Thursday, March 22, 2007

Dr. John Perkins

i was at a conference today called "Bride With A Broken Heart" and Dr. John Perkins had a great deal of way cool stuff to share, too much to mention it all, but he did throw out a great statement that is easy enough to share and thought provoking as well....

"Your attitude is your paintbrush."

how true, how true.

i know some people who are painting some pretty ugly pictures, as well as some who are creating masterpieces with their lives. i suppose it all depends on the brush.

posted by nathan sean @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 2 comments

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

a booth and a conversation

the booth is, and will be in the future, a great place for conversation and transformation.

i have never felt the weight in a room as much as i did this past sunday. the first gathering went fine. (i guess you're never fully satisfied, there is always more you'd like to share, you miss some things, you make a joke that bombs, etc. but all things considered it went fine.)

but second gathering was quite different.

i was covering the passage in Ephesians that challenge wives to submit and men to lead, the passage that calls children to obey and parents to train, and the passage in which slaves are taught to obey and masters to be honoring leaders. so you can image the baggage that people had before i began sharing. (you can listen in on the podcast if you'd like. i'd love to get your thoughts and feedback)

but as i began the chat i looked out over the community and say several marriages that are on the brink. i saw a divorced dad who is teaching his boys that they do not need to respect their mother, a husband who is neglecting his wife. a couple that hasn't been in a gathering for 7 months.

not to mention the insecurity you feel when you talk about things that you yourself struggle with. all week long i was pitched the ball of opportunity to serve my wife and be a husband worthy of submitting and i repeatedly let it fly by, not even swinging. (a swing and a miss is better than letting a called third go by)

it was just tough. i felt empty after second. i felt a huge burden to see marriages healed, fathers lead and love, and equality become a reality. (let's pray for these things)

it was just a heavy morning for my heart.

i put my faith in the promise of God that His word will not return void. that the Holy Spirit will translate and pierce the hearts that need to be pierced, and that God is in control... not me.


and on top of it all... both of our vehicles died!!

but the gators did win, so i guess that balances out the cars huh?

and we have some amazing friends that picked me up all afternoon.

God is good.

so are His people.


even when we blow it.

posted by nathan sean @ Tuesday, March 20, 2007 3 comments

Monday, March 05, 2007

blog boycott anyone?

i am in a finicky mood. i think it is because i am tired. i stayed up last night and watched an old episode of "The Shield". i don't know why i get sucked into that show, i've seen the episode several times but it's hard to pass on a good Vic Mackey beat down if you know what i mean...

this morning i was doing a little blog tour... ya know, catching up on a few people that i haven't read in a while.... and by a while i mean months! then i began hopping from blog to blog via links and ended up on the blogs of random people, but like a pavlov dog i am conditioned to read and read even if i have no clue who these people are, or if i can even trust their opinion...but nonetheless, they have taken my time.

many of the blogs i've hit are of the religious/christian nature. i wish we could organize a boycott of content on these blogs... my blog included. (not that mine should really count, my blogging frequency is right up there with halley's comet sightings) there seem to be common topics, common phrases, common "insights"... all saying the same thing!! i suggest that for the rest of this month no one shall blog on the following topics:

1. NO MORE TALKING ABOUT HOW $#@%%* THE CHURCH IS! yeah there are issues and things that need to be addressed.... but quite talking about the problems and start living out the solutions!!! think about it this way... if someone said something critical and negative and cutting of your wife, no matter if it may be true, you would be pissed. i would be... think about it.

2. STOP ALL THE FORMULAS AND ABSOLUTES FOR COMMUNITY.
community is......
community ONLY happens when......
community can't have......
community looks like......
community must move beyond......
you must____ to have community......
do this, and that is community......
do that, and this is community......
community must ......

in my opinion, the best place to see "community" is within the Trinity. and to me that is a pretty mysterious, complex, beautiful, fluid, beyond formulas and absolutes type of community. and yet somehow that is the image we have been created in...

so can we just stop with all the bold statements and how to's? i understand that.... well, never mind.

3. STOP @#$#@^$ ABOUT YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. believe me... this one is for me as well. (especially while writing this post) those people who do things differently, sing differently, pray funny, evangelise "old school", do things in Christianise, etc.... they are your, my, brothers and sisters in Christ.... that's IN CHRIST!! sometimes it is easier to see them in Christ when you get off your high horse and look them in the eye!

4. LEAVE THE FUNDAMENTALISTS ALONE. this is particularly hard for me to write, but they need a break... and read number three again. i know..... but they are covered by the same blood you and i are.

5. QUITE RIPPING ON AUTHORS WHO SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS AND/OR THOUGHTS NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF THEM. again.... maybe i should take my own advice. we need to hear all the voices, all the thoughts, all the crazy and ridiculous! God and all that surrounds him is in need of alternative thoughts... let's look for the redeeming thought that are out there and let the junk just be junk, we don't need to call attention to it.

6. KRISPY KREME IS NOT THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL IS THE DEVIL. IT'S NOT A DOUGHNUT! think about it!

did i miss anything....

how about blogs entries titled "i'm back"? no one knew you were gone.









posted by nathan sean @ Monday, March 05, 2007 8 comments