Quotes from the book Postmodern and Wesleyan

'Postmodern narratives remain concerned less with proving God than they are with seeing how people of faith live their lives trusting a God that cares and guides them.' p.103 -Dean G. Blevins

'Religion is not what you say you are but how you live your life.' p.103 -Dean G. Blevins

The Cellist of Sarajevo

A book review: 'The Cellist of Sarajevo'; Galloway, Steven. New York, New York, Riverhead Book, Penguin Publishing Co., 2008 ISBN: 978159483653
I would like to say that there are two reviews that summarize the spirit of the story excellently: 'A moving protrayal of the survival of the human spirit,' by Chicago Sun-Times and 'A grand and powerful novel about how people retain or reclaim their humanity when they are under extreme duress,' by Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi. It is amazing how the main four characters of the book rediscover who they truly are because of the duress of war, and in the end are all willing to give their lives to stay true to their findings. The cellist finds honoring the memories of those who have been killed worth more than living in safety; a coward eventually finds redemption in rescuing the dead body of an unknown fallen fellow citizen from a cameraman's lens, and then carrys out the medical missions of a wounded friend; a husband, and father, refuses to be kept from getting the water his family so deseperately needs by snipers hidden along the route; and Arrow, an assassin lays down her rifle next to the Cellist bow, no one will tell her any longer who or when or what she will hate, not even at the cost of her life. It was interesting how the common and mundane activities of life began to each take on own special significance. A simple loaf of bread becomes sustainence for the soul, water flowing freely yet so scarce reminds me that every moment we live is a gift so often never appreciated, hatred and bitterness so often an emotion dictated to us that we participate in it even when our spirit tells us its wrong, and music's uncanny ability to help us see beyond the apparent and visible. I really enjoyed the novel, and though I'm sure the author's main objective was to help us see that even in war good can still prevail, I think the greater lesson for me was that our life's purpose should be greater than the circumstances around us might dictate. For if our true identity, who we are, is conditioned by events then we will find ourselves in the precarious situations of all four characters in the beginning of this novel .... hopefully it won't take such drastic measures for us to come to realize who we truly destined to become. ENJOY

'When the greatness of Tao[God] is present action arises from the heart. When the greatness of Tao[God] is absent action comes from rules.'
-Tao Te Ching
[taken from www.terryhersey.com]

Grilled spice weekend

This past weekend we had a wonderful time. Two of our close friends from Chicago came by for a visit. Immediately after that first hug we picked up where we left off a couple years ago, and began to talk about life and grandkids; it was a though only a few days had passed. Saturday we went to one of my wife and my favorite Michigan towns - Saugatuck. There we visited one of the working studio of my favorite Michigan artist James Brandress [www.jamesbrandess.com] ate supper and had a marvelous time down by the water until we had to hurry back home. While in Saugatuck though we stopped in the Olive Oil shop and nearly drank ourselves silly sampling different oils and combinations - I did leave the shop with a bottle of raspberry vinaigrette .................. then we went to another store my wife and I ALWAYS visit in ole Saugie ..the Spice Rack, and picked up some fresh ground spices we can't find in the local grocery store. Back home the ladies and I began the food prep work for a recipe I had found on a Bobby Flay cooking site [I don't remember the address right now, I'll get it later], and for Sunday lunch we put it all together - it was good - with a few modifications I think it could approach greatness, sorry Bobby. I'll talk about it on my recipe links. Oh, I almost forgot, I also picked up a bottle of Cranberry Sparkling drink that was excellent, and we had that at our Sunday luncheon.
Thank's Bro. & Cindy

-Eutychus2

"If you want to hear laughter, tell God your plans."
-www.terryhershey.com/451.htm

The Cross & the Prodigal

The Cross & the Prodigal; a book review
by Kenneth E. Bailey. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press. 2005 ISBN:0830832815

This is my 'mostest' favorite story in all of scripture. And I must admit I thought I knew a lot about it until I read this short book. The parable is explained by Ken Bailey who was a missionary for over 60yrs in the Mediterranean. He brings a Middle Eastern perspective that we rarely get in Western Christianity, that brings a fullness to the story of salvation. Just as the parable of the prodigal sons is often called the 'gospel within the gospel', we might say that Bailey's interpretation is a 'perspective within a perspective.' Bailey does a superb job in reminding us that though this parable is about a son who 'sins against the law and another who sins while keeping the law' [p.87] it is mainly about the Father's love and grace. The banquet is not about the joy of a prodigal son come home so much as a Father's love that has been accepted! The Father is honored and glorified through his younger son's acceptance of his offer of love and grace - what a concept! The whole comparison between the younger son's request, in contrast to the older son's request, is worth the reduced price you can get on amazon.com. Bailey digs deeply into the ramifications of the younger son's request upon the community; and how that community takes radical steps to disown him. Then how his father, in anticipation of the villages response to his son's coming home, steps in to intervene brings a new light to the parable. There are so many new scriptural applications that my book, with its notes and marker lines, looks almost like a coloring book. Plus I've ordered two more books on the parable from an Eastern perspective. ENJOY. -Eutychus2

wHAT a fISHING tRIP!

