Raison D'être

Help for the Hurting

2011-06-04T19:43:00.000-05:00

Cold Pizza...Delicious Blessings

2011-02-18T22:27:00.002-06:00

The Blog Desert

2011-02-05T09:50:00.007-06:00

Nothing much from me here in a long time.

It seems that even blogs are too time consuming and almost too analog for most people these days. We want everything in status-update-sized chunks. Facebook, for many, has revolutionized communication to a degree that PhD. students will be trying to decode for a long time.

Almost all of my communication, online writing, etc. has been through Facebook lately. I wonder about the global effect of micro-blogging, social media expansion, etc. Have others noticed less motivation to write anything beyond a few hundred characters and feeling like several paragraphs strung together is tantamount to the modern day version of The Odyssey (Okay, that's a stretch, but you get the picture)?

As an aside, but closely connected, the easier that it's become to share media and such on Facebook, Twitter, etc., the less attractive (read, the more annoying) it becomes to actually have to take steps to move pictures from digital cameras to computers to blogs, etc. The convergence of sharing capabilities on smartphones has made it so easy to share video and pictures that it's an absolute pain to have to do it the old way. I don't know whether this is sad or amazing!

Backpack Program: Food Assistance Backpacks for Kids | Feeding America

2011-01-08T08:56:00.000-06:00

Backpack Program: Food Assistance Backpacks for Kids | Feeding America

Austin Family Magazine Digital Edition

2010-11-05T22:54:00.000-05:00

Austin Family Magazine Digital Edition

Wo Ai Ni Mommy: A film by Stephanie Wang-Breal

2010-10-16T19:21:00.000-05:00

Wo Ai Ni Mommy: A film by Stephanie Wang-Breal

On Yoga: A Call for a Christian Imagination » Evangel | A First Things Blog

2010-10-11T21:51:00.000-05:00

On Yoga: A Call for a Christian Imagination » Evangel | A First Things Blog

Reverse Thinking

2010-09-24T06:55:00.000-05:00

Michael Pritchard's water filter turns filthy water drinkable | Video on TED.com

2010-08-21T13:09:00.000-05:00

Michael Pritchard's water filter turns filthy water drinkable | Video on TED.com

A Vision for Millions

2010-08-08T07:40:00.000-05:00

Stats with Passion

2010-07-31T18:13:00.001-05:00

Green Like God

2010-07-10T18:26:00.001-05:00

Summer 2010

2010-07-03T22:33:00.002-05:00

July means the summer heat is starting to brew. Check out this month's issue of AFM and find some ways to keep kids safe, have fun and experience the joys of summer 2010.

Food Allergy Awareness Week

2010-05-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

Close Sisters

2010-04-17T06:38:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T08:51:00.001-06:00

We've not blogged in some time, but here's a brief message to say Merry Christmas to everyone! What a day of wonder, amazement and peace is the Advent! May this day and the New Year bring you tremendous joy and thrilling blessings.

National Adoption Month

2009-11-21T21:19:00.002-06:00

November is National Adoption Month. Please check out this month's Austin Family Magazine. In it you'll find a host of articles related to the important topic of adoption.

I have an article on pages 14-15 focused on some websites that might be useful for families who've been touched by the power -- and sometimes the challenges -- of adoption.

2009-09-01T21:23:00.003-05:00

In this month's AFM column, I explore the relationship that some video games may play in shaping (pun intended) the way adolescence see themselves.

Please have a read and see if you believe that there are valid concerns with the way that this powerful media is sometimes abused.

Safe Surfing

2009-07-07T20:49:00.003-05:00

Cyber safety is a hot topic. One with important implications for children, parents and families.

In this month’s Austin Family Magazine, I explore some pragmatic steps you can take to protect your children from becoming a statistic of the growing dangers that lurk around the Internet (see pages 14-15 of AFM).

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-21T15:33:00.005-05:00

Being a father is a better blessing than I ever could have imagined. This year has been an especially good one. My kids are growing fast -- and I have a love hate relationship with their fast pace!

I love that they are healthy and growing in leaps and bounds. I hate that I have to face the reality that the years are flying by! Why does life pass by so fast?

This passed year, the kids have started doing amazing things. My daughter has begun piano lessons and is flourishing. My son has started sports with a frenzy. Both of them are now in school and next year will be my daughter's last year in elementary school. I'm quaking in my boots.

Along the journey this year they have been so patient with me. Early this year, I spent hours and hours beyond the typical work week working feverishly to obtain my professional counseling license. Their love and support along the way made the journey bearable.

I'll never grow tired of being a dad, even though being a dad is sometimes very tiring. With an extraordinary wife, amazing church family and wonderful friends to help guide me in the right direction, being a dad will always be on of my greatest passions!

I love you, kiddos! You make my day, my year and my life so special!

One of My Favorites from Childhood

2009-06-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

ZBB

2009-05-23T19:36:00.001-05:00

A Tribute Post

2009-05-16T16:53:00.001-05:00

OH SNAP!

2009-05-02T18:18:00.000-05:00

Giant Steps!

2009-04-21T06:05:00.002-05:00

For those who love Coltrane or who are just getting to know the transcendent greats, this is a cool look at the music as it leaps off the page and into a conversation with the other music and musicians!

Where's Half A Million Plus When You Need It

2009-04-18T17:24:00.001-05:00

Old English meets Brass Monkey

2009-04-18T08:31:00.002-05:00

For all those who share the strange combo of remembering the painful memorization of the prologue to the Canterbury Tales and of jamming to Beastie Boys style licks. Hmmm, let's just call it...Old English meets Brass Monkey (double entendre intended). I don't remember it being this fun, back in the day.

The Sun

2009-04-04T08:37:00.009-05:00

That hellion orb rises to embrace;
Each day, a new warming grace

Night does not extinguish its fingered flames;
Only holds its place for future reigns

Sleep

2009-03-29T07:34:00.006-05:00

Sleep, you marvelous apparition;
You supple promise of rest

How delicate your festivities;
How intricate your felicitous voyages

Rest, redoubled with capacious expanses;
Freedom rushes from the recesses of your cavernous pavilion

Exigencies, they do bow to the great arbitrator of all;
Mercies, they do fly, their winged tribute to the soul

Sleep, you marvelous rescue;
You pursuit,
You child of languor,
You hopeful possession,
You possessor of rejuvenation

Sleep, rest;
Sleep

Confessions of a Superhero

2009-03-21T10:50:00.005-05:00

If you're fascinated by the universe of diversity and intrigue that exists among those who are eccentric, you should pop over to Hulu and watch this film.

Tortured, obsessive, on-the-take, or blinded by the past, each of these "superheroes" has a special story and each leaves me pained, hoping for light to break into their meager existence.

It's amazing how you can hurt for someone who can't hurt for themselves.

When "Superman" and his girlfriend wind their way to Metropolis, Illinois and he loses the costume contest, it seems as if the world will stop turning for him.

Alive within his own eccentric skin, however, he regains his composer and makes one of the biggest decisions of his life...draped in costume, of course.

Like any good documentary, it makes you think and leaves you wondering, "Where are they now?"

On Hollywood Blvd., no doubt!

Before the Music Dies

2009-03-19T22:26:00.004-05:00

For those connoisseurs of truly great music out there, this documentary, still fresh after three years, stirs you to think beyond the formulaic, digitized detritus pawned off on the unassuming.

Gritty and raw, this film slugs the big record companies right in the gut.

Some of the stories and subtexts nuanced in B4MD are remarkable. If you love great music, watch this film. It might revive your hope in the craft that many have left for dead.

"Boom" and Other Summer Memories

2009-02-28T15:01:00.006-06:00

"Boom," a deafening wave thundered down the sleepy little country road.

Just seconds before, my uncle darted out the front door, raced across the yard, barked out "Here’s my fourth of July!" and launched some mysterious amalgamation of plastic and paper into the air.

Two things remained: a smoke filled crater in the middle of the dirt road and a pulsating childhood memory. We raced to fill the crater before the next plodding pick-up truck rambled towards its pasture. Blissfully, nothing can cover over the memory. It lives on, lavishing me with laughs every time I tell it.

I loved summertime escapes to Grandma and Grandpa’s. They were dirt poor – living in a dilapidated schoolhouse from the 1880’s, long before it was cool to own This Old House. Never mind the poverty. As long as we rang in the summers with grenades pilfered from a weekend National Guard training, I was all in!

I learned all about making memories on that old plot of farmland in the middle of nowhere. And, oh, what lessons they are:

Summer memories don’t require expensive vacations to Disney　World, jaunts to　Aspen, or even slipping off to some swanky beach on the French Rivera. I’m not against those things mind you. I’m just certain that not everyone can go. But, I am certain that memories still need to be made.

So, with that said, these building blocks won’t steer you wrong: family, fun, and fascination.

Just recently, I chomped through some chapters of Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi. Twain had a fascination with the river, developed in childhood, a fascination that wooed him into becoming a steamboat pilot and that enabled him to bless us with offerings like Tom and Huck.

What better thing could you do this summer than to set out on a family adventure that left your children fascinated, mesmerized by some new idea, some new hope, aspiration, dream?

Sure, steamboats are long gone, but someone’s going to be traveling to Mars by the middle of the century. It could be your child who designs the propulsion system.

Get out into the garage and build something. Tear something apart. Get dirty. Make a mess. Fascination doesn’t happen glued to a game system, staring lifelessly into a refrigerator or bouncing from mall to mall. Feed fascination this summer.

Fun is the next ingredient. Interestingly, research indicates that the part of the brain tagged with production of emotion also works double duty processing memories. Hmmm! Creating fun memories is like health food for your brain.

Of course, kids, like water, want to follow the path of least resistance. Your job is to keep them inside the banks without damming their enthusiasm and excitement. This requires communication. Plan fun together. Perish the thought, right.

But, fun doesn’t just happen. Unless you have a crate of stolen grenades in the closet and an old dirt road to wreak havoc upon, that is.

Otherwise, you need to plan. Sit down at the table – turn all the stuff off – and chart out an adventure map for the summer. Compromise. Work out some plans that stretch the adults and the kids alike. "I’ll see your trip to the water park, and I’ll raise you a trip to the museum." It’s a game of high stakes chicken. Don’t swerve. Hold your ground. Fun, you will find.

Finally, the chief cornerstone of all summer memories – family. Today’s world is abuzz with meetings, media and melancholy. Every contrivance known to man tugs family members in opposite directions. Sometimes even the things we mean for good threaten to coil around us and choke us out. I’m convinced that many have forgotten how to simply be a family. Without the crutch of Wi-Fi, I-gadgetry, and Blackberry leashes, many of us feel naked.

Remember back to your childhood. Were there family members whom you wish you would have known in a deeper, healthier way? My Grandma and Grandpa are gone now. But, what I wouldn’t give to hear another story about rattlesnakes, hunting expeditions, and casualties of horseback rides gone awry. People are what matters most. Their love. Their stories. Their time. Invest yourself into your children. Tell them something they don’t know. Give them a piece of your heart to transport to the next generation.

You have a great opportunity this summer to make memories that will last for a lifetime. Start planning now. Those memories will spring forth from the soil of family, fun, and fascination. Plant, water, and sow. If you do, great rewards await.

God is Good

2009-02-27T23:10:00.007-06:00

Sometimes you just see God at work. Other times you grasp for anything that you can put your hands on that will remind you that there is a God.

This week overflowed with God at work in our lives. The week began with the frightful dog incident that I explored in the previous post...but, it didn't end there.

We prayed our way through the sadness of what we thought was a dying family friend -- Manney, our beagle. He wasn't dying after all, just convalescing from a serious stomach illness. And, his antics didn't end there.

Manney decided to let us know that he's definitely part of our family. Complete with the puerile ability to "lose it" if under too much pressure. Still weary from 36 hours at the vet, Manney snapped at our son and cut his head: One dog back from the vet. One child off to the doctor. Doctor's bills...pricey.

Then, at work I've been pumping heart and soul into so many issues that it's hard to even outline them. But, I'll try, so that I can actually remember what I've been doing while stumbling around like a zombie.

Choking down the reality that one of my star counselors is leaving our agency
Looking far and wide for Spanish speaking intern/counselor
Writing copious reports for the state of Texas (really, Texas! Really?)
Seeing clients out the wazoo
Leading meetings of various types, temperaments, and tenors
Restructuring the counseling budget to take the program through the end of the FY with a view towards expanding in key ways, though without any more moola to do pull it off

Okay, enough moaning. And, I'll stop before popping the clutch on the groaning. Rather, let me turn to the God thing.

During all this frenetic hobbling about, I've felt so steadied and blessed by God. Several really cool things happened. Some staff and I sat around blowing off steam, preparing to launch the weekend. We were doing some off-the-cuff strategic planning and while we were discussing hammering out a more formal relationship with some of the grad schools in the area, one of those schools called and left a message that was almost word for word what we were discussing. I mean literally as we were talking about it one of the schools was leaving a message for me. How cool is that.

Then, some of us were talking about how we needed to really pray that God would send us a Spanish speaking person. The next day -- the very next day -- out of the blue I get an email from a potential Spanish speaking intern. Again, that is so cool, I don't even know what to say.

There were more things this week, but these two come to mind. At times, when you feel like you need God most, he often shows up! Even when it doesn't seem so, he's there, supporting, caring, loving, and leading us to fresh and fruitful experiences.

Vetted

2009-02-23T20:30:00.006-06:00

Our lovable beagle -- and, veritable family member -- Manney, got very sick this morning. Shock reverberated through our house! We sprang into action.

Immediately, our hearts ached for the little guy. My wife and I escorted the kids off to school, then rushed Manney to the animal hospital, pictured here (are there pet ambulances?).

The vet staff swooped into action, helping calm our nerves, assess the illness, and provide skilled treatment. Manney's spending the night getting I.V. fluids, antibiotics, and rest. We hope and pray that he's gonna pull through. Yes, we pray for our pets!

I can't help but to think that God uses animals to teach us about his will.

Manney was helpless this morning, unable to care for himself, unable to solve his disease, unable to produce answers. He needed someone to rescue him...to save him from a terrible malady.

How apropos!

We -- each of us -- need the rescuing work of Jesus to save us. We can't save ourselves. We can only come to the cross, can only come to the Christ and rest completely on him for salvation.

Our family wasted no time in coming to Manney's rescue. We love him and want the best for him. And he's just a dog! What mystical, mountainous love the Father must have for us -- the sons and daughters he has created in his own image!

Father, thank you for your amazing love. Thank you for your ineffable grace. Thank you for your kind, tender calling. Thank you for being you, for knowing us, and for saving us through your Son!

