Interview, Take Two

Done this once before, now with a few questions from Donna:

1. Describe a time in your life when you were relieved God didn't give you something you asked Him for, and why.
I had a nice post-relationship friendship with an ex-girlfriend. She was even in our wedding, good friends with Vicki. But no, God answered correctly with the lovely hubba-hubba I am espoused to now, thankyouverymuch.

2. Have you and Vicki always been on pretty much the same level spiritually? If not, how have you helped each other grow through the years?
She would say I'm ahead of her spiritually, and I'd reply that I think deeply about deep stuff that no one else thinks is that deep anyway, and that doesn't make me any more spiritual than anyone else. "Same level" is a goal, I think - but in many ways, I'm playing catch up.

3. My daughter was a big daddy's girl up until a year ago. She's 12 now and doesn't feel close to her dad at all. How do you think you will handle it if Cammi pulls away from you at that age?
Here's the thing: I don't want to think like that. I mean, I don't want to be too naive, and I know that being a teenager will do strange things to her and to Trace and to me, too. She can "pull away", as long as I don't give her the reasons for it, as long as she knows I've never left, and as long as she knows I am always right there. And on some level, aren't we preparing our kids to "pull away" anyway? Giving her the tools to make decisions that are right and honoring is part of the process, too, methinks.

4. You obviously love to teach and minister to people. Have you ever had a desire, or felt God calling you to go to seminary and become a pastor? Would you be afraid to make the sacrifices to do that?
Don't tell anyone, but (1) you don't have to go to seminary to be a pastor, and (2) I am ordained and used to be on staff in a bi-voc associate pastor role. Shhh :). I've never really felt "called" to seminary, and the "sacrifices" wouldn't be sacrifices if that's what God would want of me. I think I'd be too much for most professors - and most senior pastors - to handle.

5. You seem to stay up-to-date with pop culture. What aspect of our culture is it alarming for you to see Christians embracing, and why?
Marketing & capitalism. If a book sells, it's immediately the flavor/fad of the month and highlighted in every Christian bookstore in the country. "Alarmed" isn't the right word; "repulsed" might be better. From WWJD to the Prayer of Jabez and through the PDL series - sometimes I wonder if the hype strips the thing of its meaningfulness or not.