This Christian Life: The Short End...

What a week.

My classes have gone well and my students have been admirable. The weather has been nice and I have been riding my bike. Feels good to be outside even though the new FLC (Faith & Leadership Center) is getting closer to being finished! I've been culling my book collection too - just because its really not that important to me. So what I don't need, I'm simply taking to a theological book dealer in Fort Worth. On top of all that, as a returning adjudicator for USSBA, it looks like I will be getting my assignments for the fall much earlier!

But just wait...

Its coming...

I should've seen it...

And ooh, here it is:

Then water started to pool in my home office, which I didn't notice until the mildew smell set in. As it ends up, my washing machine drain is either clogged and overflowing or else I've got a leak in a wall. Either way, its not a nice smell (mildew - yuck!) and its making thesis work difficult. I can't find the problem either and I've had to call the plumber who cannot come until tomorrow!

Ah, but the news gets better:

The phone bill from my England trip just hit. Wow! or should I say Ow! So much for putting extra money into savings this month.

I guess in the middle of my lectures about the economic and immanent Trinity, I should have told the students that in the middle of our rapturous postulations life has a way of intruding violently when we least expect it.

I should have expected it though. For even the Christian life revolves around the idea of "taking up your cross" and following Jesus down the road of suffering. As rapturous as the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is in our lives, stuff just happens. We still live in a "fallen", sin-tainted world and problems arise. Those problems are not God's fault, they are simply the consequences of living in this world.

The real joy we crave though is not found in a trouble-free world; it's in a life lived with God, even when we are walking down rough roads. My mother used to say, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" and there is some truth in that wisdom. Although I've lost two boxes of books to water damage, 10 feet of new carpet, and will have to pay a plumbers bill and an exorbitant phone bill - that's OK. It's OK because I am not alone. The one who suffered on the cross walks with me no matter what, reassuring me that I'm not alone and that I will get through these setbacks soon enough.

Truth be told, the short end of the stick is useful for a lot of things.

I pray each one of you has a blessed weekend with no backed up pipes or ugly phone bills!