Subscribe:
RSS feed
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." (Is.30:21)
Browsing All Posts filed under »Life«
Night | Reflections & Notes
Eli Wiesel. Night. Hill and Wang, 1985. (120 pages) Reflections I began reading this in commemoration of Yom HaShoah (יום השואה), Holocaust Remembrance day (April 7). It is a small endeavor to reconnect with humanity, and to personally acknowledge the solidarity due to all people in suffering and oppression. As I searched a bit, it […]
TED | Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong
March 17, 2013
I want to talk about social innovation and social entrepreneurship. I happen to have triplets. They’re little. They’re five years old. Sometimes I tell people I have triplets. They say, “Really? How many?” Here’s a picture of the kids. That’s Sage and Annalisa and Rider. Now, I also happen to be gay. Being gay and […]
TED | Shane Koyczan: “To This Day” … for the bullied and beautiful
March 12, 2013
When I was a kid, I hid my heart under the bed, because my mother said, “If you’re not careful, someday someone’s going to break it.” Take it from me. Under the bed is not a good hiding spot. I know because I’ve been shot down so many times I get altitude sickness just […]
TED | Sarah Kay: Should I have a daughter…
March 3, 2013
If I should have a daughter, instead of “Mom,” she’s gonna call me “Point B,” because that way she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me. And I’m going to paint solar systems on the backs of her hands so she has to learn the […]
F For Effort!
December 26, 2012
Richard Benson. F For Effort!: More of the Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers. Chronicle Books, 2012. The following are a few snapshots of my favorites. Merry Christmas! Thank you, Santa. Elementary School High School Biology High School Chemistry High School English High School History and Geography High School Math High School Physics Extra Credit
Machine Gun Preacher | Review
November 14, 2012
http://www.machinegunpreacher.org Christan Post article. Urban Christian News article. Christianity Today article. Shekinah Fellowship Church. As with many films that are “based on a true story,” there are augmentations and omissions, several of which you can read about in the linked articles above. Regardless, what this film, as well as the articles, accomplish is communicating the […]
The Hunger Games | Review & Reflections
September 28, 2012
Admittedly, I have yet to read the books (calling to me from my Kindle). After seeing the movie, it is understandable how this story has become challenging to many in the faith community. The oppressive regime of the capitol, the despair of poverty juxtaposed to wealth and opulence, and young people being “forced” to kill […]
TED | Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability
September 27, 2012
So, I’ll start with this: a couple years ago, an event planner called me because I was going to do a speaking event. And she called, and she said, “I’m really struggling with how to write about you on the little flier.” And I thought, “Well, what’s the struggle?” And she said, “Well, I saw […]
What Is A Teacher?
September 19, 2012
What is a teacher? A guide, not a guard. What is learning? A journey, not a destination. What is discovery? Questioning the answers, not answering the questions. What is the process? Discovering ideas, not covering content. What is the goal? Open minds, not closed issues. What is the test? Being and becoming, not remembering and […]
Endgame: AIDS in Black America | Notes & Reflections
July 13, 2012
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/endgame-aids-in-black-america/ Transcript with my underlines, and annotated reflections: ENDGAME: AIDS in Black America WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY Renata Simone ANNOUNCER: Tonight on FRONTLINE, an intimate journey. MARVELYN: I was a heterosexual all-American teenager. HIV and normal didn’t go together, so I thought. JOE HAWKINS, Bench and Bar Nightclub: The minister put his hand […]
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother | Review & Notes
July 12, 2012
Amy Chua. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Penguin Press, 2011. (237 pages) http://amychua.com, Colbert Report, Time magazine Q&A, — VIA — This was a fantastic read. Chua has been criticized, mainly over the title of the Wall Street Journal article, “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior,” but this criticism, and especially that article title is […]
TED | Jane McGonigal: The game that can give you 10 extra years of life
