Monday, October 30, 2006
Hilarious Site
Check out this irreverent website, especially the link to "Wally the Worship Leader" here: Wally. The site also has some funny video.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Shacking Up
My latest article is available online here: Seniors Shacking Up. The article is a discussion about marriage and its procedures. The issue is simple, really, but the ramifications and permutations are complicated and personal.
When I was writing the article I tried to get feedback from pastors and others concerning real-life situations of seniors who cohabit. I only got a smattering of responses at the time. Now that the article is out, I'm hearing from people who are very close to some family member or parishioner who has had to make hard decisions about the law, the system, matrimony, companionship, the church, and God.
At the crux of the issue, I believe, is whether marriage should be an issue of the state or the church. Jesus, when pressed to give an answer about church and state, said, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." So is marriage a God-thing or a Caesar-thing? Do we really want the state to determine who should marry and who shouldn't? Do you trust the state to grant a "license" for two people to become married?
My purpose in writing the article was to make people think by bringing up the questions. So what do you think? Let's talk about it.
When I was writing the article I tried to get feedback from pastors and others concerning real-life situations of seniors who cohabit. I only got a smattering of responses at the time. Now that the article is out, I'm hearing from people who are very close to some family member or parishioner who has had to make hard decisions about the law, the system, matrimony, companionship, the church, and God.
At the crux of the issue, I believe, is whether marriage should be an issue of the state or the church. Jesus, when pressed to give an answer about church and state, said, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." So is marriage a God-thing or a Caesar-thing? Do we really want the state to determine who should marry and who shouldn't? Do you trust the state to grant a "license" for two people to become married?
My purpose in writing the article was to make people think by bringing up the questions. So what do you think? Let's talk about it.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Give Me an Oar
Todd Jones, closer for the greatest come-back team in baseball - the Detroit Tigers - was asked by Fox Sports about playing on the team for the second time in his career, this time under the leadership of Jim Leyland:
"I'm just so lucky to be on a ship that's headed to the postseason and on a ship that's going to the World Series. So when Jim Leyland hands me an oar, I'm going to row like there's no tomorrow."
The closer we come to understanding that Jesus wins, the more we are motivated to row like there's no tomorrow. If we think that winning - i.e. finding favor with God and going to heaven - is up to us, the more discouraged we get and the more tired we become.
"I have overcome the world," Jesus says. He always means what he says, and what he says always comes true.
"Go," he says, and he hands me an oar.
Help me, God, row like there's no tomorrow.
"I'm just so lucky to be on a ship that's headed to the postseason and on a ship that's going to the World Series. So when Jim Leyland hands me an oar, I'm going to row like there's no tomorrow."
The closer we come to understanding that Jesus wins, the more we are motivated to row like there's no tomorrow. If we think that winning - i.e. finding favor with God and going to heaven - is up to us, the more discouraged we get and the more tired we become.
"I have overcome the world," Jesus says. He always means what he says, and what he says always comes true.
"Go," he says, and he hands me an oar.
Help me, God, row like there's no tomorrow.
P.S. - While I'm hoping for a mid-western series with St. Louis, it would be irony for Jones to pitch against Carlos Beltran of the Mets: Jones pitched a strike to Beltran for the last out at Tiger Stadium in 1999, earning Jones his 30th save that year.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Just Plain Proud
I think my kids are great. Here's one reason why: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=131570&supid=145506230
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