memories

The slow death of hurry

2018-01-16T15:20:41+00:00By Joel|Breathe, discipleship, memories, Minimalism, prayer, Rhythms, Simplicity|

I remember the morning, and mornings just like it. Early morning sunlight streamed in the window of the cabin, as the end of my bed started to warm from the first rays of sunlight. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, I hung my feet off the side, letting my feet feel the cool wood floor of the cabin. Shuffling my feet on the ground I made my way to the kitchen of the small cabin, where I put some coffee on, and I stared anxiously as the pot dripped enough for me to pour into a mug. I took my cup outside to the picnic bench in the front yard where I sat, prayed, [...]

Any Opportunity for the Incarnation

2014-08-18T22:34:43+00:00By Joel|Advent, Christian Music, Christianity, Incarnation, Jesus Christ, memories|

Today is Christmas Eve, and below I am posting a video containing one of the Christmas songs that I've written over the years. However, I use the word "Christmas" gently, lightheartedly and passionately all at once.Gently, because yes, I know the arguments behind the calendar days on which Christmas and Easter holidays occur as having pagan roots, I know the realistic theological and historical argument that Jesus was not born on December 25th. I use it gently because I don't want to come across as one who thinks that December 25th by its very nature is a magically holy day. It is a normal day that has been made holy, by the intentional and cultural meditation on [...]

Who Am I? : Stacking Stones Part VII

2014-08-18T22:34:45+00:00By Joel|memories, Stacking Stones|

Who am I? Sounds like a loaded question. And depending on the day you might get a different answer. Yes, I am Joel. I want to be more Jesus than me. But usually I'm me. I used to think that my 20's were all about figuring who I am. Mostly, I found out who I'm not. Sometimes it was positive, sometimes it was not. I learned that I fell short of my ideals 98% of the time, during the other 2% I was just confused. Blessedly clueless. My eleventh stone in my Josh 4 monument is not that I figured out who I am. I've given up on that one. In my efforts to serve others [...]

The nature of man, the poor, and our general depravity: Stacking Stones Part VI

2014-08-26T03:19:00+00:00By Joel|memories|

I'm finally getting settled (more or less) in the northern life of MN. That is, I'm getting a routine somewhat established to make life feel less like chaos and more like we (our family) is heading in an intentional direction. Sure, already, there are many things that I'm excited about, but before I go there, I must finish stacking stones. I realize that I've only stack 9 of 12, and I haven't neglected the task, but I've been meditating on it pretty regularly. Stone number 10 of the Arizona season of my life has been the scholarly, introspective & contemplative effort that I put into praying, learning, and understanding poverty. Finishing my degree in sociology was [...]