Friday, October 30, 2015

Friday Favorites - Christopher WIlliams Concerts

Friend of the family, Christopher Williams, will be doing two performances in Minnesota a week from today. Chris is a wonderful guy and he's a terrific singer and songwriter. If you can make it to one of these shows, you'll have a good time and find yourself encouraged in your faith.

My friends in St. Paul and Minneapolis will want to get to his concert at Hamline Methodist Church. My friends south of the river will want to get to his concert in Northfield at Emmaus Baptist Church.


CLICK HERE TO VISIT HIS WEBSITE AND LISTEN TO A FEW SONGS

Here's a note Christopher sent out earlier this week...

Hey There! I'm excited to finally be returning to the Twin Cities and Northfield next weekend. It has been a long time since I've been back - a couple CDs ago! So please help spread the word about the
shows, secure a babysitter, and come on out to one of these special nights. All of the info is posted below! Thanks friends.

Happy Fall to you!
Christopher

Friday. November 6th. 7pm
Hamline Methodist Church in St Paul, MN.
1514 Englewood Avenue. St Paul, MN. Call 651.645.0667
http://www.hamlinechurch.org for more info
$10 suggested donation at the door

Sunday. November 8th. 7pm
Emmaus Baptist Church in Northfield, MN
712 North Linden Street. Northfield, MN. 55057. Call 507.645.9480
http://www.emmauschurch.org for more info
$12 suggested donation at the door


Visit Christopher's web site at http://www.christopherw.com to order CDs, get the latest concert updates, and much more.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Thursday Thinking - About Suffering and Listening

https://youtu.be/N9vKRqtGZi8
PLAY VIDEO

Do you know someone who is suffering or wounded by loss? Are you able to just listen to them––letting them speak while quietly loving, hoping, and praying for them?

Listening is an act of love.

THIS VIDEO is good practice. Notice how the story takes and important turn when Gavagan says, "She listened."

Job 13:12 "Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
    your defenses are defenses of clay."

Job 16:2 "“I have heard many things like these;
    you are miserable comforters, all of you!"

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Wednesday Words - Wild Geese Alighting on a Lake


I watched them
As they neared the lake

They wheeled
In a wide arc
With beating wings
And then

They put their wings to sleep
And glided downward in a drift
Of pure abandonment

Until they touched
The surface of the lake

Composed their wings
And settled
On the rippling water
As though it were a nest.


"Wild Geese Alighting on a Lake" by Anne Porter from Living Things.
© Zoland Books, 2006.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tuesday Tome - The Power of One

My wife just finished this book a couple of days ago and said it's one I need to read. That means it goes on my list. I wish I could get through as many novels as she does!

The Power of One
by Bryce Courtney

Set in a world torn apart, where man enslaves his fellow man and freedom remains elusive, The Power of One is the moving story of one young man's search for the love that binds friends, the passion that binds lovers, and the realization that it takes only one to change the world.

A weak and friendless boy growing up in South Africa during World War II, Peekay turns to two older men, one black and one white, to show him how to find the courage to dream, to succeed, to triumph over a world when all seems lost, and to inspire him to summon up the most irrersistible force of all: the Power of One.
– from the inside cover flap

Monday, October 26, 2015

Monday Music - Breathe a Little Deeper




Abel made a sacrifice.
Enoch somehow never died.
Noah built an ark
And left the world outside.
Abraham didn’t have a son,
But by faith he traveled far.
His children now outnumber
The stars.

Take another step,
Breathe a little deeper,
Straighten up and take a stand.
Walk another mile,
You’re headed for a better land.

Isaac blessed and prophesied.
Jacob worshipped, staff in hand.
Joseph spoke of exodus from
Egypt’s land.
Moses chose to be mistreated--
Pharoah’s pleasures he would deny.
The Red Sea parted and the ground the children walked
Was dry.

Take another step,
Breathe a little deeper,
Straighten up and take a stand.
Walk another mile,
You’re headed for a better land.
Think about the joy,
Don’t forget the promise,
Let the Spirit lead the way.
Tomorrow’s gonna come--
It’s gonna be a better day.

Gideon, Barak, and Samson--
There’s not time enough to tell
Tales of Jephthah, King David,
And Samuel.
There were those who closed the mouths of lions;
Those who quenched the fury of the flames.
They suffered this world’s hateful scorn
And shame.

Still they took another step,
Breathed a little deeper;
They weren’t afraid to take a stand.
They walked another mile,
Headed for a better land.
They thought about the joy--
Thought about the promise;
They let the Spirit lead the way.
They gave a little more,
Hopin’ for a better day.

So take another step,
Breathe a little deeper,
Straighten up and take a stand.
Walk another mile,
You’re headed for a better land.
Think about the joy,
Don’t forget the promise,
Let the Spirit lead the way.
Tomorrow’s gonna come--
It’s gonna be a better day.