July 9, 2012
I’m a gamer, so I like to have goals. I like special missions and secret objectives. So here’s my special mission for this talk: I’m going to try to increase the life span of every single person in this room by seven and a half minutes. Literally, you will live seven and half minutes longer […]
Everyday Justice | Notes & Review
July 7, 2012
Julie Clawson. Everyday Justice: The Global Impact of our Daily Choices. IVP Books, 2009. http://www.everydayjustice.net/ WARNING! Read Before Proceeding Don’t panic! We see acting justly as an all-or-nothing endeavor, and because we can’t do it all, we often end up doing nothing. This book exists to help us start doing something by giving concrete and […]
The Spark | Notes & Review
July 1, 2012
John U. Bacon & Lyn Heward. The Spark: Igniting the Creative Fire That Lives Within Us All. Currency Doubleday, 2006. (136 pages) — VIA — It is delightfully serendipitous that I watched Moneyball last night about the Oakland Athletics’ GM and read this book this morning about a sports agent. There is a common theme […]
TED | Marco Tempest: A Magical Tale (with Augmented Reality)
April 8, 2012
Marco Tempest: What I’d like to show you today is something in the way of an experiment. Today’s its debut. It’s a demonstration of augmented reality. And the visuals you’re about to see are not prerecorded. They are live and reacting to me in real time. I like to think of it as a kind […]
The Brain On Love
March 27, 2012
The following article was too good to simply post on Facebook. I’ve highlighted my favorite lines that I believe are most telling to the human experience, elements of behavior and choice we should all pay attention to. March 24, 2012, 4:28 pm The Brain on Love By DIANE ACKERMAN A RELATIVELY new field, called interpersonal […]
TED | Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts
March 22, 2012
The Book, the Website, the Press, and the TED talk: When I was nine years old I went off to summer camp for the first time. And my mother packed me a suitcase full of books, which to me seemed like a perfectly natural thing to do. Because in my family, reading was the […]
A Beautiful Sunset
March 4, 2012
Pastor Sid Harms Oct 14, 1950 – Feb 21, 2012 Sunsets happen every day. There are some sunsets, however, that make you stop and stare. You cannot help but be captivated by its radiance and color. People stop driving. They pull over to the side of the road, pull out their cameras and take pictures. […]
Being Elmo | Notes & Review
February 29, 2012
http://beingelmo.com/ There were two specific sentiments that I was drawn to in this well done documentary. First: “This is too deep. It’s sort of like religion. It’s like another being, it’s like something deep inside of you.” – Kermit the Frog when asked about the role that Jim Henson plays in his life. When the […]
Milk | Notes & Review
February 25, 2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_%28film%29 Here is the closing line of the movie: If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door… And that’s all. I ask for the movement to continue. Because it’s not about personal gain, not about ego, not about power… it’s about the “us’s” out there. Not only gays, but […]
TEDx | Drew Dudley: Everyday Leadership
February 11, 2012
I want to start just by asking everyone in the audience a question. How many of you are completely comfortable calling yourselves a leader? See, I’ve asked that question all the way across the country, and everywhere I ask it, no matter where, there’s always a huge portion of the audience that won’t put up […]
The Human Experience | Notes & Review
January 31, 2012
http://www.grassrootsfilms.com/thehumanexperience/ Grassroots Films, 2007 [PG-13] Amazon.com EXPERIENCE I: HOMELESS ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK Find those things that make us human. It’s not the nature of life to be despairing. The nature of life is to be hopeful. Life is other people. It’s just that simple. If you view the other as a unique […]
Zion & Babylon
December 30, 2011
Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “The Greeks learned in order to comprehend. The Hebrews learned in order to revere. The modern man learns in order to use.” (God in Search of Man, 34) My blog is really not for blogging, but more for study, and many posts are in the Greek vein. This post is in […]
The World According to Mister Rogers | Notes & Review
December 28, 2011
