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Road Trip
Posted by Ed and Lois
Lois and I are taking a fall break to Alabama via Nashville.
Starting Friday Lois and I are headed south. Having only ever driven thru Nashville, this time we’re stopping. Lois got her tattoo (Texas) here on a road trip with the ladies. I have a few requirments,(music oriented) but other than that we’re just hangin’. Sunday we’re headed to Birmingham to spend a few days with Lois’ sister. Temps look to be in the 70’s. (Sorry) Dave Miller will be leading worship Sunday in my place. I hate to miss. I hope to be able to blog from the road. Who knows where we might turn up?
Ed
Defining Worship by Adam davidson (at Ginkworld)
Posted by Ed and Lois
Experiencing God When He’s Not There
What do you do when you know you’re supposed to worship and yet you feel like something is missing…and that something is God? You sing to an empty room. You pray to the ceiling tiles. You sacrifice praise—to nothing. Your silent moments are met by silent moments instead of that still, small voice that once reminded you that He was there.
If you’re like me, the response to this is a virtual sword fight between cognitive and emotional. Your internal monologue is more of a dialogue as you bounce back and forth between fact and feeling. God is everywhere… but He’s not here. God has a plan for my life…but He’s keeping it a secret. God loves me… but He’s ignoring me.
And this has been going on for a long time. What’s wrong? What am I doing wrong? Have you spent time in this place?
Quantum Servanthood
Posted by Ed and Lois
By John O’Keefe ( at Ginkworld .net)
To be honest with you, I think we have spent too much time on “church vision statements;” after all, what do they truly mean? Most of the time, they are empty, hollow words with no action connected. I have found that for most people, a “vision statement” has been used to control others and not empower them. I know of Pastors who use the “God gave me a vision for this church” over the heads of people and subject them to their will. I think every church I have ever consulted for, visited, spoke at, walked past or saw in a phone book has some kind of vision statement. Yet, I would venture to say that 99% of the people in the church have no idea what that vision statement even is, and if they do they have no idea what it means or how to put it into action. Why?
Over the past few years that I have been interested in emerging “servanthood” I have been fascinated by the fact that Jesus never had a vision statement; yet every book I have ever read on modern church leadership sell the importance of a vision statement. Still, over time, the people caught on to his ministry, why? What did he do that was so different from what we do today? Simple, Jesus was visual, and not interested in a vision statement, he was interested in living a visual life. “Come and you will see?” are the words Jesus shares, not “read my vision statement, see what God has called me to do and if you can buy the vision you are welcomed to come along.” Jesus just said, “Come and see.”
When I was a kid my Father use to say, “do as I say, not as I do.” Being a visual learner this drove me crazy, because it just did not connect in the brain cells. In fact, I still did many of the things he did – no matter what he said, because I am a visual person – I will do as you do, not as you say. Visual “servants” keep this in mind. They know that people will do what they do, and act the way they act. Our words must equal our actions. For those of us who think in visual terms, “casting” vision simply means sharing, in story, the visual of the ministry. Brining to life that which God places in our hearts and giving voice to picture.
Manna Book Club( a subversive group if ther ever was one)
Posted by Ed and Lois
Same time, different place.
Manna the book club will meet this week at September Woods at 7:00 PM (10/21) I believe we are reading The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. For those who haven’t come (And you know who you are) this is as much about getting out in public as it is about reading books. Come join us. There’s a laugh waiting to happen.
Ed
Children’s Choices at sit-down eateries
Posted by Ed and Lois
By Marilyn Elias (USA Today)
Parents who are worried about their teenagers’ fast-food habits might want to watch what their kids scarf down in “sit-down” restaurants, because Taco Bell dining could be healthier than teens’ choices at more formal eateries, a study suggested Monday.
A new study shows teens might eat healthier fare at Taco Bell than they do at ‘sit-down’ restaurants.
“Overeating occurs at all kinds of restaurants,” says University of Hawaii pediatrician Loren Yamamoto. But when asked what menu items they would eat, kids seem to choose less fatty foods at fast-food places such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s, according to a survey Yamamoto did with his 17-year-old daughter, Julienne Yamamoto. They reported on the study at the American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in San Francisco.
They gave menus from 10 restaurants to 104 children 11 to 18 years old. Everyone picked out selections they’d probably order and estimated how much they’d eat of each choice.
Kids chose meals with the fewest calories and least fat at Taco Bell, Panda Express, Wendy’s and McDonald’s. They selected the most caloric fare at Outback Steak House, Chili’s and California Pizza Kitchen. In the middle: Red Lobster, Stuart Anderson’s and Denny’s.
Full Post: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-10-12-eateries-usat_x.htm