This blog, Beach Chair between Pews, was a good dream, but a rather disappointing reality. I never was very consistent. And perhaps for the best. I have gone through a lot changes in the years since I opened this blog and while I am still on the journey I was on when I began this blog (and even on the same trajectory) I feel differently about things than I did several years ago. So much has changed, in fact, that I feel a new blog and a fresh start are needed. I thank everyone who took the time to read any of my posts, I thank you for your thoughts, and encouragement. I hope I can be less disappointing the second time around. You can find me now at
http://ekklesiosaurus.wordpress.com
I am still working on introductory content, but should be up and running shortly.
Thank you all again, it has truly been my pleasure...
Michael
Friday, July 4, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Back to Blogging
Excessive absence? Ppppfffffff... I mean 614 days is a bit long, but excessive? So why did I stop blogging?
Simple: life.
What has transpired in the past 614 days? Well my wife and I had another child, which meant I needed to spend twice as much writing time changing dirty diapers. I got a job. A very not fun job. A job I disdain, where I've had to work every shift, every holiday and until recently had only been allowed to take 3 vacation days in a year and half. I've had two relatively minor surgeries, I've been on a job search, gained 60 lbs, dropped out of RCIA, gone back and forth between denominations, have never found a church home, royally sucked at prayer, and been diagnosed with ADD. There have been a lot of good time and whole lot of bad times. So why get back into blogging?
Simple: life.
Things are starting to look up. I spend a lot of time with my family but it is a little bit easier to squeeze in writing time than it was just a few months ago. I'm on the prowl for a new job and I think I will be successful in the next few months. I'm beginning the weight loss process (again). Thanks to some small improvement in my prayer life I am slowly breaking down the doubts, fears and intellectual stalemates that plagued me before.
So I am mulling over a return to blogging, which I always enjoyed and now I finally realize how much it helped me work through things and become a better man. I'm sending this out on the random chance that some poor person might stumble upon it and offer their opinion...
Should I stick with this domain & blog title or not?
I mean I like the thought of beach chairs and pews. But it is a gangly url, a little funky to spell and let's face it I live nine hours drive from the nearest beach. I'm not sure if it is best to just get a fresh start to bring this blog back from the dead. I'm leaning towards a fresh start, since that is something I need in my life anyways. Any thoughts...
Michael
Friday, October 5, 2012
7 Quick Takes Friday: Vol #13
1 - Long Absence - I took a break from blogging. I felt my blogging aims were getting cloudy and I needed the time to refocus on writing about what mattered. I needed time to focus on finding a job. I needed time to focus on my faith and my family. I won’t apologize for my absence; it was needed. Sometimes the only way to come back is to go away for a little while.
2- Looming Employment - After six months on the sideline I’m re-entering the workforce. I wish I was more excited than I am. Its a job in customer service, entry level. I haven’t had a non-ministry job in a long time and never one full-time. I really do miss the ministry work and I’m not sure I’ll ever get back into it. But as Dick Bolles says in What Color is Your Parachute, “All jobs are temporary.” I am grateful to have a job and to be able to help provide for my family. “I’ve only got one more week of freedom before I start.
3- Baby Timeline - On to more important things: my wife’s pregnancy is going fine. What a blessing for a healthy pregnancy. My wife and I should know the gender of our second child within the month.
4- Design Issues - Perhaps you noticed that I changed up my template and design. It certainly isn't anything unique, original or visually stimulating; I was just going for simple and uncluttered. I thought a basic, simplified view would help me as a I attempt to refocus. I still haven't figured out my font issues...
5 - More Content with Content - I feel like I’ve been taking too much time updating my weekly 7 Quick Takes piece. Not that it should require much time, but with a pregnant wife and an active one year old... well... I'm lucky to write at all. Amateur that I am, It takes me awhile to post the kinds of content I started writing for in the first place. The 7QT post series, while a great idea, was taking away my focus (a precious thing for a borderline ADDer). I’ll still post bits from my personal life and silly nonsense from time to time, but it’ll be at a slower pace.
6 - Blog Refocus - I’m hoping to get back to what this blog was about. I originally started this as a place to collect my thoughts: why would a Baptist youth pastor consider Catholicism? A change like that requires an explanation of things that are too deep for us. This blog was originally intended for my wife, and for family and friends later. I’m a better writer than a speaker - if you think my writing is bad imagine how horrible my speaking must be! It is easier for me to express my thoughts on this matter in writing.
The reason for this blog re-focus...
7 - I joined RCIA - After four years of reading Catholic books, posting on Catholic message boards, thinking through Catholic theology, freaking out about my attraction to all things Catholic and re-examining my own faith... I finally worked up the nerve to don the door of a Catholic Church.
I’ve been enrolled in RCIA class for a month at a small parish and I'm really enjoying it. Thus far my journey has been through books and reading - for which I am grateful - but it is a lonely way to journey. I’ll post more on how the personal element of RCIA has benefited me greatly. I’m attending Mass once a week now and I really enjoy that too (not that I go for enjoyment).
