Archive for May, 2009
« Previous Entries Next Entries »A Good Reason Not to Use Your Cell Phone While Driving
Saturday, May 16th, 2009One of my son’s friends (whom I’ll call DW) recently got into a serious accident while driving in Boerne. Apparently he was talking on his cell phone and dropped it. When he reached to pick it up, he lost control of his car and hit a stone mailbox. The good news is that DW will […]
The Temple as a Thin Place
Friday, May 15th, 2009Part 5 of series: Thin Places
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
After God established the Tabernacle as “sanctuary” for the Israelites so that he might “dwell in their midst” (Exod 25:8), he continued to “camp” among his people in a temporary, portable dwelling. Many generations passed, until David became the king of God’s […]
More Thin Places in Exodus
Thursday, May 14th, 2009Part 4 of series: Thin Places
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
In my last post, I examined Mt. Sinai as a thin place, that is, a place where God is experienced with unusual propinquity. (Now there’s a word I haven’t used or even thought of in about thirty years. “Propinquity” means “proximity.” It […]
Mt. Sinai as a Thin Place
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009Part 2 of series: Thin Places
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
If a thin place is defined as a place where God’s presence is known with particular immediacy, then there are several stunning thin places in Exodus . . . sort of. As we’ll see, they don’t exactly seem to fit the definition, […]
The First Thin Place
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009Part 2 of series: Thin Places
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
First, I want to thank those of you who have given feedback on this series, either through your comments or through emails to me. Your theological and experiential input has been very helpful. As always, I am terribly grateful for the content […]
The Honor System at DFW
Monday, May 11th, 2009Note: I’ll get back to my Thin Places series soon. Sorry for the delay.
On a recent trip through the Dallas Fort Worth airport, I was surprised that they’re selling copies of USA Today on the honor system. The copies of the newspaper are sitting out where anyone can take them. A little sign says: “For […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, May 10th, 2009Feeding on God’s Abundance
READ Psalm 36:1-12
How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
Psalm 36:7-8
When I was growing up in Glendale, California, I lived about a quarter-mile from my grandparents. In […]
McKnight, Ford, and Now Avery: Déjà Vu All Over Again!
Saturday, May 9th, 2009Well, sometimes life is strange, full of concidences, if not conspiracies. I’ve stumbled into just such an odd situation. It’s very peculiar . . . curious!
Last Wednesday I put up a rather silly blog post about book covers (see photo to right). I noted that two recent books, one by Scot McKnight and one by […]
Your “Thin Places”?
Friday, May 8th, 2009First of all, I want to thank those of you who commented on yesterday’s introductory post. I appreciate your honesty and insights. I also like the respectful disagreement among commentators. You’ve give us all lots to think about. (If you missed yesterday’s comments, you can find them here.)
Before I go further in this series, I’d […]
Thin Places: An Introduction
Thursday, May 7th, 2009Part 1 of series: Thin Places
Permalink for this post / Permalink for this series
I first heard someone use the phrase “thin place” about fifteen years ago. She had become a devotee of Celtic spirituality, from which source she had discovered the label “thin place.” She was terribly enthusiastic about the idea of “thin places,” and […]
McKnight and Ford: Book Déjà Vu?
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009Recently I put up a brief review of Scot McKnight’s newest book, The Blue Parakeet. You can read the review here, if you wish. The Blue Parakeet is Scot’s effort to help us think about how we interpret the Bible, and to guide us into a more faithful understanding of Scripture and its truth. One […]
Retreat as Practice
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009This past weekend we at Laity Lodge were pleased to host a group from Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. This large, vibrant church hosts a wide array of ministries, including The Center for Christian Spirituality. The director of this center is Jerry Webber, who spoke for the Chapelwood retreat. (Photo: Jerry teaching in […]
Newsweek: “Is That a Bible in Your Pocket?”
Monday, May 4th, 2009This week’s edition of Newsweek (May 4, 2009) includes an article called: “Is That a Bible in Your Pocket?” Lisa Miller, Newsweek’s religion editor, comments on the growing popularity of holy writ iPhone apps. Apparently, some of the most popular apps for the iPhone are versions of the Bible, the Qur’an, and so on.
Miller asks […]
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009Play Skillfully
READ Psalm 33:1-22
Sing a new song of praise to him;
play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
Psalm 33:3
The Hebrew expression translated here as “play skillfully” literally means “to do well in playing music.” The verb “to be skillful” comes from the Hebrew root that means “good,” and is elsewhere translated as “to […]
A Hidden Mickey at Laity Lodge
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009Recently I found an unexpected surprise . . . a Hidden Mickey at Laity Lodge.
“What is a Hidden Mickey?” you ask. If you’re a fan of Walt Disney lore, you probably know the answer. But if not, let me explain (or you can read more here). A Hidden Mickey is a group of three circular […]
« Previous Entries Next Entries »