When I first started my blog a couple years ago, I talked to my friend, Rob, about how the whole blogging thing works. Rob's a bit of an expert on these sorts of things and his input has been helpful. One of the things that he introduced (or should I say, explained) to me is RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. Previous to the point when Rob explained this to me, I had a number of blogs or columnists that I liked to read on a consistent basis. So I would visit their websites every day or two and see if there was any new content. If not, then I just moved on. But after a while, you kinda get tired of going to a site if there is nothing new to look at. Am I right?
Taking Rob's advice I set up an account with a newsreader called Bloglines. This allows me to simply subscribe to the "feed" of a blog and not have to sign up with e-mail subscriptions or actually go to the site to read new posts. It's saved a lot of time and enables to do much more reading each day than I did before. If this doesn't make sense, you might want to watch this easy-to-follow video:
http://rob.orangejack.com/2007/05/02/web-work-smarter/
Because I use Bloglines to read several dozen blogs, I'm able to quickly read the new posts and not waste time visiting blogs that don't have anything new. In addition, it's been great for reading new notes for my Facebook friends. I have well over 400 "Friends" on Facebook and it would take way too much time to individually search each of their pages to look for new notes. But by using a newsreader, I'm able to easily read new notes from my friends -- all in one place!
To subscribe to your friend's notes on Facebook, simply go to the "Notes" page and click "My Friends' Notes" under 'Subscribe to these Notes' on the right-hand side of the page. If you have any questions on any of this, I'll do my best to answer them.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Paying it Forward
"Pay It Forward", a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde later made into a movie starring Haley Joel Osment, tells the story of what happens when one young boy takes his teacher's challenge to put into action a plan that will change the world. His plan is to do three good deeds for three different people that can't pay him back but will also do three good deeds for three other people. In the story, though the boy is mocked by some classmates, his plan begins to have global (and personal) ramifications.
As great as this story is, it isn't new. A couple thousand years ago a similar story was communicated by a Nazarene named Jesus. As told in the book of Luke, we know the story that Jesus told as "The Good Samaritan." Shared with an expert in the Old Testament law, Jesus identifies not only who our neighbor is, but how we should respond to our neighbor. We often think of our neighbor as the person that lives near us or maybe is a family member. Jesus' definition goes beyond this to include even those that are culturally, ethnically and religiously different than we are.
One of the most surprising aspects of the telling of The Good Samaritan is that Jesus makes the hero of the story a Samaritan and not a respected Jewish leader (like might be expected). Our church, Lake Baldwin Church, examined this parable this Sunday and were challenged to consider how we as individuals and as a church should respond to our neighbor. One of the distinctives of our church community is what we call "connection groups." After the Sunday morning service, we have a ten-minute coffee break and then gather around tables to share about our lives and how the message impacted us. Each table is an open group (groups vary from week-to-week) with a facilitator guiding the discussion.
As our table discussed this topic this week, we talked about the times that we've been "in the ditch" and needed help. One woman shared about when she was living life as a "rabid atheist" and a gracious Christian friend got involved in her life and led her to the Lord. Another guy talked about when as a lonely junior high schooler, a janitor took the time each day to talk with him about how he was doing. When our discussion moved to who our neighbor actually is, one gentleman in our group courageously confessed that he has oftentimes lived in judgment towards those in the gay community and that God is now doing something in his heart so that he views homosexuals as his "neighbor."
It may be giving a few bucks to a homeless man on the street or helping a lady change her tire on the side of the road or investing in the life of some different than us, but I think Christ defined our neighbor as anyone He brings across our path. I may not know the "who" or the "when", but I need to regularly examine whether my heart is softened to the needs of others. And, at times, I may be on the receiving end.
