Thanks for your most challenging post. As I jokingly IM’d you later it made me want to hit you. Why? Because it so boldly confronted me with the the challenges of this blog and with life in general. One of the problems of the blog is that it can be so demanding – “post, Post, POST” it endlessly screams. Such demands sometimes make it difficult to dig down deep (also the name of a great song by Mark Cohn). The other is the demand to really think and process and pray through and reflect upon the things of this world – all the things of the world. To be blunt that is just hard and tiring and sometimes it is easier to be deep down superficial. Of course, that is also worthless in life and in certainly worthless to this blog. So please keep calling me on it. You aren’t alone. I got this email from a reader:

We haven’t met, so let me start off by saying I’m a huge fan of your book, which I just finished three weeks ago. The book appealed to both the political junkie and the Christian in me.
I have to say, though, that I just saw Patton’s post and I think he’s right. I’d looked up your blog because the message in your book is about taking a break from politics, from consumerism, from the trappings of the world. Yet what are you blogging about? Hmm, seems to be mostly about policy, politics, and consumer interest issues. Nothing wrong with that for a general-interest blogger, and personally the posts were interesting, but …. isn’t there a way to speak to Christians in a relevant, topical, newsy way while staying true to your challenge to take a fast from politics?
Where can I find interesting thoughts on what’s happening in this country to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, and visit the sick or imprisoned?
Just my two cents.

Valuable cents. And sense too because my blog’s title isn’t “Walked with Jesus perfectly and now you can too” (though I half expect to see that title from some Christian book publisher). Fortunately my blog is titled ,”J-Walking” and is about the journey and the journey isn’t neat and always on the right path. That is why I need those who challenge and sharpen and love.

Ok, two quick thoughts on Apple and iPhone.

Beauty, wonder, excitement. I looked at the unveiling of the phone and I was awed by its beauty. It is a gorgeous phone, a piece of art. And it thrilled me. Surrounded by news of wars and lies and death and such stuff it was so great to get lost in something so beautiful for a while.

It was also inspiring. Steve Jobs is running tirelessly towards a technological vision in his head. He sees something that no one else in the tech world sees. I don’t know what it is but there is an amazing vision – something beyond what he has stated. I need that same tirelessness in my own race – walk, if you will – because the vision set before me is slightly more important. It is eternal.

That is where I will stop for now.

Some lyrics from Marc Cohn’s aforementioned song:

Baby let’s go below the surface
See what we can find
There’s no reason to be nervous
‘Cause it happens all the time

I don’t want to go up to the mountain
I don’t need to go down to the sea
Gonna sit right here ‘till we unravel
The mystery

His albums are worth buying…