King of/on Writing

2009-02-13T20:33:00.014-06:00

In Keats's Ode on a Grecian Urn, one couplet parks in my brain: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

As I've flipped through King's memoir, On Writing, I've found that --like Keats -- King ogles the sensual curves of truth himself, insisting -- no, demanding, perhaps, even haranguing -- that writers tell the truth.

And, really, if one wants to write well, it does make sense. Telling the truth, that is. Writing opens the soul of the self and bids others think your thoughts along with you. King calls it telepathy. Such an intimate dance deserves a parquet floor waxed with honesty and a balustrade built with beams of realty.

If pretense, fear, worry, or dread clouds truth telling -- or worse, compels you to think one thought and try to misguide the reader by writing another, your up the creek. Truth vanishes. Lies arrive. Fear reigns. Bad writing follows.

I've seen a lot of movies based on King's stuff over the years. And, sadly, I admit that I've never read much of his writing. I tried one summer while diving in and out of huge Caterpillar equipment, but my brain still sat in neutral in those days. Stomping the gas on one of King's epics at that time just shot my mental RPM's into the red zone. I couldn't find traction back them.

More recently, I've been sorta intimidated by reading his stuff. Yeah, intimidated. I think that's the right word. I've been worried that I might like it, might enjoy it, and the literary snobs think its tabloid fodder. That wouldn't work. And, on the other hand, I guess I've thought that I might think it's junk and everyone -- besides the three literary screw offs who hate it, that is -- knows that its not junk. He's a literary god after all.

But, having read On Writing, I'm over it. The pangs of worry -- or mental indigestion, or whatever it was in my addled mind -- they've trotted off. King is a real craftsman. I never new his story as I do now. His commitment to writing rattles me. At once, it makes me scared to ever write something and it makes me long to write something. It's just interesting. He's a thinker, to be sure.

Sure, his books aren't Sunday School material. But, in many ways they do tell the story of life -- broken, dark, helpless, fractured, searching, and ultimately rich with meaning and resolution.

Same Passion...New Adventure

2009-02-07T19:03:00.005-06:00

Towards the end of 2008, an exciting
"opportunity" blossomed.

Already up to my eyelids in responsibility, stress bearing down with perspicacious persistence, the phone rang. A former colleague's named popped up on the caller ID. My excuse mill began to churn. I had several viable brushoffs ready to launch. "Can't help you move; sold my truck. No. I already bought Girl scout cookies from the neighbor. Sorry, I'm allergic to cats."

Guffawing as I answered, I braced, and prepared to deliver my excuse. By the way, I just recently learned that Billy Sunday quipped: "an excuse is just the skin of reason stuffed with a lie."

As I waited to hear the request, my mind raced, listing out responsibilities and threatening me with exhaustion: leading a counseling team, seeing 10 or so clients a week, trying to finish a counseling internship, engaging in pastoral ministry, and most importantly, trying to make a credible attempt at family life, I wasn't really in any shape to take on anything more.

What could it be.

I lifted the phone, hesitating. She began. My former colleague had become the Editor of Austin Family Magazine. "Cool," I thought. She must want our agency to buy some add space. A new round of responses burst into my head. "Sorry, our advertising budget got scrapped in the last contractual cycle." This was more than an excuse; it was reality. I wouldn't feel any guilt unloading this news.

But, she wasn't interested in ads. She had an "opportunity!" An opportunity. Arrgh. I shuddered a little inside. That was code language. In fact, I had probably already deleted half a dozen or more emails already that morning that begged me to to seize an opportunity -- millions of dollars, sensual inches, stunning IQ advances...opportunities were everywhere!

What most people don't know is that I despise opportunities -- unless by opportunity, you mean you have a new book that you want me to devour.

With an internal grimace growing, I eked out a tremulous "Okay, what's up." She continued. I listened, intrigued, unsure, excited.

***

As I put the phone down, I leaned back in my chair, breathed in deeply and contemplated what this might mean. Wow, this really was an opportunity.

I've loved writing since I was a kid. And now, I was being given an "opportunity" to test drive an article in a local Austin magazine! Sweet!

Well, long story short, since then, I've completed two articles and look forward to many, many more. Writing is a passion and adventure for me and I only hope that I keep growing and keep having opportunities like this come my way.

Ironically, though this is another thing on my schedule, it really is a wonderful addition to my bloated to-do list. For me, this is a stress reliever. I love the process. Learning new things. Finding creative ways to communicate them. It really is an endeavor that I hope to continue.

And, hey, now that I've got yet another thing on my list, it means that my excuses are becoming more credible! Well, actually, not so much. But, you get the picture.

Deception Point

2009-01-27T20:35:00.005-06:00

No! I deny it. I'm not a shill for Dan Brown. Yes, I've been spending lots of free-time slurping from the literary goblet perched on Brown's table. Again, though, I insist, I'm not a Brownite.

What was that? Did someone just say "me thinks thou dost protest too much."

Okay, I'll confess. I'll accept my penalty. Yes, I admit it. I'm in love with the cadence of Brown's writing.

As noted in my previous post, the word-snobs at Language Log seemingly parsed Brown's every word, bobbing for rotten apples and grabbing at other low hanging verbal fruit. All the while, these self-professed literati, seem blindly unaware of their misplaced ire. Come on! He writes pop-fiction. He's more likely in search of a paycheck than a Pulitzer!

In fact, one reason his books are so tantalizingly extractive when it comes to bucks and readers is that he refuses to write for academia and writes with his own lilting rhythm.

So, if you want a journal article from the inner sanctum of the Ivy League, hop to it. But, if you want some really juicy prose where words spring to life and characters outgrow pixels and paper, dive in.

Having just finished Deception Point, I'd have to heartily recommend it. At times, I found myself having to shake off the hypnotic pulse that built with each turn of the page. My worn out copy, courtesy of the local library, had obviously been combed over many times. I can only imagine the sense of fascination that will continue to follow for those who discover the sagacity woven into much of Brown's work.

Word is there are at least a dozen more books in the offing at some point. I'd be lying if I denied wanting to read one already.

Angels and Demons

2009-01-24T12:58:00.008-06:00

Plowing through Dan Brown's fleshy unfolding of yet another mystery was easy. Over the last couple of weeks, I sat riveted, in wonderment at the skill of this intrepid writer, esoteric moans of the folks over at Language Log notwithstanding.

Even though I love the writing, the message wavers and collides with my worldview, exposing a pervasive cultural contempt for many of my core beliefs.

At the end of the day, however, those core beliefs will stand the test of entertaining novelties like Brown's craftily stitched story.

All that said, I'm looking forward to the A&D movie, excited that Tom Hanks is back again as Robert Langdon -- the tweed festooned scholar, imbued with the ability to solve world-confounding riddles in a single bound.

Again, I don't advocate the vexing anti-biblical messages sprinkled here and there, messages that attack the core values of the Christian church, but I do love the storytelling capacity that leaves the reader on the edge of wonder, excitement, and imagination.

If you can get beyond the silly, meat-handed approaches toward scripture, the intrigue buried within the story is compelling stuff.

Seminary Boy

2009-01-02T19:53:00.013-06:00

On a recent trip to the library, my wife stumbled upon a book that stirred my thirsty intellectual taste buds and released a craving for something biographically dense.

Seminary Boy not only became a tasty synaptic teasing morsel over the past few days. More than that, It has become a fulfilling meal. A means to an end, as it has challenged me to go beyond the mundane daily rituals and has helped to recalibrate my tastes for mental exercise beyond insipid web pages and sometimes contextually bankrupt professional articles.

Taking his readers on a journey into the deepest secrets of junior seminary at Cotton College, John Cornwell reveals a deeply reflective, acute mind, possessed by a young boy with a sometime desultory, but constantly searching, heart.

This journey of a soul struggling to come to an awareness of life, sexuality, boyhood, manhood, and his place in his nuclear and spiritual family, rushes at the reader from multiple angles, some jagged and jostling, others smoothly polished and full of careful, reflective refining. Cornwell helps his readers to appreciate the value of honest storytelling. Willing to discuss the most shocking of personal hurts, Cornwell compels the readers to examine their own reflections of the past. His is no mere retelling of his boyhood experiences and experiments in preparatory school. Rather, this is a searching, complicated reliving of a boy in search of his contemporary adult persona -- a reunion of the past and present as a man and his boyhood experiences unite to prepare the way for the future.

Ironically, just days before, I'd watched Phil Morrison's comedic drama, Junebug, a 2005 flick about a golden boy and his journey back home to the slow-paced, drawling ways of the rural mid-west -- importantly, with beautiful, erudite wife in tow. Not dissimilar, Cornwell's memoir struck me in the same way as this movie, reminding me of my own spiritual and social journey. I can't help but to think about the power of storytelling to reach into places that little else can. There is something of a mystery wound into this reality, one that I believe is deeply rooted in the nature of the human spirit.

Of consequence, then, language -- the storyteller's chisel and marble -- is more than just symbol. For those who choose to ingest and nourish themselves, language is able to conjure sustenance for the soul. And, that's precisely what Cornwell has experienced personally and what he inspires in this important retelling of the life a a seminary boy who through many a trial and pangs of unbelief comes to understand something of the faith of his fathers, albeit learning how to extricate himself from prepossession, stagnation, and dimness of imagination.

Cool Gift

2008-12-24T08:40:00.005-06:00

So, here's my Christmas gift! It's one of the coolest ever for me. I love it.

This piece is called Light in the Darkness II. It's an original, commissioned by my wife! There's a similar one, Light in the Darkness, but this one is still unique.

How cool is that -- to have an original and not just something off the shelf from some chain like I normally get for myself.

Go check out more of this kind of art at Karyn Robinson's studio -- Breath of Life Art Studio. Personally, I'd love to have this stuff all over!

For me, its also cool that this is a Texas studio. I've contacted this seller in the past, and she's always been very professional, accommodating, and trustworthy.

If you go to her site and like her stuff, I'd love to hear your comments. I'm not an artsy person, so I know little of the subject, but I really enjoy her style. And, the fact that she's a believer is icing on this very scrumptious cake.

Manney, Manney Fun Times

2008-11-25T21:55:00.005-06:00

Our family has gone to the dogs! Actually, to the dog. Just one -- an energetic beagle named Manney. We inherited him from a neighborhood friend.

Snoopy is the world's most famous beagle, of course. But, as far as I can tell, Snoopy and Manney really only share a rhyming name in common at this point.

We're eager to see what other comparisons may develop in the near future.

If you know anything about beagles, drop us a line. We would love to hear.

So far, I've learned that they are very loud! They love to sniff and bark, bark and sniff, and sniff, and bark, and bark, and bark, and sniff. You get the picture.

Manney really does seem like a great dog. He may be a loudmouth, but that's okay. He'll feel right at home with us. It'll be a marriage made in doggy heaven.

Twitter

2008-11-23T17:16:00.006-06:00

I've added micro-blogging to my online outposts. I didn't think I would like it at first, but it is kinda cool. Join the Twitter community and answer the simple question: "What are you doing?"

The Wonder Years

2008-11-21T05:40:00.004-06:00

During the late 80's, I fell in love with The Wonder Years. The messages of a simpler time, the old school music, and the way that the stories conjured classic memories of coming of age. It was just a fantastic escape.

I watched a bit of a history of The Wonder Years on YouTube yesterday. Wow. I love nostalgia.

Interestingly, as I rifled through some more Wonder Years stuff this morning, I found out that Winnie Cooper (Danica McKeller) has recently published a book about math, especially tailored for girls. Amazingly, Danica has gone on from child acting to do more than tartism and scrounging for losers in nightclubs.

Rather, Ms. McKeller graduated at the top of her class at UCLA with a degree in mathematics, published a mind boggling physics theorem bearing her name, gave a speech at a prestigious math conference (the only undergraduate invited), and has moved on to, among other things, writing.

ABC News, 20/20, and some other news shows have done some recent reports about Danica. I wish more of us were able to see these good stories rather than having to listen to what the latest trailer-trash-gone-Hollywood actress is barfing or scarfing.

Go check out the latest on the former Winnie Cooper! She's all grown up, brilliant, and setting an amazing example for kids who struggle with math -- especially girls!

I'm impressed.

They're Back

2008-11-16T22:57:00.002-06:00

Romo and the boys were back today. They looked really good in the last quarter. Marion Barber was simply a power player extraordinaire!

Jimmy in the press box was classic. He looked like a nervous wreck. Can you believe that he's owned the Cowboys for almost 20 years. Wow. You're older than you thought you were aren't you?

This is So True

2008-11-15T07:43:00.003-06:00

The Beat Goes On

2008-11-14T08:05:00.024-06:00

The 2008 Presidential Campaign seemed to end with a seismic enthusiasm plummet the likes of which might make a recent stock market chart look like a mere quiver.

The McCain folks are all stuffed in a back alley knife fighting and embarking on political jihads against the various factions that have tangled themselves around the throat of the GOP.

Even the Obama folks seemed to have faded in their tidal consumption of all things optimistic. They seem to be more interested in how to erect a facade of change in front of a Clinton era policy team.

Practical magic seems to be the sentiment buoying both teams of wonks. Some things never change!

I have to admit, I've not been paying that much attention. For me, gone are the days of freebasing XM Radio's ubiquitous political coverage. I've jettisoned POTUS '08 from the play list and have welcomed a new set of digital friends, a curious range of music from Led Zeppelin to Frank Sinatra (and, yes, even the Holly station, with it's premature 24/7 coverage of Christmas favorites).

To be sure, I've paid very little attention to the political scene. Call it healing. Not because of my abhorrence of the ultra liberal elite -- though there is that. And not because I long for a McCain presidency. Frankly, I would've had to clamp my snout and gulp it down like castor oil.

Rather, I've tuned out the political noise as a way to accept the reality of what is. I'll embrace what I can of the coming administration and vehemently, but respectfully, oppose what runs against the grain of my conscience.

Interestingly, while I haven't been tuned to what the talking heads are saying, I've been rubbing shoulders with many who have. I've been at a mental health care conference this week where Obama supporters likely outrank conservatives 25 to 1. It's been fascinating to watch...fly on the wall sorta stuff, you know.

A palpable jubilation bubbles from every crevice among this crowd of supporters. But, there's a tether of reality too. It's called being broke. Many mental health care professionals are longing for Obama's government to breathe fresh air into their research, their activism, and their policy predilections. At the same time, however, these same activists are noticeably bummed out about the lack of money available for their visions of Camelot Redux.

Speaking of money. I have a hypothesis stirred by the reality of bankruptcy. Namely, I think that many of us in the mental health community are missing a great treasure trove of funding because of political infighting. Separation of church and state has meant far more than a great divide of passions and policies. It's also meant a great divide of cash -- for both left and right.

