TGIF

Good thoughts this week:

Bob reviews Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren.

Jake has faith rooted in knowledge.

Dan Edelen has some good stuff on the goings on down in Florida.

annedroid is trying life without caffeine, although I don't know why.

Scot McKnight waxes eloquent about fountain pens.

Michael Spencer introduces us to Jesus Shaped Spirituality.

Grace asks Why Are An Orange?

Kamp Krusty has a Christian cruise Q and A.

jonathanbrink writes about The Scoreboard.

Robbymac plays possum.

Alan Hirsch discovers what happened to the Boomers.

Todd Hiestand gives ordinary people a chance to answer big questions.

Have a great weekend!

New Site to See

imonk has a new site for you all (or y'all as they say around here) to check out. It can be found here.

Moving or Standing Still?

We had a good weekend here in the sunny South. Saturday was kind of a lazy day, which was nice because there hadn't been too many of those lately. Sunday morning could have been better. In the church service, we spent the first ten minutes or so worshipping America. Don't get me wrong. I love this country and I'm grateful to God for his blessings on it. I just don't think a corporate gathering for worship should be centered around something other than God. I don't have any problem remembering those who died defending our liberties during the service. But when the choir sings "I'm Proud to be an American" and every other song praises this country rather than the one who gave us our freedom, then I have a problem. If a church wants to center something around a celebration of America and the sacrifices some have made, that's fine. Just have it on Memorial Day. I don't believe the Sunday AM time is the end of all things for followers of Jesus, but I feel like something was missing.

I'm at one of those crossroads that I come across from time to time.There are a couple of different directions I could go. The problem is that I don't know which way to go and I really don't have very much control over things. I'm just standing here, enjoying the scenery, watching other people go on their way, and waiting for God to show me a direction.

At the same time, I'm feeling a bit of discontentment with things as they are now. I don't know if it's because I'm tired and ready for this school year to be over, or if it's something else. Maybe the Spirit has put this in me. I just know that there are some changes that need to be made. Whether they are changes in my situation or ministry, or just changes that need to happen within me is something I'm unsure of.

TGIF

End of the year testing is over! (and there was great rejoicing) The school year is winding down and we're all ready for a break.

Here is what caught my eye this week:

Barb is dreaming of a place.

re:patrick sings a broken hallelujah.

Jake invites us to dinner.

Dan Edelen has some good thoughts on "faith".

Rich thinks about the "other".

Once again, John Armstrong has some good thoughts.

Josh wonders about our government.

Grace writes on being broken.

Jeff McQ finds religion strangely appealing.

Nextreformation has some good ideas about being missional in the burbs.

Jared sees the brilliance of Jesus.

Pray

Please pray for Steven Curtis Chapman and his family.

Prince Caspian

We saw Prince Caspian Friday night. It's a good movie, and we all really enjoyed it. There were some things in the movie that are not in the book and overall it isn't as true to the book as the first film.

There were a couple of scenes that got me thinking. The first was when the children and Prince Caspian were at the gorge, trying to figure out how to get across. Lucy caught a glimpse of Aslan on the other side and told the others that he wanted them to follow him. The others didn't believe her and decided that they could find the way better on their own. Later, when they came back to the spot, they found a way across that was much better than any they had thought of. The second scene was when Lucy tried to get the rest to wait for Aslan before they faced the enemy. Again, no one listened and the Narnians went out to fight. In the meantime, Peter and Caspian were having a power struggle over who had the best strategy.

I thought that I am so often like Peter and the others. When it really gets down to it, how much do I really trust Jesus to take care of me and direct my steps? How often do I ask God to show me his will, when what I really want is for God to give his approval to my plans? When things get tough, do I wait for God to move or do I strike out on my own and muck things up? Jesus has told me to follow him, and I know that that is the best way. Sometimes though, I fall back into old patterns and try to figure things out on my own, and then pray that what I want to happen does come about.

I want to follow Jesus like Lucy followed Aslan, with childlike trust that rests completely in him.

TGIF

I wish they'd send our students home at noon after they finish their tests. It's been one of those weeks. On a lighter note, I'm reading All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot. I'd heard that it was good, but had never read it before. It has a lot of really great stories in it.

Now, on to what you all are really waiting for: :)

Barb had a funny story for Mother's Day.

The Watchman asks some revolutionary questions.

Molly writes about the Truth that frees us.

Jake wonders about the future of denominations.

Dan Edelen takes on the Evangelical Manifesto.

Annedroid is clowning around.

imonk has some more Jesus shaped questions at this link and that link.

Jeff McQ challenges us.

jonathanbrink asks what kind of people our churches are producing.

NextReformation is all about confession.

Robbymac writes about ink blots.

Todd Hiestand asks, "Economic Stimulus or Missional Stimulus?"

John Armstrong gets ecumenical.

Have a great weekend.