Month: November 2004 (page 2 of 3)

(From Scott Williams, via Darren Friesen, via everyone’s favorite Canadian…

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, superficial relationships, so that you will live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you will work for justice, equality and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.

This month’s winner from The Holy Observer…

I read an article somewhere this morning about the Jesus-apprentices among the persecuted and displaced people of Iraq. I have generally been supportive of the war (see news today of newly-discovered Sarin gas in Fallujah), but I hadn’t really given much thought to the fact that all of the people there – maybe most of the people there – aren’t our enemies. In fact, they are our brothers and sisters, trying their best to live out their faith in increasingly dangerous, difficult, and even deadly circumstances. God has placed a burden on my heart today for these people.

I will continue to pray for our “enemies” in the struggle. But I’m going to start praying deliberately for those who are part of the family there as well.

How can we help? What are some resources? If you know of people and/or groups that are actively invloved in the cause, let us know.

This isn’t the article I read this morning, but it does highlight the issue a little.

Remember those books from a bygone era that showed how we’d be traveling in flying cars, wearing funky little space suits, and only working a few hours a week? All by the year 2000? Check out this “prophetic look” at the “typical” home computer of 2004, from 1954…

He’s a Methodist, but he’s a cool Methodist. He can scarf down Krispy Kremes (did you know they’re kosher?) and chili dawgs with the best of ’em. Heck, he’s even got a tattoo! But above all, he’s a good friend and part of the Redneck bunch I get to hang out with from time to time.

He’s Andrew Stone, and since I threatened to add him to my List O’ Links, he’s blogging! (Well, actually, he’s been blogging, but now he’s getting to be a regular!) Check out the one, the only REVDUDE!

This is what we need to get to replace the aging sign at our church! I think it would look pretty impressive out there by the side of the road, don’t you?

WOW! What a week! The cable’s been out. (No, you can’t ask…)

No Internet from Wednesday evening until 5:00 p.m. today. No e-mail, no blogging, no catching up on other folks’ blogs, no nothing! And one lousy channel on the TV…the local ABC affiliate. I’m pretty sure there’s a sermon in there somewhere – about being connected/disconected or whatever. Anyway…

In the middle of all that, I did get connected with Reggie McNeal on Thursday. You have, no doubt, seen his book The Present Future. He was here in Atlanta for a workshop and he is quite a guy! Lots of interesting and challenging stuff. Hard to take it all in. Of course, he speaks at a rate of about 235 words a minute, with gusts up to 550 or something like that. And he may have finished a complete sentence by now. I’ll unpack some of the workshop material in the next little while.

It’s good to back in the loop, that’s for sure!

I’ve gotta see The Incredibles!

Check out Halley’s comment (f-bomb alert for some of you…don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

It spends no small amount of time showing:

how a man’s life and career can hit the skids in middle-age and he can feel all dressed up with no place to go;

how a woman’s life is all about stretching (Elastic Girl as the Mom is superb) and sacrifice and compromise even for a superheroire (sic);

how a marriage works and how hard it is to keep it working;

how hard it is to be true to yourself and your talents and your own values;

and…

how letting your children become self-actualized — find and own and demonstrate their unique strength — is tough for parents;

From “Drowning,” by Siobhan Dutchyn

Water thickens around my neck, the air gets cramped and thin,
Reaching for an unknown aid, as numbness chills my skin
The laughter fades, the smiles disappear, the happiness is lost,
A shadow raises harsh despair for I am no longer on top
Paddle and push, engulfed with water as I try to gasp for air,
Cough and croak, sink not float, if I could think, I’d be scared.

My spirit is lost; it ran away without me, I will trace its tracks.

I’m on page 46-47 of Reggie McNeal’s The Present Future…

Most every church staff leader has been told by a layperson, “There’s no way I would do what you do, putting up with the complaints of church members.” What does this tell you? Many laypersons see ministers’ roles as the complaint department for disgruntled club members who want to be catered to. Church members who want to live missonal lives don’t want to be captured by the same concerns of club members that tie up their staff ministers.