If I was not the stoic Swede and emotionally distant, unattached all-American male that I am, I would say that “The Notebook” is the most romantic movie I am aware of and that even though I was just going to put it in for a few minutes last night, I ended up watching the whole thing.

And, if I was being especially honest, I might even admit that I got choked up and shed a tear or two near the end,when I was reminded that my Dad is, right now, in real life, his own version of Noah to my Mom’s slowly increasing Allie… and he, my Dad, is every bit as heroic and amazing in his love for his bride in this tender moment of their lives … and she, my Mother, is every bit as lovely and still filled with the spark of life as these two characters are in the movie.

And I would tell you that I will never, NEVER forget watching their love in these moments. It is heart-breaking and amazingly beautiful and one of the greatest gifts they have given to their children and grandchildren to see and observe and experience.

And I would tell you how deeply I love them, and that I am so very proud of who they are and the blessing they have been in my life.

I would tell you… and, perhaps…

I have.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”                           - I Corinthians 13:4-7

I am finally getting started with a Blog.  For far too long I have chronicled my thoughts, reflections, statements (and questions) of faith and other ramblings … profound or silly… on Facebook.   Frequently enough, friends would tell me I need to blog.

Now they might have been telling me this out of encouragement… as in, “Jonathan, I really enjoy and appreciate your thoughts. You need to blog.”  Or… Option B… they may have, instead, been saying, “Jonathan, you are far too long-winded and that is an inappropriate use of Facebook.  You need to blog!”

I won’t ask you which category you fit into, but for better or worse, I am attempting to switch over, and I hope many of you will choose to come along for the ride.

My hope is that this space will become a place of…

* Faith Conversation & Reflection  – Not always with an easy answer, but with an authentic desire to discern how, where and when God is at work.  Humorous moments to celebrate, insight to contemplate and … when the hard moments come — a perspective that hopefully does not give cliche’ answers … but  DOES somehow manage to help us hold on in the midst of pain or doubt. God can handle both praise and question. Laughter AND tears both convey relationship… and authentic relationship is what God desires most.

* Appreciation for the Arts and reflection on that dynamic place where Faith and Art intersect and interact.  I believe the Arts are one of God’s great gifts to us… to help us learn, grow, stretch, inquire, question, doubt, dialogue, laugh, cry, respond, accept, refuse, explore, play, work, challenge, define, forget, escape, come back and renew our connection to God and our connection with each other.  I hope this blog will remind myself and remind those of you who read it that God is ALWAYS communicating with us.. and we will be told, often through the Arts, great and amazing and edifying things,  if we have eyes to see, ears to hear, minds alert to discern and hearts open enough to explore, ask and receive.

* Dialogue on Family and Life in General — Life is hard, but God is good. Uh-oh… I just went cliche’ on you, didn’t I? But it is true in this case… Life IS hard.. but, I believe, God IS good.. and God is in it all… the good, the bad and everything inbetween. So, let’s celebrate it here.. or let’s cry about it… or let’s just be a bit cynical and sarcastic or light-hearted enough to survive… and to keep the joy.  Life is too short to not hold onto God’s great gifts of relationship and joy… and the peace that comes with both.

So… here we go. Welcome to the Paraphrase Blog.  I have no idea how often I will write and whether or not anyone will actually read this.  But this much I DO know….

We’re gettin’ started.