Angry Birds For Angry Believers

So I'm officially lousy at blogging now. I've finally become one of those people who say, "I know I should write more but gee I just have been so busy that I don't get it done but stick with me 'cause I'll get my act together." I always hated blogs like that. So I don't think I'll write one. Therefore this paragraph officially does not exist. But since it doesn't exist I'll go ahead and tell you that I've simply slowed down because this dumb foggy eye makes it hard to concentrate on a blurry screen. But I didn't tell you that because that would be cheating since I'm not really writing this.

(enter erase mode)

So I've gotten addicted to "Angry Birds" lately. For those of you not as up to speed and trendy as I am, "Angry Birds" is a game played by techno-addicts on smart phones, I-Pods, etc. There are 20 levels and I've been stuck on level 19 for a week. Your job is to destroy these pig-like creatures by launching angry birds at them from this nifty sling shot like device. (I wish I had a real one.) The piggies (or whatever they are) are protected by wooden structures or slabs of ice and they progressively become harder to hit and destroy. On level 19 the pigs are surrounded by thick wooden planks which also have embedded stones all around them. Oh, did I mention that you only get 3 or 4 birds to kill them off with? It's fun but I do warn you that it's very hard to stop playing. So don't take it to work with you. And while it isn't texting I don't suggest you play it while driving. Heaven help us all if you do. Tell Jesus I said "Hello."

Anyway, I was having some "God time" today. I was in my cave. I spent some time reading Romans for the gazillionth time this year. I'm on a Romans kick. I'm anxious to get to heaven but I dread meeting Paul. He's my biggest phobia. Eventually I closed my bible and took a deep breath. Okay, I'm only telling you this because it's important to me. And I think you might relate. So listen up. I was talking to God about the deepest frustrations in my life. God knows I'm a whiner. He seems okay with it. He's yet to tell me to "shut-up." But this time as I was talking about the things that I'm trying to win out over God came and He clearly had something He wanted to get across.

I am "Angry Birds."

I have these issues, you see. And some of them are people instead of situations which is even worse. And they bug me. Big time. And most every day I spend time loading up my spiritual sling shot with bible verses and great quotes from people smarter than I am (both of them) and then I launch them at my deeply embedded issues. Usually they hit the big rocks or the wooden planks and they just bounce off, doing minimal damage and giving me minimal satisfaction. And in my spiritual life I get stuck on level 19.

Yet the real problem is not that I'm stuck on any given level. The real problem is that I'm playing at all. I've gotten so focused at shooting at my issues that I've forgotten that life isn't about me "winning the game." No. It isn't. Really. Life is about learning to share a yoke with Jesus and pull in rhythm with Him. Life is about getting to know Him better and resting in His embrace. And that's really hard to do when you are loading sling shots and shooting at stuff.

I've learned a lot over the years as I've walked out this life with God. But I keep forgetting the most important part. It isn't about my winning. It's simply about this ... "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so."

I just thought maybe you could relate. Either way ... you may now resume your regularly scheduled life. Oh, and keep your eyes on the road and off your smart phone.