A Christian Liberal is NOT an oxymoron.

Posted by XT on April 2nd, 2008 in This blog

When the Bishop was talking this weekend, he brought up the idea of “Now what?” It is, he said, the third step in determining a purpose, the first two being, “What?” and “So what?”. Thing is, it’s something I’ve been wrestling with as far as the continued presence of this blog. It fits in nicely with my brother’s comment a few weeks ago when he repeated the words of Professor Dumbledor to Neville Longbottom concerning having the courage to confront those we love.

Ok. I get the idea. What I don’t get is the answer to that final question.

I started blogging because I just didn’t hear a public voice of faith that wasn’t marching in step with the right wing. I’m not saying everyone else is at the point I am, but I know that there is more diversity than picking between whichever right-wing talking-head-of-the-moment is currently in public favor and his immediate predecessor. Far from being a lone voice in the wilderness, I found quite a few other like-minded people. We even had a blog-con (and are planning another one). But I don’t have the institutional connections or the public presence to push something like that onto a big stage. I’m not even sure if it needs - or if it should be on - a big stage. Some things are best kept small and intimate.

As far as political science goes, I’m pretty much stuck at my current level of education - time and money and the demands of family and need for full-time employment preclude further pursuit of degrees - and that pretty much limits my job prospects. So that door seems a bit more than half-closed - isn’t there supposed to be a door opening?

Maybe there is, and I just can’t see it. For all the wonderful things going on in my life, it sure feels like defeat. What do you do when everything you’ve planned for a decade gets stood on its head? Make other plans, of course. But what plans?

Aye, there’s the rub.

It would be nice if life handed us nice little packages of success. Maybe it does to some people. Or maybe I’m looking at the package and haven’t figured out what it is yet. I don’t know.

So what do you do when you don’t know where you’re going? Ah…keep going and maybe ask directions.