What does it do to you to think that a desert can become well watered and lush? Isaiah 35 describes such a transformation. The poetry is designed to feed ones faith; to create a whole new point of view. Our minds can become traps for negativity and fearful thoughts. The Spirit of God through Isaiah seeks to open our minds back up and make them receptive to God's new possibilities. In such a climate, eyes are opened, ears can hear, bodies can dance and tongues sign for joy. And that's Advent, right?
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Mentionable Books
Marjorie J. Thompson: Soul Feast : An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life
Soul Feast is a great resource for the spiritual life. I recently heard Marjorie speak and this reminded me of her excellent book. She has a great skill in writing about spiritual practices from a Reformed point of view. (****)Ignatius of Loyola: Ignatius of Loyola: Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works (Classics of Western Spirituality)
I often turn to this book to get back to one of the originals of the spiritual life. Ignatius is amazing. (*****)JONATHAN HOLDEN: KNOWING
I find Holden's poetry provokative, down to earth and fresh in most cases. (***)Jason Shinder: The Poem I Turn To With Audio CD: Actors and Directors Present Poetry That Inspires Them
The book makes poetry accessible. Actors and directors share the poems they like and comment about the poems or the authors of the poems. (*****)Patrick Carman: The House of Power (Atherton, Book 1) (No. 1)
Some of the best authors are writers for youth. Patrick Carman has great skill and wonderful imagination. Also, he lives in my home town of Walla Walla. (****)Michael A. Hiltzik: Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age
A fantastic journalistic review of one of Xerox's most creative seasons. It also gives clues as to why Xerox failed to make good use of its creativity. (*****)
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December 2010
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Attention
In Matthew 24:36-44 Jesus invites us into a more intentional relationship. He uses the metaphors of the days of Noah, people taken while in a field or preparing food, and a thief in the night to arrest our attention. It's easy enough to overlook the spiritual life and then later regret it. It pays to pay attention to Christ.
Many encourage seeing our minds and our life in general as a garden, where we watch over the thoughts and actions we allow, and weed out the thoughts and actions that diminish God's light. May this advent season be rich and joyous because the things we choose to pay attention to give glory to God.
Outstanding Blogs and Websites
- Westminster Presbyterian Church, Olympia Website
The website for WPC, Olympia's congregation. You gotta see it! - The Christian Century website
A huge amount of information and links to "CC network blogs" and "Theolog" the Century's own blog. - Presbyterian Church USA web site
A very well organized website. It gives access to an amazing amount of information. - Covenant Network of Presbyterians
Their motto is "Toward a Church as Generous and Just as God's Grace. - Beliefnet
The website for all kinds of belief - Presbyterian blog: enough
Explores justice and simple living - Director of Evangelism and Church from PCUSA
Eric Hoey is the Director of Evangelism and Church Growth for the General Assembly Mission Council of the PCUSA - Food and Faith
Ways to address hunger from the PCUSA - Seminaries
The PCUSA's Coordinator for the theological education and seminary relations in the General Assembly Mission Council, Lee Hanson-Hasty's site. - Linda Valentine
Linda Valentine is the executive director of the General Assembly Mission Council of the PCUSA. This is her blog. - Peacemaking
The blog for the PCUSA peacemaking program. - Women
Rhashell Hunter's website on Presbyterian Women. She is the Racial Ethnic and Women's Ministries and Presbyterian Women's Director of the General Assembly Mission Council. - Youth Ministry
Youth ministry at the PCUSA website. - Tree Hugger
Pretty cool green blog. - green faith
great interfaith green site.
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