Just Charlie

A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis

Category: Books (page 2 of 4)

May 2, 2010 / 0 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 05.02.10

In a jazz mood for tonight’s Unwind. The Bebop/Combo channel on Pandora is filling the bill quite nicely, thank you. At this moment, Stan Getz is playing a song called “Beatrice,” and it really is in that cool jazz mode.

Anyway, here’s what’s rolling around in my head and my heart, and dropping out on the keyboard…

  • Speaking of jazz, I would’ve enjoyed these guys at the Jazz Mass this morning!
  • And who knew Cartersville, Georgia has a live jazz place? Cartersville?!?! Get outta here!
  • Oh, and that bassist? yeah…he’s pretty much my musical hero!
  • Cartersville?!?!?
  • It was good to be back at The ‘Crest today, after a week away at Fusion Church.
  • I finished a series called “Running on Empty,” and talked about how we need to take the time to refuel and recharge in our walk with Jesus. I thought it was pretty good stuff!
  • Got to spend the afternoon with the lovely and gracious Mrs. Just Charlie and The Boy…a little lunch, a little clothes shopping, and little hanging out…a good time!
  • The Boy is hopefully winding down this this part of his academic journey soon.I really feel for newly-minted college graduates trying to find a real job in this economy.
  • Heard some disturbing new about one of our elderly members today that makes my blood boil! I’m not sure there’s anything we can do, but I sure am hacked off about it!
  • Getting back on track with my health and fitness again. It’s impossible to live today on what you did yesterday. Or four years ago.
  • I’m on the lookout for a new bag in which to carry my laptop and other assorted junk. I’m leaning toward the Timbuk2, although I haven’t really scoped out the specific model. If it’s good enough for Tony McCollum and Randy Bohlender, it’s good enough for me!
  • Yeah, yeah! I know…who’s got time to go to blogs anymore? That would be tonymccollum and rbohlender, respectively, thank you very much! Sheesh!
  • Dang! John Coltrane could play!
  • I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember. This Kindle for the PC app has re-ignited a passion for reading though! I’ve just finished Peter Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson’s Rework, and I’m about to dive into Ben Arment’s Church in the Making, along with some classic Bonhoeffer and St. John of the Cross. How’s that for eclectic?

Well, this post that started out rather promisingly has now started to drag, so I’m going to quit, and read some, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for the storm that’s on the way later tonight.

April 5, 2009 / 3 Comments

Sunday Night Unwind, 04.05.09…

So…THIS is the blog, eh? (Blows off the dust)

Most of the time I do the Twitter thing, but every now and then, I get the urge to put something down that’s a bit over 140 characters. Here’s a rare Sunday Night Unwind for your enjoyment or ignoring or whatever.

  • My day started with a post to the aforementioned Twitter which read: Bigger, uglier true confession time: I hate Sundays right now. There. I said it. Lately, it seems my weeks are pretty good, but I find myself dreading Sundays. Which is pretty not-acceptable since I am the pastor and Sunday comes right regularly, every seven days, just like clockwork. If you’ve got a spare prayer or two, I’d appreciate you investing one in that area on my behalf. Thanks!
  • One of my Y folks surprised me by showing up at our church this morning. As soon as she walked in, I thought: I wish I had something a little better, more profound, more fill-in-the-blank because she’s here. Then it hit me: Why do I worry about having something “better” for her, when I seem perfectly content to offer less-than-my-best to Him? Ouch! Big OUCH!
  • Talked about the cross today. Three things the cross does. Galatians 6. I was especially moved by the way The Message renders that passage. Hope our folks were, too.
  • Oh, and I used my CrackBerry to read The Message translation. From YouVersion! Tech savvy, there, boys!
  • Speaking of CrackBerrys in church, I think we’re going to encourage Twittering during our services. That ought to get some comments!
  • That and a couple of other good ideas from this helpful post over at Church Tech Matters.
  • I’ve been reading a lot about burnout lately. Specifically,  I’ve just finished Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro and Mad Church Disease by Anne Jackson. Both of these books were very helpful and very challenging. I Twittered once while reading Mad Church Disease: Although I never noticed her hanging around, I’m pretty sure @flowerdust was spying on me as she wrote Mad Church Disease.
  • Tonight, I started Henry Cloud and John Townsend’s Boundaries. Seems to be a great and necessary follow-up for some of the burnout/stallout stuff. I’ve already been slapped around a bit by the first few pages.
  • Meanwhile, all is not dreary and gloomy.
  • For instance, tonight I discovered the Inside Eddie’s Attic program on DaveFM. Good stuff that made me want to go check out some live music.
  • Two guys in particular grabbed me on the Eddie’s Attic program: Mike Kinnebrew and Dana Cooper. Got home and downloaded some great stuff from both of these guys!
  • Also, in the middle of a Sunday I started out hating, I was reminded again how much I enjoy the team I get to do church (and life!) with. Nick, Mark, and Alison, you guys rock and you make my day!

