The MCC Blog

Welcome to MCC’s (sort of) weekly blog. From thoughts about the Bible, to every day experiences, to pop culture, join us as we write through what we believe. Feel free to comment and share to your social media site as well! If you would like to email us about a certain blog, please be sure to include the title of the blog in the subject line, and send to admin@metrocrest.org. 

Proximity

I used to live in Chicago. Well, I lived just north of the city, but it was practically a stone’s throw, or a short El ride in Chi-town jargon, from the amazing downtown area. I lived there for four years, and you know what? I didn’t take advantage of my proximity as I should have.

The infamous Windy City has so much to offer after all: sports and music and museums and food and you name it, you can probably find it. 

While I did see a lot, and even do a lot, it was nothing compared to what could have been. In fact, the more exciting events that I took part in were the bookends of my time there. My first month, full of excitement for being somewhere new, I went to the Art Institute, a Cubs game and walked up and down Michigan Ave. My final months where I was already feeling nostalgic, included Shedd Aquarium, another Cubs game, dancing at Soldier Field, and gorging myself with Giordano’s pizza.

Read more...

Mighty

In a mystery I recently read, the repentant family member died – after wielding an inheritance like a club to get people to do her bidding – and the main character considers whether he can forgive the old woman for her life-long ill-treatment of him. His considered opinion was that deathbed apologies are too little, too late. It got me to thinking.
 
In the Bible, Jesus was crucified between two criminals – one was forgiven of his sins by Christ. (What else would Jesus’ declaration that the criminal would be with him in Paradise mean?) We are left to wonder about the other, although the implication is that he was not forgiven, because we are not told his attitude of anger and bitterness changed. I know the fact of Jesus’ forgiveness of the thief on the cross comforts many people, because it allows us hope that it’s never too late – that a messed-up soul can be redeemed at the last moment.
 
But the idea that a person can be forgiven by God at the end of a life lived selfishly – full of deceit or cruelty or callousness – simply for the asking! – infuriates some, who may feel that their own efforts to live rightly are diminished by God’s forgiveness of a scoundrel who repents in their last days. Shouldn’t following the rules result in the better reward?


Read more...

Tune my heart

Guitar tuners, along with toothpicks, are among the greatest of creations. For someone with less than perfect pitch, like myself, they are a Godsend! I even have a guitar-tuning app on my iPhone. Aren’t you grateful?

While tuning my instrument before heading to Dallas County Juvenile, a thought occurred to me: My tuner has a perfect middle spot, a “bull’s eye” of sorts. When you pluck a particular string, a wavering line pops up; sometimes to the left indicating flatness, sometimes to the right indicating sharpness. Even when you tweak the string towards the bull’s eye, it is a challenge to get a vibrating string to hold still! It’s next to impossible to be perfectly tuned! My wandering mind went to wondering, ‘Isn’t this just what it’s like to pursue the perfect balance of grace and truth?’ Even when we exert great care and effort, we are likely to be either slightly sharp, or slightly flat. Even when we correct we are prone to over-correct!


Read more...

Carla’s Story

 
Whump! What was that? I was sitting at lunch with a vendor and our meals had just been delivered. I closed my eyes for a minute and waited for the weird feeling in my chest to go away. “Oh, sorry…..just felt weird for a minute. I am ok now.”
 
Whump! I suddenly lose my appetite….now I never lose my appetite..never. “I think I need to go….it is probably nothing but I am going to drive myself to the ER just to check things out.” My vendor friend, Sharon, said “At least let me take you.” “Ok, but I hate to be a bother….if you just drop me off, I will get one of my friends at work to pick me up”.
 
We start out of the restaurant and I start to feel unsteady. I am helped to the car and into the passenger seat. Sharon asks me to look up the ER on the phone, but I can’t seem to work the technology. I text Jeffrey and my colleague at work that I am headed to ER, probably nothing, might need help to pick up the car at the restaurant later. Jeffrey asks me where I am going and I text back gibberish. We get to the ER, I walk in under my own power and that is where my recollection ends…….

Read more...