He trumps presidents!

Dear Cooper:

Can we take a break today? Maybe I can just prattle on a bit? Not sure why - but I just don't feel up to writing the "blog" stuff. Tell you something - when I started this blog for your Baptism I would have guaranteed there'd be no pics of Donald ... so what do I know. As I read the news today I got thinking, it is fair for you to demand of me how this Baptism thing even makes sense in this world.

You know, there are lots of folks who tell the Church to chill, to stop being so darn negative; to stop judging; to just relax! They say we don't need God; the world is beautiful and people are awesome. How dare you cast it as negative! How dare you point at me and say I sin! I’m ok, you're ok – smile, have some fun and be cool.

I confess - sometimes I'd really like to just go about living my life. I'm doing fine. And this would be ok until you really open your eyes; until you open your mind and step outside your own little world. No question you and I are doing fine. Of course we are! But, you know what? We are the “rich” – its true – even you (an infant) are better off than 98% of the rest of the world. Did you know that we, that other 2% of the world, have 98% of the world's wealth – true story. We live in prosperity. Those other 98% are suffering … and somehow us 2%, we think that's ok? How is that possible? And in the end, let me ask you this: are we happy?

I stumbled across this today. 90 years of Time magazine covers in 120 seconds. No doubt there have been moments of wonder – man in space – galaxies far far away first seen – diseases cured – moments of kindness and technological advances. But can we take the exceptions and make them the rule? Sorry to say it, most of our history speaks of hate and hurt…

At 11 seconds, there is Hitler; at 19 seconds, Stalin; at 48 seconds, you read “God is Dead.” If history is a dance, it is true that there are moments of beauty – but sadly – most of our history is discontent and madness without bounds, a wildfire burning out of control.

I suppose the big deal today is that it’s the end of the world as we know it! Tomorrow the Americans get their new president! Some call it great … others are a bit less impressed:

Who knows - we humans have a knack of getting it wrong. What else is happening? Well as I write this the developing stories involve earthquakes, an avalanche, an office tower burning, suicide packs, a rogue nation testing nuclear missiles, the US bombing IS, a foreign army invades an African nation and Paul McCartney is suing Sony for rights to Beatles songs. Pride, greed, anger all leading to despair and desperation.

Cooper, how is it that we continue to go it on our own? We push God away and we claim to have it all under control? We do the same pride-filled greedy stuff over-and-over and seem to expect better results? Isn’t that the definition of insane? You know, really, about the only thing we have not tried is loving God and loving each other. I wonder what that might look like?

So we Baptize. Why? We Baptize because we believe God wants more for us. We Baptize because we believe if we love God and thus love, love, love each other, we will draw closer to who God created us to be. We Baptize because there is more, and that More wants more for us. We Baptize because we know our Redeemer lives - Time was wrong, God is alive - He takes precedence over presidents, He is Lord of lords and He is King of kings.

In case you are wondering, this is my King ...

Be blessed

t HE

Thursday, January 19, 2017