Pastoral retreat
Mon, Aug 23 2010 07:22 AM
| Pastoral Ministry, Ministry, Personal
| Permalink
Today, I'll begin a three-day break from my "routine" to take a pastoral retreat.From now until Wednesday, I'll spend a lot of time in quiet, alone. I'll read a lot, pray a lot, write a lot, and think a lot. I'll study the Bible, I'll study some books, and I'll study my own heart.This is the second such retreat for me; I found some similar time last fall, when Abbey's surgery was cancelled the first
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My dental nightmare
Right now-- as this is being automatically posted by my Blogger account-- I'm setting out on the next steps in my journey to dental overhaul.Ever since I was a teenager I've been told that, remarkably, all four of my wisdom teeth were fine; I didn't need to have any of them removed. Even when I would ask (several times later in life) about the fact that it feels a bit crowded in my mouth, I was told
If you're reading this, we're already gone...
Once again, we're on our way to Chicago for Abbey's cleft palate repair surgery. If I haven't taken this post down, then we're en-route right now-- perhaps even as you read this.Our schedule this time around should go like this:Monday, 2/22-- Ed, Marcie, and Abbey travel to Chicago; Jack, Molly, and Caroline stay in Tennessee with Ed's mom and Marcie's mom.Tuesday, 2/23-- Abbey checks into the Shriner's
Beard-volution (again)
Some folks mentioned that they couldn't view the "beard-volution" video because of some settings, so I changed them. Here it is, in case you missed it the first time:
Random technology thoughts...
Sat, Feb 6 2010 05:07 PM
| Technology, Personal
| Permalink
What do you think about the iPad? It looks like a neat tool to me, and will fit in very well with a certain type of user. It won't replace a regular laptop for me, mostly because a) it won't support multitasking, which I use all the time for sermon prep, worship planning, writing, etc.; b) it won't have (at least for a good while) a number of the applications that I use all the time, especially Accordance,
Reading goals for 2010
In reviewing the books I read last year for my "best of" post the other day, I saw some holes in my reading that I want to accommodate better in 2010. In the course of a year, I read a lot of books-- probably between 50 and 75-- and I cover a wide range of subjects. Last year, I read a good number of books on prayer (naturally, since it was the Ministry Focus for the year at my church), church ministry,
Beard-volution
I took snapshot of my mug, using my MacBook's built-in camera, every week for the last 10 weeks (11 weeks after starting to grow my beard). Here's the beard evolution (or "beard-volution)...
Best Books for 2009
Well, I did a poor job of cataloging and rating my books read for 2009. I set out to do essentially the same as I did in 2008, but I failed pretty miserably at that.So, instead of presenting a comprehensive list (like I did last year), I thought I would do my best to recap what some of the best books I read in 2009 were. Here's that list:Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Worship by Hughes Oliphant
Surgery cancelled
Abbey's surgery has been cancelled-- well, postponed, actually. It's now scheduled for late February.Please pray for us. We are frustrated and disappointed. We are ready for Abbey to have this behind her, and not to have the obstacles to development (speech, eating, etc.) that she has. We're stressed out by the build-up to this event, and by the let-down as well. Pray for God's grace to quiet our hearts.
Abbey's surgery...
One of my twins, Abbey, was born with a cleft palate; that means that the roof of her mouth isn't a solid bit of tissue as most of ours are. Last March, we traveled to Chicago for an initial visit with the Shriners' Hospital, who will be performing the surgery and follow-up treatment to repair this cleft. They told us then that they would likely do the surgery in August or September. Over the summer,
Apprenticing myself
I find that I am, effectively, apprenticing myself to certain writers and thinkers. These are the people who have shaped, and are shaping, my theological, ecclesiastical, and pastoral thought and action. Some of these are living, while others have passed on to glory. I thought I would mention who these folks are.Donald MacNair-- was described once (by Harry Reeder) as the "father of church revitalization".
Setting two personal goals...
