I am closing down Wishful Thinking and opening a NEW Xanga.    Check out my new blog, Dim Reflections, at www.xanga.com/dimreflections.

Please resubscribe, if you're interested in reading some "imperfect reflections on God, Life, and Culture."

Taking a Break from Xanga for a while.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I'm going to be taking a break from Xanga for a while.  I hope to be back eventually.

Currently Listening City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time By Various Artists see related

More with Family and Friends...

Here are some Christmas pictures of me with my families.  Really, I could say "family" singular, because I am blessed with a birth family that is also my spiritual family.  I'm so thankful that I was raised in a home that loved and glorified God in word and deed.  And I'm so thankful that I get to spend eternity with them all!

Here is me, Julia, Mom, and Dad last night in Dollywood at their Christmas Celebration.  The lights and shows were spectacular (but the frigidly cold air just about made me sick).

And then here's also a picture of me and my two bro's:  Allen (my actual brother, 6 years my younger.  He's about to graduate from UT with a bachelor's degree in financing.  He's also on the verge of getting engaged--we suspect.  And she is totally hilarious and perfect for him.  I'll try to get a pic of the two of them.) and Brad, my best friend.  We had lots of fun playing Xbox earlier this week:

And this final picture is of my longtime friend Josh Glandon, his wife Christy, and their 7 month old daughter Hannah.  This is the first I've seen them in 4 1/2 years (WAY too long)!  It blows my mind that they have a kid, and she's the spitting image of Josh (we're hoping she grows out of that!).  Josh and I have been friends since 6th grade and he was in my wedding and I was in his.  It was so great to visit with them today.  He's currently pastor of Belmont Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN:

So, regardless of what I get in the gift-area this year, and even if I hadn't had THE best sausage balls and Christmas fudges, this would have been one of the BEST Christmas' I can remember because I got to be with family and friends--and they are one and the same!  Not to be too cliche, but "Glory to God in the Highest!"  Merry Christmas to you all!  May you also be blessed with good times with your family and friends!

Currently Reading The Angel Casefiles: The Official Companion to the Hit Show (Angel) By Nancy Holder, Jeff Mariotte see related

With Family and Friends.

One of the great mysteries of the faith is found in these words of Jesus:

Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."
He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  (Matthew 12:47-50)

The coming of Christ brought a revolution, an uprising against the systems of this world.  It was a restoration of the world back to the way God originally intended it to be.  One of these revolutionary ideas is the way Jesus redefines "family."  Other New Testament writers ran with this idea of the church as the family of God.  We in Protestant circles tend to go light on this family lingo.  We may call someone "Brother so-and-so," but that's about as far as we take it.   Catholics, however, use "Father, Mother, Brother, and Sister" very liberally.  We could take a page out of their book.

The American Church has run with the angle of "family" as well. But I sometimes wonder if our family values platform is anywhere near what Jesus intended for His church.  Don't get me wrong.  Family is very important to me.  I love my wife dearly, and beside God Himself, she comes 1st in my life.  And I love my parents, my brother, my grandparents, and my extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I look forward with great anticipation to every opportunity to visit with them (just as I am doing this week).

But I have also discovered that I have a family that's not one of blood, save the blood of Jesus Christ.  It's a family of faith.  And I love them, too!  I think the church needs to put a little more emphasis on the eternal family of faith, how to express our love to and serve one another, how to handle conflicts, etc.  Isn't this the family and family relational stuff Jesus taught about?

I got to experience the best of both worlds this week.  My best friend, Brad, got to come up with Julia and I to Tennessee.  He is just like having a second brother.  I love him, and it was so awesome to get to spend part of Christmas with my blood family, and with my "brother from another mother."    I only wish I could also celebrate with my church family in Thomson.  But alas, the 5 hour drive kinda cuts into Christmas day.  My heart is still with them as well.

Oh, and I wanted to share that Brad got me Star Wars Battlefront 2 for my Xbox and Volume 1 of the Angel TV-show Companion.  He got Julia the novel Wicked and got us all tickets to see Cats at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in January.  It's already been a great Christmas!

Currently Watching Arrested Development - Season One By Arrested Development see related

The Greatest Room in the World (hyperbole, of course)!!!

Well, Julia and I are sitting in my favorite room in the whole wide world---my parents' sun room.  Here are a couple of pictures
(that's Jules on the couch).  I love this room for two reasons:  First, it's just a very relaxing, quiet place to be.  There's no TV in here, just lots of great spots to sit and read, look out all the windows at the beautiful views, nap on the couch with the sun shining on your face (making it all warm and cozy), visiting with family and friends, and playing cards.  I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture (speaking of which, I just LOVE the new 200MB of photo storage.  Thank You, Xanga!).

The second reason I love this room is that my Dad built it.  Yes, that's right.  He is a genius!  Every time I come in here (it's only been here for 4-5 years) I'm amazed that my own Dad made this room.  It's beautiful, sturdy, and looks so professionally done.  Julia continues to convince him to come down and build one for us, too. I'll let you know when that works out.      Anyway...We're having such a great time already, and we just got here yesterday.  Well, I'll leave another update of things later on.