Notes to My Siblings

“Adoption is a beautiful picture of redemption. It is the Gospel in my living room.” -Katie Davis I made my monthly visit to my little guy who's in foster care today and came away with a little ache for his unknown future. Today is National Adoption Day, drawing attention to the 100,000 kids in foster care in the US who are legally freed for adoption and waiting for a family to call them their own. Did you see that number? That's a lot of kids. And that's not even a quarter of the kids in foster care. I could spew stats for a while, but Google can help you out with that.  Instead, go look at these faces. Then ask why. Why are there so many. Sure, these kids are broken. But they're no more broken than you and me. The Gospel takes the broken, messed up you and me and adds us into God's family where we are loved infinitely even though we did nothing to deserve it.  And honestly I have a tornado of thoughts on this subject but I'm tired and can't f...

I'm a go-er and a do-er. I want to fix things. I want to solve problems. I want to get in the thick of it, come out bruised and bleeding, brush off and go back and do it again. But I've been benched from all the things I'd love to be doing. For now at least. For a long time, I moped on the sidelines (I occasionally still do). But the bench is not a waste. For instance, you know all those flowery Bible passages that we use to pretend to comfort ourselves and others when life sucks? Sometimes, in the dark places, they sound rote. Fake. Made up. (And sometimes grossly pulled out of context, but that's another topic) " 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 " For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to ...

Last week, I wore chacos. I had to wear a sweatshirt too, but that's not important. The important part is, it was warm enough for CHACOS. (If you don't know what chacos are, you need to look them up. They are the only summer footwear you'll ever need.) Today, there is three inches of do-not-wear-chacos-if-you-value-your-toes on the ground. And it's still coming down. I guess it's back to the boots. At first I was frustrated. I mean, come on. Why the tease of summer if it's only to be snatched away again?! But as usual, God was like, excuse me, there's a lesson here if you're paying attention... The snow is like our problem(s). We can either be frustrated by it, and consequently nothing will be happy today, or we can see the beauty in it, take it for what it is, and choose joy. And now for a string of Maxwell Smart-like "Snow is like your problems because...." (see the Get Smart episode "A Tale of Two Tales" if this makes no sens...

Patriotism isn't in the Bible. At least, not the way us Americans think of patriotism. Americans spend a lot of time alternating between hating and bragging on 'Merica. We like to analyze political campaigns, argue over what should and shouldn't happen in national policy, critique and even hate on our current leaders, and look to the next leader to fix whatever it is we think is wrong with America. It's great that we can say that America has a "Christian Heritage" (well, kinda...) when it comes to the Founding Fathers and all that jazz, and we should be grateful for it. But let's be real. Expecting a nation made up of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, Agnostics, etc etc etc to live by Biblical principles is c.o.m.p.l.e.t.e.l.y. unrealistic. No human being, no matter how powerful, will ever be able to fix that. Which leads to the main point. Patriotism in the sense of ascribing allegiance to a man-formed country is not a concept ...

I usually tend to write about things that bug me. In case you hadn't noticed that yet. Today's Soapbox: Stuff can't be "Christian". There's no such thing as a "Christian" band. There's no such thing as a "Christian" song. There's no such thing as a "Christian" movie. There's no such thing as a "Christian" home. Now, before you jump down my throat with cries of heresy, hear me out. My Greek is limited to Blue Letter Bible, but as best I can figure, the Greek for "Christian" is transliterated as Christianos . It is a proper noun meaning "Christian, follower of Christ." The Greek word is used three times in the New Testament. The first use is in Acts: Acts 11:26- For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians . It should be pretty obvious from the above that it's people who are Christi...

11  “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12  lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13  and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14  then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15  who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16  who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17  Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18  You shall remember th...

I do that a lot. If I just.... ...had a job I loved, then I would find fulfillment in work. ...wasn't so tired all the time, then I could be more useful in ministry. ...was married, then my job wouldn't be so important. ...could do something fun, then I would be happy. No. Nothing will quench the unsettled and unsatisfied feeling besides Jesus. "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.   I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11b-13 (Sidenote: it doesn't work to be mad at God that your life isn't how you want it. And, quite frankly, it doesn't help the situation in the least. Don't bother to try.)