absolutes

In this post-modern world that we live in, I've realized that I'm an oddity because I believe in absolutes.  This realization struck me almost two years ago when I was talking to two different Christian friends about whether they believed in absolute truth.  One told me that he believed in love, which I found to be a strange answer.  He related everything back to feelings & love, which I found especially odd seeing as this was a guy.  The second friend and I dialogued about this all the way up the Incline in which he made quite the case for not believing in absolute truth.  What I really think is that so many people & outlets in this world tell us that truth is determined by each person.  This past Sunday, our pastor preached on John 14:5-11. John 14:6 is the focus of this passage: "Jesus answered, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me."  This is a bold declaration that is exclusive & difficult.  As C.S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity, " I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
This passage was especially powerful to me when I first read Mere Christianity in college.  I choose to fall at His feet and call Him Savior & Lord.  The declaration in John 14:6 is very difficult in the light of pluralism and relativism that run rampant in our world.  Because I am a Christian, I will strive to love others as Christ loves me.  That means that I will tolerate their worldview, but it is not valid based on the absolute truth stated in John 14:6.  This is considered especially awful to those that subscribe to relativism and believe that everyone is allowed to determine their own truth.  I especially loved a quote that the pastor gave from Flannery O'Connor: "The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  This world, and especially my own generation, seems to think that truth is a fluid concept that changes based on circumstances or sincerity.  I believe that there are absolutes in this world, beginning with John 14:6 - Jesus is the only way.    

valentine's awkwardness

Most of you know that Valentine's Day is not exactly a favorite for me.  This year it was spent waiting for my family to come into town from Minnesota & Iowa since my Dad's funeral was the following day.  We actually had a great time at dinner with the family and decided not to live on the edge and drive to Kansas City.  There was already a 40 car pile up on I-70 where we would have merged onto the highway to get to Kansas City, and we decided not to make it 41.  So we enjoyed the good old LV standby - Applebee's.
However, the great story is from today at the reception following my Dad's funeral.  A dear couple who have known me since I was 6 years old were talking with me and asked a couple of questions about my life in Colorado Springs.  Keep these things in mind: they are both from the Carolinas, so everything had a great accent; the husband graduated from the Citadel; the wife was an Army brat & they met while he was in training at Ft. Benning.  The husband asked if I had a roommate and then asked if I had a "special gentleman" in Colorado Springs.  I laughed at this question, not because it was particularly funny, but that's my nervous response to this inquiry.  He then said that if he knew any nice first lieutenants or young captains he would send them my direction.  He then said that he & his wife had given up on matchmaking years ago, but it was a nice thought.  I told him that I've inadvertently had that happen over the last several years and it didn't seem to work out too well anyway.  Oh the wonderful awkward situations I'm put in around this time of year.  I just have to laugh & smile because what other response should there be to such awkwardness? 

dad

Dad passed away this morning at 0445.  I was up with him until about 4 and his breathing started becoming more difficult.  I got my stepmom up and we looked at when he had medications and decided it was ok to give him a little more of the pain and sleep medicine.  After that I went up to bed & told my stepmom to come and get me if anything happened.  Shortly after I drifted off, she came up and woke us all up telling us it was time.  I felt the pulse fade and disappear after a last gasp or two for breath.  He passed on with his family around him & very peacefully.  While we are all grieving the loss, we also know that it was best and this way he didn't have to suffer very much.  He led a full life and his work took him to all corners of the globe.  He will be dearly missed.  The following are pictures that I have with my Dad from my junior year of college (a very long time ago).  This is how I want to remember him.

 

processing

I am processing and grieving a lot.  My Dad is dying and his condition is going downhill quickly.  I am flying back home tomorrow to be with him and the rest of the family during this time.  I am at a loss for words.