Continuing on a similar vein…

On a good run of material relating to healthy application of the Gospel… just another good piece of clarity of how human-defined morals aren’t the answer to life’s trials.  

Dechurched… Thanks Shappy

I think the church in the Bible Belt has a HUGE challenge before it… detoxing ‘believers’ and reorienting them towards the Gospel. 

Swallow that comment

Ever thought something about church, Christianity, religion, etc. and was too afraid to voice it?  An innovative blogger asked this question some time ago and is now posing it again.  Read the responses here.

Value of friends

Over my life I have been blessed with a number of really dear and authentic friends.  Many of which didn’t always share the same passions or viewpoints on things like music, beauty, faith and politics.  As I look back this holiday season it really does take my breath away to see how varied my network of trust has become.  I can honestly say that this body of faces have influenced me for the good, and at times for the not so good (You know who you are!).  But even in those chapters of ‘not so good,’ I was bettered because of the awesome byproduct of that companionship… trust. 

Isn’t it trust that draws us to our strongest and most meaninful relationships?  In most cases that trust has been forged through trials, and in the last 15 years or so, trials that I would most certainly point to God’s ordination.  Trust goes beyond just simple memories and laughs.  Those provide great backdrops for friendships that mean something, but in the end it comes back to trust.  As the years have progressed

Great post from Internetmonk.com

(Taken from Internetmonk.com)

Some Christians love to talk about the sins of Obama or gays or the mainstream media, but get really animated when I suggest we need to talk about our own, even if they are listed in the Bible dozens of times.

If the Gospel isn’t grabbing you by the real sins in your real life, just exactly what is the Gospel doing for you? Or you with it?

I don’t like the fact that I can give a really good talk on prayer when I rarely pray.

I don’t like it that I can read Matthew 5:23-24 and, as far as I can recall, never take a single step toward obeying it.

I don’t like that I can sin and then condemn someone else’s sin in almost the same breath.

Fence Post Fun

Well I did it… it wasn’t pretty, but it’s done.  I had to replace a rotted fence post this weekend.  I managed to dig up the old post and the accompanying 2-ton piece of concrete anchoring it.  A funny thing happened throughout the day.  I had four conversations in the midst of the project.  

One conversation was with my back fence neighbors.  Cheri and Bonnie own the house behind us and share the fence with us.  They had noticed its pending demise and were wondering when I was going to get off my duff and fix it!  So in the process of beginning yesterday morning, Cheri and I spoke.  Ashamedly, it was the first conversation I have had with that particular neighbor.  She was very warm and we exchanged a few quick facts.  I look forward to many more conversations with them.