On Faith:
Posted: 30 Dec 2012 10:42 PM PST
"As
the Creator's making sprung from the very heart of his Eternal being –
all holy, holy, holy – so our small creating reflects our being. Inside
this heart there are echoes of glory, mixed and muddied by a fair share
of muck and mire. I paint in the middle of the mess, and it is the taut
tension of brokenness and beauty that leaks from my brush."Beautiful, beautiful words
Posted: 29 Dec 2012 12:25 PM PST
"It's amazing how much more mercy I give to people who struggle with
sins I understand. The further their sin is from my own personal
struggles, the more judgmental and callous I become. I'm not proud of
that. It's just where I was at that time in my walk...In
many ways I have not been aggressive enough with the application of the
gospel. My concept of grace needed to mature, to grow muscles, teeth,
and bad breath. It needed to carry a shield, and most of all, it needed
to find its voice...Grace must pick a side in the light of day, not just
whisper its opinion in the shadows and dark places where we sign our
name Anonymous. When a leader falls and then repents, grace picks a
side. Grace is strong. Grace is a shield to those who cannot get off the
battlefield. Grace is God's idea. Like a spiritual Switzerland, we stay
in our neutral world where we can both forgive and judge but never get
our hands dirty caring for the fallen. And when we don't pick a side,
the wrong side gets picked for us. Crematoriums are more sanitary than
hospitals. Let's change this!"
AMEN.
AMEN.
Posted: 30 Dec 2012 12:55 PM PST
"That's
what they are. That's what these are. Holy hiccoughs, if you will.
God's way of getting our attention, of inserting the mystery and majesty
of Himself into my petty, limited list of to-do's. "Interruptions"
that came into my otherwise semblance of selfish control. Like the heart
attack rattling into full focus all my mother has meant, and means, to
me. Like the other "interruptions" that deter you from getting all you'd
like done, in your own little highly controlled way. Interruptions that
don't allow you to coast along. Interruptions that throw in your face
how you actually live with such high expectations of how life should be
perfect even though we are sinners. That somehow it's not crazily
gracious enough in this world knitted together by various self-wills
that "afflictions" like illness, suffering, and despair are things by
which we mark the default rather than the norm."
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Posted: 29 Dec 2012 10:36 PM PST
"This
was the first Charlie Brown TV special. It could have been the last. It
would have been very easy, even understandable, for Schulz to pull the
scene to keep CBS and his own team happy. But he decided it was crucial
to the story, and so it stayed in despite weighty and valid concerns
from important people...Thank goodness. Not only is A Charlie Brown
Christmas one of the most popular holiday specials ever, winning at the
time both an Emmy and a Peabody, but little Linus has now preached the
gospel on national TV every year since, thanks to the extraordinarily
ordinary courage of a newspaper cartoonist...In light of his example,
the question now is what ordinary display of courage does God desire
from me?"
I link to a lot of stuff on here. This could well be my favorite thing I've read in 2012. Take note. I wanted to cheer for all thirty six pearls. | |
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On the Old and New Year:
On Political and Social Issues of the Day:
Posted: 30 Dec 2012 11:20 PM PST
Twelve good lessons. |
Posted: 08 Jan 2013 10:13 PM PST
"This
year, I made only a few goals. I made them because it's in my nature to
make lists. I made them because I think there's something good and
honest about rolling up your sleeves and trying to rebuild the broken
habits of your life."
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On Political and Social Issues of the Day:
Posted: 30 Dec 2012 10:11 PM PST
"Russia's
barring of adoptions broadly punishes the neediest, most defenseless,
and most innocent members of its own society. In fact, this action by
President Putin and the Russian parliament only affirms the purpose of
the Magnitsky Act – namely, the need to defend the human rights and
dignity of the Russian people – and makes the implementation of that law
all the more essential."
On Education:
On Various Other Topics of Importance:
Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:48 PM PST
"The
fear among some military leaders, politicians and experts begins with
the belief that as fewer segments of society have family or friends in
uniform, others become desensitized to the risks and stresses of
military service. The feared risks range from a reluctance to fully
support those who serve to an almost cavalier willingness to wage war,
reasoning, "That's what THEY signed up for.""
Interesting article about how not having a draft really changes the dynamics of the military AND societal views on war.
Interesting article about how not having a draft really changes the dynamics of the military AND societal views on war.
On Education:
Posted: 29 Dec 2012 12:41 PM PST
This
is why, at age three, given the choice between helping Annie explore
the answers to her many "whys" and practicing pre-reading phonics
skills, I will nearly always choose the former. [FWIW, I need to do
better about telling her the answer less and guiding her gently to it
more.]
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Posted: 30 Dec 2012 11:18 PM PST
Good advice.
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1 comment:
You are too sweet to me.
I love you, friend.
Ellis
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