Monday, March 17, 2008
The Unexpected Rock
We went to Alcatraz this weekend. Despite its gruesome past and existing shadows of crime and punishment, Alcatraz has become overgrown with a beautiful patina of flora. I was unexpectedly impressed with the beauty of the island.
Considering the close proximity and despite the relative youthfulness of the site to other ruins I've seen recently, Alcatraz ranks right up there with the Acropolis in terms of photogenic character.
Things I'm thinking about now:
1. I started studying the subject of loosing your salvation (can you or can't you?), which rabbit trailed into carnal Christianity, which rabbit trailed into false Christianity, which lead me to currently be in Phil 3:17-19 and Luke 6:46. Obviously, a lot of study must go into this subject before I'm allowed to post a "What I believe" entry. This is one of those subjects that splits churches, so I must be careful.
2. "50 years is enough time to turn a practice into an offense". Sub-caption: "When did women start wearing pants?" Not to seem sexist in this thought, but whereas women would have thought it odd 50 years ago to wear pants exclusively, it now seems odd to wear dresses at all. This is sort of rabbit trailing into co-ed swimming and bathing suits and bikinis. This will not likely turn into anything though.
3. When all my works are burned away, what remains will be my motives. When I do good, is it because He commands me to or in a selfish endeavor to get a blessing out of it? Or, do I do good because I love Him and want to do His will? Without the right motives, nothing else matters according to my Bible. I've been prayerfully trying to differentiate God's will from mine. More accurately though, I've been praying for [validation|assurance|proof|other poor word choices] that His will and mine are one in the same on a particular subject. I need to be confident that my will is His will and that my timing is His timing. I do not as yet have that confidence, so I will continue to wait on Him and evaluate me.
Considering the close proximity and despite the relative youthfulness of the site to other ruins I've seen recently, Alcatraz ranks right up there with the Acropolis in terms of photogenic character.
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Things I'm thinking about now:
1. I started studying the subject of loosing your salvation (can you or can't you?), which rabbit trailed into carnal Christianity, which rabbit trailed into false Christianity, which lead me to currently be in Phil 3:17-19 and Luke 6:46. Obviously, a lot of study must go into this subject before I'm allowed to post a "What I believe" entry. This is one of those subjects that splits churches, so I must be careful.
2. "50 years is enough time to turn a practice into an offense". Sub-caption: "When did women start wearing pants?" Not to seem sexist in this thought, but whereas women would have thought it odd 50 years ago to wear pants exclusively, it now seems odd to wear dresses at all. This is sort of rabbit trailing into co-ed swimming and bathing suits and bikinis. This will not likely turn into anything though.
3. When all my works are burned away, what remains will be my motives. When I do good, is it because He commands me to or in a selfish endeavor to get a blessing out of it? Or, do I do good because I love Him and want to do His will? Without the right motives, nothing else matters according to my Bible. I've been prayerfully trying to differentiate God's will from mine. More accurately though, I've been praying for [validation|assurance|proof|other poor word choices] that His will and mine are one in the same on a particular subject. I need to be confident that my will is His will and that my timing is His timing. I do not as yet have that confidence, so I will continue to wait on Him and evaluate me.
Labels: travel
