I've had some (rare) quiet time this weekend. I saw it coming so I went to the library to get a novel. (My usual reading is "study books" as my wife likes to call them and I usually have 2 or 3 going at the same time. But sometimes - especially when the weather gets colder I just like to get into a "story book" - I don't usually read anything too deep or complex here.)
I picked out Ken Follet's A Dangerous Fortune - I've read most of his stuff - most of them are what I would call time period soap operas. I'm reading along and every once in a while I get this deja vu feeling. So I start thinking - wow - I don't remember his plots as being so predictable.
By the time I get to page 350 (it's the large print edition)I figure out what is going on - I've read this before.
I hate when this happens because...
* I have never read any book more than once. Not that there haven't been excellent books or stories - I just figure there is so much else to read, I'd better move on to something else.
* It scares me that it took me 350 pages to finally be sure I read this before. The book was written in 1993 - and I'm sure I read it less than 14 years ago. The large print doesn't bother me as much as this part.
* I don't know what to do now. I'm halfway through a book I already read and the more I go the more I know what is going to happen. It musn't have been that good the first time or I think I would have remembered it more. Unless there is more to my reason above and again, that scares me.
Has this ever happened to any of you, my friends? Please tell me it has. My wife told me it has happen to her numerous times but she reads so many books (I bet she reads 100 or more novels a year. I might read 2 -4.)
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Sam Shouted At Me
I told Sam if he shouted at me I would give this a try again. So here I am - no promises on blogging everyday for a month. But I do want to do this more regularly. I appreciate the way my friends share their thoughts and their lives and I fell richer reading their entries. I'm glad they write regularly - I look for new additions everyday. Occaisionally I'll comment but mostly I read and listen. I guess that makes a "lurker" or a "voyeur" (Wikipedia comment: "A literal translation would then be “seer” or "observer", with pejorative connotations.) I don't like the pejorative connotations associated with these words. But I do feel something is missing - I am a wanna be - I wanna participate more.
So how do some of you guys do it? (Don't make the sexual connotation here!!!) What satisfaction do you get from posting on a regular basis? Has writing down your experiences, thoughts, and feelings made you a better person or richer relationally?
So how do some of you guys do it? (Don't make the sexual connotation here!!!) What satisfaction do you get from posting on a regular basis? Has writing down your experiences, thoughts, and feelings made you a better person or richer relationally?
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Where Am I ?
Does anyone know where I was from this picture I took recently? (Only answer if you know from THE PICTURE).
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Honestly
The other night I was watching a movie ("The Departed" - the story was interesting but the language was "over-flavored" with the f-word for my liking; and if you like happy endings you probably wouldn't be happy about this one)...
Anyway, though, something in the movie got me thinking. A counselor was talking to her client and remarked something to the effect -"telling the truth is not equal to honesty".
Then last night I was reading a blog where someone, unrelated to the movie, made a similar statement.
Honestly (this was a bad place for a pun) in my mind I have considered "truth" and "honesty" to be pretty much synonymous (the same thing).
I am thinking about this one. I have some thoughts but I'd like to hear yours first. What do you think - Is "telling the truth" the same thing as "honesty"?
Anyway, though, something in the movie got me thinking. A counselor was talking to her client and remarked something to the effect -"telling the truth is not equal to honesty".
Then last night I was reading a blog where someone, unrelated to the movie, made a similar statement.
Honestly (this was a bad place for a pun) in my mind I have considered "truth" and "honesty" to be pretty much synonymous (the same thing).
I am thinking about this one. I have some thoughts but I'd like to hear yours first. What do you think - Is "telling the truth" the same thing as "honesty"?
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Reverend Pastor Sir
OK - the title of my blog is "Dave's Raves" and it's probably about time I ranted or raved about something. I'll post my first "rave" about one of my pet peeves - titles we think we need to bestow upon clergy or, worse, titles clergy expect us to bestow upon them.
