I close my eyes and it is a few weeks later. The pace of life is unrelenting. This last week I preached on gluttony. One of the acts of gluttony I believe is the over the top schedules that most people maintain. It is not just single people or married people, people even schedule every hour of their child’s existence. There are a few things that I think drive this for us.

The first is we think that we are going to miss out on something. If my child does not take part in every extra curricular activity available they won't make it into that college. Or if they are younger perhaps we will miss out on discovering that one thing they are great at and they will live in mediocrity for the rest of their and our existence. Don't get me wrong I am as guilty of this as anyone. If I don't handle every emergency, read every page, or have every conversation I may miss the place where God really wanted me. Instead of trusting him I am concerned with doing his work.

The second reason is we are looking to fill ourselves. If I stay distracted enough I won't realize all there is happening in my life that is out of control. My least favorite day of the week is often my day off. I am force to stop, see all that is out of my control, and worry. Wait what I meant to say was trust God, seek him, put all of my needs at his feet. But what do I do more often than not, worry. So I often ask myself on my day off, just as I did today. Why bother taking a day off all it does is make me feel bad. It is because God wants to fill me. For me to stop, take time and rest, don't run from one activity to another feeling worthwhile. Gotta go I am sure there is something else for me to do.

While I sit in a coffee shop that I often use as my office today, I recognize someone who takes class at the same yoga studio. The person who initally appeared to be a friend actually turns out to be a psyhic, and here in my "office" gives a reading.

The spiritual climate in the Bay Area is overwhelming, everyone is looking for something. They know that there is more out there, yet still searching for anything that 'works'. What I come to realize is there is not such thing as an easy answer. Our lives are filled with mystery and exploration. Too often the church has attempted to give formula's that work across the board and yet they don't work and are easily dismissed.

Jesus was quoted as saying, "Go and sin no more." That is a formula that works, what would our world look like if we were able to do that? Yet each one of us blows it, day after day, and for some moment by moment. "Go and sin no more"? Not simple, and every time we blow it we remember the one who commanded us to do it.

A seminary professor of mine did a sermon series entitled, "Why can't Christian marriages be more like affairs." This was a radical look at the passionless relationships that those in the church tend to have, and the wildly passionately affairs that are often the result. Just this weekend I began to think about the series, "Lessons the church has to learn from the gay community."

My sermon this past week was on Pride and I did not know how to address that subject without making some reference to the gay community and the pride parade since the average person in the Bay Area immediately associates Pride with Gay pride. Isn't it interesting that the two communities that have any interest at all in the issue of pride are the church and the gay community? What else do we share in that way?

Struggle for those of us in this country is a very strange thing. A friend of mine put it well this week when she said, "I am complaining to God that my jewel encrusted shoes are too tight and my purse is too small for my fat wallet." That really summarizes what I feel like.

God takes care of us, yet we continue to fear that it is going to run out. That somehow we over stayed our welcome and before we know it he is going to kick us out of the house. Yet he has promised never to kick us out of the house, and we are surprised when he sticks to his promises.

One of my prayers recently is that I am able to be patient. Recognize my disappointment but not let it overwhelm me, and seek God with all my heart. As we are able to do that it is amazing, God shows up. He is faithful, of course then we look and say what about those storm clouds in the distance, and He simply says look at me.

I was cracked up this week when I read God reminder to his people in Deuteronomy, where he says when you were wandering in the desert did your shoes or clothes wear out? No, God took care of his people for forty years and they never out grew their shoes. Right now in my neighborhood all the kids shoes are too small. You see it is too soon to buy them, parents are holding off until school shopping, yet my friend Sevan's shoes are at least one size too small. Thank God for putting some people in my life who's shoes are too tight...meanwhile it seems my diamond soled shoes might be bearable.