Passion

the other day when i was very antsy, i decided that i needed to read a book. i picked up a C.S. Lewis book, but that wasn't doing the trick, i picked up another book that i had in my room and that wasn't working either. i needed something...comfortable, and familiar. you know, your favorite book, the one that you could read over and over and never get tired of, so i go to the house library, we have quiet a few books, and then i saw it, ahhh, like a your favorite blanket just coming out of the dryer... "The Reflective Life" by Ken Gire.

i could read this book over and over, and never get tired of it. i try to read it at least once a year. as i settled into the couch to read, i remembered why i like it so much. first of all, it is very well written. he writes about pop culture a lot, about art, music, movies, books, everything, and he puts a spiritual twist to it so it makes sense. you could read it for hours and never get tired of it. he uses real life examples, i believe by his writings he could inspire anyone to write a book or maybe just keep a journal, he is real and he acknowledges his own weaknesses and failures, he also writes with passion. i couldn't quiet figure it out why i like his writing so much, it's more than just this one book, he's written many, in fact I'm waiting on one to arrive in the mail any day now. but he keeps you captivated with so many things. new ideas, new words. he writes with passion in all of his books. so once i figured it out why i liked his books so much, i thought about the passion, how he inspired me to live with a passion.

i thought about a movie that he talks about in the book and it's the Dead Poets Society. It has Robin Williams in it, that move is very passionate too. My favorite part (and it's been a few years since I've seen it) is where they are in the hall and they are looking at all the alumni from the school and Robin Williams stands behind his class and whispers "Carpe Diem" (that's seize the day in Latin). and it gets louder and louder, and then he goes on to teach, don't waist the day... fill each day with passion, with what you are passionate about. then i thought about another movie with Robin Williams in it, "Patch Adams", once again in this movie, Robin Williams plays a very passionate role. Patch. Patch goes against all odds to help heal people, not to help heal disease, but people. he gets his medical degree. and all through out the movie you can feel the passion.

so I've realized that i like people that live with passion. whether it's in a movie, or a book, but most of all, people who i can see live out their personal lives with passion. Pastor Charlie is a great person to observe every day. in the Bible people are filled with passion. passion is all over the place. so i went to an online dictionary and found the meaning for passion it is " a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept". what is our passion about? what am i passionate about? i need to ask myself that question. this morning in Sunday School the teacher said "what you are passionate for is what you give your life to." i liked that.

now i want to go back to the book "the Reflective Life" by Ken Gire. he was talking about when he went to seminary the motto was "Preach the Word", pretty good motto for seminary huh? well, what about your life? is that a good motto for your life? He goes on to say that "i wonder what would happen if the motto for the school was the Shema which is "Hear, O Israel! the Lord is our God, the Lord is one! and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deut 6:4-5) and in the New Testament Jesus answers someone telling them the greatest commandment in the Bible is the Shema, and then is followed by "Love your neighbor as yourself." and Ken Gire asks what would the seminary that he went to be like if that was the motto. if they spent 4 years teaching that instead of preaching. hummmm, good thought. what would my life be like if my motto were those 2 instead of well, what is my motto? give that some thought.

anyway, is my passion the same as Jesus??? about the church??? about seeing the lost saved??? and seeing that i reach out to those in need instead of judging them??? question of the week... what is my passion, make that yours too.