"Better Day" words and music by Dave Burkum from Breathe a Little Deeper
© Copyright 2000 by Dave Burkum. Listen / Download / Purchase

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Sunday Supplication - To Think, Speak, and Act

O God, we are so thankful for your mercy and love. We thank you for your Son, Jesus, and for the life and salvation he has made possible for us. Help us, as part of your Church, to be a living demonstration of your power to save and transform and renew. Make us a true community of grace.

Forgive us our sins. Help us to turn away from darkness and to love the light. Make us willing and able to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Help us to think, speak, and act in ways that restore lives, nurture relationships, create peace, and bring honor to you.

Thank you, O God, for Jesus, who did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself and became a servant. Help us, like him, to reach across barriers, to welcome the weak, to serve, and to look to the interests of others.

It’s in His name that we pray all these things. Amen.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Friday Favorites - Judge John Hodgman

http://www.maximumfun.org/shows/judge-john-hodgman
Thanks to my good friend Josh Wilske for introducing me to my new favorite podcast-for-fun. John Hodgman dons his virtual robes, strikes his virtual gavel, and takes on the role of fake internet judge. With great wit and wisdom, he settles personal disputes and issues for people who agree, at the beginning of each episode, to abide by his ruling. This virtual court has large doses of wry humor, quirky personality, and no small measure of common sense.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Wednesday Words - The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost from The Road Not Taken and Other Poems, Penguin Classics, © Copyright 2015.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Tuesday Tome - Partners in Christ

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0830840818?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Partners in Christ: A Conservative Case for Egalitarianism
by John G. Stackhouse Jr.

I'm looking forward to the arrival of this new book from John Stackhouse Jr. I ordered it after coming across a couple of good reviews about it. This is one of several books I'm reading in the months ahead as our Valley elders are going to be studying this issue.

Publisher's Description...
The Bible says that women should keep silent in church and that they should pray and prophesy. It calls wives the weaker partner and says that men and women are equal. When it comes to understanding what Scripture says about men and women, those on both sides of the debate can and do marshal strong evidence from the Bible. Why are they able to do this?

John Stackhouse boldly contends it is because Scripture in fact says both things. Does the Bible contradict itself then? Not so. Rather, in this revised and expanded edition of Finally Feminist, Stackhouse describes the single approach in Scripture that guides us with clear direction on these important matters of relationships in the church and the family.

Are you looking for an approach that takes the whole Bible into account and not just bits and pieces of it? While treating Scripture with utmost seriousness, Stackhouse moves us all beyond the impasse in this important debate.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Monday Music - One Lord, One Body

https://daveburkum.bandcamp.com/track/one-lord-one-body
I need you, and you need me,
That’s the way it is- in God’s family.
If you’re doing well, you’ll be my friend and guide;
If you need a hand, I’ll be at your side.

One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body
One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body

And when I fall, you pick me up.
When I’m thirsty, you can fill my cup.
If you win, then it’s my gain-
If you’re hurting, I will share your pain.

One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body
One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body

When you’re weighed down, I will share the load.
If you’re ever lost, I’ll help you find the road.
When I’m tempted, remind me what is right.
When I’m weary, please help me fight the fight.

One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body
One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body

Together we’ll carry the light--
Shining like the stars in the heavens. (2xs)

One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body
One Lord, One Body / One Lord, One Body

"One Lord, One Body" by Dave Burkum, from FIRESIDE,
© Copyright 2006 by Dave Burkum.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Sunday Supplication - Reach across Barriers

O God, we are so thankful for your mercy and love. We thank you for your Son, Jesus, and for the life and salvation he has made possible for us.

Help us, as part of your Church, to be a living demonstration of your power to save and transform and renew. Make us a true community of grace.

Forgive us our sins. Help us to turn away from darkness and to love the light. Make us willing and able to forgive others as you have forgiven us. Help us to think, speak, and act in ways that restore lives, nurture relationships, create peace, and bring honor to you.

Thank you, O God, for Jesus, who did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself and became a servant. Help us, like him, to reach across barriers, to welcome the weak, to serve, and to look to the interests of others. It’s in His name that we pray all these things.

Amen.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Saturday Smile - Four Hands on One Guitar

This is just so fun to watch. THEY make this crazy idea look perfectly reasonable!
https://youtu.be/h6ZHvUkuuBg
Click Here or on the image above.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday Favorites – The Brain with David Eagleman

http://www.eagleman.com/research/11-david-eagleman/113-the-brain-pbs

I'm a fan of David Eagleman. I've enjoyed his books, stories he's written, and a number of interviews he's given over the years on some of my favorite podcasts. When I heard about this new PBS series, I knew it would be something I would want to watch.  I'm sure I will also want to add the accompanying book for the series to my library.

