of milkshakes and log cabins

A few days ago, as my status update on Facebook, I wrote something like, "I think people are made like blended milkshakes, rather than compartmentalized Hungry Man dinners." Of course I didn't expect anyone to know what I meant by that; perhaps I hoped they might ask. But there is a problem with this expressed opinion because I feel like it's contrary to what God's Word might say. It's the difference between man's wisdom and God's truth. If I had more than 2 readers, I could open up a discussion about this. I did talk with a friend of mine about it a few days ago, but I think more discussion could be had.

But let's explore the metaphor a little bit further. If you blend vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, you get a chocolate shake. Once you have mixed your chocolate shake, you can't decide to only have the vanilla part. The vanilla and the chocolate are joined forever and can't be separated. So you'd better like chocolate, or at least tolerate it.

Man is body, soul, and spirit. (I could add mind as a component to this, but that probably falls under the category of soul.) The Word of God goes to great lengths to differentiate the flesh from the spirit. John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." We know that the human body perishes, but the soul and spirit live on. Galatians chapter 5:19-23 talks about the conflict between the works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit: "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you...those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

I am reminded of the Tori Amos song, "Pancake" in which she sings about her disillusionment with a religious zealot: "It seems like you and your tribe decided you'd rewrite the law: segregate the mind from body, from soul." Are we not the sum of our parts? And are not those parts inexorably intertwined? If you try to remove a man's religious faith, it's like trying to take the vanilla ice cream out of the milkshake. If you try to remove a man's sexuality, it is like trying to take the chocolate out of the milkshake. Friends, it is a chocolate shake, and a chocolate shake is what it will be. Right????????

Now, on to the next thing, which is also inspired by something that I posted on Facebook, and on Twitter. I said that I am looking for a good friend to spend the evening with in a log cabin and discuss weighty issues all night long. Also looking for a log cabin.

Why a log cabin? Well, it doesn't HAVE to be a log cabin. But I want it to be someplace that is sort of isolated and I don't want them to bring their cell phone...or if they do, I want them to keep it turned off. And I don't want TV, unless we might watch a movie for entertainment. But I don't want distractions. Whoever this friend is, I want it to just be him (or her) and I, just spending time together, talking, laughing, telling stories, and confiding in each other. It's not a romantic or sexual thing. It's a friendship thing, the kind I've always looked for in my life, but never quite attained.

Because making friends and keeping them has always been hard for me. There's something about me that is just enough off kilter that people reject me almost 100% of the time. Then there's the matter of me always trying too hard, or not hard enough. There is not much middle ground with me. But yeah, a movie or two, some games, a bottle of booze (optional), some music, prayer (if the other person is Christian) but mostly just talk without limit, without restrictions, without distractions. One on one.

This kind of dynamic is partially what I'm trying to write about in my new play, "para physin", and I admit that this might not really exist. I just want to be close to somebody, and the Christian chorus says, "be close to GOD" but sometimes you need to have someone you can see and hear, a friend who cannot judge you, and with whom you can be a little naughty in speech and gesture. Am I right? Can I get an AMEN?!?!?!?!