I'm setting out to make some healthy changes.In July 2008, I stepped onto the scale and saw the highest weight I had ever been: 303 pounds. I'm 6'5", so I don't look very overweight; with clever wardrobe choices, I can mask the extra pounds fairly well. (The double chins are another matter!) But I set out then to do something about it. Marcie and I had done Weight Watchers before, so I started "counting
Books for May, June, July 2009
I know, I’ve been pretty inconsistent about this...Here’s what I’ve been reading in recent months:William the Baptist by James M. Chaney (re-read). Actually, I’ve not only been reading this, but editing/updating it. This is a great book-- one of the best, in my opinion-- about baptism and the Reformed view of it. I cannot recommend it more highly. (10)The Pastor As Minor Poet
Book deals
Over the weekend, I went to Barnes and Noble-- tomorrow is Molly’s 5th birthday, and I was sent to pick up one of her gifts, a fairy storybook.On the way in, they had a cart with books marked down to $1! Who could pass that up?So, how did I do?The Moral Life (Second Edition) by Louis P. Pojman. This is an excellent reader in ethics, combining literature and philosophy. So far, I’ve thumbed
Canada Day
Today is Canada Day-- that is, a celebration of the day (in 1867) when Canada was united as four provinces in a single country.I have two things to say about Canada Day: first, Marcie and I have (for our whole marriage, actually) acknowledged Cinco de Mayo, which is not, in fact, the Mexican Independence Day, but is simply a day in honor of Mexican heritage and pride. We usually commemorate Cinco de
Bits and Tidbits, early June 2009
“Patriot’s Bible”: This makes me sick to my stomach, and a little angry.Real priorities: This makes me weep.San Diego: This reminds me why I don’t trust the right-wing media and Christian spin-doctors.Baptists & creeds: This is surprising, and also exciting (in a church-geeky way).Gospels: This is really good advice.
Books for April 2009
These are the books I read in April:A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson. This book is a very helpful guide on prayer by a hero of our times. It looks at Paul’s letters and gleans what we might learn about how to pray in a more biblical manner-- something we all could benefit from. I love Carson’s style and biblical insight, and I always find his engagement with such practical
Congratulations to Laura!
Big congratulations to an old friend of mine, Laura Story. Laura’s album, Great God Who Saves, just won a Dove Award for Inspirational Album of the Year, 2009. Back in “the day” (when I was in college), Laura and I were on a Young Life team together for a year or so. Laura was also in a band called Silers Bald (not to be confused with the mountain peak, from which the band got its
Books, first quarter 2009
Well, I’ve been slacking on the book list thing. Here’s what I’ve done in the first quarter of this year:Philip Yancey, Prayer. Good content, mostly, and written for a lay-level like the rest of Yancey’s stuff. There are a few points I can’t agree with theologically, but they are only a few in this large and comprehensive book. (7)Scot McKnight, Fasting. Great book on
Where I've been...
I put an X by the states I have been to. The average is 8; how do you match up?* Alabama X* Alaska* Arizona* Arkansas X* California X* Colorado* Connecticut X* Delaware * Florida X* Georgia X* Hawaii* Idaho* Illinois X* Indiana X* Iowa * Kansas * Kentucky X* Louisiana X* Maine X* Maryland X* Massachusetts X* Michigan X* Minnesota* Mississippi* Missouri X* Montana* Nebraska* Nevada* New Hampshire* New
Update on Abbey
We just got back to the hotel room from a long day, and I wanted to give you all an update.In case I/we haven't been very good at keeping you in the loop, Abbey was accepted into the Shriners' Hospital Program for treatment of her cleft palette. The local (Memphis) Shriners have taken care of getting us up to Chicago(!) to visit the Shriners' Hospital up here, and we spent all day today in clinical
On a trip...
We’re traveling this week-- part of “we” is, at least...Most of you know that Abbey was born with a cleft palette-- which means that the hard roof of her mouth (in her case, only part of it) is not fully formed, and there is a gap in the back. This has all sorts of implications, the most prominent of which currently is that she isn’t able to suck on a normal bottle.A few months
Back soon...
Events have conspired against me this week (well, for the last several weeks lately) which is why my blogging pace has slowed so substantially.My personal commitment to this blog (and to blogging in general) is always subject to the more important matters of family and ministry. In other words, when life gets busy, blogging will always be among the first things to go.I’ve got about a dozen blog
You CAN'T have "breakfast for supper"
We just had Belgian waffles for breakfast. Our family loves Belgian waffles-- it’s always a popular choice for a special breakfast. In fact, sometimes we even have them for supper.Which many (far too many) of my friends and peers would call, “having breakfast for supper”. Which I despise so much that it makes my teeth hurt.I don’t have very many pet-peeves, but this is one:
Jobs
I’ve commented (not on the blog) about the fact that I’ve had a lot of jobs in my life. Part of that is due to the fact that I started working fairly early-- #2 began when I was only 14, while #3-7 all happened while still in high school. Part of it, too, is due to the fact that I’ve sometimes had to hold more than one job at a time. And part of it is because I had a few jobs that
Books for November 2008
I read some really great stuff in November-- very refreshing, challenging, and re-shaping. Not a lot of books, but quality made up for quantity. Here’s the list:Living Streams: Journeys of a Life Well-Lived by Stuart Briscoe. This memoir is from a pastor/preacher I had heard of, heard some lectures by, and even read an article or two he had written, but didn’t know very much about. (I was
Post-Evangelical?
