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Wind Chasing	Ecclesiastes 1:2

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read my profile sign my guestbook Name: Roger State: California Metro: San Francisco Gender: Male Interests: Odd Bible passages, ancient history, new movies, good books, and loud music. Expertise: The more I learn the more realize how little I know. Occupation: Servant of God Message: message meEmail: email me Member Since: 3/9/2005

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Dead Horse Syndrome

From a newsletter I get (Church Leaders Intelligence Report):

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians says when you discover you’re riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, in professional ministry, because of the relationships and emotional attachments involved, other strategies are often tried with dead horses, including:

Buying a stronger whip.
Changing riders.
Threatening the horse with termination.
Appointing a committee to study the horse.
Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
Reclassifying the dead horse as “living-impaired.”
Harnessing several dead horses together for increased speed.
Doing a time management study to see if lighter riders would improve productivity.
Declaring a dead horse has lower overhead and therefore performs better.
Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Sometimes it seems that this could come right from the official policies and procedures minute book, doesn't it?

11:48 AM - 64 views - 2 eprops - 1 comment - email it

Saturday, March 08, 2008

RIP - Can't wait to hear you in heaven

I saw a notice last week that Larry Norman has passed away.

Larry was a man who opened up the field of modern Christian music. He was the first real Christian rocker and, like many people who are first to do something, he paid a heavy price for it. Rock music was said to be sinful and Larry was blackballed by the majority of the Christian world for a long time for daring to play the devil's music.

He was a brilliant performer and many of his songs are just as awesome and relevant today as they were in the 60s and 70s. He provided inspiration for a lot of up and coming groups in those early years (including Bob Dylan and U2) both in and out of the Christian community.

I had the privilege of spending a week with him once. I was a camp counselor at Covenant Beach outside of Seattle back in '86 (wow, I'm old) and he was our special guest at a teen camp. We had a day camp at this camp too, and those of us working the day camp actually got to spend a lot of time with him. At the end of the week he did a full concert for our little camp that I wish I had a recording of. It was amazing and there were lives changed and souls saved because of how God worked through his music and his heart for us.

The one thing that I found strange was that, for being an artist and having such a poetic mindset, he didn't really seem to have much appreciation for the beauty of the place we were at. One night there was a full moon rising over Puget Sound just as the sun was setting (absolutely awesome combination, especially at that time of summer with a plankton-loaded tide making the waves glow from phosphorescence). Those of us who were free were heading down to the beach to watch and he just didn't get "why anyone would want to go look at the moon." I suppose he could have politely been declining the opportunity to go spend an hour shivering on a beach with only a bunch of 15 - 18 year olds for company, but he really did look puzzled about the whole thing.

Anyway, I'm sure he's in God's hands now. Maybe he'll get to do us a few concerts in the golden city.

10:31 PM - 30 views - 2 eprops - 1 comment - email it

Monday, March 03, 2008

Currently Listening
Saltbreakers
By Laura Veirs
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Overheard...

Went on a trip to Big Basin Redwoods State Park today. On the way home I stopped by the Saratoga Public Library (Saratoga is a little town about halfway between home and the park).

First, this is a really cool library. Made me wish I lived in Saratoga.

Second, it is surrounded by some beautiful land. The main reason I stopped was to take some pictures of the little almond orchard that surrounded the parking area. The trees are in bloom, as are the small yellow field flowers that carpet the ground around them. The orchard also bordered the small, picturesque vineyard that made up the front yard of a gothic looking church. They had a giant iron cross with a stained-glass cross inset in the top of it. Neat.

All that just to set up that I happened to walk past two boys (about 9 or 10 years old) just as one said to the other, "I was bored, so I made a list of all the people who like me and all the people who hate me." I wanted to grab him and say, "Kid, you're ten. That list of people who hate you shouldn't have anyone on it!" [Side note: I remember back when I was in second grade that for a period of about two weeks I spent every recess with Nick Tangborn and Sonia (whose last name I've forgotten) and the three of us talked about how nobody liked us or would hang out with us. The fact that there were three of us sitting there together all the time completely failed to register on us, I guess.] Overhearing this kid talk about his list, I started to wonder what it would look like if I put together that kind of list today. I decided I couldn't think of anyone who hated me, so I quit. How about you?

10:39 PM - 54 views - 6 eprops - 3 comments - email it

Thursday, February 28, 2008

iTunes Check

I could be doing the homework I should be doing, but instead I did this:
I steal all the interesting blog surveys from Kelsie...

So open your iTunes and put it on shuffle. Use the song titles that pop up to answer the questions. No cheating, use the ones that come up, don't skip ahead!!

