Through a glass dimly

I just got back from Oregon and it was an amazing trip. For those of you who know me, you know that I lived in Oregon for about four years. Living in Oregon was a life changing experience. I was transformed from a passionate bible belt conservative christian to a beer drinking marijuana smoking musician. Hmm...that does not happen overnight and the story is a very long one indeed.

Have you ever looked back on your life and the light just turns on? You see things that at one time were just confusing and full of struggle, and now you can unfold the map and see how you got there. I had that happen on my recent trip and I will make some quick points.

• When I moved to Portland I was not healthy spiritually. I was once a passionate man who had several arrows stuck in him. Also, at some point I had exchanged a simple relationship that had experiential power... for a system. The exchange rate was terrible.


• Also... spiritual forces are all around us and if you believe it or not we have all been under the influence of these at one time or another. I was drawn to things that appealed to me, but did not have the wisdom to see how other channels could bend me. I was being BENT.


• Maybe the most important was that I did not have a handle on GRACE. I recently chatted with a friend and talked about cutting someone slack. Since then, slack is the word I like to use for grace...slack grace. When I did not have slack I was tightening the rope...the person on the other end was being hung...me.


• Addictive personality...for some who don't know, there are a few who really cant handle one puff...one drink. I was always on a mission and there were things deep inside me driving it..until I could get free of those... something was going to surface...

So I was in Oregon and got a chance to see and hang out with my friends that I used to party hard with. We had all grown. More importantly I just see things different. These aren't my old
"party friends" they are just my friends. A community of people I was apart of who loved me. I have regained allot of simple things that I had once lost... and I have fallen in love with God again. I was there with my family, and I can say I had true joy and contentment. Most everyone said how happy I looked and deep down I know it is true.

So if I can persuade you at all (and believe me I am a persistent man) be addicted to Grace and once you have that much slack keep a simple relationship with a good GOD....deflect arrows and be aware of your surroundings...simple enough?