Miscellaneous

Fresh Air: Maurice Sendak is Happy/Sad

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Sendak

Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air interviews 83 year old, award winning author Maurice Sendak. You know him as the author of Where the Wild Things Are. He has a new book coming out, which is the point of the interview. But it turns into a talk with an author reminiscing about a life of art, being homosexual, therapy, losing loved ones, and ending life as an atheist in love with the world and feeling it slip through his fingers. Well worth a listen.

"I'm a happy old man, but I will cry my way all the way to the grave."

Michael Spencer: 1956-2010

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128989091_44448341efI found the Internet Monk website of Michael Spencer years ago. His words about Jesus and His Church, spirituality and truth have been deeply encouraging and helpful in my discipleship and as I work as a pastor. We soon connected and I had the privilege of speaking at his school in 2006 and my family enjoyed the Spencers & the whole experience. Michael Spencer died today in the presence of his family in his home in Oneida, Kentucky. I have this picture with Michael (left) and Matthew Smith (center) from our time there. The photo below is the bridge I took from the home we stayed in to the the school where iMonk served.

I thought it would be fitting during National Poetry Month and the day after Easter to give you a poem from Michael's wife, Denise, posted in 2007.

For Holy Week - Denise Day Spencer

THREE-FOLD TORMENT

Let me share with you His pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

– Stations of the Cross, St. Ann Roman Catholic Mission

He stumbles ‘neath the load.
It is not heavy, yet it crushes.
Merely a mangle of thorns
Woven as a crude crown.
Thorns that boldly dare to mock their Maker.

He stretches out His hands,
Ready to embrace, but not fondly.
Only the ore of iron
Hammered into soiled spikes.
Iron dares to agonize its Author.

He writhes upon the tree.
Alone, and utterly forsaken.
Simply a structure of wood
Fashioned as a cruel cross.
Splintered wood now dares murder its Master.

He gazes on the crowd.
Mankind, pinnacle of creation.
One whispered word could destroy
Thorn, iron, wood, mad men.
Yet the Savior dares to speak:
“Forgiven.”

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Blogging Reboot

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6a00e54edf3719883400e554cce4558833-800wi Hey all. A bit of a blog update for you.

As some of you have mentioned and many of you have noticed, I've been doing a minimal amount of blogging for a while now. Several reasons for that, some of which I'll be blogging on soon. I do hope to get back on it in the days and weeks to come.

I'm getting hungry to say something again, and to get discussion started on important issues. I also have a lot to say about our church transition: the good, bad, and ugly. Plenty to say about each!

I appreciate you guys hanging around.

Lots-o-Links 2.19.09

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Brief Molly Update: She is doing really well. Scheduling a neuro/psych test for the late summer and a sleep test in the near future.  Otherwise, all is relatively well.

Are you going to The Gospel Coalition 2009 Conference? C'mon!  I'm one of the speakers at Band of Bloggers.My topic is "What is the place for art and culture in Christian blogging?"  As you know if you've read Reformissionary for long that I'm very fond of music, photography and poetry. Should be a good time.

A summer Chicago Tea Party? Interesting CNBC video...

I'm hooked on the eyeballing game.

Marvin Olasky: Prodigal Sons: Part of the evangelical problem is knowing which brother we are

Everybody talkin' Calvinism. Scot McKnight. Alvin Reid.

Planning a Mars Hill sermon series.

Have you seen The Legend of Speedo Guy? Good stuff. Yes, Joe Thorn actually found something in sports that I hadn't heard of.

Lots-o-Links & Molly Update 7.29.08

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Quick update on Molly & Chiari.  Her MRI's haven't happened yet as our local hospitals don't have the equipment to do the specialized ones she needs.  So we either have to go closer to the city or wait until her appointment with her surgeon in September.  Dunno what's going to happen just yet.  I'll let you know.

Some days are better than others right now.  The last few have been pretty bad, though the worst of symptoms from last year haven't shown up yet.  Glad about that.  Thanks for praying for her. 

Here's David Ford's "Song for the Road," which I put up here as a tribute to my wife who is in constant pain, hourly frustrations.  Should she ever wonder if I will be there when she needs me...

Now I know someday this all will be over
And it's hard to say what most will I miss
Just give me one way to spend my last moments alive,
and I choose this, I choose this, I choose this.

Recently on sub•text...
Neighborhood Diversity | Smaller Cities and Towns
Male, Middle Class, and White | Suburbs vs. Christianity

Other links...

Joe Thorn is rebooting his prayer life.  I'm actually planning some extended prayer in the near future.  Good thoughts from Joe.

Al Hsu points to more Andy Crouch Culture Making stuff.  Excerpts and more.

New Wendell Berry short story in The Atlantic.

David Powlison on Breaking Pornography Addiction.

