Did I tell you about the time Katie and I went to the Grand Canyon. It was great.

Few people realize that Katie and I actually met at camp.*

*I forgot how much I love Photoshop

Editor’s note: I should preface this by saying I am terrible at loving people like God calls me to. I am no better than most people.

Apparently there was a big healthcare deal this weekend.

Meh.

There are a lot of angry people, and there are a lot of happy people. I’m somewhere in the middle. Sure, there’s good that will come out of it. Yes, there’s crap that will come out of it. I’ve become incredibly disillusioned with politics for a couple reasons:

1. Whatever decision is made, 50% of the people will be angry
2. Does it really matter?

If we’re lucky, we get 80-some years on this Earth. I don’t want to spend it concerned about what policies do or do not get passed. As a Christian, I think God tells us not to worry about those things. God wants us to be concerned with His work, not our own.

But that brings up an interesting point. I know a lot of Christians will be upset about this healthcare thing. In fact, I saw a fellow Christian post on Facebook something along the lines of, “I wonder how God will feel about a ‘Christian’ nation paying taxes to support abortion.”

Wait, what? Is that the big concern?

I can’t help but want to clear up a couple things. First, are we really a Christian nation? How do we qualify as a Christian nation? A majority of our citizens claim to be Christian? We were founded on Christian ideals? By that criteria are we also a white male nation?

Last I knew, God didn’t want us to be concerned with building kingdoms or focusing on the mass-religion of a geopolitical state. He said that we are to be like aliens, strangers, sojourners and our focus is to be on the Kingdom of God. Our allegiance is to Him. Why are we focusing on the Christianity of a landmass?

Let’s shift our focus of the Christianity of our nation to the faith of our neighbors. Follow Jesus? Good, that’s all that matters.

Now, abortion. Yes, I believe God turns His face away in anguish and pain in light of every abortion that occurs. But He does the same when people hate others, when people mar His name, when people turn their backs on the helpless. Abortion is no greater a sin than anything else. I think abortion is a tragedy, but I am also sympathetic to those who feel like they are backed into a corner and have no other option but abortion. Have we as Christians stopped to think about that girl who feels so helpless and trapped? God might be angry that we haven’t done anything to help her. By loving that person, maybe we could have prevented that abortion. Have we thought about that?

When it comes down to it, we’re going to have to pay taxes to things we don’t agree with. We’re going to have to face legislation that might not line up with our Christian ideals. But where are we going to draw the battle lines? Let’s not worry about a Christian nation, but worry about a faithful Christian people. I think that’s what God is aiming for.

“Of the great books which have been composed or partly written in prison, ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ by John Bunyan is the best known and the most remarkable.”

Like most people, I love a good story. I can’t wait for the day I get to read stories to my kids, pull them into the lives of the characters and see how they enter into the emotional roller coaster of the arc. There is something magical about entering Narnia through the wardrobe or fighting the buggers alongside Ender. And there’s certainly something magical about being part of something bigger than ourselves.

Over the years, as I have studied and sought to understand the Bible and what impact it has on my life, it has becoming so clear that God is writing a story and we are all characters. Don Miller helped me understand that I’ve lived my life as the central figure of my own story, but God has a much bigger story for us. Steve Larson has helped me discover the thread that runs through all of the Bible, and that my tiny, unimportant life is indeed an important character and subplot. And God continues to show me that knowing Him is not about theological points or analyzing allegory, but to listen to His telling of the story of humanity.

Jesus definitely used allegory to teach us the mysteries of this Kingdom he talked so much about. Knowing which path have we been sown on, or identifying with the lost sheep, or the realization that we are the prodigal son. But we get so caught up in every aspect of the Bible having to be boiled down to however many theological points.

What if that was how we told stories to our kids?

Me: “Alright dummies, now that I’ve read ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ to you, who can tell me the five application points?”

Kid: “Uh . . . that it was awesome?”

Me: “Wrong! Max is a symbol of our inner childhood and rage, which manifests itself in our lives as wild monsters that cannot be controlled and thus when we are faced with that realization we run from the very aggression we believed was to be embraced. Therefore, stop being mad.”

What a killjoy. Can’t we just be content with being amazed? Sure, there are moral implications below the surface, but are we missing the forest for the tree?

God help me that I never exasperate my kids. I hope I can allow them to enjoy the story.

Bad husband confession: I didn’t blog in honor of Katie’s birthday last week. The day came and went, and no words were penned (or, keyboarded, rather) about the most important person in my life. That makes me feel like a dummy.

But what I would have typed last week is no different than what I would type today. And why not write about my beautiful wife on a day that is not her birthday or our anniversary? I know, I’m trying really hard to justify and redeem the fact that I didn’t write last week. But, alas, the past is the past.

I am amazed at the woman I married. I mean, I knew she was totally hot and really funny. A woman who desired to know and understand God. A person that puts more value on family than almost anything else in life. I knew all that, but every day she still amazes me.

As we get prepared for parenthood, I can’t imagine being in this place with anyone else. Katie is really everything I could have hoped and dreamed for in a wife and partner. I know that because of her gifts and abilities our daughter will be in great hands.