sweaty palms...

Well, the title isn't really related to anything except that it's Palm Sunday and I had that word association thing going through my head...

I was talking today with a small group of folks from the church family I've been visiting with since the first of the year. We were discussing some of the ideas from our study this morning related to the book The Shack. I've yet to read it, but from our classes, I think I'd mostly enjoy it. The main thing we spoke of was a conversation from the book about the institutions built in the name of Christ and how sometimes they're not about the things that He would have them be about in His name (not that they can't be about those things, just that they aren't some/much/most of the time). We also talked about how God isn't confined to being found through the religious structures we've built.

In my mind that discussion is related to another conversation about myself and others I know who have oscillated between "full-time" ministry jobs and "secular" jobs within our struggle to find our place and use our gifts/talents. It seems to me that in order not to get caught up in protecting/serving/building our institutions and in order to stay in touch with those God wants so much to find him, it's not a bad idea for those in "church work" to leave the confines of our churches and ministries from time-to-time. For some of us, myself anyway, it seems we get to the point where the trappings of the sometimes all-too-familiar church environment/culture keep us from actually living out faith in real and meaningful ways that impact people/the world. Not saying everyone needs such a wandering path through life to help them stay more true to Jesus, but it's done me good, personally, even if not as much professionally.

Hope you're well... and I hope that during this Holy Week you'll experience some powerful moments of reflection/worship/lament/joy as we remember the events that continue to shape our life and faith.