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For the last six years we have been living in a large house in the historic district of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  We needed a large house because we decided to live together with young people in community.  After our kids were adults, we wondered what we would do with our time.  So we decided to invest in young people by living with them in the same house.  We ate together.  We studied the Bible together.  We prayed together.  We did life together.  It was our attempt to live out Jesus teachings with others.  Recently, the last couple who lived with us moved out.  So we decided to put our house up for sale and moved into a condo.  (While living together with others in community is wonderful, it is also very challenging.  We decided that after six years, we had have enough).

I also have an accountability group.  These are men who have walked with me while I pastored at Calvary Church and they have continued to walk with me in the journey ahead.  Recently I was mentioning to them our desire to downsize.  One of the men suggested I look at the Holland Home system.  This is a system that provides independent living, assisted living, a nursing home and hospice.  Once you are in the system, even if you run out of money, they take care of you.  So we have made several visits and feel that ultimately this is the best situation given the fact that I have ALS.

After we sell our house, we will try to purchase a condo and moved into the health-care system.  I am just now beginning to realize that this will be our last move.  We have lived in a variety of homes over the years and whenever we purchased the next home, I never thought it would be the final one.  But this will be the final one.  This is where I will die.  And I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Part of me likes the fact that whatever my needs are, the system will take care of me.  But part of me resists the idea that this will be our last move.  I'm not sure why.

THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN TOUGH. I HAVE HAD TWO COLDS PLUS ALLERGIES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME BREATHING AT NIGHT AND SO FOR SEVERAL WEEKS I HAVE NOT SLEPT WELL. (GOOD NEWS IS THAT I AM DOING BETTER). AS A RESULT OF THIS I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL ALS CLINIC. THIS IS A CLINIC THAT WAS STARTED BY JJ BOUMA WHO WAS A CLOSE FRIEND AND DIED OF ALS. WE DID THE ROUTE 66 CRUISE WITH CORVETTES TOGETHER.

BASICALLY I GOT GOOD NEWS AT THE CLINIC. MY BREATHING IS EXCELLENT. I AM STILL MOBILE. MY LEGS ARE FINE. NEXT WEEK I WILL GO BACK FOR A SWALLOWING TEST. THE WEAKNESS IS IN UPPER BODY AND I KNOW IT HAS DECLINED OVER THE LAST YEAR. BUT OVERALL. I AM GRATEFUL FOR WHAT I CAN DO. I CAN STILL WALK,DRIVE, SPEAK AND EAT.

BECAUSE OF MY COLDS I HAD TO CANCEL A TRIP TO DENVER TO SPEAK. I WAS SCHEDULED AT WEST BOWLES COMMUNITY CHURCH IN THE MORNING AND AT SCUM OF THE EARTH CHURCH AT NIGHT. HATED TO CANCEL! BUT I AM LEARNING THAT SICKNESSES TAKE LONGER TO  RECOVER FROM WHEN YOU HAVE ALS. HOPE TO GO BACK  THERE TO SPEAK SOON.

I AM GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE!!!!!

I LIKE TIGER WOODS. I FOLLOWED HIM FOR A FEW HOLES AT A PRACTISE ROUND OF THE MASTERS - WHERE HE WILL ONCE AGAIN PLAY GOLF. I PRAY FOR HE AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN. HAS ANY ONE IN RECENT MEMORY FALLEN SO SUDDENLY AND SO QUICKLY? IT WAS HARD TO READ THE NEWSPAPERS AFTER HE CRASHED HIS SUV. AND ALL THE WOMEN. HARD TO TAKE IT ALL. BUT WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY?

TIGER CONFESSED AND DID NOT MIX WORDS IN HIS  COFESSION. SOME HAVE DOUBTED HIS SINCERITY. BUT I CANNOT JUDGE WHETHER IS IS BEING HONEST OR JUST SAYING WORDS. AND REALLY IT DOES NOT MATTER. ONE OF THE DISCIPLES ASKED JESUS HOW OFTEN HE SHOULD FORGIVE HIS BROTHER - UP TO SEVEN TIMES. JESUS REPLIED THAT HE SHOULD FORGIVE HIM UP TO SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN. THAT MEANS IF TIGER WOODS HAD AFFAIRS WITH OVER FOUR HUNDRED WOMEN, WE SHOULD FORGIVE HIM.

