Blizzards, Birthdays and Other Musings

• Being trapped in my home for 36 hours with my family was one of the best days I've had in a while.

• Can’t stop listening to The Swell Season - incredible folk band with an enormous amount of passion. Take a listen HERE and if you decide to make the purchase, definitely get the deluxe edition (available on lala.com for $11.49).

• Watched Brothers last night and today I can’t stop thinking about it - for me, that’s the sign of a good movie. The film is really heavy and deals head-on with the pain and complexity of love, war and betrayal. But in the midst of despondency there is redemption.

• Celebrated George’s three-year birthday last week and Evelyn’s one-year birthday this week. For some reason George didn’t want it to be his birthday, so every time his older sister said “Happy Birthday” he would yell “IT’S NOT MY BIRTHDAY!!!!” Made for an interesting day. He did still enjoy the presents and the cake.

• Ben Arment is wondering if it is possible to create a “pre-church” and said this today that is really messing me up: “If you think of spiritual receptivity as a continuum --with hostility on one side and fanaticism on the other-- our churches are positioned to reach people at only certain points on that continuum. Sometimes we dip into the red levels of receptivity, but most of the time, we're just waiting for people to move into the black.”

• In an excerpt from his new book Primal, Mark Batterson points out that church reformations are not born out of new discoveries, they are born out of rediscovering something ancient, something primal. When you descend the flight of stairs into the soul of Christianity, and everything is stripped away but its primal essence, what you’re left with is the Great Commandment. What is the reformation of this generation? We’ve got to be great at the Great Commandment.

• I convinced Jessica to watch an episode of The Office with my on Hulu. Now she is addicted and I am happy.

• Redeemer Presbyterian in NYC just made available (for free) 150 sermons from their archive. I’ve been enjoying them and also enjoyed the caveat they put on their website: The Free Sermon Resource is not intended as a “broadcast ministry” which would create “virtual” members listening from home, rather than getting involved in their local congregations. Interesting.

• This is my first Christmas as a Lead Pastor. I’ve loved our Advent series and I can not wait for Christmas Eve in the Temple, but I’ve got to admit, I am a little overwhelmed. As always, I’d appreciate your prayers. 

Comments

[Brenda Medina]

Pastor Paul,
It was really great to be able to attend a service at Gateway. I really enjoyed your message more than you know. I appreciate that you don't sugar coat and that you have scripture to back it up! I pray for you, your family and the church. I pray that it continue to grow in a healthy and organic way. Thank you for being so welcoming :)

[Steve]

happy birthday george and evie!

dude... are you and jess coming to the civic center on tuesday?