Category: Reflections
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Life changes and expired food
This probably is a little odd, but a specific memory I have of my senior year of high school headed into college was looking at the expiration date on a package of cheese and thinking, “by the time this cheese expires, I’ll be in college.” In that moment, it hit me that my high school…
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Two people sharing life
In Donald Miller’s most recent book, he shares a priceless thought about marriage. I don’t remember if it’s a thought from him or someone else. Check page 205/206 and see for yourself. But the general thought was that marriage just involves a guy and a girl. Normal, regular people. It won’t solve any of your problems. More than…
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On doing the impossible and listening to critics
A Chinese Proverb… From a free download (279 Days to Overnight Success).
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Rest well (again)
I wrote a post a year ago (ok, exactly a year ago – didn’t realize that – a little crazy), that I’ve thought about frequently since then. I always meant to follow up on it. It was about the importance of resting well – not filling your time with useless stuff but really resting in…
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Leaders see the good
Some people have a gift for seeing what needs to be improved in an organization or group. I tend to see ways to change things fairly quickly. But one thing I’m learning is that the best leaders are also great encouragers. They can see the strengths of others and draw them out. They cast a…
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Preparation makes all the difference
I’m amazed at how much thought goes in to things we take for granted…
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God & pain
I’ve been thinking about Steven Curtis Chapman and his family today. My heart is so saddened at the loss of his 5-year-old daughter, Maria. It’s odd to feel pain for a family you don’t even know, but I guess music can form a connection, too. In fact, a song of Steven’s helped me walk through…
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Making the most of time in seminary
I wrote a post for the site goingtoseminary.com about what role seminary can play in prep for ministry. You can check it out here. I’m always surprised when I talk with seminary students who are frustrated with the education they’re receiving. I’ve attended two very different seminaries so far, and the complainers existed both places.…
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Random Thoughts
4 Maccabees is a weird book. Hope that doesn’t offend anyone. But it is. It’s easy to take life too seriously. If everything’s a big deal, then nothing is. I’m constantly having to learn to let some things go and just relax. Been thinking a lot about the tension between absorbing and producing. That may…
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Lifting that sail and catching the winds of destiny
Let’s be honest. Poetry is a little too heady and cultured for this blog. It just is. I write in three-word sentences. I don’t write poetry. But there’s this poem that Edgar Lee Masters wrote in his Spoon River Anthology that I think about every few months or so. The book is filled with poems…
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Life starts now
I recently dropped a class. The reason? I was headed toward major overload. Between work at church, work as a community coordinator, five different classes, time with friends and family, and time to do things like eat and shower, it just wasn’t all going to fit. For the first time in a long time I…
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Community takes work!
We just wrapped up an outdoor movie night in our apartment complex. As Community Coordinators, Grete and I get to plan periodic events for the community – this time we did an outdoor movie (that almost got rained out – it rained all day in Pasadena! I haven’t seen that in the whole year we’ve…
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How will you live?
When you look back at the end of your life, will you have lots of plans or with lots of memories? When you look back when it’s time to move on from your current job, will your thoughts be filled with ideas or with stories?
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Be thankful – here and now
There’s always a struggle to not let things you “get to” do become things you “have to” do. God’s used some recent events and conversations to remind me how thankful I am for the place God has put Grete and I and the opportunities and relationships he’s growing around us. For me, it’s easy to…
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Don’t chase other people’s calls
Sometimes, when I look at the “Christian” world, I get stressed. Not from the bad things but from the good. You see, I love God. I deeply believe that God sent Jesus to teach us, lead us, and die to rescue us from a death we brought on ourselves because of sin. I also love…
Jon Sampson 