Welcome!

I'm new to this blogging experience. However, inspired by my nephew and an article in the Toronto Star, I'm dipping my toes into the big pool of the blog.
What I'm aiming for is a forum in which I can share my scattered thoughts and get feedback from readers. In effect then, this is not my blog, but a community space for us to share together.
Let me tell you a little about myself. I am a follower of Jesus. Some would say that I'm a Christian. But following Jesus is much more than what we often think about Christians and Christianity. I want to reflect the grace and love that exude from Jesus Himself. Do I do that very well? Duh! Of course not! But as I keep on following Jesus, focusing on his goals and dreams and not my own, the road only leads up.
Besides that large and central aspect of my life, I am married with one young son. They are the loves of my life. Reaching further out, I have extended family that I love and care for, even if they don't always see it or reciprocate (yeah, you Jeff!).
I'm part of a growing gathering of people who are purposing to follow Jesus as well. Sometimes I get the privilege and challenge of sharing thoughts from the Bible with them. It's a challenge to understand what the Bible says and then communicate that to others in a way that is understood and that connects. After all, what good is the Bible if we don't read, understand and live it out in our daily lives, both individually and collectively?
I'm not sure where you're at with respect to Jesus. But I invite you to blog along with me so we can learn more together.
I recently talked about Jesus and His response to sin. One day when He was teaching, the religious leaders of the day brought in a woman accused of adultery. They wanted to trap Jesus into saying or doing something incriminating. Jesus saw through the whole scheme and turned the tables on them. "Anyone without sin could throw the first stone," (the punishment called for in Moses' law) He said. Now, the religious leaders were no different from you and me. We've all sinned, made mistakes, however you want to say it. So they had no choice but to leave. Jesus says to the accused woman, "I don't condemn you. Go and sin no more." (You can find the account in the Bible in John 8:1-11 - find it online here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%208:1-11&version=31) He didn't condone what she did, but He extended grace and love to her. He extends that grace to everyone else, too.
I've got a lot of learning to do. I find it hard to be gracious. But that's the reality of following Jesus: being challenged to live as He calls me to, not according to my own agenda.
Hey, I've said more than a mouthful.
I'd like to hear from you.
Bless you!
David