Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
21
We celebrated Ryan's 21st birthday yesterday. Took him out to get a steak. I guess this makes him officially a man. And a good one at that. Happy Birthday, man!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
over
Today saw the end of a six-week stretch in my life that had left me ill, sullen, and stressed. The circumstances behind the ordeal are of a personal nature and I won't express them here, but today I am reminded of my love for my family and friends, and I am relieved to find out/be reminded that there are still plenty of really good people out there. I am also reminded of God's love for me and his peaceful hand upon my life.
Its time for a really good cigar...
Its time for a really good cigar...
Monday, December 15, 2008
movie
My favorite Christmas movie is Love Actually. I say it is a Christmas movie because it is set at Christmas. It is a great film about the differing kinds of love that we experience--family, romantic, freindship, etc. And it does it all with that witty British tilt to it. Great music, too. Oh--and Keira Knightly and Laura Linney. Go watch it.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
hope
First Sunday of Advent---Hope
I have a hope that those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ will begin to lay aside differences between us and focus on our common belief, our common faith--a hope that those things that divide and separate us will diminish and fade and that we can begin to effect a coming together of mind and spirit that reflects the mind of a God of love, mercy and grace
I have a hope that instead of the world seeing a bitter and bickering family of God that they would see a people that are more concerned with showing forth the love of God in all aspects of our life regardless of the differences in our congregational interpretations of doctrine
I have a hope that instead of being seen as a polarizing force in today’s culture, that we would be seen as a unifying one--a people that love unconditionally, without agenda or selfish ambition---without an air of superiority or exclusiveness
I have a hope that those who live by the power of Christ in their lives would learn to do so with meekness and humility instead of heavy-handedness and well-intended, yet ill-placed passions
I have a hope that those who call themselves Christian that rise to power in government would use that power not to divide and conquer, but to serve and protect
I have a hope that those who need and desire love and grace would seek and find it in those who call themselves Christian and can offer His love and acceptance, rather than relying upon a world that seeks to devour them and throw them away
is it all too much to hope for? Am I being unrealistic with my hopes? Am I too idealistic? Are my hopes based on what I feel is wrong with today’s Christianity? Am I just being reactionary?
what is hope if not a desire for a certain outcome based on a belief that errors can be admitted, wrongs can be righted, and the Christ that lives within me can be exalted?
is my hope misplaced, unwarranted, misguided?—maybe, but if all hope were realistic at face-value, then it would not be hope
and if hope does not arise and swell from need and desire for what many would consider difficult, if not impossible, then yes, I am misguided and idealistic
guilty...but not swayed
I have a hope that those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ will begin to lay aside differences between us and focus on our common belief, our common faith--a hope that those things that divide and separate us will diminish and fade and that we can begin to effect a coming together of mind and spirit that reflects the mind of a God of love, mercy and grace
I have a hope that instead of the world seeing a bitter and bickering family of God that they would see a people that are more concerned with showing forth the love of God in all aspects of our life regardless of the differences in our congregational interpretations of doctrine
I have a hope that instead of being seen as a polarizing force in today’s culture, that we would be seen as a unifying one--a people that love unconditionally, without agenda or selfish ambition---without an air of superiority or exclusiveness
I have a hope that those who live by the power of Christ in their lives would learn to do so with meekness and humility instead of heavy-handedness and well-intended, yet ill-placed passions
I have a hope that those who call themselves Christian that rise to power in government would use that power not to divide and conquer, but to serve and protect
I have a hope that those who need and desire love and grace would seek and find it in those who call themselves Christian and can offer His love and acceptance, rather than relying upon a world that seeks to devour them and throw them away
is it all too much to hope for? Am I being unrealistic with my hopes? Am I too idealistic? Are my hopes based on what I feel is wrong with today’s Christianity? Am I just being reactionary?
what is hope if not a desire for a certain outcome based on a belief that errors can be admitted, wrongs can be righted, and the Christ that lives within me can be exalted?
is my hope misplaced, unwarranted, misguided?—maybe, but if all hope were realistic at face-value, then it would not be hope
and if hope does not arise and swell from need and desire for what many would consider difficult, if not impossible, then yes, I am misguided and idealistic
guilty...but not swayed
Friday, October 24, 2008
music in the air
Susan, Sarah and I attended a choir concert in Wilmington last night presented by the Lenoir Rhyne University Choir, of which my brother-in-law, Scott, is a member. Scott has a great bass voice and had several solos. The concert was wonderful and prompted my mind to wander back...
Although I recognized a few of the pieces, most of them were unknown to me. I began to think about all the hymns that I sang for so many years. I know a lot of words to a lot of hymns. That's how I was raised---singing the hymns at church. My mother was the choir director. I developed a mediocre tenor voice and used to love to sing in a SATB setting. The whole experience last night gave me a warm feeling of remembrance about my younger days of innocence. While I felt a little uncomfortable in this rather high-church setting, the music moved upon me as it always does. Even when I was singing the guilt-ridden, judgmental songs of my bluegrass gospel days, it was the music and harmonies that really attracted me.
I guess music sometimes has a way of transcending bad theology...or bad ideology...or bad whatever. "I dig music.....I'm on drugs"--Russell Hammond, Almost Famous
Although I recognized a few of the pieces, most of them were unknown to me. I began to think about all the hymns that I sang for so many years. I know a lot of words to a lot of hymns. That's how I was raised---singing the hymns at church. My mother was the choir director. I developed a mediocre tenor voice and used to love to sing in a SATB setting. The whole experience last night gave me a warm feeling of remembrance about my younger days of innocence. While I felt a little uncomfortable in this rather high-church setting, the music moved upon me as it always does. Even when I was singing the guilt-ridden, judgmental songs of my bluegrass gospel days, it was the music and harmonies that really attracted me.
I guess music sometimes has a way of transcending bad theology...or bad ideology...or bad whatever. "I dig music.....I'm on drugs"--Russell Hammond, Almost Famous
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