I owe much...

My little bird sister, you owe much to God your Creator, and you must always and everywhere praise him...and you are also indebted to Him for the realm of the air which He assigned you. Moreover, you neither sow nor reap, yet God nourishes you, and He gives you the rivers and springs to drink from...Therefore my little bird sister, be careful not to be ungrateful, but strive to always praise God. -St. Francis

Praising Him...

501. introduicng Malli to farm animals

502. spending time with oldest son, Taylor

503. hugs and kisses from Malli

504. Trinidadian friends in our home

505. praying and worshiping with friends

506. a day at the pool

But I will hope continually

And I will praise you yet more and more.

Psalm 71:14

Chewing on this ...

Where in the New Testament does anyone say how great their church is? Where in the New Testament does anyone brag on their favorite preacher? (Other than in Corinth.) Where in the New Testament are we told to spend money on church advertising and making our pastor’s name the brand of the entire church? Where are we told we know so much that we are experts on everything and can fix anything? Where are we told in the New Testament that we are producing experiences? Where does it say we are competing for the world’s attention the world’s way?
Yes, we’ve heard it all 100 times before, and our children will hear it a 1000 times more if they stay in evangelicalism. They will hear it because the entire gassed up, energized machine is launching itself into the future with all the arrogance it can muster, replete with every answer and all wisdom, learning nothing and seeing nothing wrong.
In 2009, we will hear it all 100 times again and again.
But not all of us. Perhaps less of us than you think.
Some of us will finally say good-bye to this insanity. Some of us will stay, but we will not be listening anymore. Some of us will discover others ways, other paths, other pilgrims and friends.
In fact, many of those standing to say the same things and do the same things and insist on the same things will feel the Great Emptiness in it all.
Somewhere, just beyond the 100th time we hear it all again and the 100th time we hear the new version of it in the latest church, latest book, latest sermon series, latest CD, latest web site and so on….somewhere, we’ll hear it the last time and we’ll walk away.
We will be hearing something else….someone else. Other voices and other music. Another way of being Christian.

(written by Michael Spencer)

The Problem with Religion « The Master’s Table

The Problem with Religion « The Master’s Table

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Multi-tasking

In my late 40s I have learned to slow down a bit. Maybe it's the waning energy level, emptying nest, or maybe I truly have learned to be still more often. It is a discipline, a learned thing for sure.
I learned early in my marriage ... a little less than two years in, actually to have all appearances of the perfect wife and mom. I was pretty good at it, too. I had a spotless home, a loving husband, and an energetic little tot to keep me on my toes. It was all a matter of priorities and balance. Before long, I became the mother of two more precious little ones that added to my balancing act. Multi-tasking was my life.I made an attempt to be the wife, mom, teacher that I thought I was supposed to be. It was then that I began dropping the balls in my juggling act, so to speak. I could not keep up with the demands that I placed on myself. I tumbled. I fell. I crashed.
So I have been re-learning, disciplining daily. And I have not graduated from this class, but I have learned that it is not based on what I do or don't do. It's simple, beautiful grace. I feel as if I have finally scratched the surface of this gift. This grace. I don't have to try to do it all. I have discovered that when I choose to seek Him first, everything else that really matters gets taken care of anyway.

Lucky

If you're lucky enough

to be at the beach,

then you're lucky enough!