Mitch Wiggains.net

I don’t watch much basketball. I might get by with saying that since March Madness is over. Although I love the sport and played it for years… I would rather be on the court than watch someone else play. But because of this, I don’t know much about the teams, much less the rankings… which is part of the reason I have never filled out a bracket for the finals… I am afraid of being seen as ignorant.

Let me be real with you for a second (because sometimes I’m just fake?)… Being seen as ignorant is one of my biggest fears. I like to have at least something to contribute to any conversation. Now, I don’t have to be an expert on the subject, but I want to feel like I am at least “in the know”.

I always felt that my Uncle Cled was a master at this. It didn’t matter where the topic of discussion went, he always had something to add (albeit the most random knowledge, it still contributed to the conversation).

I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one who suffers from “Iwanttoknowsomething-itis”. In fact, all throughout history people have been held in high esteem for what they knew about a particular subject. Take for instance the high regard given to those who knew the name of a particular god. Continue reading

My wife has that “pregnant glow”… Is that weird to say? I always thought that was an “old wives tell” for people who wanted to have an excuse for assuming someone was pregnant.

“Oh, you’re not pregnant… It’s just that your skin has a beautiful glow.” Such a great way of getting out of trouble for telling someone they look like they might be carrying a little extra weight.

But actually, there is a biological reason for this “glow”. (Something about more blood and oil… I’ll let you google it.) But this “radiant” glow happens at other times as well. Usually we will comment on the radiant glow of a “blushing bride” on her wedding day. Or a form of this glow can be achieved just by working out a little.

About right now, you might be thinking… “Mitch, why are you telling me about how to make my skin glow?” And that would be a good question, because if I didn’t have a point, this would just be a weird conversation.

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You probably already know this… but I have some mad debate skills. (And don’t try to say that I don’t because I might just have to unleash my confabulation technique on you.) For much of my life I have prided myself on knowing the right answer, and frankly just being right. This, of course, fit in very well with my church of Christ upbringing, where in many ways we proved ourselves to be “more right than you.” (disclaimer: I hope you know that I am saying this “tongue-in-cheek” -which is such an awkward phrase.)

I remember one of these “debates” I was having with a Baptist friend about the necessity of baptism. (If you grew up in either of these “tribes” then I’m sure you realize that this was no “sparing match”… This is a “heavy-weight” title in an “ultimate cage-match” of theology.) I kept trying to convince her of the need for baptism… and she kept calling it a work (and as any good Baptist knows… we are saved by grace, not by works).

I think back on that debate (and many others I had) and I must admit that I’m not sure either of us won the argument. But one thought still haunts me… Do I do what I do (i.e. works) in order to get the reward of heaven? Is that the best way of looking at the Christian life? We live a good life, and in the end we get to go to heaven.

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I remember a conversation I had not too many years ago about “gay rights”. Admittedly, I didn’t know that’s what the conversation was about until this man (for lack of better words) “hit on me”. We were in an atmosphere in which that “lifestyle” was not acceptable, and so he was asking me questions on how I dealt with those that saw things differently than I did… do I judge others… etc. In short, he was asking if I was tolerant.

Now I believed I was (and still am) a tolerant person… But I think our definition of tolerance was a bit different. To him, to be tolerant means I must accept the other person’s view as viable and acceptable (if not just for him). But to be honest, that doesn’t sound like tolerance. Continue reading

Growing up I went to a christian camp every year (BMBC represent). I loved it. I loved the friends, the learning, the girls (ok if you knew me then, you would agree)… But I think most of all I enjoyed what we called the “mountain top experience”. (Of course there we did not have a mountain in Oklahoma, but this was a BIG mesa, so just go with me here.)

The “mountain top experience” is something we feel when we sense that we are very close to God. Other people might call this experience the “camp high” but my church family frowned upon references to drug use… but I digress.

As a youth minister, I continued to take teens to a christian camp (this one CBH) and they would talk about their “mountain top” experiences as well (this time on a real mountain). I loved what it did to the teens… I loved what it did to me… There was this perceived “closeness” to God. And who doesn’t want that?

But the inevitable would always happen. Time would go by, and I would feel more and more distant from that “mountain top” experience, and thus more and more distant from God. I even started to believe that God only dwelt on those mountain tops.

I think Elijah went through the same struggles. After his victory on Mount Carmel defeating the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), Elijah goes on the run from Jezebel who has threatened his life. He flees to Horeb (or Sinai), because this is the Mountain of God. Surely God will be with him there. And we pick up the story in 1 Kings 19… Continue reading