The first episode aired on PBS this week and I thought it was terrific––well-written, beautifully shot, and Eagleman is a brilliant and winsome host. He is such an effective communicator that the complex ideas and concepts he presents become accessible and enjoyable to the non-technical viewer.  Imagine having fun while you think and learn! "The Brain with David Eagleman" is documentary television at its best. Check out the series website or watch the trailer by clicking HERE or on the image below.

https://youtu.be/cTl2Odxgr54

THE BRAIN with David Eagleman. Six one-hour episodes that tell the story of the inner workings of the brain and take viewers on a visually spectacular journey into why they feel and think the things they do. This epic series focuses on the basic truths of being human, exposing elegant ideas about the brain as they apply to us and our experiences.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Thursday Thinking - About Generous Giving

As a pastor, I'm often called upon to help people think about stewardship and generosity. Here are a few ideas from Scripture that have been on my mind this week. Which of these passages speaks the loudest and clearest to you today?

Everything we have—every dollar, every tool, every talent—is from God.
Deuteronomy 8:18 — “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

Trusting God's provision motivates generosity.
Proverbs 3:9-10 — “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

The bold giver is one who really learns how faithful God is to bless.
Malachi 3:10 — “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”

We must recognize the rivals to God's rightful claim for our hearts and devotion.
Matthew 6:24 — “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

We cannot sow sparingly and expect to reap abundantly.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 — “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Wednesday Words - October

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

"October" by Robert Frost, from The Poetry of Robert Frost: The Collected Poems, Complete and Unabridged, © Copyright 1975.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Tuesday Tome - Tokens of Trust

I got pulled away from this little book over the last couple of months, but I'm back to it and enjoying it a great deal. Williams is a master of taking big subjects and discussing them in an approachable, humble, and pastoral ways.

Tokens of Trust: An Introduction to Christian Belief
Publisher's description...
What does it mean to believe in God? Can God possibly be almighty in the midst of so much evil and disaster? How am I to understand the meaning of Jesus Christ's ministry and resurrection? To what purpose is the church called? And what does it really mean to follow Christ in today's broken world?
Tying together the answers to all of these questions and addressing perplexities such as the possibility of miracles and how to read the Bible, Rowan Williams demonstrates that each of the basic tenets of Christian faith flows from one fundamental belief: that God is completely worthy of our trust. With vast knowledge of Christian history and theology and characteristically elegant prose, Rowan Williams is a superb and compassionate guide through the richness and depth of Christian faith.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Monday Music - Joyful, Joyful


https://daveburkum.bandcamp.com/track/joyful-joyful

Joyful, joyful, we adore you,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before you --
Hail you as the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day.

All your works with joy surround you,
Earth and heaven reflect your rays,
Stars and angels sing around you --
Center of unbroken praise.

Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flowering meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee.

Joyful, joyful we adore you. Joyful!
Joyful, joyful we adore you. Joyful!

"Joyful, Joyful" words by Hen­ry J. van Dyke (1907), music by Dave Burkum, from the Breathe a Little Deeper CD, © Copyright 2002 by Dave Burkum.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Sunday Supplication - Shape and Use Us

Almighty and everlasting God, you have revealed your grace and glory in this world through your son, Jesus Christ. We thank you for your mercy and ask that you complete your saving works of mercy in our world.

Help your Church in all places to persevere with steadfast faith. Shape and use each of us as we find our place and purpose in your Church.

You know our weaknesses and you understand our limitations.  Our sins and failures are no secret or surprise to you. And yet, you are faithful to forgive, you are ready to renew, you are able to lift us up, and you call us to press forward in Christ. In the same way, help us to forgive, to encourage, and to bless others. You are gracious and merciful to us, and we ask you to make us gracious and merciful to others.

Help us, O God, to seek you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Show yourself to us through your word, your people, your promises, and all that is beautiful and true. Help us to desire and delight in your will and to walk in your ways to the glory of your Name.

Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Friday, October 09, 2015

Friday Favorites - Blossoms on the Prairie

https://youtu.be/VaK6uwt-FWo

I had a fun time watching The Cactus Blossoms sing "Supper Time" with Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion broadcast last Saturday. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE or on the image above to watch video.

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Thursday Thinking – Which Self Is Guiding You?


http://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_should_you_live_for_your_resume_or_your_eulogy

Within each of us are two selves, suggests David Brooks in this meditative short talk: the self who craves success, who builds a résumé, and the self who seeks connection, community, love — the values that make for a great eulogy. Brooks asks: Can we balance these two selves?  Watch or Download this 5-Minute Video

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Wednesday Words - Neighbors in October


All afternoon his tractor pulls a flat wagon
with bales to the barn, then back to the waiting
chopped field. It trails a feather of smoke.
Down the block we bend with the season:
shoes to polish for a big game,
storm windows to batten or patch.
And how like a field is the whole sky now
that the maples have shed their leaves, too.
It makes us believers—stationed in groups,
leaning on rakes, looking into space. We rub blisters
over billows of leaf smoke. Or stand alone,
bagging gold for the cold days to come.

