meditatio at the water's edge

Just a few reflections tonight. After a good day of keeping the family going, I'm taking a few minutes to eat some exotic Lay's potato chips, drink a good Bell's Oberon mocrobrew, and I'm listening to Ryan Sharp's "the Cobalt Season."

Kathy and I know Ryan and Holly from the past three years at the emergent gathering in Santa Fe, and they are currenlty on the road. They'll be in West Michigan on Nov. 12 & 13; Ryan's doing a show (likely in our house) on the night of the 12th. If you want to be invited, drop us an e-mail. I'm so excited that they'll be hanging with us for a few days.

Tonight I am incredibly thankful. Thankful for two great kids, a supportive wife, a water's edge gang that is willing to rethink church and in the process they are following Jesus in amazing ways. I have an e-mail from Australian friend Malcolm Hawker in my inbox and another from George Hunsberger. (what's not to love)

George has become a great mentor and friend over the past two years, and for those of you who don't know him -- he's likely one of the most knowledgeable Leslie Newbigin scholars on this planet. He spent time with Leslie, and he wrote his doctoral disortation on the man's work... (here's his book on Newbigin)

I'm grateful for my seminary mentor, Craig VanGelder, who pointed me toward the ways of the kingdom, a deep passion for the gospel that challenges the status quo, and who pointed me toward the Gospel & Our Culture Network as well as George...

Tonight I am grateful. Grateful for those who have gone before and grateful for those with more experience who pull us along. Grateful for the life of Rosa Parks who died today. Grateful that my understanding of the gospel keeps exploding in its size and scope. Grateful that Jesus and the kingdom are bigger and fuller and more encompassing than anything I imagined five years ago. Grateful for God's grace. Grateful for friends who believe good food and good drink is communing together. Grateful for you who read this stuff too.

Shalom.