We actually read a chunk of the book. Let me know what you think.
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Category Archives: Blog
Top 10 Post from 2008
After a brief review, I present to you, the Top 10 Posts from 2008. I started with the most commented on posts, and then sorted through for the ones I felt carried quality content. That said, some of the best content is within the comment sections of some of these posts, so do hope on over and join the conversation. (In no particular order)
- My December Experiment: Female Pronouned God
My attempt to think about things differently
- To Christians in California, Arizona and Florida (Vote NO on Marriage Amendment)
My opinion on Prop 8 and how people should vote
- Is It Radical? Or Consistent Ethics?
Trying to make sense of the typical conservative Christians views
- The Whole “USA’s Got My Back” Thing
Trying to live out my faith in our violent society
- Moving Beyond Pro-Birth
A vision for the church on abortion
- Open Letter to Anyone Returning from a Missions Trip
Thoughts on Christian Missions
- Book Review: Shepherding a Child’s Heart
Some insight into my views on disciplining children
- Quit Ripping on The Plastic Bags
Let’s be logical about our ‘green’ craze
- Another False Premise of Short-Term Missions
More thoughts on short term missions
- HELLO My Name Is….
If you haven’t already, stop by and say “Hi”
A final quick plug…
Buy my Book: Giving Up
This is a brief little plug to students buying books for next semester on Amazon or for those with a little extra Amazon credit after the holiday season. I was able to get the price dropped to $5.05, so we are talking pocket change for some of you folks. Think of it this way, if you’ve got $20 worth of merchandise and your looking for something to get your over $25 so you can get free shipping, add Giving Up to your cart.
I’m not making a penny from it, so don’t feel obligated in any way. If you want to read it on your computer I’ve got a pdf I’ll send you.
Starting a New Year; Building on the Year Before
2008 was a great year. While 2007 was full of changes (new parents [baby], new city, new house, new jobs, new friends, and new community), 2008 was about enjoying our new place with the knowledge that we’d finally settled down for the long haul. It was great to spend a summer knowing that we’d see all the same kids running around next summer. Making friends knowing that we weren’t going to pack up and move the following year. It was good to know that we were staying.
2009 will be our first time we’ll be in the same home for a second year in a row (and many more to come). I’m very excited about how much we’ve learned and become involved in our community in just the past year. And though we’ve gotten involved, we’ve also sat back, soaked it up, opened our ears, and had patience to learn from others and become a part of the community we’ve joined. We’ve probably got a few more years before we are truly a part of things, but we are excited for that day too.
I tend to make goals for myself anyways, and since January 1st is a good time to set yearly goals, I know I’ll find myself making a few. Have you made any Resolutions this year? I’d love to hear them. One of my big goals last year was to read 1 book a week through the entire year. If you’ve been reading my book reviews you saw I was pretty much right on track (I’ve still got half of book 52 left). This year I plan on focusing on writing. I’ll spare you the details, but I’ll probably try and share a bit of what I’m writing on this blog, rather then doing double duty. The first goal is to write some sort of finance/stewardship type book. hopefully you’ll enjoy that.
I also want to try and interact more in the comments section of posts. I’m not always good at dialogging with people’s comments after I post on a topic. My goal is to make an effort to dialog more, so do come back and converse please! We’ll see how it works out.
Alright, all done for now. Happy New Year!
[photo credit]
Published in Geez: On Raising Activist Children
So, I’m excited to have another published piece in Geez Magazine. Here’s the article (you’ll have to get your own copy if you want to see it in print)…
On Raising Activist Children
I want to raise my children valuing the importance of relationship and community.
I want them to see giving as far more enjoyable and valuable then receiving (yes, even at Christmas time).
I want my children to know, and lend me insight, into the paradoxes of Jesus’ teachings: Love your enemies, deny yourself, seek first the kingdom, faith like a child in a kingdom like a mustard seed.
I want my kids to know that there are better uses of your time then comatose entertainment and that more toys won’t make you more happy.
I want them to know that following Jesus is much more about hanging out in the park with the homeless and having banquets for the needy, than it is about going to a building to sing songs and eating out on Sunday with people that all look and act the same.
I want my kids to know that worship includes planting gardens and giving food, clothes and shelter to others.
I want them to know that we bike because it’s fun, and it’s taking good care of this lovely planet God gave us.
I want my kids to know the importance of wearing clothes and eating food that was prepared justly and not by a child their age in a sweatshop.
I want my kids to know that God will care for their needs, but that it is more important to live simply so that others might simply live.
I want my kids to have fun, playing at the park, reading books at the library, going on adventures all over town, building castles out of refrigerator boxes, redeeming others trash into tree forts.
Afterword (one year later)
It’s been a little over one year since we’ve begun to explore the world in a new light as we chase our little daughter wherever her feet will take her. One year isn’t really a definitive point at which to declare victory, but we’ve found small bits of encouragement as we look back and continue to look forward. Our daughter is as likely to wave at the disheveled drunk man on the bus as she is to pat on the back the nuns who live a few houses down. Her only fascination with televisions and computer screens is the ability to turn them off (and on, and off, and on, and off). She enjoys picking tomatoes in the garden, though she hasn’t learned what’s ripe – which brings us so much joy since they are from our backyard or the community gardens in the neighborhood. She’s spent much more time traveling in strollers, backpacks, and bike carriers than riding in her car-seat – the only down-side of which is that she tends to be squirmy and unhappy when we have to strap her into it. Our little girl is going to grow up in a community that is as culturally diverse as possible, given that we live in Minnesota, and she is going to have a much easier time spotting the oppressive structures of poverty and racism than we who have grown up oblivious to our privilege since we don’t know anyone adversely affected by it. So really, even though there is so much more to do; even though we could dwell on where we fall short in our abilities to be at protests and attempts to stop world-hunger, hopefully we are changing not just ourselves, but the whole world just one little girl at a time.
