Meriwether Lewis and 2009

My friend, Todd Sellers, suggested that I read Undaunted Courage, which is the story of Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West. Anywho - I ran across a quote made by Lewis (including his miss-spellings) that I found challenging, especially as 2009 lies just a few days before us.

"This day I completed my thirty first year . . . I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now soarly feel the want of that information which those hours would have given me had they been judiciously expended." He resolved: "In future, to live for mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself."

It Was Not a Silent Night

May this song touch your soul this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!

Starbucks Church

What if . . . Starbucks took their marketing cues from the Church? Hmmm.



HT to Mark Waltz for posting/sharing the video.

Second Coming

I've been thinking about Advent a bit the past few weeks.

I guarantee that I am not the only person who feels a little (lot?) overwhelmed with the celebration of materialism that Christmas has become. And it's not just this year with the gloomy economy that is shaping these thoughts for me, though I can't deny that the bleak nature of things right now has impacted a lot of us. The pace of our days has just hammered me as well. It seems that we hardly have time to breathe any more. Know what I mean? It's rush to buy this, and rush to go here, all while seeming to be on auto-pilot. Do we even think about what we're doing? Why we're doing it? Do we even stop to consider what the source of the stress is that is weighing on us?

Of course, I'm indicting myself in all of that. We didn't even start shopping until December 14. I got on the Web and broke the ice. We finished up on December 20. It amazes me to consider that some folks will start shopping for NEXT Christmas at this year's "Day After Christmas" sales. Are we crazy? What really concerns me is that Christmas is now just 3 days away, and I have not shared ONE single Advent devotional or thought with my family. The wreath and candles are on my dining room table. But that's been the extent of our "remembrance." Nice.

So I woke up yesterday thinking about Easter. That's not a typo. My thought, which I try and reflect on each Good Friday, is that the death of Jesus is meaningless unless there is a Resurrection. Good Friday could never be "good" if it wasn't followed by Easter. Advent, then, is much like that for me. Advent is about the waiting, the anticipating, of Christ's coming. But I wonder if I short-change Advent by not considering it in light of Jesus' second coming. Christmas proves deeply moving to me in that I learn not only that Jesus came – Immanuel, God with us – but it reminds me that He is coming again. So I can add my voice to those over the ages who simply pray, "Come, Lord Jesus."

May I – and may you – rest in the truth that Jesus came once, and He will come again.

May there be Peace in that for you this Christmas season.

AMEN.

MHS Lady Jackets Defeat the BNL Lady Stars

For all of the MHS Lady Jacket basketball players who have been pounded by Bedford NL over the years, the 2008-09 MHS Lady Jackets are proud to give you this early Christmas gift:

Unfortunately, It's True

Sooner or later, even the most conservative folks who want to call those who warn of global warming "tree hugging liberals" will have to come to grips with this idea: Global warming is real. In this USA Today article, NASA scientists talk about how our severe weather patterns will be affected.

So, unless you also refuse to believe that NASA put a man on the moon, here is the inconvenient truth: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2008-12-19-global-warming-severe-storms_N.htm?csp=34

Advent

Thomas Merton Remembered

December 10 was the 40th anniversary of the death of Thomas Merton. Few have taught more eloquently or deeply on the essence of "love" than he. His autobiography, The Seven Story Mountain, is a classic, and has been life-changing for many, including me. I still return to books that he wrote, and continue to find that they challenge me. Much has been written about Merton, and deservedly so - he was an enigmatic figure who struggled mightily to live for God in a fleshly body. I think that is the biggest reason why I enjoy his writings so much.

The Courier Journal ran two pieces (one and two) in last Sunday's paper in honor of the anniversary this week. In the article "The Monk Poet's Journey Toward Silence" is this quote:

"What do I really want to do?" Merton asked himself, in his journal (June 21, 1959). "Long hours of quiet in the woods, reading a little, meditating a lot, walking up and down in the pine needles in bare feet."

Advent Conspiracy

The following article appeared in the newsletter 850 Words of Relevant from Relevant Magazine.

This year, Black Friday—the day after Thanksgiving that traditionally kicks off the season of holiday spending—was especially dark. Early that day, a crowd of bargain hunters trampled an employee to death as they rushed into a New York Wal-Mart at 5 a.m. Three others, including a 28-year-old pregnant woman, also suffered from minor injuries. As reports about the incident continued to surface throughout the day, many were asking, "Is this what Christmas has become?"

