Category Archives: seeking understanding

October 29, 2013 · 09:38

The Bridge on the Drina

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Been working on this since early September or so. It is deep. It is, for me, one of the richest, most thoughtful books I’ve read. Ever.

Look at the top of the picture of the book. Yeah. Nobel Prize for Literature. I don’t even know what that takes.

If you EVER want to read a single book that will give insight into the Balkans, read this. But, its not a popular page-turner. You have to stop and think along the way, sometimes deeply, other times you just have to stop and take a break. So if you take this on, give your self time.

But be warned. There is extreme brutality. The author did not shy away from describing graphic horror. As a Yugoslavian (what does that even mean to readers today?), he knew the need to describe the brutality that existed back then, in recent history and that continues today in more subtle ways.

I once went to the monument park in Mohacs, Hungary where there are wood carvings depicting humans impaled after being defeated by a superior Ottoman army. I now have a better understanding of what took place there and, more importantly, I have a better understanding of why the anti-Turk atmosphere existed when I first began visiting Hungary 16 years ago. That attitude seems to have subsided since today there are Turkish eateries every two blocks in Budapest.

I also learned how deep is the wound is between Serb and the converts to Islam.

It is all very, very complicated. And I guess the main thing that I learned is how dark those Drina river valleys are and how deep is the need for the true Gospel of Jesus, the Gospel of Grace, the Gospel of forgiveness in this region.

Tomorrow, I will introduce a book that is more contemporary, but the region is the same.

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Filed under culture, from the Balkans, seeking understanding, things Central European, travel notes

October 4, 2013 · 10:33

concern

how could your concerns point to calling? Read a couple of question I posted at CEOKIDS.ORG

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Filed under experience, seeking understanding

September 16, 2013 · 09:06

reboot part 2

This is part 2 (but it includes the intro that was part 1 – consider it in draft form please)

Sometimes the best thing to do with a PC is just to turn it off count to 10 and turn it back on. I think that, especially if, like me you’re running an older laptop and seldom turn it off, this is the case. We just get too much stuff going at the same time and stuff starts messing up and we need to shut it down, let it rest and start over.

I think we are like that too.

I was talking to an old friend recently who said that prayer and Scripture are dry. It would appear that this is true from time to time for us all. Well, at least those who pay attention.

So, what do you do when this happens? Well, I suggest a reboot.

People in vocational (paid) ministry that are in ‘secure’ positions, often have the ability to and so, take a ‘sabbatical.’ These sabbaticals sometimes last a couple of months. Its like when someone gets sent to rehab for this or that. They often don’t go until they are in trouble, and for many, its too late. I was once told that many ministry leaders wait until its too late and change jobs soon after the sabbatical. The have burned out too far.

But for most people, that is all totally impractical anyway.

So, I thought I would suggest the idea of what I call a “sabbath rest”. The background is that I had been unwell and dried out and blah, blah, blah and was asked the question “Can you take 2 weeks off? Over time a plan developed that wound up being 10 days (which is only 1 day longer than a week of vacation with weekends on each end).

The plan is simple but not necessarily easy. It does require discipline, but if you’ve read this far, you are on the right track and you need help planning and accountability during and after.

1. Go away. Alone. But keep the place simple. You don’t have time to establish routine so you must get there with enough familiarity to walk right into your plan. It’s called solitude.

2. Be quiet if not silent. Really. Keep your talking to the absolute minimum that you can without being rude to people. It’s called silence. If you are married, call daily to stay connected. But be careful about trying to answer the “how’s it going? question every day. That can be frustrating because progress is measured in longer increments not shorter.

More to come…

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Filed under experience, seeking understanding, spiritual questions/musings/wonderings

September 8, 2013 · 09:23

reboot

Sometimes the best thing to do with a slow or struggling PC is just to turn it off count to 10 and turn it back on. We just get too much stuff going at the same time and stuff starts messing up and we need to shut it down, let it rest and start over. I think humans are like that too. They need to turn off and rest. reboot.

