Would you be able to go toe to toe with a Nazi in a debate? 

Would you be able to debunk what Richard Spencer argues with logic and reason?

I haven’t really read his arguments or listened to much from him, but he has been labeled a Nazi. If one cannot defeat his viewpoints with reasoned arguments, one should examine what they believe and why they believe it. 

Is the only reason you’re not buying into Nazi viewpoints is because the majority denounces it? 

If the answer to Nazis is violence, nothing is being solved. Nobody ever truly recanted something they strongly believed in because violence was at the door. Those views are still held inside. 

Nazism and other viewpoints today’s culture labels as reprehensible – these views need to be defeated in the arena of ideas. 

That is the only way these ideas can be eradicated, never by violence. But I’m afraid our culture (at least those advocating violence) can’t enunciate competent arguments against these people. What is popular is easier to believe than what is right. 

“Will you accept that you are radically accepted?”

This question Sunday broke me down. I am accepted.

A few years ago I wrote a blog post about being accepted to law school. I bragged about the beginning of my journey. I was ready to prove a lot of people wrong.

And I did prove wrong those who were so negative when I set my sights on law school.

I was never really accepted throughout junior high and high school. I went to a Christian school, and they were, at times, terrible people.

Entering adulthood, I learned less and less to care about these opinions.

They didn’t know me. They didn’t know what I was capable of.

They weren’t true friends. It was easy to leave behind.

But Sunday, as I participated in the prayerful exercise the preacher was leading, it closed with repeating twice, “I am a child of God, in whom He is well pleased,” after he led us in intentionally bringing to mind the negativity of the past.

This is a staggering thought.

He knows me. He knows what I am capable of.

Yet He’s still sticking around.

My personal awareness of my depravity makes this hard to accept, but at the same time, my awareness of this radical acceptance in the middle of my depravity makes me speechless.

 

…It’s just how it is.

Today I found myself a little discouraged.

Last night I had random dreams, and my ex unfortunately was in my dream. It was not pleasant. I don’t always remember my dreams, but my dreams are always crazy.

During the day, this brought me back to the day I married my ex. I was 21.

Frankly, I was unsure about what I was doing as I waited for the ceremony to start with my dad and the preacher. I was specifically thinking about just not doing this. Not going through with it. Taking a hike.

I didn’t, but I wish I did. So many people there, so much preparation, time and money – I felt I couldn’t back out. It was too late.

I regret not backing out, but then on my run, I heard the lyrics:

“Well, I guess I’m better late than not at all/ Or did you plan it this way all along?/Cuz without suffering grace is hard to see/ So maybe I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”

After hearing this MercyMe song dozens of times before, this struck new meaning – no need for regret, God knew what would happen, and I am where I am supposed to be.

I’m not late to the party. I am right on time.

This ain’t wishful thinking, it’s just how it is…

 

The city is synonymous with hard work. The fight. The struggle. The iconic fist of Joe Louis hangs in the city. The city has had some tough times. The city is fighting back.

I find a lot in common with the city.

I was raised a Detroit fan. I ran the bases as a kid at the historic, now-demolished Tiger Stadium. I was raised on the lore and legend of the Bad Boys era of the Pistons. I watched Stevie Y and the Wings win.

I was also a Lions fan for the 0-16 season. There have been some rough times for Detroit sports. The Tigers had some ugly seasons.

But Detroit is fighting back, not giving up, not giving in to the past and the bad times – the city and the sports teams.

Same here.

In order to make something stronger, one has to use willpower and actually do things to increase strength. 

In order to strengthen your brain, you have to use it. In order to make your biceps pop you have to lift things. 

But beyond exercise, the chosen movement should challenge you. 

I feel I am testing my patience with simple forays into the world. Sometimes I want to avoid it all, but at the same time, how can I practice patience and lose my reactionary habit if I never expose myself to little things that could annoy me. 

If I try to block out things that annoy me, I won’t develop the strength to handle annoying things, and as we all know, annoying things will always be part of life. Time to continue practicing the right reactions. 

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

― Brené Brown in Gifts of Imperfection

The term “releasing reservation” is supposed to be about being vulnerable and real. That’s not easy or natural for me. I’m not sure it’s as much ego as it is sensitivity. Putting myself out there and being vulnerable opens a door to allow others to hurt.

I put myself fully out there with my ex-wife, and while I was open about my demons and dark places, she was hiding hers. I thought I had found a place of trust and safety for the first time in my life, but rather, my openness bothered her and she eventually left, unable to even acknowledge the truth of her leaving.

Is that TMI? I’m not sure, but it’s me attempting to be real.

I take the bar exam for the second time on Tuesday. A 3 day test. I don’t like admitting that I failed the first time, and I am nervous but confident for this second time.

In the middle of all this, I am reminded I can do all things through Christ. It’s hard to wrap my head around all this, but “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” I can’t do this without You.

Ashley Madison, the site that brazenly promoted a discreet way to have an affair, announced they were hacked yesterday. Info on 37 million people was stolen. 37,000,000!

As a Christian, it’s easy to spout that what’s done in secret will come to light, get on the high horse and cast stones at the adulterers. But why is this the immediate reaction?

A pastor I respected said of the breach, “I know hacking is wrong, but this is awesome.” 

Awesome?

I think that’s how Jesus responded when the woman caught in adultery was brought to him: “I know the circumstances you were caught in were shady- for instance, it takes two to commit adultery, but forget that. This is awesome.”

The big picture here is that 37 million people signed up for the website to cheat, but we are going to celebrate they got caught. That’s showing Christ’s love. 

After my split and divorce, I lived in my 1,404 square foot home for almost 4 years. Completely alone.

Just me and my Buddy, my crazy, loving black lab-mix mutt.

It took me awhile to get used to being alone, but now I sometimes I feel a strange draw back to being alone, even though I know I don’t want to be in that state again permanently.

I was very comfortable sitting at the bar or seeing a band by myself. Enjoying the scene, people watching, and keeping to myself.

It’s beyond ironic and it’s amusingly symbolic that while I was in the middle of one of these trips to the bar by myself, keeping to myself, that I met my good friend Sarah who is the sole reason I met my wife.

It mesmerizes me how all these feelings, habits, and events are so closely intertwined, threaded tightly together, making up the piece of art that is the story of our lives.

I sometimes miss being able to sit at a bar, with my cheap tasteless drink (because of my then – lack of knowledge in the alcohol arena), my mouth shut, just watching and listening to the free entertainment known as bar patrons.

But then I remember how lonely it really was.

What does it matter if Christians win the culture war, but the cause of Christ is not advanced? What does it matter if we ban abortion and the country sees our point of view on same-sex marriage, if the world remains unsaved?

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

The real battle is for the individual soul. That’s the focus, not the a Supreme Court decision.

Our God still reigns, and is very much aware of what is going on. It is our job to do what He has commanded us to do – REACH the world. He is capable of getting the rest done.

I have no clue what it is like to be black in the US. I can listen to others give their accounts, and try to understand, but that’s about the extent of my cross-race experience.

Given that I really have no clue what it is like to be a different race or ethnicity, I feel it is time to stop dismissing other black peoples’ claims and experiences. I do my best to not judge a person based on their skin, but that doesn’t mean nobody else judges based on skin.

Black Americans have real experiences, and it is time to start trying to understand and empathize rather than turning it into a political issue, and attacking the individual with statistics.