Jonathan Dodson: Dark Thoughts from The Dark Knight

Ben Arment: How to Attract High-Caliber Leaders to Your Church

William Willimon: Pastoral Wisdom

Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat audiobook FOR FREE!  Get it now, only a few days left.

Kay Ryan is the new U.S. Poet Laureate.

JD Greear: Writing Stuff Down

Paul Tripp has a potty mouth, and he's right on the money...

Lots-o-Links & Molly Update 7.29.08

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Quick update on Molly & Chiari.  Her MRI's haven't happened yet as our local hospitals don't have the equipment to do the specialized ones she needs.  So we either have to go closer to the city or wait until her appointment with her surgeon in September.  Dunno what's going to happen just yet.  I'll let you know.

Some days are better than others right now.  The last few have been pretty bad, though the worst of symptoms from last year haven't shown up yet.  Glad about that.  Thanks for praying for her. 

Here's David Ford's "Song for the Road," which I put up here as a tribute to my wife who is in constant pain, hourly frustrations.  Should she ever wonder if I will be there when she needs me...

Now I know someday this all will be over
And it's hard to say what most will I miss
Just give me one way to spend my last moments alive,
and I choose this, I choose this, I choose this.

Recently on sub•text...
Neighborhood Diversity | Smaller Cities and Towns
Male, Middle Class, and White | Suburbs vs. Christianity

Other links...

Joe Thorn is rebooting his prayer life.  I'm actually planning some extended prayer in the near future.  Good thoughts from Joe.

Al Hsu points to more Andy Crouch Culture Making stuff.  Excerpts and more.

New Wendell Berry short story in The Atlantic.

David Powlison on Breaking Pornography Addiction.

Jonathan Dodson: Dark Thoughts from The Dark Knight

Ben Arment: How to Attract High-Caliber Leaders to Your Church

William Willimon: Pastoral Wisdom

Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat audiobook FOR FREE!  Get it now, only a few days left.

Kay Ryan is the new U.S. Poet Laureate.

JD Greear: Writing Stuff Down

Paul Tripp has a potty mouth, and he's right on the money...

Pray for the Thorns

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UPDATE: Congratulations to the Thorns on the birth of Madeline Ember Thorn, a 5.4 lb hottie born this afternoon.  My wife is known for her huge babies, nearly doubling the size of Madeline with all of them.  We always wanted to hold one of our own this small.  Wonderful.  Congrats Jen and Joe.  More at Joe's blog, Twitter, and Flickr.

Originial post...

Jen Thorn is in labor!  Joe Thorn is at her side.  It's a beautiful thing.  As she has contractions Joe is reading books about running marathons, sending me text messages, Twittering, and taking photos.  I hope as Jen is doing the hard work of bringing a new life into the world you will pray for them with me.

Persecution in India

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Please pray for an Acts 29 Network international pastor in India who is facing persecution for converting Hindus.  From Mark Moore's blog...

Please pray for my friend Pastor Sudhakar.

Pastor Sudhakar is a church planter/pastor in India who is planting churches in the "slums" of India amongst the poorest and most outcast. God has been very gracious and has blessed the ministry of Pastor Sudhakar so that many have come to Christ. I had the privilege of spending some time with him a couple of years ago. Over the course of our meal together I sensed that I was sitting with a man who has an unwavering commitment to the gospel and an unquestionable love for the people that he serves in his church. This, I thought, is a real man of God.

Pastor Sudhakar's work in India is now a part of the Acts 29 Network and we are working to help him with training his pastors, funding, etc. It is a privilege to be in gospel partnership with him.

This week, very concerning news came from India to us from Pastor Sudhakar.  I am going to let you read it in his own words:

"On 9th( Sunday) of this month a group of 20 young people came while we were worshipping and beaten me and some women of our church and in return they have lodged a counter complaint on me putting allegation on me by saying i am converting lot of Hindus into Christianity. Kindly pray for me as the case is in the court."

Then, yesterday, we received this update via a letter from him to Mike Gunn:

Dear pastor Mike Gunn, 

I am very much comforted by seeing your letter. I know there are some people who love me and pray for me which is my strength to push forward in times of trouble and persecutions.

Today the Judge will decide wether i will get anticipatry bail or not.  Please pray.

Four anti- communial groups called RSS, VHP, Bajarangdal and Hindu Vahini together attacked me and our church people.

Hindu Vahini is the worst among these groups who killed two pastors brutually three years back in our city. They poured acid, cut the pastors into peaces and put them in a gunny bag and thrown thier bodies in the outskirts of the city.

These days the persecutions are increasing and as many non christians in my area are turning into christianity now they have targetted me.

I know without Gods will nothing will happen to me and at the same time i am trying to be careful and vigilant.

I really appriciate your prayers and concern for me. I will let you know the court proceedings as time goes on.

