Pull Up the Roots

The other day I had to pull up some weeds around the yard. I also dug up some slightly larger predatory growths. It is such a great feeling when, as you pull, the long roots come sliding out from deep underground; at that moment you know you've truly defeated the enemy!

There's something about landscaping that really gets the biblical metaphors going in my head. As I was pulling out these roots, I was thinking about how God views our lives. He doesn't want to merely snip the sins off the surface of our lives, instead he aims for that which is anchored deeper inside us.

This same thing happened a few weeks ago, when our church spent a week working at a nearby mission. Our tasks were primarily landscaping, and one day I was trimming the heck out of some bushes. It felt good. And metaphors were everywhere. I was thinking in particular about how God must feel when he prunes (the heck out of) us... If it's something he chooses to do, and something we need, it pleases him; he doesn't delight in our distress, but he delights in a job well done nevertheless!

Speaking of work. Judah, your dad is fond of saying "if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right." I need to add a clarifying clause to this. The saying, in its entirety, should be, "if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right; where 'right' is defined both by method and time allocation." I learned this lesson when I was pressure washing some trash cans today... at what point do you decide that, you know, it's a trash can, and perhaps another hour spent pressure washing the goo on the bottom isn't really worth it.

I admit I have no idea how this fits into those cool theological lessons. But I hope someone can make it fit, because I couldn't bear to use any more gas on that goo! Incidentally, I felt pretty disgusting afterward.

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More Shomo News

Tomorrow I go up to Richmond for a presbytery meeting, where I will meet many of the area pastors. I will be examined on a few topics, and if all goes well they will allow my ordination to be transferred from Metro New York to the James River Presbytery (as it's called).

On a lighter note, I'm quite excited about the return of purple sunsets. Didn't see many in New Jersey. Can't recall the sunset situation in St. Louis, though I think there were some nice ones. But the San Diego sunsets were unbeatable. Anyway, they're back, and I'm glad.

Cheryl is in her final month, with TBA's due date set at August 20! I hear that several things in our lives will change. I'll get back to you on this.