I’m preaching on the Golden Rule this Sunday. Total snooze, right? It seems like the very heart of simplicity. Otherwise known as the ‘ethic of reciprocity,’ there is an equivalent of this directive in every faith tradition in the history of the world. And yet, the notion of treating others as we’d like to be treated is the most challenging, transforming, life-giving concept imaginable. Even if we memorize it in kindergarten, it has a way of getting lost among the other... Read more
Speaking of porn… (yes, we were. yesterday, remember?) Alright, you know i’m all for equality. Most porn is made and marketed for (and by) men. So, maybe we should count this as one more industry where we’d like to see women represented in leadership (and not just, you know, on camera). Before you holler at me, I said maybe. MAYBE a erotica market by and for women would take some of the objectification/dehumanization/degradation/abusive behaviors out of the industry and start to... Read more
It’s here! It’s here! The October Pottery Barn catalog…be still my heart. I mean, it might be 105 in the shade outside. But inside, with me and my coffee and my favorite leather club chair (which did NOT come from Pottery Barn) it is nothing but fall bliss. Pumpkins, colored leaves, fragrant warm beverages, crisp evening air, the promise of friends gathering to share a good meal…and that’s just the cover! Let me be clear. There is only one thing... Read more
something i wrote last weekend in Prescott. remembering that sacred space today, here in the valley, where it will soon be 105 in the shade… 5:16 That magic mountain minute when fall comes whispering around the edges. Chased up from the valley by unrelenting sun, and shimmering waves of summer, the cool comes creeping and waits for an invitation. The earth sighs relief, and settles to rest, answering but a short, simple ‘yes.’ Fall comes singing, and rolls back the... Read more
I showed up at Dorothy's door with a 3-month-old baby in-hand. At that point, Dorothy was no longer able to come to church on a regular basis. I thought I was making a pastoral call, bringing my baby for a visit to cheer up the elderly. But the minute I handed my daughter into Dorothy's arms, I realized what my heart had known all along...I had come for a blessing. Read more
Sometimes the best, most life-giving things in the life of a church evolve without a great deal of planning. They emerge out of daily life without meetings, without a line-item in the budget, without a major marketing campaign or overhaul of policy. A few weeks ago, I overheard my yoga instructor say that she was looking for a Tuesday morning gig. I said, “I know of a place…” And before i knew it, there were 7 of us gathered in... Read more
When it rains in Phoenix, people can talk of nothing else. Srsly. Facebook, yoga class, office, preschool, line at the grocery store…Not only is it the only topic worthy of conversation, but people in an otherwise standoffish metro sprawl area get downright chatty. A few drops from the sky and boom–instant community. Might as well be a small town in the south during football season. Grown-up people run outisde, spending the rest of the day in soggy clothes (and with... Read more
Find a person who is good at what they do, and ask them a simple question: who shaped you for this? I’m willing to bet that the person you’re talking to is more than ready with a litany of people who helped mold them for leadership. Whether their career path is ministry, teaching, business, art, media, or some kind of trade, ANYbody who has managed to get good at something will be able to tell you who first (and best) modelled... Read more
I haven’t posted anything in a whole week. This was not intentional, just one of those weeks. Doesn’t mean there is nothing on my mind! In fact, i notice that when i am not blogging to process the world, i tend to overuse facebook. (Newsflash: so do you. Know when you need to find another outlet, and we’ll all stay friends.) So, I’m going to Ramble On for a moment. You might see more developed posts on some of these topics... Read more
It was one of those rare Phoenix days when everything shimmered with a utopian light. (No, not recently!) Hot air balloons dotted the sky, and rocky mountain foothills struck a dramatic pose against the technicolor blue. Ancient saguaro raised their arms in praise of all creation. The sun was a friend and not the oppressor it would become a few months later. Temperatures hovered in the 70s, meaning no need for climate control. In other words: desert perfection. Arizona in springtime. I... Read more
Irreverin
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