I am a meteorologist and a former youth leader at church…I have a lot to say on both subjects…and then some
If we retain only what can be justified by standards of prudence and convenience at he bar of enlightened common sense, then we exchange revelation for that old wraith Natural Religion. – C. S. Lewis
Rick Warren Interview: On Gay Marriage and Divorce – Beliefnet.com
Rick Warren nails my views on gay marriage. My thought has been that gay and lesbians can have civil unions, but as a church, we do not have to bless them, just as we need to deal with two heterosexual people living together before being married, or deal with someone who is doing x. Sin is sin we should not bless it. We should love the person, respect them, and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin.
I saw this on the NY Times page today, thanks to BW3:
Dr. Beckworth, a macroeconomist, posited another theory: though expanding demographically since becoming the nation’s largest religious group in the 1990s, evangelicals as a whole still tend to be less affluent than members of mainline churches, and therefore depend on their church communities more during tough times, for material as well as spiritual support. In good times, he said, they are more likely to work on Sundays, which may explain a slower rate of growth among evangelical churches in nonrecession years.
Bad Times Draw Bigger Crowds to Churches – NYTimes.com
The first part is great. I see that in our own church. We help those that have a need. However, there are two things about the part I highlighted. Either it is good, because we are finding people who come to know Christ after trying to do it their way and working 7 days a week, with no rest; or it s bad because we are forgetting who truly provides for us, and become swept up in the consumeristic hype of prosperity. This would almost signal a cycle that the nation of Israel had in the Old Testament.
Commentary: I know what Illinois governor feels like now – CNN.com
I like this quote from Mr. Colson:
At the height of Watergate, a dear friend of mine, Tom Phillips, then CEO of Raytheon, invited me to his home. As we sat in his kitchen, Tom read to me a chapter on pride from a little book by C.S. Lewis titled “Mere Christianity.”
Lewis wrote, “There is one vice of which no man in the world is free. … The vice I am talking about is Pride or Self-conceit. …. Pride leads to every other vice. … A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. … Pride is a spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.“
I couldn’t agree more. I see it in the mirror in the morning and I see in the kids we work with.
I feel blessed this morning. I have a post that is brewing about justice and Christmas, but that can wait for a day or two. I was beginning to feel frustrated lately with the media again. It has to do with the typical things that are job related. Public perception of the forecast, the media’s role in causing the confusion, and trying not to call someone a moron over the phone, while representing the government.
However, as I was on my way into work, I was listening to my usual string of podcasts. My mind was way too distracted during my Bible reading podcast, but when I got to the Pray-as-you-go podcast, I payed attention for some reason.
Matthew 11:28-30 © Jesus exclaimed, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ – Universalis Mass reading.
I realized that my frustration stemmed from me wanting to labor on my own projects, rather than letting go and laboring on the projects that God has given me. I have learned to let things go. After discussions with Brandon today, and yesterday, I don’t worry as much about him. We still have some financial problems, but they are manageable. So I am making sure that I have Christ’s yoke on me.
I don’t know if my twitter posts being summarized is bothering anybody, but I like them. For one, I actually talk about things weather related. That was always something I did rarely, in the past. Also, I sometimes wonder aloud some of the things on my mind. I try to get too mundane with the twitter posts, but I can’t help myself sometimes. One thing that it has done, is spurred on my blog writing. I was sputtering for a while. Now, I am writing a post at least once a week, sometimes more.
On a slightly different thought, I’m glad the elections are over. I know hope that people are moving on with their lives. I thought that the tenor of the whole election got a little too muddy for my liking. Actually, I know some conservative friends who were freaking out over the Obama election, but I knew it was a done deal. I relaxed as I heard all sorts of things that are supposed to happen with the Obama election. However, a lot of the news sources I read the progressive are a bit perturbed at his picks for cabinet posts.
I have to say this, I vote. Sometimes for the winner and sometimes not. I participate. However, I continue to live my existence based on something totally different. If the government comes and takes my 401k (something one of my conservative friends said) oh well. While I may not be that complacent about it, my hope is not placed in the government to bail me out. I will live a life of significance no matter who is in the White House.
From Jesus Creed
Perhaps we need to be reminded that Christmas is not about us; it is about Jesus Christ.
Perhaps we need to be reminded that Christmas is not about what we get out of it; it is about what we give to God in adoration.
Perhaps we need to pause to see just how Jesus-centered Christmas is.
