Random Thoughts, venting

It’s spring. There’s frost. I’m tired of cold mornings. Cool is OK. Not cold. Winter is done.
I’m at Panera drinking coffee, wishing you were here, whoever you are. It is bizarre that so many are here with our laptops carrying on digital conversations with IM, Email, blogs. It is exciting. It is sad. I was [...]

Church 101: More COC thoughts, instrumental music

Some may find it very confusing as to why the Church of Christ does not use instruments in worship. While obtaining a music degree from UT Knoxville I ran across an illuminating little book called Instrumental music in the worship : or, the Greek verb Psallo philologically and historically examined / by M. C. Kurfees, [...]

Church 101: The importance of cheesecloth

• As mentioned in my last post I was raised in the Church of Christ (COC), which claims to be nondenominational. By this they mean that individual churches are distinct and autonomous in all matters; yet, there are doctrines central to the idea of being called a Church of Christ.
• [...]

Church 101: Choosing the “right” church

• I was raised in the Church of Christ, been a member of Evangelical Free & Presbyterian Churches, hung out at a home church, and visited Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, nondenominational, et al. Having been exposed to these various editions of Christendom, I wonder what going to organized church is all about. Why [...]

Eden Revisited

I was thinking that maybe that something I said in my previous blog Fallen Lately?, specifically “Here’s my downfall, I look to religion, leading worship, church, philosophy, my wife, my job, my kids, other people, music and my writing to get me there” might be off base.
 Today I wonder if I use these activities to hide [...]

Why people from California think East Tennesseans are hicks.

We are overall wearin’ , bacon grease eatin’ , corncob pipe smokin’ , shotgun totin’ , and banjo pickin’ hillbillies! And proud of it, sho ’nuff.

Fallen Lately?

• I have been thinking about the fall of Adam and Eve lately, trying to process this story in a relational way. Specifically how man’s relationship to God changed.
• In Eden man’s needs were holistically met. Then, upon rebellion, man began to experience a new level self-awareness—nakedness. This transformation [...]

Nursing 101: I Can Kill

When someone makes the decision that they are ready to die, it is a sobering matter. This decision I greatly respect. Many people feel as if they have lived their lives, that the quality of life they would have with a disease and medical treatment is not worth the added quantity of days they [...]

Ultimate Frisbee

Played for 2 hours. Been sore for 120. 

Parenting 101: How to build up your child’s self-esteem!

To be a good parent follow this advice. Give your child a snack of Vanilla Wafers, pouring the the remaining crumbs from the bag onto his paper the plate. Then, as you notice the mess he is making with the crumbs that you poured on his plate, get irritated. In an attempt to help him, [...]