What if the faith community and government agencies truly began to work towards meaningful mental health collaboration. Wouldn't there be vastly more resources available if these communities found ways to join forces in the fight against hopelessness in our world? Over the past decade or so, there's been a lot of talk about faith-based initiatives, but really there's been a lot more talk than action. Both sides of the chasm believe that they would lose too much if they were to encircle the same table.

Personally, this area interests me immensely. A lot of my daydreaming during the conference focused on the what ifs of collaboration. While many of the speakers -- some nationally important -- have longed breathlessly for the new administration to see things their way and to throw them a bone, I've been thinking steak instead of bone. Unfortunately, a lot of sacred cows have to die before we fire up the grill.

How can communities of expertise and compassion coordinate to better facilitate health and wholeness in the regions they serve. Obviously, this is a complicated question. The mental health community is biased against the "religious right" and the faith community is biased against the "psychobabble" of the left. Both positions are wrong and both positions undermine the need to work together to promote health among the nation's hurting and helpless.

Is there an opportunity for fresh cooperation or am I just whistling in the wind? Time will tell. One thing is for sure, our national piggy bank is empty. Perhaps such desperation will lead bureaucrats to be willing to walk across the great philosophical divide, knock on the church door, and ask for a helping hand. If they do, let's hope that the church recognizes the opportunity that exist to expand the kingdom of God through collaboration -- collaboration without compromise, yes, but collaboration all the same.

What If Reporters Were Actually Reporters and Not Shills. Here's a Look!

2008-10-25T09:34:00.001-05:00

I'll See Your 600 Million and Raise You 4.3 Trillion! How Obama's Big Money-Raising Machine is Preparing to Go Public

2008-10-25T03:39:00.023-05:00

For those of us who know that this election is about more than swollen crowds, faked beatings, and political rhetoric, Alan Reynolds, of the Wall Street Journal, offers a telescopic look at the tax tsunami that is building on the horizon of an Obama Administration.

His article, How's Obama Going to Raise 4.3 Trillion?, is a gritty, under the hood expose of the length to which Obama will have to go to fund 85 pages of über expensive campaign promises. Gulp. It's a scary read for all you in the Halloween spirit.

Reynolds' incisive research shades toward but is no the-sky-is-falling kind of argument. Rather, in this piece you'll come face to face with the truly uncharted territory that you may be conscripted to blindly navigate with a President Obama. Obama, in Reynold's estimation, would fist your money and embark upon a completely new era in American entitlement excess.

With these revenue hungry storm clouds building on the horizon, I wonder just how difficult the shakedown will be? As you pore over the soaked promises, you find more and more -- here's a great Obama word -- "loopholes" that open the door for "necessary" measures to help "spread the wealth around." For those who don't own a Washington insider dictionary, those are code words for we're taking your hard earned money and we're giving it to someone else.

Sure, Obama has shown incredible ability to scoop up over 600 million dollars from those who have funded his bloated campaign promises. But, this campaigning war chest is a mere child's piggy bank compared to the galaxy of cash needed to pump trillions of dollars of new spending into the lard-like national budget.

So, when the bill comes -- and the bill always comes -- Obama's going to be out raising money again. Only this time, it won't be from enthusiastic teenagers forking over 5 bucks through PayPal. Rather, it will be for 7,000 times more money than his campaign has raised and this time you'll be the one writing the check. And it might be just a scosh more than 5 bucks.

Obama loves to say "make no mistake" and "let's be clear." Okay, let's be clear; 4,300,000,000,000 is a spending spree that even the slickest smooth talking politician is going to find hard to extort from the American people! Make no mistake, Mr. Obama, there won't be wild, orgasmic excitement and throngs of cheering crowds ballyhooing when the stank hits the fan.

All us conservatives are probably wishing that someone would have done a better job at explaining why running a campaign and running a country are two entirely different things. Just yesterday a friend expressed apoplexy at the failure of McCain to point these issues out in a clear way. It is unfortunate, because clarity is coming. And it appears to be coming wrapped in the package of a four year school of hard knocks.

Remember when Gov. Palin first hit the scene. The media bristled. Attacks came from every corner. But, in the melee, an important argument was made. McCain argued that Gov. Palin had more executive experience running a state, managing a budget, and being prudent with the people's money than did the Obama-Biden affair. Do you remember Obama's "rhetorical flourish" as he likes to call these pungent morsels of reality. The golden orator had this sage response: I've got executive experience too. I've been running a multimillion dollar campaign for nearly two years.

HELLO! Now does everyone see why running a money gin and running an actual government are two different things!!!!

Ring...Ring...Ring. Mr. President, It's for you. Joe the Plumber on the line, sir...something about wanting to talk to you about a certain campaigning promise you made!

Dick Morris' Political Occam's Razor Argument

2008-10-23T06:17:00.005-05:00

Dick Morris is a fascinating carry over from the Clinton era. Once literally tackled to the ground by Bill Clinton, Morris has long since been pulling himself up off the mat of liberal demagoguery and articulating brilliant insights, arguments, and evaluations of the political scene. Ironically, many of these missives have been leveraged against the very friends of the crowd he used to run with. What does he know that others don't!

His October 21st article, The Populism Divide, is a brilliantly simple, but deliciously profound, argument about the collision of forces that may ultimately decide the 2008 Presidential Election. I urge you to read it. Regardless of your political persuasion, I think you might find his reasoning interesting.

Frankly Speaking!

2008-10-21T08:52:00.006-05:00

In a frightening, no-holds-barred preview of the disastrous economic policy that is sure to come under the liberal meanderings of an Obama administration, Barney Frank spills the beans on the true vision for the economic future of a tax and spend liberal agenda!

"Bush-McCain. Bush-McCain. Bush-McCain. Failed policies. Final verdict on greedy capitalism." We've heard these talking points ad nauseam. Did Bush make mistakes economically? Sure he did. Does that mean that we should throw caution to the wind, siphon off one person's wealth and "spread it around" for another person's indolence? This is not what America is all about! This is not what we aspire to do and to be. We are a giving nation. Rich people across this nation donate billions of dollars each year for people in need. We do not need to tax the "rich" (and that definition has been very wobbly lately) and give "tax breaks" to those who don't even pay taxes!

As a believer, this election isn't going to change my life. I'm ready to hit the ground running for Jesus no matter who sits down at the desk in the oval office, but my heart is yearning and holding out hope that in these last two weeks we can truly ask what's best for the economy -- restraint, reform, and conservative spending or recalcitrance, waste, and liberal ideological posturing. Too bad we haven't had a good track record on either account! Perhaps it's already time to look toward 2012! Ouch!

Go Vote!

2008-10-08T17:49:00.005-05:00

In Search of an American Hero

Last night's debate floundered on almost every level. The set was lackluster, the questions were farcical, and the candidates were obtuse. Even worse, Tom Brokaw, like a jammed, aging jukebox, kept sputtering on and on about how much time the candidates were munching away, apparently oblivious to his own shark-like attack on the clock. The whole thing wreaked of play-it-safe elitism.

It was supposed to be a town hall discussion; it proved to be a senatorial committee meeting. What a dismal waste!

In short, I think many Americans tuned in -- all six of us, I think -- in search of an American hero. I wanted to see a true leader rise above the smoke and mirrors. I wanted to hear a great vision for a great nation. Instead I heard a lame McCain hair plugs joke and another Ivy League missive -- two things that do not make a leader!

Poised to face one of the greatest crises in the past 100 years, these two senators meandered around a room full of dozing Americans talking around issues that have been turned over in the roasting American compost pile one too many times. It stank!

This debate reminded me why I liked the Palin debate so much. She ain't the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least she knows what a shed is and seems to know how to take someone out behind it if needed. For all the things that she isn't, there's something that she is: genuine! So what that she doesn't read the Economist like bleary eyed Katie Couric. At least she has guided an economy. At least she has done something besides funnel money to crooked organizations like ACORN. At least she remembers that John McCain is a hero. Now, Senator McCain, do like you're running mate and remember who you are. You're an American hero. Start acting like one!

2008-10-07T07:29:00.005-05:00

Living on the Edge

The sky night actually be falling. Well, that's what the talking heads on TV say. But, I don't much believe anything the talking heads say these days. We've been burned by that story both from the extreme right and the extreme left.

What does seem to be a reality, however, is that our markets are confused. "Confused" is too soothing a word. Let's see. From a layman's perspective (and that's even a stretch), our markets are addled and in jeopardy of slipping off the edge toward insanity.

For those who care deeply about houses, money, and having lots of shiny things, this may spell disaster. I don't find myself agreeing with the Pope on every issue, but I do think he made a sage observation yesterday. He noted that this financial world crisis exposes money for the frail untrustworthy thing for which it is. Building on money is building on sand.

Now, as a Christian, I don't decry money or even the things that money can buy. I like money and you probably are keen to have some lying around too. But, it seems that the world has lost its mind about money, and more specifically about credit.

I heard a woman on the radio a few days ago. Some financial wiz or something. She was apoplectic. "What are people going to do? What are these people going to do who buy their food, their gas, their clothes, etc. on credit and only pay back a small portion at a time? They don't know how to pay as you go. They don't have enough to live like they are living." I almost wrecked my car into the ditch.

Have we become so spoiled and so pampered by our own lack of self control that we are willing to not only max out our personal credit limits, but we are then brazen enough to expect a worldwide extension. Are we that money stoned that we are willing to go begging for a new line of credit for our country, like a saucer-eyed shopper who calls Delaware in hopes of being able to bump up from the 46" to the 50" plasma.

Who is going to pay for all of this whining? Who is going to actually fork over real money -- you remember that green stuff that you get for doing something valuable. Who is going to do that?

In the short term, mega cash brokers like China may come to the petulant, puerile cries of our teat shape pucker. But, at some point, someone somewhere is going to have to own up to a reality. Enough is enough.

I don't like the idea of our country hitting rock bottom. It will likely look worse that we imagine. But, if having the smelling salts of financial ruin waved in our face would bring us back from our woozy incompetence, perhaps that is just what we need.

2008-10-02T22:14:00.012-05:00

The Next Next President of the United States

I'm a hyperbolic kind of guy. Metaphors and wildly enthusiastic language are what come out when I grab down into my language luggage. So, you'll understand if I wax a little extravagant with the title and content of my post.

For weeks the media have tried to drag Palin through the mud the same way that they have drawn their laconic swords against the malapropisms of our current president -- the Commander and Chief who has overseen the dramatic, unassailable safety that we have all enjoyed in our country since 9/11. But, I digress. As Palin noted let's look forward not backward.

I envision a future where Vice President or Gov. Palin (depending on how this election turns out) and her outstanding understanding of the common people of our country lead the way to a country that is led out of the doldrums bedraggling our economy, our morality, and our vision of the future. Palin -- as Dick Morris seemed to hint at and as I will posit -- is the next "Great Communicator." Palin is a plainspoken communicator. Her simple language and homespun articulation is fundamental to a politician who is able to cobble together the votes needed to lead this country. I think she will be President if she wants to be. She can carry the mantle of the conservatives if she chooses. I think she will.

The future (the long term future) is bright for Palin. The next month will not be decisive for the next next president. Obama may still well win this election, but as the Obama orb rises or sets over the political horizon, one best watch the sun that's rising on the next political landscape. For those who want true change for Washington, there's another glimmer or hope dawning -- one with a longer shelf life than the current maverick and one that seems to have the stuff needed to win the heart and soul of the American people, pundits, media elite, and liberals notwithstanding!

And, yes, I know I'm drinking the kool-aid!

2008-09-28T16:56:00.004-05:00

First Half Blues

No Dallas largess in the first half. Romo and that boys salvaged a 2 minute drill drive to grasp for 3 last second points. Otherwise, it's been fairly mundane.

Seems like Dallas has more tools and talent, but the early energy is on the side of the longtime rivals on the sunny-side-up sideline.

Speaking of sideline -- if I can have an ADD moment -- I'm starting to grow more interested in the new behemoth -- the billion dollar baby -- that Jerry is hatching in east Arlington. Aikman said it was like nothing that he's ever seen. That's saying a lot. But do remember, Aikman has been know to have a concussion or two and a blurry moment from time to time. Just kidding. I'm sure its a wonderful edifice, but I'm glad I don't live in Arlington anymore. I'm sure the bill is something pretty tough to choke down -- unless of course you have a Superbowl or two to help wash it down! I'm sure that's what Jerry's thinking. That and the fact that the Cowboys were recently valued at a little over billion dollars! Pretty good investment considering where stocks are headed!

How 'bout them Cowboys!

[Oops. I guess I should have waited until the second half. Arrgh. Oh well. At least there won't be any 16-0 hype. Now we can get on with the rest of the season. I'm gonna say they'll end up at 12-4].

2008-09-27T21:16:00.002-05:00

In God we Trust

In recent months, and especially in
recent days, the newscasts have been intently focused
on the deepening financial meltdown facing our
country. Bad news pours in from every quarter. The
reports are alarming: rampant foreclosures, plummeting
home prices, growing unemployment, megacompany
buyouts, and massive government bailouts.
Where is it all going to end? What are we to do?
I don't know. I wish I did. I wish I could look through
the financial fog to see when markets and fears would
stabilize. Maybe then it would all make some sense.
But the current crisis reminds me of two great
lessons. First, you can't put your faith in the things
of this world, even those that look so safe and secure.
Investments in CDs, real estate, the stock market, or
hog futures can, and often do, disappear over night.
The treasures of this world will never guarantee
stability, security, health, or joy.

Second, this critical financial flash-point reminds me
that we can only invest our faith in God and his promises.
When markets collapse he holds us securely in
his love. When foreclosures loom, he promises us a
heavenly home. When businesses fail, unemployment
hits close to home, and panic fills our hearts, he
provides peace and solace that the world can't offer.
I don't know what's going to happen. But I know
God and believe in his promises. So, I feel OK about
the future. I won't panic. I won't lose heart. I'll not
let the Fed, or the Congress, or Fannie Mae rob me
of my faith...ever.

[This post is copied from the September 28th edition of Pond Spring's Family Life]

2008-09-26T18:34:00.005-05:00

Hope for the Journey Ahead

Today I had the privilege of presenting at the 2nd annual Families at Heart conference. It was an amazing honor speaking to other professional in the field of social services and encouraging them to keep their heads up as they provided hope for the hundreds of people whom they are blessed to impact each year.

Culled from across the state and from a broad spectrum of responsibilities, these leaders and workers shared a common desire to help hurting families. Training in Motivational Interviewing offered new tools for the journey ahead.

