The conversation continues

Barack Obama has invited Rick Warren to give the invocation at the presidential inaugaration.

Let that sink in .....

I am amazed, happy, elated, and thankful that such a thing is happening. Not because I think Warren will somehow lean to the left (or with Obama, vice versa) because of this, but because two people of spirit are sitting down and saying, "You know, we're at the same table here for pretty much the same reasons. Yes, we can disagree about some things, but we can agree about other things, too. Let's talk about those things where we can work together for the kingdom of God."

Here is a good opinion article about this from Beliefnet.

Rich and Rick: A Post-Partisan Parable

I see hope. I see change. I see a country that is in the midst of turmoil and trouble, looking for answers, and realizing that we alone do not have all the answers, but we together have a better chance of finding answers.

In The Midst Of

In the midst of my pastor's mother struggling/dying...
Christ is born.
In the midst of some of our family gathering together and some having to be "distant"...
Christ is born.
In the midst of economic fears and other forms of chaos...
Christ is born.
In those precious few, beautiful, quiet moments...
Christ is born.
In the inner sanctuaries of our churches as well as our hearts...
Christ is born.

Christ is born.
In the midst of it all...
Christ is born indeed.
And I am a life...that has been changed.

Sensing...His Birth

Sunday night.
Joy is decorating for Christmas, and I'm putting the stuff downstairs that's to be stored until spring...some pretty cool stuff of meaningful memories like a picture of Rachel sitting on the wall of a Wales castle and Joy and I sitting at a Paris cafe....but nonetheless stuff that someday our children won't be sure what to do with just the way we're not sure what to do with all my parents stuff now!
Todd Rundgren is playing in the background...playing his excellent music mostly about God things in his own rock n roll, hippi way.
Obama was interviewed for 45 minutes tonight on Meet The Press. Wow. One smart dude.
Next to me sits one of the Christmas decorations which I'm sure one of our kids made when they were young. It's a beautiful, colorful, stain glass-like, marker drawing of the Madonna and Child. In fact, if I really open my eyes I see that I'm surrounded by all sorts of decorations the children made many years ago. I'm glad Joy makes this part of our annual tradition.
Hmm, opening my eyes to see. I wonder what else I'm missing. I pray that this season you and I will have the senses to experience...his birth.

We're Not Alone

My dad keeps saying that he wishes he could pastor a church again. I asked him the other day that if he was pastoring again, what would he preach about. He paused and pondered, and then my 86 year old papa said, "I'd tell them that we need each other and that we are not alone."

***Our friend Jonnie is staying out at the Peacefield farm with Kev and Jen. She's not alone...and neither are they.

***I had to make a very tough decision over the last two days and to do that I discussed the matter with Joy, my brother Steve, and my friends Frank and Barb...and of course, the Lord. I am not alone.

***Thanksgiving was at our house and there was a good and deep connection with family. We are not alone!

***I attended a funeral today in an African American Church for a man named Richard who was a nationally known musician and composer as well as a locally honored teacher, but died at age 58. The church was full of people who prayed, praised, and proclaimed with power to each other and especially to his family that we are not alone!

So preach it papa. Preach it with power. And praise be to God that we have one another, and that we are not alone.

P.S. The picture is my mommy and doggie re-united at Thanksgiving.

Surprised By Hope by N.T. Wright

I recently (and finally!) finished N.T. Wright's Surprised By Hope. The book's subtitle is Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. With this book, Wright is now my favorite theologian.

Those familiar with McLaren's writings on the kingdom of God/heaven will be familiar with the first section of Wright's book. Both writers are "on the same page" with their interpretations of the kingdom of God and the reality of heaven being present and overlapping with creation, not something off in the distance within our space/time continuum. But Wright takes it further....

Wright then ties that with the resurrection of Christ that points to the future of creation, when heaven and earth become one as God intended his creation to be redeemed. I had not thought too much about the bodily resurrection when Jesus returns, so what Wright says about the resurrection of Christ being a "the future brought into the present" really blew me away. Wright has little patience for "left behind" theology and deftly takes it apart using solid Biblical interpretation.

Finally, Wright concludes with how the church should respond knowing the future hope revealed in the gospel of Christ. Our kingdom work today will be redeemed and come to fruition in the redemption of all creation when Christ returns. What we practice today prepares us for the reality of God's promised future.

Wright also tackles the "where do we go when we die" question, and the media attention given to his book seems to focus on that, but the book is about so much more and puts forth an important vision and mission for today's church. I don't want to try to state Wright's complete position on life after death here because I don't want to misstate it. I will say that he talks about a "life after life after death" (the resurrection of the dead) as being much more important than where our spirit may happen to dwell right after we die. Wright says that the Bible doesn't talk too much about the latter, and says a whole lot more about the former. Wright admits that he just can't fathom how a redeemed creation where God dwells with his people can exist with a "concentration camp" in the middle where people are being tortured for their sins. You really must read the book if you're interested in more about this and don't take what I've just written as a complete summation.

Reading N.T. Wright is not easy. He's challenging to read, even for this book which is supposed to be more accessible than his other books. But this is worth it, along with Simply Christian which came out a few years ago. If you like reading McLaren, I think you will like reading this, but Wright goes much deeper into Scripture than McLaren.

Thanks Giving

I give thanks...
for the gift of each day,
for my wife, children, family, and friends,
for books,
laughter,
challenges,
community,
health,
connection to God,
and breakfast cereal (Ok, I'm writing at breakfast time!)
and so much more.

I'm also very grateful that we can continue to do our part
in joining God to bless the lives of the broken.(Which we all take turns being!)
Amen....and Yes.

It's His Business...And Ours

He's about changing lives.....again and again.

I know he set me free from drugs a long time ago, and he keeps forgiving me and setting me free.

The other night I met with a few churches, and there were some testimonies shared.
One woman lived across the street from the little church. She finally went into the building and ended up staying because she was shown hospitality. She is now seeking to follow Christ and hasn't drank for 9 months. This is his business...and ours.

Another testimony was from a man who had found Christ in the church about four years ago. He went down to Mississippi for a work trip this last summer. He testified that he didn't much like the folks whose home they were fixing up. He says that right there in the woods Jesus told him that he needed to learn now as a disciple to stop being so judgmental.

The last testimony was how the church was helping to feed hungry neighbors.

Jesus, change our lives. Set us free. Set us on fire. Change lives and communities through us.

It's your business...and ours.

Grant Park.
November 4th.
Thousands upon thousands.
America, A VERY DIVERSE NATION, speaks clearly and loudly and elects as our President
Barak Hussein Obama.
I wonder if the church of Jesus will be able to hear, include, speak to, and love them
as did he.

VOTING!

What a privilege to vote in America......and I'm leading the way!
God's kingdom and way come to our land and our world...whoever wins.

P.S. I went to Chicago's Grant Park with son David and 250,000 others. Felt like a revolution of hope.

Make Good Our Intentions

The book that we are using a lot in our churches is called The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Schnase. It's a powerful book. One of the practices is Intentional Faith Development.

Being "intentional" about things that matter to us and the kingdom is a good thing...things like:
Staying connected to old friends;
Staying connected to God;
Keeping the love relationship strong in one's family;
Doing something to care for the poor;

The good news is that Christ is very intentional about how to further God's ways of love in our lives and in this world. May he that lives in us make good our intentions.

