No, you won’t be reading a critique of this book by the pastor of a huge church, but Unconventional will touch on the concept. What is our best spiritual life? Is it now? Can we have it now? If so how do we grab it?Two issues arise that keep us from the best. First...
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image from Diamond Canyon Christian Church
Back to Our Future
Satchel Paige, star of the old Negro League and Major League Baseball, once advised, “Don’t look back, someone might be gaining on you.” Like most “rules,” that too possesses an exception. I experienced that yesterday. Jim Price, a friend from 50 years back retired from pastoring a church for the past 37 years, and the organizers of the celebration asked me to share five minutes. Condensing 50 years into five minutes forces a lot of recollections and refining and focusing. Here’s my take—Jim is ...
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Take Five...Or Fifteen
The stack of pavers, the kneeling pad, the hammer and brick set chisel, the wheelbarrow with a shovel, and the saw, all suggest a work scene. And it even has a worker, with torn jeans and a sore on the knee…and the sweat stains on his chest indicate some work might have been done. But no one’s working. He’s sitting back with a cold drink. Why? He’s trying to copy Jesus. Really?
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Appearances Deceive
Looking down from 50 feet away, the above hole at McGee Creek looked promising. Deep enough for a nice sized trout, with enough movement of water to bring plenty of food to hungry fish. I carefully worked my way down through the scrub brush and rocks and loose dirt, but at 10 feet away, the hole lost its great appearance. Up close, the shallow water moved too fast and held little promise. Appearances deceive. But ...
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Rock Stack by Juan Cisneros
When Rocks Talk
Signs of Christmas abound. “Silent Night” to “Jingle Bell Rock.” Manger scenes to those of Santa at the North Pole with his elves. But the pic above, which I put up earlier last week on its own, takes me to a deeper level on getting into the “Christmas spirit,” a level beyond our typical cultural Christmas. And may I suggest that the spiritual signs dominate the cultural ones. The pic of stacked rocks prompted ...
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image from dailymail.co.uk
Puke and Rally
The Air Force Thunderbirds often take media people or celebs on PR flights in their jets. You likely won’t recognize Gerard Butler in the pic above, taking an in flight selfie. A family friend who has worked with them says it’s 50-50 if the media flyer will puke, so they prep them on how to avoid it, and then share their slogan: Puke and Rally. Or, if you feel like it’s gonna happen, grab the bag and...
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Love is a Feeling. Really?
“Love is a feeling you feel when you feel you’ve never felt that feeling before.” I first heard that from marriage counselor and author, Norm Wright. And while slightly over the top, it does reflect our society, doesn’t it? We go by feelings, by our gut. That’s why the pic above means so much. The morning in Idaho started off pretty chilly, and we geared up for cold weather, including insulated pants. Insulated pants that you can only remove with great difficulty and flexibility, particularly if you keep your boots on. But taking your boots off on a dirt side of the road merely brings more difficulty. And dirt on your sox. So, as the day warmed...
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Just Don't Say No...To Temptation
May I assume the headline got your attention? Here’s the back story. On a recent fishing trip I had a conversation with a fellow fisherman who turned out to be a fellow follower of a guy who knew a lot of fishermen. He acknowledged a struggle with alcohol overconsumption, “It’s so hard to say no. The angel on one shoulder says ‘Just say no,’ and the demon perched on the others says ‘Just say yes.’” So, in a flash of either idiocy or brilliance, I responded, “Just don’t say no…to temptation.” His look likely appeared like yours at reading the headline. But...
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