When I was a pastor of a "traditional" church (and even when I was a pastor of what was considered a "loosely organized" unconventional church) I did not want anyone to use the term "Pastor" as a part of my name, as in "Pastor Dave". This was not because I did not see myself as a pastor but because 1) in didn't make sense 2) I thought it was something Jesus told us to watch out for or avoid doing and 3) it only helped put me in a special class called "clergy" and put those without out that term as a part of their name in a category called "laity".
It doesn't make sense...
If we need to use the term "Pastor XXXX" then we should equally refer to others by their function or profession; Jeweler Bill, Musician Bob, Housekeeper Terry, Best Damn Automechanic John, etc. In the bible the term pastor always refered to a function - it was never used as a title. (BTW - Apostle was never used as a title either; Paul never refered to himself as Apostle Paul. That's someting we do/did. Whenever Paul refers to his apostleship, it's Paul, an apostle.
Something Jesus told us to avoid...
The way read the scripture about calling no one on earth "Teacher", or "Father" or "Leader" - I think Jesus was talking about this very thing. Seeking honor or esteem in a "earthly" way just like the world does. It's not that that there aren't teachers, leaders, or fathers - it's that we aren't to insist or seek to be called that.
Clergy Class...
The biggest reason I think the "Pastor XXXX" is unhealthy is because it emphasizes a special class of Christians called "clergy" and then by default another class called "laity". Even if we don't use the term "clergy it still creates or accentuates the division. If every Christian has a gift (which I think they do and more than one) then why should one class of gifts be singled out for "entitlement". Besides I think the term is over-used and miss-used. Many people with the title are not pastoring anybody; many others would be more accurately named in one of the APEPT gifts (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher).
I think the leaders in God's church should be humble servants seeking to honor the only one worthy of many titles, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. Isn't it amazing that we can call Him, simply, "Father" or simply, "Jesus"?
When I was a pastor of a "traditional" church (and even when I was a pastor of what was considered a "loosely organized" unconventional church) I did not want anyone to use the term "Pastor" as a part of my name, as in "Pastor Dave". This was not because I did not see myself as a pastor but because 1) in didn't make sense 2) I thought it was something Jesus told us to watch out for or avoid doing and 3) it only helped put me in a special class called "clergy" and put those without out that term as a part of their name in a category called "laity".
It doesn't make sense...
If we need to use the term "Pastor XXXX" then we should equally refer to others by their function or profession; Jeweler Bill, Musician Bob, Housekeeper Terry, Best Damn Automechanic John, etc. In the bible the term pastor always refered to a function - it was never used as a title. (BTW - Apostle was never used as a title either; Paul never refered to himself as Apostle Paul. That's someting we do/did. Whenever Paul refers to his apostleship, it's Paul, an apostle.
Something Jesus told us to avoid...
The way read the scripture about calling no one on earth "Teacher", or "Father" or "Leader" - I think Jesus was talking about this very thing. Seeking honor or esteem in a "earthly" way just like the world does. It's not that that there aren't teachers, leaders, or fathers - it's that we aren't to insist or seek to be called that.
Clergy Class...
The biggest reason I think the "Pastor XXXX" is unhealthy is because it emphasizes a special class of Christians called "clergy" and then by default another class called "laity". Even if we don't use the term "clergy it still creates or accentuates the division. If every Christian has a gift (which I think they do and more than one) then why should one class of gifts be singled out for "entitlement". Besides I think the term is over-used and miss-used. Many people with the title are not pastoring anybody; many others would be more accurately named in one of the APEPT gifts (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher).
I think the leaders in God's church should be humble servants seeking to honor the only one worthy of many titles, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. Isn't it amazing that we can call Him, simply, "Father" or simply, "Jesus"?
Monday, April 2, 2007
"Corrupt Communication"
Paul posted this story -
"I called him immediately and said, 'What on earth are you doing?'" says McCann. "He told me, 'Relating to the younger generation.'"
The staff of Rolling Hills church is evenly divided over whether the word "sucks" is appropriate or not.
"I don't think twice about it," says the youth pastor who uses it commonly with youth. He bonded with his new associate pastor by using the word.
