counting the cost

As with most of my post, this one comes from life lessons learned and the ways that God wants to change things. Well the recent event that triggers this post was the recent opportunity I had to hear from missionaries to a closed country(sharing the gospel is illegal) in a small group question and answer format. This meeting was very encouraging and resolved some of the hang ups that I had with certain missionary organizations. One story that really got me to examine the thought process of my own life and actions follows. One of the missionaries spoke of a person that they had been working with who would admit to the truth of the Gospel, but would be willing to do anything about. The reason that person gave was that after their mother passed they would have to pray their mother into heaven. Hearing that reminded me of a story in the Gospel of Matthew 8:21-22. One of Christ disciples gave the excuses that he needed to wait until his Father died, bury his Father...then he would follow and preach of Christ. Christ then gives him the response "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead". Makes you wonder what barriers are standing in the way of you dropping everything and following Christ to the ends of the earth? Just so you know that this is not just another "preaching style devotional", I'm going to speak a bit about how this affects me. In recent years through study and time I have veered some from my super conservative roots. Contrary to much of the teaching I have revived, I have come to the theological position that I do not feel that alcohol or cigars are evil. I think they can be, but if done in a responsible matter they can be a place for community and community among believers. I realize that some will still argue this point, but if I must give up those things for 'health reasons", then we need to talk about giving up Big Mac's too. Back to the theology, I this hold to the fact I feel those things are fine. The problem is that many missionary organizations do not agree. That causes a conflict and becomes an obstacle for what I have worked for my entire life.  So the question for me is am I willing to give those things up, not for theology, but for the Cross?