Well, there you have it…

July 10, 2008 / 1 Comment

Great Quote on How We Read the Bible…

I’ve been fascinated by Steve McCoy’s blog series on The Big 5: Books That______________.

It’s been enlightening and inspirational to see some of the books that have influenced folks and their thinking. The latest installment is The Big 5: Books That Changed Your Mind. Drilling down through the comments, I came upon this response from Todd Bumgarner, which included this quote…

I have been using two markers in my Bible: a highlighter for the things I like, a sharpie for the things I don’t.

Thanks, Todd. And thanks, Steve!

July 6, 2008 / 0 Comments

A Couple of New Reads…

Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham incredible shrinking church

Went in one of our local ghettos yesterday to look for some supplies for church, and walked out with a couple of new reads.

My buddy, Tony McCollum, turned me on to The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham a couple of months ago. I’ve had it on my wish list since then. I finally picked it up…on sale! I don’t have a cool Kindle like Tony (but see my wish list again, in case you’re interested!), but I am looking forward to reading this book that made such an impact on my hero and friend.

Frank Page, the immediate past president of our tribe, put together what seems to be a helpful little book for guys like me, who find themselves trying to help turn a small traditional church around toward revitalization. I’ve already thumbed through it, and it seems to be worth my time as well.

BTW, if you have a LifeWay store near you, and if you can wade through the Jesus Junk on the sidewalk sale, you can find both of these – and more- at a pretty decent price!

April 18, 2008 / 0 Comments

Quick Friday Afternoon Hits…

Whassup in Cherokee County, Georgia this afternoon…

  • The sunburn is not nearly as bad as I thought and wrote yesterday! In fact, it turns out the really, really bad red was actually because of some of “The Boy’s” leftover sun lotion stuff. I just noticed the label warning today: “Not recommended for outdoor use.” Hmmm….
  • Nevertheless, I’m inside this afternoon. With John Rutter’s fantastic Gloria playing loud and clear. And the operative word is loud. (OK, so it’s not Chris Tomlin, or Hillsong, or Steve Fee, or even Lee McD. But it is contemporary. And it is praise and worship. But…it’s a choir and organ and orchestra. And it rocks!
  • Reading Timothy Keller’s The Reason for God. It rocks, too…

How’s your Friday going so far?

April 13, 2008 / 0 Comments

What to Do with a Burden…

Timely and challenging insight from Oswald Chambers in today’s My Utmost for His Highest selection…

If we undertake work for God and get out of touch with Him, the sense of responsibility will be overwhelmingly crushing; but if we roll back on God that which He has put upon us, He takes away the sense of responsibility by bringing in the realization of Himself. Many workers have gone out with high courage and fine impulses, but with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, and before long they are crushed. They do not know what to do with the burden, it produces weariness, and people say – “What an embittered end to such a beginning!”

“Roll thy burden upon the Lord” – you have been bearing it all; deliberately put one end on the shoulders of God. “The government shall be upon His shoulder.” Commit to God “that He hath given thee”; not fling it off, but put it over on to Him and yourself with it, and the burden is lightened by the sense of companionship. Never disassociate yourself from the burden.

March 22, 2008 / 1 Comment

“Kind of Believing” in the Resurrection…

Did Jesus rise from the dead?

If you can answer that question in the negative honestly, if you can say, “No, he did not; the evidence does not support that conclusion,” then forget about religion. Get on with life, enjoy yourself while you have the chance. But if Jesus did rise from the dead, then the same logic applies. Stop fooling around with Christianity. Make your commitment to Christ and get on with the serious business of living for God. This life is not the end. There is a life beyond.

One day you will stand before your Maker, and you will answer for what you have done in this body. God forbid that you should say, “Well, yes, I kind of did believe in the resurrection. But I, you know, I lived in the world and for the world, and I took my pleasure where I could find it. I acted as if the future would take care of itself, and , well, here I am. I have nothing to offer you. I have been a bad servant.”

James Montgomery Boice, The Christ of the Empty Tomb (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985), 95.

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