Marc’s Musings

I’ve just checked out Rob Hatch’s Lenten Blog, Living Catholic - Observations of a Lay Catholic.

Check out this quote:

During Lent, it is common to be asked the question “what are you giving up?” What would happen if we asked “what are you letting go of”? What if we focus on what is possible?

What a cool concept! It reminds me of the gist of my Breaking or Being Bound post.

So, how about it? What are you letting go of during this Lenten season?

I’ve really enjoyed Audible.com.

I’ve listened to books on everything from Roman history to Seth Godin’s thoughts on business to John Eldridges wonderful “Waking the Dead.” It’s a great way to occupy my mind while I’m doing deskwork.

Well between now and March 31, they’re running a “tell a friend” contest. If you sign up and mention my name, I may win a 60gig video-capable iPod and fixins. (Check out the link at Audible.com - audio that speaks to you wherever you are.)

Yeah, this is a shameless plug. But a 60 gig iPod would be sweet! *grin*

PS If you don’t like the monthly rate, you can sign up for a much reduced, no frills-or-perks annual rate. They don’t seem to advertise that option. I think you need to contact them directly to do it.

The difference here is that we think of sin as the breaking of laws, whereas
Jesus thinks of sin as being bound. Why would anyone with goodwill condemn a
poor man bound with chains or tied with a heavy rope? Would he not rather want
to free him?

Emily just introduced me to this quote from Catherine Marshall’s book The Helper.

That’s how I want to live my life.

An Austrian friend just sent me the link to the German Coast Guard - Google Video.

What a riot!

My wife is so cool.

In describing how we were doing today, she wrote

Whining like an Israelite on a steady diet of manna.

Isn’t that an awesome?!

I rarely read any forwarded emails. So many are old myths, aka “urbanlegends,” and not worth the time it takes to read. (Like the awful, “Magalyn Murry O’Hair is going to take ‘Touched by an Angel’ off the air.” As far as I know, it is off the air already.)

If I do read them, I check Snopes.com or About.com’s Urban Legends & Folklore page to verify the truth. Then I reply letting the sender know this is an old myth. (See why I don’t read many forwards?!)

Today a co-worker sent a forward about a prayer a pastor prayed in Kansas that caused quite a stir. It had many of the earmarks of an urbanlegend, so I checked it out. Happily, this one was true.

For the entire story, go to: Urban Legends Reference Pages: Inboxer Rebellion (The Wright Stuff)

Heavenly Father, we come before you to ask your forgiveness. We seek your direction and your guidance. We know your word says, “Woe to those who call evil good.” But that’s what we’ve done.

We’ve lost our spiritual equilibrium. We have inverted our values. We have ridiculed the absolute truth of your word in the name of moral pluralism. We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.

We’ve exploited the poor and called it a lottery. We’ve neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. In the name of choice, we have killed our unborn. In the name of right to life, we have killed abortionists.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it political savvy. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it taxes. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, oh, God, and know our hearts today. Try us. Show us any wickedness within us. Cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of the State of Kansas, and that they have been ordained by you to govern this great state.

Grant them your wisdom to rule. May their decisions direct us to the center of your will. And, as we continue our prayer and as we come in out of the fog, give us clear minds to accomplish our goals as we begin this Legislature. For we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Snopes.com’s article goes on:

What to make of all the fuss? Syndicated religion columnist Terry Mattingly probably explained it best when he wrote: “The easy answer is that he read a prayer about sin. The complicated answer is that Wright jumped into America’s tense debate about whether some things are always right and some things are always wrong.”

I’m sure we each may take issue with an item listed. And it’ll be different for each of us. But I’m sure we can each identify with many of the others.

I want to be around people willing to call our sin “sin,” not just their sin. (However we define “their.”) Then we can confess it, asking God to forgive us. And then we can receive His forgiveness and the subsequent freedom.

I just heard about this documentary on one of Mars Hill (Seattle) Church’s podcasts. The Weird Story About Three Dudes.

I hope I get to see this documentary. Lonnie seems to be one of those “grid-busters” God loves using. Just when we think we have it all figured out, God goes in and busts our grid. Sort of His way of showing us that He’s God and His mercy is way bigger than we can imagine (and His power!).

Film maker David Di Sabitino wrote an appendix on Lonnie in Bill Jackson’s terrific history of the Vineyard, Quest of the Raddicle Middle.

This week I bought some perforated paper at Quill.com. It was my first Quill purchase.

When it came the next day (very fast), I saw that it was perforated in the wrong place. So I decided to return it.

The return process was incredibly simple. But what blew me away was the wonderful response I received. I’ve posted it below. How cool would it be if all companies were this remarkable?

————— Original Message —————
Subject: Re: Return Order
From: “info@quill.com”
Date: Thu, March 9, 2006 9:39 am
To: marc@vcwaterville.org
————————————————-
Dear Marc,

Thank you for writing Quill.com.

I apologize that your item does not meet your needs.

It is not necessary for you to return this to us.

Please donate this to the school, church or charitable organization of your choice.

I have processed a credit to your account that can be applied to any open invoice. You should receive a copy of this by mail in 5-7 business days.

If you would like a replacement, please order at your convenience. If we can be of assistance in finding an alternate item, please reply to this email.

We value your business. Thank you for choosing Quill.

Sincerely,

Jan S.
Electronic Correspondence
Representative
Quill Corporation
http://www.quill.com/
“So Fast. So Simple.”

Here’s a picture of our one-year-old (as of yesterday) Sofia giving the baby sign for “more please.”

Tonight something incredible happened. She did the American Sign Language sign for “book.” (2 hands together, palms up, thumbs out.)

We’ve been getting to know a deaf woman and learning some signs. My other two kids love asking me to read history or Narnia books in sign language.

So we were floored when she did the sign for book. And she clearly wanted Mommy to read.

The funny thing is that Mommy had just said she was done reading out loud for the day! So Sofie was making a joke. (She’s actually quite funny. Really.)

So then she indicates with her hands that she wants me to read. When I asked if that’s what she meant, her face burst into an incredible smile. So I pulled down the Ancient History book I’m reading to the kids for homeschool. And Sofie immediately started crying. No joke.

She clearly wasn’t interested in hearing any more about ancient Greece tonight. I asked, “No history?” and she said, “Nahrn!”

She wanted me to read Narnia!

I know. This sounds like an overly proud parent playing games with his imagination. But four of us saw and heard this exchange. It really happened. Honest.

So I pulled down Voyage of the Dawn Treader and showed it to her. She burst into an even bigger smile than before and started giggling and laughing. She was so pleased she’d been able to communicate!

Honestly. This really happened. I’m still in shock.

I just ran across this quote in a document on my desktop. It reminds me of why I’m planting a church instead of living a “normal” life or instead of waiting until my kids are out of college.

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart…Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

–Steve Jobs, June 2005 @ Stanford