the Eclectic Soul

Link-Love

Thought I'd start a new weekly post and share some links that I've found interesting.  Love 'em or Leave 'em they are what they are. I hope they're interesting and entertaining.

• My sneaking suspicions has been confirmed.  According to USA Today, Protestant Christians are more loyal to their toothpaste brands than their denominational affiliations: Read here.  
• Church in Abilene Texas drops utilities not just to save a dollar but so that they can use the money they would have spent on electricity to give it away in service to others: Read about it here.
• Why, Why, Why? Read about it here. 
• Oh the possibilities and perils of Facebook and other social networking media:  Read about it here.
• In other Facebook news, Facebook asks the question: Who Owns the Content: Read about it here.  
• My own denominational tribes is asking some good questions: Read about it here. 
• Shane Claiborne shares his compelling vision of discipleship:  Read about it here.  
• Seminaries need to talk more about human sexuality and its complexities: Read about it here. 
• Is Darwinism waning?  What say ye?: Read about it here.  
• Some great advice for church leaders handling criticism:  Read about it here.  
• How do you define "church?" Read about it here.  
• My seminary alma mater to announce new president:  Read about it here.      

Peace,

E

Oh Dear...

I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan....it is a unique and beautiful place full of rugged people like this one.

Only in the UP man!  Only in the UP!

Thanks to my friend Paul who captured this picture on his camera phone a few blocks away from his house...seriously, it's real.

Peace,

E

By the way, here's the second one he snapped.

I'm the Victim...

Every year during our youth ministry kick-off I [along with another pastor] am routinely victimized.  This is last years picture [pies in the face].  The year before last, it again was whipped cream [what the he!? is with all the cream] and they threw cheese balls at us.  This past Sunday they covered my face with shaving cream and whipped candy corns at me in an attempt to make them stick [yeah it hurt].  Oh, the things I do for the sake of ministry.

Peace,

E

A Good Giggle..

Thanks to Gavin for the good giggle....

iChatting into My Birthday

Was iChatting with a friend of mine tonight when all of the sudden crossed the 12:00 a.m. threshold into September 11th [notice the 9/11/08 towards the top].  39 years ago today the world was....er.....uh...blessed with my birth.

Anyway, check out the iChat window.....Happy Birthday to Me!

Toothless Again...

Our oldest Brennan lost his second tooth.  Let me tell you how it went:

Me: "Hey bud, it's hangin' by a string, let daddy pull it out."

Brennan:  "No daddy.  It might hurt I really don't want to."

Me:  "B, your going swallow it."

Brennan:  "What happens then?"

Me:  "You poop it out."

Brennan:  "OK, just a second..."

He reaches in, twists, pulls and says, "Here."

Church Sign Sayings...

 I've got to tell you, I have a "thing" about church signs that have the ability to put pithy sayings on them:  I hate them.  I type this as a hypocrite because my own little tribe that I serve just bought the own "bling" sign as my Trustee chairperson called it.  I told them that it would be great to have the opportunity to put  community pertinent announcements on it, but I never...NEVER...want any pithy, puny sayings put on it, at least not while I'm here.

When the company that built the sign bid it [and yes we stayed local to support the home team] they had placed on the picture the saying that you see here.

This morning, thanks to the Questing Parson, I went to churchsigngenerator.com and made my own sign.

What say you?  Pithy church signs: a blessing or a curse?

Peace,

E

Best Commercial I've Seen Lately...

Was sitting down watching my Red Wings take it to the Pittsburgh Penguins once again in an awesome 3-0 victory when this commercial came on:

Nothing deep mind you but I just thought it was really creative and extremely hilarious.

Peace,

E

Church Signs...

So I was doing some blog surfing tonight and came across Doug Pagitt's Flicker photo stream. He had this picture on there so I'll give props to him as I share it.

I must say, I really hate nice quippy sayings on church signs. This one hurst all the more seeing as thought it bears the symbol of my particular tribe the United Methodist Church.

So imagine me smacking my palm to my forehead and letting out a Homerian "Doh!"

Happy Easter everyone,

E

Fairly Odd Parents...

Saturdays mornings for the last two months have been devoted to swimming lessons for our two boys. The lessons are early so it makes for a rather "busy" and energetic start to the weekend.

As Lisa and I were driving to the pool we began to talk a bit about their activities. Our oldest is the creative type who loves art and music. Our youngest is simply full of brute force and loves all things sports. We began to talk about some other activities that will be coming up soon [Brennan will be starting cello lessons and Calvin can't stop saying he wants to play hockey].

I began to reflect about the hurried pace of other parents I know; parents who have kids tided up in multiple activities multiple days a week. Sometimes their kids are involved in two or three sports a season, dance, art, music, etc. I really don't want that for my kids. I really don't want them spread so thin that they have no time for creative play, time for day dreaming, and even just time to sit and "be."

As I thought about all the other options that are open to our kids, all the other activities that they could be a part of it dawned on me that I want to help them learn to choose, and to choose well at that. I want them to know that life is full of choices, some good and some bad, and that a "yes" to one thing could preclude a "no" to another. I want them to know that life doesn't derive it's meaning from the fullness of their schedules but from a full heart and mind that are regularly exercised [both literally and metaphorically] and the depth of their relationships with others.

I don't know, these are thoughts that we're still putting together during this infancy of our parenting. Who knows, perhaps I'll look back one day and say, "Man! I was such a hypocrite!"

In a world that moves faster at times than I think is healthy I begin to ask the question: are we fairly odd parents?

Peace,

E