PAUL ALSO TOLD US THAT THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUAL SHOULD RESTORE THE FALLEN BUT WE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO OUR SELVES LEST WE BE TEMPTED AS WELL. TIGER MENTIONED THAT HE FELT HE DESERVED WHAT HE DID. BUT WHAT IF I HAD ALL THAT FAME AND MONEY? WOULD I BE TEMPTED TO DO THE SAME THING? I HOPE NOT! BUT I AM NOT SURE.

A FOOTNOTE. I HAVE NEVER LIKED NIKE. I GREW UP ON PUMA AND ADDIDAS. NOT NIKE. SO I TRY TO AVOID NIKE LIKE THE PLAGUE. BUT NOT ANYMORE. THEY HAVE STOOD BY TIGER. AND WHEN YOUR WORLD COLLAPSES, YOU NEED A FEW FRIENDS TO STAND WITH YOU. SO THANKS NIKE FOR BEING A REAL FRIEND. MAYBE I'LL BUY A SHIRT.

ANOTHER FOOTNOTE. WE SHOULD PRAY PASSIONATELY FOR TIGER WOODS AND HIS FAMILY. I PRAY FOR RECONCILIATION BUT UNDERSTAND IF IT DOSENT HAPPEN.

Elton John recently lit up the blogasphere with his comments in Parade magazine that Jesus was a gay man. The reaction has been swift and harsh. Let me say up front that Elton was mistaken - Jesus was not a gay man. But what did he really say?  The following is what  he said.

"I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave those who crucified him. Jesus wants us to be loving and forgiving. I don't know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East - you're as good as dead."

First, he begins with the words "I think." Do we not all have the tendency to impose our cultural biasis on Jesus? I found this out in reading the reviews from my recent book, "The Year of Living Like Jesus." I discovered that everyone, religous or not, has their take on Jesus. Some thought Jesus should be "green." Others thought he should be poor. Others thought he should be anti-war. Others thought he should be for climate change. We alll bring our "stuff" to Jesus and somtimes reshape Jesus in our own image.

Second, Elton says eight things about Jesus.

1. He was compassionate.

2. He was super-intelligent.

3. He was gay.

4. He understood human problems.

5. On the cross, he forgave people.

6. He wants us to be loving.

7.He wants us to be forgiving.

8. He wants us to  be kind - not cruel.

I completely agree with Elton on seven of the eight. He is right on! However, I disagree with him on the issue that Jesus was gay.  So does Elton get any credit for seven out of eight? I think he does. He has a pretty high view of Jesus even given his "gay" comments.

Third, I have this feeling that Elton thinks Jesus is gay because the people whom he knows who are gay are loving , forgiving and kind. I have found this to be true of most of the gay people I know. So Elton concludes that since Jesus is loving,forgiving and kind, he must be gay. But as Jesus followers, are we not all supposed to be loving, forgiving and kind?

So thank you Elton for the gift of music you have given us and for your foundation that serves people with HIV/AIDS. Thank you for reminding us of Jesus and his characertistics. And, yes, I hope you will change  the third characteristic of Jesus.

I just returned from another trip to Israel.  I have been there at least 15 times and every time I go, I am profoundly moved.  There is something inexplicable about reading the stories of the Bible in the locations where they actually happened.  There was something about the land and its people that cannot be fully explained in rational terms.  Every time I go, I am stirred to be more serious about the Bible. After one trip I decided to memorize the sermon on the mount - Matthew 5-7. After another trip, I signed up to retake hebrew at Calvin Seminary.

Without the help of my wife Lorna, this trip would not have been possible.  Even though I am still able to teach, travel and lead a group, there are things that I am not able to do.  Well actually, I am still able to do most of them but when I do it wears me out.  Getting dressed.  Carrying a backpack.  Cutting food.  Tying my shoes.  Putting on the raincoat.  Zipping up the raincoat.  Carrying my food.  While I am still able to do all of these things, whenever I do them it completely wears me out.  So without Lorna, this trip was not possible.  So I say, "thank you very much, Lorna."

It has been a while since I wrote on (or "in") the blog. Don't know why. Maybe just laziness. Certainly not business. Anyway, here it goes. It is a new year. For years I made new years resolutions. One year i decided to read through the entire Bible once a month. Another year I committed to focus on prayer. My resolutions always related to something that would help me grow spiritualy. This year I have no resolutions at all. Well, maybe one. I resolve to live everyday to the fullest and try not to worry about tomorrow. Of course this is easier said than done. My goal is to embrace everyday, enjoy it, live it like there is no tomorrow and give God glory through it.