With a clear road map, with a robust tool chest, with passionate fellow travelers, and with a clear vision for reaching our destination, the future is bright for those of us who shared together in this conference. Most importantly, hurting families will be benefited because of the leadership of TBCH's Family Care program and the visionary heart that they have for training, supporting, and championing skills, opportunity, and hope for those who've been called to serve. Way to go Family Care! Can't wait for next year and the stories of reaping from what we've sown in this years' fertile soil!

2008-09-25T12:46:00.000-05:00

WOW, that says it all!

2008-09-13T16:59:00.008-05:00

Palin's Scarlet Letter

Lately, I've been way to consumed with the political scene. Just ask my wife. I've been awash in the melee of old school politics. I've been frenetically ablaze with disdain for the trash talk of the left. I've been choking on the libertine antics of a swollen, swooning maelstrom -- a storm of shockingly biased support for Obama/Biden from the Hollywood, leftists, MSNBC types.

Rather than go on railing against the vacuous ebullience of the Obama/Biden old school politics, I want to take a page out of Gov. Palin's growing book of political wisdom and invoke God's will.

Well, just a bit more railing first.

A modern day Hester Prynne, Gov. Palin has been dragged out into the streets by the angry hoards of self-proclaimed elitists. Her scarlet letter is not "A." Rather, she has been labeled with a scarlet "F." Devoid of snobbish, insiderism, Gov. Palin has committed the most heinous of all modern sins. She's dared to exhibit faith in Christ! And, of course, this is a stunning modern adultery. She has embraced conservatism and turned a cold shoulder to the dynastic vision of the modern liberal deities. How dare she. How dare she think that she can be a woman of distinction, character, and political power and at the same time recognize the sovereign rule of God.

But, that is just what she has done. Gov. Palin has now nationally declared that her recent prayer that God's will would be sought in national interests will not be a prayer that she recants. Besmirched by Charlie Gibson for her faith, Gov. Palin refused to buckle. She stood her ground and reached back to the legacy of Lincoln, proving that prayer and presidency should be inextricably linked.

Dragged through the mud as a religious kook, Gov. Palin is emerging from the muck with a glow of determination, with a tested faith, and with a sense that leading this country is not simply about being able to tickle the ears of the masses, or remember the nebulous, media-defined version of the "Bush Doctrine." Rather, Gov. Paling, refreshingly, has demonstrated that it is just as important to know how and what to pray for as a leader of the modern world. I swell with pride to know that we could have a Vice President who seeks Divine direction as she helps lead the nation. That's so much more interesting and compelling a narrative than someone who distributes "private" prayers in a press release!

Okay, ranting aside, I want to borrow from Gov. Palin's example and ask God that in our upcoming election we will seek his will, that we will select leaders for our nation who will conform to his will, and that we will not be afraid of our faith in Christ as we journey towards a bigger and brighter future.

Join with us. Start your own blog -- especially you swing state folks -- and fight the lies, smarmy smears, and public skewering of people of faith. Stand up and join with Gov. Palin, wearing your scarlet letter unflinchingly.

2008-09-12T18:39:00.000-05:00

Change...Indeed!

2008-09-12T06:50:00.000-05:00

What Country Did I Wake Up In, And Where Did America Go?

2008-09-04T00:23:00.001-05:00

Smart, Classy, Tough, Conservative Women!

2008-09-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Inspiration!

2008-09-01T09:41:00.006-05:00

Pond Springs Churches Unite in Worship

In a world that often labors under the heavy load of divisiveness, rancor, and debate, a growing number of Pond Springs churches are banding together in praise, unifying to demonstrate to our community that we take Jesus seriously when he called us to embrace unity.

We don't all agree on every doctrinal detail, but we do agree on the most important essential of the historic, Christian faith -- namely, "Jesus is Lord."

What a joy to see what God is doing among His people. Last night was especially moving. After a dynamic time of worship in songs of praise, individuals were challenged to team up with fellow believers whom they didn't know. What God did next was a real thrill and testimony to his providence.

In little enclaves of prayer, praise, and testimony, we learned about prayer needs. We didn't leave it there. We actively prayed together. We approached God and asked for dozens of special needs to come under his merciful guidance. And we praised God for his marvelous grace.

In my group alone, we prayed about a mission trip to Turkey, a new local mission effort to the homeless, and an ongoing mission to provide Christ-centered counseling to at-risk families in our county and beyond. I feel confident that God put the three of us together for just such a sharing! When we unify we are empowered!

God was active and present among us last night and we're anticipating great things for our time together this Thanksgiving! What a blessing it will be for the churches of Pond Springs to gather to thank God for all his sovereign work among his people!

If you were there last night and have a special story, please chime in. If you are experiencing a similar unity experience somewhere out there in the Kingdom, share that as well.

2008-08-29T23:30:00.010-05:00

HISTORY 101 Needs a New Textbook

History is being made. This fall America will elect someone who has never been in the White House before -- an African American President or a female Vice President. This is the harvest of sowing the seeds of freedom, the payoff for the bitter tears of sacrifice that have streamed down the face of the American dream.

History will be made. It's inevitable. A generation from now, two generations from now, what will history record? There are two stories waiting to be written. The first story. A nightmarish tale is the story of a man full of talent and graciousness but exhibiting paucity regarding the needs of a world starving for moral certitude. What a tragedy if history were to look back on this epic time and find that America, once proud, strong, and full of vision, had collapsed under the dangerous loads of bloated, unwieldy government excess and intimidation. Such would be the experience of an administration that would champion a culture of death, smother the entrepreneurial spirit, and sucker punch the average man with a promise of prosperity while saddling him with exponential debts and ineffectual national stamina. America deserves a better destiny.

America deserves a story that resonates with its values, its heartbeat, and its passion for a future full of true hope. America deserves to look into the mirror of leadership and see a reflection of herself -- ordinary families with extraordinary family values. To be completely transparent, I'm not sure McCain provides that. And, until today, I've been cool, even cold, on John McCain's push for leading our nation. Admittedly, McCain and his wife are not Mr. and Mrs. Average Joe. But, today something changed.

With two words, America was liberated to envision itself in the White House. With Gov. Sarah Palin, America gets a chance to write a new story, a history full of the optimism of a woman who stares down challenges and looks up to God for strength. Every night, Palin and her husband hold a precious baby in their arms before they go to bed. He's the kind of child that 90% of heartbroken families choose to abort. He has Down Syndrome and many challenges. But, more importantly, he has a purpose and parents who overflow with the love required to help him achieve it. Its the same grit and determination that has guided this family in the raising of 4 other children. The same passion that I believe can help Gov. Palin become Vice President Palin, a leader with the authenticity, experience, and pride needed to reinforce the foundational characteristics and moral fiber of our Union.

History will be made this year. And, oh, how I do hope and pray that the kind of leadership and love that the Palins bring to the 2008 campaign will make its way to Washington. Our nation doesn't need slick politicians, sexy slogans, and Ivy League education to thrive. Rather, what we need is to make history by leading the way to a future where brilliant, tough, and loving men AND women are able to be part of the American experience at the very highest levels.

Sarah Palin is not a perfect candidate, but it's refreshing to know that she knows what its like to be one of us. Conservatism -- true compassionate conservatism -- seems to be poised to shatter the glass ceiling once and for all. And, frankly, I plan on being there to strike one of the blows that causes the collapse of fear and sparks the reemergence of a compelling, moral vision for the American family!

Let's make history!

2008-08-24T17:28:00.005-05:00

And...they're Off

Well, its here! School begins. And for us, this is a particularly important year. Our youngest is off to Kindergarten, our oldest to Fourth Grade. Wow! I feel incredibly aged. But, its reality. Time marches with a breathless pace. Its hard to admit that our children are growing up, but what a blessing to watch them grow!

As our kids and millions of other children head off to school this year, we offer a prayer:

Our Father in Heaven. Creator of the limitless depths of the human spirit. Sustainor of the soul. Giver of all good things. We pray for safety for our little ones. We pray that you will use their education as a benefit to them and as a glory to you. May their teachers be instruments of grace, peace, and safety. May their days be free of bullying and bad behavior. May their eyes sparkle with the longing for new adventures. And, may you be the epicenter of all that is good among them. We thank you and praise you for your abiding presence and for your sustaining grace. You are the Truth we all need more than anything and your Son the only Teacher we must never live without. In Him we pray. Amen.

2008-07-05T19:17:00.006-05:00

Dino Park Exclamation Point on a Cool Vacation

We're back! And, we had a fantastic time along the way. As you can see, we fed the kids to a T-Rex that was fresh off the time machine from the French Revolution -- a little guillotine humor for all the history buffs out there.

Anyways, San Antonio was ridiculously fun. The valet parked the car on Wednesday afternoon and we didn't get in it again until this morning. Yeah, Paseo del Rio! Our condo was right on the River Walk and that is all we needed to do all week...walk out the back door to an amusement park of sights, sounds, and flavors. We ate scrumptious Mexican food at Casa Rio -- the first business to turn an open sign on the River Walk back in the 1920's. We visited a local museum (a little macabre, but great). The mall on the River Walk was cool, especially after running through raindrops the size of silver dollars. Of course we did the Alamo -- a first for me -- and I did not leave as many do thinking that it was small. In fact, I was impressed with the enormity of it's presence in downtown.

One of the more relaxing things was the tour of the river on a gargantuan boat with a guide whose humor was welcomed. He was hilarious...as river boat guides go. He had one liners and two liners galore and even though corny and trite, they seemed a bit more palatable under the cool breezes -- a blessing left over after some torrential rainfall, the first in months for San Antonio!

Between jaunts to a fro from our extravagant -- yet free -- presidential suite -- thanks Nana and PawPaw -- we took in enough of San Antonio to know that we'll add it to our places to visit every two years or so. Who knows, we might even go back sooner than that if we can find someone to fill in for the T-Rex and make way for a trip for two!

Vacations are so much fun. And we are especially glad that this one didn't 1) cost an arm and a leg...sorry T-Rex, 2) didn't require us to drive hundreds of miles...sorry OPEC, and 3) didn't require us to fly the friendly skies...sorry airlines (not really, I hate flying).

We were, however, so thankful to spend more time as a family enjoying ourselves than as a mind numbed interstate zombies reaching for the bulging throats of cranky kids. We were so relaxed even a brief detour on the way home to hang our with the dinosaurs was a welcomed adventure.

Thank you God! It was a blast!

2008-07-02T11:11:00.003-05:00

Slipping off to San Antonio

We're off. After a blurry couple of months lived at warp speed, we're headed down to the gateway of the the southwest. I really only have one goal in mind at this point -- some la fabulosa Tex-Mex! Sure, if I get some rest and relaxation along the way, I'll take it, but if I have to settle...

We've never spent a lot of time in San Antonio. In fact, as a child the only thing I really new about San Antonio was that you went up to Amarillo from there (at least that's what George Strait crooned about). Well, I take that back, I did know that the Alamo was there, but even people from up north know that.

Anyways, we're hitting the road and looking forward to being away for a few days. It's not the typical Rocky Mountain high that we pine for or one of those eastern seaboard vacations that we've taken in a few times. At least it keeps me out of an airplane, especially since I've apparently developed a severe case of aerophobia (I turned down a free vacation to Hawaii because of it...now that's severe!).

So, firmly ensconced on the ground, with my newly purchased -- and apparently gilded -- Michelin tire (a story for another day when I feel like griping a lot. All I can say is that it must cost a lot to keep food on the table for that fat tire dude), we're off to San Antonio. If you know of anything good to do there I would love to hear about it.

2008-05-26T16:47:00.003-05:00

In Memoriam

This video is a simple yet moving tribute to the tens of thousands who have given their lives to protect ours. May the freedom that they've protected be used to extend grace and mercy across a world full of hurting hearts (Memorial Day 2008).

2008-04-26T17:04:00.012-05:00

A New Hat; A New Adventure

There's an episode of Looney Tunes where Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny find themselves in a sea of falling hats. One or the other has a new hat fall on them, one after the other. With each new hat comes an immediate change in character and new shenanigans. For some reason that episode sticks in my mind all these years later. It's the classic description of compartmentalization, on the one hand. And, on the other, it is the quintessential example of how different we are in any given situation.

Bruce Barton says, "When you are through changing, you are through." Well, change seems to be the theme for me. A new exciting, terrifying adventure has moved in and rearranged my familiar. Since last summer, I've had the incredible blessing of being a minister/therapist...and only a minister/therapist. I've made my own schedule, seen a sea of clients, and expanded my knowledge and skills in ways I never would have imagined. I've worked with traumatized children, on-the-brink marriages, derailed dating relationships, burned out retirees, banged up teens, and bullied grade schoolers. You name it; I've had the opportunity to be God's instrument to shine the light of grace, mercy, and truth on hurting hearts. It's been a grueling blast!

Just recently, however, an opportunity for promotion came my way. Like God often does, He surprised me. I wasn't looking for advancement. In fact when it came my way, I worked hard to try to turn it down. I convinced myself a thousand times that this was not for me. I did not want to supervise others. I did not want to leave the comfortable feeling of the familiar. I just wanted to keep on keeping on in the comfortable ruts that I was starting to wear in the terrain of the usual.

But, as I prayed and as I sorted through the mountains of facts and figures I collected in the decision making process, I moved closer and closer to a feeling that this door had opened for a reason. Perhaps, the changes that were being thrust upon me were being allowed to come my way to help me grow, to help me gain experience for the unfolding future, and to help me stay constantly aware that my life was meant to be more than comfortable -- it was meant to be an adventure, full of mystery, newness, change, and growth.

I was hesitant to make the change. There was so much good about where I was and what I was doing. But, God seems to be telling me that there is something important happening here. He hasn't really shown me what it is yet, but I trust him. And, I look forward to what he brings my way. I'm sure there are going to be lots of bumps and bruises as the training wheels come of yet again in my life. But, just like in the past, God has always been there to scoop me up, dust me off, and get me going again.

Perhaps, you have some new adventure that God is directing you towards. Someone has said, leap and the net will appear. Well, I'm not big on jumping into the unknown, but as long as it is God who is leading you, there's no question that the journey will be full of extravagance!

2008-04-05T13:50:00.004-05:00

Rocked Out Fun!

Last night my wife and I were both sucking wind from another daunting week. Her mom is battling pneumonia in a hospital bed 5 hours away. And, my wife works for a non-profit ministry in a position that allows her very little down time and creates a lot of stress.

And me. Well, where do I start. I'm a bi-vocational minister with gobs of irons in the fire. During the week I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern, providing psychotherapeutic services for three different non-profit ministry organizations who serve abused and neglected children and mothers. You can imagine without too much prompting the kinds of issues that I spend my week sorting through with these hurting souls.

