Monday's update on a Tuesday (replacing what would have been John's Attempt To Get Less Fat, update 9)

ED NOTE: Post restored. No edits made.

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So instead of just the fat updates I'm going to call my hiatus over.

I will blog on Monday, except when I don't. I will blog more than that when I feel like it.

I will include weight loss info in the Monday posts at least.

Anyways here's some random personal stuff.

Went to Lincolshire/Buffalo Grove/Palmetto (aka Chicago area) this weekend for a wedding of two great people I have a lot of respect for. They were Kelli's friends first but I think I can say they're my friends too now and I couldn't be happier for them.

Congratulations on your marriage, Brando and Lulu Hall.

Now for the downer. As much as I loved being a part of their wedding, I hated leaving Chicago at 11 (eastern) and driving through the night and rain and literally handing Kelli the truck keys in the parking lot of my job, where I proceeded to put in a full day.

Was it worth it? Yes. Will I ever make a drive like that again? No.

Last, an interesting thing.

Everyone knows exposure to different ideas and beliefs is a way to better understand them. Some argue that book learning on certain things is insufficient and you need to see it firsthand to understand etc. In the Christian world, this shows up in the argument that usually goes "I believed in (item a) for the most part of the experience at (church b) was more spiritual etc."

I had a similar experience this weekend that should be noted.

Brando and Lulu are for lack of a better word non-traditional, non-denominational Christians. They don't worship like your average Joe but they're truly devout. Their friends and families as far as I can tell are also believers.

The night before the wedding I hung out with Brando and his buddies who looked like they walked out of Hot Topic/Vans shoes commercial. They all have product in hair, piercings, tats etc.

Also, they're all Christians.We drank and talked God all night.

At the wedding the officiant, Charlie, a married father who shares my love of deep dish pizza and whose ordination was never fully explained to me, presided very ably and delivered a solid message for both the bride and groom and those in attendance.

Being surrounded by non-Catholic Christians for an entire weekend had three effects on me.

First, I was happily reminded that the word non-denominational doesn't mean lazy, bad Christian. While I'm sure that categorization includes that type, I met a large portion of non-denoms that were to use hyperbole, on fire for the Lord.

I was also reminded that the non-Catholic Christians are in many ways brothers and sisters in arms with the Church, even if they've disowned their parents, metaphorically.

I knew these things already of course, but it's easy for me to get lost in the fray and forget that though they lack the fullness of truth, they are based firmly in it's foundations.

Second, I think now more than ever the Church has a chance to reach them. As readers know, I believe that anyone genuinely seeking the truth of God that tries hard enough and has the chance will be led to the Catholic Church, and these people are desperately seeking.

They're not lost souls, but they haven't found it all yet. They have the Bible, but in many ways it's like having a treasure map without the treasure. They need someone that knows cartography to help them find their way.

And they are not unwilling to hear. We just can't come at them the way we come at Lutherans or Baptists etc. Pure theology won't work. Their central belief seems to be that no one can know everything God knows, and they see Catholics a making that claim.

If we can illustrate the difference between saying we have the fullness of truth, and the fact that we still don't scratch the surface of understanding all that is God, we as a Church can add millions of young Christians to our parishes, saving who knows how many souls.

Third, I've never appreciated the Church so much. It was so great to see so many people under the age of 30 that are madly in love with God, but I saw it in it's context.

They saw God as a hottie. Rocking great looks, seems to be smart and saying all the right things at the club. They're three dates in, and they proposed. They're really willing and serious about making a lifelong commitment.

They know God's eye color and favorite TV show but they don't know God's mom's birthday or how God really feels about the ending of the TV show "Lost."

This is oversimplification of course.

I have to get back to work so I'll cut it off here.

To sum up, glad to see the spirit of God working in so many. Glad to have seen the wedding of two good people. Sad to have driven forever and not slept.

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No weight update because I really don't know.