3 Things

1. This isn’t officially official yet, so I hope I’m not jumping the gun.  I’m starting a new job in a couple of weeks and it requires a relocation.  So we’re packing (far too slowly) and getting ready to head down for then weekend to look at houses.

2. It’s funny…whenever we tell people we’re looking for a house they say, “With the markets the way they are it will be hard to get a loan.”  Then they sputter in disbelief when we tell them we’ve already been pre-approved (with a rate a 1/2 point lower than when we looked in the spring). It makes me wonder - if someone like me (with my suspicious credit history, student loans, and single-income family) can land a loan with a 3% down payment…are things really that bad?

3. Last night I performed surgery on my own toe using only my wits and a rust Swiss Army knife.  Ok, it wasn’t rusty, but it wasn’t sterilized either.

It seems I’ve allowed myself to walk around in misery for two months for almost no reason. My mistake was believing my doctor when he said he saw some kind of nondesript infection in what turned out to be an ingrown toenail.

This is my #3 for last night.

3. Minatures are cool.  Like G.I. Joe or scale models.  But miniature animals don’t seem like good stewardship of the “beasts of the field.” It seems like playing God.  And it’s creepy, like stuffing your pets and displaying them at home.

Since my injury things - particularly typing - have taken a bit longer. That’s why I’ve been slacking. So I’ll try to catch up with 3 Things.

1. JT has some interesting bytes about a move from some prominent leaders to jettison the term “emerging church”. I don’t know that it’s a necessary thing, but I certainly understand being upset when a term you used to describe yourself becomes a superficial label for people you completely differ with on everything important (think “evangelical”, or “graphic designer“). (continue reading…)

1. Seven years ago I stepped in a hole playing flag football and hyperextended my left knee.  I got an MRI and found out I’d partially torn my ACL and PCL.  He said I could recover without surgery…bring on the rehab. Then, about 3 years ago I reinjured the knee playing basketball.  It swelled up like a balloon, so I went to an orthopedic doctor, and he said I was ok, I just needed some rest.  I took a day off work, and wore an immobilizer for two or three days, and forgot about it.

Click the picture to see a medical diagram of my knee.

About a month ago my leg started throbbing.  Not all the time, but for periods of 30 minutes or so it would just pound and pound.  I finally got around to seeing the doctor today. He asked me about three questions, pulled on my leg and said, “We could do the MRI, but your ACL’s gone.” (continue reading…)

I haven’t done 3 Things in a while, so it’s time to get back in the game.

1. Do You

“The Holy Spirit uses Driscoll in a lot of ways. Driscoll can tell you that you are stupid on a Sunday morning and everyone will say, “yes I am, how can I be saved?” But, if you try and be Mark, instead of who God has called you to be, you are going to look like a bunch of jackasses!” Matt Chandler, at Text and Context Conference

We all know who we look up to as a preacher and as a teacher.  And we all know that we want to be just like them.  But if God called us to preach and to teach, then he’s given us our own voice.  If we ignore that voice and try to apprehend someone else’s, we’re not allowing the Spirit to take hold of us and use us as He intends. (continue reading…)