A Kingdom Weekend

Joy and I just got back from Bloomington where we visited Theresa and Frank. Theresa had helped Joy years ago in the classroom in Lafayette. Joy had always told me how kind she thought Theresa was and the fact that she was a Buddhist only made Joy admire not only Theresa but also her faith practice.

So we spent a couple of days with our new friends who are originally from Taiwan. Frank is a chemist. They are very nice people. We shared with each other about our different faiths, we learned from each other, and always focused on the common ground we hold. We shared meals, walked in the woods, and got to know their daughter Olivia. Both Olivia and their son Jon are students at IU.

This was a kingdom weekend...an opportunity for people of different backgrounds to come together in love and living. It was a true blessing. I believe the world God desires to see begins with weekends and ways such as these.

Once Again

My mom and dad have now been in Heritage Pointe United Methodist Home for almost 3 months.
It is a good thing, and it is a God thing.
They are adjusting.
My dad talks to, kids with, and makes the staff laugh.
They are cared for:
Cleaned, dressed, well fed, given medication, and given great respect and love.
The other night the family took them out for the first time. We drove to Decatur, ate in a restaurant called The Back 40, and had a wonderful evening. When we got back to the home, they were confused and thought they should be going to their old house. But then my papa said, "Well, if I can't remember I'm living here, I guess I need to live here!"
I praise the God of the universe and the God of our lives for making this miracle.
I am thankful for the prayers of the community.
I am extremely grateful for and pray God's blessings on the workers in the home.
And once again the Lord takes his people from death to resurrection.

Not the end of America, but it's time to change.

The End of America?
Consumerism, expansionism undermine democratic way of life, Bacevich says


A Boston University professor of history and international relations has interesting things to say about how America must change its approach to economic and foreign policy. I hear echos of McLaren in what he is saying. Our consumerist, expansionist, growth-at-any-cost way of life must change. We are seeing the negative effects today. We no longer have the luxury of enjoying the fruits now and putting of the cost later. The end of those days is now. I'm not being gloom or doom. This will be a change for the better for all Americans.

The Path I Choose

I have been a district superintendent for 2 years and 4 months now.
(Not that I'm counting!)
It has been a blessing.
But I have often shared with my colleagues that I have missed having a close community. I do have community, but not to the extent I did in the local church.
(By the way, sometimes you can have too much community...but not enough isn't good either.)
I finally figured out that what I truly miss in the local Jesus community is
all the ways I was able to stay connected to the God of my life and the God of The Story we find ourselves in.
I stayed connected through small groups like the men's group, the Bible studies, seeking to preach God's Word each week, and worshiping with passion and creativity.
(I also miss being in mission with my church friends, but I am in mission with my new friends.)
So, I am now being more intentional about my faith development and relationship with the Lord.
I desire to pray more.
I am reading The Book of God by Walter Wangerin. (The Bible written beautifully in narrative form.)
I am doing these things because it is written that we are to love God with all our heart,mind, soul, and strength. And despite being one ordinary, ornery, and often sinful human, this is the path I choose.

God Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell

if you have not grabbed a copy of this book yet .....

do yourself a favor and go out and get a copy and read it, mediate on the words.

Francis of Assisi Meditation

Then go to Surely We Can Change.

Hola my friends.
I hope you're still connecting to and trusting the beautiful, loving, and power-full Papa.
It is also my prayer that Christ might continue to bring to us
the Cause(s) which stir the soul and make a difference.
Joy and I stayed with our boy David for two days in Chicago. We met three of his best friends and fellow students at the university. These young people are committed to studying and learning the skills needed to help the people on the margins of society. I'm telling you their lives give me great hope for this world. And yet, if we are seeking,we all do our part to further the way.
And just imagine that...God working from generation to generation to further God's way for the broken of the world.
Plus the music group from Iceland, Sigur Ros, was in town and some of the boys went to see and hear them perform. The music is wonder-full.
Adios friends. I love you.

Bring It On!

Man, I love fall time.
The cooling of days and nights
and the pure beauty of the changing leaves
are quite a gift.
I cherish the combinations of colors like orange and brown, green and gold, yellow and red.
Fires at night.
Sweaters.
Change.
New Beginnings.
A little bit of the old along with the new.
Bring it on Creator of the seasons
of the earth and in our lives.

The Barbarian Way

I've just finished reading The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus, which was also the basis for a sermon series at my church. McManus writes that the Christian church has become too civilized, and we must return to the barbarian way of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. My favorite part of the book reads:

"Somehow Christianity has become a nonmystical religion. It's about a resonable faith. If we believe the right things, then we are orthodox. Frankly whether we ever actually connect to God or experience his undeniable presence has become incidental, if not irrelevant. We have become believers rather than experiencers. To know God in the Scriptures always went beyond information to intimacy. We may find ourselves uncomfortable with this reality, but the faith of the Scriptures is a mystical faith. It leads us beyond the material world into an invisible reality. We become connected to the God of eternity. Who you are at the core of the spirit. God is Spirit. To walk with God is to journey in the spiritual realm."

God, help me be not just a believer, but an experiencer. I've spent many years (maybe too many) reading the Bible, and reading and hearing what other people think and say about the Bible. I'm done with Believing, I want to Experience! I want to walk with You in the Spirit. Amen.

9-11

So much hurt remains in many hearts from that horrific day.
And so much pain has been inflicted since.
Oh our God, there is so much brokeness and suffering in humanity.
Yet, there was, and also remains, so much nobility amidst the struggle.
Teach us to love, understand, forgive, protect, and carry on with you to bring forth your kingdom.
I hope your Word to those lost and to our world is "I am the God of love and hope, and my way is ultimately in charge."

Amazing Slideshow

A friend shared this slideshow with me. The photography is just amazing! Here is a sample of the incredible images. Go to the link below to see the slideshow.

Reflections of Christ

Saved

We had the best visit yet with my parents in the nursing home.
Joy and I went to see them with our daughter Rachel and our friends Kevin, Jennifer, and their 2 year old girl Pahdmae who is a cute little ball of light.
My mom and dad enjoyed all the company, and I believe and hope that they are beginning to make the adjustment to their new home. I love them so very much.
I praise God for this miracle, and I thank all my friends for their love and prayers.
The kingdom of God is like a family who was saved by Almighty God, the prayers of the community, and the workers in the nursing home who do their daily jobs with skill and kindness and treat the residents like Jesus himself.

Amazing! (At least to me)

Tears flow freely...tears when I'm deeply moved!
Grace sees me through again and again!
Listening to a great audio book...Into The Wild!
Watched a wonderful movie last night...Lars And The Real Girl!
Very cool Labor Day with best friends and our kids!
Start meeting again with Bishop and colleagues tomorrow!
Made a homemade pizza tonight!
My wife turns 54 this month!
My parents are in the nursing home!
The gospel of the kingdom is the one thing!
I SAW A SHOOTING STAR LAST NIGHT WHEN JOY,JAMIE, AND I WERE ON A WALK! AMAZING!!!

Kingdom Hearts

When I think about the kingdom of God, I think about the human "heart"
that spiritual place in the center of our being where God pours God's love.
I believe that place...our hearts...can become more and more like the heart of Jesus who certainly had a kingdom heart.

