April 2011
2 posts
Easter Sunday when Jesus arose! It was nothing but net. Allelujah
Kaylee keeps asking to watch, “All dolphins go to heaven.” ah….you mean dogs, kaylee?
March 2011
7 posts
I always make myself a coffee before feeding the kids breakfast. After all, the airline teaches us to “first secure your own oxygen mask before helping others.”
Pastors: are you the shepherd of your church or the sheep dog? #Jesusisshepherd #i’mjustadog
Training Sydney
Our dog is a year old now and training her has been interesting. I’ve never had a dog before, famously being a cat lover until our last cat turned me against the species for life.
By the way, our 4 yr old really wants a pet black panther after a recent visit to the zoo. She asked me what they eat.
“Steak,” I said, “and also us.”
“Why do they eat us?” she asked.
“Because you and I are...
“If the Sermon on the Mount only challenges the structures of society and not the...”
– Reflections on Jesus’ Most Difficult Words – Joshua Graves: Exploring the Collision of Culture & Faith
“We are the most inarticulate generation to come along since… you...”
– ~ Taylor Mali
Exactly Human Sized Stories
Last year I went to a story telling workshop by Ira Glass. He is host of “This American Life” and in my opinion, is the finest story teller alive today.
His goal: tell stories that are exactly human sized.
Our media finds or even manipulate stories to be larger than life. Sensationalized in order to grab people’s attention or money. (The current Charlie Sheen craze comes...
heart breaking and infuriating: "You can't preach... →
February 2011
10 posts
“Becoming a Christian in a place like New York is more often the product not of one decision but of many little decisions.” Tim Keller. Same in Colorado, I think
surveying the wondrous cross and contemplating what it means to “pour contempt on my pride.” What a powerful turn of phrase!
enjoyed the Grammys tonight. Encouraging my lady to change her name to L.IS.a Cuss
checking the church mail is a stark reminder that we have way too much marketing and self promotion and way to little loving in church leadership circles now days
“Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant...”
– thank you, Solomon, you jerk!
A time for fiction
I like to read, but 95% of what I read is non fiction, so periodically I go on a “fiction binge.” My last fiction binge was 2009.
yeah, I said periodically - what do you want from me?
anyway, its time to delve into the classics again. I try to read “a book I should have read in high school.” Last time it was Steinbeck, Hemmingway, Faulkner and Harper Lee. Harper Lee...
Man, if I ever meet Jon Acuff in person, I’ll have to give him a side hug! Such a great, great writer: http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2010/12/the-r-word/
Apple's ongoing capacity to create what we didn't... →
“Why not take a thirsty heart with you into God’s worship tomorrow rather...”
– Scotty Smith, from twitter
January 2011
4 posts
“Prayer stands cruciform at the place where the world is in pain, to hold...”
– Tom Wright
2 tags
Fresh Genesis
I’m reading through Genesis currently as part of a 90 day reading plan (yes, so of course, I’m just beginning) I’ll post a few brief reactions to the readings on this blog. Here are some unfiltered reactions to the first 17 chapters:
— the prose is poetic in places, and stunning in its scope and vision of God’s world. Reading it brings much anticipation that...
20 things babies born this year will never know
Need to feel old? Look no further than this article.
My favorites on the list:
Forgotten friends: Remember when an old friend would bring up someone you went to high school with, and you’d say, “Oh yeah, I forgot about them!” The next generation will automatically be in touch with everyone they’ve ever known even slightly via Facebook.
Forgotten anything else: ...
Benedictine Spirituality
I did a two day spiritual retreat at a Benedictine Monastery last week and came back refreshed and invigorated for the coming season.
I’ve done many spiritual retreats before, but never one so structured and “other.” The Benedictines practice the daily office - a rhythm of 7 worship gatherings a day (starting at 4:50am! Youzers) and they sing Gregorian chant style.
The...
December 2010
5 posts
King Jesus at Christmas
I know I’ve not been posting many of my own thoughts lately, but rather finding thoughts that provoke me and sharing them here.
Mark Galli is a writer for Christianity Today and he always provokes me! Here he is again:
(full article is here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/decemberweb-only/151-52.0.html?start=6)
“So how to respect time, yet honor and obey King Jesus who...
November 2010
2 posts
“It is difficult to imagine the world in the year A.D. 2000, by which time...”
– John Stott. Written in 1982 with keen prophetic insight.
October 2010
4 posts
“Paul is no ivory tower theologian and his theological reflection is done ON the...”
– #takethattheoligcalminutaejunkiewho’dratherdebatethanserve
Insignificant Is Beautiful by Mark Galli →
Every time I read an article by Mark Galli, I am deeply moved or provoked to deeper thought. Once again, he has posted a thoughtful essay capturing what some of us are thinking now days
Eugene Peterson on Spirituality →
“One way to define spiritual life is getting so tired and fed up with yourself you go on to something better, which is following Jesus.”
September 2010
3 posts
“My main job is to live with deep contentment, joy, and confidence in my everyday...”
August 2010
10 posts
“The nations are in the neighborhoods. We need to recognize that 87% of the world...”
– Ray Bakke. Urbanologist and Missiologist.
It might take a while, some sweat and conflict, but by God’s grace Discovery Christian Church will one day be ethnically diverse. People who say Broomfield is Vanilla white have not been to my neighborhood, or, apparently, Pacific Ocean...
Growing old with Christ rather than going away...
Gordon McDonald is always worth reading. He’s been down most roads we’ve been down and he writes with winsome skill. He wrote an article on Anne Rice’s recent decision to walk away from Christianity. She has much in common with many who love Jesus but not his wife…
here are a couple of great excerpts:
describing a man who walked away from his faith:
...
Serving and Suffering Part 2
Eugene Cho wrote an excellent article about the condition of minister’s heart and souls in the west. I found it to be very accurate, profound and moving and I’m trying to figure out how to reconcile it with the global conversation I referenced in my last blog over at CT
Ministry is one of the most demanding “jobs” in the west and according to his article, is ranked more...
Suffering and Service in God's Kingdom
There’s a profound discussion about service and suffering going on over at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/globalconversation/august2010/index.html
The original article is long and meaty, as are the responses to it from various folks. It certainly makes me relook at serving in the west and the relative ease of it compared to serving in the rest of the world.
Libby Little, a missionary...
Irreligious People and the Altar Call
Can I make a confession?
I suck at Altar Calls. Suck at them, I tell you.
I was trained in a system that believed strongly in the Altar call and the defining moment of when a person steps forward to give their life to Christ. Heck, its how I gave my life to Christ…standing in the pew next to my friend Andrew…..Vernon Jordan glaring at me and him to get on down the aisle. Are you...
Accidental Blessings that Explode
I have great admiration for wordsmiths and in the hard work of words, Donald Miller is an absolute craftsman. Here is a quick comment from him that stopped me in my tracks,
“It was an accidental meeting, but it was one of those accidents that explodes blessings into your life.”
If you want context, you can read his article here
A good writer engages your world as they describe...
July 2010
9 posts
“…the shadow was only a small and passing thing. There was light and high...”
– J.R.R. Tolkien, Return of the King
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and...”
– Melody Beattie, care of Cynthia Bridges Coffey
“Neither the language of medicine or of law is adequate substitute for the...”
– Barbara Brown Taylor, Speaking of Sin page 57 – 67 abridged.