O Come O Come Emmanuel piano/cello (Beautiful. Play it.) Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel Why are the strains of this hymn always slow and haunting? It sounds beautiful, even meaningful, in a Christmas carol, but is it really?
Category
Spirituality
Esther and Mordecai, Condemned
When we stick to the surface reading of a life story, we dishonor the person who lives it. “The Bible speaks very plainly and very clearly.” Most stories do not speak plainly and clearly. There’s always subtext, always context. But according to Mark Driscoll, if the Bible doesn’t say it, then it’s not probable….
Cultivate A Broader Perspective
“It’s very important to have a broader perspective. Torture has gone on, kind of everywhere and every time.”Anderson said. “It’s not a novelty, and in conflicts, bad stuff happens, so it should not surprise us.” A broader perspective brings our own little world into view. When we open our eyes to the people of…
31 Days to Loving the World
I’ve had serious writer’s block since Story, which is odd. You’d think that after being so creatively inspired I’d be bleeding ideas. But no. I did have a couple of ideas today, after trying and trying to figure out how to write about what I want to write about. And then I saw that this month…
Story Made Alive
Xerxes and Condemnation – Esther Part 1
Mark Driscoll seems to have a low view of humanity. Maybe this isn’t news to you. I know that original sin and human depravity is central to Calvinism, but I didn’t expect it to be so obviously front and center in a sermon. Sunday was the first sermon in the Esther series, and while he…
How 3 Books Turned Me Into A Feminist
“I think she’ll be a good pastor,” I said. We were talking about my friend, who was headed to seminary. The reply came swift, full of certainty and disapproval. “The Bible is clear that women can’t be pastors, so if she gets that wrong, what else is she going to get wrong?” ***** I…
When Mercy Isn’t Given
Mercy isn’t on my grocery list. They are collecting food at church for a food pantry, and I keep forgetting to buy boxes of cereal to donate. In a very simple way, I don’t make mercy a priority. Mercy isn’t absent. I think about all the ways I want to help people, but don’t, and…
Disappointed By Wrecked
I’m frustrated that I didn’t ultimately love Wrecked. 38 well-known people lavish praise in the beginning pages, and Amazon might explode with all the good reviews. I wanted to absolutely love every single word in this book. But the last chapter was such a let-down for me. So, I write this fully aware that I may…
Seeing Faces, Not Statistics
The church was always cold. It had a high ceiling and a low budget. The faded carpeted floor sloped gently to the stage at the front, making it difficult to use the round tables in the back. The old white church, complete with steeple, looked as if it had been plucked from a small…