Last night I spoke at my church’s youth service on the subject of doubt. It is a bit of an awkward topic because, well, admitting that we might not feel, might not believe, this faith, which many of us have professed as long as we can remember, is not generally discussed at church. Yet, the feelings associated with these inner doubts – guilt, shame, pride, fear, inadequacy – run the gamut and must be addressed.
When I was twelve-years-old, maybe thirteen, I signed up for an inner-tubing excursion down the Green River, during a week at family camp. None of…
I’m always trying to come up with a better playlist to listen to while I read, study, drive, whatever. I wear songs out pretty bad and like just about every musical genre from rap and hip-hop to house.
This one has been a good friend to me lately, so I thought I would share…
My People Watching Playlist
People Watching / Jack Johnson / Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George
Tune Out / The Format / Interventions and Lullabies
Pablo Picasso / Citizen Cope / The Clarence Greenwood Recordings
Burn One Down / Ben Harper / Fight for Your Mind
Swallowed In The Sea…
So I have been thinking, processing a lot of things the past few weeks. Much of my thoughts have been on a few conversations I have had with friends over the past year. And it’s kind of a touchy topic, so I’m not sure how to navigate through this without sounding arrogant or like I have the corner on the market of holiness, because I don’t.
I fully identify with Paul in all his “chief of all sinners” talk. I don’t think he was employing some sort of literary hyperbole to underline the fact that we are all sinners. Nah,…
After meeting with my brother, Nate, several weeks ago about the theme for this year’s winter camp, I stayed back at Cutter’s Point to do some writing. Big surprise, right? They know my drink by heart there, and even if someone else happens to go down to the shop and get it for me, it is all too clear who it’s for. Then again, I don’t know of anyone else who drinks a double-tall vanilla rice milk latte!
In any case, as I was sipping on that excuse for a real milk latte, I started reflecting on the theme for…
So I was driving the other day, letting my thoughts wander. Driving is SO good for that, really gives me a way to unwind and process life. My thoughts continued to ebb and flow and then snagged on some junk embedded at the bottom of the riverbed. Ah yes, past sins, mistakes, and things I would rather forget, pretend they never happened. We all have these things, these areas of our lives, and whether healed over or still a gaping wound, they seem to come charging at us, or at least at me, like a Mack truck! Often dredged…