So, at the end of the busy week, my wife and I were really looking for reasons not to attend the Casting Crowns concert last night in Austin, TX. But, it only took a couple of lyrics from the opening act to solidify our understanding that God wanted us there last night.

Wow! My ears are still ringing and my soul is still feeling the warming throbs of the inspiration that came from the fellowship of thousands of believers worshiping God, being encouraged to weather the storms of life, and being prayed over by some really cool servants of God.

The video above is the drummer, Andy. This wasn't at last night's concert, but he did the same thing last night, even longer. Experiencing that drum solo was like doing the canon ball off the high dive during summer camp. It made you laugh, made your adrenaline pump, and made you want to do it all over again. Andy really made us forget about the week for a few minutes and just laugh, stomp our feet, clap our hands, and bask in the wonder that is being a child of God.

What a great time.

Now, we feel charged up to worship God tomorrow, to share with our church family the overflow of the Spirit that came from the concert, and to dive into another week of ministry with the abused and neglected, open to the leading, the refreshing, and the refining of God.

2008-02-22T15:49:00.005-06:00

Tony Snow has always been a neat guy. Since battling cancer, his true grit and character have been on full display. He is becoming one of my biggest heroes. How can you not love this man, his values, and his perspective.

1955-2008

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of a true American son. We will miss Tony Snow, but we will rest in the assurance of faith and the destiny that waits on the horizon for all who follow Christ.

2008-02-22T15:31:00.004-06:00

If it comes down to rhythm, we conservatives are sunk!

(Of course, my point is that the Presidency is not about being cool. The Presidency is about being an experienced leader. Making tough decisions. And, most importantly, sharing the values of the people who put you into office. My hope is that classic family values will rule out over being able to sport a handsome pose. We'll see.)

2008-02-22T08:38:00.001-06:00

The Leader of the Free World Cuts a Rug...Sorta

(I'm glad dancing isn't at the top of the resume! And, I know some will say that speaking well, having an IQ above that of an earth worm, etc. obviously isn't either. I get tired of those personal attacks. They don't serve a good purpse. I know he has issues, but frankly I'm thankful that Bush has protected us from more terroristic attacks. I think history will judge him fairly for this great accomplishment. He hasn't been the greatest President, allowing the national debt to balloon to astronomical levels and seeming more reactive than proactive, but he has stood for many of the family values that I hold so close to my heart. I'm glad to see that he can have a little fun while doing our nation's business. We need a little levity in our world!)

2008-02-16T09:32:00.000-06:00

The Failure of American Education, Pop-History, and Theological Ignorance on Display

2008-02-09T10:02:00.001-06:00

Beyond Cosmic Genie

I don't have time to explore it here, but for those of you looking for a great book on finding God's will, this is imminently practical. This book goes beyond the ticker-tape parade version of finding God's will. It is a meat and potatoes version of how to look into the heart of God and find out what he wants for our lives.

2008-02-01T09:21:00.000-06:00

News Flash Satan, Snow in the Forecast

For those of you who are political junkies like me, this video is an amazing testimony to just how unique, bizarre, and absolutely captivating this presidential cycle has become. Old-school conservatives are trying to wrap their heads around how the GOP could possibly be on the verge of nominating a candidate who reportedly almost left the party just a few years back. And in their quest for understanding, they are going to remarkable extremes to make their point (Thanks, Ann. That was delicious!).

This stuff is just beyond attention grabbing. It's mesmerizing. If you love to watch, read, and think about politics and the sophisticate sub-textual games that being played on so many different levels, this is a year where you can barely contain yourself. It's just too good to be true (Or, downright scary, as the case may be).

On the other hand, if you're an idealist who believes that these choices are even slimly joined to the sound bites that you are hearing across cable-land and in the blogosphere, perhaps one day you'll join me in the land of distant, semi-objective observation -- a land where you can work for the best, but where you can also understand the thinly veiled facade of the worst.

2008-01-19T07:38:00.000-06:00

WOW!

What was in that box? Never mind. I'm pretty sure I don't want to know. FUNNY STUFF!

2008-01-04T16:44:00.000-06:00

A Conversation about the Emerging Conversation

A close friend of mine recently offered some important comments regarding my last post. Jeff is an exceptional thinker. I thank him for his incisive critique and encouraging words.

I sincerely appreciate him taking the time to interact with the ideas that I articulated. And I am most grateful for the work of God in my life as I have grappled with these ideas and have formulated what I hope is a God honoring response.

I thought it was easiest to simply make a new post rather than to try to put such a large volume of text in the comments section. So, here goes with Jeff's comments in blue font and mine in black:

“I have personally been greatly blessed by the material being published by emerging church leaders.”

Like you, I appreciate much of the fresh fruit being offered on the table of ideas in the Christian community. I’m especially grateful for the way that their work has turned our attention the application of God’s word. To be sure, I spent a large chunk of the summer enjoying the challenges that came with readings from thinkers who were shaking the bushes and calling believers to get out of our church buildings and put meat on the bones of our belief-system.

At the same time, however, I think that at least some emerging thinkers have become intoxicated with relevancy and in a few instances have espoused heresy. This doesn't mean that the movement is totally bankrupt but it does mean that some of its leaders are crossing the line into erroneous theology.

"Even among those who seem to be flirting with universalism, I doubt you will find anyone who would claim "that Jesus did not draw clear, distinguishable, and sometimes even hard to digest lines in the sand for believers and unbelievers alike." I have found that these writers simply emphasize different lines -- ones related to our behavior within this life which are often even more difficult to digest than the ones focused on the after-life."

You make a valuable point, but let me clarify mine a little bit. My “lines in the sand” comment was made in the context of the heresy of Universalism not in the context of one’s daily walk. You’re right to observe that the vast majority of emerging thinkers often put their foot down about behavioral issues. But, there are some of the same thinkers who refuse to allow Jesus to put his foot down about the exclusivity of his message.

So, yes, I agree with you that the emerging conversation has done a wonderful job helping believers live out their faith. But, I would hasten to ask what faith are we being urged to live out? The one for which Jesus died or a Universalistic faith that ducks the Cross and one's response to it. This is still rare but we must keep our eyes open to its occurrence. After all,not a few world religions have drawn hard lines on behaving rightly, but only one Faith has laid out the exclusive claims of Christ as Savior and Lord.

"I would be one in the camp that thinks the evangelical doctrine of hell as eternal, conscious torment could use some re-examination. I haven't personally done this re-examination (although its high on my list of things to study). It just seems to me like harmonizing this doctrine of hell with the picture that the Bible paints of God requires quite a bit of "semantical gymnastics" itself."

I value your insight about this issue, but I’m prone to gently disagree. In regard to hell, many Christians may quibble over an unknowable issue like whether or not the flames of hell are literal or figurative. Even so, I would hazard a guess that for the bulk of history believers of many stripes -- not just evangelicals -- have believed that hell is a conscious, eternal, and painful experience.

I would hasten to offer a further opinion. Namely, I’m not so sure that it is our task to be able to reconcile what the Bible says about God and what it says about hell. There are many paradoxical ideas held in tension in the Bible. God is love and operates from a stance of mercy and grace through the atoning work of Christ. At the same time, hell is a foreboding, eternal existence. I’m not so sure we can completely harmonize these two issues.

In fact, sometimes I think that we fail to fully understand Scripture because we try to reconcile all the issues that don’t make sense to us. We can’t simply say, God is love and thus He would never punish someone eternally. This isn’t good interpretation. I can’t explain the Trinity. I don’t know how the Holy Spirit leads me into deeper love of my Christian family and the lost. I don’t know how Christ can be Man and God. But, that doesn’t mean that the theology of these issues needs to be reworked simply because they are confusing.

At the same time, I’m not the least bit troubled that you or anyone else would examine this issue with a fresh perspective. I believe that Scripture has stood the test of time and that genuine, bright, and probing minds benefit greatly by journeying through its vast, wonderful theological forests time and time again. It’s only when people stop studying and following the Bible that I get alarmed.

"Our traditional approach to preaching is a frequent object of criticism for emerging leaders. They might respond to your question by asking, "When did God every call us to preach these kinds of sermons in the first place?" While I see a valuable place for sermons in Christianity, I also see the point that these critics make. Sermons like you and I preach are found at best rarely in Scripture, perhaps not at all (depending on how you read a few passages), yet we have made them the central feature of our Christian experience.

No one would advocate turning to "semantical gymnastics" as an alternative to preaching. In fact, much of the criticism of modern preaching stems from the fact that it provides an extremely convenient forum for "semantical gymnastics."

My comment about "sensible sermons" and "semantical gymnastics" was made in the context of hell and what I perceive as an insidious attempt at revisionism. I think that there is a landslide away from Word-centered, systematic exposition towards person-centered, storytelling. I hasten to add that I am not in the least against stories as a medium for communicating the truths of Scripture. My favorite expositors are master story-tellers. At the end of the day, however, the story must be at the mercy of the text and not the text at the mercy of the story. That is, I believe in sensible, expositional preaching not because it is a form that resonated with modernistic thinkers, but because it is rooted in the belief that the Scripture is God’s infallible story that fully communicates the truth of our very fallible existence (I don't want to expand this out too much, but I think this form of preaching has roots in the very ministry of Jesus and the Apostles and is not simply an accretion of the modern culture).

Trust me. I don’t think all emerging thinkers are put out with Scripture. Rather, I think many of them are put out with the tepid Reader’s Digest “sharing” and the arrogant and mean-spirited politicking that has been pawned of on the populace for the past two or three generations.

As such, in context I was pining for the masses who have rejected the very real nature of hell because they’ve missed a healthy diet of Scripture and have either been fattened up on a market-driven, neon-sign version of the Faith or have been starved to death by pulpits full of hateful opinions but devoid of true “sense”-ible explanations of Scripture.

Additionally, you’ve rightly recognized that no one would advocate semantical gymnastics as an alternative to preaching. I fully recognize that they wouldn’t advocate it. My point, however, is not that they advocate it but that they are practicing it. I’m not accusing them of deceit, but I am saying that many of them are sloppy with their theology, putting a lot of emphasis on word games and rhetoric and not much on the clear meaning of the passages that they use to launch their sortie of stories.

Moreover, in my estimation, the fact that the word of God has been central in the public worship is not a bad thing. Worship is primarily about the glory of God and not the placating of people. And God is glorified when people know who He is and respond to Him from that foundation. This cannot happen effectively without the unfolding of the Scripture.

First century church leaders were urged to give close attention to the public reading and explanation of scripture in their worship settings. In a very real sense, without the voice of God, there is no worship. People can pile into buildings all the day long and do all manner of things in the name of worship, but unless they spend time hearing from God, they will be left without a clear sense of who He is, what He does, what He loves, what He expects, etc. It is no accident that the church has historically put a high premium on the ministry of the Word. For hundreds and hundreds of years people have gathered around the word. It’s only after we've engaged with God that we can truly engage with others.

Finally, on this point, I agree wholeheartedly that many forms of preaching lend themselves to getting off track and just bandying about (and sadly I’ve engaged in it myself – every preacher has). Even so, I passionately disagree with your statement that “Sermons like you and I preach are found at best rarely in Scripture, perhaps not at all (depending on how you read a few passages).” This is just not accurate in my view. I think I know what you mean. Namely, Paul did not take Psalm 1 and do a three point outline with a poem and three alliterated points. On that, I agree. But, the reality is that Jesus, Paul, Peter, and others took passages from their Bibles, read them aloud, and gave the meaning of the passages. This has been done for centuries – from the very foundations of the Christian church. Biblical preaching is not a new thing. It is not an evangelical construct. I think both Scripture and history attest to this.

Now, systematic, exposition is not what I grew up hearing or seeing, but over the past decade it is what I have been wonderfully blessed to learn about. I’ve been so tremendously helped by those who have given their lives to the systematic, exposition of Scripture and who have written and spoken to others who desire to take God at his word and faithfully communicate it to others. Taking a book, passage, topic, etc. and allowing the Bible to explain itself through God’s called minister is the least likely way of getting away from the sense and sensibility of the revealed message of Christ. Sure, all of this has to be filtered through the person. And many of us do a poor job, but even the poorest expositor who loves the Bible and desperately wants to communicate God’s will is more valuable in Kingdom expansion than someone who believes that Scripture is simply a human-centered, faulty cheerleading manual.

Are there dangers of “semantical gymnastics” in every form of preaching? Sure. People are involved, so it is a fallible practice. So, it comes down to the issue of whether the person is truly called of God to do what he is doing, is spending adequate time in prayer, is humbly led by the Spirit, is spending the appropriate time in preparation, and is willing to put God in front of self and others.

Lot’s of guys are going around saying things like, “Jesus never preached in any way other than telling stories.” This is just profoundly mistaken and off-base. At the end of the day, it’s just inaccurate to suggest that Jesus only told stories in his ministry and that those who try to actually communicate what the Bible says are missing the Jesus way. Such is just not rooted in reality.

Some argue that traditional preaching styles are not relevant. I disagree. Even if it wasn’t relevant it wouldn’t make it wrong. At some point believers have to get their moistened fingers out of the air and be concerned with what God thinks is relevant and not so much what hip, trendy Americans think is relevant.

Are we to slam the door on the lost because we refuse to communicate on their level? We would be fools if we did. But what are we to communicate on their level? I remain convinced that we must communicate the revealed message of Scripture and that the most effective way for doing that is in the way that the text presents itself. We should use every advantage of communication possible, but we should never for one moment allow the caboose of illustration to replace the engine of revelation.

"Viewing Scripture as but one voice among many is not such an outlandish idea. In fact, it is a very ancient view as Christianity's most ancient denominations have always recognized at least three sources of authority: scripture, history/tradition, and experience.

I'm not comfortable with placing these three sources on equal footing. However, I think that a strict understanding of sola scriptura unnecessarily limits us to one avenue revelation when God has provided others. I would probably come closest to advocating prima scriptura. I think God reveals himself and his will in many ways, but has given us the scriptures to be the loudest of the voices in his revelatory chorus."

I respect your views about prima and sola scriptura, but I see it a bit differently. I believe that Scripture is the sole, infallible revelation of God’s will and authority. Certainly God has worked through the community of faith and has used history, experience, the created order, etc. to work his will in the world. But working one’s will and communicating one's will are two different things. Millions can watch Tiger Woods skillfully interact with the treacherous fairways and fast-paced greens of Augusta, but until Tiger offers words about his play, commentators and spectators alike don’t truly know what was going on in his mind. And, if Tiger were to sit down and have a conversation with several other folks – reporters and such – would their conversation about his words be as definitive as his words? Would one have the gall to say, “I hear what you're telling us about your ideas, Tiger, but I really think you’ve not a clue what you getting on about. What you really mean is...” No. When a person speaks, they know the meaning of their ideas better than the interpreter of their ideas. And, since God is the one speaking in Scripture, it will not do to say that His voice is but one voice among many.

