← Previous Entries Next Entries →
I have a some unofficial rules of the sermon. Here are a few: Never talk about the process of writing the sermon explicitly in the sermon. If you’re going to explain something about the Greek or Hebrew word, do it in such a way that people don’t notice you’re talking about the Greek or Hebrew [...]
Last week, Erik and Zora were looking at some picture cards together, and on had a whale on it. “What’s this?” asked Zora. “It’s a whale, ” said Erik. Zora looked back with a look that says, “Oh, now it ALL makes sense…” and said, “Oh! A whale in a manger.” So, we’re pretty sure [...]
(Not really defining things for 2009, nothing too profound, but it seems like a good time to post 9 random things.) I’m a little sore today: I rang in the new year with a 5k at 7:00pm, dinner at a great restaurant, late conversation about theology (really truly, and yes I know it’s nerdy, and [...]
Sometimes, you sing something year and after year and never know there was more to it. I know 5 verses of “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” Turns out there are more. It was verse 2 that really got me on the new reading. Who would have thought of pairing the idea of creation with Jesus’ [...]
Revelation 12 Fox Valley Presbyterian Church December 21, 2008, 8:30am Pray for us, because at the next service, we’re handing the preaching of the word over to the children. They’re doing a Christmas pageant. Christmas pageants are not safe. Let’s be honest: when Mary is 8 and Joseph is 5 and the innkeeper is 3, [...]
I hold a soft spot in my heart for the neighbors up north. When people ask what I miss most about my switch from the CRCNA to the PCUSA, I usually answer: “The Canadians!” (The CRC is a rare bi-national denomination: actually the same organization in the US and in Canada, unlike many other protestant groups who have [...]
There’s this piece of child-rearing advice that makes perfect sense to me: imagine that you were a 2-year-old. You never get to make your own choices. All day, people say, “no” “don’t” and “do this”. So, you give your kid some sense of control when you give options (pre-packaged options that give the sort of [...]
I’m trying to script out the Christmas pageant. We haven’t had one at Fox Valley in a while so we’re going to try it this year. Being stubborn, I am doing it myself from scratch…the scripting that is. The costumes are what truly scare me about planning these things, but it turns out we have [...]
I’m feeling a little bummed out that we didn’t just throw caution to the wind, strap Zora into the backpack, and head for Grant Park on Tuesday night.I’ve been consoling myself by thinking about how we were functioning in the best interests of our child.But check out what these crazy people did!!! What a story! Seriously, you [...]
I cried last night. Here’s why: From 2003-2005 I taught here. (And, turn on your sound if you go to the link because the choir rocks.) All of my students were African American. Most were on track to be the first in their family to go to college. It was hard work…for us as teachers, [...]