Wed, Dec 3 2008 09:48 AM
| Theology, Church Life, Personal
| Permalink
I agree with 99% of what Michael says here about “what [he] means by Post-Evangelical.”I find much of the baggage of evangelicalism stifling to my faith, my ministry, and the life of the church. I appreciate his gentle critique, and find it helpful to have some new categories to think in.What do you think of it? Could you consider yourself a “Post-Evangelical” according to these
Wildlife Watch, Thanksgiving weekend 2008
Lots of does out this afternoon-- there are seven in the field behind the church, some young, some older. The young ones are playful, dancing about the field and almost playing tag with each other. No sign of the buck(s) that is inevitably with them; he is almost certainly playing it safe just inside the edge of the woods, since it has been a busy hunting season around here lately (I’ve regularly
Thanksgiving wishes
Happy Thanksgiving to all!I trust you and your families are resting, feasting, and enjoying the community and fellowship of family and friends. We are having a small but delightful family gathering here in Oakland-- my sister came down from St. Louis to join us for the weekend. We’ll have turkey, rice and gravy, green bean casserole, pineapple and cheese casserole, yeast rolls, and pie. This
Twins
Here are some pictures of the twins, who were born safely on Friday at 4:31 (and 4:32) pm. They are in the NICU, and are improving in their eating. This is Abbey (Abigail Ellis), who has been having difficulty learning to eat (thus the tube for feeding). Marcie worked with her to feed her right after this picture, and she drank only 3ccs of the 8ccs they wanted her to have. (approx. 30ccs is one ounce!)
Twins update
Marcie is scheduled for a C-Section today at 4pm! Caroline's fluid levels were still low this morning, so the doctor felt that the safest thing would be to move ahead.As of yesterday, all indications were that both girls (well, all three really) are healthy. Both twins are over 5 pounds, both are showing signs of breathing movement, etc. Marcie is 34½ weeks right now, and 36 is considered full-term
Essential man-skills quiz
Manichean
manəˈkēənadjective (chiefly historical)of or characterized by dualistic contrast or conflict between opposites.____________________Heard or read four times (and counting) over the past three days to describe the current political race.
Books for September
Beyond Bells and Smells by Mark Galli. I was surprised by this book, as I had thought (and hoped) it to be something that would introduce the reader to the spiritual foundations of the liturgy, explaining the elements, etc. It wasn’t that, or anything like it, though I wasn’t disappointed with it overall. It is more a collection of essays on the spiritual impact and importance of liturgical
Wildlife watch, late September
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. ~Isaiah 35:6Two does and two fawns grazed casually on the shrubs this afternoon, before playfully prancing across the field toward the pond. Such a beautiful sight.These were a different set of deer from the three does I saw earlier today as I sat in my vehicle,
Bits |||amp; Tidbits, 9/30/08
Tue, Sep 30 2008 09:06 AM
| Ministry, Church Life, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Slate has compiled a fascinating transcript of last Friday’s debate, complete with redacted fact-checks for every factual statement made (more than 200).Everyone seems to be blaming the Bush administration for the economic crisis, but it’s clear that it began during the Clinton administration and was perpetuated by Democrats in Congress. Also, get a better grasp on what is going on. (HT:
Wildlife watch, mid-September
A couple of crows have been at it all day today, cawing and flitting up and down from the trees just outside my window. They surprised me several times with their cawing, and one time the flutter of wings so close to the window startled me.Late in the afternoon, a pair of deer came out for a snack-- a doe and fawn, with spots still clearly showing on the young one. They munched for a bit, and I noticed
Book Review: A Handful of Pebbles
Banner of Truth asked me to write a more detailed review of this book, so I’m posting it here.Publisher: Banner of Truth TrustPublication Date: 2008Rating (1-10 scale): 7+ Anytime I hear the term "liberal" these days, I'm not sure what to think. On the one hand, the word can mean a number of things that are threatening to orthodoxy, or it can mean some things that are actually very good. On
Wildlife Watch, early September
Well, the does are back to making frequent appearances. Sunday morning I saw the “pair” that regularly moved together last fall-- I think a mother/daughter couple. Only this time, they were accompanied by two fawns, spots still showing. They moved down the left side of the field, then stepped into the woods about 50 yards from my window. I’ve seen them several times, and the other
Good friends
In a (very) brief trip to St. Louis, I had the pleasure of staying with my friends Craig and Megan, and their lovely girls. We met these sweet people as they were moving to St. Louis to begin seminary a couple of years behind us, and they have become dear friends.I’ve stayed with them before, and each time has been similar: I come in late, displace someone from their bed, visit briefly with them
