Follow The Money

Blog, BLOG Busy, BLOG BUSY Episode 4

Some Thoughts on “Follow The Money”: 1. During the first season of The Wire a wise, seasoned detective advises a newbie trying to break open a drug ring to “follow the money.” The detective has an affinity for numbers and patterns; between spreadsheets and...

Mary, Martha, Kate, and Me

Blog, BLOG Busy, BLOG BUSY Episode 2

Last weekend my son had a friend over for a play date. It was the first time this particular family had come to our house, and I like to make a reasonably decent impression when people come to the door. “Decent impressions” get complicated by our dog, Kate. She looks...

Accepting the Yoke

Blog, BLOG BUSY Episode 1

I wish I could say that my faith journey was characterized by a willing acceptance of the yoke Jesus says is chrestos (or well-fitting), a deep, powerful Yes! to God’s presence in my life, but the reverse is actually more truthful. Immediately after I deeply...

Taize Prayer

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Those of us who went to Turkey in the spring of 2012 were familiar with the taize chant the congregation sang last Sunday. We stopped near Ephesus to worship and have lunch (in a carpet shop, of all places, and who says you can’t worship anywhere?) After cups of apple...

What Do You Eat? What’s Eating You?

Blog, Blog PI 5, Blog Prophetically Incorrect

Amos 5:4-5 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek me and live; but do not seek Bethel, And do not enter into Gilgal Or cross over into Beersheba; For Bilbal shall surely go into exile, And Bethel shall come to nothing. Just another list of odd names,...

Of Plumb Lines and and The Lorax

Blog, Blog PI 4, Blog Prophetically Incorrect

Amos 7:7-8 “This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.”” We kick off the weekend every Friday night with...

The Futility of Dams

Blog, Blog PI 3, Blog Prophetically Incorrect

This passage in Amos has always resonated for me. It’s incredibly poetic, and really captures the imagination. Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. It brings to mind Jesus calling himself the living water, and the water...

Not for Sale

Blog, Blog PI 1, Blog Prophetically Incorrect

The miraculous is everywhere.  In our homes.  Our minds.  We can share every second in data dressed as pixels.  A billion roaming photojournalists uploading the human experience and it is spectacular, so why would you cap that?  My iPhone 5 can see every point of...

What Exactly Are My Talents?

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When I read the parable of the talents, I focus on two levels in the story: which servant I relate to, and what do I think the talents are. First, there are three servants. One’s given five talents. The next is given two. The final servant is given just one. Just one...

Christianity: A Religion of Belief or Action?

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Christianity is often described as (or accused of) a religion of beliefs. The litmus test of your commitment to your faith is based on adherence to a creed. The creed might vary in wording, but they generally include Jesus being God’s literal son, Mary his Virgin...