Just minutes after leaving church on Sunday morning, we were at a nearby mall in order to have lunch and kill some time before going to a friend's high school graduation open house. The kids came across some of those little cars and rides that you put a few quarters in for a 30-second ride. Since we didn't have any quarters, we just let them pretend they were riding for awhile. Plus (those of you who are parents can relate) once they do one ride then they want to do another and before you know it you're taking out a loan so your toddler can ride a yellow alligator.
So, as we were letting them play, this guy walks up to me and taps me on the shoulder. I turn around and he puts his fist out. I almost thought he was gonna hit me at first, but then he grabs my hand, puts it under his hand and drops something into mine. I looked and saw four shiny quarters. In my astonishment I mumbled a "thank you" as he smiled and walked away. He never said a word. I was the one that had been in church that morning, but he was the one that was being the Good Samaritan to me. I guess I'll have to Pay it Forward now...
For some good resources about practicing random acts of kindness, visit the following sites:
As great as this story is, it isn't new. A couple thousand years ago a similar story was communicated by a Nazarene named Jesus. As told in the book of Luke, we know the story that Jesus told as "The Good Samaritan." Shared with an expert in the Old Testament law, Jesus identifies not only who our neighbor is, but how we should respond to our neighbor. We often think of our neighbor as the person that lives near us or maybe is a family member. Jesus' definition goes beyond this to include even those that are culturally, ethnically and religiously different than we are.
One of the most surprising aspects of the telling of The Good Samaritan is that Jesus makes the hero of the story a Samaritan and not a respected Jewish leader (like might be expected). Our church, Lake Baldwin Church, examined this parable this Sunday and were challenged to consider how we as individuals and as a church should respond to our neighbor. One of the distinctives of our church community is what we call "connection groups." After the Sunday morning service, we have a ten-minute coffee break and then gather around tables to share about our lives and how the message impacted us. Each table is an open group (groups vary from week-to-week) with a facilitator guiding the discussion.
As our table discussed this topic this week, we talked about the times that we've been "in the ditch" and needed help. One woman shared about when she was living life as a "rabid atheist" and a gracious Christian friend got involved in her life and led her to the Lord. Another guy talked about when as a lonely junior high schooler, a janitor took the time each day to talk with him about how he was doing. When our discussion moved to who our neighbor actually is, one gentleman in our group courageously confessed that he has oftentimes lived in judgment towards those in the gay community and that God is now doing something in his heart so that he views homosexuals as his "neighbor."
It may be giving a few bucks to a homeless man on the street or helping a lady change her tire on the side of the road or investing in the life of some different than us, but I think Christ defined our neighbor as anyone He brings across our path. I may not know the "who" or the "when", but I need to regularly examine whether my heart is softened to the needs of others. And, at times, I may be on the receiving end.
Just minutes after leaving church on Sunday morning, we were at a nearby mall in order to have lunch and kill some time before going to a friend's high school graduation open house. The kids came across some of those little cars and rides that you put a few quarters in for a 30-second ride. Since we didn't have any quarters, we just let them pretend they were riding for awhile. Plus (those of you who are parents can relate) once they do one ride then they want to do another and before you know it you're taking out a loan so your toddler can ride a yellow alligator.
So, as we were letting them play, this guy walks up to me and taps me on the shoulder. I turn around and he puts his fist out. I almost thought he was gonna hit me at first, but then he grabs my hand, puts it under his hand and drops something into mine. I looked and saw four shiny quarters. In my astonishment I mumbled a "thank you" as he smiled and walked away. He never said a word. I was the one that had been in church that morning, but he was the one that was being the Good Samaritan to me. I guess I'll have to Pay it Forward now...
For some good resources about practicing random acts of kindness, visit the following sites:
- How to Pay it Forward - a site with tips on showing kindness towards others.
- Ordinary Attempts - stories of how ordinary people incorporate Christ into their ordinary activities on ordinary days.
- The Sower - suggestions on how to take the initiative to share Christ with those that God brings across your path.