If the more than 800 churches worldwide who are participating in Advent Conspiracy are to be believed, the answer to that question is a resounding no. Advent Conspiracy is a movement that started in 2006 as a way to reclaim the Christmas season. "There's been a significant drift from the worship of Jesus," says Greg Holder, the pastor of Windsor Crossing in St. Louis, Mo., and one of the creators of Advent Conspiracy. "We've seen anxiety and frustration consume entire communities as people start believing the lie that celebrating Christmas is about hyper consumerism."

Holder, along with Chris Seay, the pastor of Ecclesia in Houston, Texas and Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei in Portland, Ore., launched Advent Conspiracy as a way to lead their congregations into meaningful worship during Christmastime. They put the focus squarely on worship and service instead of gifts and established four guiding principles: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All.

If the principles "spend less" and "give more" seem contradictory, that's because U.S. culture's understanding of giving is a little off. Consumerism allows people to create the illusion of giving without having to sacrifice anything personal. The three pastors encouraged their congregations to forgo much of their gift buying and spending on commercial items, and instead to give gifts of presence, creativity and time.

It isn't that most gifts are wrong, just misguided. "We're not Scrooges," Holder says. "We're not against gifts. We want people to pull back on giving meaningless gifts."

The money that would’ve been spent on presents was pooled and used to provide clean water for communities in third world countries. According to Jeanne McKinley, Rick McKinley's wife and the director of Advent Conspiracy at Imago Dei, the decision to connect Advent Conspiracy with water was deliberate, contrasting the desperate need for water in many places to the comfortable lifestyles of those in the U.S. "Water is a starting point. It's the most basic need that all of us have," she says. "If we meet that need then we can go forward in relationship with the people receiving clean water."

The first year, five churches participated; by the second year, it spread to include not only hundreds of churches but also high schools, college groups and businesses. Holder considers Advent Conspiracy a common ground where people from all corners of the Christian tradition can meet. "This is a way for the body of Christ to unite,” he says. “It's not just one type of church jumping on board with this. Young, old, liturgical, contemporary, non-denominational, mainline—they're all in. We spend a lot of time talking about our differences, but this is a chance to remind ourselves we are the body of Christ."

One such church, Jacob's Well in Kansas City, Mo., decided to join in 2007. The pastor at Jacob’s Well, Tim Keel, liked that it was a practical extension of the concepts in the book of James, which his congregation studied that fall.

Keel knew his congregation would be willing participants in Advent Conspiracy, but he wasn't prepared for how enthusiastic their response would truly be. As children grasped the core concepts of Advent Conspiracy they asked for money to give to the water collection instead of gifts. Families attended gift-making workshops to learn how to make unique presents for one another. Artists from the Jacob's Well community donated their talents and time to make the season creatively stimulating and truly worshipful.

"I was thinking we'd dig one well," Keel says. "When we had the money to dig four, it was significant. I was surprised by how people took ownership of it, not just as something they were doing in our church, but inviting other people from their lives to participate as well."

As more churches and groups continue to climb on board, Advent Conspiracy will remain decentralized, acting not as an organization but as a resource. It isn't the desire of Advent Conspiracy to dictate how people are celebrating Christmas and donating their money, but to enable congregations to encourage and support each other as they recover the advent season.

"Ultimately, it would be amazing for the Church to stand together and see the water crisis solved because that's how we wanted to spend our Christmas," Jeanne McKinley says. "But for us, the Jesus component is the most important part. Beyond the giving and spending less, more than anything, we want people to engage in worship more fully at Christmas."

(Author: Shanna Dipaolo)

So . . . what are your thoughts on all of this, right now, in the midst of the consumeristic blitz surrounding Christmas?

HO HO HO!

Nice lights . . . Looks like there's a little tangle there Russ.

Mike in 1980

Okay, so ya, I was alive and kickin' it in the halls of MHS in 1980. And no, I did not look like this picture. But, if you've ever watched "That 70's Show" you have to understand that I couldn't pass up a chance to throw out my best "Hyde" imitation! :)

Mike in 1974

I've always wondered what I would like as the next Austin Powers. Well, wonder no more - check out my "very groovy" picture. Oh Behave! YA BABY - YA!

Mike in 1970

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

Here's a shot of me, if I was cast for a spot in Animal House. Right before going on DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION. :)

Generosity

Last Sunday's teaching at my church dealt with Generosity. I made a couple of notes that I wanted to throw out at you and get your input on.

The first thought I had is not original to me - if you have ever heard or read Rob Bell, you've heard this before: "We have been blessed to be a blessing to others. Money was never intended to be a burden; rather, it is to be a blessing from God to us, and through us God will bless others."

