Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic....
Embracing Our Limitations
posted by DJL
Phil Hansen’s ten minute TED Talk is as important as it is poignant. Faced with a condition that made his hand shake and thereby seemed to destroy his dreams of being an artist, he took his neurologist’s advice to “embrace the shake.” When he did, he eventually discovered a number of remarkable ways to make art that didn’t compensate or overcome or even transcend his shaking but rather employed it to lead him to new creative ventures and vistas. What Hansen discovered was that far from reducing creativity, limitations actually increase it. Limitations set boundaries, close off the obvious routes forward, and invite – actually...
Luke 8:54-56
posted by DJL
But he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened. I have no idea why Jesus ordered them to tell no...
Commencement
posted by DJL
This is the season for graduations. I was privileged to participate in the commencement for the students at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia South Carolina this past weekend, and this is a picture of the proud graduates. I am grateful for their fidelity and eagerness to...
Luke 8:49-56
posted by DJL
While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter...
Grass
posted by DJL
Carl Sandburg’s poem “Grass” seems a fitting poem for this Memorial Day weekend precisely because he reminds us how quickly we forget the sacrifices of the fallen. Each battle, let alone each war, robs us of the strength, the potential, and the future of so many people. We pause on...
Luke 8:49-50
posted by DJL
While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” It’s hard to imagine the level of heartbreak and...
The History of Music in 7 Minutes
posted by DJL
Yes, it’s in Spanish. No, you don’t need to know much Spanish to enjoy this brief (7 minute) tour of the history of music. The work of Pablo Morales de los Rios, the video is a catch-your-breath whirlwind tour from the ancient Greeks to modern day punk and heavy metal rock, with significant stops along the way in the baroque, classical and romantic periods. What’s incredible is how much information the artist can convey via these drawings and the background music in such a short time. And, of course, it got me thinking: when are we doing to try to teach the Bible and the faith this way. Not just via animation – Spark House’s Reform...
Luke 8:42b-48
posted by DJL
As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage...
Easter Gratitude: Recap and Review
posted by DJL
So the Easter season is come and gone, and with it my attempt to practice gratitude by posting one thing for which I’m grateful each day. Now a few days into the season of Pentecost, I thought I’d share a couple of observations about that exercise. 1) Being intentional matters. I think that, by and large, I’m a fairly grateful person. That is, on the whole, I tend to focus far more on the blessings of my life than the setbacks. Nevertheless, “practicing” gratitude – that is, making an intentional effort to name it daily – made a difference. It broadened by “gratitude horizen” and invited to notice even more of the blessings...
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