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Here’s what’s been playing through my iPod latel
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Here’s what’s been playing through my iPod lately… The Killers - Sam’s TownBrilliant rock album. My favorite release of 2006. Regina Spektor - Begin to HopeFresh sounding vocals, accompanied by creatively applied instrumentation, especially piano. I’m still trying to figure out what is going on lyrically. U2 - War I’ve been rediscovering this album lately. U2 stays on top of my list of the greatest rock bands in the world. Jars of Clay - Good MonstersI’ve followed Jars of Clay music since their first album. I’ll have to call this one my favorite. Whether you’ve heard any Jars of Clay music before, check this one out.
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Drifting, but not directionless, in my mid-thirties, I have
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Drifting, but not directionless, in my mid-thirties, I have enjoyed the bounty of God’s grace and mercy. Most of my trials and tribulations have been self-inflicted, probably due to my slowness to learn. Compared to Christians in countries where it is a crime to announce allegiance to Christ, my life has been a cake walk. And I’ve often taken measures to have that cake while eating it. In spite of my shortfall, God’s favor has been on me, demonstrating God’s relentless pursuit. I simply cannot shake him. At every turn, there is another offer from God to enjoy his bounty! Starting with my wife, Krista, who astounds me daily with her responsiveness to God and love for me, I could recount joy upon joy in my life that I have received but never could have orchestrated. When I reflect on these things, the words fall from my lips like a reflex: “I don’t deserve this.” God’s answer to me has been the same every time as he answers back, ...
More About: Direct , Drifting , Have , Less , Drift

If you visited One.org, one of the things you would see is t
2007-01-16 06:03:01
If you visited One.org, one of the things you would see is the fact that a lot of famous people, from George Clooney to Pat Robertson, have given their voice to draw people to the site. I’m not a big fan of social trends, especially when they are led by hollywood types who are severely disconnected from anything resembling real life. However, One.org is simply encouraging people to get involved and educated about two things: the needs of the poor around the world, and what our government is doing to respond. Fighting hunger and poverty is a mission that crosses political lines. We have people in Congress from our neck of the woods that speak for us when it comes to what goes on with our tax dollars. America is a great country because we can call our representatives and say, “If you want my vote, do what I want!” In addition, the mission to help the poor is one that has echoed in the Bible from the voice of the prophets to the hands-on action of Jesus. ...
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Along with one.org, there have been other movements over the
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Along with one.org, there have been other movements over the past 3 decades that have raised awareness and moved people to action regarding a variety of humanitarian crises. Unfortunately, the abundance of pop stars supporting these causes makes it seem like the “hip” thing to do. At first glance this may seem like a good thing. Helping the poor as “the latest trend” may bring a lot of help to people who otherwise wouldn’t receive it, right? Temporarily, yes. However, passing fads are just that: passing. This latest movement toward helping the needy may be a societal blip on the radar. However, within the church I think we are seeing a genuine awakening. Many churches have come together for ongoing efforts to help those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast. Even youth groups are more inclined than ever to put their hands to the plow, the hammer or the paint brush. The Church has always responded to phyical needs during times of c...
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My wife, Krista, and I both attended the funeral last week o
2007-01-16 06:03:01
My wife, Krista, and I both attended the funeral last week of the wife and daughter of a co-worker. They were both killed in a car accident. It has been difficult for any of us to accept, and our hearts are broken for him. His name is Brad Unland, if you think to pray for him in the coming days. He is left to care for his 3 month old baby, Sarah, who survived the accident. Krista put some meaningful thoughts on her web site that want to recommend to you. I felt that it captured a lot of what many of us are feeling. Her site is pendrops.com, and the article is titled “These Hourly Bells”.
More About: Fun , Wife , Tend , Last , Week

Thanks to Black Coffee Reflections for reminding me about th
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Thanks to Black Coffee Reflections for reminding me about the special that 60 Minutes did on the situation in Darfur. I meant to post something about that last week, but it’s been hard lately to sit down and post anything. The 12 minute piece can be viewed at the 60 Minutes web site. It is worth a viewing: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/m ain500251.shtml?id=2113182n I thought it was well done, giving us a glimpse into what is happening in Darfur. It is basically a government-sponsored human slaughter. Keep in mind that what they are doing to the people in their country is on a scale just as evil, but much larger than what Saddam Hussein did to Iraqis or anyone else. More than 400,000 people have been slaughtered, 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes, and the rape and genocide of the people continues with the blessing of the Sudanese government. The Bush Administration has called these atrocities what they are: genocide. More detailed info about the...
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From Philip Roth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Ameri
2007-01-16 06:03:01
From Phil ip Roth ’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, American Pastoral: You fight your superficiality, your shallowness, so as to try to come at people without unreal expectations, without an overload of bias or hope or arrogance, as untanklike as you can be…. You come at them unmenacingly on your own ten toes instead of tearing up the turf with your caterpillar treads, take them on with an open mind, as equals . . . and yet you never fail to get them wrong. You might as well have the brain of a tank. You get them wrong before you meet them, while you’re anticipating meeting them; you get them wrong while you’re with them; and then you go home to tell somebody else about the meeting and you get them all wrong again. Since the same generally goes for them with you, the whole thing is really a dazzling illusion empty of all perception, an astonishing farce of misperception … so ill-equipped are we all to envision another’s interior workings and invi...
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I took a stand today. I finally stood up to the grocery sto
2007-01-16 06:03:01
I took a stand today. I finally stood up to the grocery store line bullies who prowl the city, intimidating those of us who simply ask for a little space when we are finishing our transaction. I was in line at Wild Oats paying for my groceries when I sensed that the person in line after me was getting a little too close. He was a little taller and bigger than me, but not in the athletic sense. He was also older than me, with the look of a burned-out desk job junkie. I’ve had this happen many times in line to pay a cashier, but this guy was climbing into my pocket. That unspoken personal space zone had been crossed without hesitation. At first, I couldn’t tell if he was just dense and had no social skills, or if he was trying to hurry me along by standing right next to me as I swiped my debit card. Something about his posture told me that he knew what he was doing. He had coupons in his right hand and with that hand he leaned slightly toward me while still facin...
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Sleep, sleep tonight And may your dreams be realised. If the
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Sleep, sleep tonight And may your dreams be realised. If the thunder cloud passes rain So let it rain, rain down on he. So let it be. So let it be. Sleep, sleep tonight And may your dreams be realised. If the thunder cloud passes rain So let it rain, let it rain Rain down on he. Lyrics by U2
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Tonight, my dinner conversation with Krista centered around
2007-01-16 06:03:01
Tonight, my dinner conversation with Krista centered around the transformation that God is so patiently performing in each of our lives. I have been reminded a lot lately of the vacuum in my heart in the places where mercy, trust, and humility should be. I shared an incident from the day before when someone turned in front of me after looking directly at me from their spot at the stop sign. I was angry enough to tell PT Cruiser how I felt as I passed. I won’t go into detail regarding the “one point” sermon I gave him, but suffice it to say that he got the message. Krista shared her own stories, and they were enough to remind me that I am part of a larger human struggle to resemble more closely the One in whose image we were made. That struggle is always connected to our pride or unbelief, as Krista is learning in a Bible study she’s involved with. Pride gives me the power to place myself as judge over PT Cruiser and his pals. I can also play jury and e...
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