My conversation with God this morning.

Me: God, hey, it's me again. Good morning. I crashed hard last night and then woke up around 2-ish this morning. I checked my email the way I usually do when I awake, you know the way I usually do, and there was this post about someone struggling with Sin. I wanted to respond, but I wasn't sure how to do it, so I kinda lay there thinking and I guess you gave me this idea. Wanna play with this?

God: Sure!

Me: So, my idea of sin so far is that Sin is basically anything that keeps me from your plan for me, that when I'm _not_ living in sin, I'm living in Grace. Make sense?

God: Works for me. Is that working for you?

Me: Yeah, so far. I mean I have a hard enough time just trying to keep my eyes open and focused on what your plan might be for me, you know, in the big picture, or even each day.

God: Yup, I know. That's been a hard one for you, but you seem to be sticking with the program that you found and you keep trying a little bit each day. Isn't it getting easier for you?

Me: Yeah, at least sometimes. I get distracted sometimes more than others.

God: Sure, sure. The world's a really busy place for people like you.

Me: Yeah, you know I wonder about that sometimes. Can't you make it easier for me?

God: Sure, I could. In fact, it's always possible for life to be "easier" for you. You just have to choose it. As far as life being less busy, well, there are a lot of people living around you. I haven't thought it a good idea to put you in a bubble, at least not yet. There are ways, though...

Me: Ah, yeah, you and the "ellipsis" thing. That's shorthand for "more will be revealed". Cute.

God: Yeah, you know me and my sense of humor...

Me: Heh, there's another one. I'm grateful that you won't make a joke at my expense.

God: Nope! Why would I? Well, I might if there were a larger purpose, but remember, I wouldn't give you more than you could handle and there are _never_ any mistakes in my world.

Me: Hmmm, lemme just check in with how I feel about that for a sec. Yup, I still see that. You haven't given me more than I could handle and all the times that haven't made sense for me, I'll just keep practicing faith that you've got some bigger plan.

God: Good. I am a whole lot larger than you are -- in fact, still larger than you can imagine. Keep trying, though. I know you have fun with that.

Me: I do, I do. So, as far as the Sin thing, before I started typing this, I was thinking of doing a kinda dialogue about it with you. Ready?

God: Of course!

Me: So, would you say it is sinful if I, I dunno, steal a car?

God: My question to you is, do you think that's my plan for you? Or is it your plan for you?

Me: Well, hypothetically speaking of course...

God: Sure, all of this is hypothetical for now. I'm good with that.

Me: ...I guess if I were of the mind to steal a car, I'd be feeling pretty hopeless or reckless. No, I don't think that'd be your plan, more like mine.

God: Yeah, that fits for me.

Me: Okay, how about the Seven Deadly Sins of Man -- let's say "Greed".

God: Okay.

Me: So, I'm feeling greedy. I want more, say, money. Sin or not?

God: Again, same question. Think that's my plan for you?

Me: Hmmm. Do I think God wants me to feel greedy? Well, what about "no mistakes in your world"? Might it be your plan for me to feel greedy right now?

God: It could, it could. I might have some bigger plan for you, but then we'd be back to a situation of "more will be revealed". My question to you is, what are you getting out of your greedy feelings, or any of those other "deadly sins"?

Me: I guess I'd be getting my way, as opposed to anyone else's way, including yours.

God: Makes sense to me. So basically, those sins are you being willful, imposing yourself on the world?

Me: Yeah, if I killed someone, got all lazy - eh, what are the others? Hold on, lemme Wiki those...

Me: Back. Found 'em. "Luxuria (extravagance, later lust), Gula (gluttony), Avaritia (greed), Acedia (sloth), Ira (wrath), Invidia (envy), and Superbia (pride)". So what you're saying is that these are all me being willful?

God: Well, yeah, whaddya think? You think my plan is for you to be gluttonous, wrathful, prideful or any of the others? How's that gonna help anything?

Me: Yeah, okay, I can see that.

God: Keep remembering, just like you've been learning, I want you to be "of service". All those sins get in the way. I want you to help others, love others, add the light in yourself to all the rest of the light in your world so that the whole place just glows and shines as brightly as it can!

Me: I want that too! Not just for me, but for my girl, my friends, the whole world! You _know_ how sad I am about how things are elsewhere.

God: Of course. We've talked about that for a while. Most of that stuff is too big for you, at least right now. Just worry about yourself. You've been making improvements, one day at a time. I'm proud of you, and it's working, isn't it?

Me: Yeah, well, there are some pretty messy and uncomfortable things going on, you know that!

God: Yes, I know, I've been with you through all of those...

Me: ...yeah, I know...

God: ...and you keep seeing how "this too shall pass" keeps working...

Me: ...yeah, I know...

God: ...and I keep giving you signs and evidence that faith works...

Me: ...yeah, you do a pretty great job of that. I hardly ever see those payoffs coming!

God: Yeah, those payoffs to the faithful are pretty fun for me.

Me: You devil, you! I knew you were getting some fun out of all of this!

God: Heh. Come on, you know how great that feels when you can bonus out your daughter for keeping the faith and doing a good job. Like the last time you snuck in some chocolates to her lunch! That was a good one.

Me: Yeah, I liked it and so did she when she discovered them.

God: And you did that because you were proud of her, you wanted to give her something special because she'd been making what you thought were good choices.

Me: Yeah, she had been. I am really proud of her.

God: She didn't have to earn the chocolate, that just felt good to give as a form of "attagirl", right? I mean, she's earning stuff on her own, getting smarter from studying, self esteem from taking care of herself, trust and honesty from her relations...

Me: Yeah, all of that. I'm glad you've helped me see some of those myself. They really turned out to be so important to how I felt about myself.

God: Well, you made those choices, to keep coming back to me, one day at a time. I'm proud of you and I love you.

Me: Thanks, God. I feel that. Thanks.

God: So, are we done with this topic, or do you wanna keep talking about it?

Me: Oh, you know me, I could keep talking forever.

God: Yeah, sure. Okay, if you say so. Forever, heh, you crack me up!

Me: Yeah? Cool. I made God chuckle! I'm so funny...

God: You just did the "ellipsis" thing.

Me: Yup, I learned that from you, "more will be revealed"...