Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains.
It means “red people.”
It has 3.5 million people making it the 28th most populous state.
It’s the Sooner State.
The 46th state to enter the union.
As part of tornado alley, it averages 54 tornadoes each year.
I could live here.
What happened to you, Mr. President? The money needed for expanding health care to poor children in America is far less than the money that has been lost and wasted on corruption in Iraq. How have your priorities stayed so far from those children, whom you once agreed were so central to the soul of the nation? What do they need to do to get your attention again? You will be literally barraged by the religious community across the political spectrum this week, imploring you not to veto children’s health care. I would just ask you to take your mind back to a little meeting in a Baptist Sunday school classroom, not far away from where you grew up. Remember that day, what we all talked about, what was on your heart, and how much hope there was in the room. Mr. President, recall that day, take a breath, and say a prayer before you decide to turn away from the children who are so important to our nation’s soul and to yours.
God bless you,
Jim Wallis
I wish I had those 2 votes back.
One of the things that I struggle with the most when it comes to interviewing at a church is what to preach and teach when I am there.
I am not a “one-shot” kind of guy. I preach and teach in series and so preaching and teaching a one and out is more difficult. Especially teaching since all of my classes are typically one part of a whole.
Question for you: If any of you have ever heard me preach or teach, what would you recommend me busting out this weekend? What do you want to hear from a preaching candidate? Any thoughts?
I’m spotlighting what I believe are songs by secular artists that contain profound Christian truths.
This past Sunday night I was teaching through the book of Revelation. As we were discussing chapter 12 I made the statement that I don’t believe that Scripture teaches that Satan is a fallen angel. I’m never able to get far past that declaration without someone stopping me.
Ultimately, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that God created evil. For me, it teeters at the brink of a dualism that I can’t quite embrace. The very idea of Theodicy, reconciling the existence of a loving God with the presence of evil, is very troubling to me. If there was ever an area where my faith could most be attacked, as for many of us, this would be it.
Theodicy is a process that is fraught with danger and unanswered questions. When we are honest we must admit that many of our conclusions rarely rise above platitudes and shallow theology. For many of life’s catastrophe’s there is no explanation, no justification for the heart-ache, pain, war and injustices that we wage against one another.
That is why my theodicy is best summed up from the writings of Julian of Norwich, “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” That, to me, is the gospel. It is the hope that we have as children of God. It seems like such a simple saying but it is so profound and deep that it is many days the one thing that gives me hope: that all will be well. I would like to give a greater reading into Julian of Norwich and I might do so later. For now, look her up on your own. Her story is a compelling one. You will be blessed.
The power and resonance of that conclusion is why, over the past year, this song by Gabe Dixon has been on frequent rotation on my iPod. He crystallizes in four minutes the truth, beauty, hope and glory that we have that God is good and “all will be well.”
The new day dawns
And I am practicing my purpose once again
It is fresh and it is fruitful if I win
but if I lose, ooh, I don’t know
I’ll be tired but I will turn and I will go
Only guessing ’til I get there then I’ll know
Ohh, I will know
And all the children walking home past the factories
Can see the light that’s shining in my window
As I write this song to you
And all the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true
And all will be well
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself
All will be well
You can ask me how but only time will tell
The winter’s cold
But the snow still lightly settles on the trees
And a mess is still a moment I can seize until I know
That all will be well
Even though sometimes this is hard to tell
And the fight is just as frustrating as hell
All will be well
And all the children walking home past the factories
Can see the light that’s shining in my window
As I write this song to you
And all the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true
And all will be well
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself
All will be well
You can ask me how but only time will tell
You got to keep it up
And don’t give up
And chase your dreams
And you will find
All in time
And all the children walking home past the factories
Can see the light that’s shining in my window
As I write this song to you
And all the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true
And all will be well
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself
All will be well
You can ask me how but only time will tell
All will be well
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself
All will be well
You can ask me how but only time will tell
You can ask me how but only time will tell
With Heroes return to the little screen last night we can fully embrace the return of prime time television. I wanted to do a post on the 10 new shows I’m most looking forward to. However, I couldn’t find 10.
So, this will be two lists in one: returning shows I’m most excited about and new shows that look promising. Of course there is no way of knowing how good something is going to be until it starts (See Studio 60 and the 2007 Arkansas Razorbacks)
Returning Shows (Note: These are network shows which explains the omission of Michael C. Hall’s textured portrayal of Dexter.)
5. Heroes–With all apologies to Phil, the season finale last year was not good. It almost wrecked the entire season. So, I was a little meh about its return and last night’s premiere did not fully assuage my concerns. My confidence that it would avoid the Lost-syndrome of needless wandering is a little bowed right now. I mean, seriously, if both Petrelli boys and Sylar are still alive what was the point of the season finale? However, if there is any show that will overcome this minor misstep it is this one.
