Ocala Report - Vacation

What fun! Ocala, Florida for about three days. They didn't even miss me at World Headquarters. Boo hoo! I am nobody. Took some time off the blog, too.

Here are the Ocala highlights:

1. Horses - visited a training facility for race horses, Spring Garden Ranch http://www.springgardenranch.com/

2. Manatees - known as sea cows, endangered species . . . we saw four at Blue Spring State Park www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/

3. Silver Springs - home of the famous glass bottom boats. Gators, bears, fish, giraffes http://www.silversprings.com/

4. Great workout at a world class (Compass) Gym. Stupid free weight activity. I am in pain.

5. Passed John Travolta's house/airport. I am a groupie. Can't help it. I am intrigued by celebs.

6. Hung out with my aunt's cool neighbor, Joe. Joe is 71. He is from Maryland. All three of his sons are in ministry. He is not a person, he is an organization! Never met a more normal guy.

7. Hung out with Jay and Joanna Mitchell from Church at The Springs http://www.thesprings.org/ (Ron Sylvia). Great folks. In a word, movement makers (is that two words?)

Deeper Waters - Resurrection Special Report

Not try to sell a brand of spirituality . . . Becoming a Christ follower is making a discovery, not being sold. I would do what I could to save you (whatever that might mean to you this morning). Problem: My ability to save is limited. I may not even be able to return your phone call or e-mail, much less save you from a sin, hang-up, hurt, or habit.

Jesus is willing to save you this morning . . . and He is able. He proved it when He defeated my deepest fear, my worse case scenario - death. How did He do it? Resurrection!

You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this (John 11:25 MSG)?

Deeper Waters - 5K Special Report

Although I set a record time for me (26.09) and beat you know who, my overall Resurrection 5K performance was a disappointment. Just did not have it for this one. I learned some things. Tune in next week. You know there will be deeper waters (at least for me) flowing from my experience :).

Let Jesus Go Already

Thinking Out Loud has readers from different belief systems. Often I use certain Christian insider language and images. Hopefully the approach does not shut some of you out who are on a different journey. My prayer is that TOL content can interest you in a journey to the heart of Jesus. I could say more and will, but for now, Jesus is alive and worth getting to know.

USA Today (3/10/08) featured an article that created a new religious category: The Nones, as the writer called them, are a group (16% of Americans) that claim no religious affiliation, yet only 25% consider themselves atheists or agnostics. Called religious free agents, the Nones (50% consider their views Christian) represent the health of a spiritual not religious movement. I don't endorse the movement, necessarily, but taking a fierce personal inventory of our journey to Jesus might be a good thing.

For only the second time in the last ten years I am preaching to the same people (Willow Ridge Church) through Easter. I did it for twelve years to the same people in New Orleans. I must confess, the assignment makes the meaning greater. I am required to dig deeper and ask the hard questions in order to communicate for God during this significant time of year.

Let's see. Where does that leave us? Oh, yeah, Good Friday. Bad news for a bunch of Christ followers, or not? Sunday, I am going to tell the story about one of the three famous Marys of the Bible. Mary Magdalene has been called everything from a whore, to the wife of Jesus, from a disciple of Jesus, to a hairdresser. I think most of us have been called those things at one time or the other.

Not enough space to unpack, but read the story (The Bible - John 20). You will discover that on a journey to the heart of Jesus detox and growth is required. One (of many) reasons Good Friday was good was because a bunch of the short term views of Jesus died. Something new and better was coming, a good to great thing, that God was planning. A movement was on the heart of God.

What does a deeper relationship with Jesus look like for you? What needs to die (views of Jesus, selfish motivation, self-promoting religion, judgmental spirit) for you to move closer to His heart? You can cling to the old (Mary M. tried and almost missed the incredible staring right back at her) or you can let it go and discover the after Easter Jesus.

Resurrection 5K (Frogman/Duckman Beware), fun with girls, and Ocala is on the way in the next week. HQ will have to survive without me. I think they will do fine.