Blogs I'm reading
A friend of mine asked me earlier in the week what blogs I’m reading these days; I told him I’d look at my list and post some recommendations here. So, here are some of the blogs I read and recommend:FriendsCraig DunhamMegan DunhamJon BarlowAnn BarlowAdam TisdaleJohn Allen BanksonPaul BanksonDane OrtlundRussell SmithJeremy JonesMargie HaackTravis ScottBuffy SmithNikki SawyersSam MurrellJeff
Books for August 2008
I managed to finish a few more books this month than last-- and more importantly (to me, at least), I got my rhythm back for reading. I feel like I’m plowing through them lately, having finished four books in the last 10 days.Here’s my list for August:Evangelism in the Small Membership Church by Royal Speidel. This book is one of a series, entitled the “ministry in the small membership
Book review: The Faith of Barack Obama
I was invited by Thomas Nelson publishers to review one of their new titles, The Faith of Barack Obama by Stephen Mansfield. This is one of a small handful of books that are hitting the stores as the Democratic Presidential Nominee gains more attention in the U.S. and the world. Mansfield, who in 2004 wrote the similarly-eloquent title, The Faith of George W. Bush, brought the same approach to this
Good, funny stuff
When I was a senior (in high school), believe it or not, I was the theater guy. I did all the lights, sound, sets, and production stuff. Charlie Todd was a guy who went to the same school as I did, and I remember him as a seventh grader taking huge interest in all of that stuff, too.Fast forward 17 years, and Charlie is now a leading part of a group called Improv Anywhere (which he started). They do
Blog tour: The Children's Extravaganza
Waterbrook Press invited me to participate in another blog tour-- where I read and review books on my blog(s). This time, it is the “Children’s Extravaganza” (their term) which is a set of three children’s books they have recently published. We read through the books-- of course we read them with Jack and Molly-- and got their opinions as well as forming our own. I’ll
Haiku #9
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a haiku-- and, since I’m starting a series on the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, I’ll offer one on that.Sacrament SupperChrist’s body and blood for youin fellowship meal
Wildlife Watch, mid-August
The deer have been moving more and more. Over the past week, I’ve seen does almost every day-- and usually multiple times a day. They are frequently lurking just inside the edge of the woods behind the big oak, and they love to eat the berries and leaves off of the brush out of my office window.
Books in July
Well, I came to the end of July and realized that, while I had actually begun a number of books through the month, I didn’t actually finish any of them. So August promises to be a heavier list of mini-reviews, but July is left with nothing to say (at least from my perspective regarding the books I read).Instead, then, I’ll offer up this brief list of books that folks in my congregation
Update from Ridgehaven
All is well as we spend this week at Ridgehaven, the PCA’s camp and conference center in the mountains of North Carolina. I’m speaking for the Senior High group that is here-- about 40 campers-- and we’re also enjoying something close to a vacation at the same time.So far, I’ve spoken twice; tonight, I’ll speak on the idea that we are saved by grace alone. During the course
Wildlife Watch, July 2008
It’s been a while since I’ve given an update on the wildlife around the church-- but that doesn’t mean it has been absent.This summer has been inconsistent: sometimes the heat has appearently kept all the creatures under cover and in the shade; at other times, I’ve seen them out in force.This morning, two does walked by the windows of my study, just as they have done so many
Swamped
Slow blogging these days-- mainly because I’m a little swamped with work. I’m getting ready to spend next week at Ridgehaven, where I’ll be speaking to a group of Sr. High students. It should be a great week-- Marcie and I have always enjoyed it when I’ve spoken there before-- but I have a good bit of prep to do for the nine times I’ll speak (all to the same group-- not
Self-assessment and life plans
Following up on my comments about health and risk, the next question about personal health assessment-- regardless of how you scored on the tests-- is, “what are you going to do about it?”This is where a recent post from Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, is very helpful. Michael gives a concise yet complete guide for creating a “Life Plan” which is a self-assessment
Health and risk
I’ve got something of an awful family history health-wise, with Diabetes coming down from one side of my family tree and heart disease/attacks coming from both; add to that the prominence of things like breast cancer (my mother and her mother both had it) and Lupus (my grandmother and one other relative), and suddenly Marcie is justifiably anxious about my health and longevity.Which is why I
Baby news
Many of you know that we are expecting twins in late fall. You may NOT know that we visited the doctor today and had an ultrasound. Both babies are healthy and right on track for growth and development.And, it turns out, both are girls.