If I understand the issue, prima scriptura allows that Scripture takes a primary – but not sole role – in revealing the will of God. At the end of the day, I believe it is Scripture – and Scripture alone – which provides us with the inerrant will of God – his very words. As such, I do not believe that God simply blessed Scripture with a more robust voice. I believe that Scripture is His voice – and the only infallible one.

I hasten to add and admit that interpretation is a fallible endeavor and that we often fail to interpret Scripture correctly. Just because I believe in the infallibility of Scripture does not mean that I am infallible in deriving meaning from it. We don’t always understand God’s voice the same, but this does not implicate the nature of Scripture, it simply points to the issue of our falleness. We might not understand perfectly, but God certainly communicated perfectly, finally, and fully.

"I have mixed views of what I hear coming from some Christian leaders about homosexuality. On the one hand, I think it is entirely appropriate that we take this expression of human brokenness off of its pedestal as the most egregious of all sins. Indeed, the vitriol that Christians have displayed in relation to this behavior has damaged the integrity of our message in tremendous ways.

On the other hand, when Christian leaders remove from discussions of homosexuality any connection with sin, they have clearly abandoned the explicit teaching of Scripture."

As I noted in my post and as you clearly observed, this is a difficult issue. We dare not brush it aside with any simplistic, pompous declarations. I fully agree that some have shamefully hated the sinner and not just the sin. There is no place in the Christian world-view for being hateful towards those whom God wants to redeem. We believers – all once dead in our sins – should recognize that we are all fallen people and are in need of Christ’s atoning sacrifice and God’s abiding grace. We’re foolish if we expect the world to act saved and we’re cruel if we bedevil them with hate instead of truth along the way. Surely, our task is to be reconciling agents, to be a conduit for the redeeming, regenerative message of Christ.

It’s interesting that you say that some have clearly abandoned the explicit teaching of Scripture on the issue of homosexuality. Some would disagree with you and would call you a bigot for taking such a hard line about sin. In their view, you have allowed Scripture to have too much of a voice and have not allowed the conversation to be attenuated by the stories of those involved in the so called "sin." But, both of us know that this is entirely inaccurate. You are very concerned and extremely attuned to the realities of the issue.

That’s all I was getting at. Scripture speaks clearly about this issue and some thinkers in the emerging conversation refuse to allow it to speak, saying that it should take a seat and wait its turn. This approach may keep some from being offended, but it's wrong.

"While I agree with you that some points made by emerging writers are points that I find objectionable, I assume that they have taken these views out of a sincere desire to please God and serve him effectively in a changing culture. And the bravery that it takes to voice some of their legit criticism of the religious establishment is evidence to me that they are doing it from a place of sincerity. I disagree with some of John MacArthur's positions, but I don't believe he's "sold out" to anything but Christ. I give Brian McLaren the same courtesy.

I am greatly encouraged by the open-mindedness and brave spirit of inquiry present within the emerging church. While you and I can spend all day criticing various theological positions taken by its leaders, my view of issues has, without exception, been broadened by reading their writings. I don't always agree, but Christian communion isn't about agreement anyway. The "emerging conversation" is not a church or a denomination, but a conversation that, like all conversations, is progressive, ever-changing, and full of the need for clarification and re-statement as the edges are smoothed."

Please be assured that my comment about “selling out” was made in the context of the issue of relevance. This was meant as a personal opinion about the few and not as a personal attack against the many. I truly believe that some – unwittingly – are selling out the truth because they’ve become intoxicated with being relevant. I say unwittingly, because – like you – I’m not questioning their sincerity. But, while I don’t question their sincerity, I do believe it is helpful and right to critique those who espouse heresy (and some – just like in the evangelical world – are espousing beliefs that are incongruent with the essentials of biblical Christianity).

Like you, I’ve been helped by much of what I have read from the emerging church conversation and would never suggest that we all have to toe the exact same line to be in communion with many in the movement. Even so, I would disagree with you slightly about Christian communion. At the core, Christian communion is most definitely about agreement. There are certain “musts” in the Christian faith. Sure, there are probably far fewer of these than many assert, but to be sure there must be agreement on the essentials if there is to be true communion. When these essentials are jettisoned, the spirit of bravery simply gives way to a spirit of heresy.

2007-12-28T13:12:00.000-06:00

Down But Not Out

For the last few days I've been at home sick. But, what I've realized is that I love being sick! Well, let me reframe that a bit. I love the good things that God sends my way when I'm at home sick.

At this point, you might think I'm writing this entry from a padded cell somewhere. I assure you, I'm functioning okay from the brain stem up.

So while my body has been uncooperative, here's what I've been doing with my mind.

First, I've been watching and listening to a lot of sermons. I'm so thankful for the work -- and its ubiquitous availability -- of so many great lovers of God. I must have interacted with and received much light from no less than a dozen or more sermons by respected expositors the likes of D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, Alistair Begg, John Piper, and John MacArthur.

To these sermons, I've been able to take in countless lines of text and a fair amount of bandwidth from a broad spectrum of Christian and "post-Christian" thought. I've sifted through some of the more edgy and perhaps even heretical ideas of the far left wing of the Emergent Church. I was especially troubled by the seemingly repackaged Universalism espoused by many of the post-this and post-that thinkers. How can anyone really believe in their heart of hearts that Jesus did not draw clear, distinguishable, and sometimes even hard to digest lines in the sand for believers and unbelievers alike.

I listened to one prominent Emergent leader skirt the issue of hell and ultimately declare that judgment wasn't really judgment at all. Rather, judgment was merely an interaction with Jesus and that believer and unbeliever alike will experience the same ever-after experience. Are we now to believe that God has called us to quit preaching sensible sermons and start expounding semantical gymnastics.

I was most appalled when the same pastor declared that the place of Scripture in a conversation about homosexuality is not to direct the conversation. Rather, Scripture simply sits in on the conversation on an equal standing as all the other people in the conversation. With all due respect, this man has stopped thinking biblically. The issue of homosexuality is a difficult one, but in an attempt to connect with the culture, this pastor has apparently disconnected himself from the very words of the God whom he claims to be incarnating to the world. "Being" Jesus in the world is not being the Jesus you want to be. Rather, it is being the Jesus whom God has revealed in His word. This is the message of Scripture.

And on the topic of Scripture and the Gospel, I surfaced some really important work being done by a new organization of Reformed pastors, The Gospel Coalition. While this group is newly formed, already they have a great deal of very good material on their site. Their passion for and communication of the historic, relevant Gospel is refreshing.

Finally, I've been able to spend some time listening to one of the recognizably conservative voices in the emerging church movement, Mark Driscoll. It was a great boon to me to see that there are prominent leaders in the missional movement who are unashamed of Sola Scriptura and the clear, systematic exposition of the word of God. In fact, I was so excited to see that Driscoll and Mars Hill hosted the Truth for Life radio program in inviting Alistair Begg to explicate 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 in a sermon entitled The Power of the Cross. Alistair's approach to Scripture helped me immensely in a really important, formative time in my life and I swell with anticipation and appreciation as I think about emerging churches who are balanced -- churches that have love and space for the ancient practice of systematic exposition of the Scripture and churches that have love and space for taking the truths gleaned thereby and putting them into practice in the real world.

On that note, one emergent thinker I read from talked about the origin of the term "emergent." He cleverly connected the term emergent with the agricultural domain. To wit, emergent growth is that which is coming forth under the canopy of old, naturally fading forests. Emergent growth replenishes the forest. I like that metaphor, but let me add my own reflection and extend the analogy.

To be sure, while old, historic trees must all eventually pass away and give way to the new growth, there is a very real sense in which the new growth may never reach the heights of the present forest unless it has a root structure that is capable of growth and able to sustain reproduction. My sense is that many emergent thinkers have unwittingly fostered a system that is explosive in its short-term impact, but that may lack the rugged, sustaining root system of truth. Obviously, this is not true of many emerging thinkers (as noted above), but it certainly is the case for some. I hasten to suggest that at the end of the day we are not called to sell out Jesus for relevance -- this provides fruit but no root. Rather, we are called to be relevant by selling out to Jesus -- thus providing the root and the fruit.

So, over the last few days I've been a real mess physically. Spiritually, however, it has been a joy ride like no other. I'll be glad to be over the yuckies, but I'll hold fast the many lessons that I've learned over these several days. So, until the next rogue wave of bacteria comes my way, I'm signing off.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

2007-08-02T01:05:00.000-05:00

A Great Site for Your Mind

Those of you with a sweet tooth for theology will find this site to offer the daintiest of morsels. Do yourself a favor and visit this site.

2007-07-28T19:21:00.001-05:00

A Passion for the Mission of Christ

2007-07-24T22:06:00.001-05:00

If you like The Office (especially the British version), The Church Office is absolutely spot on! This is incredibly funny, insightful, and dare I say "cool."

Thank you, Jeff, for putting me on to this.

2007-07-10T23:29:00.001-05:00

2007-07-01T07:45:00.000-05:00

Vacation -- Day One: The Take Off

For your comedic pleasure, Southwest Airlines snapped this picture of me right as we were taking off yesterday. Needless to say, I was a bit, ummh...what's the words men use for scared...oh yes, "concerned." I was concerned as our plane rocketed down the runway and bolted into the air. That leather seat never had such a firm embrace in all of its life. And, poor seatbelt -- poor, poor seatbelt.

I guess you can tell everything went okay on the flight. That is unless they have blogging in Heaven. No, I just looked out the window and we aren't in Heaven, just Baltimore.

Thanks for your prayers for safety. I'll need them again real soon!

2007-06-29T19:18:00.000-05:00

Out to Lunch...In Colonial Williamsburg

I love vacations. Most do. Our hearts have long had an insatiatiable appetite for all things Rocky Mountains. We spent our honeymoon there almost 11 years ago and have made the trek back on numerous occasions since. And, if there would have been an opening in a timeshare up there, we likely would have been spending another Griswoldesque family vacation in Texas' back lawn -- Colorado.

Instead, tomorrow we're abandoning tradition and going headlong into the heart of American history. We'll land in Baltimore. Skip through D.C. and come to rest in Colonial Williamsburg. The 4th of July in one of the most historic places in American, what could be more quaint. Don't answer that.

Anyway, perhaps I will have the opportunity to do a little vacation blogging, but if not, I will certainly be taking some photos to use later. Check back and see what antics the Singleton's have gotten themselves into in heart of the nation's historical district.

Those of you who've been to D.C., Williamsburg, etc. give us your top 2 must sees and perhaps you can help provide us with a bit of an itinerary. Thanks!

2007-06-12T21:50:00.001-05:00

Tales Tears Tell

You learn more at a funeral than at a feast—After all, that's where we'll end up. (Ecclesiastes 7:2, The Message).

Funerals. Each culture has it's own way to turn the final page on the story of one's life. Though our culture is changing rapidly, in America we typically gather for what amounts to a worship service -- albeit a worship service with a deceased person as the guest of honor. In these times of worship, God often teaches us lessons that we would otherwise refuse to learn.

As a pastor, I've been called upon to be the spiritual guide for dozens of people struggling to make it through the difficult transition of grieving the loss of a loved one. I've preached a score of funerals. And, being a very emotional person, I often find myself as tear-soaked as the family by the time I finish publicly offering reassurance, encouragement, or comfort to people struggling with perhaps the deepest emotions that they will ever experience.

So, I'm used to funerals. But, God still reserves the right to use the usual to teach us. He certainly did that for me today.

Today, I attended the funeral service for the father of a friend, a pastor himself. I've already reminded you that I'm a sucker for tear jerking moments, but today was especially moving for me.

The man being honored left such a lasting legacy with his family that there was no denying his fatherly influence, his leadership, and love. I couldn't help but to think about my own calling as a husband and father. Time and again, God used this experience today to teach me about me. He graciously let me sip from the depths of his wisdom about relationships, about time, and about meaning.

Over and over, I kept thinking how important it was for me to be at this funeral -- not to support the family, not to show respect, not to do the culturally appropriate thing -- but just how important it was for me to be there because God had work to do in my heart there.

I reflected more than once during the service and several times since then about how the Spirit had led the writer of Ecclesiastes to the compelling conclusion: "It's more meaningful to share in the pining, introspective quest of the bereaved than it is to experience the robust conviviality of the entertained."

Don't misunderstand. God loves a good party. Jesus' own miraculous entrée grande happened at a wedding feast. Feasts often found their way into Jesus' bulging calendar. In fact, much of his ministry was done around tables wasn't it.

God works in both venues -- the den full of excited buddies pawing their favorite beverage and the foyer full of friends rummaging around in their enfeebled vocabularies, trying to put meaningful words of consolation together in a coherent sentence of comfort. God works at feasts and God works at funerals. But, even though God works in the bustling coffee shop and the musty funeral parlor, one can understand why the argument could be made that sometimes more can be gained at a funeral than at a feast. Jesus seems to support this point.

Jesus' did his most memorable work among the devastated, the dying, and the dead. He spoke intimate words of forgiveness to a woman targeted by merciless hypocrites who were poised to crush her soul with hate and crush her body with stones. Jesus sensitively touched the broken, diseased bodies of the beggars in the streets. He even vanquished death's fleshly assault on a friend with a thunderous appeal: "Lazarus come out." And, in the most important event in human history, Jesus, having borne the weight of our sins, having suffered the agony of our death, and having experienced the darkness of our grave, invited us to participate in the cosmic, eternal story of his resurrection. All these were occasions surrounded by the dirge, not the dance.

As I continue, let me let you in on a little secret. I fear death. I know I shouldn't. I know I'm saved. I know I've been justified by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. I know I'm being sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit. And I know that one day I will be glorified through the Sovereign, consummative work of the Father. But, even knowing this, I cannot bear to think about dying. So I don't. I don't think about dying. But God knows that contemplating death is important soul-work. So, he calls us to the house of mourning. He instructs our spirits there. He whispers to our hearts in the experience of a funeral. He did just that for me today, and I want to share just two of the humbling lessons that he laid on my heart today:

1) The time is now. Tolstoy's Three Questions leaves the reader with the challenge of recognizing that the most important time of your life is "now." The reality of death makes life so much more meaningful, urgent, and valuable. Today, the mourners at the funeral reflected on the "good times" that they had spent with their friend, their father, their papaw, and their hero. Seeing the value that this family put on this man's time with them caused me to leave there today knowing that my time is more important than I've ever imagined it to be.

