One of the nice things about being semiretired is the ability to extend any weekend to three days. Springlike weather has made an appearance here in the sunny South, proof that the groundhog is no better than anyone else at predicting the weather. Of course, winter is liable to come roaring back in at any time.
On to the real reason you're here.
Michael Spencer on poets.
Coldest town on earth.
Good post from Arthur Sido.
On being incomplete.
Hope for North Korea.
California and water.
Keith Giles on love.
Outcast? Possibly.
The H-Bomb.
Matt Appling on frustration.
Anyone want to take up Norse religion?
Drawing a line?
Eric Carpenter on war.
Opposite extremes?
Scot McKnight disagrees.
Have a blessed week!
Monday, February 9, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Blast From the Past: Love, Love, Love
This was first posted on Feb. 7, 2011.
The Beatles sang, "All You Need is Love". What the Fab Four didn't realize was that what they were singing was somewhat Biblical. Jesus said that the two greatest commandments were to love God with every thing we have and to love those around us as we love ourselves. I am disturbed by the lack of love I see in many who claim to be followers of the One who said that all of the commandments hang on our relationship to God and our relationship to other human beings. We claim to love God yet don't do what He commands. Jesus said that if we love Him, we would keep His commandments. We tend to do a pretty good job, sometimes, of keeping the commands that have to with praying, reading the Bible, worshipping (to some extent), or other things that deal directly with God Himself.
Where we fail is in the commands to love each other, which is where the second commandment comes in. How often do we look down on those we deem less "spiritual" than we? How many times do we pass along the latest bit of juicy gossip (although we "sanctify" it by couching it as a "prayer request")? How many in our circle have physical needs that we could meet but don't? How often do we withholdfellowship from those who don't dot their I's and cross their T's the same way we do? How many times do we show love to those within our circle yet ignore the needs of those who don't know Jesus? Why hasn't the Church taken care of the poor and needy and made the idea of a welfare state redundant?
Jesus said that everyone would know that we are His followers because of our love!
Not our Bible version,our systematic theology, our music, preaching style, or dress! Does the world know us for Who we are for, or for what we are against? Paul gives us a warning in First Corinthians 13 when he tells us that anything we might think we do for the Kingdom of God is absolutely a waste of time if we don't do it out of love.
May God give us a love for Him that overrides everything else and leads us to love those we come in contact with.
The Beatles sang, "All You Need is Love". What the Fab Four didn't realize was that what they were singing was somewhat Biblical. Jesus said that the two greatest commandments were to love God with every thing we have and to love those around us as we love ourselves. I am disturbed by the lack of love I see in many who claim to be followers of the One who said that all of the commandments hang on our relationship to God and our relationship to other human beings. We claim to love God yet don't do what He commands. Jesus said that if we love Him, we would keep His commandments. We tend to do a pretty good job, sometimes, of keeping the commands that have to with praying, reading the Bible, worshipping (to some extent), or other things that deal directly with God Himself.
Where we fail is in the commands to love each other, which is where the second commandment comes in. How often do we look down on those we deem less "spiritual" than we? How many times do we pass along the latest bit of juicy gossip (although we "sanctify" it by couching it as a "prayer request")? How many in our circle have physical needs that we could meet but don't? How often do we withholdfellowship from those who don't dot their I's and cross their T's the same way we do? How many times do we show love to those within our circle yet ignore the needs of those who don't know Jesus? Why hasn't the Church taken care of the poor and needy and made the idea of a welfare state redundant?
Jesus said that everyone would know that we are His followers because of our love!
Not our Bible version,our systematic theology, our music, preaching style, or dress! Does the world know us for Who we are for, or for what we are against? Paul gives us a warning in First Corinthians 13 when he tells us that anything we might think we do for the Kingdom of God is absolutely a waste of time if we don't do it out of love.
May God give us a love for Him that overrides everything else and leads us to love those we come in contact with.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Weekend Wanderings
It's cold and flu season here in the sunny South, and this year I got bit. I've spent one week laid up and one week trying to recover. It seems that colds tend to hang on to me for a while. Oh well. Life goes on. It seems the NFL has a bit of a scandal brewing over the amount of air in certain footballs. If you're a fan, it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. So much for small talk. On the important stuff.
Here are the links.
I think many of us grew up with free range parents.
I didn't know this was a thing. Apparently, Steven Anderson did.
Good article on addiction.
I didn't know this was an issue.
Evidently, this is not a thing.
The greatest false idol of modern Christianity.
Fearless.
Are you one of the twenty six percent?
Climbing a volcano.
The worst thing ever?
Hannah Brencher on staying.
Good post for churches.
Risky love.
Good article by Daniel Emery Price.
What about the past?
Undeserved grace.
Two steps forward, one step back.
Open your door.
Pressure and weight.
That's it for now. Have a blessed week!
Here are the links.
I think many of us grew up with free range parents.
I didn't know this was a thing. Apparently, Steven Anderson did.
Good article on addiction.
I didn't know this was an issue.
Evidently, this is not a thing.
The greatest false idol of modern Christianity.
Fearless.
Are you one of the twenty six percent?
Climbing a volcano.
The worst thing ever?
Hannah Brencher on staying.
Good post for churches.
