so i guess its a bit more conventional to start with a preface. but i choose a proface. a preface is a face before. a proface is a first face. and i, of course, want to put my best face forward.so, what is my first face?
today, of all days, i begin this little cyber-journey to maybe put some pixels together, some letters together, into a kind of first face. i want to fill this space with discoveries and disappointments. i want to be honest about my most hidden hopes, and leave space for the holy hushes of mystery and magic. i want to wander through my thoughts and ideas and dreams (both day and night) and expectations.
and so i don't begin this blog with a theme so much as with some questions: what can it mean for me to share these words with you? what is up around that bend? can we find community in the midst of a culture of consumerism? can a thing be Christian? what makes art good? or bad? or sacred? or profane? who is the greatest steelers linebacker ever? where do we go when we die? what is it about putting images together in unusual ways that uncovers a corner of the shroud of mystery for me and allows me to see just a glimpse of some great and scary and completely unbelievable God?
i'm not sure these are the kinds of questions that get answered. but i'm not here for answers. i hope you aren't either. i'm here to ask questions. and enjoy the journey. so i am looking forward to it, for forward is the only way i can look, with this, my first face.
greg.
i made these comments and prayed the following prayer at one of our worship services at SPWF yesterday, and had a few folks asked if i would post them, so there they are:
It has been a season of terrible tragedy. And I have noticed in the news a trending phrase: thoughts and prayers. It even has its own hashtag on twitter and other social media, but net necessarily in a good way. People are understandably tired of hearing about others’ thoughts and prayers, when that is only a thinly-veiled way of saying that our only obligation to those who suffer is a brief moment of silence, or nothing more than a tweet or public statement. The truth is that, for those of us who follow Jesus, much is required when our neighbors suffer. We are called to do justice where we can, to love kindness and mercy, and to walk with God through it all. But let us be careful not to throw out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. We are, as people of faith, those who know that prayer is not simply an em…
It has been a season of terrible tragedy. And I have noticed in the news a trending phrase: thoughts and prayers. It even has its own hashtag on twitter and other social media, but net necessarily in a good way. People are understandably tired of hearing about others’ thoughts and prayers, when that is only a thinly-veiled way of saying that our only obligation to those who suffer is a brief moment of silence, or nothing more than a tweet or public statement. The truth is that, for those of us who follow Jesus, much is required when our neighbors suffer. We are called to do justice where we can, to love kindness and mercy, and to walk with God through it all. But let us be careful not to throw out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. We are, as people of faith, those who know that prayer is not simply an em…
Comments
This is my blog - http://WestAndCenter.blogspot.com. My wife says it's really boring but I like it. I'm a political animal these days. As opposed to a just plain animal as I usually am.
Take care my friend! Always good to hear from a fellow former Wilmoron.
Tam Tortle
I had a blog. If you hurry, you might still be able to catch some of it on Google's cache of it.
I deleted it for many reasons. One reason is that it became an awful lot of work. If I don't have enough time to pray or read or spend meaningful time with my family, do I have time to blog right now? I think you know the answer.
I'm in school at Luther seminary currently, in the MDiv program. I am a candidate for ordination in the ELCA. Sometimes, when I need a bit of encouragement and motivation, I put on my clerical collar and run errands around town. It keeps me focused somewhat.
I look forward to reading more from you.