Sitting at a Basketball Game

Ok, so this really has nothing to do with sitting at a basketball game, I'm just writing this while I'm sitting at the game.  Guys from my church, and some of their friends are playing in a tournament put on by another church. Really, there were a few things that I was going to write about, but I think I'll just limit it to one - I've been told that these can sometimes look like short essays - which is good because it means that I can still write a little. Anyway - to the thoughts that I was really going to write about...

The last few times I've been to large gatherings- you know retreats and different "mountain top" places, it seems like I've been getting the same sort of message. I'm not really sure of what to make of it, but here's some of what I've been thinking and feeling about it. This year - 2006, has been called by the Salvation Army (that's my church) the year for youth. So there's been a lot of focus on youth (not like there isn't a lot of focus on youth anyway, but it's even bigger this year). Along with that, the last two years themes for youth related events has been Revolution. I know I've written before about what a revolution is, and what it means to be a revolutionary, but now there's been even more in terms of what it means to be a revolutionary. This year the themes for youth gatherings has been "All or Nothing" and that's within the context of a Revolution.

All or nothing seems like it's a very easy, cut and dried thing to do. Either you're in or you're out, you are or you are not. As Yoda once said "Do or do not, there is no try." So I've been thinking what does it mean for me to be "All or Nothing?" Well, one of the things that has been swimming around in the semi fertile pile of mush that is my brian (or for that matter what serves as my thought center) is to follow the instructions of Christ to the rich young ruler (not that I'm rich or a ruler) to sell all I have, give it to the poor, and follow Him. Along those lines I'm wondering if I shouldn't just sell everything I have, and start everything over again. Get a new apartment, get a new bed, and a completely new wardrobe - I mean everything. I've also thought about moving and changing where I am. But even if I did all that whatever it is that's keeping me down is just going to follow me.

Along those lines, I've also thought about doing a mission trip. Going out to some place where I can't do some of the things that I do that get me into trouble (not that there isn't much that doesn't get me into trouble). It would also really force me to do some of the things that I don't do now that I need to do. (Wow, I'm really starting to sound like Paul right now). In any case I find that I have a lot to work on, and not really being to do anything about those things I need to work on at all. So that all takes me back to Romans 6, 7, and 8. Well, I take that back - there are things that I can do, the real question becomes am I really to do what is necessary? I just find it really hard to do some of those things. So am I really willing to go all or nothing?

A few weekends ago, we had our youth councils (that is a gathering for teens aged 12-18) and again, the theme was All or Nothing. One of the guests that was there came from Hawaii for a year long mission/incarnational ministry school "Revolution Hawaii." That really got me thinking about really going for something like that. One of the comments that he continually got was "That's sounds really cool, but a whole year? That's a long time." People are always willing to do something that sounds really cool, it just always seems that there's a butt in the way. I'd love to do it myself. I have a lot of things that I would love to do...but I've got some things that keep me back. One of the biggest issues I face right now is debt. But I continue to digress...

*****May 11th, 10:39pm PDT*****

So I never did finish writing the post when I started it, on Sunday the 7th, which was my Dad's birthday. And to be honest, I've lost that train of thought again...it pops in and out of my head. However, there are still things that I think about when it comes to all or nothing - and there are really times when I wonder about myself. I always come back to to statements. If something is not 100% the Truth, than it is not the Truth - which is something that I've talked about before.

The other is this, "If everyone is doing it, does it make it right?" Followed by the reply, Who says it's wrong?" Well, being as I'm really tired, and I can't think to much right now, I'll just leave you with this thought - Which is the better standard to live by: To do something because it's the right thing to do, or to do something because no one has said it's the wrong thing?

Blessings,