Uphill idealist

What if more churches took a chance to be authentically 'church' in response to where they were planted?

A local community center in the Jamestown Area was the recipient of a donation of complete laser tag equipment over the holiday season. The director of the Gateway Center , Amy Rohler, asked if I and my church ( First Lutheran Church of Jamestown ) would be interested in helping with the project of painting the area.Our theme for the project is "LIGHT". Each panel inside of the game area is 6 ft. by 12 ft., and we are primarily using fluorescent spray paint (as it is a black light lit space) on a black surface. There are 13 panels in the game room and we also are working on a hallway mural that leads to the game play area. The three panels above are a sample of the style that we are working in. The team that will complete this project are youth, young adults, local artists and me - thank GOD for having a team for such a big project. I will post more as this project moves along. Please keep us in your prayers as this project will need to be complete by Saturday Feb. 5th, 2011.

Image found at Design is Mine blog. Living in the present can be a challenge in our busy task-based worlds. Think what it's like when you have an unexpected day off. Suddenly you have time to be in the moment, instead of thinking of what is next on the agenda. This following excerpts from the book, The Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting; speaks to the gift of living in the present. "Matthew 6:34 says, " So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." "We have to fight them daily, like fleas, those many small worries about the morrow, for they sap our energies. We make mental provisions for the days to come, and everything turns out differently. Sufficient unto the day. The things that have to be done must be done, and for the rest we must now allow ourselves to become infested with thousands of petty fears and worries, so many motions of no confidence in God... ultimately we have just one moral...

Bill Withers knew the importance of having a being a good friend. In his familiar song, "Lean on me", he captures the holistic human need we all have for loving, supportive and caring relationships with others. The lyrics from this 1972 release still have some wisdom for us today. Sometime in our lives we all have pain We all have sorrow But if we are wise we know that there's Always tomorrow Lean on me when you're not strong and I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on For it won't be long till I'm gonna need Somebody to lean on Please swallow your pride if I have things You need to borrow For no one can fill those of your needs that you won't let show Just call on me brother when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you'd understand We all need somebody to lean on If there is a load you have to bear That you can't carry I'm right up the road, I'll share your load if you just call me Ju...

Magnificent Oh, oh, magnificent I was born, I was born To be with you in this space and time After that and ever after I haven't had a clue only to break rhyme This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue, oh, oh Only love, only love can leave such a mark But only love, only love can heal such a scar I was born, I was born to sing for you I didn't have a choice but to lift you up And sing whatever song you wanted me to I give you back my voice from the womb My first cry, it was a joyful noise, oh, oh Only love, only love can leave such a mark But only love, only love can heal such a scar Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh Magnificent, magnificent, oh, oh Only love, only love can leave such a mark But only love, only love unites our hearts Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh Magnificent, magnificent, magnificent Meaning. Purpose. Clarity. I've been searching for what seems forever for all of this. I think I may have seen a glimpse of...

Image a following quote from 'Baby animals' blog. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sugar (pictured above) is a white boxer puppy. She is deaf and to complicate matters she was left at the door of animal control facility with a broken leg. Fortunately, a vet was in the parking lot in a mobile van used to spay and neuter and took Sugar into his care. If she had crossed the door at animal control, her fate would have been to be put to sleep immediately because of her injury. Sugar made her way to Atlanta Pet Rescue where her injuries were treated, as you can see her cast. Sugar has healed completely and has been adopted since this image was taken. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This morning as I was leaving a local elementary school, I was greeted by a gangly white with a few black spots boxer puppy. He was very friendly and proceeded to fol...

I think I've found home. Seriously. Only in England do they combine the wonders of tea, a humanitarian effort and W allace and Gromit . I do believe it's time for a holiday and a spot of tea, Yorkshire Tea .