If flossing were truly important, half of us would be dying of gum disease. We’d be daily opening the obituaries, lamenting the loss of another fine upstanding citizen who’d succumbed to the inevitable consequences of irregular flossing.
I was raised by godly Christian parents who taught me from an early age to differentiate between Christianity and culture.
I’m tired because of the gluten, or is it the depression? Did the doughnut bring about this heavy head, or is it the sorrow, the perpetual sorrow of seeing so many refuse you?
With the Seattle Mariner baseball season on the horizon, it seems like a good time to talk about suffering and endurance.
Last year’s Mariner advertising slogan was “Ready to play.” Unfortunately, they forgot to complete the slogan with an adverb such as “well,” or “adequately.” Consequently, last year we experienced another Mariner season that surpassed our lowest expectations. Rumor has it the official slogan is slightly tweaked this year to “Ready to play better than last year. … We really mean it this time.”
Regardless of how dire things might look, hope does spring eternal in the form of a new season. Who knows, this could be our year to win more games than we lose. And if we win our first game, well the sky is the limit. At least until the batting averages settle into a mediocre grove.
Ah yes, Mariners baseball, let us persevere as we rejoice in our suffering.
The 5th Avenue’s new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” is a wonderfully disconcerting pleasure to enjoy and digest.
I’m turning 40 years old on Sunday. Which means if I’m lucky, I’m at the halfway point. Although I think 80 might be wishful thinking if I don’t start increasing my daily mobility.
Here are my 2012 resolutions for the American Church in no particular order of importance.
I enjoy Disneyland. Disneyland is square footage within a well fortified boundary. Within the boundary is magic; outside the boundary is Southern California. Southern California is less magical.
I want you to know that I’ve been praying for you today. I’ve noticed November sometimes gets you down. Which is rather understandable, considering the darkness, coldness and aimlessness that creeps into this corner of the calendar.
I just witnessed the official premiere of “Saving Aimee” at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater. First breath requires I honor the spectacular radiance of “Saving Aimee’s” lead, Carolee Carmello. Her portrayal of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson is best categorized as anointed. It would be inappropriate to avoid religious imagery in relaying her gloriously captivating performance. Carmello anchors Saving Aimee with a nuanced, powerful, joyful representation of one of the most influential and complex women of the early 1900s.
Astrophysicists Saul Perlmutter, Adam Riess and Brian Schmidt were recently awarded the Nobel Prize for their work concerning the universe and everything in it. Their recent research has contributed greatly to the discovery that the universe is not only expanding, but actually speeding up.
Sept. 11, 2011 is the 10th anniversary of my eldest daughter Kysa’s first day of preschool. Ten years ago, Kysa was a very thoughtful, but somewhat shy little four-year old girl. Today she is still extremely thoughtful. Her shyness disappeared shortly after entering school. So far it shows no signs of returning.
There’s nothing like a good old river water baptism. Tradition dictates that our church does at least one river baptism service a year. We’ve got an indoor baptismal tank as well, but there’s nothing quite like a frigid river dunk to give you some old-time religion.
My anxiety abides within my gut, within my skin, within countless compromises and desperate attempts to be accepted. My anxiety abides.
1. Stop following your own lead. Follow God instead. We were made to worship and serve God. When we serve and worship the created instead of the creator, we find emptiness and hopelessness become the fruit of our lives. We certainly can be fruitful without following God’s lead. He has made us so wonderfully fruitful that we will prosper without his guidance. Even so, to prosper outside of God’s will is to fill a lonely house with empty, meaningless things.
When I was a child, Slip ‘n Slides were fastened to lawns with large boulders. Consequently, the definition of summer fun was sliding headfirst between 10-pound rocks, at breakneck speeds, on a moistened strip of plastic runway. Currently, this activity is more commonly categorized as child endangerment.
I firmly believe God is always speaking to us. The Bible says that in the last days, in these days, God will pour out his spirit on all flesh. Sons and daughters, male and female, young and old will prophesy. We will all know, in a profoundly meaningful way, the will and direction of God. We won’t know everything, but we will know enough to hear and do God’s will.
I want to take a few moments to tell you about some of the wonderful pastors in our community.
The death of Osama bin Laden was, and is, certainly newsworthy. There is obvious merit in examining the complex issues surrounding this historic event. However, our 24-hour-a-day reporting, Facebooking, Tweeting, blogging, got-to-keep-talking-about-something society has a way of cheapening the worthiness of any story.
“The surgery was a success. We removed a large, cancerous tumor. Osama Bin Laden is dead.”
God wants to guard your heart. He desires to protect you from pursuing a path that will hurt yourself and others. He is asking you to consider his way, his perspective.
I’ve lost 22 pounds since the first of January. Since I have a habit of finding the weight I’ve lost, I’m going to celebrate this achievement while the scale is still cooperating with my efforts.
I’m on day two of five days without my family. My wife and kids have headed out of town for a ski vacation while I’m stuck at the homestead taking care of the cattle. Actually, we don’t own any cattle, but we do have two cats, two mice, a turtle and possibly two goldfish. The possibility of the goldfish is diminishing.
