The Donkeys of Life (August 23, 2021)
Talking donkeys? Paid prophets? What’s going on here? Balaam and his donkey (Numbers 22) help us to think about facing temptations and living faithfully as we start a new series tonight. In the series, we’ll look at this man who teetered between listening to the Lord and listening to the world around him and see the ways we struggle with the same.
52 Verses, 52 Books, 52 Weeks (Week 34: 2 Kings)
What do we do when the things we do that we thought were lasting get wiped away? As we turn to the fall of the kingdom of Judea this week, I reflect on that question.
Our Best Attempts Stumble
It’s been hard to get my mind around the horribleness of what is happening in Afghanistan. Some thoughts:
Reeling from the horrors of 9/11 two decades ago, we entered Afghanistan to eliminate terrorist camps and also try to build a better nation for the people who had been caught under the Taliban’s control. Was it hubris or hope to think we could lastingly accomplish either goal? I’ll leave that discussion for another day, but this week has reminded us of how even our greatest powers stumble.
Despite the great sacrifice and heroism so many poured into this effort, despite the world’s strongest militaries throwing unfathomable sums of technology and money at the situation, despite most of the world preferring a Taliban-free globe, the Taliban now chat on Twitter as the reasserted leaders of Afghanistan.
The Lasting City (August 16, 2021)
What is our mission today as a church and as individuals? How does it affect what we do in our daily lives?
52 Verses, 52 Books, 52 Weeks (Week 33: Ruth)
We all yearn for rescue from aspects of life… but is that just a fairytale hope? Melanie helps us consider where our help comes from as we turn to Ruth during this week’s 52 Verses, 52 Books, 52 Weeks.
The Slow Motion Fall of Afghanistan
None of this surprises me. It was predictable when both Presidents Trump and Biden said they intended to simply withdraw without a game plan to avoid this exact scenario. We’re playing out Saigon again, but with a force that will be unlikely to become a semi-friendly trading partner someday.
Time Names St. Louis One of Its Top 100 Places
Nice to see St. Louis get recognized for the great place it really is. We have our problems, but STL really is a wonderful city and I love when someone actually takes notice.
The Cheeseburger Made Me Do It (August 9, 2021)
God calls us to unity, but the Church struggles to follow that calling. What does being one who seeks to live according to the “bond of peace” really look like for us?
52 Verses, 52 Books, 52 Weeks (Week 32: Numbers)
What do we do when the waters of life seem rough? We turn to the God who is our lifeguard and helps provide the safety of a pool of His Grace.
I Want Five Stars to Mean Five Stars
Something Has Gone Wrong with the Modern Customer Service Survey
Something a bit more lighthearted: my musings on the oddity of customer satisfaction surveys that dock employees for anything less than perfect scores. Do such policies bug anyone else?
It was an innocent — even endearing — touch when I received a delivery today. The delivery person left a sticker on the bag thanking me for my patronage. The sticker depicted five stars, a not too subtle hint at his desire for a five star review. And he deserved it — the items came quickly and correctly and in perfect condition. But, it got me thinking about how weird our view of customer service surveys has become.