(Published in Geez Magazine, Issue 12, The what-is-commonly-referred-to-as Activism Issue, Winter 2008)
Finally, Another Blog Redesign
Well, I had nothing in the brain to write for this week, zero posts lined up, so I went ahead and redesigned the whole website. I’ve been working on a few design projects and it inspired me to clean this site up as well. I’m hoping to utilize images a bit more as you’ll see if you go to the home page. Maybe this clean new design will entice some of you email and rss voyeurs to stop by every once in a while.
I think I kept the old design up for almost two years, which is impressive by my standards. I managed to write rather then procrastinate by dabbling in the look of the site. Hopefully this new look will remain for a few years to come as well.
I still have to clean up the sidebar and some of the other features of the site, but all web projects are always in progress. So that’s it for now, nothing fancy, just a note to say stop by and see what you think of the new look. (my secret wish is that this amazing new redesign will push my readership over 300… tell your friends)
My Random Stuff Stream
So, I started a separate blog for random stuff. I used to try and do asides on here but they didn’t work how I wanted them to. Instead I moved it here, On The Journey. It’s just everything, completely random. You can subscribe via email and get a once a day update, or you can use the RSS feed. There isn’t comments or anything, just a stream of random. Some links, but mostly images, quotes and occasional videos.
I’ve also filtered into my facebook notes, not sure if it’s a good idea yet, we’ll see. Everyone really liked this image:
I’ll even give you the chance to subscribe via email below.
Anyways, I just wanted to plug that site since I’m taking the time to do it. It’s more like my random notebook I guess.
Fear Tactic: A Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America
Okay, I’m jumping to dialog since I don’t have a deep thought to share with anyone today. Apparently, Focus on the Family Action, the politicized version of the non-profit, sent out a “Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America.”(pdf)
It’s a terribly fearful letter about how the country’s on it’s way to hell in a hand basket if Obama gets elected. I’m not sure I believe them, nor do I think this kind of fear tactic is appropriate, nor do I think it’s very Christian, but nonetheless, it’s out there.
Some of the highlights of the letter (in 2012):
– The Supreme court leans liberal, 6 to 3.
– Terrorist attacks have occurred in 4 US cities.
– Christian doctors, nurses, counselors, and teachers have either been fired or quit.
– Iran perpetrated a nuclear attack on Israel, drastically reducing the size of its borders.
– Pornography is freely displayed.
– Inner city violent crime has dramatically increased due to gun control.
– Russia has occupied 4 additional countries.
– Gas tops $7 a gallon.
– Euthanasia becomes commonplace.
– Blackouts occur throughout the country.
– Homosexual marriage becomes law in all 50 states.
– Campus ministries, Christian adoption agencies and Christian schools nearly cease to exist.
– Home school families emigrate to Australia and New Zealand by the thousands.
– Bush officials are jailed and bankrupt.
– Taliban oppression overtakes Iraq and death of American sympathizers reaches millions.
– Homosexuals are given a bonus to enlist in the military.
My question, and it’s an honest one, is whether or not this is extreme or an accurate portrayal of what conservative Christians believe will happen by 2012 if Obama is elected?
A Slightly More Light Hearted Question
After yesterday’s post and discussion, I figured we’d move briefly to a more light hearted subject.
It’s another question. My daughter is a reading maniac. We’ll she doesn’t read, but she wants us to read to her ALL the time. And she’s just 16 months. The problem is, we read the same books fifteen times a day, and it’s driving me a little batty.
Anyone have recommendations of childrens books I should check out that both she and I will enjoy?
She can handle a couple sentences per page, but it must have pictures and can’t be to too long.
Thanks.
Questions for My “Pro-Life” Friends
These are not “gotcha” questions, I’m just trying to get some input and answers. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything, only trying to better understand a view I’ve aligned myself with in the past, and questioning whether I can comfortably do so in the future. Feel free to respond to them individually, I’ll number them so you can number your answers.
- Do you believe that using birth control, such as the pill, is also abortion? If so, why have we never seen a church campaign to stop it’s members from using the pill?
- There are thousands of babies all over the world who die every day simply because they don’t have enough food and clean drinking water. They aren’t murdered by abortion (an act we have little control over, whether legal or illegal), they are murdered by our apathy and reluctance to help. If the church really cares about the smallest, why are we spending so much of our wealth on ourselves instead of caring for those lives we could save across the globe?
- What evidence brings you to the conclusion that “life” begins at conception? What scriptural support if any?
- Abortions occurred during Jesus’ time as well. Why did Jesus not say a single thing about this during his time on earth?
- Is there more to the “Pro-life” platform then simply overturning Roe v. Wade? If so I’d like to know. I’m wondering if there is a platform stance on issues concerning maternity, like federal paid leave, medical support, etc.
I really want answers to these questions, so I’m not going to add any more. I’ve addressed other questions I’ve had about the consistent ethics, when life begins, national depravity and a specific Bible verse as well, you can comment on those posts regarding those topics.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’m really seeking to better understand the position. I’m not out to debate. My goal is to respond to comments with further questions or clarification, but I’m not going to try and debate any answers that are given.
YouTubesday: K Street and Renegade Sheriff
The Revolving Door of K Street
Interesting response to the housing Crisis
And an interestingly visual live music video performance
New Creation from FC Post on Vimeo.