In the course of the sermon, there was the expected reminder that we need to be supportive of the work of the church. No surprises there, I guess. But I want to share what I scribbled down at that point in the service, and I'd like to hear what 'cha think:

"People will give to help other people (as I believe that by and large there is an inherent goodness in people that makes them want to see others fed, clothed, etc.); when people balk over giving, it is when they see money going into a church and not coming out to tangibly help people. It is vitally important for church leaders to continually be showing how the Church's money is impacting other peoples' lives."

Thoughts?

Mike in 1960

Mike in 1950

Ever wonder what you'd look like in "Back to the Future?" Well, McFly, here I am:

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks

Okay, I couldn't help myself. I found a clip of Mr. and Mrs. Brooks for you, in case you missed this in the early 90's. Enjoy!

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today . . .

Well, actually, it was twenty years ago yesterday that Rachelle and I were married. But I really wanted to slide in a line from Sgt. Peppers. :)

Does anyone remember In Living Color? Remember the old black couple, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, that were always trying to kill each other? Rachelle and I have laughed for years as we say, "After all these years, we're stilllllllllllllllllllllll together!" So, for us, after these 20 years, we stillllllllllllllll love each other!

Here's to 20 more!

Lessons from the Rock: Today Is Mine

When I was a kid, I used to watch Bill Dance Outdoors on Saturday mornings. The theme song for that show was a Jerry Reed tune called “Today is Mine.” It was never a hip, popular song, but the words kind of stuck with me, and every now and then that song – the message of it, really – will pop back up in my life. The drive home from Torrent Falls was one of those times.

I was pretty wiped out on the drive home. But it was a warm, satisfied feeling. Our day climbing was a good day, and it was a day full of proof of God’s crazy love for us, such as:

A son who is also a best friend.

Challenges that taught lessons.











The magic of Chipotle.











The goodness of Starbucks.











Friends to share special moments with.











And sunsets to remind us that God gave us a gift that day.











Each day we can choose how best to live that particular day. If we don’t choose, time will spend itself, and like it or not, there are no “do overs.” But at least on the day of our climb, we chose to live fully; to live outside of comfort zones, and be changed because we had done so. And on that day, I was able to truthfully say “today is mine.”

I will leave you with this quote that I found after our climb. From my limited experience, I am convinced that the quote is true, simply because I had a taste of fear being replaced with courage.

“The rock is a field of battle between our weakness and our strength.”
~ Royal Robbins

Always Check Your Child's Homework

A teacher friend of mine shared a pretty hilarious homework assignment from an elementary child. The assignment was to draw a picture of what one of your parents did for a living.

Here is the child's picture:

The child's mom works at Lowe's selling shovels.

Wasn't it obvious? :)

Lessons from the Rock: Safe, or Brave?

Just before our day of rock climbing in Kentucky, I finished a couple of books that proved significant for our day. One was Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, and the other was Just Courage by Gary Haugen. As I watched Jacob attack and work his way through the two red advanced sections and then the black diamond expert section of the climb, I realized that I had read those books at just the right time.

Eldredge’s writing convinced me that our day of climbing was a needed, special day. Men need adventure. I think Eldredge would agree with Chris McCandless, who says in the movie Into the Wild that “I read somewhere . . . how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong . . . but to feel strong.” Men need to be tested. I don’t know that I’d ever really thought about that, since my life mainly consists of the same routine that most of yours does – we get up, go to work, come home, eat supper, go to bed, and repeat. Christian or not, the typical life in America is not adventurous and is more or less a merry go round of repetition. (I’m sorry if that sounds harsh. Try this – for a week or even a month, write down your daily activities, and see if you couldn’t just cut and paste your days.) I’ve told a lot of folks since we went that our day on the rock was maybe one of the top 2 or 3 days of my life, in terms of shear meaning and importance.

A huge lesson from Just Courage was found in a question that Haugen deals with brilliantly – “Do I want my children to be safe, or brave?” At about the mid-point of the black diamond section, I watched hesitantly as it became obvious that Jacob was exhausted. He told me later that he was at the end of his endurance. He was in front of Guy, so there they were, just hanging out (literally) waaaaaaaaaay up in the air, resting. As a dad, I was starting to panic. Would the mountain guides have to rescue Jacob? What if in the rescue process he had to unclip - would that increase his chances of falling? How could I have allowed him to do this? What kind of a dad am I anyway? *Pause* If you know me, you know that I obsess occasionally. Just a little bit. I’ve got all of this stuff running through my head as a stressed out dad, but then I watched as Jacob pulled himself up and got moving again!

What I didn’t know is that he and Guy shared a short conversation. After resting a bit, Guy looked at Jacob and said, “We’ve come all this way, now – let’s finish strong.” That’s when Jacob, after hearing Guy's encouragement, silently answered by pulling himself up, and then began clipping and unclipping his way around the hardest part of the climb to finish the entire Torrent Falls adventure.

