The Problem We Face

"I make over $250,000 a year, between my wife and I," Thomas Jacoby, a 62-year-old contractor, tells me in Woodbridge. "I don't want to share it with anybody." Ruth Marcus - The 'Socialist' Scare - washingtonpost.com. “MINE!” It’s something that any parent with more than one kid has heard at least a hundred times. “NO! YOU … Continue reading The Problem We Face →

In Honor of Chris & Brin’s Wedding Tonight

A tip of the hat to Jeremy for this fine video, and many happy returns to Chris and Brin.

Wilderness Opportunities

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless … Continue reading Wilderness Opportunities →

A Crow Kind of Day

I've been in a Sheryl Crow mood all day and since there isn't a good copy of "Peace Be Upon Us" on YouTube this will have to do. It's probably fitting given the great gasoline shortage of 2008...

To Be A Maverick

The word “maverick” has been tossed about quite a bit lately, and I always love to consider the origins of words. Consider Merriam Webster’s definition: mav·er·ick 1: an unbranded range animal ; especially : a motherless calf 2: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party Etymology: Samuel A. Maverick … Continue reading To Be A Maverick →

The Unseen Victims

Each week, at the end of “This Week with George Stephanapolis,” there is a recognition of the U.S. soliders who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan during the previous week. However, they aren’t the only victims of these wars: The Army has recorded 62 confirmed suicides this year, and half as many more deaths may be … Continue reading The Unseen Victims →

The Car Saga

Back in 2002, it was time to get a new car. The Honda Civic with 280,000 miles had served me well for 10 years, but it was getting on its last legs and needed to be replaced. So after watching the listings on the Internet for a while, I ran over to the local Carmax … Continue reading The Car Saga →

A Blast from the Past

WKRP In Cincinnatti was one of the great shows of my youth, and this particular episode is one that I always remember. Enjoy. more about "A Blast from the Past", posted with vodpod

Perception and Reality

I live in a community with a bad reputation. We are considered by the rest of Nashville to be a community with a “gang problem,” a community with high crime rates, a community which is in great decline. The problem is that this reputation is not deserved. In fact, the overall crime rate in our … Continue reading Perception and Reality →

A Song for Year 48

Church Basement Roadshow – The Nashville Edition

I am certain that many others will go into more detail than I about tonight’s Church Basement Roadshow, featuring Doug, Tony, and Mark. Given the hour it seems fitting to throw out a quick review in fine bullet point fashion on what was a great evening. Part of the value in any emergent gathering of … Continue reading Church Basement Roadshow – The Nashville Edition →

Church Basement Roadshow – The Nashville Edition

Reflections from Lake Junaluska

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 … Continue reading Reflections from Lake Junaluska →

The Embracing Church: Tolerance, Inclusion, and Embrace

This is the third in a sermon series on The Embracing Church For the past couple of weeks, we have been thinking together about what it might be to be a church which is known to welcome all with the love of God, a church that reaches out with grace and acceptance to draw folks … Continue reading The Embracing Church: Tolerance, Inclusion, and Embrace →

A Blast from the Past for Father’s Day

I don't know why, but I couldn't resist this remembrance today.

Living in the Expansive Kingdom of God

The other night, after spending an rare hour at the gym followed by another hour at the supermarket, I was standing in my kitchen putting away the last of the groceries when I heard a quiet “woof” at my feet. I looked down and there were two enormous brown eyes staring up at me longingly … Continue reading Living in the Expansive Kingdom of God →

The Best Justice System in the Land?

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. -- Multiple sclerosis has Paul House in a wheelchair. A tenacious prosecutor has him on death row, deemed too dangerous to be released two years after the U.S. Supreme Court said he likely isn't guilty. That closely watched ruling, which made it easier for inmates to get new hearings on DNA evidence that … Continue reading The Best Justice System in the Land? →

The Costs of War

It's early Monday morning and I should be asleep, but for some reason I haven't been tired and so I decided to check out the Frontline site to check on the latest documentary. I came upon a program called Bad Voodoo's War, which followed a National Guard platoon during their tour of Iraq. Their story … Continue reading The Costs of War →

The countdown begins…

This is a week of countdowns for the people called Methodists. For most it is the countdown to General Conference, the gathering of United Methodists from around the globe to rewrite our book of church guidance and law that we call the Book of Discipline. All over the world people are packing and getting on … Continue reading The countdown begins… →

Hanging with dear old dad…

Yesterday morning was a strange start to the day. It began with my wife in tears regarding a situation with my daughter which was pretty yucky (although, in the end everything turned out grand). Not ten minutes later I received a call informing my that my father had been rushed to the hospital in his … Continue reading Hanging with dear old dad… →