10 Thoughts Worth Sharing

On Burned Hands, Pumpkin Churches, and More...

Here are 10 thoughts worth sharing from the past week.

1. Self-Control Isn’t Only Negative

Most often when we talk about self-control it’s abstaining from something — donuts, alcohol, tv, etc. This has caused us to think of it negatively, but self-control is also positive. Positively, it is the ability to do what is necessary when it is necessary. Telling the truth when it could get you in trouble, for instance, is also self control.

2. A Pumpkin Church

The last two churches I’ve served have had pumpkin patches. I’m not very fond of the label “Pumpkin Church,” but it is the best way to let people know which church I serve, and they do make the church look beautiful, soooo…

Below is a video of my son and another church kid hammering in a stake for the pumpkin patch tent, John Henry style.

They tried.

3. Gandalf on Learning

“The burned hand teaches best. After that, advice about fire goes to the heart.”
— From The Two Towers.

4. I Know the Lottery is a Scam, But…

The best part about the lottery is talking with people about what they’d do if they won. I’ve been asking this question all week, and got a lot of interesting responses. What would you do?

5. On Peace and Justice in Israel, and at Home

When we say we want peace what we usually want is the feeling — peacefulness. This is typically in the form of somebody else doing something, or stopping what they’re doing. Real peace, however, requires self-sacrifice. Listen to podcast episode.

6. Leftovers

Ashanti made some Philly Cheesesteaks this week; in the words of my kids, “they were bussin!” I planned on eating the leftovers when I got home, but my daughter Sameera got to them first! She always does that!

7. Darkness Retreats

A colleague recently visited some mines in the Michigan area. She mentioned that at one point they turned off the lights so they could get a sense of how dark it was.

“It was the darkest I’ve ever experienced, almost like a blanket of darkness,” she said.

This reminded me of those “darkness retreats” that I’ve seen on Instagram. People wear blinded goggles, and for a few days they’re immersed in utter darkness. When they finally remove them… wow! the emotions! There’s a sermon in this.

8. Start With the Longing

We’re preparing for a mini-retreat that will provide time for people to pause and consider life as it is, versus life as it could be (I’m excited about sharing more as it unfolds). While discussing it with a colleague at church, she noticed that I began with a section aimed at highlighting the problem, and ended the retreat with life as it could be. She said, “you should switch it around; start with the longing.” When I made the switch everything seemed to fit together perfectly!

It reminded me of this quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:

If you want to build a ship don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

9. Breakfast with Church Couple

I had breakfast with a couple from my church. I was blessed with a lot of helpful insights on our toxic self-help culture, challenges of parenting kids who believe differently, and the joy of saving seconds by taking different routes.

Here is a key quote I’ve been thinking about, “Our culture has an identity problem. It seems like we want everyone to focus on what’s wrong with them, until they begin identifying with it. This drives our self help addiction.”

10. October 14, 2017

October 14 marks the day my brother Shadrach entered the eternal Kingdom of Jesus. Things haven’t really been the same since that day…

One day, because of Jesus, all goodbyes will end in an eternal hello, and all things will be renewed. Until then, I miss you and dad. Enjoy God.

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