Bear with me as I illustrate this point:

In America we've been conditioned to think of ourselves in terms of activities instead of relationships. You meet someone new. What do you ask them? The old stand by: "What do you do?" And the answer is usually framed in terms of their occupation. I'm a doctor. I sell pizza at the food court in the mall. I'm a stay-at-home mom looking to reconnect with my previous law practice. You get the idea. We are activity driven.

In fact, we are so conditioned to think like this about our lives that when someone asks a relational question of us, we tend to be a little stumped. Just this past Sunday I was chatting with another Christ-follower who engaged me with a great question: "So, tell me about yourself. What's your story?" It was refreshing, invigorating, and a bit scary.

Internally, I was experiencing something along these lines: "Woe...hold on...I expected the easy pitch, and I got the curve ball." I expected "what do you do?" I got, "who are you?" I expected another run of the mill conversation about what I spent my time doing. I got a fascinating opportunity to stretch my relational muscles and share who I spent my time being.

Again, the time is now. My time is not about what I do. My time is about who I am. I am a husband. I have a limited time to be that husband. I have to make the most of it. Since the time is now, I have to engage the relationship. I have to fan the flames of shared experience. I have to cross the Rubicon of forgiveness. I have to wade into the deep waters of service. I have to do the difficult work of saying no to doing other things so that I can say yes to being in relationship with my wife.

So, initially, God taught me that the time is now. But, he wasn't finished there.

2) Love outlasts failure. Holding back rivulets of emotion while stealthily wiping away the evidence of feelings that refused to be restrained, I faced, tearfully, the reaffirmation of Paul's promise: "love never fails."

I've messed up so many times in my life. God only knows the hills of selfishness, excess, anger, pride, and petulance that I've been willing to stumble over -- all of which pale when seen next to God's mountainous mercy and grace. If only I would have been looking up to him, I would have seen the Son and sidestepped the unlovely sorrow.

Like you, however, I'm a failure. Not a failure in the pejorative sense. A failure in the theological, anthropological sense. I'm a fallen creature who does fallen things. Even so, God loves me. Even so, my wife loves me. Even so, my children love me. Even so, my parents love me. Even so, my friends love me (ahem...you do love me, right? Just checking).

The point is: I'm loved not because I'm lovable. Far from it. I'm loved because of the mystery of love. I'm loved because God causes the human heart to throb with this primal emotional pulse. It's a mystery. It can't be explained. It can only be experienced. In grade school, they told us "love" was an abstract noun. Oh, love is so much more than an abstract noun. Can you imagine a world without love. It would be full of sociopaths. It would be untouched by compassion. The warm rays of service would never thaw the frozen terrain of need.

"Love wins" is how Rob Bell puts it. And, it really does. Love wins out over stupidity. Love wins out over jealousy. Love wins out over lust. Love wins out over rage. Love wins out over procrastination. Love wins out over fear. Love wins out over self-indulgence. LOVE WINS!

This reality grabbed me and would not let go today at the funeral. The man honored was not perfect. He was not a touchy-feely teddy bear. He didn't live life donning kid gloves and sporting a halo. Rather, he was an ordinary man whom God embraced with his extraordinary love. And this love radiated out to others. Today it reached out through the expressions of his family and reminded me just how important it is that love outlasts failure -- my failure and yours.

There's so much more that could be said about what one can learn in the house of mourning. This is but a glimpse at what God spoke into my heart today while I soaked in the lessons that only a funeral could teach.

Like you, I hate funerals. I despise death. But, Oh how gracious God is to take the most emotionally daunting experience of the human condition and turn it into a singularly unique gift to our souls.

"Father, you have exalted your name above all. Magnify that name through us. Teach us to invest our time in relationships, in being with other people, in sharing in the story of life because of the reality of death. Father, your love is too deep for the poet's words, too broad for the painter's canvas, and too expansive for the architect's monument -- only heaven can house its splendor. Father, help us share it while here in time, and Father, let us enter into its fullness there in eternity.

Jesus, you have condescended to enter the depths of humanity so as to be raised again to the heights of divinity. High and lifted up, reign over us, through us, and in us. Lord, expand your Kingdom for your glory. Testify to your saving grace through our transformed lives. May we celebrate the fact that we've participated in your resurrection, but may we not be satisfied with coming out of the grave. Jesus, may we truly live in "new life." Born again, may we, by your leading, pursue life with a passion for you Father's glory.

Holy Spirit, you have come to us with the fire of conviction and with the refreshing wind of consecration. Please forgive us for grieving you. Please help us to obey the Father. Please help us to honor the Son. Thank you for your sanctifying work, for your gentle leading, for your power to translate the stammering syllables of our groaning souls into the eloquent symphonies of heaven's delight. Grant us wisdom. Empower us with strength. Prepare us for victory and hold us accountable for defeat.

And now, to the only God. God of cosmos and creature. God of light and love. God of grace and forgiveness. To the only wise God, be glory, honor, and dominion, both now and forever. Amen"

And, that's what God taught me one day at a funeral!

2007-06-09T18:37:00.001-05:00

No More Monkey Business...Uh, Sorta

First, no this is not a picture of me. Don't say it. Nope, don't even think it. Well, okay, think it but please don't say it.

Now, on to the good stuff.

To my loyal list of readers -- ahum...all three of you -- I am happy to report that I have finally extricated myself from the licensure monkey that has been riding on my back since January of 2006.

Yep. I ecstatically announce that today I reached in the old mailbag (actually a box, of course, but bag sounded better) and I pulled out an envelope. Not just any envelope, mind you. This beige baggy represented 3.5 years of graduate work, 1 year of anxious feet dragging, 1/2 year of on-again-off-again exam prep, 3 hours of mind-numbing testing, and 1 month of eager anticipation. I am now a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. The monkey is off my back. Well...

The monkey is off my back, but now this cute gent has perched himself in the place warmed up by the monkey. He's the 800lb. gorilla that everyone makes a fuss about. No, he is. This is actually the 800lb. gorilla. Okay, I'm just making stuff up. Actually, in my particular case, he's the best thing Google could conjure up to represent my next 18 months of internship. Yep. He'll ride me like a pack mule as I accumulate 3000 hours of counseling (1500 client contact hours and 1500 general hours). Sounds like fun, right.

Actually, it will be fun. Way back in 2002 (seems odd to say way back when your talking about a year in the 21st century, but time is slipping by) uh, where was I. Oh, yes. Way back in 2002, I sensed God calling me to prepare myself for being a better qualified people helper. I had been in pastoral ministry for almost 5 years, but I needed more training in the area of counseling. God paved the pathway for me to join the ranks of the 40,000 other Southwesterners who have trained in various ministry pursuits at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary since 1908. Quite a family!

Along this journey God has helped me tremendously. Wait. "Helped" is such a generic word. Really, He did more than help me. He held my marriage together despite my having engaged the relational autopilot. He taught my kids to love me even when I was typing papers instead of tying shoes. He surrounded me with deep friendships though I often probably seemed a shallow straggler. He called me to a once in a lifetime church, when I might have had my last in a lifetime church experience. He continued to chisel away at the stony, cold places of my heart, knowing that the new man exists in there somewhere (and, while I'm thinking about it, God, chisel away at my physical body too...'cause I just know there's gotta be a Pitt or Clooney in there somewhere). Hey! Don't laugh. I believe in a God who parted the red sea. Surely eradicating a couple of extra chin's shouldn't be a problem. I saw that look. Just stop. You've got your sacrilegious radar turned up a notch or two too high. God likes laughing, especially at me. That is, when He's not shaking His head at my puerile behaviors.

I'm too giddy. I'm getting off track. I need to get back to my story.

Yeah, this internship is going to be fun. Fun. Not in the traditional sense of the word. But, to be sure I am going to embrace this opportunity with optimism. After all, no matter what happens, I know that God will be with me finding ways to bring glory to His name through such a lackluster performer like myself. Oh how good it is to live in in the warming rays of His sovereign grace.

"Father God, thank you for taking me by the hand and walking me to my first day of school at Seminary. Thank you for your daily acts of encouragement. Thank you for answering my prayers. Thank you for protecting my family. Thank you for surrounding me with blessings. Thank you for being you and not allowing me to stay me. Father, I love you. But, I know you loved me first. Use me to help others to know your love, to embrace your Son, and to receive your Spirit. Amen."

p.s., "Father, can't I have a little less heavy gorilla. One I can manage on my own? No, Father, forget I said that. I want people to know that it's not me carrying him...it's You!"

Sorry, if my prayer time sidetracked you there (all three of you). Just felt right. Isn't it amazing the way God works in our lives. What about you all? What has God been doing in your life? Good chance that it might be painful now. It won't last. Grace is just around the bend!

2007-06-01T22:36:00.001-05:00

Meeting God on the Mountain

It's like clockwork. Almost every Saturday around 9:00AM we get together to talk to God. By we I mean the guy you see diving off this big rock in Colorado (Andy) and myself.

Our prayer time is sacred to us. We talk to God in a special way. It's not the standard, aw shucks prayer time that you might expect to hear. It's not staged, trite, or fancy. Rather, it is real, authentic, and robust.

Last time my friend was on the mountain, he didn't yet know me. In fact, though we haven't talked about it, I have a hunch that some of his time with God on the 2005 Wilderness Trek was spent in petitioning God for things that may have eventually caused our paths to cross.

You see, at that time, Andy was one of four elders who were pouring out their hearts to God, seeking direction, guidance, and wisdom as they looked for someone to join the pastoral team, a man who had a passion for communicating the Bible and a man who had a love for ministering to hurting hearts. Humbled and honored, it turns out that I was that man. My heart leaps at the memories. And, my life has been transformed because these leaders were willing to seek God's face, to listen for His leading, and to embrace the calling that He had placed on my life.

But wait; there's more. Since the last Wilderness Trek, Andy has experienced some major family transformations. He's been blessed to see his two son's marry. He's endured the sending of his youngest son to Iraq. And just a few days ago, he's welcomed his first grandchild into the world! And were is this new baby? Colorado, of course. You'll never see a man descend a mountain faster than one who is racing home to see his son's son!

Now, that's a lot of living in two years.

So, I've been thinking about this year's Trek. My prayer partner is leaving tomorrow morning for another compelling wilderness adventure. Once again he'll ascend the mountain. Once again he'll seek God's face. Once again God will have prepared a great journey. And once again a future of great things will peek above the horizon, inviting the embrace of the present. What a great time to be a friend of God! What a great time to be a friend of a friend of God.

Needless to say, I'll miss our prayer time the next two weeks, but rest assured, there will be prayer. And, Andy, my prayer is this: that God will send you back with a heart full of fresh expressions of love, with a soul on fire for Kingdom expansion, with a mind poised for sharing the Spirit's illumination, with a body strengthened to the task of service, and with a spirit bursting at the seams with worship for the One who creates His mountains and helps us conquer our own.

Lord, give us this mountain!

Blessings to the Pond Springs 2007 Trekkers. May your experience be one of boundless celebration of the majesty of our King.

2007-05-27T08:38:00.000-05:00

My Thirst, His Filling

Last night was an incredible time of just listening to God. In the morning, a friend and I were fervently praying that we would be sensitive to His voice, His wisdom, and His guidance. Little did I know that our prayer would come to fruition so quickly. Thank you Father. How gracious and kind you are!

So, what did He do?

Last night, out of nowhere, I followed up on an intriguing article that I had seen earlier in the week -- a survey of the 50 most influential churches in America. Many of them I knew. A few were entirely new to me. Several of them provided me with a few hours of devotional material. I was thirsty, God's Spirit moved to fill me, and I drank and drank.

Life Church was one of the new ones to me. I was moved by the way that they are taking Jesus into cyberspace. As many of you probably know, there is a place called "second life" on the web. Like the real world, this virtual world is a mish-mash of the human condition. Much of the terrain there is innocuous, other places insidious. Life Church is one of many "churches" trying to establish residence in this virtual world. And lest you think it sounds like child's play, go to the Life Church website and follow their link to an NBC Nightly News story about their intriguing outreach to cyber-church attendees.

Another place I paused at for a while was Mars Hill -- no, not the one in Athens -- the one in Grand Rapids. I listened to Rob Bell during a Q & A session for the believers gathered at Mars Hill. It was so fascinating to hear how God is leading the people of Mars Hill to serve Christ in an authentic, transparent way [XYZ]. I was moved in my spirit by the way that their church is striving to rise above labels, factions, parties, and the like. God truly seems to be using that place for a special purpose in our ever flattening world.

Finally, I met with God in 2 Tim. 4:1-5. What a great text! As I thought about it's meaning and significance across the span of history, it took on new power as our church was preparing to offer our blessings and farewells to one of our own who had been called to a ministry opportunity in another church family.

In these lines of pastoral guidance, Paul outlines the charge with which all Kingdom servants must wrestle. There are in this text four dynamic aspects of our charge:

1) The Source of Our Charge [vs.1]
2) The Soul of Our Charge [vs.2]
3) The Seriousness of Our Charge [vs.3-4]
4) The Sacredness of Our Charge [vs.5].

As God challenged me in preparing to deliver these points to the church, I just sat there amazed at how God had used the evening to fill my thirsty spirit with His forever full Spirit. He used men who had answered the charge to fill me. And full of Him, he allowed me to serve Him by sharing that message with others who were embarking upon their charge to serve God in compelling, refreshing ways. For that moment in time, it was all about the charge -- all about the calling of God!

Truly, God has done all things well. May His name be praised. He is exalted. He is high and lifted up. Reign in us O God. Hear our prayers and direct our steps! For Your glory.

2007-04-10T18:50:00.000-05:00

Rioting in the Streets

I'm not exactly sure, but I think this is a picture of all my friends and family who took to the streets in riotous celebration after I finally got the nerve to take my NCE exam (as you can tell by the staggering number of banners, I did find a way to pass).

I've done a little research and I think this is a rough translation of the banners you all toted into the cheering crowds: "It's about time dufus. I was getting so tire of hearing you whine about that infernal test!"

All humor aside, I do want to say THANK YOU! to every single person who prayed for me, listened to me moan and groan, offered me advice, believed in me, and finally to the Academy...just kidding (and I said all humor was going to be put aside, oops).

Well, now starts the real work. I finally get to remove my nose from piles and piles of theoretical books and actually take my calling on the road. As time goes on, the clients that God brings my way, the families that He chooses to impact through me, and the lives that are enriched by His gracious work will experience the fruit of your love, encouragement, and prayers. You will always be a special part of this journey!

