Category: General (page 8 of 121)

Among other things, I learned…

• People still check in on your blog, even though you said you were done. Cool!
• Blogging really is an itch that needs to be scratched! It’s not quite like Jeremiah’s fire in his bones, but it must be pretty dang close! Within 10 minutes of posting that “I’m done” post a month ago, I had three or four things I wanted to post!
• Perry Noble rocks!
• So does my buddy, Gary Lamb. (But I knew that before I took my blogging break!)
• My other buddy, Tony McCollum ain’t too shabby, either!
• There is no substitute for passion.
• There are a lot of things that keep our prayers from being answered.
• If my prayers don’t articulate God’s character, advance God’s Kingdom, and achieve God’s purpose and plan, they probably aren’t going to be answered.
• Some people “get it.” Some don’t. Some of the ones you think “get it” really don’t. And vice versa.
• Medeski, Martin, and Wood are perfect for a Tuesday night post-blogging-break Unwind.

Just now, I came across this article about when it’s time to stop blogging. The author, Lorelle VanFossen, lists 15 tips for how you know it’s time.

Well, for a lot of reasons, and unfortunately, some of the 15 apply directly, it may be that time. At least for a while.

Now, even as I typed that last sentence, I immediately thought about how often we wanna-be bloggers are so self-centered, so self-important, that we actually think our checking out of the blogosphere would somehow greatly affect the ebb and flow of the universe. So we advertise the fact that we’re giving it a rest. As though it matters.

Well, I’m probably not done for good, because I do love the give and take, the ability to put a little piece of yourself out there for the world, if they choose to or if they stumble upon your stuff en route somewhere else, to grasp and share. I like that a lot.

But our internet provider is about to change, I don’t really know if I want to mess with the hassle of shifting this whole monstrosity over to the “new” Blogger, I’m kicking around the idea of a domain name, I’m playing with WordPress, and a whole lot of other factors are going into my thought process right about now.

I guess Lorelle’s tips just kind of hit me at an opportune time.

I’ll keep checking in on you guys. I’ll keep learning and connecting and having those “hmmmm” and “aha!” moments, and probably before long, I’ll be back again.

Thanks for playing. Keep up your good stuff!

Today will be an adventure to be enjoyed, or an ordeal to be endured.

What makes the difference?

WOW! I just saw this story in the news. I know some folks who would be in REEEEAAAAAALLLL TROUBLE!

It’s an all-Diana night! I heard her on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz this afternoon, and I’ve been in a Diana mood ever since!

…for a self-satisfied, excuse-making, status-quo-loving pastor, serving in a self-satisfied, excuse-making, status-quo-loving church…

About Church Finances…

What about the finances? Do you want Me to give you enough money to meet your pared-down budget? Or do you want Me to call you to an incredible mission and provide what you need to pay for it?

First, a story…

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there lived and breathed a race of men unmatched in all of pastoral history. These men were the mighty men of the Redneck Pastors. Much like the Jedi of old, these men were scattered – by schedule and circumstance – throughout the universe. Left to fend for themselves, they very rarely managed to congregate for jollity and mutual encouragement. The northernmost participant in this noble race is one Roger Blackmore, in the far reaches of civilization, otherwise known as LawnGUY-land.

OK, why am I thanking Roger today? Because he’s perfected the art of the gut-punch, along with Andy Stanley. Don’t believe me? Well, you can see for yourself. Twice.
(Warning: If you’re a self-satisfied, excuse-making, status-quo-loving pastor, serving in a self-satisfied, excuse-making, status-quo-loving church, go ahead and brace your abs…your gut punch is coming.)

Roger’s gut-punch #1.
Roger’s gut-punch #2.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t an original thought, but it’s a thought that’s on my mind today…

A prayer list isn’t the same as a prayer life.

In case you missed it, my buddy Tony McCollum brought down the house with his American Idol audition! Oh, wait…I think that’s “SHUT DOWN the house.”

Check it out for yourself…