A young United Methodist clergy woman, Rev. Lorenza Andrade-Smith, has sold everything she has, given up her salary for the time being, and is living under a bridge so that she can learn what is means to do work with the poor, not for the poor. The article describing this can be found here. Engaging in ministry with the poor is one of the four major initiatives (global health, new places for new people, and developing principled Christian leaders) that all... Read more
There is a really, really, really good article on the NYTimes website about decision fatigue. It’s long, but is worth the read. We just run out of brain energy when faced with too many decisions. Been there, done that. And it is one of the reasons I avoid shopping and intensely dislike malls and large, cluttered stores. Every piece of stimulus coming our way requires a decision of some sort–stop? pay attention? reject it? consider it? ignore it? Deeply fatiguing.... Read more
It completely fascinates me that I can track a package that is being sent to me. After my computer made it clear last week that it was going to bite the dust, I asked our tech guy at church, AKA church secretary, AKA “the high and mighty and all-knowing computer guru” to go ahead and wipe the machine and start over. My documents, 24 gb of them, representing over 20 years of work, writing, messages, letters, photos and journals, were... Read more
Recently, I was listening to some Peter, Paul, and Mary songs My generation music, of course, yet their call for social justice never ceases and their songs and music rang with prophetic voices. Never have figured out why, but every time I hear “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” tears form. Something so poignant about this story of a child’s imagination, Jack, riding on Puff’s gigantic tale. Then Jack grew up: “A dragon lives forever but not so little boys Painted wings... Read more
I just read that the very large and really wonderful Church of the Resurrection, in Leawood, Kansas, has offered to pipe in sermons to smaller, struggling churches approximately 75% of the time in order to give their pastors more time to do other things. This is my response to the suggestion: When I am bringing the Word of God to my congregation, it is the high moment of expression of God’s love for them, my love for them and my... Read more
In one of many articles about the riots in London, one newspaper reporter wrote, Part of the problem is that the breakdown of the family (or an unwillingness to form one) has left a generation of feral adolescents without fathers or any adult males to act as role models. Parents rarely know what their children are doing, and exercise little power or authority over them. Instead, their loyalty is to the gang and to its codes, rather than to the... Read more
My family always subscribed to all local and some national newspapers. We valued knowledge about regional, national, and international affairs. Especially in the days before electronic news agencies, reading multiple newspapers was the best bet. My dad had this thing about the newspaper: he hated to read an already-read one. He wanted to be the one to open the pristine paper, not one already opened, mangled, clipped or even breathed on by someone else. Even so, he was generous about... Read more
I always seek to give myself some time for reflection and evaluation on Sunday afternoons. Today, it seemed especially important after one of the most joyful worship services I have ever been a part of. The children led in worship. Forty-four children had worked hard all week at Vacation Bible School learning more deeply the story of the Incarnation, discovering the intricacies of malaria, its causes, symptoms and means of transmission, memorizing and learning the tunes to five songs they... Read more
Robert Jeffress of “Put Christ Back in Christmas fame,” made the front pages of The Dallas Morning News recently as a reporter wrote a profile on him and his progress at bringing glory to First Baptist Church, Dallas. Personally, I think we are supposed to give glory to God, but Jeffress may see this differently. Anyway, part of his mission while accomplishing this goal is to preach a wimpy-less Christianity. ““I think it’s time to stop being wimpy about our... Read more
Many toddlers bite other children. Not sure why, but it happens fairly often. Human bites hurt, and little ones rightly protest when they’ve been bitten. Parents and caregivers must deal firmly with biters and teach them better ways to deal with their frustration and anger.Fortunately, most children learn that this particular behavior is not acceptable. However, could it be possible that the tendency to bite just gets channeled into behaviors that are considered more acceptable but still use the mouth?... Read more
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