The next time you stand up in front of a group of people, you'll say:
Song: Bi, a Losa, im Chroi-Se
Artist: William Coulter
Comment: It's Celtic. Means "Jesus, be in my heart", according to the liner. No lyrics, but I'm sure the group needs to hear my prayer.

Your favorite thing to say when drunk is:
Song: I Want You to Want Me (Live)
Artist: Cheap Trick
Comment: I never drink, so I guess I don't say this. Side note: I didn't even know I had Cheap Trick on my iPod.

Your message to the world:
Song: Boom Boom Tarara
Artist: Richard Lemovo & Makina Loca
Comment: What can I say?

Your deepest secret:
Song: Bed of Roses
Artist: Bon Jovi
Comment: Again, I don't drink and never have, but outside of that reference, this is still pretty accurate. "I'm so far away that each step I take is on my way home..."

Your innermost desire:
Song: Micky Finn's Aire
Artist: Alec Finn
Comment: Celtic instrumental. Makes me think of hiking above the tree line in the mountains. Yeah, it fits.

Somewhere in your wedding vows, you'll include:
Song: Over the Horizon
Artist: Petra
Comment: This is pretty old, but it talks about traveling into the unknown. It could have been good. almost 17 years since I said my vows, though.

On your deathbed, you'll whisper:
Song: Low Down Dirty Dog Blues
Artist: Johnny Otis
Comment: Just like me to say something nonsensical.

Your friends say behind your back:
Song: Pilgrimage To Santiago: Dum Paterfamilias / Ad Honorem
Artist: The Chieftans
Comment: My friends want to send me to be honored as the head of a gypsy family in Spain? I should have known something was up.

You say behind your friends' back:
Song: Masochism Tango
Artist: Tom Leher
Comment: Maybe not precisely, but it does fit, kind of.

When you wake up in the morning, you mutter:
Song: Turn You Around
Artist: The Devlins
Comment: Oh, yeah. Fat man in his pajamas. Turn around!

If you found yourself lost on a desert island, you'd yell:
Song: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Episode 22
Artist: Various
Comment: That'd keep me busy for about 35:20...

Right now, your feelings are:
Song: Bob & Ray March 26, 1973
Artist: Bob & Ray
Comment: Yes, right now I feel like an old-time radio comedy.

What's your excuse for reposting this:
Song: In the Flesh
Artist: Pink Floyd
Comment: True.

Your life's soundtrack:
Song: Bon Voyage
Artist: George Winston
Comment: I hope not. I'm not done yet.

The day you fall in love will be the day that:
Song: John Lee Supertaster
Artist: They Might Be Giants
Comment: Yes, life became more intense the day I fell in love.

What do people assume when they first look at you?
Track: He's My Son
Artist: Mark Schultz
Comment: This actually explains a lot.

What will be a big challenge in life for you?
Track: We've Won
Artist: Original Cast of Tommy
Comment: It'll be hard to comprehend

Are you a good boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife?
Song: Ten Feet off the Ground
Artist: Cast from Disney's The One and Only, Genuine, Original, Family Band
Comment: That's right, I walk on air

Do you have a secret admirer?
Song: Stand
Artist: R.E.M.
Comment: Secret admirers stand back, because my wife has a mean right hook.

Will you ever become manically depressed in your life?
Song: Jesus, Name Above All Names
Artist: The Maranatha! Singers
Comment: I guess this means that if I do, I'll still have joy.

How will you die?
Song: Judges Chapter 12 (NIV)
Artist: Zondervan
Comment: I guess I die when I can't properly pronounce "Shibboleth".

Is someone trying to kill you?
Song: What Have We Become
Artist: dc Talk
Comment: People going around trying to kill people. What HAVE we become?

What's for dinner tonight?
Song: With or Without You
Artist: U2
Comment: Must be something cannibalistic.

Your farewell message to the readers of this:
Song: Long Way Home
Artist: Enter the Haggis
Comment: Guess you'd better get going then...

10:32 AM - 31 views - 2 eprops - 1 comment - email it

Monday, February 25, 2008

Currently Reading
Who Stole My Church?: What to Do When the Church You Love Tries to Enter the 21st Century
By Gordon MacDonald
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Book Everyone Should Read

Bridget and I read a great book this week. Well, I guess I read while she listened. It's by a guy who has been a pastor and author for over 40 years. Strangely enough, it's about incorporating change into church life. It's brilliant and readable and wonderful. Get it, read it, tell me what you think.

10:13 PM - 22 views - 2 eprops - 1 comment - email it

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