Archive | July, 2008

Understanding and Using RSS

25 Jul

RSSThe technical acronym for RSS is “Really Simple Syndication”, an XML format that was created to syndicate news, and be a means to share content on the web. Now, to geeks and techies that means something special, but to everyday folks like you and me, what comes to mind is, “Uh, I don’t get it?”

Back in skinny jeans: How to explain RSS the Oprah way.

Yesterday I led a workshop for ministry types wanting to know more about using the Internet in their ministry. As a part of that workshop I attempted to explain the benefits of using RSS feeds, both to dynamically update websites with current content, and to make keeping up with other sites easier. Generally they got it, but it became clear that there is a large group of folks who haven’t yet discovered the joy of RSS yet.

The article above is a great introduction to understanding RSS. If you aren’t familiar with the Really Simple Syndication techonology available through the web, check this out, because we will be talking about RSS here in the days and weeks to come.

Reflections from Lake Junaluska

22 Jul

One of the realities on being a clergy family, with two preachers in the household, is that we are usually broke. We both knew that we weren’t in this gig for the money, and so far God has provided what we need.

However, one of the things that we have had to do is to come up with creative ways to take a family vacation. We’re still paying for the Disney vacation that we took four summers ago, so for the past three years we have combined our family vacation with attending the SoulFeast conference at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. It started off as a way to get some time away while also doing some professional growth that would be paid for by our expense accounts. It has become a family tradition that regularly gets on our schedule now, and I have a feeling that we’ll be coming to SoulFeast even if we come into some bucks to take a “real” vacation.

Part of the joy for us in coming is that we are able to pretty much let the girls go and exercise their independence in ways not possible in the hood. For the four days of SoulFeast, we basically don’t see Grace as she is totally consumed with being a part of the youth program here. Anna has a program to attend as well, and yesterday she even decided to walk around the complex on her own, exercising some degree of autonomy that we haven’t seen before. Kay and I attend the program, which is very good, however there is also a bunch of free time, and we feel free in this setting to take Sabbath as we need it.

All in all, we are having a great time so far at “the lake” and wish you were here with us.