So as we go through the years and we keep hanging out with and following Jesus and his ways, our hearts become more and more a place where God's love can rule and reign.

Paul talked about having that kind of heart and it becomes filled with love expressed in the forms of gentleness, kindness, joy, peace, forgiveness, serving, and much more.

But the bottom line is that our heart becomes a force directed by the heart of God...
Loving Who God wants us to love,
Loving How God wants us to love,
Loving God first and neighbor, especially the wounded ones, second.

Come Rule. Come Reign. Come Love Through Us. Make Our Hearts Your Home!
And May Your Love... In Our Hearts... Make This... Your World!!!

An Underlying Reality Of Hope

Amidst the great beauty of this world, there is also much pain and death.
I do not clearly understand how the good and God win out in the end.
But if I chose to believe that there is not a greater good than all the bad, I would never again be a messenger of what the rabbi calls the "good news."
So...I do choose to hold on, with all my might, to the life view that the good, the beautiful, the just, and the final and resounding YES! will embrace the whole of humanity and the creation. How? That, I do not know.

But while we yet move and breathe and have our being on this earth, we are given the opportunity to make this view of life known to those around us and the world.
A mom steadfastly not giving up on a daughter who couldn't give a damn,
and a daughter finally giving a damn taking care of her aging mother,
The workers in a nursing home who care for people's fathers and mothers with kindness and dignity,
A soldier giving his life for his cause and country,
A former alcoholic giving his life to set others free from that same substance,
A baby whose innocence, smile, and trust warms ones heart,
A man hanging on a cross forgiving his murderers.

We both look for and choose to be the signs of an underlying reality of hope.

Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren

Brian McLaren's latest book is subtitled "The Return of the Ancient Practices." The book is the introductory volume of a series of books written by different Christian authors, called the Ancient Practices Series. The second volume, In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson, is also on bookstore shelves. Additional volumes will be published through 2010 and will cover the topics of sabbath, fasting, the sacred meal, the pilgrimage, the liturgical year, and tithing.

McLaren begins this book in his usual way - Christianity is broke and needs fixing. He paraphrases a quote by Dr. Peter Senge, that Christianity has become a system of belief in a world that is searching for a way of life. Brian also expresses one of his familiar dismays with the modern church - the emphasis on life after death at the expense of life on earth.

(I'm currently reading Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright, who tackles "life after death" and the bodily resurrection in his book. I'll post a review - soon I hope!)

Brian's third opening point is that each of the Abrahamic faiths - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - share these ancient practices. Brian suggests that this is a commonality that can be a springboard for constructive relationships among those faiths.

At the end of each chapter, Brian offers the reader some spiritual exercises that can be used individually or in a group. For instance, after the chapter titled Practicing The Way Of Jesus, Brian asks the reader, "To what degree would you describe yourself as a 'Jesus-y' person? What is the story behind your answer?"

Spiritual practices are put into three groups - contemplative, communal and missional. Brian explains how each are not only important to a Christian life, but are interdependent on spiritual growth. Brian then blames the decline in Christian church attendance on the imbalance of these spiritual practices found within churches, and predicts that if change isn't forthcoming, the church faces extinction. Quite a bold statement to make, but it's difficult to disagree with him, especially if you focus on North American Christianity.

In the third part of the book, Brian introduces the ancient process of katharsis, fotosis and theosis - each stage of the process prepares for the next. The way I understand it, "katharsis" is the purging of those things that get in the way of spiritual growth, such as lust, greed, and pride. "Fotosis" as Brian describes it "is about letting the light of God into our souls, our beings, our lives." "Theosis" is the "union of our nature with the nature of God."

That final part has stayed with me since I finished reading the book. I have been feeling disoriented in the past few months. The changes in my life and my family are accelerating at a rate that makes my head spin. As a result, I have not been much of a "Jesus-y" person. I need "katharsis" and I need it badly. At the Everything Must Change event, Brian stated that this book and his next book would be about Christian spirituality. I hope he expands on the themes of katharsis, fotosis and theosis in his next book.

Brian has taken us on yet another wild journey, but this time it's about us, and not so much the world (although "mission" is obviously emphasized in the book).

Stuff

Nothing profound to say tonight.

Saw Tropic Thunder today. Really fun movie.

Going to see my folks tomorrow at the nursing home.
Plan to take them to worship in the chapel, for a walk outside, and lunch in the dining room. Come Jesus Come and be with us.

Watching some of the Olympics.
We're all champions, aren't we? Survivors. Love-givers.
But the 41 year old swimmer receiving the silver medal. Cool stuff.

Joy and I just watched the movie August Rush. I cried. May we hear the music all around us.

A Mighty River of God

The kingdom of God is like a mighty river
A movement of love, truth, community, and justice.
It grows stronger through the ages as people receive it's healing waters
and decide to do their part to remove the obstacles to its flow into the future
that its Creator has in mind and heart.
I am presently watching the movie Amazing Grace which is about those in England who
took the radical stand to abolish slavery..to remove a huge ugly obstacle so that
the River could travel more swiftly and with more beauty.
Jesus used the analogy of a small seed becoming a great tree or a small amount of yeast traveling through the dough to make it the kind of bread it is meant to be.
This message and reality of the emerging kingdom of God is the one thing to which
the radical rabbi spoke, lived daily, and gave his life.
For this Cause...this Rabbi...this Mighty River of God
May we have a passion and a will to dedicate our lives.

Victims of Comfort

I listened to a Keb' Mo' CD today that I had not heard in a while. This song, which I had forgotten until now, spoke directly to my heart. It's on his first CD.

Victims of Comfort
by Keb' Mo'

No rocket's gonna fly that high.
There's no escaping the enemy. It's you and I.
We've poisoned up the water.
We're chokin' on the air.
Let's stop before it gets too late.
Or is it already too late? Is it already too late?

For the victims of comfort. Got no one else to blame,
We're just the victims of comfort, connoisseurs of pain.

It's a technological merry-go-round.
Dangerous illusions buried under the ground,
And everyone likes a party, but no one wants to clean.
Well I'd like to see a change somehow,
But I'm a little busy right now. Just a little busy right now.

I'm just a victim of comfort. I got no one else to blame,
I'm just a victim of comfort, a cryin' shame.

Oh and what do we got to lose? Everything.
Yes, and what do we stand to gain? Everything.
So let's try together before we have to cry together.
It's too soon to die together.

I'm just a victim of comfort. Got no one else to blame.
I'm just a victim of comfort, connoisseur of pain.
We were victims of comfort. Got no one else to blame.
I'm just a victim of comfort, cryin' shame.

Safe Vs. Unsafe People

I wrote a longer post on my blog, but I wanted to share this list with everyone that I came across recently:

unsafe people (and communities):

- think they ”have it all together”; no admitance of their weaknesses
- are defensive instead of open to feedback
- are self-righteous instead of humble
- only apologize instead of changing their behavior
- avoid working on their problems instead of dealing with them
- demand trust instead of earning it
- blame others instead of take responsibility
- lie instead of tell the truth
- remain stagnant instead of growing
- resist freedom instead of encouraging it
- flatter us instead of confronting us
- condemn us instead of forgiving us
- stay in parent/child roles instead of relating to us as equals
- unstable over time instead of being consistent
- gossip instead of keeping secrets

safe people (and communities):

- accept us just like we are
- love us no matter how we are being or what we do
- influence us to develop our ability to love and be responsible
- create love and good works within us
- give us an opportunity to grow & stretch & practice
- help us feel comfortable being “ourselves”, to be authentic
- allow us to become the us that God intended
- use their lives to touch ours and leave us better for it
- help us be more like Christ
- help us to like & love others more
- make the relationship more important than opinions
- receive instead of just give
- are humble & willing to say what they need
- are honest, kind & don’t pretend
- work through resistances instead of giving up

---------------------

Questions

- are you a safe or unsafe person ?
- are your associates safe or unsafe ?

