Friday Photo …Revisited
August 31, 2007
Two years ago we made our first trek to Creede, Colorado. Kimberly and Craig could not go. Tommie joined us for the trip. This year Patty and I take our first vacation just the two of us. Sounds like a song. We will venture down these streets a few times over the next several days. We miss all the kids … but we are glad to get away.
Quiet around here …
August 28, 2007
Life is full of good intentions. I have a number for this little blog. Schedules seem to interfere. I will have some time to write and reflect while on vacation later in the week and over the weekend. There could be a flurry of posts to follow once refreshed in the cool mountain air.
Close to Home
August 26, 2007
She asked for prayer for her mother who expressed discouragement over the death of her sister. The issue lay in the number of her siblings left. At 82 she increasingly saw the reality of her own mortality.
Standing to officiate a funeral this past Wednesday, I could not help but think the gentleman whom we would remember that afternoon was my own father’s age. I thought of this as I read Barry Tramel’s piece (08/24/07) in The Oklahoman, “Farewell to the man who was always on my side.“
Dad never said much about what I wrote. Occasionally, he would say he liked something, which was nice, and he never said anything when I ripped OU, his alma mater, which was nicer.
A quick story: When I was a kid, Dad would take us to the state basketball tournaments, sometimes drop me and my brother off, when we were old enough to navigate State Fair Arena. On championship Saturday, the whole family would go, and between sessions one year, I was probably 14, I sent the rest of the clan out to get dinner and I stayed behind to stand in line and grab us front-row seats.
I snagged some seats, fending off a grouchy old woman who claimed the seats were hers.
Later that night, between games, the legendary Bertha Frank Teague was honored by the state association. I looked at Teague and my eyes got big. “Dad,” I said. “That’s the woman who tried to steal our seats.”
Dad was a girls basketball fan. He coached in Norman, Noble, Strang, Longdale and Gueda Springs, Kan. You probably never heard of some of those hamlets, but they once were thriving little communities that revolved around their ballteams.
Anyway, Dad is someone who respected Bertha Frank Teague and all she did for girls basketball.
Fast forward to July 22. That’s the last day Dad talked to me. The next morning, I flew to San Antonio, and the day after that Dad fell into his coma.
July 22 is also the day we listed our top 100 coaches/contributors in Oklahoma history. I did the rankings. I put Bertha Frank Teague third, behind only Bud Wilkinson and Henry Iba.
Unsolicited, Dad said he didn’t care for the list. I asked why.
He said Bertha Frank Teague was too high.
“You don’t like Bertha Frank Teague?”
No, he said. “Not since she had that run-in with you.”
He was on my side until the very end.
We could only hope to invest on our children in the way Barry’s Father did.
Barry, thanks for sharing about your dad.
Saturday is for Links
August 25, 2007
- internetmonk on Mother Teresa and the Mystery of God’s Absence
- Scot McKnight on The Whole Gospel
- Ben Witherington on Hermeneutics - A Guide for Perplexed Bible Readers
- Boyd Luter on The Holy Spirit and the Southern Baptist Convention Today (VIII): “An Embarrassing Spiritual Double Standard in the SBC”
- Ligon Duncan on Yes, we really are Together for the Gospel something of a reply to Sam Storms’ question - Piper, Grudem, Dever, et al. on Baptism, the Lord’s Table and Church Membership (just how “Together for the gospel are we?”)
- Mark Horne on The REAL water that divides : re-examining the identity of the crucial issue in the paedo/credo debate Mark’s input in the “Together for the Gospel” matter noted in the previous link.
Friday Photo … Guest Photo
August 24, 2007
The art of photographing art. Tommie produced both.
