems to me I hear you calling

But once again I shut the door

If it weren’t for you I’d be wandering

A twisted lie, an empty tear.

I said goodbye and now I’m wondering

Is there a place for me in here?

And I know when I died inside you cried.

And I know I don’t deserve the grace you’ve shown

This time its real, I can’t stop crying.

I see it now you bled for me.

I’m on my knees I want to see you

Look in the eyes that guided me

And I know when I died inside

You cried I know

And I know I don’t deserve the grace you’ve shown

Is it me or was it raining it seems I’ve never felt this way before.

I know it now I heard you calling.
I heard you calling at the door

This time I’m walking through the door.

(RED)

I think once you have lived a place for a while or traveled to certain places you become accustomed to different things. For example living in
Durango we have several micro-breweries and bars, so the beer flows like wine and well the wine just follows. It is not out of the ordinary for my friends and I to have a beer after church at one of my favorite pubs: Lady Falconburgs. (We go to church on Sunday nights).

When I traveled to
Africa there were many things that I did while I was there that I never thought I would ever do, like use the restroom in a squatty, or living in a mud house for a month.  (If you need to ask what a squatty is you really need to go to
Africa)

Sometime it’s good to get out of your regular habits and do something different that you might not usually do. Here is one way to do that.

So why am I blabbing on about this randomness? Trust me this post has a point.

Here it is….. Product Red is an initiative started by U2 front man Bono and Bobby Shriver (Maria’s brother and Bush’s nephew) and Chairman of DATA.

Here is an explanation of what (RED) is:

(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world’s most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)^RED branded products. A percentage of each (PRODUCT)^RED product sold is given to The Global Fund. The money helps women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in
Africa.What’s the meaning of the parentheses or brackets? Well, we call them “the embrace.” Each company that becomes (RED) places its logo in this embrace and is then elevated to the power of red. Thus the name — (PRODUCT)^RED.You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (RED) simply by upgrading your choice. Thus the proposition: (YOU)^RED. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (RED). What better way to become a good-looking Samaritan?!

The reason I am blogging about (RED) is that I am aware that not every body is able or willing to go to
Africa and do something about the AIDs Crisis. But we all are capable of helping. Hey we all buy stuff. And why not by stuff that is going to help someone live.

So check out the website buy, one of the products, support DATA or One. But most importantly inform your self about the AIDs Crisis in
Africa.

A Promise

I am walking through the desert right now.

Obviously this is a figurative statement because I live in a small mountain town in
Colorado. And it has been an unusually cold winter.

What I mean by this is I am in a desert time in my life. I am not going to dumb all my problems out in this post, don’t worry. But I am going to be honest the last couple of months have been rough. As I search for a new career outside of my comfort life hear I am feeling some nervousness.
But then I realize that God has my back. He know exactly how much I need right now and when He will guide me through this time.

The following verse has helped me tremendously during this time: 

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (The Message)

10-11This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as
Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 12“When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. 13-14“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—God’s Decree—”bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

 I take these words as God’s promise to you and me. I can also say in confidence that God will bring me through this period of sadness unharmed And before I end this post I just want to qualify my above statement. I am not saying that being in the desert is a bad thing. It has taught me a lot. And I hope when I get out (of the desert) that I will not forget my time here. Not just rejoicing that God has brought me out of the desert. But he put me in desert to teach me many things. And I can put those thing to use in “the Wilderness” of my life.

The Marketing Guru

So I haven’t been blogging for a while, but I have been reading a lot of blogs. (Yes Shedden I have been reading yours) But one that I have enjoyed a lot has been one by a guy named Seth Godin. Among many things he is an author of several books, CEO, and ground floor blogger. Check out his blog.

Godin thinks outside the box about marketing and business. I am currently reading his book Small is the New Big. It is a real refreshing read.

Longtime No Blog…

Ok so it has been a while since I have posted. Actually it has been about 6 months. As many of you know I was in a relationship for a period of about 5 months that we have recently parted ways.
I am not going to lie… the last few weeks have been tough. I thinking anytime you go through a rough patch in life it tests many things. Your self, your faith, other relationships, your trust, etc…. One thing that has been constant is God. But is has also been a period of questioning and figuring out tough issues.

Here is something that I read from Romans 11:33-36 that has help clear some of the mud from my mind and life.

Have you ever come on anything quit like this extravagant generosity of God this deep, deep wisdom?Its way over ours heads. We’ll quite never figure it out. Is there any one around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask him advice?

Everything comes from him

Everything happens from him

Everything ends up in him

Always Glory! Always ! Yes. Yes. Yes.