When they came down, it was obvious that both of them were wiped out. Jacob simply said, “I did it. I finished strong.” Now – I am willing to bet that at some point in his life, Jacob will come up against something – a situation, a person, a job, a trial – that will try and beat him. He will remember what it feels like to finish strong. And that moment of bravery on the rock will make all the difference.

Article from Relevant Magazine

While at 43 I likely no longer fit the description of "young evangelical voter," I did find this article extremely encouraging as I (and you) are faced with living a Kingdom life as a follower of Christ in these days.

Whether you voted for Obama or not, may we seek to move into this new time in history with this mindset:

"Yes, we voted. But it’s more than that. Through this election, we’ve become aware of the major social issues of our day. And now we want to do something about them. We recognize an election will not change everything. We do not rest our hopes for change on a political party or candidate. We vote, we hope, but we don’t stop there. Tomorrow and the next day and the next and in January when Obama takes office, we get up and we continue our sojourn to follow Jesus. We live our votes for life, for justice, for peace, for equality."

To read the entire article, click here.

Yes We Can

America has spoken.

My question for you is this: What are your hopes for our country?

Share a comment, and in your comment share what you'll do to help make your hopes become reality.

Together, Yes We Can.

Concrete Professor

We're coming out of a really intense 3 weeks at the lab, dealing with customers for 2 weeks and a research project last week. I feel a little like this guy:





Sorry I kinda dropped off the face of the earth a bit. I still want to throw out a couple of more thoughts from the rock climbing trip (that was TWO months ago - wow, is time flying or what?). And I'm debating on throwing out my $0.02 on the election, because (a) this is likely the most important election of my lifetime, and (b) my worldview has changed/is changing and I've been rolling a lot of stuff around in my head. Time's pretty short on the election deal, and I'm not even sure that it's productive to share that stuff here anyway. We'll see.

So, hopefully I'll be posting a little more regularly again. I'm speaking at TSCC in 2 weeks, and may share a bit from that in the days ahead as well.

Until then, peace out.

While Watching the Presidential Debate

How refreshing would it be, if a candidate simply told us why we should vote for him? What if a candidate told me straight up what he was pledging to do as president, and spent no time cutting down the other man?

And maybe a deeper question is this - why are mud-slinging tactics so effective? Is it because we are such a negative-minded people that derogatory language is all that we understand?

God help America. Really.

Appaloosa

Who's in for "Manly Movie Night" when this comes to Bloomington?

One Word for the Cubs

Lessons from the Rock: It Still Hurts to Fall

Over and over, a logical thought kept running through my mind during my day on the rock at Torrent Falls: “A controlled fall won’t kill you.” On the heels of that logical thought was the screaming thought “But it sure would hurt!” Really, as long as you were clipped in to the via ferrata cable (never double unclip!) about the farthest that you could fall was 8 feet or so. Yet even at that, your momentum would probably swing you out and then crash you back into the rock face, leaving you banged up and bruised.

The harness that I wore and the cable that I was clipped into gave me protection from death. I think the longer we were on the climb, the more we began to realize this (trust your equipment!). But in no way did my gear protect me from injury. Even though I did not experience a fall, I still came home with scraped knees, sore hands, and aching muscles. And I can you tell you this – I would go again tomorrow.

Jesus promises that I – because of my faith in him – will never taste death. I have been at funerals where all that I had to cling to were the words "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Cor 15:55) But I have also lived long enough to know that I will still experience hurt. Those funerals that I mentioned – even though I knew that my loved one was in the presence of the King – I hurt because my life had a hole in it that someone no longer here used to fill.

The fact that life is full of hurts – and that living for Christ provides no protection from those hurts – doesn’t keep me from living or following Jesus. At the end of the day, I’m saying the same thing, really. Hopefully for me, my day to day life is spent following Jesus. Yes, it still hurts when we fall. But I wouldn’t miss the trip for anything.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:31-39]

Making Sense of the Bailout Mess

I'm a pretty simple guy, especially when it comes to money (and the study thereof). I also like pictures that tell stories. If you want a simple visual explanation of why our country is facing our current - and potentially devastating - financial mess, then you might appreciate this:

We Are the Church

Thanks to Joshua Longbrake for sharing his idea for this project with me.

Maybe We've Not Quite Finished the Fight

This trailer was just released from Bungie . . . what do you think - is the Master Chief back for more? You gotta figure that the potential revenue from continuing the Halo series would be hard to resist. What do you think this clip is all about?

Green the Bailout

Thomas Friedman, Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote a great piece on the $700 billion financial bailout, and it's implication on the future of our country. I think you'll find it a thought-provoking read.

