I never watch reality t.v. It's annoying. And "talent" shows are the worst. Especially with the "America decides" voting crap-o-la. And YET, I still gave Sing Off a try because I really like a capella groups even if I can't spell it (and it replaced Chuck). And even with Nick Leshay hosting, I loved it! Tonight's the big, cheesy finale with the finalists getting to perform with famous people (and the judges), but it hasn't been too bad. I can't wait to see who wins! (Mike just changed back to the football game because now Nick is singing, and that's ok. We can go back when that nonsense is over. Wow! Brett Favre is playing and they're winning!)
Anyway, America didn't get to vote until it was narrowed down to the final 4. I really think the judges did well narrowing it down. I missed the show when the Wiffenpoofs got axed because I didn't know they were doing Mondays AND Wednesdays, but still I'm not upset with who's left. I really like "Committed" - they are TIGHT! But the final song last week that "Street Corner Sympony" did was my favorite! So if either one of those win, I'm happy. (I don't like the "Backbeats" at all - I'm rooting against them.)
So, is this totally silly? No redeemable value?
****UPDATE
Committed Won!!!!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Retreat Resolutions
I love this time of year because I'm a huge fan of the cheesy holiday movies on the Hallmark channel. I could watch "a twist on Dickens' Christmas Carol" a thousand different ways. I cry and cry and cry. But that's not why I'm here...
Last weekend was our women's retreat, and it was great! The theme was "Chaos" or really, Jesus' peace in the midst of chaos. What a perfect theme going into the holiday season!
There were some great testimonies. Personal histories always surprise me. It's like somehow I don't consider people having much of an existence prior to my meeting them. (Look how arrogant that is all written down like that!) But I honestly don't typically give people much credit for where they've been - I judge on the teeny tiny slices of life I happen to see in passing. I've rarely taken the time to get to know people enough to hear their stories - I'm so caught up in my own! But when I do - when I happen to be at the right place at the right time - and am privileged to hear a small part of a person's real story - it's so humbling!
I think quite highly of myself (in case you hadn't noticed). So it's such a shock to find out other people are interesting, too! And complicated! And amazing! So the humbling part is to find out that other people are MORE interesting and complicated and amazing than me. And I am so grateful for my own story - simple, safe, and relatively uneventful as it is. God has been so good.
I've heard it said that if we all could throw our problems in a pile and pick up someone else's, we would all take our own problems back. I think that's true. When I see what other people have gone through or are going through, I gladly embrace my own little plights and trials.
So as Thanksgiving races closer, I am hoping I can follow through on a few "Retreat Resolutions" (I got that phrase from one of the testimonies):
1 - Don't create my own chaos
2 - Cut people some slack - I have no idea where they've been and what they're going through
3 - Maybe take the time to find out where they've been and what they're going through (that one's hard, so it's a "maybe")
4 - Remember I hold the secret to peace - but it shouldn't be a secret, it's Jesus!
The End
Last weekend was our women's retreat, and it was great! The theme was "Chaos" or really, Jesus' peace in the midst of chaos. What a perfect theme going into the holiday season!
There were some great testimonies. Personal histories always surprise me. It's like somehow I don't consider people having much of an existence prior to my meeting them. (Look how arrogant that is all written down like that!) But I honestly don't typically give people much credit for where they've been - I judge on the teeny tiny slices of life I happen to see in passing. I've rarely taken the time to get to know people enough to hear their stories - I'm so caught up in my own! But when I do - when I happen to be at the right place at the right time - and am privileged to hear a small part of a person's real story - it's so humbling!
I think quite highly of myself (in case you hadn't noticed). So it's such a shock to find out other people are interesting, too! And complicated! And amazing! So the humbling part is to find out that other people are MORE interesting and complicated and amazing than me. And I am so grateful for my own story - simple, safe, and relatively uneventful as it is. God has been so good.
I've heard it said that if we all could throw our problems in a pile and pick up someone else's, we would all take our own problems back. I think that's true. When I see what other people have gone through or are going through, I gladly embrace my own little plights and trials.
So as Thanksgiving races closer, I am hoping I can follow through on a few "Retreat Resolutions" (I got that phrase from one of the testimonies):
1 - Don't create my own chaos
2 - Cut people some slack - I have no idea where they've been and what they're going through
3 - Maybe take the time to find out where they've been and what they're going through (that one's hard, so it's a "maybe")
4 - Remember I hold the secret to peace - but it shouldn't be a secret, it's Jesus!
The End
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Incompetence or Indifference?
OK, first of all I don't hate men. I'm just calling it as I sees it. But male leaders (generally speaking) tend to ignore details, take no responsibility for the process of accomplishing a vision, and are then angry and down-right surprised if things don't get done. They are great at casting vision and all that inspirational stuff, but if a woman doesn't step in and actually see to getting it done, it don't happen. What drives me crazy is the assumption that things will just happen with no responsibility taken if and when it doesn't.