Fred Rogers. The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember. Family Communications, Inc., 2003. eBook Edition. (701 locations) — VIA — One of my heroes. This collection is simple, straightforward, frequently a gentle reminder, occasionally a poignant insight, and always kind, and loving; an expression of the very best of what humanity has […]
Paper Clips | Review
October 23, 2011
Miramax, 2004. [G] As a part of their study of the Holocaust, the children of the Whitwell, TN Middle School try to collect 6 million paper clips representing the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis. Beautiful. Several themes emerge in this movie that are worthy of note. And though the pace and tone of […]
Evangelicals Without Blowhard
July 31, 2011
Brilliant, on so many levels. The entire article is copied below. July 30, 2011 Evangelicals Without Blowhards By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF IN these polarized times, few words conjure as much distaste in liberal circles as “evangelical Christian.” That’s partly because evangelicals came to be associated over the last 25 years with blowhard scolds. When the […]
Reflections on Commencement
June 11, 2011
Today, it was conferred upon me and my fellow students a Master’s Degree. I have admitted that my personal journey through seminary has been tainted by a begrudging attitude and my feelings are more of relief than they are of celebration. However, after 7 years of continuous movement and investment in a particular direction–by myself, […]
Reflections on New Employment
January 7, 2011
Exactly 3 months ago, I posted Reflections on Being Laid Off. Today, after one full week of my new job, I thought I’d follow up with some reflections on making a transition. To update those who have inquired, I have accepted a position at The King’s Academy (TKA) as the Spiritual Life Director. It is […]
TED | Birke Baehr: What’s Wrong With Our Food System
January 2, 2011
TED | Birke Baehr: What’s Wrong With Our Food System There is a movement… A while back I wanted to be a professional football player. I’ve decided I want to be an organic farmer instead. And that way I can have a greater impact on the world. We can all make a difference, by making […]
TED | William Ury: The Walk From “No” to “Yes”
December 3, 2010
Find The Eighteenth Camel There is this Middle Eastern story of a man who willed to his three sons his 17 camels. To the first son 1/2 of the camels, to the second son 1/3, and to the third son 1/9. 17 doesn’t divide by any of those numbers. Conflict arose, and they decided to […]
Issues Facing Parents of Teens
November 30, 2010
I had the privilege of being on a panel for parents of TKA today, and I took copious notes from my co-panelists, as they were brilliant! While I hope that my contributions were of help, I am sincerely positive that their contributions were invaluable. It was a blessing to learn from them. In addition, I understand that […]
Stress: Portrait of a Killer | Notes & Review
November 21, 2010
http://www.pbs.org/stress/. http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Stress-Portrait-Killer/dp/B001D7T460 Available on Instant for Netflix. While stress is a natural response, we humans are unable to turn it off. This keeps us wallowing in a corrosive bath of hormones. After a while, the stress response is more damaging than the actual stressor itself. Hierarchy, a social construct, is a key factor in how […]
China’s Lost Girls | Notes & Review
November 10, 2010
National Geographic, 2005 Lucy Ling follows a group of American families to China and captures the key moments of their adoption process illuminating the unforeseen effects of China’s one-child policy coupled with ancient traditions and social constructs along the way. Some of them being, prioritization of boys as they are the parents’ “social security.” prioritization […]
The War of Art | Notes & Review
November 8, 2010
Steven Pressfield. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. Grand Central Publishing, 2002. (165 pages) …golf is a beautifully virulent form of procrastination. THE UNLIVED LIFE. Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance. Genius […]
Revenge of the Introvert
November 5, 2010
This article caught my eye in the grocery story today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201008/revenge-the-introvert. (Here Revenge of the Introvert – Psychology Today, 2010-08-23 is a .pdf of the article). Reading it was like therapy for me. While not everything characterized my personality, a vast majority of it did. Below are the highlights. Scientists now know that, while introverts […]
Despair.com | Blogging
October 8, 2010
A little self-deprecating humor is healthy every now and then.
