Happy Labor Day!

Hope everyone had a great holiday today. Erin and I went to the Renaissance Festival, which was a lot of fun but very tiring. I don't understand why some of those people would devote their lives to living like they're in the Middle Ages, but I guess whatever you're passionate about is what you're going to follow, right? My only question is why are those shows so crass? Seriously, those people have real talent. They don't need to load it up with double entendres and sexual humor in order to make it impressive. Sigh. Sometimes I just want Christ back RIGHT NOW. Especially living in a world where terrorists take over schools and kill hundreds of civillians. Ugh. I don't understand people.

So, tomorrow it's back to work. I spent too much money this weekend so I think I'll be taking this week and coming weekend a bit light. No grandiose spending. Good thing that Fall TV is getting back up. Gives me something to do.

Read a great quote by CS Lewis that has had me thinking tonight. It goes like this:

But the most obvious fact about praise--whether of God or anything--strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise--lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game--praise of weaather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, sometimes even politicians or scholars. I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds praised most, while the cranks, misfits, and malcontents praised least. . .

I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: "Isn't it lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?" The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about everything else we value.

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consumation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.

Like I said, that quote has been running through my mind all night, because it is at once so true and yet at once so missing in my life. I love to probe the Scriptures. I look forward to my quiet time because I know God has some great truths in store to reveal. But prayer has always been tough. Not the supplication, because of course I know how to approach God and ask for things. Not even confession, because I'm honest enough to know I'm far from perfect. But praising God in prayer has always seemed like work. Always been a bit of a chore.

Similarly, when I am talking to another friend about God, I'm very fast to tell about the latest thing I've learned, to show off my smarts (although realizing the Holy Spirit is actually the one imparting wisdom takes any pride out of that real quick.) Or, I can chide them on where they need to improve or maybe where someone else is lacking. But it's tough to say "isn't God great? Isn't it amazing what He's done?" Even at church some Sundays, there is a part of me that just wants to skip through the singing and praying and get right to the sermon, when worship is why we are there.

I could say that I'm just built differently, and I acknowledge and respect that God made us all worship differently. I do tend to be more intellectual in my worship and less prone to outbursts or simple appreciation. But we're still commanded to praise God, so I can't use that as an excuse because no matter HOW I worship, I am still commanded to praise.

Plus, I am a person prone to praising other things, just as Lewis illustrates. I can write paragraph upon paragraph about how great a movie is or about a TV show I'm wrapped up in. And yes, my friendships often don't seem complete until I can turn to my friend and say exactly what I appreciate about them.

So why is praise so tough when it comes to God, who should be the most valuable thing in my life? After all, we're commanded to praise Him because His Glory means He is infintely worthy to be praised above anything and He knows we will only find true joy when we praise Him.

And of course, that question leads me back to looking at myself and my sinful nature. It's easier to praise something in front of me that will give me a quick "thank you." Or to praise a movie simply because I've been emotionally manipulated. But looking at the days, weeks, and years of my life and seeing that hand of God means I have to look back and see that the only way I've gotten through has been by His sovereignty. And that takes any pride away from me, which is tough.

So, that's my thought for this Labor Day. Now I happen to be extremely sleepy so I think I'm going to hit the sack.

C-Dubbs