asking questions

Different marriages arrive at certain milestones at different points in their marriage.  For many couples, such a milestone is purchasing their first home.  Pam and I hit that milestone in July of 2014. We reached our 36th wedding anniversary the following December.  Since purchasing our home, we have been involved in one renovation project after another. I recently shared with a friend, who has lived similar experiences, that when I see my bride looking around with her hands on her hips and her head tilted just so, I know that she is coming up with a new house renovation project for me to tackle.  In all fairness to her, she has rolled up her sleeves and been in the thick of the work with me as much as she is able.  In addition, there is the hill that makes up the majority of the area behind our home.  When someone said, “buy a house on a hill”, I heard, “buy a house with a hill”. That hill is wonderful to look at and makes a great barrier between us and others but it can be a bear-load of work.  Often, I have joked with my son in the middle of a project, or yard work, with the words, “buy a house they said….it will be fun they said”. Those level of sarcasm in those words vary depending on the project at the moment. When I said them as we were replacing the subfloor in our bathroom, the words were laced with heavy sarcasm.  Such things are part of chasing the American dream.
Chasing the American dream is a cultural phrase that alludes to things such as purchasing a home, having a rewarding job, and securing a sound financial retirement.  There are other things that are added depending on different value factors.  I have always thought of chasing the American dream as being synonymous with being an American citizen. I saw it as something in conjunction with striving to be a good disciple of Christ.  I then read a question in a book I am reading that made me take stock. The author asked, “Are you chasing the American dream or God’s dream?”  The question itself can be understood differently depending on our experience living in this country.  For me it forced me to look in the mirror and ask myself if I have sought to have the church reflect what I understood to be our American Christian culture or has my desire been to have the church reflect the design of the church that I read in the New Testament?  I assure you that those two are not always aligned. At this point, I am pondering, asking, reflecting, and challenging thoughts I have had to date.   I invite you to ponder, ask, and challenge along with me.

Have a blessed week, Vic