Being vs. Doing

I am at the Emergent Convention right now and my mind is beginning to fill up. I skipped the community discussion so I could put some of what I'm processing down. Besides, they're talking about epistemology. I had my fill of that for the last three years. (If you don't know what epistemology is, its a discussion on how do we know what we think we know? It's very philosophical and it has no meaningful application to my life. That might be an overstatement but its how I feel). On to the deep stuff. (-:

We are to be the Good News and not just tell the Good News. I heard this from Dieter Zander. Its what I've been trying to express for a while. We read that the early church had the "favor of the community." It means that when people saw the early church Christians, they were glad. Are people glad to see you coming? (By the way, you can now comment without registering with Blogger. I didn't know there was such a setting!).

I saw a vision of my future and I don't know what to make of it just yet. I was in the middle of the prayer labrynth when I was asked to express what I wanted to leave when I well, leave. What will be my history when I'm history? Friend of God, Husband, and Father. These were the things that I kept writing into the sand before me as I realized that my desire isn't to please men and be known as a great pastor. What I need to focus on is what God will say about me. What my kids will say about me. I grew up with a father consumed with ministry. It consumed our family as well but not in the same sense of the word. I NEVER AGAIN WANT TO NEGLECT GOD OVER "MINISTRY." I NEVER AGAIN WANT TO NEGLECT MY WIFE IN THE NAME OF "CHURCH." I NEVER WANT TO SACRIFICE MY CHILDREN ON THE ALTAR OF "MINISTRY." Maybe I'm a little passionate about this issue. (-:

If you wonder why I use (-: instead of the traditional :), its because I'm left handed and that's a left handed smiley. Just a random thing about me. (-:

Bearing my soul through blogging is becoming a process, a practice, a discipline that is so freeing. I don't know if anybody will ever read this but that's not why I blog anyway. I blog, I put glimpses of my soul on display in order to release them and keep it from eating me from the inside out. I can't explain it. I don't know if I want to just yet. I might not have anything left to blog if I did so.

What do you want to be known for when you check out of this world? I'd love to hear your thoughts.