I don't know...

I have been hearing a statement among people I know. I don't what exactly it means.

"I am a Christian, but I am not religious"

Or while talking to another person,
"You're being too religious."

Like I said, I don't know what exactly they mean by this. Frankly, I think some of them don't have a damn clue either. All I know is, it doesn't sit right with me.

Dare I ask... What are your ideas on this statement?

He Said "No, I don't like the way I am"

It has been ten days since I last wrote something on this blog of mine. I usually only write something if it has been on my mind for a while. Well, there has been a lot of stuff on my mind in these ten days and it’s not that my thoughts aren’t worth writing about (although, maybe they aren’t), but instead I have noticed that I have not wanted to share my thoughts with anyone these days. I have noticed myself beginning to keep my thoughts, burdens, questions and concerns to myself. I have never really shared all my thoughts and feelings with someone but releasing or venting some of them helped me “keep it together”. Lately I have noticed my patience is on a short fuse. I don’t know if this is coming from a lack of sleep, a loaded mind or possibly, a combination of the two. What I do know is, even the smallest things can set me off. Not long ago a friend of mine called me an idiot and I was ready to cuss them out for it. Usually I pay no attention to a statement like that because I know the intention was not to hurt me. Lately “keeping my cool” or flipping out at someone is like hanging over the edge by a thread and when that thread breaks there is a dam burst of profanity. I don’t know why I have or when I got a cuss filled mouth but I am not very proud of it.

I’m hoping that throwing these thoughts out there will help lengthen this short fuse I have. I do know it will take more work than just sharing what I’m thinking again. I think I’m up for the challenge… I hope.

Shine on.

Where Are You Going?

I am not one to make New Years resolutions, but I had a thought to maybe live, act and speak in a different in this New Year. Now it is close to being two weeks into the New Year and that goal has already come crashing down in a spectacular ball of wreckage. I know to change is a long and tough process, which is discouraging to me, at times. Lately, for some reason I have been thinking of friends and what they mean to me. I find myself thinking of a name of a friend and making a list of attributes in my head. I think about what glimpses of God I can see in their actions towards me and others. It has helped me appreciate my friendships even more. From friends, I started thinking of God and making this “list” of who God is to me. I have come up with a list that is something like this:

God is,
My teacher,
Unconditional love,
My forgiver,
My protector,
My comfort,
My deep joy,
My encouragement,
And my challenger.

I thank God for being all of these things to me. This encourages me to set challenges out for myself, not just because it is the new year but because I have a longing to grow closer with God as I live. This new year will bring me many challenges and new experiences. I have no idea where these challenges and experiences will take me.
It’s my hope that I will be reminded of what and who God is to me as I go through this year questioning, growing, and challenging myself and my faith.

The Seceret To Fishing: Fish where the fish are.

Today was our first ice fishing trip of the season. We woke up early and headed out to Lake Winnipeg with my Uncle in his Nissan Murano (definitely not a off roading vehicle by any stretch). Navigating our way through the mess of cracks and pressure ridges proved hard in the bland horizon and the gray clouds that produced a heavy but fluffy snow fall. We didn't catch many, I only caught one and it was far from a keeper while my dad caught three keepers. Finding the fish on a lake the size of Lake Winnipeg proved to be harder today. As you can see from the picture there is a seemingly endless amount of lake to fish.
Even though we didn't catch many and ended up coming home early I still loved going out to the lake and spending time in the peaceful snowfall.
Ah Winter.

Ignorant?

Some time ago I had a conversation with a friend, they are not a close friend by any stretch or even a good friend of mine, they are someone that I talk to on a not so regular basis. We were talking about church and this was something they said about the church as a whole...

"Church is a place where you go just to listen to the pastor try to force their beliefs down your throat..."

They went on to say..

"Church is just a place where people try to make you believe what they do, and think exactly the same way they think..."

This statement seemed ignorant and misinformed to me.
I find the church to be a place where I am encouraged to dig deep, to come to my own conclusions, my own beliefs and way of thinking.

But, maybe I am the ignorant one.