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Food matters. Perspective matters. Speaking out if you have a load voice matters. People matter

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An interesting little read. The power of God in the everyday life, rather than the hidden away life

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Mark advent #1

#adventchallenge #markadvent. I’m gonna try to mark advent by reading Mark, and blogging some/all of the days

Mark 1.

Things I particularly noticed:

1) The purpose of John’s work You might be aware that John was preparing the way for Jesus. I was, but I didn’t really know what that meant. Here we’re told there are two things: “he will […] turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (v17).

Parents’ hearts will be turned to their children. Perhaps this means the parents will think about the life they want for their children, the things that are really important in live. People people a little bit selfish and thinking about how to bless others, and what is the kind of world they’d long to exist in the future. That sounds like a bigger, better, more Godly world, and way to get there.

The disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. All people seeing the wisdom of God. People living right with God, following his rules, are following a better path. These are not restrictive rules, but life-giving guidelines and help. People will see the benefit of following God’s rules and ways, and will turn to God as a result.

These are both, hopefully, things I can do, to prepare the way for Jesus. I can live in a righteous way, to enjoy the good life with God, showing others its a better way, because it is. I can also encourage us to think about the future generations, and children specifically listening to them and all that they have to say or show.

2) Zechariah’s first response to being able to speak. He’s spent ages not being able to speak. So many things he probably want to tell everyone about what happened, that he loves his wife, the great jokes he’s been saving up, he’s probably been thinking about what he’ll say or do for ages. So, what does he do? He praises God! “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.” (v64). This must have been heartfelt praise. I get the impression that he went off singing, a bit crazy, dancing around so joyful. 3) What happened after Zechariah praised God. And then “Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied” (v67). This is great. Zechariah’s first response was worship, and then out of that worship, God moved, God took it to something new, and revealed to Zechariah and those around him more of his unfolding story. It must have been really encouraging and inspiring. Also, it helped the people answer the question they were asking (v66) “What then is this child going to be?” The questions we ask, can be answered through God, and that might just follow times of extravagant, joy-filled worship.

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Q: Why on earth are so many millennials becoming nuns?

A: Because they're awesome (source)

A great article sharing stories of millennials exploring whether or not to become nuns. It's making me think about: what are we searching for in life and what is important?

Warning: the article is long.

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They relieve poverty with their giving, but create far more poverty by setting the poor an example of drunkenness, gambling, sexual licence, luxury and waste. True charity is a matter of directing one's whole life to helping others for God's sake; it is evidence of Christianity, whereas fashionable charity is a substitute for it.

Stephen Tomkins in "the Clapham sect", p136, paraphrasing Hannah More's writings

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What a crazy story!

Make sure to check out the companion article from the man’s perspective in the New York times.

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It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.

Ecclesiastes 7:18 MSG

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Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

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I remember at school reading William Blake poetry and people thought he didn't like Christianity. I remember thinking he really 'got' Jesus and was great. Time to read some William Blake.

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When worlds collide... it's amazing

The West Wing + Hogwarts Houses

Keep reading

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Rock, xkcd, https://xkcd.com/2013/

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Be like Jesus: spend enough time with sinners to ruin your relationship with religious people. Joshua Harris

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Great programme on divisions in society but with practical solutions so we can encounter others

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My God Fights. Beautiful song, and a great vibe

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Scruffy hospitality means you’re not waiting for everything in your house to be in order before you host and serve friends in your home. Scruffy hospitality means you hunger more for good conversation and serving a simple meal of what you have, not what you don’t have. Scruffy hospitality means you’re more interested in quality conversation than the impression your home or lawn makes. If we only share meals with friends when we’re excellent, we aren’t truly sharing life together.

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I long for the Calcutta slums to meet the Chicago suburbs, for lepers to meet landowners and for each to see God’s image in the other. It’s no wonder that the footsteps of Jesus lead from the tax collectors to the lepers. I truly believe that when the poor meet the rich, riches will have no meaning. And when the rich meet the poor, we will see poverty come to an end.

Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistible Revolution, Updated and Expanded: Living as an Ordinary Radical (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.