Howdy folks! Just checking in! Been a long day as Sunday's usually are. Java - thanks for missing us!
Been an interesting couple of days huh? I was expecting today to be a ghost town on the maelstrom thread - only to find like 50,000 pages I had to read. I don't remember if I've put my two cents in about the whole situation. Not even sure I want to. Cause we've moved on it would seem. I do hope, as do all of you that Mel will stick around.
To all the "newbies" please don't be offended if you don't get noticed immediately. Almost all of us read every single post (unfortunately - what's with the dog/cat/demon thing? holy crap!) and your comments are definitely read - doesn't mean we don't like you or that we're trying to be an exclusive little club - even though there is a initiation process to join. See ZZub for official rules and conditions.
The poster earlier said this is so much like high school. And in a sense he/she was right. We've found a way to unwind, most of us after hard days. I've come here many times after dealing with church folks who are either being totally selfish and stupid, or even after spending a week with a family trying to help their mother die.
Rhonda is always my best friend and I turn to her first. I have other friends that are close - guys from seminary, who are all pastors, and a couple here in our church that we're close to. And it has really been neat to have this extension of friends - of which we all are in a very internet kind of way. But I know I'm not the only one who likes to come here and share thoughts, share life. Yeah sometimes we get a little off color and I admit to having been a part (big part) of the stuff that has gotten us in trouble.
All that having been said, I enjoy being a Maelstrommer, and am proud to say that I've been here from the beginning - as best I can remember. I wouldn't recognize a single one of you if I passed you on the street probably - 'cept for Amy cause we actually met her - (and by the way - when are we getting together again to dish about this whole mess?) But it doesn't matter.
I know not everyone on here believes as I do - and I will be the first to admit that as Paul says, "I am the chief among sinners." But I do believe that God places people in our lives when we most need them. There are many nights where i have been unable to sleep because of stuff going on in my life or the church. I've logged in and read about poop and laughed and cried a few times. It's therapy.
I thank God that He has put this happy group of folk in my life. Do we talk about stuff a little out of the norm some? Yeah. Are the Mods right about toning it down? Yeah. I wouldn't want my Wesley to go back and read (when he could understand it) the story I posted about what the guy said in a sermon that time. At the time, I didn't think about it. It was funny - one of those comedies of life. But when given the opportunity to reconsider the story, I removed it. The mods were right. I was trying to be funny and just didn't think about the inappropriateness of it. But, unfortunately, isn't that what often gets us in trouble - when we just don't think?
I know I'm rambling, and I started off thinking I might try to say something witty in keeping with all the dog pictures (were those really that witty?) that have been posted today. Maybe it's cause I'm tired. Maybe it's cause I have been preaching all day and I just can't stop. I'm sad Mel's gone. I'm sad peoples feelings were hurt over the stuff from the weekend - on both sides.
I'm happy I'm here. I'm happy all of y'all are here. But stuff happens when people share their lives with each other. Unfortunately it's just the nature of the beast. People say they don't want to go to church cause churches are filled with a bunch of hypocrites. Well, sometimes thats true. But the real truth is that churches, just like the Maelstrom thread, are filled with people who are different. Different experiences, different points of reference, different ideas, different wants, and every one of them fallable. Will anybody always get along? No. It just doesn't happen. At least not in this life. Should we strive for perfection anyway? Yes.
If I have offended anyone either by 'ignoring you' or saying something I shouldn't have said - I am sorry. I count every single one of you as my friend. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Not I, said Mark. But in the midst of it all, I am grateful to God for getting to meet all these neat people. It is hard for an outsider to understand. I don't even try to explain it to anyone - cause they just wouldn't get it. But we're Maelstrommers. We rock. Hard! Like Van Halen did with David Lee Roth (not so much after).
And for the record - I was kidding about wanting to be the ZZUB's thong - not in a million years.
Mel, if you're reading this, come back. Everyone else - stick around. Newbies - don't get frustrated if people don't respond. It took months for all of us to be so free with each other. Just like it does in 'real life.'
Rock on Maelstrommers. Rock on.
Blessings!
MarkyMark
YAY!
