Stewart 5

yes, i know, strange…

but isn’t it great when people come together and minds and hearts connect, often producing something amazing?  throw God’s Spirit into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for the miraculous.

some people don’t like meetings – doesn’t matter who is there or what it’s about.  shame.

btw, i have a staff meeting tonight.

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subtitle: kids…

Mairin likes to play in the garden. She generally gets dirty, but stays out of trouble and has fun. However, she has recently taken to “playing” with the flowers. Here’s today’s work:

looks pretty nice. neat rows of leaves. green contrasts with the bricks well.

of course, those leaves have to come from somewhere (mom and dad not so happy about this part)

so, how to balance response to the artistic value vs. ecological impact to our garden?

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Finally put the 5mm tunnels in last week.  Here’s a so-so pic (sideways, again??).

Note: we are in the first week of orientation with our new apprentices, so I haven’t been blogging much.  Hope to write more soon, so much to share…

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There are apparently two types of people:

1. People who “like having 4 seasons” – generally people NOT from southern California.  These are the people that move to SoCal and say, “I miss having seasons.”  Or, who move FROM California and say, “I’m looking forward to having 4 seasons again”
2. People who prefer one perfect season all the time (like in Southern California)

I am wondering – seriously -  what separates these people?  Is there something fundamentally different about each type?  Is there something deep, something that reveals values or personality, about each type?  There must be something, because we all fit firmly in one of these two categories.  Let’s see if we can figure this out.

Please respond with:

• Your preference – one great season OR 4 different ones
• WHY do you prefer this?

No need to debate the weather in SoCal.  The point is, do you like 1 season or 4?  Heck, I suppose there are even people who would take winter all the time as their season…

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One thing I love about our son Iain is that he dances…. a lot.  He moves to the music playing in restaurants.  He grooves to the tunes in the elevator.  He jumps up for commercials.  He’s sort of got this elbows in and shoulders/butt moving & head revolving thing going on.

Now, if he sees you looking at him while doing this dancing, he tends to get self-conscious, grin, and ask, “What?”  I usually just say, “I love you Iain.”

crud, these aren’t supposed to be sideways…

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In NieuCommunities, our second posture of a developing leader is “Submerging.”  We believe that Just as Jesus incarnated and lived among us, we are called to the ministry of presence where God has put us.  With our apprentices, we have specific assignments, readings, etc. to help them think about and do this intentionally.  And, we as a staff team are always in the process of going deeper into lives and culture as well.  On occasion, you get signs that this is happening….

Today, as I finished my run, I walked into the corner market near us where we buy our Sunday paper every week, the occasional ice cream bar, and random items we realize too late that we need when making dinner.  A family runs the shop, and their kids are about our age.  So, we usually chat when we’re in there.  Anyway, we aren’t always so prompt at picking up our Sunday paper.  There have been a few times when we have gone in after noon, and they have been sold out.  The biggest loss in this is that the TV guide comes in the Sunday paper…

So, I walk in and grab a paper.  I go to the counter and ask if they will put it aside for me, and I will go home, get my money, and come back for it.  Just want to make sure we get a paper.  They tell me, just take it.  I assure them I will come back and pay as soon as I get home.  No worries, they respond.  Come in and pay whenever.

You know you are doing ok living in a place when they let you buy things and just come back and pay whenever.

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If you were to stop and REALLY think, how would you describe the Good News? What is it? What is it meant to accomplish? How? Try to move beyond the assumed Sunday school answers if possible.

I asked this question at a workshop I lead at the Amahoro conference last year. Would love to hear your ideas. Then, scroll down and I’ll give you Scot McKnights definition from Embracing Grace.

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The gospel is the work of God to restore humans to union with God and communion with others, in the context of community, for the good of others and the world.

McKnight explains and defines this throughout the bulk of his book (which I plan to write a few more posts on). How does that compare to your thoughts?

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The Gospel is more like a piece of music to be performed than a list of ideas to endorse.

- Scot McKnight in Embracing Grace

1. What do you think of this picture?
2. What would be implications for you?

Comments please!

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Scot McKnight is starting a series on the relationship between the Kingdom of God and the Church.

I recommend you follow it.  Don’t know what he will say.  Don’t know if I will agree.  But this is a subject of extreme interest to me.  I am sure Scot will give it a good, round, historical treatment.  I would also guess it will be informative and inspiring.  Would love to heart what you think if you follow along too.

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I am in Spain meeting with the other NieuCommunities team leaders.  This morning, we were sitting outside of our hotel room reading Colossians 1 together….

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.

May God our Father give you grace and peace.

We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,  which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.One of the guys cutting the hedge then walked over and asked us if we spoke Spanish.

“Un poco.”

So, he spoke in broken English… “Are you reading Bible”

“Yes.”

“I am also a student of the Bible.”

Big smiles, amens, Glori a Dios all around.  Resume reading…

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.

Whoever was reading just stopped there.  All over the world, changed lives.  Just like us, just like him.  We live the story, don’t we?

Thank God for this small but powerful reminder today.  May He open your eyes just like this too,

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