A note to sitters about TV
For all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other babysitters out there, here’s a rule of thumb about appropriate TV shows:Don’t assume that it’s safe or appropriate to watch just because it is animated or drawn.We were recently at someone’s house for a visit, and they don’t have young children. (No, you don’t know them.) One of these adults turned on the TV for
Books for June 2008
June was full of travel, which in this case meant substantially less reading for me. I feel a little bit starved of books, and hope that I’ll recover somewhat in July and August.At any rate, here are the couple of books I read in June:Effective Small Churches in the Twenty-First Century by Carl S. Dudley is a very helpful book that is based on thorough and useful research. Dudley deals with the
First wedding
My friend Paul commented that it has been a long time without a blog post-- right you are, Paul, and I do beg your forgiveness. What folks in my congregation know (but you blog readers of course have no way of knowing) is that I’ve been on vacation all week, having come to South Carolina to visit my family and friends and participate in a wedding.In fact, we’ve just returned from the wedding
So, I entered a drawing...
There's a contest (or drawing... is there a difference?) that I entered on another blog. The idea is this: this other blogger is giving away 20 sets of 18 CDs, apparently provided to her by WOW-- which is a group that produces compilation CDs of Christian music. (HT: Megan)Who knows if I'll win? But if I do, it'll be an interesting experiment. I haven't listened to very much "Christian" music for years.
Books for May 2008
Sun, Jun 1 2008 06:19 PM
| Theology, Reading, Discernment, Books, Ministry, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
The Work of the Pastor by William Still (re-read). This brief volume is a help, challenge, and rebuke for all of us. Still, who pastored a single flock in Scotland for 51 years, here presents the sum of the pastor's duties, distilling it down to the essence of shepherding and feeding the lambs on the Word of God. For such a short book, there is much to be found here, and it is one of those books I
What's on TV?
Mon, May 26 2008 04:35 PM
| Discernment, Personal, Culture, Media
| Permalink
A few weeks ago, a blog I read had a post about turning off the TV. The gist of the post was highlighting the fact that Americans watch too much TV (an average of four hours a day, says this blog) and how watching less reclaims that time for other things (like, in this case, de-cluttering your home). Many commenters chimed in with vehement agreement, claiming that TV was "a waste of time" and that
Brief thoughts
Mon, May 19 2008 03:30 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Ministry, Politics, Personal, PCA, Culture, Links
| Permalink
Here are a few ideas that don't warrant a full post in themselves.C.S. Lewis' second Narnia book (Voyage of the Dawn Treader) has hit the theaters. Some have pointed out that there are some significant changes from the original story line (probably some spoilers in there for some of you). Some people think this is actually an improvement on the story line. Some feel the true meaning of the original
More thoughts on reading
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about reading in response to a question from one of my blog-readers. A few more thoughts have occurred to me.On reading books:Keep a list for recommendations. Suggestions for good books to read come up all the time: from blogs, on the radio or TV news, in lectures, from friends. I've found it helpful to make a note of recommendations that I want to eventually follow
Book Give-Away: a winner!
Back in March (!), I offered a free copy of Andrew Peterson's On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness as a part of the "blog tour" I was participating in. Entry in the drawing was simple: answer a question about how frequently you believe a congregation should celebrate the sacrament of communion, and why.There were five entries, and I'm pleased to (finally) announce the winner is:Megan Dunham!Congratulations
Essential non-obvious bands of the 80s
Fri, May 2 2008 07:29 PM
| Music, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Following up on my post from Tuesday, I got to thinking about bands that didn't have one stand-out album that defined them or a part of 80s music, and that also weren't obvious stand-out bands.Okay, apart from Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, The Police, U2, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson (yes, admit it), Prince, and a few other HUGE bands, which ones were the real essential, non-obvious bands and/or artists?REO
When to read?
