Being a contrarian is in my heritage. It seems that my ancestors lived with some measure of the rebel in them. The older that I get, the more that streak comes out. This is not always a bad thing. It's the rebels that are capable of seeing things differently from others. My father is a rebel doctor. I think that makes him a great diagnostician. My maternal grandmother was a rebel for her day. She went to college along with having a terrific career that included being mayor of her North Louisiana town. My guess is some of that nature eventually made it into my nature.

Needless to say, there is a downside to being a bit contrary. There is often a conflict between the side of me that is positive and the one that is on the rebellious side. Now before you see the word rebellious and get the wrong idea, I do not mean it as sinful. My idea is more of the person who goes straight to the root of an issue and that includes in spiritual ways. Sometimes this is more than a little frustrating. The best intentions of the heart gets easily misunderstood by those who listen.

Blogging may not be the best vehicle for a contrarian. A blog is at its best the personal editorial page of any individual. My frustrations, successes, or any other emotion displayed here are solely my own. Sometimes the words here can capture only a moment in time. Sometimes the thoughts are rooted in years of living. I am realizing lately how something can be so clear to me yet not so clear to others. There is also a growing awareness of just what this means.

First, my goal is to be positive here. Any failure in that direction is again solely mine. Sometimes the years of watching God's people live life in ways that miss out on His fullest blessing cuts the heart. This is not an issue just in a small town in Texas but in far too many places. Not everything written here has its roots in current reality. Not all my thoughts are the product of the moment. Any resemblance to individuals, situations, or incidents is totally accidental.

Real spiritual life is not always neat and orderly. The interaction of the divine and the human seldom lends itself to neatness. Listening is as much a part of growth as talking or writing. The more we listen to God the better we may be at the talking or writing. That is my hope. My great desire is someday we can communicate with less frustration and more freedom. Until then, I will just keep trying.

Bro. Trey