I’ve been thinking lately, what if our parents got it wrong? What if the American dream is not as good as the ads in InStyle or Better Home and Garden magazine suggest? What if the perfect life is not so perfect?
Thomas Friedman said in the World Is Flat ,
“I am certain that we Americans can indeed thrive in this world. But I am also certain that it will not be as easy as it was in the last 50 years. Each of us as an individual will have to work a little hard and run a little faster to keep our standard of living rising.”
And the assumption in this statement is that after 50 years we have come to the conclusion, or the acceptance, that we need to continue to increase our standard of living. Are we really more happy? I live in a world that is equal and probably greater than my parents ever attained. And yet are we more content? And does contentment come from a better standard of living?
We think about the endless drive in the America...
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Attractions To ChurchFrom: jonathanbrink.com
Post Date: 2007-12-13 07:00:24
One of the things we talk about in the emerging church is a move away from the attractional church. And to a certain extent, I get this. The question behind this motivation is often that the attractional model is flawed and missing something. And my wonderings made me ask, “What is the attraction? Is it love, discipleship, community, grace? Or is it something else?”
Recently I’ve been in some interesting conversations with a few friends about church in general. Pa...
more The Obligation of ChristmasFrom: jonathanbrink.com
Post Date: 2007-12-12 07:00:23
Some time ago, and I can’t really ever recall the moment, someone gave me the obligation to keep up the traditional Christmas tradition. Today I’m letting it go. And in the words of Sara Groves , I simply realized that “I can’t afford it.”
Don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas and will celebrate it this year. But I won’t be taking part in the flow that simply does it because were supposed to. I’m doing it because I want to. And there&...
more Call Your DadFrom: jonathanbrink.com
Post Date: 2007-12-12 07:00:01
Clay McCullough - October 20, 1927 - December 11, 2007
Yesterday was a day of reflection for me. The man who God brought into my life some thirty years ago had passed away. He was my step-father in word only. The truth was that he was my dad. I used to not be able to say this. I used to think that if I embraced him I would somehow be rejecting my birth dad. What a stupid lie I chose to believe so long ago. From the moment he walked into my life at ten years of age I rejected him t...
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