Turtle Fishing / Late Night / Book September 28, 2007
Posted by joejames in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
This morning I went turtle fishing – yes that is fishing for turtles. I have a friend who plays baseball. When his season ends, he comes home and does something insane. This year it is turtle fishing. He tries to catch snappers and soft-shell turtles, but any will do. And people buy these turtles and eat them.
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I stayed up way too late last night, and in turn overslept this morning. I was 10 minutes late getting to the turtle pond this morning. Anyhow, I stayed up recounting stories from high school with Josh Allison. We laughed really hard, it was worth losing sleep over. You should call up one of your friends and do the same.
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I want to recommend a very important book to you. Un-Christian. It is a new research book put together by the Barna Research Group – and several pastors across the nation. It basically talks about how the unchurched in this nation perceive Christians. The research is astonishing.
I haven’t read it all yet, but you can guess we are perceived to be “Hypocritical” — “Concerned only with converting people” — “Antihomosexual” — “Sheltered” — “Too Political” — “Judgmental”
That is not good PR>>> The book is extremely important and I think anyone concerned about advancing the mission of Christ in the 21 century needs to get a copy.
A Brief “Thank You” September 26, 2007
Posted by joejames in Thank You.add a comment
I believe a Thank You is in order for several of you who have engaged here in a wonderful dialogue over the last month or so. It has been fun sharing ideas and sharing our journey and heart’s desires here.
I especially thank a random guy named Mike, who lately has made me think, contemplate, etc. I love to be stretched and love it when two people can engage one another in a healthy and non-threatening way about theology. Too much of the opposite is happening these days – therefore positive (but challenging) dialogue is of prime importance today.
Mike has a wonderful testimony over at his own blog and I suggest everyone go see what God has done in his life!
Thanks to Greg, and Dave, and Michael, and Tim, and Donna, and Paul, and Chris, and still many others!!!!
I am busy these days, so it is an important 30 minutes of my day to visit all of your blogs, and to respond to your responses here at Ends and Means. I value our “sit-downs” very much – even though we don’t actually get to sit down and visit. It is refreshing and I appreciate you adding value to it every day for me!
I look forward to many more insightful, important, and fun conversations with all of you!
Irony – Or Wait Before You Speak September 26, 2007
Posted by joejames in Politics.2 comments
Irony – no need to define it for you, it’s everywhere.
I saw it all over our media this last week.
Columbia University decided to invite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at an open forum this week.
Lou Dobbs – along with every other Radio Talk Show host and every other FOX (No Spin) news anchor – absolutley slammed Columbia University President, Lee Bollinger, for extending an invite to the Iranian Leader. This all, of course, took place before they knew what would happen when Bollinger had the affirmative in the forum.
Watch below, and see if Dobbs and others perhaps ate their own words. (I wonder if they tasted like Irony?)
The Bride & Her Groom September 25, 2007
Posted by joejames in Church as Bride.3 comments
I love Tuesday lunch time! Almost every Tuesday, our staff goes to lunch together. We usually end up in some deep conversation about some theological issue.
Today, Chris was asking questions about the imagery Paul uses in Ephesians of husbands and wives to help depict Christ’s relationship to the church. What a beautiful image – Christ loving us like His very own Bride.
I know this probably doesn’t apply to what Paul was trying to show, but this is what I couldn’t get out of my head.
I love Shaila (my wife). Right or wrong, she may be, about this or that – nevertheless, I still love her. She believes in me. I believe in her. She knows I love her, and I know she loves me. We are in intimate relationship to one another – like none other of our relationships. We work together to accomplish our unified will. We have different roles within our relationship – but my roles as husband are not of some elevated status – our roles share equal value.
What can I learn about Jesus through my relationship to Shaila? A Lot!
What can you learn from the imagery Paul uses in Ephesians? Let’s hear it!
BTW>>> For those of you who know — Larry & Leslie Deal were hear today for lunch with the staff. They’re contribution to the discussion was invaluable – as usual!
Misconceptions September 22, 2007
Posted by joejames in Christianity, Church.6 comments
If you believe in Jesus – you go to heaven.
