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Man Among Boys
To everyone in the discussion, on all sides, the people involved in this issue are people first: not a law, not a theology, not a sin, not a debate. They are people. And this is personal. So the best thing we can do when faced with people issues is look through their eyes. Stand on their ground. Learn their language. Experience their pain. And summon their courage. Only when we do this will we be ready to engage in dialogue that pleases Jesus.
(Source: churchjanitor)
Randy Johnson hitting bird with a fastball. 12 years ago today
(via @Alex_Ogle)
RIP exploding bird.
Remember this?
There have been more people to walk on the moon (12) than score an earned run against Mariano Rivera in the postseason (11)!!!
Well ok then.
Mariano Rivera is the one ballplayer that I could say with confidence “I saw the best that ever played the position.”
Greatest ever.
After I read Long Walk to Freedom, the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, I didn’t read another book for months out of fear that I would only be disappointed. His story was passionate, inspiring, devastating, and real. I knew no book could measure up.
That’s how I feel now after reading Peter Rollins’ Insurrection. I’ve been posting excerpts the past few weeks, but they fail to paint the complete picture of just how important this book is. It’s one I’ll need to read again, and probably will very soon.
If you can get your hands on a copy, do it! There’s a good chance something in it will make you uncomfortable, but it paints such a beautiful picture of what the Church - and the world - can be.
“But what if our real job is not to give to those who are poor but to help create a world where the poor do not exist?
“What if the Church should be less concerned with making saints than creating a world where we do not need saints? A world where people like Mother Teresa and MLK would have nothing to do.”
-Peter Rollins, “Insurrection”
Silas and I went to the store this morning for bread and juice various other items. I took him along because he is our new X-Factor. That title once belonged to Canaan, but no longer. The X-Factor is the kid who changes everything, no matter the circumstance. If we were to ask someone to babysit our boys, we would send Silas to one sitter and the remaining five somewhere else. The sitter with the older five would have an easier time by far!
He’s the X-Factor.
Fortunately he’s growing up a little. He responds to simple instructions (throw away your diaper, get in your high chair, come down off the roof, etc.). He’s not as aggressive as he once was, though face masks and protective cups are never a bad idea.
Most importantly, screaming is no longer his language of choice. He uses some signs for please, more, help, and something with his middle finger we can’t quite figure out. He even says some words when prompted, but they mostly sound like “Pbat!”
Still, he’s growing up. And that’s fun. He could very well be the last baby we ever raise, so we’re enjoying the small things. We didn’t get to see Judah or Canaan morph from infants to toddlers to little boys, so something about struggling through the process with Silas feels sacred.
Anyway, happy parenting everybody!
“It is in experiencing the license of grace rather than the legalism of prohibition that real transformation becomes possible.”
Peter Rollins
“Insurrection”
Finishing Peter Rollins’ book “Insurrection.” It’s an excellent book about doubt and the structures we’ve built to squelch it. Doubt and an experience of abandonment are part of joining Jesus in the reality of the cross. Ian and I will hear him speak next month at a conference in Missouri. Can’t wait.
Anyway, here’s my next round of books. Anybody read these? Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions for future reading?
Young Folks, Technology & Sustainability: Shift happens…
From The Huffington Post:
Millennials would rather give up driving than their smartphone or laptop, a survey commissioned by the car rental company Zipcar finds.
…
More than any other age group, millennials said they make a conscious attempt to reduce the amount of time they drive by carpooling, taking public transportation, riding a bike or walking, according to the study. Millennials were more likely to communicate with friends online than to see them in person, and more likely to order online than to drive somewhere to buy something.
More here.
Chart via: ‘Millennials Say They’d Give Up Their Cars Before Their Computers or Cell Phones’ (Atlantic Cities)