Fear....and Courage

I've asked for prayers about placing my parents in the nursing home,and that has been a scary journey. Even now, because of their grief, it's sort of scary to visit them.
But getting in touch with this fear in my belly has made me think about others and their fear. I think now of the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and the fears they face daily....soldiers dying or being seriously wounded...or the need to kill another human being. My fears have been real, but their fear and the fear of countless others, are ten thousand times more.

Plus, speaking about fear, I was reading an article yesterday about Nelson Mandela and his thoughts on leadership. He was seen as a man who was fearless. There is a story of a plane he was on and it started having engine problems. People began to panic, but Mandela continued reading the paper. After they landed with success, he shared with a confidant that he'd been terrified. He desired to "show" courage to others which he had done again and again in so many situations like when he was imprisoned for 25 years.

May Christ make us courageous or at least able to handle it in such a way to inspire others to carry on.

All That Is Yes

My soul is a little sad today. My mom and dad, Jean and Don, are moved into the nursing home. It is certainly where they need to be because of the care that they require and were not receiving, but they are experiencing grief. I certainly can understand this because they are no longer in the home they loved, have less freedom, and believe this signals the road downhill toward death. They will most likely adjust over time and perhaps even flourish like a fireworks finale, and we will continue along with many others to offer much love and support. Yet, my soul is sort of sad because they are experiencing so much sadness.

Life is so very beautiful and precious but has times which are harsh. During all times, but especially during the difficult days, we must cling to the God who loves us so very much and to each other as well. And we must continue to believe...to trust that the Light is greater than the darkness or as Saint John proclaims, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

My soul is a little sad but it continues to believe and it continues to lift my eyes to see the beautiful blue sky, the sun-filled green trees blowing in the wind, and all that is Yes!

In

My parents are in the nursing home!!!!! It is the miracle many have prayed for.
My mom is glad but my dad is mad.
But they are in a nice room in a facility with a very caring staff.
This is day 2 of the next chapter of their life, and it will be a long transition.
I praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Thank you for your love and prayers.

Help Needed Please

Dear brothers and sisters,

This coming Friday the 18th my family plans to place my parents in a nursing home. It is definitely time. But they do not know it is going to happen. My two brothers and I are very scared because we know that my mom will weep and my dad will be furious and probably put up a fight. Please pray for the presence of Almighty God and God's comforting Spirit be with my mommy and daddy on that day and the days to come. (and us too!)

My folks poured their love and ways into my life and the lives of many over the years. I pray that they may now reap what they have sowed.

I love U and pray that the Shalom of the One be with you and your family.

We have some bushes out back which I go out to visit once in a while. When I stop to look closely, I see all sorts of activity and life. I've seen butterflies on the flowers, beautiful green and yellow berries, and tiny bugs munching on the big leaves and having sex with one another.

Jesus said God's kingdom is like the life on this bush. He used examples like yeast helping transform the dough and a seed becoming a tree where the birds come to find rest. God's rule of love involves life, interaction, love, hidden power, beauty, and a way of inter-conncectedness and dependency in God's creation.

Rarely do I slow down to see the hidden life all around me, but today I did. Besides slowing down to see the bush, I walked, read, trimmed some bushes, picked some green and yellow berries and some yellow and orange Iris's to put in a vase, watched a Monk marathon, and did some writing.

Today was Sabbath for the soul, and I am so very thankful.

Come!

Off to Ft Wayne in the attempt to take my parents to see one of the new rooms just finished in the nursing home. We hope and pray to God that they will move in sometime in August. I feel somewhat alone in this effort today, so I am carrying my Bible with me. This makes me feel not so alone.

Part 2: Didn't go very well. Hard not to despair and keep the faith, but ....
Heard a radio report on the way home about the prisoners in San Quinten....talk about trying not to despair!

Come Good News Of God's Kingdom For Us All!

Tired Dude

I am on vacation for the weekend of the 4th!
And oh man do I need it.
I've been pretty darn busy and I'm pretty darn tired.
But indeedy indeedy I am done for a while...for a sweet while
and officially on sabbath.
So far I'm watching sitcoms (soup nazi!) and eating stuff.
Tomorrow it's the 4th with family and friends.
Feeling sweet about taking it easy comes only by giving it your all
and by going at it day after day to do our part and trying to make a difference.
Go America!
Go Freedom!
Go Family!
Go World!
Go Sabbath of the Soul!
Now I'm watching Star Wars.

Happy Anniversary!!

Craig and Joy Happy 30th Anniversary!! God bless you as you continue your adventures together and all you do advancing the dream of God. Have a joyous day!

Carlin

OK, first Tim Russert and now George Carlin!
Two of my favorites have finished their course.
I always thought Carlin was the best.
I remember being a young man and laughing out loud when he did his thing.
My God, this life is brief, beautiful, and full of absolutely amazing people.
One of the things these two dudes had in common was their passion for life and for their craft. And they were both the best at what they did. Period.
So, I went out to the library yesterday and got one of his books titled something like When Will Jesus Pass The Pork Chops?
Pass one to George now will you Lord?

Rock On RockOm

Hey Amados,

Check out my friend Trevor's new site www.RockOm.net

This is a new good path for the kingdom song.

Psalm For Today

Beloved!
Whatzup?
God is good.
All the time.
All the time.
God is good.
I hope you're well.
I pray for your wholeness and shalom.
Peace Peace Peace!
My mom fell into the bathtub last night. There were family and neighbors present to respond. But oh Lord help us to get those two beloved ones in the nursing home! Save us Jesus and save the families and situations of those for whom we are concerned.
The good news is that God desires to be the king of our hearts, minds, lives and world!
May it be so.

To Life!

So, let's see.
I'm getting about a half day off, but I am needing and enjoying it!
Watching the Cubs and Sox and eating junk food.
Got Shalom Community tonight, and Schnepps are coming for that as well as
the art show in FW where Kev will hang his photos.

I'm thinking that the love of life and fully living life is a very good thing.
Life is short and precious and calls for our full participation.
I heard someone described the other day as "a force of nature." Nice.
We've seen some pretty strong forces of nature lately that have devastated quite a few lives. But nonetheless, there is a lot of power in those storms, and folks know for sure that the wind has blown and the water has flowed. We know for sure we have witnessed a powerful force.
If we fully embrace life perhaps slowly yet surely we too can become more and more a force of nature. Folks will know for sure they have witnessed love, light, a serving heart, joy, peace, compassion for the broken, and love for God and all of God's creation.

I know things can get real stressful. We wonder whether we can get it all done, carry on, and continue to make a difference. But if right in the middle of it all we can remember that life is such an amazing gift which is to be fully appreciated and embraced with all we are, then I believe we will be able to move on with what needs to be done and do that with a sense of joy and perspective.

