Thursday Thanks (16-20)

fiveEach week (I aim for Thursday), I’ll use this space to list five things (items, experiences, people, whatever) for which I’ve been recently grateful. Consider it my “blessings count”. Ann Voskamp’s famous challenge to list 1000 gifts seemed daunting — I’m committing to 500, a two-year venture from when I started last month!

1) Software
A slickly designed program that does its job well is a joy to use. One new addition to our lives as being a finance program called You Need A Budget. We have always been relatively careful of tracking our spending, but this program, coupled with its app formats, has made the process significantly better.

2) Hair
This one makes the list, particularly as I consider my three daughters: whether it is our oldest aspiring to outgrow Rapunzel’s hair or our second daughter running around the house with thin braids flying behind, or our youngest whose tousled wild “do” delights me daily.

3) Medicine
When our oldest daughter slept restlessly for weeks, while complaining of a stomachache, we searched futilely for answers. A couple supplements and medications have transformed her in a matter of days. Yay for drugs!

4) Fire
It’s April 18, and light snow is falling, in the latest installment of “the winter without end”. That said, our living room feels remarkably cozy – the fireplace certainly helps!

5) Harmony
Music inspires. Rhythm delights.  But there is something magical when two tones bounce beautifully off of each other. Be it voices or instruments, harmony strikes me as a most delightful of sounds.

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  • Did any of this week’s list especially strike a chord with you?
  • What’s one thing you’re particularly grateful for this week?

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Six-Pack (61)

Welcome to the latest edition of the Six-Pack, delivered right on time! Grab your coffee, choose your comfy chair, and settle in!

This week’s collection features the usual mix of ministry, faith, and anything else that piqued interest. I think you’ll be pleased, provoked, and pushed.

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Dallas Willard Changed My Ministry Forever (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Dallas Willard’s books (particularly “Divine Conspiracy”) will forever hold spots on my “best of” list. Looks like Chris Nye might agree as he reflects on the late author and teacher impacted his life and work.

2) The Secret Pain of Pastors
For Churchleaders.com, Philip Wagner considers some of the challenges faced by those in ministry roles. Friends of mine have faced every one of these in huge doses — I know a few firsthand myself.

3) Are Sex and Religions Natural Enemies? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
I like to think about religion. I like to think about sex too, sometimes I visit some website about it too. Naturally, this article struck my chords then. I think some of the basic premise is a bit goofy, but there are fascinating bits in here, all the same.

4) Here’s How Maria Popova Writes
I’ve long been fascinated with how creative people create — artists, musicians, writers, whatever. Here, CopyBlogger caught up with writer Maria Popova. There’s some great stuff in this interview.

5) The Disney Recipe
When Jeffrey Katzenberg became the head of Walt Disney Studios, he was given the task of fixing what was broke. For direction, he turned to archived wisdom from Walt Disney himself. He learned a few things. You might too.

6) How Much Can an Extra Hour’s Sleep Change You?
This study, summarized by BBC, says: Quite a lot!


May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

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Six-Pack (55)

Welcome to the latest Six-Pack! I am so grateful for every reader who stops by to check out the latest assortment of “best links”.

As regular readers already know, these pieces are generally centered on faith or ministry, though we leave sufficient license to include who-knows-what as we discover it!

If six ever feels overwhelming, start with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move out from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) New Life after the Fall of Ted Haggard (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Seven years ago, one of America’s best-known pastors crashed in a blaze of drug and sex scandal. What does a church look like after such a disaster? One looks like this.

2) Ted Haggard on How Not to Repent
While we’re discussing Ted Haggard, David Murray makes these observations about what true repentance looks like.

3) Advent and Shepherd Leadership
For Missio Alliance, Karen Wilk offers this thoughtful piece that begins with the Magi of the Christmas story and ends with some great prompts for those in leadership positions.

4) The Most Important Commandment in the Old Testament is Not What You Think (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Citing a teaching from Walter Brueggemann, Hacking Christianity offers this fascinating reflection on Old Testament law.

5) God, The Bad, and The Ugly
Bethel Church in Redding, CA, is the scene of what are some are calling an all-out revival. Some are swept up in the claims of what God is doing there. Some are skeptical of the place. Others just love the music they’re producing. Kris Vallotton, one of their pastors, wrote this piece about how they seek to respond to the criticism they receive from other Christians.

6) The Science of Posture
Buffer, who make a great Twitter-related app, offered this recent post on how far-reaching the benefits of good posture might actually reach. Straighten up, my friends!

May your week ahead be filled with life, as you seek the One from whom it flows!

leaveacommentYOUR TURN: Your input makes this post better!

  • Which link above was today’s best-of-the-best?
  • Why that one?

Direct others to the best of the bunch with a quick comment.

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Seven Minutes to Better Health

I just completed this workout for the first time.

12well_physed-superJumboThe concept is built upon the theory of interval training, which is hardly a new idea. This version or workout has been featured on a number of websites lately, and I was up for something new. I can not say whether this method maximizes results, but I can attest to having a decent sweat and a faster pulse at the end.

If you’ve got seven minutes and some extra calories to burn, the image above sketches out the flow of exercises, and THIS LINK provides a perfect timing and instruction companion to free you up to think about more important things… like breathing.