Maybe I should get The Bridge logo on my head

We just finalized the papers for the new home of The Bridge starting this fall.  I cannot believe we were able to get a place this nice, with this much space, AND covered parking.  

The NFL power rankings just came out…the Bengals are a pathetic 24th

Ragamuffin Soul posted on Mandela’s 8 Leadership rules

Relevant just put out an article from Joel Hunter called Right Wing Wrong Bird.  I am reading his book A New Kind of Conservative right now

Relevant posts Obama’s faith based initiative speech and follows up with a quick interview

The Dark Knight…crazy good…Heath Ledger…genius

The Importance of Hell: Tim Keller

The Bridge just nailed down its fall home…more info coming soon

The Sticks Conference: put on by pastors in and near my hometown

Ever heard of Carlos Slim…he just did Bill Gates one better

Video from the Whiteboard Sessions

Just started through The Shack

The Bridge has been involved with micro lending through Kiva for almost a year.  I came across this video illustrating the ideas behind micro-lending brilliantly.  It is called The Girl Effect.

Thanks to Kevin Rush

With one 14 month old and one on the way my wife and I are always talking about how God has called us to parent…how our son is bent…how our second child’s personality and bent will change our life rhythm…

I came across this video: It is Tiger Wood’s dad briefly talking about how he trained Tiger to be mentally tough

The fact that Tiger is the greatest GOLFER who has ever lived is not questioned.  My question is the parenting that made him the MAN he is.  I obviously don’t know him, he seems like a great guy, and he obviously had a great relationship with his dad. 

My question is on a broad and general level…

Is this good parenting?

I feel badly that this is funny to me…but this is really funny

My son will be 14 month old tomorrow.  14 months!  Seems like yesterday he fit from elbow to palm. Noah is healthy, growing, learning, and more than we could have ever hoped for.  Here are the top twelve things he has recently picked up:

12. Who Steve Carell is (tonight he pointed at a DVD of The Office and said “Who is that?”)

9.  How to shrug his shoulders and gesture “I don’t know”

8.  How to say cup (points to his sippy cup and says “cu”)

7.  How to say car (points to cars in lots or in book as yell “ca”)

6.  That he looks smooth in sunglasses at The Gap

5.  That he REALLY likes the beach

4.  That he likes the new Coldplay album (dances like a maniac, Ash and I laugh till we cry)

3.  How to frown (Has not mastered the art of usage. He will be in full laugh and then start frowning.  Bit of a novelty to him at this point)

2.  Fireworks

1.  Last week Noah happened upon what makes him a boy 

Couldn’t be more proud or feel more blessed!

And…much to our surprise, number two will be here at the end of December!

There are certain issues that make being a pastor remarkably difficult.  They seem easy (easier) when in school, but when we put skin on the issues they become very complex and even frustrating.  Relevant in currently doing a series of panel discussions on some of these topics.  The panel is as diverse in background as it is in opinion.  

Steve Brown - Professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., author and host of the nationally syndicated radio show Steve Brown Etc.
Shane Claiborne - Founder of the Simple Way Community, a New Monastic community in Philadelphia, Pa., and author of The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President (Zondervan). 
Chuck Colson - Founder of Prison Fellowship and BreakPoint, renowned speaker and author of 25 books.
Cindy Jacobs - Co-founder of the prayer ministry Generals International, respected author and speaker.
Brian McLaren - Founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Md., author and a prominent voice in the Emergent Church movement.
Nancy Ortberg - Writer and speaker; served for eight years as a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill.
Jim Wallis - Writer, political activist and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Sojourners, a group dedicated to political awareness. 
N.T. Wright - Bishop of Durham, England, and one of the world’s foremost New Testament scholars. His most recent book isSurprised by Hope (Harper).

Go here to read the panel discuss homosexuality

Go here to read the panel discuss war

Go here to read the panel discuss consumerism

Go here to read the panel discuss injustice

OK maybe not television history, but its pretty funny

Check out who is making bank, and who isn’t…

Best paying jobs

Worst paying jobs

I was shocked to see airline pilots as the #11 best payed, and I was not shocked to see petroleum engineers at #19 on the best payed list.  (up 12% from last year) Thank you $4.10 a gallon!

I equally loved seeing the #1 worst paying job in America…fast food service preperation!  Why give these good people another reason to put something nasty in your taco?