Travel Eve

It is the night before our early morning flight to Mexico. This Mexican trip is to the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula -- Cancun. It's been two years since our last trip to Cancun and I am looking forward to the warm weather, the sound and smell of the ocean, and some good times with our friends from Canada.
And lots of time to relax and think.

One might think that a retired guy has plenty of time to sit and think. And that's certainly true, but daily routine and life in general has a way of interrupting and distracting one from focused thought. And I'm finding that there are imposed protocols about sharing personal thoughts, particularly about actions of churches and church leaders. It appears that there is no quicker way to find oneself the subject of whispered conversation and the target of gossip than to have a disagreement with a leader of a church or church group.
My particular case is small and insignificant. Many I've been reading about have much greater issues and have been silenced and shunned at some pretty high levels. I'm not sure where we got the idea that lying or covering up for leaders is somehow protecting the integrity of the church or guarding the reputation of God. Maybe we're following the political model of self preservation. (Oh wait, I'm the one that lets politics influence my religion.) To my knowledge, no one has shortened the hand of God (that's church talk for expressing that God is able to defend himself).

I had breakfast and a coffee conversation with an old friend this morning. We talked a little bit about how organized religion and organized religious education has managed to change us from a people following God to a people following a religion -- in many cases, to a people (or congregation) following a person that speaks for his/her particular religion. I shared some of my own ideas about Unorganized Religion.

I'm getting used to the idea that ministry will look a little different for me in the coming year. I think it's going to be more organic and primitive than it's been in the past -- more personal.
Just yesterday, an old friend asked me to be a part of a missions team that he takes to coal country in Eastern Kentucky. I don't know if it will work for this summer, but I'm going to take a good look at it.

For now, I'm going to enjoy a short break from life and relax on a beach for the next few days. Right now the temperature here is 27f (-3c) with light snow. By morning it will be 16f (-9c). The current temperature in Cancun is 75f (24c). Tomorrow afternoon it's supposed to be 82f (28c).

By the way --
God loves you.
Jesus died for you.

Simple enough?

John <><