Living Intentionally

Read this again this morning and served as a great reminder. In a book about Fatherhood written to men, from the pen of John Eldredge:

“Turn your radar on during the day, and intentionally don’t take the path of least resistance. Take the road less traveled.

If you are the kind of man who just hates any sort of conflict, then walk into some. When an awkward conversation comes up at work—or at home—don’t run. Move toward it. Ask hard questions. Hold your ground. The phone rings, and you can tell by the caller ID it’s someone you don’t want to talk to. Pick it up. Engage. That’s the key word—engage.

I come home tired, and just want to veg. Luke needs help with his homework, Stasi wants to talk, Sam and Blaine have something they need. I choose to engage, and my tiredness fades a little as the warrior wakes up…

Notice those places you are normally passive, and do the opposite. What are you surrendering these days? Go take it back.“

Yes You Can vs. Yes We Can

In our American politics, it saddens me to see many Christians on both side of the aisle apply bad theology and mistake their parties philosophical worldview for a Biblical one.

I came across this quote in a book about worldviews and I saw both party platforms in it.

First the Republican: “The humanist assumes that to be free is to do whatever one pleases. If a person’s reason is clear and their will is free, their only limitations are physical.”

I don’t think all Republicans are humanist, nor do I think all would agree with this. But the basic philosophical under pinnings of the platform are—work hard, set your mind to it, freedom is your right and you can achieve anything in this country. “Yes You Can!”

Next the Democrats: “The Marxist assumes just the opposite. People are in bondage, personally, intellectually, and morally to economic forces beyond their control. Freedom is simply participation in a new collective political consciousness and the inevitable historical process taking them to a classless utopia.”

Again, I don’t think all Democrats are Marxists, nor do I think all would agree with this. But, as with the Republican/humanist underpinning, so goes the democrat philosophical platform—we should share equally in our burdens as Americans. There’s nothing wrong with those who have more sharing a little extra with those who have less—it’s called being neighborly. Together we can bring the change we need. “Yes We Can!”

But the Biblical world view says neither. It says apart from Christ I can do nothing, but in Christ I can or we can do all things. We fail the mission of the church and our calling as ambassadors of a new kingdom when we as Christians forget this.

More Nephew Pics

So I just saw these pics on my sister-in-laws website. So cool, I LOVE these pics. Especially the first 2 : ) I’m bummed I can’t just go over and see this little guy. Can’t wait to see him at Christmas.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted by email from thinkshawn’s posterous

Three Generations of Stewarts

I snapped this pic last week of my dad, brother and his new son. Great moment. Someday little Ian will appreciate it.

Posted by email from thinkshawn’s posterous

Thoughts about Jesus

Found this note I scribbled down in a church service in Feb. of 2004:

“You came and restored dignity to a shamed humanity. You honored … the lowly, the dis-graced of the world. You came and challenged the honor of the honorable and restored it to the poor, the broken, those who need and know they need.”

I think it sucks that I have moments when things are as clear as they must have been when I wrote that and then … things are like they are now. I’m not so clear headed or full of wonder. I think because I’ve been to full of myself lately.

Honor. We know it when we see it.

I came across this video last night before I went to bed. I gotta admit it made me tear up.

I thought about honor–it’s a mysterious substance. When we see it we’re moved and we instinctively respond that what we are seeing is right and what we are seeing is good, and we cannot explain why. It just is.

Link from Mac Richard through the Deadly Viper Blog.

My Small-Man Complex Makes a Comeback

This image was captured by my close friend Corey Chambers the other night. This big green guy said something about my height.

It was on!

Lessons at the Bus Stop

I met a homeless man this morning. When I asked what his name was, his response–’it doesn’t matter’.

It does matter. He matters.

He bears God’s image, no amount of dirt, grime or sin can change that.

He matters, and so do you.

Facing Big Decisions…

I’ve had a couple of heavy conversations this weekend with a close friend and a total stranger. Not heavy bad–heavy important. Really important. “Fork in the road and life may change, kind of important. And I’m facing more this week–not only for some of my friends but for me as well.

I’ve been thinking about what I trust… who I trust.

I find that I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the “right” decision. I play out all the scenarios and ponder all the what ifs. Vacilating back and forth I clog my head with questions.

All that wrestling, all that self imposed pressure and fear that I might get it wrong, brings me face to face with whom I’m trusting and he looks a lot like–me.

My advice for a friend and a stranger this weekend is really the best advice for myself. I need to say this to myself and keep saying it. I need to turn it into my prayer and let it become a part of me:

“Lord, I trust you, more than I trust my ability to hear you.”

So be it.

God is Great?

I was thinking tonight while driving home about why we, as Christians, praise God…

It is not because He’s great, (although He is that.)

No, we praise Him because He’s good.

And that makes all the difference.