Living life...or holding it in like a...what???

"The trouble with folks like Brownie is they hold their life in like a baked bean fart at a Baptist cookout and only let it slip out sideways a little at a
time when they think there's nobody noticing. Now that's the last thing
on earth the Almighty intended. He intended all the life a man's got inside
him, he should live it out just as free and strong and natural as a bird."
-Leo Bebb in Frederick Beuchner's Treasure Hunt

after the Braves had a meltdown, I decided to clean out some of my old e-mails. The quote above was sent to me a couple of years ago.

it was encourageing then...and mostly convicting now.

things are weird here. My job is about to be done. My wife's lost her job last week. there is a possibility about some future employment, but nothing is certain yet. I am confident of only one thing...Jesus is on the throne. What ever may come our way, we will live life. Being sullen over the lack of makes no sense...Jesus is on the throne.

things happen. Jobs are lost every day. People die. What I am finding out is this...People who know we are believers could care less if we say a curse word from time to time. The fact that we may drink a beer does not bother them. Living a perfect life is out of reach and they know it. What does matter to them is how we deal with the difficulty that comes our way.

it is the Christian that is anal about language and drinking and perfection. What the pagan wants to know is if we really believe God will care for us when all we have has been taken from us. They want to know there is hope in death. They want to know we do not judge them for their imperfections, and are willing to admit ours.

the experiences of life should be taken in like a deep breath. Held in and enjoyed as long as possible. How can we know the goodness of life unless we can experience the rough patches. Most of us seldom put our selves in the hands of God to take care of us anyway. That kind of abandon is so freeing. When we have nothing it is so much easier to lean on Jesus for sustenance.

I heard it said that there were not many Christian adventurers. That most of the people who risk it all for the joy of experience and life are mostly non believers. I find that odd.

I find it odd that we, who have been called to die daily, to follow Christ to the ends of the earth, who know that the "earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof", the sons of the "most high God", are the ones least likely to take a risk. Especially at church.

shouldn't we be the ones who have the most vigor and desire to see the world, live with abandon and try new things? Or are we to "hold their life in like a baked bean fart at a Baptist cook out and only let it slip out sideways a little at a
time when they think there's nobody noticing."

go ahead...Live as you were meant to...Let it out. If it stinks, it will only be for a moment. Especially if the wind is blowing.