"Neighbors in October" by David Baker, from The Truth about Small Towns, University of Arkansas Press, 1998.

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Tuesday Tomes - Read More about It

Three books that would make good reading companions for my current teaching series at Valley Christian Church. Check them out.

Who You Are When No One's Looking
by Bill Hybels

Publisher's Description...
"When I listen to the evening news or read the morning paper these days my reaction is always the same: what's wrong in our world will not be set right until people who love God and who refuse to cave to these overwhelming challenges put the things they believe into action, things like courage and discipline and love." Bill Hybels

Who You Are When No One's Looking has pointed the way to godly character for more than twenty years. Now Bill Hybels's essential book is completely revised and updated, featuring a new introduction, a new concluding chapter ("World-Change: When Character Counts Most") and a discussion guide for groups. Read this book to discover who God is calling you to be in the world around you.

After You Believe
by N. T. Wright

Publisher's Description...
Wright dispels the common misconception that Christian living is nothing more than a checklist of dos and don'ts. Nor is it a prescription to "follow your heart" wherever it may lead. Instead, After You Believe reveals the Bible's call for a revolution—a transformation of character that takes us beyond our earthly pursuit of money, sex, and power into a virtuous state of living that allows us to reflect God and live more worshipful, fulfilling lives.

We are all spiritual seekers, intuitively knowing there is more to life than we suspect. This is a book for anyone who is hoping there is something more while we're here on Earth. There is. We are being called to join the revolution, and Wright insightfully encourages readers to find new purpose and clarity by taking us on an eye-opening journey through key biblical passages that promise to radically alter the work of the church and the direction of our lives.

The Road to Character
by David Brooks

Publisher's Description...
Looking to some of the world’s greatest thinkers and inspiring leaders, Brooks explores how, through internal struggle and a sense of their own limitations, they have built a strong inner character. Labor activist Frances Perkins understood the need to suppress parts of herself so that she could be an instrument in a larger cause. Dwight Eisenhower organized his life not around impulsive self-expression but considered self-restraint. Dorothy Day, a devout Catholic convert and champion of the poor, learned as a young woman the vocabulary of simplicity and surrender. Civil rights pioneers A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin learned reticence and the logic of self-discipline, the need to distrust oneself even while waging a noble crusade.

Blending psychology, politics, spirituality, and confessional, The Road to Character provides an opportunity for us to rethink our priorities, and strive to build rich inner lives marked by humility and moral depth.


Monday, October 05, 2015

Monday Music - I Press On

https://daveburkum.bandcamp.com/track/i-press-on

I press on to take hold of that
For which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
I press on to take hold of that
For which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

I press on through thick & thin
I press on every day
I press on through the lose & win
For I know He's the Way

I press on to take hold of that
For which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

"I Press On" by Dave Burkum (based on Philippians 3:12), from Fireside: Worship & Scripture Songs, © Copyright 2006 by Dave Burkum.

Sunday, October 04, 2015

Sunday Supplication - Our Hope Is in You

Dear Lord, we pray that your grace will always direct us and go before us and follow us in all we are, in all we say, and in all we do. We pray that your grace will shape and motivate us that we may continually be given to good works.

Father God, we humbly recognize our need for forgiveness and restoration. In our weakness and selfishness, we often fail each other, fail ourselves, and fail you. 

We also recognize the hope and power we have in Christ.  Raise us and transform us by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. Forgive us our sins, and make us ready and able and quick to forgive others, even as you forgive us.

Lead us into truth, O God. Show us your ways. Teach us to follow your lead. Help us to turn away from what is wrong and to do what is right. Our hope is in you all day long. Help us to be faithful followers of Jesus and help us to become more like him each day.

It's in his name that we pray. Amen.

Friday, October 02, 2015

Friday Favorites - Jeremy Denk and the SPCO


It was a joy to hear Jeremy Denk performing with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra on September 18. I especially appreciated the performance of Bach's Concerto No. 4 in A for Piano and Strings (BWV 1055). It was a wonderful evening – the pianist, the orchestra, and the new Ordway Concert Hall were all just brilliant!

I went online the next day to see if a recording of Denk playing that concerto was available, but couldn't find one. I did, however, find and purchase a new recording of him performing Bach's Goldberg Variations.

I am so pleased that Jeremy Denk is currently of the SPCO's artistic partners, and I look forward to upcoming concerts with him. Read more about him HERE.

https://youtu.be/NEuaKv4sGrQ