The inevitable introductory thing

I've had this address for a couple of years now, and never done much with it.  Until a few months ago I was neck-deep in college and seminary, and on those occasions when I just had to write something non-academic, there was always an argument on Facebook.

So why start now?  Frankly, I've been shamed into it.  My good friend and brother in the faith Greg Harper started writing over at Public Servant's Announcement (which you should definitely check out), and has been knocking it out of the park on a couple of important topics.  After reading his posts, I felt bad about having started this and never actually doing anything with it.  Shame's not the best motivator, but it'll work in a pinch.

As for the name of the page, it comes from a Lost Dogs song from 1992.  I used it as the name of the first Sunday School class I ever taught.  I just love the idea that while this world certainly isn't trivial, it's not all there is.  It's not even the most important thing there is.  Human beings, made in the image of God, are eternal beings.  Souls are immortal.  They're engineered for eternity, not just for a few decades of stumbling around here.

People today -- and by people, I mean "I and maybe somebody else" -- seem to have immense difficulty with the idea that actions, ideas, and beliefs have consequences.  What you do today will have repercussions for tomorrow, for next year, and for all eternity.  We weren't just created by God to last forever; we're all of us every day determining what that forever will be like, and what sort of people we'll be as we live through that forever.

This life is a school, a training ground, and a boot camp. It's a chance to learn what's important and set our sights on it.  We're setting course now for a voyage that never ends.  We've got to get it right, and that means fixing our bearings and ignoring the temptation to wander off course.
I'm a Christian, ordained as a pastor in the Southern Baptist tradition and devoted to following Christ wherever he leads.  Everything else here will come from that starting point.  If you don't care to read what someone like me has to say, I'm perfectly fine with that.  There are much better ways to spend your time.  If you decide to stay, though, feel free to comment all you like.  Just be (reasonably) polite and think about what you're typing before you type it.  I promise to do the same.

God's grace and mercy on us all.