If you go to church then you are a Christian.
My church is the best church.
You should dress your best to go to church.
Church is a place.
We worship at church (and no where else).
God needs us to go to church on Sunday and sing hymns.
Worship is all about form.
There is a blueprint for worship in the New Testament.
If I give 10 percent of my money then I am a tither. (huh, think about that one!)
If you sin then God loves you less.
Church is a place for people who do good all week, not people who do bad.
Superman Returns or Jesus Returns? September 21, 2007
Posted by joejames in Superman.2 comments
I saw Superman Returns for the third time this week. Am I the only one who thinks the imagery and wording of this movie is overtly Christian?????
I mean C’mon – I think a devil worshipper would take note!
Personal Humility September 20, 2007
Posted by joejames in Humility, Thomas Kempis.1 comment so far
Lately I’ve spent some devotional time with Thomas Kempis on the inner life.
This is what I read today on personal humility – I liked it and knew right away that I wanted to share it here with you.
A true understanding and humble estimate of oneself is the highest and most valuable of all lessons. To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection. Should you see another person openly doing evil, or carrying out a wicked purpose, do not on that account consider yourself better than him, for you cannot tell how long you will remain in a state of grace. We are all frail; consider none more frail than yourself.
A “Night Psalm” by Thomas Merton September 19, 2007
Posted by joejames in Poetry, Psalms, Thomas Merton.add a comment
Be still
Listen to the stones of the wall
Be silent, they try
To speak your
Name.
Listen
To the living walls.
Who are you?
Who
Are you? Whose
Silence are you?
Who (be quiet)
Are you (as these stones
Are quiet). Do not
Think of what you are
Still less of
What you may one day be.
Rather
Be what you are (but who?) be
The unthinkable one
You do not know.
O be still, while
You are still alive,
And all things live around you
Speaking (I do not hear)
To your own being,
Speaking by the Unknown
That is in you and in themselves.
“I will try, like them
To be my own silence:
And this is difficult. The whole
World is secretly on fire. The stones
Burn, even the stones
They burn me. How can a man be still or
Listen to all things burning? How can he dare
To sit with them when
All their silence
Is on fire?”
Peacefulness September 14, 2007
Posted by joejames in Peace, Thomas Kelly.1 comment so far
Where does peace come from?
Today has been a peaceful day… the weather was perfect, I wasn’t rushed or hurried, I had positive interactions with everyone, friends were there for me, and did I mention the weather?
I sat in my back yard in the garden this afternoon and read some Thomas Kelly. It was a good follow up to my time in the Psalms this morning. I don’t know where peace comes from – for sure, but I did read Mike Cope’s blog today about thin places. Thin places are places where the gap is narrow between where you are and where God is. Today, seemingly everwhere I went was a thin place. God is not far from me today! And that is my testimony for now – that peace comes from God – from the Light Within – from the inner sactuary of the soul – from the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened – from the Shekinah of the soul (that one’s for you dad). Peace comes NOT from above, but from within, because God is not far from us.
May the Peace of Christ be with you!
A Friend September 13, 2007
Posted by joejames in Friendship.1 comment so far
The other day, my best friend taught me an important lesson in life – the value of a true friend.
I called Josh the other day to break some news to him. I needed to clue him in on something that is going on in my life that I felt he needed to know about. To me, the issue dealt with my identity as a person – to be more clear, it had to do with how I saw myself.
When I had finished explaining to Josh everything that had transpired over the last few days, he said, “Huh… So have you looked at our fantasy football team today?”
At first, I was a little shocked… I mean, I just told him something that I thought was very important, and he only sort of acknowledged I said anything at all!
But after I hung up the phone I realized something. Josh didn’t see ME the way I see ME. To him it wasn’t a thing of identity. Josh sees me as Josh’s friend. The reasons Josh finds value in me, aren’t the reasons I try to find value in myself. Josh sees me the way God sees me – as me.
Thanks Josh, for being such a wonderful friend – you teach me far more than you could ever imagine!!!
Friends love each other through all kinds of weather
– Proverbs 17:17