It is also a new decade. I really did  not think about a new decade until recently. And the thought of a new decade scares me. Frankly I am not sure I will live to see the next decade. I have ALS and even though i have had it over nine years and it is a slow growing form, the statistics suggest i will not last another ten years. If you had told me nine years ago that I would still be alive, I would have been estatic. After all, the doctors gave me two to five yearrs to live and most of those years in a disabled condition. So i am grateful to still be alive and mobile. But i am learning that the more God extends my life, the more  greedy for life I become.  I am always wanting more and more. Maybe I will make it to 2020. If I do, i will still want more. If I don't make it to 2020, it has been a great ride.

I am sitting at home in the living room. The sun is shinning - unusual for Michigan this time of the year. Actually, the sun just went behind a cloud. Anyway, it is a beautiful day. I am chilling out between dates on the book tour. The tour is at the halfway stage.  We began in Kalamazoo, Michigan where I spoke at a fundraiser for an organization that works with the poorest of the poor - DCK (Deacon's Conference of Kalamazoo). Then I did several events in Grand Rapids, spent 4 days in NYC, went to Chicago and then Santa Cruz. Along the way I did a number of radio and print interviews. At most places where I spoke, I also answered questions from the audience.  So I have started to compile a list of questions. They are not listed in any kind of order.

1. Jesus was humble. How did you develop humility during your year?

2. Did you struggle with consumerism during the year?

3. After the year, you stopped living Jewishly. What have you kept doing?

4. I can't believe you voted for Obama. What in the world were you thinking?

5. Did you choose 12 disciples to follow you?

6. What kind of beer did you drink?

7. What did you do about dependence on foreign oil?

8. What lessons did you learn?

9. Did you ever walk on water?

10. How did your ALS impact your journey?

Well, this is the beginning of questions. There were a lot more.

The new book,"The Year of Living Like Jesus", is on the way to the bookstores. Soon you will be able to buy it. If you are anticipating a typical conservative,evangelical approach to following Jesus and his teaching-be warned. You will likely be dissapointed and maybe angry-in a Christian sort of way. Some will think,"What is the world were you thinking?" Let me attempt to answer that question. (Even though my answer will sound defensive).

First, I wanted to try and follow Jesus and his teaching without the constraints (some would say "boxes") of organized religion. For the first time in my life I don't serve a church or religous institution. So I am free! I tried to set aside all constraints imposed by organized religion. Of course this was nearly impossible.

Second, I began the year with little or no preconceived ideas about where this might lead. Actually I was a little nervous about where it might lead. And the journey took many unexpected twists and turns. I ended up doing things I never anticipated doing.

Third, I wrote this book for those on the fringes of the faith.  People who are interested in Jesus but not "the church." I did not write for those who are in the church. My passion has always been for those who are "unchurched." Years ago we started a non-traditional Saturday night service for those who would never show up on Sunday. It was a stretch for nearly everyone in the church. But we did it! This book is "Saturday Night" reduced to writing. I pray that many who are attracted to Jesus  but not the church will take the next step.

Fourth, I am still an evangelical - though I don't like the term (see the introduction to the book). I still believe what I said when I was ordained many years ago. But I have never been satisfied to remain the same. I have always pushed the boundries. I want to keep growing as a devoted follower of Jesus. I believe that my year of trying to live like Jesus helped me change in significant ways. But I still have a long way to go.

Last, the way of Jesus is hard. It requires constant vigilance. It demands our total commitment. I learned through many failures and mistakes just how hard it is. I don't claim to have all the answers. I don't claim that everthing  I did was right.  My only claim is that  I tried to follow Jesus and his teaching - however imperfectly.

Tonight I will be giving a talk along with my neurologist to over 90 medical professionals.  Dr. Wiley, my neurologist, has been a great encouragement to me these last nine years.  A while back we gave this talk to the Kent County medical Society.  I spoke from the perspective of the patient and he spoke from the perspective of a physician.  It was very well received and so we are doing it again at Calvary Church -- the church that I served for over 18  years.

Shortly after I was diagnosed with als (incurable,degenerative and terminal illness) I preached a series of messages on the subject od Divine Healing. For me this was not theological or theoretical - it was the reality of what I was facing. The first message introduces the topic and the rest fill in the blanks. I can remember the series as if it was yesterday even though it was almost nine years ago. I hope it will encourage a lot of people who are struggling.

THE SERMONS ARE FOR DOWNLOAD ON MY BLOG-FOR FREE