WOW! What fun I had fishing. Between Ernie, Tom Gibbons [it was his pontoon boat we fished from] Dale Bursley, Mike and myself, we caught between 50-60 fish and sent them home with Ernie. I sort got this look from my wife [who loves pan fish] about why didn't I bring some home - you can bet your last dollar I will the next time. IN with the bluegill were mixed a few sunfish, perch, and crappie and one whitefish. Both Dale and I caught some undersized bass; and all jokes aside I had a keeper bass on the line, but by the time Tom got the net I let it get off the hook. We saw a couple little snapping turtles circling our wire fish nets, trying to figure out how to bite through the mesh; then there were a couple of really big turtles trying to get our bait. ERnie got upset with the turtles and managed to get one of the small turtles, but we cut the hook out of his mouth and let him go - all without getting snapped! I am really looking forward to our next fishing trip ....

a fISHING' I wILL gO

'Late tomorrow afternoon I am going fishing with three others guys from church' .... I can hardly wait - been checking my tackle box twice, and makin' a list .... hope I don't just drownd nightcrawlers?

A Grand 60!

Today my church family totally surprised me with a '60 birthday celebration! It was awesome to say the least. Every Adult Sunday School class gave me a gift, and I was showered with cards, plus one adult class gave me a 'fancy' walking stick', another class gave me a 'big' package of adult diapers, and a bag of 60 pieces of silver [I'm hoping there is NO spiritual significance in that?!]. Another contributed 60 bags of assorted teas - I love tea! There were all kinds of different candy treats, etc. [the candy bowl on my desk is now overflowing] .............. and the kids department gave me at least 60 homemade birthday cards. I was like a kid at Christmas opening and reading all my cards; and can't begin to tell you all that was there - there was also a helium balloon, and a coffee mug. Before they gave me these - they sang happy birthday, and when I looked at the congregation, everyone had a different colored card with '60' on it! When I thought about all the 'work' it took to assemble all those gifts and the great deal of time it took the kids, I was, and am, humbled ................ these displays of love will forever mark my ministry.

Diptera: PETA's Mascot of the Month

Now I'm one of those kook's who is all for not starting a new housing development in what is a wooded landscape to save a rare owl ...... or rescue a salamander in the wet lands and keep out another recreation swimming hole [and part-time tree hugger]. Yet I fear that Christians take too lightly God's command in the garden to be wise custodians of this planet; signs of that proof are all around us. But I have to part company with PETA's wisdom to chastise our President for striking out at a bothersome Dipthera [usually referred to as a fly]. Its not like its one of the last ones on the planet, or its possible death will signal a coming holocaust to the whole species. I'm just thinking we could spend our time and energy on managing our earth with better projects; and must admit I almost laughed myself silly reading the following two articles, which may be found at:

www.star-telegram.com/238/story/1440096.html
www.cleveland.com/obrien/index.ssf/2009/06/a_fly_brings_out_obamas_tough.html

And besides just think of how many it would take to even get enough fur to make socks for a hobbit?!

ENJOY!

Friday, June 19th another article: 'Lord of the Flies' by David Kahane at http://article.nationalreview.com/ ENJOY!

'God Answers Even Unknown Prayers'

A couple of weeks ago I received a promotion to attend Willow Creek's [Bill Hybels] 2009 Leadership Summit. My son has attended some of these and told me they were 'awesome'. I didn't figure there was any way I could go to Willow Creek, or even to a regional telecast. For some reason I didn't do what I normally do and throw away the promo, rather I taped it on my table lamp in my office study. This week a good clergy friend of mine emailed and said that he had five free tickets for any pastor who would like to attend one of these regional telecast for the first time .................. I can't recall how many times I read that email and looked at that promo hanging on the lamp, and literally, freely shed tears ...... I'm truly convinced the Holy Spirit had led me to take the unusual step of taping it to my lamp as a daily, subconscious sign that he had heard the unspoken plea of my heart, and was taking action on it. I am elated that God is giving me this opportunity, I am ever grateful to my clergy friend for his kindness, and again God has ministered to me in a way I had no idea he was working. Some individuals who will be speaking at the Leadership Summit are: Tony Blair, David Gergen, Tim Keller, Bono and Carly Fiorina, just to name a few!

