gospel grocery stores

This article kind of relates to the article I posted today about a village that has been growing food in gardens at large that also create community.  This article takes a look at churches and compares them to our experiences with grocery stores.  Make sense?  Probably not, but take a moment to read what the author writes… (great stuff).  http://thesidos.blogspot.com/2011/12/repost-gospel-grocery-stores.html

 

A snipped portion of the article…

Gardening is hard work, dirty and unpredictable but the rewards are often wonderfully and immeasurably better than “store bought” produce. The church works in much the same way. Unplanned and unscripted is scary because you don’t know what you might get but I would much rather have somebody stumble over a thought or endure periods of silence than sit through another carefully scripted service designed to deliver the maximum religion for the minimum cost. The church is not something we can cram into a couple of hours a week and the goal of church should not be to get in and get out as quickly and efficiently as possible so we can mark a check box on our religion shopping list. Sermon? Check. Singing at least three songs? Check. Shaking the preachers hand? Check. Out at noon and lunch away from the rest of the church by 12:30? Check.

The church is not a list to be completed, it is a life to be lived with one another.

The Assumption of Ignorance

Great article.

 

Here is a snippet:

When you presume that other people are ignorant, you do both yourself and them a disservice. You create more work for yourself and increase the dependency of others on you. You become the hub at the center of a wheel, and the spokes don’t know how to think independently because they’ve been brought up in a system where there is always someone else telling them what they need to know.

This is the mindset of people as they leave school. Students are told there is one right answer in the back of the book. In the real world, there are no textbooks and there are no right answers.

On the contrary, assuming that the world is knowledgeable elevates society.

Read the whole article here - http://www.uncollege.org/archives/1461

Character Traits Study

http://heartofwisdom.com/Acrobat/character.pdf

For the kids in January

101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself in Life

 

12 Meaningful Movies With Important Life Lessons To Learn

 

Create Your Life Handbook

 

Character Traits - http://heartofwisdom.com/Acrobat/character.pdf

The Church Anywhere, Anytime

The Church Anywhere, Anytime -- http://eric-carpenter.blogspot.com/2011/12/church-anywhere-anytime.html

"There is a discussion/argument that some Christians have about what constitutes a church gathering. You've heard the question before: "If two Christians meet in a coffee shop, is that church?" The focus of the question is "what counts."

(click on the link to keep reading)

I love this story!

There should be more positive news like this shared.

A Deliciously Resourceful Town Aims For Total Food Self-Sufficiency Within 7 Years

http://wakeup-world.com/2011/12/14/a-deliciously-resourceful-town-aims-for-total-food-self-sufficiency-within-7-years/

 

But the article isn’t just about the self-sufficiency, but how this place is creating community through growing food.  So awesome! 

Don’t Stir the Crazy Kettle!

This is a great article sharing advice on how to handle the craziness of family gatherings -

Don’t Stir the Crazy Kettle! 

“Family and work gatherings can be a time of food, fun and festivities. It can also facilitate the brewing of a big ‘ol kettle of crazy.  Old hurts, slights and insecurities can flare up into full-blown nutso. Seemingly innocent comments are an invitation to arguments, joking remarks are seen and felt as cruel, snide slashes that cut to the very heart. Far too often, Christmas gatherings can be Christless.

My suggestion to us all, myself MOST of all, is to remember that when you come up on a big ol' kettle of crazy... don’t stir!”

click on this link to read the whole post - http://likeabubblingbrook.com/2011/12/dont-stir-the-crazy-kettle/