4. Beauty and the Geek–This is the only reality show on my radar screen except for the one we won’t mention. What separates this from all of the entries in this genre is its heart. The contestants generally emerge as better people. What could deviate into spectacle rarely does and instead works to foster relationships. And its fun.
3. House–Best character on TV finds himself alone at the beginning of this year. How does the loss of his diagnostic team acerbate his irritability? I’ll be tuned in tonight to find out.
2. How I Met Your Mother–This show grows stronger and stronger with each episode. Neil Patrick Harris is the best supporting character out there at the moment. Last year gave us one of the funniest episodes in sit-com history with “Slap-Bet.” And now, that Ted and Robin are officially broken up we can finally set our sites on meeting the aforementioned mother.
1. 30 Rock/The Office–I combine these two because they come on together, are excellent comedies and I run the risk of friends not talking to me if Heroes is not on this list. With that said these two shows are vying for the funniest show on TV. As last season ended 30 Rock had solidified into a timeless comedy. I’m looking at an ability to avoid a sophomore slump. My only hesitation with The Office is the temptation to milk the Jim/Pam will they, won’t they angle.
New Shows
5. Caveman–You bet I want to see it. Like I want to see helicopters crashing into bridges. This is one of those shows that you can tell your kids later actually made it to TV without a Studio Head waking up and coming to his senses. See: Manimal and any Dabney Coleman sitcom.
4. Back To You–I enjoyed the first episode but did not love it. However, I will give this a full season to grow into excellence. With Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton and Fred Willard leading a top-notch cast you have to give room for the show to grow.
3. Pushing Daisies–The pilot, which doesn’t officially air until October 3rd, was great. This is one of those quirky dramedies that you have to invest in from the beginning.
2. Chuck–If last year we saw an influx of 24-inspired narrative shows, this year is the year of the geek. Chuck is a pitch-perfect example of your local geek-squad member.
1. Reaper–By far the show I am most excited about. The hilarious pilot was directed by Kevin Smith and premieres tonight. Do not miss it. George Hamilton playing Satan. Typecasting? We shall see.
What shows are you looking forward to?
I gained my love of reading from my mother. Growing up she always had a book that she was reading. As I grew and my reading evolved from Archie and Spider-Man comic books to Stephen King and Pat Conroy I knew there were times that the adult fare that I had progressed to made her nervous.
She knew because she read what I read. Although there were always TV shows and movies that were off limits to me, my mom never forbade me to read any book that I chose. And for one who did not flourish in a forced learning environment that was my path to learning and scholarship. I know she wrestled with books such as “The Stand” and “The Great Santini” but she let me read anyway.
I would not have the love of reading and learning that I have today if it wasn’t for her willingness to explore and follow narrative paths to themes that weren’t always saccharine. My love of reading may be a little more pronounced than most (103 books read so far this year) but it has always been how I learn.
Last year I first began to celebrate the yearly Banned Books Week. Then I was able to relish Brave New World and Slaughterhouse Five for the first time.
This year I decided to take it to a new level. Saturday afternoon I went to my local library and picked up 10 books that have frequently been challenged. I tried to secure as many of the most challenged books of 2006 that I could and from there went to the top 100 challenged books of the 1990s.
So far, of the five books that I have read since Saturday, I have focused on juvenile fiction. My oldest daughter will soon be reading this entries herself and I long to continue the legacy that my mom provided by letting her read and reading what she reads.
In the coming days I will be talking more about “banned” and “challenged” books. I encourage you to pick some up and read them as well.
So far, here is what I have read:
Bridge To Terabithia–An absolute beautiful book of friendship and loss, I am anxious for the opportunity to let my children read this book. The controversy has been in the past (it was the 9th most challenged book of the 90s) has been a result of allegations of “secular humanism” and other plot elements that you have to make some severe leaps of logic to get to. One of my favorite passages is the main characters wrestling with the love of God. It’s a mature theme, sure, but it is handled with deft care and sensitivity.
James and The Giant Peach–Another tremendous offering by the famed children’s author Roald Dahl. This book was removed from one library because a spider licking its lips can have a double meaning. I kid you not. For those of us who have a heart for the outsider, this is a book that has tremendous beauty and value. Sure, the demise of the aunts is a little harsh but they were mean.
Stay Out of the Basement–This is the second book of the Goosebumps series, scary books for children. I remember being in 3rd grade at my Christian school and fighting with my other classmates over who could check out “Appalachian Ghosts.” Innocuous.
Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret–Yep, I read it. And it did not cause me the internal turmoil that Tracy thought it would. Sure it’s about a young girl wrestling with growing up and with faith. But that’s not a bad thing.
