Saw Rob Bell last night on his Introduction to Joy speaking tour.

It was interesting in that it intertwined with multiple conversations I have had in the last few weeks.

Rob’s talk was not what I was expecting at all, for the first half it was almost more like going to see a comedian, the guy is honestly funny.

That being said for those of you reading this who are on Twitter you need to start following the TSA’s Twitter account (trust me).

He spoke on a myriad of random topics but it all funneled down to hevel…

God provides the opportunity, live in the moment. He went through Ecclesiastes. “Meaningless” is translated from the word “hevel” which is best translated as vapor or mist.

Vapor, vapor, all is vapor.

Squirt a spray bottle, how long does that spray last? In the greater scheme of life we are but vapor or a mist snuffed out in a moment in consideration of time. Live the best you can in this exact moment. Both the past and present fold in on this moment making this moment the most impotrant. If you overlook that and despise the here and now you have lost a part of your life never to have lived….

Was talking with a friend yesterday and he was telling me how he had studied for a few years under a Jewish Rabbi. I knew that most Jews do not hold to a heaven and hell mentality. I asked him about this and he said “Rabbi Shumal said, he had enough to worry and do withnin the here and now then put effort into the after.” For Jews they look in the OT and heaven or hell are not mentioned or taught so why worry about it.

Earlier this week I was talking with a group of people about the endless possibilities of hope Christ walks with us in co-creating our future with Him as we live. I have said this a lately but the eternal life mentioned in most places in the NT dealt with the present moment, how to live a meaningful life in the moment.

My previous mindset was to put all things off for a future time, I also saw myself as a work in progress who was so far off from the good to come. That paradigm will suck the life out of you. Im not all HEDONISM like but… don’t neglect the here and now.

I guess I’m saying Savor the Moment. Don’t let things slip away unappreciated.

These are the ramblings of me

This may have been my attire for the evening.

Philanthropic:

Seeking to promote the welfare of others, especially by donating money to good causes; generous and benevolent.

Guess what? Most of us don’t have the ability be philanthropic with our finances, as much as I would love to pay off someone’s credit card debt or pay off your mortgage I’m not there (yet). Unless you debt is below $13.73. I might be able to help there.

Formerly I would read the Bible to see how I could better myself or find a way to get closer to God or evev make Jesus famous (that last one makes me laugh now). I also read it to point out the errors in others (I excelled in that).

Now I look at the scripture at a more macro level. Jesus continually spoe about love, forgiveness, and grace. Unfortunately for me, most of my life I grew up with a paradigm of a judgemental Zeuss type version of God. With that view I read and interpreted the scripture not as a book centerd on a loving (unconditional and even unconventional) God, but more of an ass-hat PO’d version.

As I mentioned I am looking at a more macro level and see the overall picture of an inclusive, empathetic, and loving being. So with that in mind…

Philanthropic, I/you may not be able to throw cash at problems but I/ you can reach out to those who could use a hand up instead of another push into. the proverbial gutter. Go all Isaiah 58 on the single mom or the unemployed or whoever is in your circle of influence.