To read his essay, click here.

This Weekend at Tulip Street

Things are a little different at Tulip Street this weekend, as our town wraps up this year's Persimmon Festival. On Saturday night, you can meet us at the church at 10 pm; we'll load up on cold water, cold Mountain Dew, hot coffee, and a wagon load of Little Debbies and take all of that to the Carnival workers as they tear down the rides. Those folks bring a lot of laughter to the kids of our community, and they work all night long Saturday to be ready to roll out Sunday morning to the next town. How cool is it to simply say "thank you" with something to drink and a snack to keep their energy up? Kinda like a cool cup of water offered in Jesus' name . . .

And then Sunday morning at 9 am, we will all - as a church - walk the parade route and clean up the trash left behind after the week-long Festival. This is a simple, tangible way to love our community. We'll wrap up the morning with communion and worship at the downtown City Park. Come join us, as we seek to Make an Impact on our Community!

Letterman's Rant on John McCain

So, what do you think about Dave's rant?

Lessons from the Rock: Never Double Unclip!

At Torrent Falls, a certified guide gave our group instructions on putting on our climbing harnesses, then led us through a safety presentation that was capped off with this cardinal rule which we all had to repeat: "I will not double unclip!"

This was huge! Your real life and death safety while on the rock came from being clipped-in to the via ferrata cable. At no time on the climb were we to unhook both of our harness lines. When we would come to an anchor bolt (which both ended and began a cable section), one harness line was switched to the new section of cable, and then - and only then - were you to unclip, move, and re-clip your second harness line. It was drilled into us to never double un-clip!

In the TSCC parking lot, after the drive home, Guy shared how for us as Christians that maybe our spiritual "double clips" were prayer and God's Word. When he said that, I thought of Jesus' words in John 15. The odds of danger on the rock went through the roof if you allowed yourself to have no support or connection to that which anchored you. Similarly, if I turn from Christ I risk becoming a dead branch, no longer supported by the life-giving connection to my Source. How many times do I face day to day living without that awareness that Jesus is the vine that gives me life? May I believe - deeply and truly believe - Jesus, when he declares that "Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Lessons from the Rock: Trust Your Equipment

Before hitting the main rock face, we all had to demonstrate that we had listened to the training provided by the Outfitter by navigating a small section of practice rock. Before we were allowed to continue the climb, we had to test our harness and rest strap to be sure that they worked properly. Later, on the advanced section of the rock, Jacob and Guy came to a point on the climb where their arms began to feel like rubber, so they clipped in with their rest strap and leaned back to rest. This all sounds well and good until you remember that they are over a hundred feet in the air, hanging by a rest strap (which we were assured had a 3000 lb load capacity). For me, on the floor of the canyon, it was really difficult to watch my son hanging like that. What I didn't know is that while they were resting, Jacob was a little wigged out as well, and Guy reminded him of this truth: They had properly outfitted, good quality gear that was securing them to the rock. After hearing Guy's encouragement, Jacob was able to relax, trust his equipment, and rest.

In times of stress, loneliness, panic, and unforeseen emergencies - in those times when life hits us hard and fast - do I trust my equipment? I can pray to God at any time, from any place. Do I trust that God will hear? I can turn to the truth and wisdom of Scripture for guidance and comfort. Do I trust the meaning and relevance of those words to my life? I can allow another brother to help shoulder my load when the burden becomes too heavy. Do I believe that there is a person in my life who would care enough about me to "be there?"

There comes a point where belief is confirmed by action. I think that Jacob believed that the strap would hold him, but he wasn't sure of that until he clipped in and leaned back. May I learn from his example, as I grow to trust more fully when I pray, meet God in His Word, and live in community.

The Pickens Plan

Regardless of who wins our Presidential election in November, I would think that this cat, T. Boone Pickens, should be put into the loop regarding our country's energy plan. Yes, what he is proposing is a short-term fix - he says that - but it buys us time to get our nations' best minds engaged in solving our energy problems in a way that doesn't destroy the very Earth that we call home.

Give this a look:

I Want to Change the World

Lessons from the Rock: Rhythm

Clip in. Reach. Step up. Slide your clips. Repeat.

I was amazed at how the rhythm of the climb - clip in, reach, step, slide your clips - gave me comfort. There really wasn't much time to be scared - except, of course, at those points of really difficult transisiton where over-analysis kicked in! Focusing on the task at hand kept me from worrying about how high I was off the ground. What typically would have had me in a scared panic went almost un-noticed.