Of course this is one of those 'once in a lifetime experience,' so don't worry, I'm not going to start taping requests to my lampstand and make an icon out of it!

'The Prodigal God'

'The Prodigal God' ..... a book review.
Keller, Timothy. New York, New York. Dutton, Penguin Group. 2008 Subtitle: 'Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith' ISBN 9780525950790

This is a tremendous book on the Prodigal Sons & God. As the author states early in the book the word prodigal means reckless, extravagant; and the Father's actions in this parable are as reckless and extravagant as his prodigal sons, even more so.

This is my all-time favorite story from scripture, and I believe this book should be kept close at hand with Henry Nouwen's 'The Return of The Prodigal Son.' [ISBN: 0385473079]. Together they remind me of the NIV Application Commentary series where after the text is given, an original meaning is given [Nouwen's] and then there is a section called contemporary significance [Keller]. Both of them together, make this story so much more understandable.

My favorite line by the author is found on p.90 'If we read the narrative in light of the Bible's sweeping theme of exile and homecoming we will undertand that Jesus has given us more than a moving account of individual redemption. He has retold the story of the whole human race, and promised nothing less than hope for the world.' With this thought in mind its no wonder that this parable ranks as one of the most loved stories of scripture. ENJOY.

Later: I just accidentally came across a website that reviews both of the above books I mentioned - together! In case you're interested go to the following website: www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/reviews/the_prodigal_god_keller_and_re/

My new tent

Yesterday afternoon I purchased a tent, and a new sleeping bag, for our Men's retreat this fall. I pitched it up in the backyard to test it out. My kids [grandkids] from Detroit surprised me with a visit for my birthday and stayed all night. The grandkids were trying out the tent with me before it was dark, and my son succeeded in scarying them so that neither of them would spend the night in the tent with me ........... so, its still waiting to have an overnight guest!

Raggedy Ann

Well, as I remarked in yesterday's post, this morning I did the memorial service for Mildred. Mildred was 91yrs old, and a wonderful woman of faith and friendship. I was quite surprised by the number of 'ole' friends that showed up ... friends from Marquette to Niagra Falls Ontario Canada, to old neighborhood friends in Ionia, as well as from here.

In a part of the service I mentioned about how Mildred, [a great collector of Raggedy Ann dolls; at one time she had almost a hundred, along with other dolls she adopted] on my last visit before she went into the hospital had finally given me permission to adopt one! After the service a young lady approached me and said she was so glad I had adopted the Raggedy Ann doll she had given to Mildred only weeks before. She said that Mildred asked her what was Raggedy Ann's name and she told her, you can give her a name [and she never knew what name Mildred had given her, and when I then mentioned that MIldred had let me adopt Jenny, then she knew]..... So this morning I met the original Jenny.

It is no coincidence that life takes strange twists and turns, what would life be like if it was all predicable ......... boring ............ and yet to our Creator, it is predicable. Now Mildred, who adopted so many dolls is home with her 'adopted Father!'

Monday musings!

Tomorrow, Tuesdays morning, I will be officiating at a funeral for a dear member of our church who lived at Thornapple Manor. She died with pnuemonia this past Saturday afternoon. One of her favorite poems was Robert Frost's 'Mending Wall.'

Something there is that doesn't love a wall
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing;
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to sue a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do that make good neighbors? Isn't it
Where there are cows?
But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What was I walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall
That wants it down. I could say 'Elves' to him,
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me -
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'

Mildren was a kind woman who had a strong faith, and dearly loved her friends. She was extremely loyal, and her life motto seemed to be: 'Always be making new friends, and keeping the old ones too.' Therefore I don't understand why she would have like this poem so much; so I have written some questions about the poem that I have .................. perhaps you have some answers for me, or questions and/or comments of your own. I welcome them.

*Is the wall a good idea in the sense it brings two neighbors together to work on repairing it?
*Why does the author of the poem every year help his neighbor repair the wall if he doesn't like it?
*Isn't it interesting they 'keep the wall between' them as they work together, as though they are afraid to enter each others property?
*In the area of their orchards, where there the most fruitfulness, the author says there's no need for the wall, but the neighbor disagrees?
*What is it that the neighbor finds so threatening that he/she won't look beyond their fathers saying to find the reason for the quote?

