This beautiful, animated short The Present has won over 50 awards, and it’s not difficult to see why. For reals, watch it…
Now be honest, you felt differently about the boy when he finally got up off the couch, didn’t you? I did. What a vivid reminder:
Knowing someone’s story changes how you see them.
Or, as Brian Zahnd has said… Read More
The picture above shows London Hagebusch carrying a heavy bag of groceries. Just behind her is Haven Wheeler. And a number of other children were there too…
They were helping at our Thanksgiving Grocery Give Stuffing Party – it’s the event the day before the event. We ask people to come set everything up for the big day. The Stuffing Party was noticeably, beautifully diverse – people of all ages and races and socio-economic backgrounds serving together. Perhaps most striking, though, was the image of young children throwing themselves into the task. I mean, they were actually sweating. And they were having a blast.
I’m not sure if we made a big enough of a deal about it.
I think it probably got mentioned a few times – like in church during our “main” services. But I wonder if we made a big enough of a deal about it with the kids.
Please take a minute to watch this… Read More
“Because then I would be enough.”
These are the words of Jim Carrey – presenting at the Golden Globes – making fun of himself and the whole spectacle that is celebrity award shows…
He said, “And when I dream, I don’t just dream any old dream. No sir. I dream about being three-time Golden Globe winning actor Jim Carrey. Because then I would be enough. It would finally be true. And I could stop this terrible search… for what I… Read More
From best selling author Susan Cain…
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant, the youngest tenured professor at Wharton and author of The New York Times bestseller Give and Take, has been researching the difference between communication patterns – those who use dominance, and others who use questions and admit uncertainty. And he has presented a groundbreaking concept: the power of powerless communication.
Grant says that people who pose questions instead of answers, admit their shortcomings, and use tentative instead of assertive speech are some of the world’s most powerful communicators.
People who use “powerless” communication styles fall into two categories—some are… Read More
Last year, I uttered the words #BlackLivesMatter in church and what came next took me by surprise… I wrote about it here and here.
Part of the push-back had to do with police officers… an assumption was being made somehow that if black lives matter, police don’t.
For some reason, if bad policing was called out or critiqued, folks assumed what’s being said is that police are evil. This logic just doesn’t add up though. If someone takes a stand against an abusive father, it doesn’t mean they are against fathering. They’re merely against abusive fathering.
I’m certainly not against policing ( I will admit there have been a few times while getting a ticket that I considered being against policing, but I’m over it now). I have friends who are police officers and can honestly say that I am thankful for their work and service.
And while I am not against police officers, I am against 12 year old boys like Tamir Rice being gunned down by a police officers. This is not acceptable. Never. Ever.
But this post today is not about bad policing. Actually, it’s quite the… Read More
Happy Friday! Here are a few funny videos to lighten your mood…
1. DING-DONG DITCH IRISH GRANNY.
2. IF GYMS WERE … Read More
I love what Richard Beck has to say about the Kingdom of God…
Jesus is telling us in the Beatitude where the Kingdom of God is located.
And it’s located Jesus says, among the poor in spirit.
Christianity is fundamentally about learning to see. That is what Jesus said, over and over. The Kingdom is near. The Kingdom is at hand. The Kingdom is in your midst.
But the Kingdom is small and unnoticed, like a… Read More
Angela Hagebusch shared this video with me – it’s shot in and around Bethlehem.
I love the ending – where a man says:… Read More
There’s this song by Seabird – Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful…
Don’t you know don’t you know that you’re beautiful
I think sometimes we forget.
And need to be reminded.
That’s what this video illustrates.
Shea Glover, a high school senior, decided to… Read More
I read this poem by Rupi Kaur that spoke to me as a man, a father of a daughter, and a pastor.
* * * *
to fathers with daughters
every time you
tell your daughter
you yell at her
out of love
you teach her to confuse
anger with kindness
which seems like a good idea
till she grows up to
trust men who hurt her
cause they look so much
like you
* * * *
I am thankful for this poem.
It reminds me that… Read More