Alice In Rapture, Sort Of–This is an installment of the Alice series by Phyliss Reynolds Naylor, in third place on the most challenged books of 2006. It has reinforced my opinion that my girls are not allowed to grow up. However, the allegations of sexual content and offensive language seem to be overblown, at least in this particular installment. Would I let my 6 year old read it right now? No, but I wouldn’t want it pulled off a middle school shelf either.
Read a banned book. Read a few. You will find some beautiful literature
I’ve been a fan. I’ve been a vocal supporter of Houston Nutt for years. Even in the midst of all of the turmoil and mess over the past year I’ve given him the benefit of the doubt.
I always try to avoid criticizing coaches because I’ve never done it.
But no more. It’s brutal watching the best player in the nation and the best player to ever wear an Arkansas uniform watch his Heisman chances go down the tubes because his coach doesn’t have a clue.
–Continual untimely penalties
–Horrid clock management
–The inability to make the right calls at the end of the game (I mean come on, three runs up the middle with our speed?)
–The befuddling lack of utilizing the best weapon you will ever have?
–Losing quality players
–Losing to Kentucky? I don’t care what they are ranked. It’s Kentucky!
If we want to continue to remain a middle of the pack SEC school who will go to the Liberty Bowl each year, then Nutt is our man.
But we don’t. And he isn’t.
One of the statements that was made this week at the ACU lectures was the fact that our current wave of contemporary hymnody is ill suited for subjects of social justice. To find songs that really capture the heart of Jubilee, the mission of the church we often have to go outside our own music.
Because my musical tastes tend to favor those artists who focus more on lyrics than polish and studio machinations I have a large number of songs that resonate deeply with biblical truths although they might not be written by Christians. Over the next few weeks I want to share some of those songs with you. I hope the words contained will enrich you and bless you. Note: Just because I spotlight a song does not mean that I endorse the artist and/or their oeuvre.
My first song is by Dolly Parton. It is from a movie that I have never seen: Transamerica. The song is about finding your place. It is about searching and seeking hope, clarity and meaning. My favorite part of the song begins at 3:32 and I never fail to get chills when she belts out “Oh sweet Jesus if you’re out there, keep me ever close to you” It’s one of my kids favorite songs.
The song makes me think of my own spiritual journey. Even now at the age of 39 I’m not sure what lies ahead for me and my family. Uncertainty with Cassie’s condition, my job situation and other issues bring up questions of our directions. We are all wanderers and the hope and promise that Jesus is out there cheering us on makes the journey so much easier.
I’ve been up and down so much over the past few months questioning my ability to preach and teach, wondering if I don’t belong in ministry, and questioning my worth. This song is such a blessing to me. One of my favorite lines is “redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain.” There is still a lot of pain in our lives and in our search. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The path to Christ requires the pain.
Watch the video and read the incredible lyrics. For all the punch lines that Dolly Parton has been through the year she has always been an amazing lyricist.
Well I can’t tell you where I’m going, I’m not sure of where I’ve been
But I know I must keep travelin’ till my road comes to an end
I’m out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it
I’m a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit
Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home
Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ on
Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we’re here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth
We’ve all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree
And when I’m born again, you’re gonna see a change in me
God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain
Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re listening, keep me ever close to you
As I’m stumblin’, tumblin’, wonderin’, as I’m travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it’s hard to travel on
But holdin’ to each other, we don’t have to walk alone
When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try
We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly
Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men
Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when
And I hope I’ll see you down the road, you meant more than I knew
As I was travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’
Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind
Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re out there, keep me ever close to you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, as I’m travelin’ thru
So, what are you guys doing for Ramadan?
I read a lot of blogs. I mean a lot. The missus says I read too many and I think she is probably right. I need to trim my reader soon before it gets unmanageable.
One of the things I want to begin to do is begin to share with you some of the blogs I read. Each Friday I want to focus on the ones that are written by people I know and have some level of relationship with. Hopefully it will encourage you to get to know some incredible people.
First off, is Jeff Richardson. My reason for spotlighting him first is largely a selfish one: I want him to blog more often.
I first met Jeff back in 1985 when I began attending the same church. We became friends even though he would ultimately go on to set my yard on fire. 
He even spent a summer in college staying with me and my family. Outside of my dad I’ve been friends with him longer than anyone else on my sidebar.
I lost contact with Jeff over the years, a failure to remain in touch that I take sole responsibility for. However, the world of blogging has put us in contact once again. And that has been a tremendous blessing for me as he has helped me think through some complex and troublesome matters.
Reading Jeff’s blog will quickly alert you to his uncanny ability to cut to the heart of an issue or topic with amazing clarity, keen insight, and a scientists rationality that boggles my mind. I wish I was this smart. And he is a great guy to boot.
Read Run to Win here and then come back next week for another great blog recommendation.
