next steps...

Currently, one of my tasks I'm working on at Hope is helping to develop a curriculum for people new to the faith and new to our church. It would be the next step to our new member training class--deeper into the theology and subsequent practice of our faith together at Hope. As we develop this class, part of me is wondering what people (both at Hope and elsewhere) feel like they either need or needed when first venturing into the faith. What lessons were crucial in getting you going in the faith? Or what were you not told/taught that you wish you had been exposed to early in your walk?

There's a guy in Ft. Thomas named Jeremy Pryor who has posted some interesting videos on what he's calling the Story-Formed Life. It's a discipleship course he's designed based on understanding our story within the larger story of God. This link will take you to his youtube page; if you have time, take a look and let me know what you think of this in the ole' comment section.

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Now playing: Sigur Rós - Untitled 1
via FoxyTunes

Steve Shryock Update

As of today, I've heard he's off his ventilator and is doing much better. Keep praying for him, for his wife Donna Gayle and their son Neil.

Thanks-

update stuff

hey everyone (or the 2.3 people who might read this)-

sorry I've been out of pocket in the blogosphere (that word is weird); things have been rather busy in real life. a good busy, but busy none the less.

first, a quick prayer request: steve shryock, a member of our church, had a number of bypasses done on his heart last week. all went well, but he has not been able to wake from the surgery. his vitals are all great, but he still needs prayer.

second, as usual, JD Walt has some great conversation going on at his blog. He has a conversation posted today from a friend of his from England in which they're discussing a temple-centric model of worship. here's a quote:

There are so many understandings of what was going on in Temple sacrifices, so let’s start with a taking of the best of creation and lifting it up to the Creator as a free offering being a reversal of the sin of the world (where people simply take anything from creation and worship that). Let’s add the
cost question: you give God the most precious thing you own, and when we
say “give”, we mean give completely – kill, give its life. You cannot have
it back. Yet amazingly the sacrifice is usually cause for celebration and
results in restored relationship between God and his people, not in loss
and grief.

To make a sacrifice is an honour and a joy, not a burden; to abuse the
honour is to curse God and defile his people.


if you have the time, go here and give it a read.

third, some music recommendations, if you're interested:

Ben Cantelon's Daylight Breaks Through could be the best worship album i've bought in a while.

Sam Amidon, or Samamidon, has an album called All is Well. very folk/banjo, very sufjan-esque, very pentatonic, very cool.

And get some Nick Drake in your life.
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Now playing: Nick Drake - Fruit Tree
via FoxyTunes

SB give a poetry lesson

Check out this poetry lesson from Strong Bad.

Hope your Memorial Day was memorable...

free gum?

So i came across this petition a few weeks ago: It's a petition to end the career of filmmaker Uwe Boll. He has vowed that if a million people sign this petition, he will never make another film. I've not seen one of his films, due largely to the fact that they look awful, and from reviews I've read, I've underestimated how bad they really are. All three of his american-released films are in the Internet Movie Database "bottom 100 films of all-time"list. The more I read and watch about this guy, the more of a jerk he seems to be, but that's just me.

So the people at Stride Gum have sweetened the pot a little: they've promised that if the petition gets signed by the 14th of May, they will give out 1 million packs of gum, one to each of the signers. With both my love for movies and my love for gum, I've decided to post this to encourage you to sign this petition. You know you want free gum, and you know you hate bad movies. Signing this may get us both free gum AND less bad DVD clutter to sift through.

On another note, LOST is continuing to blow my mind. Anyone who wants to bounce thoughts around about the twists we've seen in the last few weeks or predictions about the finale, bring em on.

Thanks to the people who've commented on the poetry stuff on here...I appreciate the feedback.

And happy mother's day, mom. I love you...

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Now playing: The Weepies - Can't Go Back Now
via FoxyTunes