Musings in the Morning

What a beautiful morning it is, moisture from the rain still framing my view of the backyard through the screen door. A mild, pleasure soft breeze reminding me there may still be another shower on the way. The biggest tom-turkey I have seen in years is walking past the wood line in our backyard, slowly grazing as he traverses the diameter of our boundaryline. Oh, I've chanced upon the answer to a mystery that has been bothering me - whose been stealing bird seed - its a chipmonk! He doesn't weight as much as a squirrel so the springs on the bird feeder don't cause the feeding holes to be blocked when he sits on the ledge. Somehow he makes the leap from the porch rail to the feeder ............. so I've attached the feeder to the eavespout and hopefully secured it at a distance that will make him think twice. If he should decide to make the leap perhaps it will be the most fatal decision of his colorful life of theivery?!

"A person who WON'T read has no advantage over a person who CAN'T read" -Mark Twain

'Silence' by Shusaku Endo

A Book Review: 'Silence' by Shusaku Endo. New York, New York. Taplinger Publishing Company, 1969 ISBN: 0800871863

This is a tremendout novel, and at times quite hard to remember its only a novel; its main character is fashioned after a true life missionery to Japan who was said to have recanted his faith during the persectuion of Christians. However 33yrs. later right before the priest died he strongly denied he had ever severed his relationship with his Lord. If you would like read some exciting reviews of this book go to amazon.com there are 62 of them. Endo asks some questions about faith that he leaves to the reader to decide. Questions such as 'is my faith built on church doctrine or a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Is there true spiritual freedom in what appears to the church to be apostasy? In Endo's novel it is in those moments of apostasy that Rodrigues comes to his fullest encounter with Christ. I am challenged by how Endo puts the act of martrydom in the context of not only dying for God, but acting also for the saving of others lives at the same time; a coupling of the two concepts we, who probably will never face physical martyrdom, often fail to consider. Am I at fault for judging my christian brothers and sisters? What purpose does doubt serve in my beliefs, my faith or does it serve me at all? In most of the book Endo has the main character, father Rodrigues, continually seeing the face of Jesus as the passion of Christ during his own trials and rather than associating with Christ the priest finds himself being convicted. A weak apostate named Kichijiro haunts Rodrigues clear up to the last pages; [sorry, I've given away a secret the Author is a genius at hiding until the last moments] he betrays the priest, and yet always seems to asking for confession in Rodrigues' times of trial. It's an exceptional novel, but don't read it if you've got your faith all figured out and spiritually arrived. If it doesn't convict the strongest of us to re-examine our relationship with Christ, it challenges all of us to desire Him more.

PRESENT ............ by Luci Shaw

At light-speed, God-speed
time collapses into now so that
we may see Christ's wounds as
still bleeding, his torso,
that ready sponge, still
absorbing our vice, our toxic shame.

He is still being pierced
by every hateful nail
we hammer home. In this
Golgotha moment his body -
chalice for the dark tears
of the whole world - brims,

spilling over as his lifeblood
drains. His dying into the earth
being the great reversal -
as blood from a vien leaps
into the needle, so with his rising,
we surge into light.
[Luci Shaw, Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Mi. 2006, p.160. ISBN 9780801027420; Editor: Mark D. Baker]

Consumerism addicts us.....

"Consumerism tempts us to settle for desires far below what we were created for" -Skye Jethani, Christianity Today, Spring 2009, p.56

"The Loudest Cheers in Heaven"

"The loudest cheers in heaven's victory stands may not be reserved for the obvious heroes. They may go instead to the young man who chose to face the crushing disappointments of life, or the person who learned to ignore his Enemy's taunts. The most applause might go to the woman who refused to surrender her joy to the evil forces that never stopped reminding her of her brokenness." [Kay Warren, Christianity Today, June 2009, p.48]

UPDATE ON NEW BIRD FEEDER

Since we were having trouble with the squirrels stealing seed from the birds my wife purchased one of these bird feeders that have springs attached to the posts where birds perch. If there is too much weight on the post it will slide down and the window for getting seeds is closed.

Well, it's working - BUT, the squirrels aren't giving up. The light weight metal leaves that cover up the windows are getting bent up .... the squirrels are trying to push them back from the holes, so every morning its one of my tasks to check the bird feeder and bend back the leaves .......... but hey, its working so I'll keep unbending .... I know I'm quite flexible, but this is giving flexibility a new meaning.

'Bee Sting Remedy???'