I’m most grateful to my wonderful wife. She doesn’t see in Catholicism what I see, and I no longer see in Evangelicalism what she sees. Its not hard to see how this puts a strain on a marriage that was planted and nurtured in Evangelicalism. But love overcomes fear and differences. We still agree on many things (an important point in all Protestant-Catholic dialogue) and we promise to love each other till death do us part, no matter what path our lives take. The alternative (either one of us compromising our convictions) is too painful for either of us to bear... we know where that road ends. Our faith is something neither of us can compromise on, for no one can compromise with God; we can only obey or disobey. We promise to love, respect and support each other. I found some helpful comments in an article titled, Interchurch Marriages: How to Help them Succeed:
Differences in a marriage are never easy, but we can grow through them. I think, for my part, my actions may have made things more painful. I thank my wife for being a portrait of grafecullness and forgiveness. However if our marriage could model "the reconciliation of Churches" then perhaps we'll learn to see our challenges as a humbling opportunity and grace from God.
I'm sure over time I'll have more to post on the family aspect of this faith journey.
2- Looming Employment - After six months on the sideline I’m re-entering the workforce. I wish I was more excited than I am. Its a job in customer service, entry level. I haven’t had a non-ministry job in a long time and never one full-time. I really do miss the ministry work and I’m not sure I’ll ever get back into it. But as Dick Bolles says in What Color is Your Parachute, “All jobs are temporary.” I am grateful to have a job and to be able to help provide for my family. “I’ve only got one more week of freedom before I start.
3- Baby Timeline - On to more important things: my wife’s pregnancy is going fine. What a blessing for a healthy pregnancy. My wife and I should know the gender of our second child within the month.
4- Design Issues - Perhaps you noticed that I changed up my template and design. It certainly isn't anything unique, original or visually stimulating; I was just going for simple and uncluttered. I thought a basic, simplified view would help me as a I attempt to refocus. I still haven't figured out my font issues...
5 - More Content with Content - I feel like I’ve been taking too much time updating my weekly 7 Quick Takes piece. Not that it should require much time, but with a pregnant wife and an active one year old... well... I'm lucky to write at all. Amateur that I am, It takes me awhile to post the kinds of content I started writing for in the first place. The 7QT post series, while a great idea, was taking away my focus (a precious thing for a borderline ADDer). I’ll still post bits from my personal life and silly nonsense from time to time, but it’ll be at a slower pace.
6 - Blog Refocus - I’m hoping to get back to what this blog was about. I originally started this as a place to collect my thoughts: why would a Baptist youth pastor consider Catholicism? A change like that requires an explanation of things that are too deep for us. This blog was originally intended for my wife, and for family and friends later. I’m a better writer than a speaker - if you think my writing is bad imagine how horrible my speaking must be! It is easier for me to express my thoughts on this matter in writing.
The reason for this blog re-focus...
7 - I joined RCIA - After four years of reading Catholic books, posting on Catholic message boards, thinking through Catholic theology, freaking out about my attraction to all things Catholic and re-examining my own faith... I finally worked up the nerve to don the door of a Catholic Church.
I’ve been enrolled in RCIA class for a month at a small parish and I'm really enjoying it. Thus far my journey has been through books and reading - for which I am grateful - but it is a lonely way to journey. I’ll post more on how the personal element of RCIA has benefited me greatly. I’m attending Mass once a week now and I really enjoy that too (not that I go for enjoyment).
I’m most grateful to my wonderful wife. She doesn’t see in Catholicism what I see, and I no longer see in Evangelicalism what she sees. Its not hard to see how this puts a strain on a marriage that was planted and nurtured in Evangelicalism. But love overcomes fear and differences. We still agree on many things (an important point in all Protestant-Catholic dialogue) and we promise to love each other till death do us part, no matter what path our lives take. The alternative (either one of us compromising our convictions) is too painful for either of us to bear... we know where that road ends. Our faith is something neither of us can compromise on, for no one can compromise with God; we can only obey or disobey. We promise to love, respect and support each other. I found some helpful comments in an article titled, Interchurch Marriages: How to Help them Succeed:
Rather than threatening your own faith, this effort at understanding might enrich it, revealing how similar yet how distinct each expression of Christianity is. Then, like the Schweitzers, you'll come to realize that "Christ is the mortar, not the wedge, between our lives... Interchurch couples daily model what Father Byers terms "the Church of tomorrow." "When respecting each other's traditions and sharing that respect with their children, they lay the foundation for the reconciliation of Churches."
Differences in a marriage are never easy, but we can grow through them. I think, for my part, my actions may have made things more painful. I thank my wife for being a portrait of grafecullness and forgiveness. However if our marriage could model "the reconciliation of Churches" then perhaps we'll learn to see our challenges as a humbling opportunity and grace from God.
I'm sure over time I'll have more to post on the family aspect of this faith journey.
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