Quotation of the Week

This ‘heresy’ has created the impression that it is quite reasonable to be a “vampire Christian.” One in effect says to Jesus: “I’d like a little of your blood, please. But I don’t care to be your student or have your character. In fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my… Continue reading Quotation of the Week

Quotation of the Week

What can a parent do then? Get “radical,” Dean says. She says parents who perform one act of radical faith in front of their children convey more than a multitude of sermons and mission trips. A parent’s radical act of faith could involve something as simple as spending a summer in Bolivia working on an… Continue reading Quotation of the Week

Life at the lake

We just returned from ten days at our family’s lake cabin near Spokane, Washington. We lived in our swimsuits while we were there, and as always when I am in the sun a number of freckles made their jolly appearance all over me. One night as I changed Elijah out of his swimsuit and into… Continue reading Life at the lake

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Categorized as Family

Seafair theology

I was tucking Elijah in last night and this happens to be the time of day when we have some of our sweetest moments of conversation. Perhaps it is the simple absence of larger, louder siblings or it is an effective sleep-avoidance ploy: I don’t really care. It is precious and I wouldn’t trade it… Continue reading Seafair theology

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Categorized as Family

Camp Casey

We just got back from a three-day camping trip with a number of families from our church. This is an annual event for our congregation, and while my family did not attend when I was growing up here, I completely understand why this event is such a hit! Most people spent the better part of… Continue reading Camp Casey

Family Friendly

I made a late-night run to Fred Meyer this week and chose a checkout line that seemed to be moving quickly. As I waited my turn, I noticed a flag marking this particular checkout line as “family friendly”. Looking around me, I wondered what exactly this designation meant. Candy, gum, and toys were all resting… Continue reading Family Friendly

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Categorized as Church

Quotation of the Week

“The monastic life is a culture of silence,” he said. “It’s not that there’s nothing to be said, it’s that there is so much to be heard.” He said that the practice of silence stands in strong opposition to a culture that is “obsessed with multitasking… Multitasking has been normalized. It is costly to the… Continue reading Quotation of the Week

Giving thanks

My church had planned to celebrate my recent ordination this past Sunday, however a trip to the ER Saturday evening with a sudden illness meant that I had to spend the day at home in bed. I wrote this letter to be read in my absence. Dear SCC Family, Well, this is not at all… Continue reading Giving thanks

Viral Hope

Here is a great review of Viral Hope, a book by Ecclesia Press that I contributed to and has just been released this month. Check it out!