Malibu living

After yet another trip to urgent care today with one of our children, we ended up taking a little coastal detour and enjoying a beautiful drive on the PCH. THe kids had both fallen asleep after leaving the doctor’s office, so rather than risk short-circuiting their naps by trying to transfer them, we decided to… Continue reading Malibu living

Sale

Doug and I made the pilgrimige up the I-5 corridor to Seattle last night with our kids sleeping peacefully in the back of our rented minivan (okay, I swore I would never desire one of these, but they are really, really nice to have). Doug and I know this particular stretch of I-5 quite well.… Continue reading Sale

Jesus at the box office

My friend Tyler wrote an excellent piece on the current trends in Hollywood toward making and marketing Christian movies. The financial success of Mel Gibson’s Passion marked the beginning of widespread studio interest in such films. Tyler has some great observations and thoughts that are definitely worth the read.

Who is my neighbor?

Yesterday afternoon we stuffed our children into fleecy little Old Navy costumes and made our way over to a Halloween carnival sponsored by the neighborhood homeowner’s association. We are not ourselves homeowners, but we were invited by my sister and our good friends who are. It was a great little party set in the front… Continue reading Who is my neighbor?

A problematic location

Two things I read this week troubled me. The first was an article on gentrification by urban ministry practicioner Bob Lupton where he considers how those doing urban ministry should think about the different issues raised by increasingly gentrified urban cores (thanks Anthony Siff at MereMission for this link). Lupton writes: “Resisting gentrification is like… Continue reading A problematic location

T.G.I.F.?

Today has been one of those days and it is only 10am! I am always really careful about handling beverages on my desk: where I place them, what they sit on so as not to leave a ring, etc. This morning I dumped a large, hot cup of coffee all over my desk and legs.… Continue reading T.G.I.F.?

Preach for America

Everyone is familiar with “Teach for America”, where individuals are placed in underserved urban public school settings to live and teach for two years. This program attracts a variety of folks but holds an especially strong appeal to new and recent college grads, often from prestigious schools, who sincerely desire to use their gifts and… Continue reading Preach for America

Mystery

I have always regretted the impact that gambling and the lottery have had on poor communities. It seems, in my experience, that suffering, disappointment and hopelessness breed a susceptibility to “get rich quick” dreams and schemes, and I want to slash the tires on the big casino buses that park in front of the Food… Continue reading Mystery