Risky love.
Good article by Daniel Emery Price.
What about the past?
Undeserved grace.
Two steps forward, one step back.
Open your door.
Pressure and weight.
That's it for now. Have a blessed week!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
World Vision Wednesday
If you are a runner, cyclist, swimmer, or otherwise interested in fitness, you can help people in developing countries have clean water. Check out Team World Vision for details.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Weekend Wanderings
Things have been a little crazy around here the last couple of weekends. Time to take a breather and share some of the good stuff out there in the blogosphere.
Keith Giles tells us to get busy living.
Most church fights don't go this far.
Tim Suttle on peace.
It seems these are cool again.
I'm not so sure about this.
Chaplain Mike's New Year's resolutions.
Waiting.
Midnight musings.
Conversation.
The story isn't over.
Rebekah Bell on nostalgia.
Lillian Daniel on Christmas pageants.
The unfinished church.
Kierkegaard quotes.
Erik Guzman on New Year's resolutions.
What matters.
Restless.
That's all for this time. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed 2015!
Keith Giles tells us to get busy living.
Most church fights don't go this far.
Tim Suttle on peace.
It seems these are cool again.
I'm not so sure about this.
Chaplain Mike's New Year's resolutions.
Waiting.
Midnight musings.
Conversation.
The story isn't over.
Rebekah Bell on nostalgia.
Lillian Daniel on Christmas pageants.
The unfinished church.
Kierkegaard quotes.
Erik Guzman on New Year's resolutions.
What matters.
Restless.
That's all for this time. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed 2015!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015
If there is one word that best sums up the past year here in the sunny South, it would be the word interesting. There have been a lot of changes and adjustments through the year, especially in the second half. I started 2014 by choosing grace as my word for the year, and there have been multiple moments when I have had to lean on God's grace.
The first five months of the year were relatively normal. Then, things got weird. June 5 was my last day at the middle school where I have been working the past eight and a half years. I didn't actually go in to work that day though, because my father-in-law fell and broke his hip that morning. That was the beginning of the adjustments. I was without work and my father-in-law was taking a different road in his journey. As it has turned out, being out of work has allowed me the time to help him out and to take care of his financial affairs as well as helping him with doctor visits and life in an assisted living facility.
We made it through the summer, and in the middle of September we flew out to California for our daughter, Jennie's, wedding. We had a wonderful time with her and with our new in-laws. I also had the honor of being the officiant at the wedding! That was an amazing thing, and I only choked up three times! We came back home, and within a few weeks our son told us that he and his wife were moving from Charlotte to Seattle so he could work with his cousin who has his own architectural design business. The idea of both of our children being on the opposite side of the country has taken some getting used to, but we know that it's a great opportunity and we are happy for them.
We were able to get together with both of our children at the beginning of December, when we celebrated Christmas and a couple of birthdays. On the 19th, Josh and Alicia set out with all their worldly possessions in a Honda Fit. They drove across the country and arrived in Seattle two days before Christmas. Jan and I celebrated Christmas with her father, and then with some close friends. So Christmas was a bit different, but it was good.
Last night we said goodbye to one year and hello to another. While there are things I could wish had happened differently, I am grateful for God's hand in everything. As we enter into this new year, I still don't have a job, and I'm not totally sure how to proceed. The path is shrouded in fog, and we really don't have a clue what will happen in the future. What we do know is that our Father loves us, and that his heart is good toward us. He knows what is to come, and how we are going to best represent his kingdom.
My word for this year is trust. My prayer is, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
The first five months of the year were relatively normal. Then, things got weird. June 5 was my last day at the middle school where I have been working the past eight and a half years. I didn't actually go in to work that day though, because my father-in-law fell and broke his hip that morning. That was the beginning of the adjustments. I was without work and my father-in-law was taking a different road in his journey. As it has turned out, being out of work has allowed me the time to help him out and to take care of his financial affairs as well as helping him with doctor visits and life in an assisted living facility.
We made it through the summer, and in the middle of September we flew out to California for our daughter, Jennie's, wedding. We had a wonderful time with her and with our new in-laws. I also had the honor of being the officiant at the wedding! That was an amazing thing, and I only choked up three times! We came back home, and within a few weeks our son told us that he and his wife were moving from Charlotte to Seattle so he could work with his cousin who has his own architectural design business. The idea of both of our children being on the opposite side of the country has taken some getting used to, but we know that it's a great opportunity and we are happy for them.
We were able to get together with both of our children at the beginning of December, when we celebrated Christmas and a couple of birthdays. On the 19th, Josh and Alicia set out with all their worldly possessions in a Honda Fit. They drove across the country and arrived in Seattle two days before Christmas. Jan and I celebrated Christmas with her father, and then with some close friends. So Christmas was a bit different, but it was good.
Last night we said goodbye to one year and hello to another. While there are things I could wish had happened differently, I am grateful for God's hand in everything. As we enter into this new year, I still don't have a job, and I'm not totally sure how to proceed. The path is shrouded in fog, and we really don't have a clue what will happen in the future. What we do know is that our Father loves us, and that his heart is good toward us. He knows what is to come, and how we are going to best represent his kingdom.
My word for this year is trust. My prayer is, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
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