Life at 3 miles an Hour

This morning I have been blessed by being able to sit down in a very beautiful place, which is, considering the earthly location that I call home, a very big statement indeed.  I'm in a place called Sun River, in the high deserts of central Oregon.  I'm here simply because God has blessed us with a relationship with a group who understands that retreat is healthy and sometimes there is no greater blessing that you could give to someone than a chance to retreat. So, by virtue of their generosity, here I sit and rock in a chair on a deck looking over a golf course shadowed by the majestically snow covered Mt. Bachelor.  I'm sitting and watching the world and the golfers go by because, even though I'm a golfer, golf itself would not be a retreat.  My wife is getting spoiled by skilled hands in the spa, while I get spoiled by the evidence of God right in front of me.  A literal procession of golf carts roll by and I hardly notice for the view.  I need the remi...

Last week I was reading through a passage in the book of books that I'm sure was meant to be encouraging but, can I say this, it just wasn't....to me anyway.  Each phrase mentioned a great hero of the faith, in olden days, who did something incredible...at least incredible enough to be written in a book thousands of years old.  They all were involved in different things but each had one thing in common.  Each person was said to have embarked on their journey to immortality " by faith".  That was the only thing ascribed to them.  "By faith" they all wandered away from typical and into the pages of the best selling book of all time.  I've heard this passage taught in many, many contexts.  I've taught it myself.  In each instance, including my own, the implication was that "they did it so why not you?".  Just turn on your " by faith" switch, hike up your pants and get moving.  Apparently all one needs to break out of a typical life...