Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?

I'm in Hawaii right now. A lot has happened since I last posted. I've been to Mexico on a camp, went to Arizona for some vacation, built a table, found out Andy Milonakis isn't as young as I thought (thus sacrificing his comedic credibility), and flew to Hawaii.

It's been really nice to hang out with Danielle. Oh my goodness, it's been nice. Even since showing up here we've just had good recharging time. And I hate to think of myself and loved ones as batteries, but I do feel myself being rejuvenated.

We're staying in Ben Fairfield's place while he's getting married. He's probably the closest person I know to a hippie, so good for him. But he loves God a lot, too, and that's interesting.

Yesterday as I lay on the bed of his room, looking at the wall with a lot of propaganda on it (and propaganda isn't bad) regarding the suffering in Sudan, tree planting, the beauty of nature, etc., it struck me that God is incredibly big. There are billions of people in the world with their own impressions of God (and unique ways to worship him) and not one of them is completely correct. What a slide toward relativism. If I can say that, "God is like this" and someone else can say the same thing, who is right? How do we determine? Should we have to? As long as the understanding of a need for grace is comprehended and a willingness to follow Christ is acknowledged, who can say what kind of worship or praise or service is NOT Godly?

I read a quote today that I have read before from Ann Lamott who said "If God hates all the same people as you, then you have definitely made him in your image." And at first I tried to struggle with that, but ultimately, I think she's right: Because I'm human, I must admit that God loves people that I hate. So I should pray for President Bush as much as I pray for Osama Bin Laden. Or Hillary Clinton as much as Saddam Hussein. Or any other hot-button politico you can think of. God loves them all equally and I should recognize that my personal dislike of someone is not the "redeemed" side of me.

All that to say, knowing God is impossible. I claim ignorance boldy, as Augustine said, because to understand God is to deny him the essence of his Godliness. But I want to know him as much as I can.

All truth is God's truth. I need God.