"Livin In Laodicea!"

The title is loosely taken from a line in a Steve Camp song. The line goes like this, "I've been living in Laodicea..." It seemed somewhat applicable to my life right now. Laodicea, one of the seven churches of Asia addressed in Revelation. It is a church that nauseated the King of Kings. A literal rendering of the phrase "spit you out of my mouth" is "I will vomit you out of my mouth." I am not real sure but I believe that my life of late would give Jesus more than just the dry heaves. The thought of my failures turning his stomach makes me deathly ill.

I find that I have taken up residence in the kingdom of apathy. And I have even become one of its leading citizens. As the mayor of Apathy my quest is do just enough to get by. One should never go the extra mile unless others are watching or perhaps the newspapers and media are recording their actions. It has been said that the opposite of love is not hate but apathy. If this is true then I have become the emperor of Apathy, the king of lukewarm.

How simple it has become to make alliances with the surrounding nations on the continent of mediocrity. Negotiating treaties that laud the virtues of compromise and concession. I have become an expert at giving up and giving in. Just call me Chamberlain, Prime Minister of the land where appeasement has become the coin of the realm. I have become a shinning example of the old adage, "the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." I wonder if one who does nothing could still be considered a good man? Would a good man really do nothing in the face of pain, suffering and lost souls? I am reminded that Jesus, "went about doing good." I should be troubled by that reminder. Here I am a mediocre man ruling a mediocre land making treaties with a mediocre band of lukewarm vagabonds. Miserable wretches who are more than happy to simply exist on the crumbling the continent of mediocrity, rather than truly living.

An alien resident of a barren and desolated planet whose surface is marred by hot dusty winds of compromise and storms of despair that ionize the atmosphere of this alien world. In the midst of this hostile environment I have become much too comfortable. This tepid world devoid of moral and ethical structure, this modern Sodom, is beginning to feel too much like home. Livin' in Laodicea I have become an arrogant individual who believes himself rich and in need of nothing, but who is in reality a hopeless street urchin, a miserable vagrant begging soup. A troubled soul in need of redemption.

It is half past time for leavin' Laodicea. "I'm going home on the mornin' train.."
Leavin' Laodicea.

Just some things to think about along the way.

Bob

What words would I use?

I have frequently pondered the meaning of a catch phrase used, and in my opinion over used, in our present society. I hear people using it in a myriad of circumstances. From a professional athlete in an interview with ESPN or Fox sports, to Sale's trainers. People whose job it is to communicate with others.

Are ready for it? Well ready of not here it comes. "It is what it is." My questions are , "what is it?" And "what else could it be?"

When you are talking is the price of that car or what interest rate they are giving. We are told, "it is what it is." The Athlete is asked about the progress he is making in re-negotiating his contract and his relationship with his coach, other players and management and he replies, "It is what it is."

I don't know about you but that answer leaves me a little empty, kind of like eating rice cakes. My first response is to shout, "of course it is what it is." It couldn't be what it is not, could it?


It seems that maybe just maybe, we have mastered the art of talking without saying anything. I suppose this post could be a prime example of this statement. With all all due apologies to the poet, it could be "much a do about nothing?" Yet I still don't know what it is.

Words have the power to create or destroy. Words have the ability to hurt or to heal. Words can be used to unite or divide. What power do these word have?

If words have meaning then what is the meaning of these words?

Consider these words:

I love you. You are my life. Great work. You're special. I do! I Will! I believe in you. "You are so beautiful to me!" "Thanks for the memories." "I will remember you." "I am praying for you."

"It is what it is!"

Just some things to think about on the way!

Bob