Skipping a Discipline

Under the heading "How to listen for God's Voice" in the hilarious but helpful book The Christian Handbook, comes the instruction-

Rejoice shamelessly when God provides a time of joy. Consider skipping when possible.

The instruction is accompanied by a line drawing of an elderly woman tossing her walker aside, presumably to skip.

I've been skipping a lot lately. Not so much as a result of my own inward joy (not that it's lacking), but more out of response to the endless joy of my daughter. She skips everywhere she goes. Ok, maybe it's a cross between galloping, skipping, and tripping--still it's a joyful action. It's contagious. I like it. I like her!

I'm going in...

Some go to Dubose Retreat Center in Monteagle, TN to focus on spiritual discipline, to take time apart from the distractions and stresses of the world. I like to go for demanding, in-your-face interviews. To each his own, I guess.

I'll be going before the board of ordained ministry in the morning. On some levels, this is a very efficient and affirming process, on others--not so much. But I've been considering, what does God think of this whole thing? I hope God chuckles at least a little bit at our faithful fumbling--as we ourselves should do from time to time. What I know is that God can work even through (or inspite of) our sometimes silly efforts at qualifying and classifying the things that he is and does.

Thanks for your prayers.

The Rhythm Of This Day

Thanks to Trinity Lutheran for a wonderfull noon eucharist and imposition of the ashes service. I hope to make the wednesday service a new habit. I've never noticed the significance of the rhythm of words quite like I did today. As we gathered around Trinity's altar-in-the-round one of the presiding pastors imposed the ashes on our foreheads. He spoke the words "From ashes you have come, to ashes you shall return" (typical for ash wed) but it was said in a rhythm that stuck with me for hours. It was a chant really, that was at first distracting but quickly became a part of my own penitence.

I hope to take on this rhythm for the 40 days to come.

A Purpose-Driven Response

Success is a difficult thing. It's interesting how our response to a phrase like "purpose-driven" can change over the years. It's been 10 years since I first heard my UM pastor sing Rick Warren's praises over the original book. It is was/is full of great insight and advice for the church. In the years that followed though, the words "purpose driven" were embossed on a wide assortment journals, coffee mugs, t-shirts, pencils, pens, picture frames--you name it. And all of a sudden a positive became suspect at best.

I know that from a marketing standpoint this is old news, however, I'm glad to see someone from Saddleback address "purpose-driven" as a movement. Read Doug Field's recent letter here.

It's a helpful reminder that the machine of Christian marketing does not often reflect the heart of the author/pastor/program innovator behind the products it promotes. I respect Doug Fields. I disagree on a few very important theological and ecclesiological points (including some in the referenced letter), but I believe his passion is truly to help youth ministers.