LeChaim!

Here's To The Man

Went to Chicago this weekend to celebrate my birthday and life itself
with the family. Nice!
Joy and I got around town for the first on the elevated.
Watching the Lakers and Celtics tonight!

I miss Tim Russert. He was a hero to me.
Smart as a whip.
Came from the working class.
Thorough and tough yet fair and kind.
A devout Catholic.
Family man.
The #1 political voice!
A group of us pastors were traveling and were at the airport in New York. I recognized Russert and went over to tell him that I really appreciated his work. He asked me about my mullet, and I told him that it was business in the front and party in the back.
God bless his wife Maureen, his son Luke, and dad Russ today with your peace and power.

God Grant Us

BEEN very busy lately, and I'm so tired tonight. But as my papa would say, so is the coal miner at the end of the day.

MY dog Jamie is 14 on Friday and I turn 54 on Saturday. How I love life and the life of knowing God.

CAN we help create some groovy neighborhood churches that bring light to the neighborhood?

IS God really greater than all the misery and senseless loss of life that happens in war, disease, storms, and famine? Yes! But!

I stand before God with naked trust.

I'M having a blast taking pictures with my cell phone, and it is so good for my soul. I think I'll put them in a book.

JOY is studying Speech Pathology like a warrior, and we all have calls on our lives. May God grant us what we need. May God grant us what we need.

I Know The Secret

He's done it to me again!

Brian McLaren has totally changed the way I see the world and read Scripture. Since hearing him speak and reading Everything Must Change, my whole perspective has changed.

I'm more aware of the environment than I ever have. I'm sitting in Taco Bell thinking of all the waste that's generated with the wraps, cups, lids, straws, etc. from fast food. I think, what if every fast food restaurant had recycling stations instead of trash receptacles?

I'm reading about the high price of gas, and reading comments from people who think we should go drill for more oil no matter what the cost to the environment, because we Americans have a "right" to cheap gas. One commenter even said that high gas prices would lead to the extinction of the human race. But high gas prices are reducing consumption (according to this week's Business Week magazine), and therefore, reducing waste, which could be the REAL cause of human extinction. And Americans are finding ways to reduce consumption of other goods to pay for their gas, and turning in their gas guzzling SUVs and buying fuel-efficient vehicles. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if reducing consumption and waste means I have to pay a higher price for gas, then I'm willing to shell out the money. I even wrote a letter to the local paper saying essentially that.

We were reading Isaiah 5 in Sunday Bible study class. The class was discussing the "woes" verses. The question was, what were the sins of the people? Some responses were drunkeness, taking bribes, etc. I look at those verses and saw something else. I saw sins of over-consumption, hoarding wealth, inequality, and injustice. I spoke up and pointed this out to the class.

It's like I've heard a secret, the secret message of Jesus, and too few have heard it. I'm trying to share it. I hope someone is listening.

My dad yelled at me today,
and I yelled right back...even more harshly.
We ended up ok though sharing a meal and getting groceries.
But the moment represents the barely contained struggle.
Anger and pain are part of love,
and the reign of God can happen none the less...I guess.
No, I know.

A Threefold Mark

St. John of the Cross says that every quality or virtue which the Spirit really produces in our souls has three distinguishing characters- as it were a threefold National Mark- Tranquility, Gentleness, Strength. All our action- and now we are thinking specially of action-must be peaceful, gentle, and strong. That suggests, doesn't it, an immense depth, and an invulnerable steadiness as the soul's abiding temper; a depth and a steadiness which come from the fact that our small action is now part of the total action of God, whose Spirit, as another saint has said,"Works always in tranquility." Fuss and feverishness, anxiety, intensity, intolerance, instability, pessimism, and wobble, and every kind of hurry and worry- these, even on the highest levels, are signs of the self-made and self-acting soul; the spiritual parvenu. The saints are never like that. They share the quiet and noble qualities of the great family to which they belong.

From The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill

God, may our action for others and the kingdom be carried out with Tranquility, Gentleness, and Strength understanding that our small action is part of the total action of God. Through the Spirit of Jesus, may it be so.

Everything Must Change

Last weekend (May 9-10) I attended Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change Event in Goshen, IN with my friend Aaron. We met up with Craig and Joy, and their friends and family there. There is so much I could write about our trip - driving to Shipshewana, visiting the Menno-Hof Center, a museum of the history of the Mennonite church, having dinner with Tim Lichti, who founded the center and was its first director, and the McLaren event itself. For now I'll just write about the McLaren event.

On Friday night, McLaren outlined the global crisis we are in. He says that our global society has become a "suicide machine" that has only one outcome - desctruction. The machine exists inside the ecosystem, from which it draws resources and deposits waste. The machine is made up of a prosperity system, an equity system, and a security system, and all three overlap and are connected within the "suicide machine." The reason these systems don't work is because of the framing story that exists, that is based on consumption, greed, lack of concern for consequences, the gap between the rich and poor, spread of violence and war to achieve economic results, etc.

He compares the political/religious situation of today to be similar to the political/religious situation in Jesus' day. Different groups have their own framing stories that they operate with in response to, or in concert with, the "suicide machine." But Jesus had a different way of living - a new framing story - that was different from the framing stories of his day, and different from the framing stories of our time.

This is where I get overwhelmed. I'm just a guy trying to raise a family. In a way I feel that any positive impact I can have on my children's lives will have impact later on as they live their adult lives, hopefully in the way of Jesus. I do some things. I recycle. I buy free trade coffee when I can. I've planted trees in my yard. I donate my time to my church not only on "church work" but also "the work of the church." (McLaren made a distinction between the two.) I donate to good causes. I also do some things I should do, but I could change. I could reduce the amount of electricity I use (which is difficult to do with two teens in the house.) I could clean up the trash pit that's behind the garage. I could consume less "things."

Towards the end of the event, McLaren discussed things the average person could do in their lives, including some of the things I've mentioned above. In my journal I wrote, "We can't do everything, but we can do something."

McLaren took some time to dissect what the current Christian answer seems to be - just worry about getting yourself into heaven, because Jesus is coming soon, and you need to make sure you're taken up into heaven before Jesus destroys the world and everybody in it. Of course that's a fatalistic and self-fulfilling view of the restoration of creation, but it is a belief that many, many Christians hold to. McLaren notes that there seems to be two Jesus' - the meek and loving Jesus in the gospels, and the conquering King Jesus who comes again. McLaren pointed to the verse in Revelations 19, where the sword comes from Jesus' mouth, not in his hand, to bring truth, not violence. (In the Left Behind books, Jesus quotes Scripture while the armies of the anti-Christ explode in blood and guts.)

McLaren called for a revolution in the church. He says that churches need to start teaching the good news of the kingdom of God (read Secret Message of Jesus for more on that). There should be a maximum number of people doing the work of the church in the community (which he describes as "living out faith in the community") and a minimum number of people doing "church work" (which he says is important, but should not be the primary work).

In the book, McLaren put the differences between "the world" and Jesus like this:

The world says, "We can engage in pleasurable or profitable behaviors with undesired consequences and either avoid the consequences or clean them up later."

Jesus says, "The fulfillment of your desires can destroy you. You'd be better off cutting off your hand or plucking your eye out than taking everything you see? What good would it be to gain every possible desire, but lose your soul?"