Thu, May 1 2008 08:17 AM
| Reading, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
In response to one of my book listings, a member asked me, "you're a busy guy-- when do you find time to read all that you do?"Fair question, and one that I've had to be creative in answering over the years. Here are some thoughts for folks who want to find more time to read, and/or read more effectively:Take it with you. I rarely leave my home or office without SOMETHING to read-- a book, a journal
Books for April 2008
The Living Church by John Stott. This was a good book on pastoral ministry in the church by a man who is a hero of Christendom. John Stott has served in ministry for over 60 years, most of those as the Rector of All Souls Church in London. His insights about ministry in the church are made valuable in part because of the testimony that stands behind them-- his many years of faithful service. There
Essential non-obvious 80s albums
Tue, Apr 29 2008 02:38 PM
| Music, Discernment, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
My friend (and fellow pastor) Russell Smith pointed me to a post at the Evangelical Outpost where Joe Carter is reminiscing about his favorite (non-obvious) 80s music. Since I love 80s music perhaps above all else except folk, I bit.Russell has a good addition to Joe's list (and those in the comments), though I disagree with him on a few points. Here are my picks for the essential non-obvious ones.The
Why "Expelled"?
Mon, Apr 21 2008 01:07 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Evangelism, Church Life, Science Technology, Politics, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
I didn't see An Inconvenient Truth. It's not that I don't care about the environment; I'm even impressed with Al Gore's passion and presentation skills (had he honed these a few years earlier, he may have won the electoral vote!). I just don't care too much about sitting through a movie-length propaganda film from a point of view that I don't completely agree with.Likewise, I've never seen any of Michael
Why we need "y'all"
Fri, Apr 11 2008 08:59 AM
| Discernment, Language, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
My friend John posted a quick rant about grammatical and semantic errors this morning, and it inspired me to do likewise.One of the things that I appreciate the most about Southern vernacular is that we have a pronoun for the second person, plural: "y'all". It's actually a contraction of "you all" and therefore the apostrophe properly goes after the "y", indicating that the letters lost in contraction
People change
"I hate to meet a man whom I have met ten years ago and find that he is at precisely the same point, neither moderated nor quickened nor experienced but simply stiffened."~Oswald ChambersI recently saw this quote on the blog PastorHacks, and it reminded me of how much some people really do change over the years, while others surprisingly don't. It also reminds me that sometimes, the change is not 100%
Books for March 2008
The Importance of the Local Church by Daniel Wray (re-read): This is one of the Banner of Truth Trust booklets, of which I am a big fan. Wray does a good job of capturing the essential need and value of the local church, which is a vital word for today when many Christians take church membership so lightly. (9+)When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett: The subtitle of this book summarizes
Wildlife Watch for Holy Week (and some)
Welcome back to the wildlife!As spring emerges, I've noticed the more conspicuous presence of my wildlife friends in the past week or so.Last week, the does returned to the field behind the church; I saw them again yesterday, under the big oak tree by the playground. These days there are five of them. I still maintain my assumption that something happened to a couple of them, and either the group of
Book give-away: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson
Yesterday I offered a review of Andrew Peterson's new novel, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. As I mentioned, Waterbrook Press generously provided me with an extra copy to give away here on the blog.So, here's the deal: I'll give the book away to one person (randomly selected) who comments here, in response to the following question...How often should a congregation celebrate the sacrament
Book review: On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Andrew Peterson, who has become one of my favorite singers and songwriters, has written a novel, called On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. (No, that title isn't a typo.) By happy circumstance, I was selected to participate in a "blog tour" for the book, which means (among other things) that I was provided a pre-release copy of the book to review here.If you've heard Andrew Peterson's music, you
What God has done in 10 years
Marcie and I celebrate our 10-year anniversary on March 7. (I'm not actually posting this on our anniversary, since part of my anniversary present to her is to turn all computers off for the day!)Over that time, we have seen the Lord carry us through many amazing transitions. Here's a glimpse: Seven moves. Yes-- we've lived in seven different homes over that time.Eighteen jobs. Seven of them are Marcie's
Books for February
Fri, Feb 29 2008 08:29 AM
| Theology, Reading, Discernment, Books, Ministry, Personal, Culture
| Permalink
Here's an overview of the books I finished in February, and my recommendations about them (including a ranking on a 1-to-10 scale).How Your Church Family Works by Peter L. Steinke: This is a great book, though the audience for it is something of a niche. It's really a book for Pastors and maybe church leaders; I could see a Session reading through it together, if the Pastor did a fair amount of additional
A quick update