- Pastor Sudhakar

I'm posting this for three reasons. First, awareness. The idea of persecution is often times out of sight and out of mind for Christians living in the west. We must be aware of the fact that our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted for their faith everyday while we sit around and gripe and complain over the "time commitment" of being involved in a small group. Second, I post this in order to implore you to pray. Please pray for Pastor Sudhakar and his church. Pray for God's grace and mercy to him during this trial and with the continual persecution of his church. Pray that in his suffering Christ would be glorified and made to look beautiful to the people of India. Finally, pray for the four groups listed -- RSS, VHP, Bajarandgal, and Hindu Vahini. Pray that the gospel would convict them of their sin and the supremacy of Jesus and that they would turn to Jesus and repentance and faith. Pray especially for the Hindu Vahini group who is responsible for the brutal execution of at least two pastors. Pray the leader of the Hindu Vahini group would be converted to the gospel like Saul of Tarsus. Pray that he would be used to reach India with the gospel.

As I receive any updates on Pastor Sudhakar I will be sure to let you know. For those of you who are pastors, would you please have your churches join our church tomorrow in praying for Pastor Sudhakar.

Gun Scare at My Hometown High School

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Schoollockdown_2A church member alerted me today that there was a gun scare at Pontiac Township High School, the school I graduated from in 1991.  They found 6 guns and arrested 3, and no one was hurt.  The photo is found with the USA Today article.  I believe, though I can't be sure, the dude on the right is John Cox who graduated in '91 as well.

From the Pantagraph link below, quoting my brother...

“The police departments, school district and the students worked together to make this work,” Mayor Scott McCoy said. “Where this started was with an observant student who brought it to the attention of someone that needed to know. There are a lot of heroes here but there is one major hero and that is the student who stood up and did what he or she had to do to make sure that their fellow students and classmates were safe.

“There is a student right there that I can’t wait to meet,” said McCoy, who also commended police and school districts for working together.

“What we have today is something very minor to what could have obviously happened,” he said. “This is due to the due diligence of the police departments and school districts working together with this Code Red.

“The city is safe, school is safe, and all of our students are safe, and that is a direct statement to how well our police department had done and how they reacted to the situation.”

CBS Chicago
USA Today
Pantagraph (Bloomington/Normal paper)

Go Outside -- Meteor Shower

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Going outside for the meteor shower tonight?  You should...

Themeteors in this shower all appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus. The best times to watch will be late night Aug. 12 through dawn Aug. 13.

"The August Perseids are among the strongest of the readily observed annual meteor showers, and at maximum activity nominally yield 90 or 100 meteors per hour," said Joe Rao, SPACE.com's Skywatching columnist. "However, observers with exceptional skies often record even larger numbers."

<...>

To see the show, one need only find a comfortable spot with a clear view of the northeast horizon, away from local lights. A dark rural location is best. Lie back on a blanket or lounge chair and scan the entire sky. In the late evening, starting around 9 p.m. local time, sharp-eyed observers might see "earthgrazing" meteors that skim the northeast horizon.

"Earthgrazers are long, slow and colorful," Cooke said. "They are among the most beautiful of meteors." But don't expect more than a handful in an hour, he said.

Later and during the overnight hours, the shooting stars will be higher in the sky as Perseus rises. Some skywatchers enjoy counting the number of meteors they see per minute, per hour or during a 15-minute interval and comparing notes.

So go outside, and listen to "Go Outside" from the Robbie Seay Band while you do.

Go outside
Praise the God who mapped the stars out in the sky
Gather round with those who love and sing
"He is our King!"

Go outside
Praise the God who mapped the stars out in the sky
Gather round with those who love and sing
"He is our King! He is our King!"

No one should be left out
No one should be left out
No one should be left out
No one should be left out

If you have air to breathe
Hear your call to sing

In Louisville, Kentucky

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Here's Joe Thorn's post on our trip so far...

Us Steve and I have come down to Louisville to meet with friends and dialog about church planting and church planting networks. I have benefited from our denomination, and believe our church will remain Southern Baptist as long as doctrinal integrity and healthy cooperation remain in play. While I can imagine both of these things disappearing in 10-20 years, I like to think we will only grow healthier. Time will tell. NAMB is a great way to plant a church (we planted Grace via NAMB), but the alternative networks (Acts 29, Sovereign Grace, etc.) are producing great results as well. I really want our church to both partner with others in the planting of healthy churches and to be directly involved in planting as much as possible. This is why we are here. This and the Scotch Eggs at the Irish Rover. I’ll share more as I can.

I just want to add that ear X-tacy adds a lot to the trip.  Hitting it tomorrow.

Lots-O-Links

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Wild Web Rumors

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There have been rumors flying tonight around the web and I feel I have to say something.  This is really big news and you need to do as I say even if you don't know why.  Before you go to bed please move your clocks, watches, egg timers, and sundials forward one hour.  Seriously, I don't have time to explain.  And you don't have time to listen.  I really don't want to create a panic, but time is short. 

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