McLaren ended with this:

We must awaken to a better dream - God's dream. The dream must deepen in our hearts and minds. We must embody the dream. We must live the dream.

I have to mention the wonderful worship times with great music written just for this event.

One thing I must mention - because God seems to be in this. I am heading up a group of people at my church who are part of what we call a "Dream Team" that is dreaming about the future of our church. I'm heading up a group to talk about Spirtual Transformation. A lot of what I heard McLaren say fits what we will be discussing.

The Message?!

The Message that I believe in, proclaim, and seek to live out is
that God loves us and this world...and that God is like a King bringing about God Kingdom in our lives and this world...and that we can join God in this Revolution of Hope.
But this Message is in the midst of times of utter devastation in China and Myanmar...the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.
In China a middle school collapses and 900 children die.
I have trouble embracing the good news in the midst of so much pain. I cannot fully understand how God has the final say...the ultimate "Yes!" of Love and Hope for the lives of those children and families and so many more who have walked the beautiful yet shaky paths on this earth.
But I have no other choice. I must continue to believe...to proclaim...and to do my little part to make the Message so.

A Trip to Cleveland

Hey there. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are making another trip to Cleveland tomorrow to have Stacey checked out. She has been in pain again and it has surpassed the 3-day limit; thus, the surgeon wants to check her out.

We would appreciate any prayers from people who will be checking this blog out from tonight till the meeting 9 am.

Hey

Hey.
Watching Juno tonight with Joy Ellen. Great movie!
Jamie is sleeping on the couch. Tired boy.
Trevor's last(I suppose) Pink Noise gig
and Christ Church worship service is this weekend. We'll be there.
Going to place my beloved mommy and daddy
in the nursing home in a couple of weeks. I love them with all my heart. So does God.
Ate one of my all time favorite deserts tonight
which is Graham Crackers broken up in milk. How sweet it is.
Bunch of us hanging with McLaren this week.
Not too excited but the man did change my life.
Read the story of Jonah tonight in The Message. I think one of the things those theologians and storytellers were trying to get at is for us to remember what "it" is all about...which is the call on our life to be Light to the confused world.(and that the Lord can use us dimwits to get the job done)
I love you all.
God bless you so very richly.

Back from Mayo Clinic. I have been going there since 1972 to be hospitalized and have my skin cared for. It is my sacred healing place. They have knowledge. They work as team. It is a beautiful place where healing and hope happen for people around the world. I go in distress, but when I am there I get well both physically and in other ways, because I take my books and find times and places to read, pray, and just be.

We may be placing my folks in the nursing home this next week. I know I have said this before...so, we'll see. I was walking through the little cemetery next to the facility, and one of the stones had a woman's name, dates of birth and death, and the simple words
Have Faith
Be Happy
I feel like this precious saint was telling me something...to have faith that God will make a way for my parents and, in the midst of the fear and anxiety I am feeling, to seek to be happy. I hear her and am desiring to heed her voice and wisdom.

So whatever your lot right now
Have Faith
Be Happy.

The Question

The old man knew he was nearing the end of his life,
and he gazed into the unknown territory called death.
The old panicky question screamed in his ear, "Is there anything on the other side?"
All his life he had been scared of death...scared of non-existence.
Teaching and theology about heaven made little impression or sense to him.
He loved life and his family so much that he could not imagine some other kind of "life" without them and without the ordinary yet absolute miracle of earthly existence.
But he knew and loved God for so many years now,
and he had lived the Jesus Way the best he knew how.
God had blessed him and proved to be so very real in so many wonderful ways during his days.
But still, was God really going to be there for him in some real way once again
when his body ceased to be.
And then as he lay sick and exhausted and ready to stop the fight for life
he remembered that which his life with God was really about.
It was about standing before the Boss and Beauty of the Universe and saying,
"Well, what's next God? What project do you have for me? How can I make a difference in the Story?
And so one last time, not really knowing how in the world it could be answered,
the tired and dying child of God quietly spoke in his mind,
"What project is next Lord? How can I make a difference? Use me to further Your Way.
And by the way, please, please help me somehow be with my family
and enjoy a fine spring day as well if you will.
Amen."

A Jesus And A Family Thing

This afternoon Joy and I went to visit my folks.
We go once a week to get groceries, hopefully get them out, and lay some love on them.
Today we sat on the porch enjoying the beautiful spring day.
My dad asked why they couldn't drive anymore. I said the boys decided they were done.
He got mad, but I calmly and firmly explained that it is our time in this cycle of life to call the shots. He seemed to accept this...kind of.
Joy went to buy groceries. How I love this woman. She bought lots of good stuff.
One thing she bought was toenail clippers. I cut my folks toenails.
It is a Jesus thing...this holding a foot and clipping the old and long parental nail.
I have come to realize in the last few weeks that, even though these last two years have been pretty damn hard at times, it has also perhaps held the sweetest moments of our life together.
My mom fell tonight as she was getting dressed.
I heard a boom.
My dad yelled for me.
I rushed back.
My mom laid on the floor.
She had hit her head.
I bent down and picked my mama up to her feet.
She sat in a chair and rested for a while.
Finally, we all went to get pizza at Pizza Hut. It was a blast.
PS MY MOM HAS FALLEN AGAIN. WE HAVE DECIDED IT IS TIME FOR THEM TO BE PLACED AT HERITAGE POINT IN WARREN IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. PLEASE PRAY FOR A GOOD AND GOD TRANSITION. THANK YOU.

Have a beautiful day!
(Photo by Kevin Schnepp)

No more war
No more war
No more war

No More War
No More War
No More War

NO MORE WAR
NO MORE WAR
NO MORE WAR

And Jesus said,"Blessed are the peacemakers for they are children of God."

One Man

I send my love out to you all this night my bothers and sisters.
I am watching the story of Martin Luther King Jr. on the History Channel.
Talk about giving one's life to further God's Way for the world.
May we all continue on this heritage of MLK, the non-violent prophet
who, along with many brave people, ended segregation, helped secure voting rights for African Americans, took on poverty, and spoke against the Vietnam War almost before anyone else.
He gave his life...just like his dear friend Jesus.
May God grant us strength also to do God's will.
One man, one woman can make one "heaven on earth" of a difference.
God ain't done and
Truth is marching on.
I send my love out to you tonight my brothers and sisters.

Blessed By The Olds

My dad was in the ministry for about 50 years, and he gave a lot of benedictions.
My mom and dad have given this kind of blessing for many years now as the kids drive away.
This was Easter Sunday, and
Joy and I, mom and dad, and David and Rachel all worshiped together.
Getting my folks to church and the experience we had
was all by itself a resurrection.
The one blessing my dad most often gives now is "Shalom!"
So Shalom to you my friends, and
may God grant you Peace and Wholeness.
Yes!

A Little More Bent

I believe
in the good news of God's kingdom coming in our lives and on this earth,
but there is
global warming,
war,
starvation,
abuse,
homelessness,
depression and disease,
and so much more.
One must not turn away from the hurt and darkness,
but we must also be "a little more bent" toward
love, hope, creativity, healing, staying strong, beauty, forgiveness, and justice...
and both believing and being
the good news of God's kingdom.
(All right, enough heaviness, pass the oatmeal raisin cookies!)