"When you can freely say something sucks, it feels good. It's like letting your heart out," he says.
But he catches continual flak from pastors who find the word offensive.
"Do people know what it means?" says the executive pastor incredulously. "I don't care if everyone says it. It's beneath us."
He and others send out emails that remind their co-workers to "Let no unclean words proceed from your mouth." Some roll their eyes at the "sucks police." The singles pastor, a die-hard "sucks" devotee, responded one time with a reply that said simply, "That sucks!" He included a photo of a vacuum cleaner in the message, to cover himself.
During a recent sermon while McCann was on vacation, the college and career pastor used the word "sucks" off-the-cuff. When his wife pointed it out, he absconded with the sermon recording so McCann wouldn't hear it. But McCann found out anyway because members of the church sent him angry emails.
McCann finally insisted that no church staff member use the word, especially during ministry. He suggested alternatives like "that stinks" and "that's terrible."
"Saying something stinks sounds like you're just afraid to say 'sucks,'" gripes one staff member who says it "may take me a while to get around to changing my habit."
Meanwhile, McCann recently used the words "scumbag" and "brown-nose" in a mid-week sermon. Staff members later called him on the carpet.
"Do you know what those words mean?" they said with mock outrage. McCann looked up the definitions, turned red and vowed to ban the words from his vocabulary. •
BROOKLINE, Mass. — Pastor Terry McCann was pleased to see his associate pastor interviewed on the local news about helping to solve school truancy. But he was mortified when the associate used the word "sucks."
"I called him immediately and said, 'What on earth are you doing?'" says McCann. "He told me, 'Relating to the younger generation.'"
The staff of Rolling Hills church is evenly divided over whether the word "sucks" is appropriate or not.
"I don't think twice about it," says the youth pastor who uses it commonly with youth. He bonded with his new associate pastor by using the word.
"When you can freely say something sucks, it feels good. It's like letting your heart out," he says.
But he catches continual flak from pastors who find the word offensive.
"Do people know what it means?" says the executive pastor incredulously. "I don't care if everyone says it. It's beneath us."
He and others send out emails that remind their co-workers to "Let no unclean words proceed from your mouth." Some roll their eyes at the "sucks police." The singles pastor, a die-hard "sucks" devotee, responded one time with a reply that said simply, "That sucks!" He included a photo of a vacuum cleaner in the message, to cover himself.
During a recent sermon while McCann was on vacation, the college and career pastor used the word "sucks" off-the-cuff. When his wife pointed it out, he absconded with the sermon recording so McCann wouldn't hear it. But McCann found out anyway because members of the church sent him angry emails.
McCann finally insisted that no church staff member use the word, especially during ministry. He suggested alternatives like "that stinks" and "that's terrible."
"Saying something stinks sounds like you're just afraid to say 'sucks,'" gripes one staff member who says it "may take me a while to get around to changing my habit."
Meanwhile, McCann recently used the words "scumbag" and "brown-nose" in a mid-week sermon. Staff members later called him on the carpet.
"Do you know what those words mean?" they said with mock outrage. McCann looked up the definitions, turned red and vowed to ban the words from his vocabulary. •
This story gets me thinking - what is the "corrupt communication" we are encouraged to avoid? Some thoughts I had while considering this --
When I was growing up - OK that was more than 40 years ago and I suppose that is relevant to the point I am trying to make here - the word "fart" was considered in my home to be in same category as the word "shit" - a bad word, a "swear" word. Today I allow that word in our house (which includes 5 boys) not considering it as a bad word. Does "corrupt communication" change over time or are my standards becoming "corrupt"?
- Are "substitute words" (frinkin'; freakin') not as corrupt as the real words they stand for? How can something be not as rotten; not as corrupt? if something is rotten, isn't it rotten - not just a little bit rotten?
Overall, I'm wondering what you think the "corrupt communication" -that's the King James Version of "unclean talk"- (That's the version I grew up memorizing) - what do you think that means and how do you try to avoid it?
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