Maybe it's not just men, but that has been my experience. Although I have met some men who are the detail guys, they are never the leaders. Maybe the details take too much time and energy so there's no time left for leading. But leaders should at the very least hire or clearly designate a detail person to see that things get done. Or don't get sputtery and all flustered when things fall apart!
I'm just sayin'...
Maybe it's not just men, but that has been my experience. Although I have met some men who are the detail guys, they are never the leaders. Maybe the details take too much time and energy so there's no time left for leading. But leaders should at the very least hire or clearly designate a detail person to see that things get done. Or don't get sputtery and all flustered when things fall apart!
I'm just sayin'...
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Mike's Summer - Looking Back/Looking Ahead
Since it's officially football season, I'm going to go ahead and call it "Fall". Even though I'm still dripping with sweat from a trip to the mailbox, it is about 10 degrees cooler than a week or so ago. So as I look forward to another great fantasy football season for my team, the "(Paper) Clippers", (and hopefully a great real season for the Texans), I would like to reflect back on our summer. It was good - hard, but good.
Mostly it's been about Mike:
Mike got let go from the nursery as anticipated at the end of their Spring season. He was hired as a "seasonal employee", after all. He was ready for it. It was just too hot and too exhausting. Plus the timing was perfect because the next week he started teaching a Sunday morning Bible class at church (with a reprise every Wednesday) and attending his first Bible college class on Monday nights.
The class he taught centered around Simon Peter, but like all good Bible Studies it was really about how to study the Bible, the life-changing power of the gospel, understanding the Christian worldview, and how to apply it in your own life. And of course, Mike is in love with Power Point and baseball analogies. Which worked out pretty well with a group heavy on Astros fanatics. He never does anything halfway, so he spent hours and days studying and searching for the perfect visuals. He did a great job. And finished up by doing his presentation of "Simon Peter:I Witness" for the last Sunday. There were well over a hundred men, women and children in attendance. It was great to see him glue on the old beard once again.
He had a love/hate relationship with his "Hermeneutics" class, struggling with the teaching style of the instructor, but really getting a lot out of the class in the end. He hasn't seen his grade yet, but anticipates a B+ or an A. Not bad for an old guy. Last week he started his next class on "An Introduction to Systematic Theology". 5 required books! He's really excited about this one. The ultimate goal is a Masters in Biblical Studies. Yes, that is a Masters in B.S. Appropriate, yes?
And lastly, he's been involved with an advisory team at our church which is really going through some difficult times (the church, not the team). He's getting to know the pastor and some of the other guys, and is taking it all very seriously (for him, anyway).
The hard part in all this has been the no paycheck thing. He gets embarrassed when people ask what he "does". And even when he can explain it, they generally ask something to the effect of, "does that pay well?" So God seems to be "refining" my husband through a season of humbling. It's been tight, but we're squeaking by. I'm actually extremely excited about the direction we seem to be going now.
Mike has always told as part of his "testimony" the story of being called to be a pastor when he was first saved. He was literally called by the Church of the Brethren, and he pastored a couple of little churches for a few months (he was still a teenager and a baby believer!). The Church, of course, had every intention of providing him with a seminary education, but Mike ran from that idea as fast as he could. And he's shunned and disdained the idea of seminary "credentials" ever since. However, 30 years later, he's realized that the church did not call him, but God did. And even though he's ignored that call, it's still what God has called him to do. So, he's going to give it a try. What God will do after that, only He knows. But I can't wait to find out!
Mostly it's been about Mike:
Mike got let go from the nursery as anticipated at the end of their Spring season. He was hired as a "seasonal employee", after all. He was ready for it. It was just too hot and too exhausting. Plus the timing was perfect because the next week he started teaching a Sunday morning Bible class at church (with a reprise every Wednesday) and attending his first Bible college class on Monday nights.
The class he taught centered around Simon Peter, but like all good Bible Studies it was really about how to study the Bible, the life-changing power of the gospel, understanding the Christian worldview, and how to apply it in your own life. And of course, Mike is in love with Power Point and baseball analogies. Which worked out pretty well with a group heavy on Astros fanatics. He never does anything halfway, so he spent hours and days studying and searching for the perfect visuals. He did a great job. And finished up by doing his presentation of "Simon Peter:I Witness" for the last Sunday. There were well over a hundred men, women and children in attendance. It was great to see him glue on the old beard once again.
He had a love/hate relationship with his "Hermeneutics" class, struggling with the teaching style of the instructor, but really getting a lot out of the class in the end. He hasn't seen his grade yet, but anticipates a B+ or an A. Not bad for an old guy. Last week he started his next class on "An Introduction to Systematic Theology". 5 required books! He's really excited about this one. The ultimate goal is a Masters in Biblical Studies. Yes, that is a Masters in B.S. Appropriate, yes?
And lastly, he's been involved with an advisory team at our church which is really going through some difficult times (the church, not the team). He's getting to know the pastor and some of the other guys, and is taking it all very seriously (for him, anyway).
