or it might be less...
I've stopped drinking Diet Coke for a little while. Doing something with a friend. Don't know when I'll pick it up again, but for now, I'm dry. Sure, I can drink other drinks...but there's nothing like a cold diet coke on a cold fall day...ahhh...
There are times when I get Diet Coke "saturated"...I start to feel it in terms of being tired more than I should and it just doesn't taste as good. So with this little hiatus, I think I've got a good energy level back and I'm sure it will taste good when I drink it again.
I may stay off caffein altogether. I'm not making any pledges or anything, but we'll see;-)
Heidi and I have been watching season 2 of Scrubs...perhaps the best show on tv. It is totally under-rated. I love the writing and the characters are well-developed. Rent it at the library and give it a try.
Levi is about to enter the world of the walking. He's taking a few steps at a time now. Life is about to get busy for us! The problem is, he's not much for taking a bonk on the noggen. So...when he falls, it usually involves crying. Oh, well...he'll toughen up one way or another.
My sister and her family are coming for a visit this weekend. Just a quickie, but it will be great to see them. I love seeing the boys...and Izak idolizes his cousins. Very fun to see.
I don't feel good about any of my choices for governor of IL. I'm usually right in there when it comes to voting and politics...this is the first time my stomache has turned to the point I don't feel good about making a choice. Not even sure who to write in...Here's to Mickey Mouse!
Well...there's a little brain dump for the morning. Back to work...
Peace,
M@
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
can't keep up...
Just keeping up with life these days is keeping me busy...thus not much by way of posting.
As of today, all of our children have an age...no one is "zero" any more -- that's how Izak described Levi. But today, our youngest turns one...incredible!
A couple days ago, our oldest, Izak, turned 4. He's such a little boy, now...past toddler, that's for sure. I love interacting with him, laughing with him, and talking with him. He's a gift.
We had a party on Sunday. Both of the boys were celebrated by friends and family. What a gift to have a growing community here who will share life and party with us.
I stayed up late Monday to watch the Bears. Though I'm dead tired now, it was worth it to see that game. Fun to be in Chicago this year...so far.
There's a quick update.
Peace,
M@
As of today, all of our children have an age...no one is "zero" any more -- that's how Izak described Levi. But today, our youngest turns one...incredible!
A couple days ago, our oldest, Izak, turned 4. He's such a little boy, now...past toddler, that's for sure. I love interacting with him, laughing with him, and talking with him. He's a gift.
We had a party on Sunday. Both of the boys were celebrated by friends and family. What a gift to have a growing community here who will share life and party with us.
I stayed up late Monday to watch the Bears. Though I'm dead tired now, it was worth it to see that game. Fun to be in Chicago this year...so far.
There's a quick update.
Peace,
M@
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
breaks=good
Yeah...was driving home from the store this morning when I sensed a lot of play in the breaks of my car. Play...as in they didn't work...you should have seen the face of the lady in the minivan on the corner...
couple hours late, I'm back on the road...driving AND breaking!
couple hours late, I'm back on the road...driving AND breaking!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Being The Church
Catalytic Conversations: A beautiful and messy kingdom.
By Marshall Shelley on Mission
Leadership editor Marshall Shelley is in Atlanta this week for the Catalyst Conference, where 9,000 mostly younger leaders of churches are meeting to discuss ministry in today’s culture. Here’s his first report.
Right now I’m sitting in the balcony of the Performing Arts Center, where in a few minutes an informal “unplugged” session will feature a conversation between neo-church pastors Chris Seay of Ecclesia in Houston and Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon, and a Rwandan pastor whose name I don’t know.
To the crowd of 300 or so, he [McKinley] offered a concise and provocative discussion of the relationship of the church to the Kingdom of God. This was theology, imminently practical theology.
