Last week at ThPM we read a great essay by Debbie Blue. It was all about how there should be guerilla groups who insert random figures into nativity sets…like Homer Simpson hovering over baby Jesus or a Power Puff Girl standing next to Joseph. One of her big points was that the Wisemen were like that, orignally. They were raging pagans, astrologers, magicians. It’s funny now, that we see them as such benign parts of the Christmas creche. Because really, the fact that they are part of the story at all is way WAY out there. Like having naked bikers show up at stable door.

I think this essay resonated so much for me because I like pagans. And by this I don’t just mean “people who are not Christian.” I mean real, intentional pagans…people who are actually practicing some sort of alternative religion which usually moves around very earthy things like the seasons, the sun, the moon and her phases, the stars. If you live in the middle part of America, you may not know anybody like this. But in Seattle, they are everywhere — well, everywhere outside the bubble anyway. I like how they worship — how desperate they are to find meaning, truth, and light. I like how they party – how eager they are to celebrate, to follow their creative M/muse. Mostly, I just dig the fact that they’ll let just about anyone play. So I guess that’s what I like so much about Debbie pointing out that the Magi were magi… not the cleaned up “kings”….but star watchers, pagan prophets, astrologers.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m learning how to find common ground with these people. I’m learning how to blow on the God-active spots in their lives, and to let the fan the God-active spots in mine. I’m wanting to dance in the overlap. Which is exactly what I think Mike’s managed to do in this quote below. Mike took the horoscope, and through it he got inspired to follow the star.

Can you dig it?

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Hey, I was at coffee this morning perusing The Stranger and read my horoscope from last week. Not that put any Faith in them! They make me laugh more than anything. But this one struck me a little. Check it out.

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To guide your journey in 2005, I’ve selected two quotes. I suggest you write them out and keep them in your wallet or under your pillow for the next ten months. The first is from mythologist Joseph Campbell: “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.” Your second keynote comes from the ancient Chinese sage, Lao Tzu: “Stop leaving and you will arrive. Stop searching and you will see. Stop running away and you will be found.” Now here’s your homework, Gemini: Meditate on how these themes articulate two angles of approach to the same joyful work.

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I thought hmm…what if it was rephrased to read “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the God, to match your Spirit with His Spirit.” and “Stop (or at least decrease) sinning and you will arrive. Stop searching (filling your life with worldly pleasures) and you will see God. Stop running away and you will be found.” and Meditate (PRAY) on how these themes articulate two angles of approach to the same joyful work.

I had to ponder that several times. I think one of my main goals this coming year to increase is looking for God in things that might not have been inspired by God but that He is using to speak to me with. Kind of like God Beer goggles! LOL Interesting that He would use a Mythologist and a dead Chinese Sage. (and some wacky horoscope writer!) - Mike LaJoie