The hard part in all this has been the no paycheck thing. He gets embarrassed when people ask what he "does". And even when he can explain it, they generally ask something to the effect of, "does that pay well?" So God seems to be "refining" my husband through a season of humbling. It's been tight, but we're squeaking by. I'm actually extremely excited about the direction we seem to be going now.
Mike has always told as part of his "testimony" the story of being called to be a pastor when he was first saved. He was literally called by the Church of the Brethren, and he pastored a couple of little churches for a few months (he was still a teenager and a baby believer!). The Church, of course, had every intention of providing him with a seminary education, but Mike ran from that idea as fast as he could. And he's shunned and disdained the idea of seminary "credentials" ever since. However, 30 years later, he's realized that the church did not call him, but God did. And even though he's ignored that call, it's still what God has called him to do. So, he's going to give it a try. What God will do after that, only He knows. But I can't wait to find out!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Dez...Really?
Dear Dez Bryant,
As a Dallas Cowboy fan, I have been reading a lot about you lately. Obviously, your achievements to date are impressive. Having you on the team will give us greater depth and a hopeful future for even more post season play.
However, we really weren't doing too bad without you. You could be a nice addition to the team, but only if you can remember that you aren't the team - you've joined a team. You can't win by yourself. Ask T.O.
Arrogance is ugly on anyone. But coming in as a rookie with so little respect for the veteran players around you and the whole team dynamic is just sad. I don't wish bad things for you, but it's my opinion you need to be taken down a few pegs. Anything else could be really harmful to the organization. Maybe you should find some humility on your own before you're made to find it in front of everyone.
I'm just sayin' -
G
As a Dallas Cowboy fan, I have been reading a lot about you lately. Obviously, your achievements to date are impressive. Having you on the team will give us greater depth and a hopeful future for even more post season play.
However, we really weren't doing too bad without you. You could be a nice addition to the team, but only if you can remember that you aren't the team - you've joined a team. You can't win by yourself. Ask T.O.
Arrogance is ugly on anyone. But coming in as a rookie with so little respect for the veteran players around you and the whole team dynamic is just sad. I don't wish bad things for you, but it's my opinion you need to be taken down a few pegs. Anything else could be really harmful to the organization. Maybe you should find some humility on your own before you're made to find it in front of everyone.
I'm just sayin' -
G
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Lesson from Ruth
I've been studying the book of Ruth this summer with a study guide by Kelly Minter and some friends from church. (Kelly does great studies - even includes recipes!) The overarching theme of the study is that Boaz redeeming Ruth is a representation of how Jesus redeems us.
What I came across this week was a concept I had not considered before. Boaz announces at the city gates in front of the elders and many townspeople that he will marry Ruth the Moabitess widow. He is completely unashamed and quite delighted by this.
So I just realized that Jesus redeems me knowing full well that I would be considered unworthy, unattractive, and beneath notice of anyone else; yet He is not ashamed - in fact He is delighted!
It never occurred to me that Jesus might actually look directly at my sin and shame, my unworthiness, even announce it, and be delighted to take me in, to cover me with His protection, to bless me. I hadn't really thought of it before, but somehow assumed that He redeemed me with a different attitude. I guess I thought He just secretly stepped in out of duty and honor, cleaned me up, and then presented me as His, shaking His head when I stray and trying to ignore my shortcomings - maybe growing to love me eventually. I don't know, it sounds dumb when I put it into words.
I know (the Bible says!) He loves me. And yet so often I behave as if I don't really know that. So which is it? Does He love me or not? He does. Do I believe it? I'm working on that part.
What I came across this week was a concept I had not considered before. Boaz announces at the city gates in front of the elders and many townspeople that he will marry Ruth the Moabitess widow. He is completely unashamed and quite delighted by this.
So I just realized that Jesus redeems me knowing full well that I would be considered unworthy, unattractive, and beneath notice of anyone else; yet He is not ashamed - in fact He is delighted!
It never occurred to me that Jesus might actually look directly at my sin and shame, my unworthiness, even announce it, and be delighted to take me in, to cover me with His protection, to bless me. I hadn't really thought of it before, but somehow assumed that He redeemed me with a different attitude. I guess I thought He just secretly stepped in out of duty and honor, cleaned me up, and then presented me as His, shaking His head when I stray and trying to ignore my shortcomings - maybe growing to love me eventually. I don't know, it sounds dumb when I put it into words.
I know (the Bible says!) He loves me. And yet so often I behave as if I don't really know that. So which is it? Does He love me or not? He does. Do I believe it? I'm working on that part.
Monday, June 14, 2010
How bad Habits Create Boring Stories
How bad Habits Create Boring Stories
The above link is to an article by Donald Miller. This says something I've been trying to put into words for some time. Even better, it confronts me with my own bad habits. Will I have the drive to change them? That is the question.
The above link is to an article by Donald Miller. This says something I've been trying to put into words for some time. Even better, it confronts me with my own bad habits. Will I have the drive to change them? That is the question.
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