“As pastors, we are tempted to build the church,” he said. “So we send out postcards to targeted Zip codes and we promote church programs.” But that misses the point, he argued. “Our job isn’t to build the church. We’re supposed to BE the church, and build the kingdom.” He emphasized that the kingdom is to be experienced NOW, on earth, as Christians exemplify godly living, but he also pointed out, as the recent school shootings demonstrate, that the kingdom is also “not yet.” God’s kingdom won’t be realized in its fullness as long as such sin characterizes our world.
He identified why many U.S. churches don’t “get” the kingdom. The first reason is our individualistic culture. Ours is a “me and Jesus” spiritual life, disconnected from Creation, environment, relationships, and our surrounding community. Another reason is our tendency toward dualism: church vs. culture; sacred vs. secular; spiritual vs. physical. And ignoring the integration of those elements.
McKinley acknowledges the importance of Christ’s atonement for the forgiveness of individuals, but as he emphasized, “The best expression of the church is NOT what happens on Sunday morning. It’s what happens in the world during the week. And that’s not something you can market.”
His most provocative statements focused on the Christian’s calling to love their neighbors, even if those neighbors don’t respond to Christ or clean up their act. He told of his church’s messy efforts to love those with addictions, mental illnesses, and other conditions that aren’t easily cleaned up.
“We’re not called to change people’s behavior; we’re called to love them whether they change or not. It’s up to God to change them.”
After the lab, hallway conversations were discussing how you can “love the addicted” without “enabling” their dysfunction and thus perpetuating their addiction.
If this is indicative of the level of conversation, this year’s Catalyst is embracing both theology and practice, and getting to the heart of the Christian calling.
*************
What do you think?
By Marshall Shelley on Mission
Leadership editor Marshall Shelley is in Atlanta this week for the Catalyst Conference, where 9,000 mostly younger leaders of churches are meeting to discuss ministry in today’s culture. Here’s his first report.
Right now I’m sitting in the balcony of the Performing Arts Center, where in a few minutes an informal “unplugged” session will feature a conversation between neo-church pastors Chris Seay of Ecclesia in Houston and Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon, and a Rwandan pastor whose name I don’t know.
To the crowd of 300 or so, he [McKinley] offered a concise and provocative discussion of the relationship of the church to the Kingdom of God. This was theology, imminently practical theology.
“As pastors, we are tempted to build the church,” he said. “So we send out postcards to targeted Zip codes and we promote church programs.” But that misses the point, he argued. “Our job isn’t to build the church. We’re supposed to BE the church, and build the kingdom.” He emphasized that the kingdom is to be experienced NOW, on earth, as Christians exemplify godly living, but he also pointed out, as the recent school shootings demonstrate, that the kingdom is also “not yet.” God’s kingdom won’t be realized in its fullness as long as such sin characterizes our world.
He identified why many U.S. churches don’t “get” the kingdom. The first reason is our individualistic culture. Ours is a “me and Jesus” spiritual life, disconnected from Creation, environment, relationships, and our surrounding community. Another reason is our tendency toward dualism: church vs. culture; sacred vs. secular; spiritual vs. physical. And ignoring the integration of those elements.
McKinley acknowledges the importance of Christ’s atonement for the forgiveness of individuals, but as he emphasized, “The best expression of the church is NOT what happens on Sunday morning. It’s what happens in the world during the week. And that’s not something you can market.”
His most provocative statements focused on the Christian’s calling to love their neighbors, even if those neighbors don’t respond to Christ or clean up their act. He told of his church’s messy efforts to love those with addictions, mental illnesses, and other conditions that aren’t easily cleaned up.
“We’re not called to change people’s behavior; we’re called to love them whether they change or not. It’s up to God to change them.”
After the lab, hallway conversations were discussing how you can “love the addicted” without “enabling” their dysfunction and thus perpetuating their addiction.
If this is indicative of the level of conversation, this year’s Catalyst is embracing both theology and practice, and getting to the heart of the Christian calling.
*************
What do you think?
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