The Walk

The old ballad goes,
"We must walk this lonely valley,
We must walk it all alone,
Nobody else can walk it for us;
We must walk it for ourselves."

There have been many times in my life
when this was true,
and I'm sure for you as well.

And it was definitely true for Jesus
this week among weeks.

And even though it is true, it is not true.
There is God, even if we can't always see how, walking with us.
There are others, even if we can't always see how, walking with us.
And all that God has ever made us to be and poured into us,
And all that others have made us to be and poured into us,
All of that is within us as we walk in the valley.
And the ultimate good news is that there is a Way out of the valley.

Yet, it is true. Even though it isn't true.

The Hammer Holds

I can not believe that it is Holy Week. This Thursday, we are the host family and leading a Sedar Meal. Then on Good Friday, I am leading the worship service and we are doing a Reverse Advant.

One of the songs that we are doing for the service is "The Hammer Holds". I asked two of my high school guys to put a video together for the service. I just received it and I wanted to share. I hope that you do not mind and more importantly, I hope that you enjoy the video and that it can be a moment to "savor" during this Holy Week season.

Lydia's Experience of Salvation

"And the preachers be so wrapped up in the glories of that next world," Lydia went on, looking into the dying fire, speaking to herself as well as to her sister, "that they're missing half the glory of this world. I can't believe the Lord meant us to be heavyhearted every minute here when He made so much to lift our hearts...Katy, am I wicked for such talk?"
The younger girl shrugged.
"The words I remember from the Bible mostly, they're about the waters of life and I think about my spring out here, bubbling up pure and plentiful-and about losing your life to save it. I believe I know what that means, Katy. I know it true. It means to lose your littleness in bigness, your own self into the all of living."
"Why I reckon so Lydia."
"That's not the salvation the preachers talk about, Kate." They sat silent while the hot coals in the fireplace crumbled to ashes. "But it's the only salvation I've ever had any true experience of," Lydia said.

(from The Tall Woman)

Here and Now and Alive!

Hang in there - spring is coming! Read this passage from the book The Tall Woman by Wilma Dykeman.

Fresh, sweet smells of late spring rode on the gentle wind. Bees used the air like a giant room. Above her and beyond her and all around, the mountains were stirring with life, thrusting up shoots and leaves and blossoms, feeding roots, soaking up pockets of spring rain for dry times ahead, yielding small animals that had burrowed away for the winter. Lydia felt the surge of life-as she had felt in previous springs. No matter who came or went, what crops were planted or unplanted, who was meted justice or injustice, this would always return. She felt as small as an insect curled in the leaf at her foot, knowing that all of this went forward without knowledge of her. And yet she felt large, too, as great and grand as the green peak of the mountain looming above her because she was part of it all. She was here and now and alive!

?

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS WORLD OR GOD'S KINGDOM IN THE LIGHT OF THE COLLEGE SENIOR CLASS PRESIDENT WHO WAS MURDERED YESTERDAY. ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD. I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT. I HAVE NO ANSWERS. DO YOU GOD?

Good news for the weary

I'm a little wounded and weary, but I'm making it.
Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit
for they'll receive the kingdom of heaven."
That's good news, and I receive it!
Looking for a Bible now.
There's got to be one around here somewhere.
I found one!
By the way, the sunlight on the snow is so beautiful today,
and a bunch of red and fat chested robins were hanging around my porch.
Sweet.
Oh, there it is. The kingdom of heaven has just been poured
into the chest and heart of this poor robin.

Debate

The Democratic debate is on right now. I'll watch it for a while.
First, they discussed attacks made against each other.
Now they are discussing their different universal health care policies. I really don't understand the difference, but I believe they both would go after it. OK, they need to shut up now about health care!
Now they have moved on to NAFTA. Hillary says it needs to be fixed. So does Barak. American workers have lost too many jobs. We believe in a global economy but need to help keep America competitive.
The subject is now who can be a better foreign policy leader. Boy I don't know who would be. Just a side note, I think our soldiers are absolute heroes, but that the Iraq War is absolutely wrong. Sad stuff. I saw a show last night about an American soldier who is home now, had his best friend killed there, and is extremely addicted to alcohol and marijuana...self medicating himself to get over his grief.
COMMERCIAL BREAK... I'm going to flip through the channels... and we're back.
They played a clip of Hillary making fun of Barak's speeches on "hope." Barak's response is that he has done lots of work for family's who have faced tough times.
She says she is not just a talker but a fighter. They both agree that the common people are hurting and overlooked.
OK I left the debate for a minute to put Jamie out to pee pee, and I visited the bathroom myself. I also got a drink in a cute little green bottle...and I'm back.
Tim Russert is one of the interviewers, and I really like him. He's smart and tough. I was with some pastors in an airport in NYC and we ran into Russert. I told him I liked his work, and he mentioned my mullet! I told him it was about "business in the front and a party in the back!"
Oh good. There was some laughter among the candidates and the crowd. Very needed!
I really like Barak, but both these candidates, and McCain, are really good folks.
Now they are talking about Russia and Putin's replacement. Putin's hand picked replacement. Barak just affirmed the former Clinton Administration and its work with NATO.
Hillary just said if she could do it over, she would not have voted to go into Iraq. But, she says now it is time for America to look forward. Barak is saying he respects McCain, but he will continue much of Bush's policies. He is also saying Hilllary would make a good nominee, but that he believes he can unite all kinds of people in the general election. Hillary is saying that either she or Barak will make history if they are elected, but she says she has fought for healthcare and many other things for the regular folks of America.
I'm glad I watched. It was a good debate. I'm proud of America, and I too believe in HOPE!
A final word: I know that 75% of the reason we are democrat or republican is due to how we were raised. And that's not all bad. Heritage is something to be proud of, and we need diversity of thought. I was raised in a strong democrat family. I've mostly voted for democrats, but I have also voted for republicans and independents. I just wanted to say a word about something said tonight in the debate. Brian Williams asked Barak about the report that said he had voted even more liberal than Ted Kennedy. Barak told why he had voted as he did on certain things, and then he said that the day is here when many people are tiring of the old labels of conservative and liberal and desire to think through the issues and unite for new beginnings. Wow, that is definitely post-modern, and I think is one of the reasons he is a breath of fresh air for many folks and is emerging as the front runner. Labels are starting to disappear, and we are thinking through and hoping for both good news and new beginnings in America and the world.

There Is Grace

I am human.
I do good.
But oh boy do I screw up!
There is grace.
There is grace.
Humans are we all.
Mercy for all.
Judgement for none.
Mercy for all.
Judgement for none.
Forgive me Lord.
Keep me real and relevant yet kind.
May the words of my mouth
and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable to You
O Lord my Rock
and Redeemer.

May God's Love Fall Like A Gentle But Steady Snow

We gratefully acknowledge that You are the Lord our God and God of our people,

the God of all generations.

You are the Rock of our Life, the Power that shields us in every age.

We thank You and sing Your praises: for our lives, which are in Your hand;

for our souls which are in Your keeping;

for the signs of Your presence we encounter every day;

and for Your wondrous gifts at all times, morning, noon, and night.

You are Goodness: Your mercies never end;

You are Compassion: Your love will never fail.You have always been our hope.

For all these things, O Sovereign God, let Your name be for ever exalted and blessed.