On the van ride home, I thought about the rhythm of life in Jesus. I'm not talking about the "since it's Sunday it must be my day to go to church" kind of stuff. I'm talking about the spiritual disciplines, especially prayer, reading Scripture and solitude. When I practice those things regularly in my life, there is a very real sense of my worries melting away. That's not to say that issues in my life just cease to exist - they're still there. But when I am connecting to Jesus by meeting Him in the thin silence, I am more aware that He is sovereign over my life, and the trappings of this world seem to quiet down a bit.

Ultimately - and I'm not there yet, though this is my desire - I want to simply be about prayer as simply as breathing in and breathing out. Without conscious effort, I want to be about the things of Jesus. May this rhythm become the music of my life.

Isaiah 30:15

Hmmm, what are you telling me Jesus?

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it."

Lessons from the Rock: Don't Over-Analyze

Many times when we act, our act requires faith. Don't over-analyze; understand that at some point, the only remaining option is action. Avoid "paralysis by analysis."

Sometimes, our acts of faith bring rewards that we can't see. When I swung off the rock face and found the hidden rung with my foot, I was rewarded with my favorite part of the climb. If I hadn't acted, I would have missed out.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." I knew that there was a foot hold on the rock face for me to use. But it was "not seen." Maybe the next time I sense God tugging me down a path of action, I won't ask to know every detail or to see the whole picture before I move. Maybe I can trust with a deeper sense of conviction and greater measure of faith, because God used the ledge of a rock and a piece of rebar to strengthen my faith in His truth.

I Am Only One

Lessons from the Rock: Introduction

Typically, heights make my (as Borat would say) "anoose" tingle. I'm not comfortable there and just don't like the whole deal of being up high. And yet, last Saturday morning, I found myself being the first person from TSCC on the rock at Torrent Falls. That was significant to me, for the rest of the day. Being first, I had no one to coach me or share what they'd learned to help me out when I would come face to face with a particularly challenging spot on the rock. So it was just me.

Usually, I analyze. A lot. But there were places - one in particular - that broke me of that a bit. There was a transition point where we went from walking on a ledge, to swinging down off the ledge onto rebar rungs. Except that the rock was not vertical; the ledge extended beyond the vertical face of the rock, which ran back under the ledge a bit. So I couldn't see the rung that my foot was to (had to!) hit. I tried three or four ways to make the transition, and kinda panicked a little. Thoughts of "Now what do I do?" all the way to "I can't hold everyone up!" to "I'm scared, pretty freaked out, and may crap my pants right here."

Finally, I simply had the thought to just step out and go for it. I don't know if I subconsciously remembered that I was double-clipped to the cable, or what, but I remember thinking "take a step of faith." So, I grabbed a solid hand-hold, swung off the rock, found the foot-hold and was treated to my favorite section of the climb.

I learned a lot last Saturday from a rock. A learned about analysis, rhythm, trust, safety, connection, being hurt, bravery, fear and courage. Over the next few days, I hope to be able to share those lessons with you - most, but not all, stem from the step of faith that I shared this morning.

Until then . . . Peace.

Reminders of God

I enjoyed my morning coffee while sitting on the porch of my home this morning. A much needed rain was falling, and the rain reminded me of how gentle, peaceful and nourishing that God is.

So how 'bout you? Are there ways that you are reminded of God's character by what you see in your everyday life?

Fear Not

I wanted to throw out a couple of sites that might be worth a look to you . . .

The Patagonia Tin Shed: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?assetid=33106

Treehugger: http://treehugger.com/

I think that God is up to something both basic and challenging as He stirs the hearts of His people in these days. There seems to be a renewal towards a call to adventure, and my eyes are opening to the idea that through adventure, God is teaching us that fear is replaced with courage. And I think that courage must be surrendered to Him in service. We can make a Kingdom impact as we rediscover and reconnect to what it means to live fully - may it be so in my life, and yours as we serve the God who proclaimed "Fear not."

Peace.

Via Ferrata Climbing

This past Saturday, at 6:30 am, 14 men from TSCC rolled out of Mitchell and headed for Campton, KY and the Torrent Falls Climbing Adventure, where we experienced Via Ferrata Climbing.

Here are some pics from the trip - there will be more soon. Plus, I'm going to be sharing some of how this trip impacted me and my buddy Guy. This was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had ~ yes, we're going again!

Impact Your World

The DNA of Tulip Street Christian Church is this: "Our reason for existence is to Impact and Make a Difference in the lives of people for the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, in and outside the family of TSCC."

Sometimes, the best ways to Impact someone's life may be right before our everyday eyes. Maybe this video will inspire each of us to look around, and be open to how we might Make a Difference.


Benched from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Large Hadron Rap

As a Physics major from DePauw University, you gotta know I think this rap is phat (with a "ph" - you know, like the kids say) . . . Dig it!

