Ponder this...

Harmony's video tribute to Grandpa

Friday Links

This article by Pastor Pete (how's that for a handle?) is right on and ends with a great question.

Alternatives to talking behind someone's back

I'm getting back into the rhythm of this

and finally, here is a letter that has spoken to me this week by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, to his young neice

Patient Trust

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—and that it may take a very long time.

And so I think it is with you.
Your ideas mature gradually–let them grow,
Let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.

Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.

Kids on Thankfulness

Shawn did a short video this past weekend of some of our church kids expressing their gratitude:

On introversion

Here's a bit from Jonathon Rauch that made me smile.

"The worst of it is that extroverts have no idea of the torment they put us through. Sometimes, as we gasp for air amid the fog of their 98-percent-content-free talk, we wonder if extroverts even bother to listen to themselves. Still, we endure stoically, because the etiquette books—written, no doubt, by extroverts—regard declining to banter as rude and gaps in conversation as awkward. We can only dream that someday, when our condition is more widely understood, when perhaps an Introverts' Rights movement has blossomed and borne fruit, it will not be impolite to say "I'm an introvert. You are a wonderful person and I like you. But now please shush."

Lessons from Chuck Swindoll

Chuck Swindoll was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 09, and spoke on "10 Things I Have Learned During Nearly 50 Years in Leadership":

1) It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2) It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed
3) It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4) It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5) It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6) Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7) Attititude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8) Integrity eclipse image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9) God's way is better than my way.
10) Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

Grandparents 45th Anniversary!

Thinking about...

I'm back from a life-changing week at Barnabas Landing with Arrow.  So much to process!

- This article parallels a lot of my life in ministry lately

- Enjoying new music by Need to Breathe, David Crowder and Matt Redman

- This site speaks my language!

- Really excited about starting a new Sunday service and series at Oak Park!

Here are few quotes that are hitting home lately:

"Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant." - Steven Covey

"Lord, Deliver me from the lust to vindicate myself" - Augustine

Here are few from a day spent with Mark Buchanan:

"You will never ever avoid having have a Judas in your ministry."

"When I carry the death of Jesus in me it provides life to other."

"To be anointed is when the Jesus life is visible and available to everyone around you.  The opposite of an anointing is a stronghold."

"You can filter all of life through the cross (suffering) and the throne (hope)"  

"People can’t see leaders straight – they love you then you disappoint them and then they hate you (Acts 7 - 28) Don’t get sucked into their false stories of who you are."  

"Hardship enables you to ask questions that you would never get to ask any other way."