Leaving, to go home

Irony. It's such an interesting concept. One of which I ask that you would please sojourn with me during this brief post discussing the matter.

Probably the most pragmatic, consistent, and perhaps annoying concept throughout my life. It never ceases to give me one of those rare slaps in the face, either humorously or seriously.

I should tell you up front that I may be what you call an Apple Whore. Although I have not looked, I would not doubt that urbandictionary.com carries a length of various definitions, but I will simply say for me, it refers to the many Apple/Mac products that I carry. From the Ipod Touch, Ipod Shuffle, Iphone, Ipad, all the way up to my MacBook Pro. My transition was a long and suffering road to holding out, but with the likes of key people in my life, I made the switch and never looked back. But how this love-love relationship is still going is based on one thing...Microsoft.

You see, Microsoft is a producer of a small point of sale gadget called Symbol. You would never know it, but you actually see them in every MAC store across the country. They are those little handheld gadgets that Apple clerks use to swipe your card, email you the receipt and get you out of the madness as quickly as possible. Isn't that something? Apple relying on Microsoft to handle their most precious need, the money?

It does not surprise me that I am writing this blog, because this little story translates into so much of what I witnessed in the last few weeks. I recently visited my parents in Louisiana. I admit, it was a bit more fun this trip. I surprised my mom for her 60th birthday present. She nearly had a heart attack, but she was happy, so I say mission accomplished. Some quality time with family as well, and that was that.
What I was not ready for was a drive around town one day. It was so depressing, I could barely stand it. Buildings and businesses looked so unwelcome, as if they were trying to drive people away. It reminded me of stories you would hear of an old man that lives alone at the end of the street, that no one really knows, but had a ton of stories about. Yeah, that guy reminded me of the city. Unwelcome and unwanted. Years ago, it seemed so promising. What happened?

Again I go back and visit the question, "what were you aiming at?" Dallas Willard would say, "what is your vision?" Such an important question to ask, isn't it? Does this question not somehow reflect who you want to be? What type of person you want to be associated as? The essence of your nature and being?

I hope this question does not come at an incommodious time, but I feel it is best asked sooner rather than later. It can be a defeating question, one flanked by another after another. Even one has come to mind already: Not what is my aim, but what should my aim be? What should be my vision and how do I know? Ok, that was 2, 3 more questions.

Maybe my old stomping grounds would have done best to pose these questions before it was too late. Now with much of it torn down, burnt down, or fading into the earth, I now know for sure that my vision 13 years ago has led me to a much better life. It was simply putting something in mind to work towards, asking God to bless along the way, and He did, far greater than I could have ever imagined. I adhered to the proverbs of making my plans and letting God direct my steps. But that is an easy verse to get lost in. I often wondered if making no plans is simply a run around of saying, "I'm making plans to make no plans." Again, the irony.
And no matter what, decisions, no matter what company we thought we were buying from, ended up being funneled through another. Just as those decisions we think we are purchasing through our own beliefs still go through the heart of God, whether we acknowledge it or not. What I mean is simply this, nothing we do or say or even think escapes without first being known to God. His grace allows for a person to make choices they want, whether in accordance to His desire for us or not. I would say as a side note, that there are indeed some things that will never happen because of His will of decree for us, but there is a lot of freedom given to us as well, probably more than we could ever comprehend. Regardless, none of it escapes Him.


I wish the best for you and hope that we could possibly explore these questions; the aims, goals, visions for what life offers, and being open to allowing God to shape them all.

grace and peace,
eB