Monthly Archives: January 2010

Reason to Sing

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5

I read this passage a while ago and it really struck me. Like there’s something alive inside these words.
A reason to hope. A reason to sing.

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.

At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes,” says the LORD.

~Zephaniah 3:14-20

If I was in your living room…

Posted on
8

Last week, I read an article that challenged bloggers to behave as nicely as if they were in someone’s living room. Basically saying that if we wouldn’t act like jerks while we were at someone’s house, then we shouldn’t act like jerks on the internet.

I took the advice a step further. I asked myself if I communicate the same things on here as I would if I were in your living room.

The answer is no.

I don’t.

But, before you feel betrayed or shrugged off, let me explain:

If I were in your living room, then I have a face to face relationship with you. I probably know a bit about you. And you probably think enough of me to invite me into your house. And, of course, I think enough of you to receive that invitation. Even with that level of familiarity, I’d probably tell you things that I may not put on this blog. Why? Because I know you. I know who’s listening.

But on the blog, I don’t know who is reading. Yes. I know I have close friends and family who read this. But I also have total strangers that wander by.

Blogging is more like being in your living room while knowing there’s a hidden camera – with untold onlookers peering in at our conversation. That knowledge automatically shifts the conversation. It’s impossible to not be aware of the camera.

But should we? Should we be aware of the untold onlookers? Or should we just take off our shoes, kick back on the sofa with a hot cup of cocoa, and talk it out?

What do you think?

QUESTION QUESTION QUESTION

Posted on
11

Hi.

So here’s something I’ve been chewing on lately – should the church take up a public offering? This has traditionally been the case, but a lot of contemporary churches have the offering boxes or baskets set to the side where people can just drop the checks in when they enter/leave worship.

Why is this the case?

What does your church do?

Do you think it matters?

I’ve lost – that homeless feelin’ – oh that homeless feelin’

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3

Well.

No major house news – except that we’re getting used to staying in our pastor’s basement. It’s kinda cool, actually, because the church was started there about 6 years ago. I’ts like we’re starting from the beginning.

About THE house. We’re still waiting! But, the good news is that it’s back on the market. Now we’re just waiting for Fannie Mae to respond to our offer. And we’ll go from there.

Could be next week.

Could be early February.

I was hoping the Gov’t would give us a house for Christmas. No such luck. But I did get a cool door mat for the house we will eventually live in. :)

What was YOUR favorite Christmas present?