I came across this bee sting remedy ...... hope I never have to try it out ..... take a read, see what you think? http://imagineomit.blogspot.com/ ... the article is from Sunday, June 7th.

"God breathed, hand written"

A unique experience. Last Friday [June 5th]I visited at the headquarters of Zondervan Publishers in Grand Rapids. There I was able to handcopy the 12th verse from Isaiah 63. This is a campaign by Zondervan[publishers of NIV] to handprint the entire NIV Bible. As I understand it, one copy will go to the Smithsonian, and the other copy will be auctioneed off. However it goes I'll be one of 31,173 people to handprint the entire Bible from NIV. Even though I had to sit and wait for over an hour, it was a great experience as I was able to meet and talk with some new friends.

Careful, that's MY daughter[granddaughter]!

For those of you who, as parents, would like some good laughs, and a fresh take on some old-fashioned guidelines to dating your daughter, I suggest the following site from Sugarloaf Mountain .... http://whateverisnew.blogspot.com/search/label/dad. Its also for grandparents who might be dealing with the dating issue for their grandkids. ENJOY!

The Shrinking World - a political comment

I don't usually comment on political situations because for one thing I don't want to have political party labels hung on me. Its my firm believe that Christians have no business placing politics above spiritual matters regardless of how they feel, so I want to avoid that trap. However, having said all that a recent news event has got me thinking - President Obama's olive branch to the Muslim world. First let me say I think this is looooooooooooong overdue, as our world shrinks we must determine to live in peace with all men. I don't believe that all Muslims are followers, or even sympathizers, of Osama Bin Ladin; it is my believe that most Muslims wish to live in peace, therefore I see President Obama's olive branch as a good thing, yet also a two-edged sword. For on the one hand, this olive branch can bring a greater Muslim influence into our culture, it's religious thought disturbingly penetrating our already decreasing Christian influence here at home. On the other hand more peaceful relationships with the Muslim world may pave the way for the gospel being more easily, and readily, shared. As a Christian I need to remember "for God so loved the world, that he gave us Jesus." Not just the part of the world I am comforable with, not just the part of the world that sides with us.
So I pray for our President, that perhaps this olive branch will accomplish even more than what might be his personal political goals in offeing it. God is still in control!
I would love to hear your comments regarding this subject.

'The Life of Jesus'

Book Review

Endo, Shusaku [Translated by Richard A. Schuchert]. "A Life of Jesus" Paulist Press, Mahwah, N.J. 1973, 179pages
This is the first book I have read by this author. Endo is probably the primer Japanese novelist. I am wanting to read his masterpiece, "Silence," and figured I would read this book to get a flavor for the authors writing. Reading 'Life of Jesus' was an enriching experience. Over the past, almost, 30yrs of ministry I have read many books and done untold hours of studying the life of Jesus, yet Endo brings a perspective of Jesus that most writers have lightly glossed over, or restricted to his passion.
Jesus 'lives' in this book as a real human being; he suffers not just on the cross but throughout his ministry - too many people to heal .. too much evil to deal with .. too little understanding on the part of those who will succeed him .. the desire to prolong his death so that he might achieve more good .. is God's love as effective as it needs to be? Questions that rarely enter into the mind when we think about Jesus. How often do we consider those thirty years of Jesus' life when he lived in the hovels and dregs of humankind? What was it like for those thirty years to have a divine call on your life and be limited in human form? Questions that perhaps we simply don't want to dwell on because it might taint our image of who we want Jesus to be.
Endo is not afraid t disagree, agreeably, with scholarly thought, especially when there is a lack of factual evidence. And he disagree's with ideas as practical, sometimes moreso, than scholars.
He has a unique perspective in linking different events in Jesus' ministry that have escaped observation, for example: the feeding of the multitude with the Last Supper. In Endo's book Jesus is portrayed as John the Baptist' favorite disciple, and that relationship is explored. Perhaps this is where Endo's talent as a novelist serves him, and us so well. The feelings of helplessness and yet hope are always evident in the lives of the common folk, the disciples, the
religious leaders and even the Roman Governor Pilate. Their confusion about who Jesus truly is and the challenge he presents to each one of them is always foremost in their decisions.
This truly is an exceptional book and told with the grace and compassion of an author who himself is deeply concerned with the religious neglect of his own people.

Begin a new book club

I am very interested in starting a book club, both online and on site; is there anyone else out there also interested. This could be an interesting site for discussion and exploration, and perhaps we could start with 'The Shack?' ............. interested, let me know.
-Eutychus2