Reflections on Being Laid Off
October 7, 2010
Today is the official notice day of the termination of my employment. As you can imagine, the effervescence around the office is somber and sad, to say the least. While I found out last week, many of my friends and colleagues found out today that their positions were being eliminated. Given the fact that we […]
TED Talks Worth Talking About | Mechai Viravaidya: How Mr. Condom made Thailand a better place
October 6, 2010
— VIA — Unconventional, witty, funny, innovative, vision-driven, and staunchly ethical. While many of the faith community would balk at the blatant disregard for “values,” in a puritanical sense, the ethic for “saving lives,” and “increasing standards of living,” is clear and ought to be acknowledged and applauded. A few things I appreciated: 1. The […]
For The Bible Tells Me So | Notes & Review
October 3, 2010
http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org/index2.htm [NR] There’s something about doing justice with your [gay] son that is so empowering. New Interview with Bishop Gene Robinson and Director Dan Karslake [After a program aired which featured a lesbian street theologian,] I got an email from a kid in Iowa which ultimately drove me to make this film: Last week I […]
The Sabbath | Notes & Review
September 27, 2010
Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Sabbath: its meaning for modern man. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1951, 1979. (118 pages) [VIA: This is one one of the few books in my library where every page is worth quoting. Below is a small sliver of quotes that hopefully summarize each heading; though their mere abstraction does an injustice […]
American Teen | Notes & Review
September 26, 2010
http://www.americanteenthemovie.com [PG-13] — VIA — A bit voyeuristic, this documentary may be more accurately entitled “White Mid-Western American Teen.” I mean no disregard to the producers or the subjects of the film by that qualification, but simply as an observation regarding the geographical and cultural locale of teens involved in this film. There are some […]
TED Talks Worth Talking About | Chris Anderson: How web video powers global innovation
September 23, 2010
http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_how_web_video_powers_global_innovation.html There are 9 billion people coming our way. Dancers have created a whole global laboratory online. Kids in Japan are taking moves from a YouTube video created in Detroit, building on it within days and releasing a new video, while teenagers in California are taking the Japanese video and remixing it to create a […]
The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time | Notes & Review
June 7, 2010
Will Durant, John Little, ed. The Greatest Minds and Ideas of all time. Simon & Schuster, 2002. (127 pages) I recently discovered Will Durant and his work, and will be engaging with it for the next several years. Very readable, accessible, and extremely quotable, the Durants (Will and his wife Ariel) have written an 11-volume […]
TED Talks Worth Talking About | Ken Robinson on Bring on the Learning Revolution
May 26, 2010
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! TED, February 2010. Picking up from his 2006 talk, … I believe there is a second climate crisis which is as severe, which has the same origins and we have to deal with, with the same urgency. This is a crisis, not of natural resources, but a […]
Drive | Notes & Review
May 20, 2010
Daniel Pink. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books, 2009. (242 pages) INTRODUCTION Pink starts with the stories and experiments of Harry Harlow and Edward Deci. Harlow’s experiment (lab monkeys solving a puzzle) offered a novel theory–what amounted to a third drive: “The performance of the task,” he said, “provided intrinsic reward. […]
I Didn’t Know My B.A. stood for “Bookaholics Anonymous”
May 19, 2010
After straightening up in my areas of study for the rooms to be cleaned, I just looked at this stack that I’m currently reading, reviewing, and rummaging through, and thought, “I need help…serious help.” This doesn’t even include several books that I’ve “reshelved” to the main library. I’m a little concerned. Any suggestions?
The Halo Effect | Notes & Review
May 15, 2010
John Raynolds. The Halo Effect: How Volunteering Can Lead to a More Fulfilling Life and a Better Career. Golden Books, 1998. (213 pages) Remember, when you become involved, when you lead with your heart as well as your head, the result is always good. (2) “Whenever you do the right think you feel better about […]
TED Talks Worth Talking About | Adora Svitak: What Adults Can Learn From Kids
April 28, 2010
Adora Svitak: What Adults Can Learn From Kids. TED: February, 2010. Adora’s website. Here is the entire transcript of her talk: I want to start with a question. “When was the last time you were called childish?” For kids like me, being called childish can be a frequent occurrence. Every time we make irrational demands, […]
The Space Between | Notes & Review
September 26, 2009
Walt Mueller. The Space Between: A Parent’s Guide to Teenage Development. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2009. (127 pages) To be normal during the adolescent period is by itself abnormal. – Anna Freud CHAPTER 1: PERSPECTIVE NEEDED Though feelings of confusion, frustration, and misunderstanding often characterize the relationship between parents and teens, it doesn’t have to be the […]
Validation
July 17, 2009
While preparing for a messaged entitled “Words Create Worlds,” I was reminded of this great short film of which this idea is beautifully and artistically presented. It illustrates the need for all of us to be spoken to in ways that are meaningful, and uplifting, and it reminds us that each of us have the […]
April 11, 2013
0