Category Archives: Food for Thought

Food for Thought

Reading Is Fundamental #3

Read 06Dana Gioia wrote in June 2006 wrote that “something fundamentally intellectual and spiritual…happens to readers through the combination of the sustained focused attention that you bring to reading, the use of your imagination…and also your use of memory.”

From: http://www.csub.edu/ah/AH_matter/importanceofreading.pdf.

Reading requires “muscles” that are never developed in passive activities such as watching TV and other forms of media. Reading is a distinctively imaginative activity since books require the transformation of type into ideas and mental pictures. Continue reading Reading Is Fundamental #3 →

Food for Thought, LifeSpring, LifeSpring Church

Reading Is Fundamental #2

Reading 04 picThe National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) conducts a survey of American households every ten years and surveys 17,000 households,matched by the American Census Bureau to reflect the total American population. In 2006 the NEA reported that “reading has declined among every group of adult Americans: every age group, educational group, income group, region and race. In some cases the declines have been precipitous.

This has been going on for the last 20 years, but the trends are getting worse.” From On the Importance of Reading: http://www.csub.edu/ah/AH_matter/importanceofreading.pdf. Continue reading Reading Is Fundamental #2 →

Food for Thought

Reading Is Fundamental #1

Reading 07I’ve still got a childhood copy of Tom Sawyer that I was given as a gift when I was in elementary school. It’s a treasured reminder of how much reading was a part of my life and continues to be.

On his return from a business trip, my father once brought me a book about snakes. I devoured that book, as I did a book called Old Yeller which I bought at a school book drive. I loved book drives because I could get a lot of titles cheaply. Books were like intellectual crack that tickled my curiosity as well as providing hours of entertainment. Continue reading Reading Is Fundamental #1 →

Food for Thought, LifeSpring Church, People

Watching My Grandfather Snore

Bean Sleeping in ChurchTwo of the “characters” in my childhood church were a couple of sisters. They were in their sixties or seventies at the time and well-respected by the rest of the congregants.

When anyone wanted a good illustration of what being faithful or serious about faith was, these two sisters were often mentioned because they were so consistently present in the life of the church. We children were told, “even when they don’t feel well they are present at worship services.” Continue reading Watching My Grandfather Snore →

Food for Thought, People

Two Human Beings Standing Side-by-Side

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World FlagsForeign accents invite questions.

What events brought you here? Are you a resident of America, on a business trip, or just on vacation?
What is your occupation? How many family members do you have, and are they with you? If you are here as a permanent resident, what do you miss about your homeland?

Bev and I were in a hotel in Berkeley, California enjoying a little R & R. While Bev was getting ready for the day, I headed down to the restaurant for my morning coffee and daily news. As I was about to press the down button on the elevator a lady walked up. Continue reading Two Human Beings Standing Side-by-Side →

Food for Thought, LifeSpring Church, Missional

I am not religious.

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“You must be religious.”

She breezed by my table on her way to sit with a 70-ish friend for coffee. She didn’t fit-in with the 20-somethings all around her.

Acting like she had spotted an almost extinct bird species, she stopped at my table and motioned toward my open Bible. “You must be religious.” Then she touched the “National Pastors’ Convention” patch on my shirt. She muttered “pastor” as she turned toward the table where she was sitting. Continue reading I am not religious. →

Editorials, Food for Thought

Living in Glass Houses

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

My mom used to say that when she thought someone was being judgmental and ungracious. It was her little reminder that becoming a rock thrower is a dangerous occupation if only for the reason that someone may visit your own glass house with a rock in hand. She knew that everyone lives in a glass house. Continue reading Living in Glass Houses →

Food for Thought, theology

Dirk Willems and Forgiveness

In 1569 during the rise of the Dutch republic, an Anabaptist named Dirk Willems was being held in jail because of his association with an unapproved religious group. He was able to escape from his captors but the guard closely pursued him across a frozen pond.

It was late in the winter, and the ice had thinned, making it unsafe. Fortunately Willems was able to make it across the lake in safety. But the guard was not so fortunate, and the ice gave way beneath him, plunging the pursuer into the icy water. Continue reading Dirk Willems and Forgiveness →