- Good News, Good Deeds - a collaborative site for those involved in passionate proclamation and compassionate demonstration of the gospel.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Pure and Faultless Religion
The apostle James had this to say when referring to pure religion:
Check out this important message from Dennis Rainey, director of Family Life, about how Christians can continue to live out "pure and faultless religion":
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." ~ James 1:27In our protection of the sanctity of life, we as followers of Christ should also be involved in in caring for those that find themselves in the difficult circumstances of life. While the media might like to focus on what we are opposed to, the Church (members of the body of Christ) selflessly lives out James instructions by caring for widows, orphans, and unwed mothers every day. Lori and I have many friends that have personally become involved in caring for orphans. In fact, two of our friends that stood up in our wedding were adopted themselves.
Check out this important message from Dennis Rainey, director of Family Life, about how Christians can continue to live out "pure and faultless religion":
"For more than 31 years FamilyLife has stood on what the Scriptures teach and have been known by what we are for. We have a history of being known not by what we are against, but for being FOR the biblical definition of marriage, FOR covenant keeping love in marriage, FOR biblical families and FOR the value of all children—born or unborn. It was our commitment of being FOR children that led us to launch our Hope for Orphans ministry in 2003.
For years I have had a conviction that the Christian community not only needed to be pro life, but also pro orphan, pro adoption, and pro foster care. How can we only be for protecting unborn life and not also be FOR finding families for every child who does not have one? That's why I'm writing you to ask you to pray for one of the most important meetings in FamilyLife's 31 years of ministry. Twice in the last three years, FamilyLife has hosted what has become the Adoption Orphan Care Summit. Now, the third Summit in Colorado Springs is bringing more than 300 leaders together, representing some of the nation's most influential Christian adoption agencies and orphan advocacy groups.
On May 9-11 we will meet to learn how we can encourage and equip churches to take the lead in meeting the needs of orphans. There are now an estimated 143 million orphans in the world—that's greater than the combined population of the 20 largest cities in the United States. Over 500,000 children in America are in foster homes, including more than 120,000 who could be adopted today. I believe one of the most desperate needs in our world today is to love and care for these children. I believe that followers of Christ should be the first to reach out to orphaned and abandoned children around the world. Yet many are unaware of the great need, or of God's call for the church to be actively involved in helping the fatherless.
God is already at work, and I'm inviting you to join me in asking the Heavenly Father, Who reached down and adopted us, to do exceedingly more than we can even ask or think. It's easy to forget that each and every one of these children is precious to the Savior. Throughout Scripture we see God as "the helper of the orphan" (Psalm 10:14). I am convinced that Christians should be leading the international dialogue about our responsibility to provide a home and a family for those who have none. That's why FamilyLife started Hope for Orphans—as an educating and exhorting ministry dedicated to supporting and helping the fatherless and connecting those children with loving, Bible-believing families.
Next week's conference has grown from a partnership with groups like Focus on the Family, Saddleback Church, and Shaohannah's Hope. The Adoption Orphan Care Summit has turned into a strategic gathering of like-minded organizations that has the fingerprints of God all over it.
Please join me in praying:
- For Paul Pennington and the FamilyLife Hope for Orphans team—for energy, leadership and wisdom as they serve others at the Adoption Orphan Care Summit.
- That the conference will be effective in unifying these organizations to come together prayerfully and join God in what He is already doing. We know that where God goes, there is also a counter-spirit.
- Pray that Satan will have no part in what goes on next week in Colorado.
- Ask God to raise up tens of thousands of churches and hundreds of thousands of lay men and women to establish orphan care, adoption, and foster care ministries.
- The Summit is not only attracting Christian leaders, but it's also getting the notice of the national media. An Associated Press story has shown up in dozens of newspapers across the country. Pray that media coverage of the event will be positive and will accurately portray the spirit of the participants.
- Finally, pray that the Lord will continue to expand this movement to ultimately touch the heart of every fatherless child for His glory"
How might you be involved?
Technorati Tags: orphans, adoption, family life, dennis rainey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)