Massive Canada Arctic Ice Shelf Breaks Away

In August, an ice shelf the size of Manhattan broke off the Canadian Arctic ice cap. To read the article, click here.

We must - MUST - open our eyes to the fact that there is a climate crisis, and that it is our moral imperative to make hard but necessary changes for the future of our children.

Mystery

I've been really moved by Charlie Hall's song "Mystery" off of his just-released CD The Bright Sadness.


Mystery

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
Bread of heaven, broken for me
Cup of salvation held out drink
Jesus the Mystery

Christ has died and
Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again

Celebrate his death and rising
Lift your eyes, proclaim his coming
Celebrate his death and rising
Lift you eyes, lift your eyes

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity

And here is a very simple video of Charlie performing Mystery . . .

Prayer for Ritchie Patton

My friend Brian just sent this, asking for prayer . . .

Wanted to call upon you and anyone else to offer up
some prayers for the husband of one of my coworkers (and very dear
friend). His name is Ritchie Patton, and he is a lineman for a electric
utility company. they were working out of town on live lines, and
something went wrong while he was in the bucket. The current entered one
hand, and exited the other. He was flown to Wishard Hospital. He was
in surgery last night to remove injured tissue, possibly may lose his hand(s),
or at the least his fingers. They are monitoring him for internal damage,
as the current passed though his body. Through him all things are
possible, this I believe with all of my heart. So please offer up some prayers
for the best possible outcome, and for his wife Sherri that she may be comforted
and strong.

Thank you for praying.

Peace.

Prayer for a Friend, continued

Jody Blackburn’s condition had improved greatly and it looked like he would come home on Wednesday, however a new and severe problem developed that has resulted in a setback, yet there is better news this morning (Thursday):

Jody began to experience severe blood loss due to a bleeding area in his colon that may have been caused by some of the medications Jody received recently. The blood loss required transfusions of blood, plasma, & platelets. However, this morning at 4:00 a.m., doctors were able to perform a procedure to successfully “clip” the bleeding area. The doctors feel that they have successfully corrected the problem.


Again, know that your prayers are coveted as you continue to appeal to the Lord regarding Jody.

Peace.

Shared

A lesson that is becoming more and more real to me is that life is better when it's shared. In particular, I love to share special places with good friends. For instance, Guy and I love to go to Chipotle. I know - it's Mexican fast food. But its more than that for me and him. And I'm cool with people not understanding. It's not the place alone that often makes something special - it's the people that you share the place with. I think that is the magic. It's the stuff that life - together - is made of.

Recently, my family got to spend an afternoon at Spring Mill State Park (a favorite place) with some great friends, the Brian Fults family. There was lots of food (surprised?), a lot of cold cave water to splash in, and a lot of walking, seeing, listening and laughing. It was a special day, and I was thankful for the chance to spend it with them.

If you've never been to Spring Mill , you should check it out - it's beautiful. Check out some of these pics by Brian's daughter . . .


















































To the Fults' - thanks for sharing this day with us!

McCandless Moment

For some reason, I'm having a bit of a "McCandless Moment" this week. I'm not even going to try and explain all of that (as if I knew myself), but instead, I'll invite you to join me on a 5 minute walk Into the Wild . . .

Prayer for a Friend, continued

How cool is this? I got an email update this afternoon about Jody. Here's the scoop:

Finally good news!! It is not a staph infection
in his blood. They are back to it being viral. His potassium is low
and they are working on raising that. He is not going to have the
endoscopy now.

Please - keep praying, and give thanks for Jody's improvement - may Christ receive the glory!

Prayer for a Friend

Jody Blackburn is my friend. We're neighbors. We have kids the same age. We sit through bad basketball games together. And we worship together at Tulip Street.


Jody is sick - he has a staph infection that is settling in his heart. For over a week, he has had a fever from 102 to 105F. Blood samples have been sent to Mayo. A disease specialist is treating him now.


His wife, Becky, is exhausted and the kids are anxious.


I want to ask you to please pray for Jody and his family. Thanks in advance for praying for my friend.


Peace.

ONE: Add Your Voice

For more than a year, ONE members have been trailing the presidential candidates asking them to go on the record with their plans to combat global poverty. Now we're taking our message to the airways with this major new TV ad. The ad features Matt Damon with different Americans' voices - among them Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain and Mayor Bloomberg.

Watch for it on TV and across the Internet starting Sunday, August 24th, but add your voice and share the online video with your friends now. After, you can learn more about this ad and movement here.

YIKES . . . and away

Every time I see this Snickers commercial on TV I just burst out laughing. I thought this might give us all a smile to start Hump Day with . . .

