I have been reading daily in my Bible. All is well there. I have been reading Matthew in th New Living Translation. I think I'll try and have a podcast about biblical translations sometime soon, if anyone wants to try a conference call with me. I am also reading some texts on the Methodist Church, of which Dawn and I are members. We are transferring our membership from Texas to the church down the street. I am researching the social principles and the doctrinal statements because I am considering a course to become a licensed local pastor. I am very interested in what everyone thinks about that. I feel like I need to continue studying in a larger context the stuff that I have been reading lately. If I am raising questions and challenging the beliefs of my family, I think that I need to do it within a structure that provides some direction and that I can rely on to ground me in a faith system that I know and trust. I haven't signed up for anything yet, but I have been checking it all out and want to make a decision soon.

In other news, the grocery budget struggle continues. It turns out we are not as good at it as I had expected us to be. In other words, I am not as good at it. It is easy to sit around here and type and go on and on about sacrifice and the things I am going to do to practice it, it is another thing altogether to change my behaviors and the things that I understand about eating and feeding my family. There is a strong force in our culture that suggests that food comes first, so buy the good stuff and then budget the rest. Food is such an enormous part of our life and routine, and not just sustenance food, I'm talking about gourmet cooking and "eating right," that it is hard to think in terms of spending less money on it. i will have updates on how much we are spending, but for now you can rest easy knowing that we are already over budget.

yikes.

podcasting...

I have been working on the launch of my first podcast, so the blog posts are an opportunity cost. I have been reading in the bible every day, but I just realized that I haven't read anything today and here I am writing a new post. Well, i mostly wanted everyone to have the podcast link so that you all can go and listen and subscribe.

Be sure and check out the fireside as well, my dad and I are having some great conversation over there.

This is another quote from the book "Stealing Jesus" by Bruce Bawer:

"The simple word religion lends dignity to prejudice, muffles opposition and obliges the media to tread carefully. Not only politicians but journalists, too, are less likely to criticize frankly the attitudes of individuals or groups when they identify themselves as Christian and attribute their attitudes to their faith."

I think that this is critical in the upcoming election cycle. So often even I fall into the trap of believing that the conservative candidates represent religion., and the media does little to dispel that myth This bumper sticker that I saw was a little more straightforward:

"When Jesus said 'love your enemies,' I think he meant don't kill them."

reading first...

I have made it a point in the last few days to sit down and read from my bible rather than sitting down and typing on this blog. I want to implement a daily regiment of scripture reading, and if I sit down at the computer it will never get done. So, I think that will be my new routine. Before I sit down at my desk, I will sit down on the couch and read from the Bible. If I don't have time to read, then I don't have time to write. That is what I will work on in September, and I can easily report on my progress, because If I end up here it will only be after I have made time to implement my plan. If you see no posts in September, its because the plan isn't working.

I am doing a lot of exciting stuff right now. I have just started a blog with my father, which will be an interesting endeavor and not something every son gets an opportunity to participate in. I am also working with the audio/video team at our church and will possibly be building and connecting teams to encourage the creative process and help nurture the program. I am meeting with some folks tonight about it. Also, I am hoping to post my first podcast next week, "The Brown Tent." and I will be filling you all in on how to subscribe to it. (Ariah, perhaps we can find time in your busy moving schedule to chat about that. And maybe you would like to contribute.) The community in Nashville is winding down, with the Burts moving into their new apartment and starting their new life together and the departure of the Fines, on their way to Minnesota. I believe Chris has already left and Josh will be heading out at the end of the month, though he is staying in Nashville. I will say small prayers today for all of their safe journeys and for a continued relationship with some of the best friends I have ever had.