I’m going to try this post again, this time with safety precautions. It won’t be as good for me as the one last night but I hope you still enjoy.

More random thoughts…

…I tried the shorts thing last night. Found out it’s still way too early for that.

…If someone could invent pizza and Doritos that are good for you, I’d love them forever. I’d never eat anything else.

…I realized last night how lazy I am. I timed my drive to the movie store, it takes two minutes each way, yet when I come home at night and realize I have to take the movies back or get a fine, I throw a major fit.

…Big news in the Nate house, Maiya went “poop on the potty.” You have no idea what a big deal that was! Parenthood is sure an interesting venture.

…This week’s Newsweek has the cover story “The Incredible Shrinking Dollar.” Pretty interesting article, especially since I buy into the theory that America’s economy is going to be the downfall of our society and be the major pitfall that draws us into global governance. But I could be wrong. Anyway, the article said what we all know, America spends too much and overextends its credit, thus the dollar is falling against foreign currencies. That of course is a bad thing. It also reminds me of a speech I read about by Greenspan where he warned that the price of assets is likely to fall in the coming years and in the old adage of “buy low and sell high,” the latter may be near. The text of the entire article about this speech is linked at the following: http://www.morganstanley.com/GEFdata/digests/20050207-mon.html#anchor0

I wish I could write more on the J.H. Yoder book I am prodding through, but it’s just too deep. I highly recommend the book, but get prepared to be just about lulled to sleep before being shocked back to life by some script of absolute truth! I liked the following quote he had in regard to his section on “The Priority of Church in Christian Social Stragey”:

For Paul…the very existence of the church is its primary task. It is in itself a proclamation of the lordship of Christ to the powers from whose dominion the church has begun to be liberated. The church does not attack the power; this Christ has done. The church concentrates upon not being seduced by them. By existing the church demonstrates that their rebellion has been vanquished.

The church does not exist to provide child care, to allow men golf outings or women craft opportunities. It exists primarily to proclaim Jesus as Risen Lord! And how appropriate this time of the year!

Speaking of the church, this reminds me of one of my all time favorite quotes, no, my favorite quote of all time, by Frank Tillapaugh:

His message, therefore, is clear and simply: unleash the church! Forget about bringing people in. Focus on getting God’s people out where there are sin and pain and need. Forget about institutional success. Focus on outgroup service. Forget about binding members to an organization with ties of loyalty, cords of convivial programming, and busy intramural involvement. Focus on unshackling members, motivating them to give time and energy beyond any ecclesiastical ghetto. Forget about growth as an end in itself. And, paradoxically, growth will take place as the by-produce of a ministry which refuses to be self-centered and self-serving.

Can I get an AMEN?