ARE ALL PEOPLE WORTH REDEEMING

I just got back from a long weekend in which one of my best and oldest friend was married. The bachelor party was all guys...I really liked that because it kept the guys attention on the groom to be. We played dominos and horse shoes in my buddy Jason's backyard wich is full of pecan trees, chickens, and beer. The pecans were falling heavy and a few particularly errant pecans were taking people and beers out left and right. We ate buffalo chili, smoked pork shoulder, and pickled eggs(vomit, diareah, and heartburn all at the same time). At the end of the night we fabricated a shark fin with a jigsaw and strapped it to my back...Then we went for a swim in the stock tank and later we lit it on fire and jumped in.





It was awesome to see people from so long ago. To hear stories of Beaus younger days, constant stuborness, and the existence of wild okra being the most explainable part of the evening! The group of guys that showed up was a new creation. A RE-Creation. Each day we re-created. That group of guys had never all been together before. I had asked each guy to bring something meaningful and to think about some encouraging words for Beau (groom). One of the guys traded books with Beau and gave him a book written by an atheist scientist that had started in his life a spiritual awakening. Later that night I read "Where the wild things are to the same guy" (another gift) and I have never seen anyone get so pumped about Max's liberation. We talked about relationships and how we project our feelings onto everything around us, even our chickens. (It's amazing how little things in our lives point to some of our biggest question marks!) We talked about love as relational currency vs. paying with guilt. We talked in circles about truth not existing and then Beau (Groomtobe) walked in and said "you can't use truth to explain how truth doesn't exist" all over a pot of chili. Then we slept on the floor.





The next morning I awoke to a horrible shrill scream coming from Jason's bed room and I was both startled and disgusted. Well it wasn't a woman dying but one of his chickens that he sleeps with crowing. wooooooh. I was very glad. The we all went and got some chicharones(gelatinous pork skin taco) at Joe's.





The night before the wedding several of us stayed with Beau and talked and tried to keep the TV off and really enjoy the fleeting moments. Amidst stories of humorous electrocution, riding sanders to the floor, and people rolling on the ground laughing. Crack Head Chris made his legendary crab salad(worst gas you have ever smelled) at 2AM and we all ate together and then got some sleep (on the floor).





Here it was, the big day. We scrambled to get ready. Luckily our ties were clip-ons! The only unexpected problem was the pocket square (hankerchief). After 30 minutes of pocket square theory sokulee chris (cajun) figured em out in the nick of time. What do you expect from a cajun who carries Golf clubs in his trunk.



The ceremony was beautifull. They gave flowers to the virgin mary. Tied Beau and Andrea "AHNDREYAH" together at the altar. And 13 coins were passed on to them that were her grandmothers. We witnessed the begining of something new and the honor of the continuance of traditions.



Then we had pictures and went to the reception. We sat and ate and danced and ran races and jumped over bushes and drank beer. We decorated the car and Beau and Andrea were off!



Later that night those of us who were left hung out. One of the many conversations was about religion. Imagine that...

A lot of hurt was brought up....imagine that.

The question that is most difficult for me was this...How can you use something for good that has had such a history of hurting. Lose the book! Keep the ideas. This was directed at me for good reason.
At the reception I was asked to give a toast. Some of the language I used was offensive. Last week I offended Christians, but this week it was people who had been hurt by religion---well religious people actually. People like myself. People who speak the language of christianiy. The people that I offended were very interested in the language of love, but to them the language of christianity only ostracized most of the audience. Did they feel left out? Why would they want to be a part of hate? Or of something so flawed... Well maybe it was about me. I am their friend. They felt betrayed by a friend. That will make you hurt for sure.
One of them said doesn't everyone deserve to be redeemed? That makes me think of a song.
Rufus Wainright has a song in which he says how can you go to hell for having loved?
I definately desire that all will be saved. And that All will be redeemed.
I asked them if bad people could be redeemed then why not the bible "the book" also be redeemed. Why must it be gotten rid of?

By the end of it all what was accomplished?

Well we are still friends. We all have more questions. We all know a little more about one another. We might all be a little more care-full with eachother.

Perhaps the biggest thing was God in the midst of all that. Reaching people through atheist scientists. Reaching people through different religions. Everyone reaching out to eachother and being reached. Being humbled in needing/accepting help from those who we percieve to be helpless. I am glad people are different. I am glad that there are people who can't stand christians and yet have parts of their lives so dialed in. Perhaps it's because. "This life is all I have." I am most glad when we can all get together and care for one another.

Im rambling. talk to you later.