(Gates Of Prayer-The New Union Prayer Book)

Prayer

Each of us is a battleground for the struggle of sacred with profane. At times the profane seems to win the day. Love and truth are debased. Reason, our chief glory, is turned to evil ends. And in us the divine gift of compassion lies dormant; we fail to feel the anguish of others.

How much we need You, O God, in days of trial! We need faith to live, faith in Your creative power that overcomes chaos and stirs all life toward a new and better world. We seek You, O God: thereby we grow in vision, as we elevate our souls beyond the sordid to the sacred.

Your presence is the light piercing the darkness on our way, lighting our steps, making us see beauty and worth in all human beings.

May our lips and our lives
be one in serving you.

(The New Union Prayer Book)

questions and answers

So, God please bless?! the 5 students just gunned down in their college classroom
as well as the one gunning them down.
Why.....them?
Is there something....someone waiting for them?
Will they see their family again? Will they ever marry and have a family?
Is Goodness greater than random chaos and crime?
There's so much beauty in this life....and so much pain.
I know God's beauty and grace trumps the darkness that threatens me
I want to believe it does overall and in the end
even the instant end they experienced.
I cannot ignore the questions and the darkness,
and yet I choose to dwell in the region called the good news of God's Hopes and Dreams
and Jeshua's Ways of living and loving.

A Child's Prayer

God is great
God is good
Let us thank God
for this food,
for this forgiveness,
for the surprises,
for the peace,
for the courage to answer the call,
and for the wonder of it all.
(and ice cream!)
God is great
God is good
Let us thank God
for...................................................................................

The Flight of Fear and of Faith

It was about 1:00 in the morning.
Joy and I had watched Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck
which is a good movie.
But as I lay there at night, I began to think about the fact that both of these hugely gifted people are dead.
And I started to think about my own death....about non-existence...about not being with my family ever again...and once again the panic rose in my inner being and I fled downstairs.
You see thoughts and theology about heaven don't do me much good. And so I cry out to God and ask for God's help...for some understanding....some answers. All I got was absolute silence. So I went to the computer to google things on the afterlife and out of body experiences. No help. Then I went to the tv to search for some divine communication...nothing. So I finally went back to bed. Not til the next morning as I was sitting on the stool in absolute silence did the words and melody of the Chris Rice song I had been listening to the day before gently start entering my mind and heart.
He softly sings, "Fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus, fly to Jesus and live."
That was his answer for now.
Thanks.

Let Us

Let us
do all that we're called to be and do
with every once of strength, determination, and creative energy we have
and then, let us
be still, like a deer resting and laying in a meadow,
and know for sure that God... is... God...
who loves us and will use every once of God's
strength, determination, and creative energy to make a way and show us the path.
Amen?
Amen.

Burn Baby Burn

I'm watching a great fire burn in the fireplace while Joy is studying her Speech Therapy. And Jamie is taking it easy on the couch while Crosby, Stills , Nash, and Young play on the machine.
In me roars another great fire. It is the fire to be real and faithful to who God has made me to be as well as to the call upon my life. This call is to follow the resurrected rabbi and make a difference in the Story of humankind and the Story of God.
Where does that fire come from? There are so many who are motivated to make a difference...driven by the heat and passion that burns within. ...like the politicians who are putting everything on the line this next Tuesday. I believe that fire comes from God...from the original Source....from the Spark that started it all....and that has called and urged people throughout history to explore, invent, create, dream, protest, and desire to leave this world in a better way than they found it.
How does it burn in you?
You know it is fashionable for folks including us to constantly talk about how the world is getting worse and worse. Well, I don't believe it! This year both a black man and a woman are running for President. Not so long ago, neither of them could have even voted. And that's because the Fire of hope and progress continues to spread form heart to heart and a hidden Wind fans the flames and invites us to place one more piece of the beautiful puzzle in its place.
Well, I need to get up and shift the wood around a little so that the fire will continue to burn well.

These are a few of my favorite things

The air that we breathe
Om mani padme hum
Father son holy spirit
Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow
Be here now
Eyes to see and ears to hear
Scientists who make the world a better place
Taking a walk in the woods or by the river
The way that a farm field looks in summer spring winter and fall
The good news of the kingdom
The family of God can change a life and the world
Vincent van goth
Tv shows like ncis csi numbers and all great movies like ghandi
I love joy david rachel jamie and you
As the dooby brothers say jesus is just alright with me jesus is just alright oh yeah
The andy griffith show
Reading a good book while sitting by the fire
Pinkfloyd
A good whiskey sour (What is it about Christians that makes me scared to include this?)
Love God with all your heart soul strength and mind
Helen keller said life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all
The emergent church
Listening to the waves of the ocean
GOD IS LOVE!

God Sitting Next To Me

Last night, I lead our base group in a Bible study. The group has grown quite close since coming together about 4 years ago. After going through several Christian living studies, several in the group decided they wanted a Bible based study and asked if I would lead it.

I had a Bible study that I picked up at the last UMC Men's conference I attended. I kept it around thinking someday I might need it. It's designed as a low commitment study for seekers or those new to the Bible, but there is ample opportunity to dig deeper.

As we talked about Abraham and faith, it opened a door for many questions about faith, salvation, and grace. I thank God that I have read enough about this, and even recently had written down some of what I have learned in this area. God gave me the words to speak and calmed my nervousness. I'm always so afraid I'm going to get something wrong! I literally had no time to prepare. We were away all weekend and not sure if we could even attend. I had skimmed over the first lesson about a month ago, and the hosts of our base group meeting had the book in case we couldn't make it. I was definitely winging it, but God was sitting next to me.

Well, it all worked out. The conversation was amazing. Their appreciation was apparent. I feel very lucky to be part of a great group of people who desire a relationship with Christ, and want to go further on their journey.

Lord, help me be a spiritual leader for my friends. Amen.

Go!

Go Barak! (Who you rooting for?)
Go politics of hope and not fear!
Go America the land of democracy!
Go world that God dreams of and works for!
Go!

Most Not All

Tired tonight.
Going to read a book my friend Timothy sent me called Change Or Die. Great book so far.
Nothing profound to say right now...unless it might be the words of Thoreau,
"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave
with the song still in them."
May God bless us tonight with God's love and peace
yet give us courageous restlessness to sing our song.

He Invites You and Me To Pray

Our Divine Parent
Who has created and is creating the God reality
Within which we live, move, and have our being,
Praise be to You!
Your kingdom and will
Your dream and rule of love
Vs. chaos, craziness, and apathy about the brokenness
Come on earth and in our lives as it is in heaven.
Give us what we need and help us be content with what we have
One day at a time sweet Jesus.
Lead us in the right paths, and yank our chains when need be.
Deliver us from and help us overcome
the darkness that threatens our lives and this world.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
And the joy, love, and peace
And movies, TV, books, flowers, sunsets, and oceans
And all sorts of beauty.
Both now and forever,
Amen, or in other words, May it be so!

I Don't Know

Watching the HBO show The Wire. You should check it out.
Us rich, isolated folks don't know anything about reality on the streets.
It seems there are some brave people trying to make hope possible where little exists.
I don't know if you and me will ever make any difference in this world.
Maybe we do, I don't know. Seeing a real show with real darkness, makes me wonder.
How much in this world is going on that we DON'T want to know about?
God help us. Maybe one or two of us will be brave too.