I am blessed to be a part of your lives and I hope that you will always feel the same about me as well. May God's grace, favor, and glory always be in the spotlight of my ministry and yours.

Blessings,
Richard

2007-03-10T08:41:00.000-06:00

ON ASSIGNMENT

For the one or two people who peek in every now and again to see what's up in my life, you may be wondering if I'm still alive or prepared to push up daisies.

I assure you I'm still here. I'm preparing for my board examination for counseling license and have been subterranean for the last month or so.

My test is April 9th. After that hopefully I will be able to read something interesting, write something new, or even think about something other than the volumes of theory, statistics, etc. that I've been scrounging through.

See ya soon. Hopefully, with a new license in tow.

2007-02-02T20:37:00.000-06:00

What in the World is Your View of the World

This weekend we are in San Antonio for the Truth Project conference.

In a world full of views, many rarely take the opportunity to think holistically about life. And, who can blame them. As Nancy Pearcey argues in Total Truth, we in western culture have been shaped to think dualistically. In practice then, Christianity rarely informs our "secular" lives and our "secular" lives rarely inform our Christianity.

Consequently, we seem forever in a tug of war between the good and the bad, truth and fiction, what is holy and what is profane. Such a bifurcated view, however, is more a matter of extremism than it is a matter of reality.

Thankfully, more and more, believers are diving into life, fully exploring the way Christianity shapes every aspect of their lives and fully appreciating the affect that life has on Christianity. And even saying it this way is somewhat inorganic, really. But, it is a start.

In the Christian world some have chosen to explain this in terms of a missional view of life. That is to say, every activity -- of the church in general and the believer in particular -- is positioned as an authentic expression of the centrality of Christ in the world. Hence, our trip to San Antonio this week. We are here on a purposeful assignment. As pastoral leaders in the local church, we have come here to absorb a fresh perspective on developing and deploying a robust Christian worldview. We have not come to learn gimmicks, programs, or formulas. Rather, we have come to allow the Holy Spirit to renew the spirit of Christ within our hearts. We have come to hear the way God is working in the lives of other Christ-followers. We have come to learn strategies to reach seekers with the live transforming message of the story of Jesus. No, really -- the life transforming message. From a Christian worldview perspective, this is not just preacher talk. Rather, it is a way that says that every aspect of our lives is shaped by redeeming grace.

Every part? Yes, every part. Our artistic lives. Our realistic lives. Our sexual lives. Our relational lives. The way we read the headlines. The way we think about sports. The way we engage in evangelism. In the early part of the last century, Christianity was often known best for what it was against. Now, we have come full circle and realize that the church is not a platform for railing against culture, society, and those who don't quite fit. Indeed, we have come to realize that Christ came to redeem every aspect of our natures. He came to liberate us to fully enjoy who we are as human beings -- beings with bodies and souls, beings with capacies to experience life and its fullness. He came to help us live truly harmonious, congruent, integrated lives.

So, tomorrow the conference begins. Hopefully, I'll have the energy to have something more to add. Stay tuned.

2007-01-29T19:39:00.000-06:00

Thank You Mac!

First, let me say that if I had the dough I’d probably be out buying a Mac just because of their gutsy, super connective commercials. Don’t you love the one where PC is dressed up in the hospital gown getting ready for an upgrade.

But, on to the point, and as if I needed more persuasion, some creatively brilliant believer out there has produced some hilarious and hefty vids based on the PC vs. Mac commercials. If you’re someone who desperately longs for authenticity in relationship with Jesus, this video just says it all.

You can bet I’ll be sharing this with my church real soon. Thankfully, it’s bursting at the seams with Christ-followers. Gotta love it!

2007-01-28T16:34:00.000-06:00

Pray Me Home

Back in High School (an ever widening memory gap is starting to emerge here) I remember off-season football practices where we spent a lot of time testing the capacities of the human anatomy. At least it seemed that way. For whatever reason, I remember the grueling laps around the track. It was especially difficult in the winter. At times you would round the last corner of the track, lungs seemingly ready to explode, legs aching with heaviness, and vision bouncing all around trying to laser in on the finish line but inevitably become a bit blurry and detached.

And at just the moment you would feel as if this stride would be the absolute last one, a friend would shout: “come on, man, suck it up, you can do this. PUSH IT! GO! GO! GO!” And, of course, almost without exception these words of exhortation would amp up the intensity a bit, would help you squeeze out a little more energy from somewhere deep within the boiler room of the body.

Well, I'm going to make this simple. In a few weeks, I’m going to attempt the NCE exam (a national exam that Texas uses for its barrier exam for professional counselors). This is the first step in taking my counseling degree to the level of professional licensure.

Usually, undeterred by tests, this time I’m freaking out a little bit. In the past, I’ve had the luxury of time. Studying for tests was easy. I could pick the day, set aside everything else, and just veg out on a text book, notes, etc. Things aren’t that uncomplicated now. I’m working a full-time Case Management job. I’m engaged in a Preaching/Teaching Ministry at my local church. And, most importantly, I have a family with ever increasing interpersonal needs that I dare not neglect.

In short, life is squeezing my emotional lungs to the point of exhaustion. My spiritual legs are becoming heavy with the weight of life. And the vision of my soul is somewhat blurred as the finish line seems to move farther and father away with my every stride.

That’s where you come in. I’m on the home stretch. If you are out there somewhere, please begin praying me home. The finish line for this particular lap of my life is very near and I need a little push to get me to where God is calling. Just a little prayer here or there will be enough to get me where I need to be. Anything you can muster is meaningful.

Most importantly, please make sure that as you pray that you’re asking that God use this particular opportunity in my life to minister through me for His Glory!

2007-01-20T09:19:00.000-06:00

Truth for Life

Perhaps one of your goals for the new year was that you were going to grow spiritually. Let me help you with your goal by introducing you to one of the most rewarding radio programs on the evangelical market. Truth for Life, hosted by Alistair Begg, Pastor of Parkside Church, has an uncanny ability to allow the text of Scripture to come alive. His expositional style will not leave you feeling as if you've been eating sermonic donuts all day. Rather, you'll be fed. You'll learn tons about scripture and you will have a lesson that will stick to your ribs.

You're probably thinking: “Don't they have enough marketing capital. Why do they need you to be a shill for their programming.” Okay, you're probably not thinking that at all, but you get the picture. I'm sorry if my syrupy commercial for them leaves you feeling a bit put upon. I assure you. My intentions are completely altruistic.

After years of listening, I'm still so excited about their ministry. It’s a journey that I've been sharing with them for a long time. I first started listening to Alistair back in the late 90's on 94.9 FM in Dallas/Ft.Worth and later on 100.7 the WORD. A few years prior I had been studying Biblical theology and had heard about the concept of expository preaching. I even took a class or two that skirted the issue, but it wasn't until I tuned into Alistair's program that I really sunk my teeth into the power of the Holy Spirit working through expositional preaching (not that He can’t work through other preaching styles, of course).

In the denomination that I grew up in, there were many men who loved God and who passionately talked about Him from the Bible. Still, I remember none of these pastoral voices so willing to stand under the text of Scripture that they would employ an expositional style. Rather, as I remember, the majority of them engaged in a sort of hunt and peck exegesis. Verses were picked and pulled from across the landscape of scripture. These unsuspecting scriptures where then tossed into a huge sermonic vat, stirred a bit, and cooked until producing what often resembled Biblical goulash.

Please don’t think that I am trying to be mean (I toyed with using a Frankenstein metaphor, but that would have been grisly and overstated). What isn’t overstated is the fact that much of what passes for preaching in churches today isn’t preaching at all. It doesn't have a basis in the text. It doesn't feed you. It gets in the way of the Holy Spirit. Alistair helped me see this and I celebrate that awareness every time I hear someone truly expound Scripture.

Give Truth for Life a listen and tell me what you think. Maybe it will bless you like it has me.

2007-01-16T18:40:00.000-06:00

God in the Stream

There are all kinds of streams. Streams of consciousness. Little babbling brooks that bubble through the incandescent courtyards of a lush canyon pass. And, then, of course, in the lingua franca of the internet age, there are the seemingly endless waves of video streams that fill the World Wide Web.

Some of these vids are bust-a-gut funny. Some...well... you know. Then, there are videos that inspire the spirit and move the soul. Such might be the case with a three part series of sermons produced by the Richland Hills Church of Christ and their Senior Minister of the Word, Rick Atchley.

For the average viewer, these sermons may seem strangely anachronistic, discussions about theological concepts that have long been finalized in the mind of theologians, sacred music scholars, and a host of other thinkers, writers, and speakers.

For those with roots in the Churches of Christ, however, these videos may prove to capture a invigorating, cathartic, therapeutic, and transformational spirit that seems to be emerging in the denomination. Such an assertion, however, needs a bit of explanation for those not familiar with the history of Churches of Christ.

In brief, the Churches of Christ trace their ecclesiastical roots to a 19th century religious awakening that came to be known as the Restoration Movement. This miniature awakening grew up along side an American ethic of westward moving individualism, Baconian rationalism, and a sentiment of non-sectarian enthusiasm. Convinced that almost everyone could understand the Bible homogeneously, the enthusiastic, idealistic call for an end to denominationalism began to sound. This idealism was infectious and spread rapidly. Soon, however, as is the case with any religious organization, the churches that grew out of this movement took on their own unique ecclesiological, denominational forms. The Church of Christ, the most conservative denomination growing out of this movement, renounced missionary societies and instrumental music as part of their theology of missions and worship.

More specifically, for over a century -- with a few notable exceptions -- the doctrinal position of Churches of Christ has been that the use of instrumental music in worship to God is unauthorized by God, a sinful practice, and to be universally avoided by all faithful Christians. For a few decades now, the tide has been turning. Many in Churches of Christ have moved away from these positions -- practically at first, and now, more and more, theologically.

Rick Atchley is not the first and certainly won't be the last pastoral figure in Churches of Christ to publicly announce this intentional, theological movement away from an a cappella-only worship style. Currently, however, his three part Both/And sermon series has struck a chord (no pun intended) with a growing segment of Churches of Christ.

Fascinatingly, however, his message has not only informed people's understanding of the theology of music. More profoundly, God seems to be using Rick's message to heal hearts pierced by the guilt of thinking beyond the limits of the denomination. Gifted believers who've been held down, bullied out of their beliefs, or just plain scared to deviate from the traditions of the past, are beginning to breathe again. A fresh perspective is sweeping across the nation -- even in the historically more conservative South.

Where will God lead us? What will become of the Churches of Christ, especially the ones who choose to break out of the reactionary denominational mold and move into the future proactively? For some years now I've skeptically believed that the Churches of Christ were running out of spiritual capital. And while much of this was because of personal inklings that had developed over the years, there can be little doubt that these hunches were not completely subjective. After all, Churches of Christ haven't been growing. They've been behind the cultural curve. And traditionally they've been antagonistic towards their brothers and sisters in other denominations.

Having said this, however, I believe we may be turning the corner. Some of us who've been thinking about jumping ship and embracing a more non-denominational posture, may in fact ride out the storm. God may be calling a new generation of believers among Churches of Christ to lead this fellowship to higher ground. And, once there, we may finally get on with the work of Christ, leaving the waterless desert with its doctrinal dust devils and shouting from the peaks of faith -- Jesus Saves! Worship Him. Enthusiastically. Creatively. Wholeheartedly. Robustly. Worship Him.

2007-01-15T15:40:00.000-06:00

Hello, Again.

To say I've been gone for a while would be a smidgen of an understatement. But, like a really bad case of indigestion (or a Prince half-time performance), I'm back. The past few months have been full of -- well -- full of life. I finally found a second source of income to support my true passion, leading the preaching ministry at the Pond Springs Church. And, when I found that second source of income, my time to blog -- and do just about anything else fun, without feeling guilty, that is -- vanished. But, I've been wanting to share some things lately and thought I should add a few things to my dynamically undynamic blog. Tune in for more.

2006-04-10T21:48:00.000-05:00

Commandments, Coat Tails, and Christ

I have to admit that it's a bit dangerous to cheer for a movie that you barely watched, but I really got more than I expected from this rendition. Credit Mel Gibson for opening up the market to movies rooted in the biblical text. This movie communicated in capacious scenes, impassioned dialogue, and acceptable acting. Christians across the planet ought to be investing more and more money in communicating Christ in culturally relevant ways. The Gospel for the big screen and for television ought to be a mushrooming outlet. The Christian worldview is too precious a commodity for isolation.

2006-04-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

Weird Name, Serious Service

Steve Sjogren, an iconic personality among servant evangelists, leads the Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. This compelling pic comes from the creative minds of those working at VCC to reach people with the Good News through a dynamic service initiative. Mushrooming from 37 to 6000 by authentically serving others, this church leads by example. Sometimes we spend too much time wrangling about doctrinal minutiae while the world just longs to be embraced by Jesus. What an exciting time to be Jesus' Body!

2006-04-06T21:11:00.000-05:00

Da Vinci Code

The news is abuzz with all things Da Vinci – Code that is. Many have thumbed Dan Brown’s mystifying pages for several years. But, now the craving for more has built to climactic levels. What is more, Hollywood has its finger on the plunger of the pop culture syringe, poised to inject a narcotic dose of Da Vinci Code into the collective cultural vein.

Hollywood, however, deserves only penultimate blame for this revisionistic brew. Howard and Hanks – Ron and Tom, you know them, right – probably care very little about the toxic amalgam of fiction and Gnostic theological heresy they are preparing to download into the framework of the postmodern culture. They aren’t theologians. They’re just smart businessmen who live by the "see a cash cow...feed a cash cow" philosophy.

Now, am I some kind of stick-in-the-mud radical that eschews sincere investigation into the case for Christ? No. I welcome the kind of intrigue and searching that buds on the vine of imagination and creativity. I am confident in Christ, His claims to Divinity, the assertions of the Bible, and the facts of biblical, theological history. Christ has staying power, whereas blockbuster Hollywood hits have – well, let's say – a slightly more limited shelf-life. After all, we don't date our years in terms of anno tantus (my rough, very rough, translation: in the year of Titanic). No. Last time I looked – let me check again – yes, I was right, we still date our years in terms of the Lord – anno domini (in the year of our Lord). I know. I know. Jesus was actually born several years before, perhaps around 4 B.C. Even so, the point is still valid. People will be talking about Jesus (and putting saving faith in Him) long after some new faddish movie spikes the box office pulse.

The cool thing: a whole new crop of TDVC Bible studies are unfolding focused on bringing clarity to the confusion that reigns in Brown’s fictional tale. This is a good thing. The more we come to Scripture the better. Are you investigating?