For those who didn't know, I've been pretty sick the last couple of days: Tuesday afternoon I started feeling something coming, and I spent all day Wednesday laying on the couch, feeling miserable. Yesterday was better, but I was still fairly weak. I either have a really bad cold or a mild case of flu.Thanks to so many of you who have called or e-mailed to wish me well; I am feeling much better today,
Lent Haiku
Wed, Feb 6 2008 04:34 PM
| Writing, Haiku, Church Life, Personal
| Permalink
My new hero
Mon, Feb 4 2008 09:44 AM
| Faith Life, Family, Pastoral Ministry, Ministry, Personal, Community
| Permalink
I was briefly distracted this morning by our church's list of Pastors-- the succession of Pastors through the 173-year history of Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church. If you haven't taken the time to look through this list, you should; it's a fascinating list of men.I am the 28th Pastor of Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church. Of the remaining 28, 22 of them served the church for less than five years, and
On reading, and books for January 2008
I love to read, and those who know me are aware that I read heavily: I regularly have multiple books that I'm reading concurrently, and I probably have averaged 50-75 books a year for the past decade and more. (I first realized that I had a higher-than-average tendency for reading when I set a personal goal to finish 25 books in a year my sophomore year in college and my friends and family finding
Why I am not an activist
Wed, Jan 30 2008 03:27 PM
| Discernment, Pastoral Ministry, Ministry, Politics, Personal, Community, Preaching
| Permalink
There are a lot of great causes that I think are important. Be they social causes, political movements, efforts for promotion of ideas, many people are involved in many things that give value to our culture and world. Some of them are things that, in another life, I would be willing to step into and personally assign my name to, either in support or in opposition.But I won't do it. Not now, and not
News round-up
Mon, Jan 28 2008 03:56 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Church Life, Personal, Culture, Community
| Permalink
Well, a lot happened recently, and even today. Here's a quick glimpse at what is going on...Memphis ranks #1 again this week. The Tigers continue their amazing season; will they ever lose? (Hickory Withe insiders say, "no.")Obama gains major ground in the Democratic primary. Whatever your political convictions, you have to admit that Barack Obama's campaign is building a head of steam that (for now,
Wildlife Watch, 1/25/08
Well, the deer returned this morning-- this time with a young buck trailing behind the six does. The were a bit nervous, though-- I'm not sure what spooked them, but they stayed close to the edge of the woods and moved pretty quickly.
Podcasts I listen to
Tue, Jan 22 2008 04:40 PM
| Faith Life, Discernment, Personal, Preaching
| Permalink
Not long ago, Lou and I set up his iPod to download our church's sermon podcast automatically (which, by the way, is best done by following the instructions on the Media page). Around that same time, another good friend got an iPod and discovered podcasts, including NPR's excellent Speaking of Faith show. Both seemed interested in knowing other good podcasts to check out, so I wanted to offer this
Wildlife Watch, 1/18/08
The does came back this morning-- six of them crossed the big field at a walking pace. I don't blame them-- it was a beautiful morning (if a bit brisk!) and a great time for a walk.
Princess Molly
Wed, Jan 16 2008 04:11 PM
| Theology, Bible, Faith Life, Church Life, Personal
| Permalink
Over Christmas, my step-sister Louise played princess with Molly. This was the first time, really, that Molly had played princess to that extent, and all of us were a little bit surprised by how much she took to it! But should we have been? I've been thinking about that, especially since my sister Ann Louise asked me (and others) what we thought about it. I'll try to summarize my thoughts.The Scriptures
Wildlife Watch, 1/9-1/15/08
Well, the deer have mostly slowed down in their movement; I still see them every now and then. (Lou has a knack for noticing them while we're meeting together!)On the other hand, the fox (or foxes-- both, incidentally, are grammatically correct) have been moving a lot! I've seen a red fox and a grey fox in the past several days.UPDATE: Wouldn't you know, the same day I put this up, I see three of the
Ordination trials
Tue, Jan 8 2008 07:06 PM
| Pastoral Ministry, Ministry, Personal
| Permalink
Most of you may know, I was examined by the Covenant Presbytery credentials committee today, as one of the final steps toward completing ordination. I was approved by the committee, and will be recommended by them for ordination.Thank you for your prayers and support through this process. The final two steps are the oral exam before the entire Presbytery (on February 5), and the ordination service
Working on a book
Sat, Jan 5 2008 10:02 AM
| Writing, Pastoral Ministry, Ministry, Personal
| Permalink
If you've ever read my other blog, Placement Reflections, you may know that I started it as a repository for data, insights, and interaction with the research that I started in 2004 on pastoral placement. I initially did that research for personal reasons (e.g., I wanted to know how to place well!) but quickly became burdened for anyone who is going through a pastoral transition. As I've continued
Wildlife Watch, 1/4/08
As I walked up the sidewalk this morning, I saw a doe just inside the woods. If you didn't know to look over there, and if the leaves hadn't mostly dropped, AND if you didn't know what to look for, you would have missed her. I felt pleased that I didn't.Then not long after I arrived two does crossed the field behind the church. Lots of deer activity today!