College Mindset List

From the Associated Press:

AP - MILWAUKEE - Students entering college this fall have lived their whole lives in a digital world — where GPS has always been available, phones have always had caller ID and tax returns could always be filed online.

The incoming freshmen, born mostly in 1990, also grew up knowing only Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show."

Those are some of the 60 cultural landmarks on the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the world as seen through the eyes of each incoming class. This year's list is being released Tuesday by the private school of 1,300 near the Wisconsin-Illinois state line.The school started producing the list in 1998 to remind professors that references familiar to them might draw blank stares from their students.

Want to check out the "College Mindset" list? Click here.

In God We Trust

Should the motto "In God We Trust" be removed from U.S. currency?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

Vision Quest - Discovered!

Back in the spring, the leadership of TSCC began a quest to discover the DNA of our church, and allow that identity to shape our mission and vision as we continually seek to be God's church at 9th and Tulip.

We are excited to invite you to "Vision Quest - Discovered!"

Praying for Our Teachers and Their Students

As today is the first day of school here in Mitchell, I offer this prayer for teachers and their students . . .

"Jesus - I pause today to come before you on behalf of these courageous people who have answered your call to pour their lives into our young people. Make yourself known to these teachers in deeper, fuller measure. Impress upon them that just as you told Isaiah, you are their rear guard and have their back. May their classrooms be safe places, where potentials can be realized. Where friendships are made and deepened. Where right and wrong are not only made clear but are modeled. Where sharing life becomes a way of life. Where our children can catch a glimpse of what community - of belonging - means now, and how they have value - deep, rich value - not because of what they have or don't have, what car their parents drive, what brand is splashed across their shirts, but because they know they are loved, and that you, Jesus, are the source of that love. Make it so God, make it so.

Bless our schools, and hold close our teachers. May your protection be upon our students. And may we seek to treasure you most, so that we might love others best.

By your grace, we pray - AMEN."

Our Children

Tomorrow, my kids head back to school. Where did summer go? Wow, that was fast.

My wife and I took the kids on a hike at Spring Mill State Park Tuesday, where we took a break at the half-way point of the trail. We used the break to talk with our children about the opportunities before them that the new school year presents. From digging in to new subjects and stretching themselves to learn all that they can, to leading others with a quiet, consistent witness to the presence of Christ in their lives, we had a great talk. It was definitely time well-spent, and hopefully our kids left that hike being reminded of how much they mean to Rachelle and I.

Jacob will enter high school tomorrow, and I find myself panicking a little, as it hits me that four years from now, he'll be leaving our home to head off to college. Time is flying. In quiet moments, I pray that I have been faithful to God's call to father Jacob well - to mold him into a man after God's own heart. Today, I found a post by Tim Stevens, who is the Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church. Tim's post is simply entitled "Thinking About Parenting" and it is excellent. Tim's thoughts are weighty, and need to be considered by any of us who have kids. He has mirrored some of my concerns, and wrestled with some of the stuff I've been rolling around. I am going to share his post below (I hope that's good etiquette - but I got to tell you, it's good enough that you all need to read it, so hopefully Tim would be cool with this!) - I pray that his advice sinks into all of our hearts.

I've been thinking alot about parenting lately. Maybe it is because we have four kids at home, ages 7, 11, 13 and 15. Yeah, our quiver is full.

I think everyone would admit that there is a point in a teen's life when the influence of his/her parents becomes less, and the influence of their friends becomes greater. I did an informal survey yesterday on Twitter, and again last night at dinner with some friends. It seems that the age at which the parents' influence drops dramatically happens somewhere around 13- to 15-years old.

As I reflected on my life as a child, the influence I perceive that I have with my own kids, and my informal survey, I charted it like this...

As a parent, the awareness of loss of influence can be alarming if you didn't see it coming. So be warned young parents, I have just given you a glimpse of the future.

Here is the key learning: Environments matter. Who my daughter is influenced by as a 15-year old is dependent greatly on the environments that my wife and I placed her in as a 10- and 12- and 14-year old.

It's a little early to tell whether we will survive life with teenagers, but here is the advice I would give parents of pre-teens...

• Get involved in a great church with strong youth leaders.
• As they start middle school, don't give them the option to stay home from the youth program.
• Find a school that has strong values and where there is good chance they will be able to find solid friends. That might mean paying for private school or moving to a better school district.
• Get them in situations where they are hanging with young adults who are following God. That's why we had college-age students live in our home for two years.
• Teach them the joy of serving when they are very young.
• Let them participate in events where there is a good chance they might take a step spiritually, like summer camp, missions trips, or weekend retreats.

Oh, and one last word of advice for those with teenagers---stop lecturing and start listening. Stop giving direction and start asking questions.