Worthy Prayer
August 23, 2007
It’s not my brother or my sister but it’s me, O Lord: standing in the need of prayer. We are so warm in our own self-esteem that we freeze the folks around us. We get so high in our own estimation that we stand isolated on a mountain top of self-righteousness. That is why You came: Lord Jesus: not to save the lecherous but to turn the righteous to repentance And it is me, O Lord. (from Where Freedom is Laughter)
Included in my early reading this morning in the Celtic Daily Prayer,
There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. (Proverbs 30:12)
Wright in the Bahamas … Soularize 2007
August 15, 2007
Soularize – a learning party – Oct. 25-27, 2007
Beyond Our Borders
Two Years in the Planning – Less Than 90 Days to Register
Host Spencer Burke has popped the creative cork off Soularize the original / catalytic emerging church gathering
Key Note Line Up of the Decade
N.T. Wright, Brennan Manning, Rita Nakashima Brock, and Fr. Richard Rohr
International Conversation and Venue – Nassau Bahamas
Take advantage of off season rates and ease of travel for our international friends
Five Learning Modes of Engagement
Keynote, Small Groups, Extended Experience, Reflective Time, 24/7 Web Collaboration
Varied Relational Environments
Private Island, Art Studios, Swim w/Sharks, Social Network, Lecture Hall, Limited to 500 attendees
Totally Wired Conference
Free T-1 wireless access, Live Web Interface with polling, chat, webcams, whiteboard
Most Progressive and Diverse Workshop Facilitators
Frank Viola, Becky Garrison, Karen Ward, Mark Scandrette, Kristyn Komarnicki, Michael Dowd, Barry Taylor, Dwight Friesen, Jim Palmer, Gareth Higgins, Ron Martoia…
Knowing that all have limited budgets to invest in annual learning opportunities, we hope you take opportunity to compare the Soularize learning experience with a few of the other national learning opportunities happening this coming year. Perhaps you’ll be as surprised as we were that an event in the Bahamas is actually cheaper than attending an event in San Diego (see comparison chart http://www.soularize.net/compare-conferences.php ) . So if you’re looking for a more progressive, independent, and cost-effective learning experience in a tropical setting, perhaps you should consider joining us for the Soularize learning experience.
What makes Soularize unique is the learning environment. We create a casual, safe and interactive place where you can wrestle with issues your church and faith are facing today. You’ll engage in a wide variety of learning experiences like facilitated groups of less than 50 people, hands-on learning experiences, main sessions with keynote speakers, and workshops. Open times in the schedule offer chances for you to reflect and refresh in a hammock overlooking the Caribbean.
Come and lend your voice, your experience, and your dreams as we explore the Evolving Church – rethinking and reinventing what the Church could be in years ahead. Learn more - http://www.soularize.net/
Update:
Passport Application Required for travel to the Bahamas! http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
Regular (today) - $249
Late (after Sept 1) - $299
Register Today http://www.theooze.com/store/details.cfm?item=10006
Keep your eyes on the children
August 14, 2007
In May I posted on the “Not for Sale Campaign.” Yesterday morning a brief AP story notes to be wary of adoptions in Guatemala. We know of a couple of children adopted from Guatemala who are blessings to their families and to our church. Despite these successful adoptions it appears now Guatemalan women are targets for child trafficking rings. Another story tells of the rescue of these 46 children. It is happening again.
Remaining Diligent … Flip-Flop goes the Dictator
August 13, 2007
Keeping an eye on children is a full-time job. Take your eyes off an exploring child and soon he will test the limits of the rope you give. On August 1 the AP ran the story, “U.N. seeks misery’s end in Darfur.” (The article may be found here under the title, “Sudan Hails Peacekeepers.”) Many who have followed the tragedy in the Sudan held their collective breath as hints at a breakthrough raised hopes before only to be dashed. Some may have even gone so far as to suggest we could now focus on another world issue.
I wear a green wristband which carries the reminder, “Not On Our Watch.” Just when you let down your guard a leader may change his stance. It appears President Omar al-Bashir would prefer to pick the composition of the force to help end the bloodshed. Now when you are charged with aiding and possibly funding the janjaweek militias, who would not question the commitment to peace when we now interject the need to “choose” our forces. This in no way questions the commitments being received from other African nations. Instead it appears the child may be looking for a way to move just out of sight so he may continue to stretch the limites. In this case it is not child’s play. It is a matter of life and death.
Saturday is for Links …
August 11, 2007
A friend told me about Evernote a couple of years ago. It is somewhat like Microsoft’s OneNote. During the week as I am reading along I may come across an article or post to which I want to return. I am going to add these links to “Saturday is for Links.” You will find a few of the links I clipped in earlier posts from this week. Here are a couple more I clipped this week.
Scot McKnight is doing a series on New Perspectives. He has posted five parts to date.