Haiku #7 (Christmastide Haiku)
Thu, Jan 3 2008 02:47 PM
| Writing, Haiku, Church Life, Personal
| Permalink
Wildlife Watch, 12/27/07
As I was walking out to the mailbox, about half-way up the sidewalk, a large doe jumped out of the thicket behind the big oak. She stopped and I stopped. We stood there, looking at each other, for a few minutes-- then she jumped off into the woods without looking back. She showed no signs of fear or alert-- I guess the HWPC grounds truly are a sanctuary!I also saw a grey fox cross the field out back.
Theological worldview quiz
I took a quiz today on "what is your theological worldview?" I'd be interested to know: how did you score on this quiz? If you would, take the quiz and list the top three, including percentages. Thanks!The results, for me at least, are not very surprising: What's your theological worldview?created with QuizFarm.com You scored as Reformed EvangelicalYou are a Reformed Evangelical. You take the
Wildlife Watch, 12/26/07
I literally just watched six does playing tag in the field behind the church. It was quite a sight.
Wildlife Watch, 12/19/07
I saw a doe this morning. It was sort of cheating on my wildlife log, because it was just inside the edge of the woods as I was walking out. I've started being extra-quiet as I leave, so that I don't spook any critters that are about, and I was able to watch her walk for a few minutes as I walked down the sidewalk.
Wildlife Watch, 12/17/07
Six does this afternoon. You might think that all six were moving together-- but you would be mistaken. They met up for a little mid-field frolicking, then the pair (maybe a mother/daughter pair?) that move together went their way while the others went theirs. I've been watching these groups of does all fall-- the larger group was a group of five; I wonder if one met an early end. All of them are fairly
Haiku #6 (Advent Haiku #2)
Code, ambiguity, and understanding each other
Fri, Dec 14 2007 03:06 PM
| Faith Life, Family, Personal, Community
| Permalink
Yesterday, Marcie and I were planning to do some Christmas shopping after we drove the kids to school. Out of the blue, she said to me, "do you think that store would have that thing?""What?!?"We smiled and laughed, and eventually she gave me enough hints to decipher what she meant. But it got me to thinking: a lot of times, one of us (in the church) will say something we think is entirely clear, and
Wildlife Watch, 12/12/07
Lou and I saw a red fox this morning, with a very bushy tail.I also saw two does.
Kate Snodgrass
Wed, Dec 12 2007 09:23 AM
| Prayer, Church Life, Personal, Community
| Permalink
Marcie has mentioned Kate Snodgrass to many of you; Kate is someone we know from a St. Louis church where we were members. She has been battling cancer for some time now, and she has chronicled her struggles (and the lessons God has taught her through them) on a blog. If you're interested, you may read Kate's blog at this link.
Haiku #5
Wildlife Watch, 12/10/07
One of the "perks" of my job as Pastor of Hickory Withe Presbyterian Church is the view I have from my office window. I often get to watch wildlife eating, playing, or just moving around in the field behind the church property. I rarely tire of taking this in, and I keep a pair of binoculars by my desk to facilitate.I want to keep a log of what I see, mostly for me-- though some of you might find it
Food for the hungry
My friend Megan posted a challenging post on her blog a few days ago. It turns out that Megan read an interesting article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the struggles that many food banks and food pantries face around this time of year: they simply run out of food, and are forced to limit their services or close doors altogether. The article points to the unexpected downside of our technological
Faith and Anxiety (and other emotional struggles)
Wed, Dec 5 2007 11:10 AM
| Faith Life, Church Life, Personal
| Permalink
Faith and anxiety are not absolutes. That is, if you experience one, you do not eliminate the other. Faith can keep company with many sets of ordinary feelings that can be handled and lived with but never removed. Those who insist on a "pure faith" unstained by human emotionality make the denial of reality a condition of faith. But the encouragement of the Scripture is to "take heart," not take cover.