Ramblings

I use this space mostly to keep up with friends, and facebook is better for that.  Also, I am pondering starting a "real" blog sometime in the next year.  Therefore, the writings of Rockyrockstar end here.  I will try to keep my facebook page mildly updated.  If you "add" me as a "friend" (I'm learning the facebook lingo) I will "add" you "back".

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This, this, this, or this?  I did read this in high school. 

"The humility of Jesus was God's ultimate statement of contempt for our culture of pride. The Bible says that God opposes the proud. So if you want Almighty God as your staunchest enemy, just cling to your demands and hurt feelings and outward polish. The Bible says 'do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly". Do we want world peace? This is where it begins."

I haven't been listening to a much music lately, but I was in a thrift store and picked up a used copy of REM's Automatic for the People. I forgot how good it is, especially "Everybody Hurts". Also gospel music Geno sends me makes me cry a lot.

I've been reading lots of magazines as part of my new job. My favorite is First Things edited by Richard John Neuhaus. I also subscribed to the editorial page of the New York Times online and have enjoyed Stanley Fish and Thomas Friedman. I listened to David Allen's "Getting things done: the art of stress-free productivity" and found it helpful.

I'm re-reading the Elements of Style, alongside William Zinsser's "On Writing Well", both are marvelous.

Preaching through Isaiah, I recommend the volumes by Motyer and Ortlund. Motyer for the more scholarly, Ortlund is closer to devotional. For fun, check out Brueggeman's little book of expositions from Isaiah "Using God's Resources Wisely".

I'm reading Richard John Neuhaus's "The Naked Public Square" and trying to get through Stanley Grenz's summation of Wolfhart Pannenberg's theology called "Reason for Hope" which is tough sledding.

More devotionally I am using D.A. Carson's "For the Love of God" to slowly read through the Bible. I also picked up John Piper's "The Pleasures of God" and while I don't think I'll re-read the whole thing, it is nourishing.

Tim Keller's preaching has been very helpful to me, some of the best: "Praying our fears", "Praying our tears", "Gospel-Centered Ministry", and almost anything he's done on the city and church planting.

I love political podcasts- "It's All Politics" from NPR, the Sunday morning news shows (which my job has never before allowed me to watch), and the most important weekly roundup of news, "Wait, wait, don't tell me" from Chicago Public Media (the snobby version of Jon Stewart).

I'm re-watching the West Wing because I can't find any other TV on DVD that interests me. I tried Lost, but it takes itself way too seriously. I'm looking forward to the football season. I also enjoy the nightly local news (I saw Make Pomeranz at the State Fair* today but didn't have anything for him to autograph) and the Jay Leno monologue. Preachers can learn a lot about delivery from Leno.

At the hazard of offending anyone, I must admit I have enjoyed both the written and filmed records of the son of James and Lily.

*For the non-Minnesotans, think of all the stereotypes you have a state fair. Drop the bad ones. The Minnesota state fair is the most fun you can have near a barn without breaking any cow-tipping ordinances. Wisconsin may be the epicenter of cheese curds, but we were the first to deep fry them.

The Lord certainly does not forbid the godly to fear, for they cannot avoid that; but he bids them overcome that excessive terror by which the ungodly are swallowed up. Let us not, therefore, by their example, gaze around in every direction, and rush headlong to seek unlawful aid; and especially we must beware lest fear take away our judgment. There is but one remedy for this evil, to restrain ourselves by the word of God, from which proceeds real tranquillity of mind. Comparing the condition of that people with our own, let us learn to betake ourselves to the name of God, which will be to us an impregnable fortress.

Leviticus 19:23, Elvira Arellano, Adalberto United Methodist Church.

NY Times, CNN, all the local news are covering the bridge collapse right now.  We live just south of the bridge, we drive on it everyday, we drive on it at that time several times a week.   We could hear sirens on the TV and outside our house at the same time.  Absolutely crazy. 

Briana said it best: "We can pray that God will help the people in the water get out."

As far as we know, everyone we know is OK.

This makes me feel kind of cool.

Hey, I don't usually use my blog to publicize church events, but I'm really excited about this one.  I feel like I've been seeing God do an increased number of exciting things lately and I"m really hopeful that we'll see that this Saturday night.  We'll have a lot of worship, prayer, prophecy, hearing from God.  It kicks off at 7pm.  Bring your friends!

At Sunday worship, as in every dimension of our existence, many of us pretend to be we are sinners. Consequently, all we can do is pretend we have been forgiven.  As a result, our whole spiritual life is pseudo-repentance and pseudo-bliss.