I was talking to an old friend recently who said that prayer and Scripture are dry. It would appear that this is true from time to time for us all. Well, at least those who pay attention to such things.

So, what do you do when this happens? Well, I suggest a reboot.

People in vocational (paid) ministry that are in ‘secure’ positions often have the ability to take a ‘sabbatical.’ These sabbaticals sometimes last a couple of (or a few) months. Its kinda like when someone gets sent to rehab for this or that. They often don’t go until they are in trouble with burnout, but for many, its too late. I was once told that many (most?) ministry leaders wait until its too late and change jobs soon after the sabbatical. The have burned out too far. Oh, they CHANGE jobs, not just churches. They go sell insurance or something (this is not a slam on selling insurance, I happen to like my insurance guy).

But for most people, that is all totally impractical anyway, the whole taking a couple of months off.

So, I thought I would suggest the idea of what I call a “sabbath rest.” Back in the summer I took one. The background is that I had been physically unwell and blah, blah, blah and was asked the question “Can you take 2 weeks off?” I thought about it and over a couple of months a plan developed that wound up being a 10 day (which is only 1 day longer than a week of vacation with weekends on each end) sabbath rest.

Over the next period of time (‘cuz I don’t know how long this will take) I will be posting how I did that and how you might profit from it. Stay tuned. This is te first and the other post will be in the category “rest.”

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Filed under rest, seeking understanding, spiritual questions/musings/wonderings, the self

September 2, 2013 · 10:42

being opposed

Being opposed is good for thinking. So says a coach of ceos. You can watch the TED talk below.

I agree.

I was in a meeting recently where understanding of a problem and subsequent solutions were sought. Honestly, in this conversation, I felt neither understood nor encouraged. However, I know those in this conversation have the greater good in mind. The value of additional/opposing opinions is that they make our thinking sharper.

In a feature on NPR, the story of a scientist who, in the 50s, sought the reason for childhood cancers in the UK. She discovered the reason through research, but her argument was sharpened by being opposed.

That’s what I am thankful to have experienced in that meeting. Being opposed sharpened my thinking and shook me from what is called “willful ignorance” or maybe, as I might call it, “rut thinking.”

I was telling a pastor friend about this. (This pastor is FREAKING out about the condition and direction he sees in the USA church.) He wondered if this could be an answer to what he sees as a decline of the USA church.

Could engaging with, say, post moderns (or whomever), about the church, or more importantly, about the biblical Jesus not just open conversations with these friends, but also sharpen our own thinking about this most important of topics? That, I think, is his question.

I think he is on to something. I recall a conversation a couple of months ago with a guy where we were talking about life and it became clear that a big part of where we differed a bit was our views of God. As we talked, our thinking was sharpened.

So, my question is, with whom are you collaborating, who provides you with opposition which helps you sharpen your thinking?

Links:
Margaret Heffernan: The dangers of “willful blindness” #TED : http://on.ted.com/dja4

NPR TED hour on making mistakes… http://m.npr.org/story/174030515

(I’m on my phone in a car so no imbeds today gang, sorry)

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Filed under culture, definitions, seeking understanding, spiritual questions/musings/wonderings

August 26, 2013 · 10:45

Brené Brown: Listening to shame

So, From what Dr. Brown tells us, shame and guilt are all around us.  So I am grateful for the research she has done and that tons of people are thinking about this.

I’ really glad that she has figured out that vulnerability is necessary to deal with that, but, I ask, vulnerability with whom?

As I listened to this I realized that this is kinda like Romans 7:24 without Romans &:25 or 8:1, or its like the second half of 2 Corinthians 7:10 without the first half of the verse.

Something else, I loved was her emphasis on empathy.

But empathy without the Gospel is JUST “me too”… that’s not really enough is it? The real “me too” is what Lewis teaches us:

“we must get to the point when we say to God, ‘I can’t, you must”

I am thankful for Dr. Browns’ research. My prayer is that all those 4 million people will realize God is there for them…

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from gthis body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25a, ESV)

 

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Filed under culture, seeking understanding