Woggles

Woggles are creatures that magnify some basic human qualities; maybe the most significant of which is forgetfulness. I don't mean forgetfulness in a general sense. We all know people who have memorized languages, statistics, and literature to the extent of deeming them genius. So humans are not forgetful, generally, but we certainly are where it counts. The forgetfulness in humans, that is mirrored and magnified in woggles, is a forgetfulness of the basic things that are both important and true. The forgetting of these things is the root of our depression, confusion, distrust, and overall hurt. I have already experienced all of those things today and if there is any way that I can start to remember again, and I believe there is, then I think it is worth exploring. So here you will get both my forgetting and remembering, and hopefully lots of both ugliness and redemption will come to the surface.

I visited my parents this past weekend and it's such a fun feeling to go home. I guess it's not really my home anymore, but it was for a very large portion of my life and it still feels like it is. The smells from driving through the neighborhood, opening the front door, letting air come through a cracked window at night, pillows that smell like my parents, they are all familiar. It's a very comfortable feeling and my comfort turns into laziness very quickly there. This kind of laziness starts physically, with me just laying around. I might linger at the pantry or fridge, but mostly I'll stay on the couch, watching cable, which I don't have, and being served food. Soon after, I will start becoming emotionally lazy. I will not be considerate of people, or pay attention to those around me. I will begin to expect to be served, feel entitled to these comforts, and complain when I don't get them anymore. My wife, will call me out when I do this, and I have no refute, because I know it's absolutely true. I do this in other things in my life as well; namely video games, which is why I don't have a gaming system. I have regressed to the days when I would sit in my PJs all day, watch the Thundercats, and sip on Minute Maid Orange Juice boxes. Not that those days weren't phenomenal, but in the sensored words of the kings of comedy "I'm a grown -- man," and it's not time for me to be childish anymore, unless I'm playing fantasy football, in which case I always have the excuse of it being the primary way of keeping in touch with my friends...or watching UNC basketball...or maybe just one or two other things.

How did I, among great smells, food, family, and cable TV, become a creature of visibly destructive habits? Well, I haven't remembered that I'm not really home yet. This season of my life has stretched me into trusting God in places where I just haven't before. Part of that has been realizing that this place is not meant to be my home. The great thing about living in a fallen world is that you long for something more. Upon believing in Jesus, and having His Spirit come live inside me, I have a citizenship in a heaven: But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ(Philippians 3:20). The cool thought about Heaven, for me, is that I will be completely at home there, but comfort is not what will make it home. The presence of God is what makes Heaven what it is. I won't even be chillin on a cloud and watching UNC basketball on a couch, but constantly worshiping God, and that is what is going to make it completely awesome. Crazy thought that worshiping someone other than me could feel like anything other than slavery. The logical proof from my life that makes me believe this is a worthwhile thought is that at the end of a day spent in comfort, not doing anything, and being self serving, I'm not well rested or satisfied. Believing in Jesus, I remember that my place of satisfaction and rest is a place of thankfulness and being a willing servant to God. I'm not a forced servant, but I serve him because I love Him, like I would for a friend or for Emily. I get to look forward to that place that will be complete life away from the hurt of this world, but I don't have to wait until Heaven to start to get the benefits of Home. Thankfulness and servant hood to God bring that homey feel. They are spiritual fried okra. I'm slowly starting to remember that more.

Week Favorites:
Food - fudge chocolate cake with chocolate chips
Song - Rock of Ages...Chris Rice version, though Sandra McCrackhead's is the best
Dancer - the guy who dances with the Little Ceaser's sign. Same moves, but always impressive
Fact - If gravity was 1/10,000,billion,billion,billionth stronger then all the mountains on Earth would be crushed, creating a water world, along with every animal being crushed